The Foundation: Habits Built in Your 30s
According to celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, the secret to Karisma Kapoor’s enduring fitness isn’t a recent discovery, but the result of habits she started building in her 30s. Diwekar explains that this decade is a crucial period for women. While
the 20s often allow for an almost effortless metabolism, the 30s mark a significant hormonal transition. Progesterone levels begin to dip while estrogen becomes more dominant, which can lead to changes in weight distribution, skin, hair, and menstrual cycles. Rather than waiting for these changes to become pronounced, Diwekar’s advice centres on pre-emptive, consistent care. The logic is simple: the work you put in during your 30s creates a strong foundation for health that pays dividends in your 40s, 50s, and beyond.
Principle 1: Exercise for Strength, Not Just Weight Loss
One of the core tenets of Diwekar’s philosophy is to decouple exercise from the goal of weight loss. Instead of viewing physical activity as a tool to burn calories or drop kilos, she advises reframing it as a way to build strength, stamina, and mobility. For Karisma, and for anyone, the focus is on consistency. Diwekar recommends aiming for at least three hours of dedicated exercise per week. This could be anything you enjoy, from brisk walking and cycling to dancing or strength training. By making movement a non-negotiable part of life, you support long-term bone density and muscle health, which are far more critical indicators of healthy ageing than a number on a scale.
Principle 2: Embrace Traditional and Local Foods
Diwekar is a vocal champion of eating simple, traditional Indian food, and this is a cornerstone of the advice she imparts. The approach rejects restrictive fad diets that demand you cut out entire food groups. Karisma Kapoor famously continued to eat rice and fish curry even while focusing on her fitness goals. This philosophy encourages eating what is local, seasonal, and familiar. Think poha or idli for breakfast over packaged cereals, and dal-rice with ghee for dinner. These time-tested meals are not only culturally comforting but also nutritionally balanced and easier for the body to digest. According to Diwekar, removing the joy from eating by demonising carbs or fats can lead to nutrient deficiencies and an unsustainable, joyless relationship with food.
Principle 3: Consistency Over Intensity
The entire approach is built on sustainability. Quick fixes and crash diets might produce rapid results, but they often lead to a 'yo-yo' effect where the weight returns once normal eating patterns resume. This cycle can be detrimental to your metabolism and overall health. Diwekar's advice for Karisma focuses on small, consistent actions that add up over time. It's about creating a lifestyle, not following a temporary diet plan. This means enjoying home-cooked meals, staying active regularly, getting enough sleep, and listening to your body's cues. The goal is to make healthy choices feel natural and automatic rather than like a chore or a punishment. By adopting this mindset, you chase long-lasting health, with weight management becoming a natural byproduct rather than the primary, stressful focus.
