Jyotika adopts the anti-inflammatory regimen to shed 9 kilos in 3 months

Jyotika Pic/Anurag Ahire, Instagram

South actor Jyotika's fitness regimen is not for the faint-hearted. Pulling off the kind of high-intensity plyometric workouts that would make those in their 20s raise their eyebrows, the actor, at 46, is easily an inspiration to women across the globe. "Though I felt great and knew I was fit, I wanted to lose about 10 kilos, and wasn't able to. Regardless of the diet I followed, I was able to shed only two kilos, which I would gain again if I ate even one meal [that wasn't made at home]. It's also due to how one's metabolism [is affected] after they turn 40," says Jyotika, who heard about a holistic approach from actor Vidya Balan's interviews.

Jyotika, who lost nine kilos within three months, says the journey laid emphasis on gut health and began with a food-elimination process. "[They'd add] one food each day to the diet and see how the body would react. If certain food would make you feel bloated, [they'd eliminate it]. Interestingly, certain foods that are considered ‘fattening' weren't leading to weight gain for me. But I was surprised to know that sweet potato doesn't suit me. So, the programme is created based on how your gut reacts."

Asserting that the company lays emphasis on enhancing health instead of encouraging weight loss, she says they encouraged her to eliminate inflammatory foods from the get-go. "These include milk, gluten, peanuts and cashew nuts, sugar in every form, including fruits and organic sugars, soy and corn products, dals, and bread. As soon as you eliminate them, you lose about two kilos within the first few days. Over three months, I was made to add one food item each day and notice how my body was reacting. If I gained weight the next day, that was [an indicator] that the food wasn't suiting me. By the end of three months, I could identify what suits me and what does not."

Ask her what her diet comprises nowadays, and she says, "There's so much to eat apart from these items. There's rice, curries, non-vegetarian foods, and black coffee. You can have curd and paneer too, if they suit you. It wasn't tough to adjust to the changes because you're given an antidote for everything that is being eliminated. Almond milk can replace regular milk. If you must have dals, you are encouraged to have sprouted dals, because doing so rids them of their inflammatory properties. Food science is absolutely magical."

Jyotika admits that with exercise being considered an inflammatory activity, she was encouraged to avoid practising it in the last few months. "But I haven't felt my energy drop. They've also told me that I should be able to return to training within two weeks."