If there is anyone from the Indian film industry who has promoted Yoga like no other, it is Shilpa Shetty Kundra. The actress and entrepreneur, who often takes to social media and discusses the importance of overall wellbeing, has always spoken about the benefits of this ancient exercise and healing form. With a perfectly toned body that inspires several fans everyday, Shilpa has always advocated the art of eating well and balancing it out with a dedicated exercise routine everyday. Her 'Sunday Binge' videos have always been a 'treat' to watch on social media. However, the actress confesses that it is 'Yoga' that helps her maintain this fine balance.

On International Yoga Day, here's Shilpa talking about her workout routine, diet and why she has always focused on the benefits of Yoga.

What is your daily workout routine like?

If I can't do my entire workout regime, I make sure that I concentrate on my breathing for at least 15 minutes a day. I follow my fitness schedule thrice a week. It includes Yoga and weight training. There are also rope workouts, which I really enjoy learning. I am also doing advance yoga right now, so that requires a lot of core strength building. You need to understand that once you are over 35 years of age, you lose a lot of muscle mass and bone density. You need to work on strength and agility. There are different kinds of workouts that help you target different problems and different body parts. 

You mentioned that you focus on Yoga and Weight Training. So, do you devote some time for cardio as well?

I just walk take the stairs wherever I can. There is no separate cardio session that I focus on.

Diet plays a crucial role in overall well being. What are some of the rules you have set, when it comes to food? Is there any specific diet that you follow?

I have made a few modifications. I eat a heavy breakfast, heavy lunch and a lighter dinner. You only need energy in the day that is why we need to keep the carbs low at night. I take a high-protein fibre diet. It is important to choose the right carbs. I eat lots of raw vegetables and fruits, that have fibre and minerals.

You feel peaceful after doing yoga and peace equals to happiness. I feel yoga is the road to happiness

You have always stressed on the importance of Yoga. When was the first time you leaned towards this ancient form of exercise?

I was suffering from cervical spondylosis and my physiotherapist advised me to do yoga. That is how I got into this and realised that it not only healed my neck, but had strengthened it as well. The most important thing about any injury is that you need to strengthen it back again from the core. And yoga helps you do that. Yoga is quite brilliant. You feel peaceful after doing yoga and peace equals to happiness. I feel yoga is the road to happiness.

What is that one special element about Yoga, that stands out for you?

Yoga is all about body balance and building core strength. It not only strengthens your body, but also your mind and bones and the alignment of these three aspects of your life make you far more centred, energetic and stronger.

What according to you would be the best time to perform Yoga?

Early morning or evening before sunset is great, as long as you haven’t eaten at least 2-3 hrs before.

Another thing that you have stressed on is 'Savasana'. What makes this simple, yet crucial asana so special?

Savasana relaxes the body and stomach breathing improves circulation, concentration and relaxes the muscles. It is greatly beneficial for mental health as it calms the nerves.

Is 'Yoga' a part of your everyday workout routine? Leave a comment below with your thoughts on Yoga or Join the conversation on

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In part one of this feature, we discussed 6 important changes in our lifestyle, that can help beat the unnecessary stress and tension in our lives. In this part, holistic health guru Mickey Mehta discusses 6 exercises and workout routines, that will help beat stress and leave you feeling energetic, calm and cool.

• Cardio Workout: They help to improve blood circulation and oxygenation. Exercises like spot jogging, jumping jacks and activities like skipping, swimming, brisk walks among others can benefit an individual a lot. You can begin with some of these as a warm up  exercise and gradually, increase the time devoted to each activity. It helps in breaking your otherwise mundane routine, and leaves you feeling refreshed.

• Strength Exercises: These are extremely beneficial for those feel tired and lethargic very often. Exercises like biceps curls, triceps extensions, push ups, squats and lunges helps strengthen your bones, ligaments and muscles. Regular routines will promote stamina and endurance. Say goodbye to Monday blues and unnecessary stress.

• Stretches: Perform suryanamaskar, tadasana, side stretch, neck rotation, arm rotation, shoulder shrugs among others on a regular basis. This will allow your body to get flexible and will relax your muscles, making you more agile. It will also help to alleviate neck pain, lower back pain, wrist aches, and other problems, that are often faced by those who sit in front of the computer for long hours in office.

• Yoga for Core Strength: Yogasanas like bhujangasana, naukasana, pawanmukhthasana, paschimotasana, sethubandhasana, plank pose among others are excellent for overall core strength and stability. Yoga builds your immune system and protects you against not just stress, coronary heart diseases, hypertension, diabetes and obesity. 

• Deep Breathing Exercises: Pranayam helps in keeping your mind, body and soul calm. It helps in inner balance and revitalizes the body, clears clutter and confusion; thus bringing clarity to the mind. When stress builds up, it is important to allow your mind and body to relax. 

• Have Realistic Goals and Targets: Being healthy is extremely important and that includes having the right balance of strength, stamina, tone and energy, with special emphasis on keeping your-self stress and disease free. A mix of yoga, right breathing techniques, sensible eating plan, meditation, simple exercises, adequate rest and relaxation is the perfect mix for a healthy, stress-free life!

By Mickey Mehta 

for Diary of a Dancebee

Got a query or topic that you would like Holistic Health Guru and our celebrity columnist - Mickey Mehta - to answer or discuss? Send in your suggestions / questions on Twitter at @priyaadivarekar

Starting this July, we are excited to bring an all new monthly Celebrity Guest Feature as part of our fitness section. Our guest feature writer is none other than an extremely popular and respected Indian Holistic Health Guru. Yes, we are talking about none other than the leading expert with over more than 25 years of experience in the field of fitness - Mickey Mehta. The renowned health guru has a huge list of celebrity clients who swear by his teaching which includes Priyanka Chopra, Priety Zinta, Bipasha Basu, Lara Dutta, Smriti Irani and many more. A philosopher, life coach, an author and a fitness guru, Mickey Mehta has revolutionized health with his philosophies of zen, tao, tantra and ved, and blended the disciplines of exercises such as calisthenics, functional training, boot camp, agility drills, tai chi, pilates, yoga and swimming.

We are extremely delighted to have Mickey Mehta on board as the Celebrity Guest Writer, who will be providing fitness tips and answering reader queries every month on Diary of a Dancebee. This month, we got the Health Guru to talk about beneficial Monsoon Workouts. 

A splash of cool rain drop on your face no doubt brings in a sense of relief from the scorching summer heat and makes you swoon with joy. It is a season to rejoice and enjoy the beauty bestowed by the rain God on mother earth. But this season tends to be the most difficult one for the fitness addicts. Unlike other seasons, during Monsoon, it not only becomes quite difficult to step out on rainy days but it also gets tough to cater to ones fitness needs. In this month's feature, I have put together some great exercises, especially for the ongoing monsoon season, that one can practice at home, without taking the trouble of traveling on rainy days.

JOG ON THE SPOT: 

An indoor jog on the spot or around a house jog serves as a great warm up exercise and can be extremely beneficial. This is one important way to shed off the extra fat.

PUSH UPS: 

Push ups serve as a complete body exercise and can be easily modified in order to make it more challenging for your body. Sometimes, even the most avid exerciser can find several reps of this exercise tough. For fitness enthusiasts who feel that a regular push up is too easy for you, try the Single Leg Push Up.

BURPEES: 

One of the best exercises during monsoon is Burpees. This exercise serves as an intense, full body workout, and helps burn tons of calories. Burpees helps in increasing the metabolism rate as well. They are ideal for developing conditioning and endurance.

JUMPING LUNGES: 

Lunges serve as an excellent thigh toning exercise. Add to that, jumps between these lunges and the entire exercise form - Jumping Lunges - turns into an incredible calorie burner. It also helps keep your legs toned and fit.

CLIMBING STAIRS: 

The stairs in your building (home or office) serve as a superb exercising device by themselves. Walking up and down the stairs in between work is absolutely perfect for those who spent hours in front of the computer.

JUMP SQUATS: 

Do a regular squat, then jump as powerfully as you can (reach up for the ceiling or sky). Jump Squats  not only help in burning more calories, but also helps keep your legs fit and pushes you to challenge yourself for more.

 JUMP ROPE: 

Jump roping is an amazing and simple workout option. There is no end to the tricks and variations you can do with a jump rope. Not only jump rope is a good exercise, but it also helps you work on co-ordination and balancing your body. Jump roping burns a lot of calories and is also the cheapest form of exercise. No frills! Just a jump rope in your hand and you are good to go.

JUMPING JACKS:

 Jumping jack is a structural workout. It is a full body workout and strengthens your core muscle very well. It also serves as a good warm up exercise. It is an effective exercise for the joints and also helps strengthen them.

YOGA: 

Practicing Yoga on a regular basis is a must. Yoga is an incredible form of exercise that can be performed both indoors and outdoors. Select an airy, clean spot in your house, bring out your Yoga mat and practice simple asanas to keep yourself fit. Start with the basics like Pranayam, and slowly, move on to asanas like the Surya Namaskar. Yoga also helps diminish respiratory problems that are very common during the monsoon season.

DANCING: 

Everybody loves dancing. And if you are someone who swears by it, then dance like no one's watching. Dance is an incredible form of exercise, who not only helps keep you fit, but also makes your body more flexible and free. Choose your favorite music and dance genre, and burn calories without having to worry about hitting the gym on a rainy day. 

Make fitness and wellness a part of your daily lifestyle. A dash of discipline, good food habits, regular exercises, combined with adequate sleep, rest and relaxation and a graceful attitude will surely get you rejuvenated, revitalized and Mickeymized this Monsoon!

By Mickey Mehta 

for Diary of a Dancebee