The actress vouches for maintaining fitness by mixing workouts with relaxation techniques

Over the years, several actors managed to make a smooth transition from small screen to big screen. Prachi Desai is one of them.

With the acute shift from one medium to another comes the responsibility to stay fit. The petite actress has so far managed to do well thanks to her strict adherence of yoga routines and diet regimes. In a chat with us, Prachi drops a few tips...


>> An actor's life: Balancing my shooting schedules with my fitness has to be the biggest task of my daily life. Sometimes I wake up at five and go back to sleep at midnight. It could be stressful at times but you somehow have to maintain the fitness level. I practice power yoga as it instantly energizes me and I've benefited a lot from it. What people don't realise is it helps in toning the body as well.

>> No, weight: I've tried weight training earlier but no matter how light the weights are, they never really complimented my body type. So eventually I gave up on the whole thing. Having said that, I make sure I catch up on my cardio and basic workout. There are separate sets of exercises for upper as well as lower body.


>> Team sports: My liking for sports has more to do with my colleagues than with the sport itself. I participate simply for the fun to be together and doing one thing at the same thing. I'm not competitive. When we're shooting outside, volleyball and table-tennis happens and I make the most of it.

>> Food for thought: When I'm shooting, I generally eat in small measures. Fruit juices and coconut water does the trick for me as far as fluids are concerned. I take light food even for lunch with some nuts and dates. They don't make me sleepy and are instant forms of energy. Since summer is here, I keep sipping nimbu pani with no sugar and have soup or salad for dinner.


>> Mantra: Never skip a meal. Don' overeat. Don't starve yourself either. Have green tea, yogurt, nut or boiled egg. Provide yourself plenty of fibres in the form of juicy fruits like orange.

>> To-do list: 50 jumping jacks, 50 squats, 50 push-ups, 50 working lunges and if you can, run a quarter mile after that. Keep experimenting with the numbers according to your stamina and will. If you don't like to exercise, join dancing classes or aerobics.