2019 and 2024

When it comes to chronicling the experiences of artistes who don’t fit the stereotypical ‘size-zero’ mould, Mona Singh appears to be a misfit. “I have always got work. [My figure] has never restricted me,” says the ebullient actor, who made her debut with the offbeat and immensely successful telly drama, Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin (2003), and subsequently forayed into films and web shows.

“I have never believed in being size zero. I have always been healthy, even a little [plump] at times. I have been fuller, but I always wanted a fitter body and to be more agile.”

It was, however, a professional requirement that brought about Singh’s recent physical transformation. Having been asked to shed seven kilos for a project, she needed to return to her fitness regimen that had been suspended after a shoulder injury.

“I approached a yoga instructor for my shoulder injury because a few friends said I’d benefit from mobility exercises. The intention to adopt yoga wasn’t to lose weight but to heal myself so that I could begin training again. But, my body reacted to it beautifully. I began shedding kilos because my trainer’s style of yoga is intense. He teaches Ashtanga yoga, which is among the toughest forms of the [discipline]. One must hold postures for about four minutes, and breathing becomes [laboured]. My body hadn’t experienced something like that before, and I loved it. When I started to meditate, I enjoyed the rhythm of yoga. Suddenly, I was 10 kilos lighter,” she says, crediting her trainer for also doubling as a nutritionist who helped her “include a lot of ghee” in her diet and taught her to “be mindful of my choice of food”. 

Acknowledging that she had “tried everything” in the book to become fitter, Singh, once a gym goer, admits that the “blaring music” at such facilities was dissuading. “I wanted quiet and peace, and [enjoy] slow mornings. Yoga offered that.” 

She is quick to add, though, that several factors helped her achieve this feat at the age of 42. “I was never mindful of what I ate. I wanted to be thinner, but never worked towards it. So, it also depends on your will. Today, the way I look has boosted my confidence. I enjoy the kind of clothes I wear for promotions, because this is something I have not experienced in several years. But, the concept of being size zero is overrated. The way I looked has never worn me down, mentally. But, I used to tell myself, I wish I could wear something else. I was fed up of seeing myself in salwar suits and ‘comfy clothes’ at all times. If you notice, that’s what I have worn in most of the shows I’ve done. Now, in my 40s, I’m reinventing myself.” 

Ask her if she manages to adhere to her diet, and she responds with a laugh, “I am very disciplined. You see, only after a lot of burns, butchery, and sweat have I been able to achieve this. I won’t take it for granted. Recently, I went on a vacation with my husband, and was very careful [with my food choices]. But, I don’t starve.” 

To the women who believe achieving such a feat in their 40s is cumbersome, Singh offers words of encouragement. “Recently, my mother underwent surgery, and I noticed that only women were there at the hospital. I asked the surgeon what was going on, and he said, ‘Mona, women don’t look after themselves.’ Women should start taking care of their health. Your body changes even [as early as] in your 30s. The worst thing that we experience is muscle loss because we don’t eat clean and exercise. Our bone density goes for a toss. It is important that we put ourselves first.”

I’ve been told to include ghee, coconut water, chaas, and dahi in my diet. Today, I am predominantly vegetarian. And, if I must, I will be a pescatarian. A lot of my protein comes from vegetables, pulses, and curd. I don’t have protein powders or supplements. I also follow a satvik diet, and eat according to seasons. I don’t eat [fruits and vegetables] that are available throughout the year because I have been told that they are not healthy. So, in the winter, I eat different kinds of saags. In the summer, I will have foods [that are cooling for the body]. I substitute wheat with ragi, and may have white or brown rice. Because I follow intermittent fasting, my first meal is lunch, and usually comprises one roti, dahi, ghee, dal, and lots of salads. In the evening, I indulge in nuts and black coffee, or may have a fruit. I have dinner early, at about 7.30 pm. If I’m shooting, I will carry a bowl of clear vegetable soup, which I mix with rice and ghee. Sometimes, I carry cottage cheese—one that is high in protein content—or may take a piece of salmon with me. As for supplements, I take a pill of ashwagandha. I also take magnesium and Omega 3 and 6. And, I use krill oil.