Before and After: Anshula Kapoor

You may have read about the importance of encouraging girls to adopt the body-positivity movement, but if you’re looking for a real-life story of a woman actually doing so, Anshula Kapoor is the person you need to follow.

Actor Arjun Kapoor’s sister opens up about her commendable weight-loss journey on social media, discussing daily triumphs like becoming comfortable in sleeveless tops, and getting over the fear of donning a swimsuit.

It is under the guidance of trainer Priyanka Mehta that Kapoor has, till today, managed to shave 40 kilos. “We started working with her in February 2021, when she was 115 kilos. Back then, we couldn’t include exercises that required her to engage her core, or led to an elevated heart rate. We had to progress very slowly, and any and all achievement could be brought about by consistency alone,” says Mehta, adding that during the first six months of her journey, they only worked on strength training activities that targeted the full body.

“We still didn’t know how her body would [shape up], and had to hence target all the muscles at one go. She would train thrice a week. And while it usually takes eight weeks to see any tangible change, she began to respond within four. Then, we targeted individual body parts and toned her arms, back, and thighs. First, you began to notice that her face was becoming leaner, and eventually her waist [size] reduced. This was fat-loss in the truest sense. We subsequently began changing her regimen every eight weeks, adding functional movements, and then explosive exercises that elevated her heart-rate. What she has achieved is owing to a mix of everything.”

By designing “short and intense” routines that Kapoor executes five times a week, the trainer attempts to reduce her body fat percentage, and up her muscle mass. “Now that the inches have reduced, we are focusing on helping her acquire a toned look. Fortunately, she enjoys strength training, and we don’t need to compel her to do exercises that she dislikes, like cycling. She is quite a taskmaster herself, and looks forward to her workouts. On the days that she becomes lazy, she is inspired by how far she has come, and that brings her back to training.”

Being well-read, Kapoor, we’re told, is aware of the grains that suit her. She avoids gluten, and enjoys Gujarati meals. “She knows which grains work for her, and only consumes those.”