EXCLUSIVE: Kareena Kapoor Khan inspired me to practice self-love: Celebrity Yoga instructor Anshuka Parwani

While we love watching our favourite celebrities like Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt and Deepika Padukone work out and serve fitness goals, we often overlook those that play a significant role in helping them achieve that desirable physique. Currently, one such popular celebrity yoga instructor Anshuka Parwani (@anshukayoga) Celebrity Wellness Expert and Founder - Anshuka Yoga, is busy making yoga fun and spreading awareness about the countless benefits it has to offer. Recently, she also received the Her Circle Bizruptors Awards 2024 for her valuable contribution to yoga and wellness.

Anshuka Parwani has been training her students for over a decade. She has learned yoga from various schools and has pursued about 10 yoga teacher certifications of 300 long hours.

With International Day of Yoga just around the corner, Mid-day.com sat down with this yogi who revealed what it is like to be a celebrity trainer and how she became one. Parwani also shares key tips with our readers to make the most out of yoga to maintain optimal health.

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Kareena Kapoor Khan was the first celebrity she trained
Before becoming a full-time yoga instructor, Parwani was a commercial pilot. Having met with a near-fatal bike accident that caused her to be bedridden for several months, yoga came to her rescue. "It was because of yoga that I could walk without crutches after eight to nine months. Besides physical resilience, yoga helped me attain mental strength and emotional stability. It helped me tune into my body, listen to it and cultivate my inner peace," Parwani tells Mid-day.com.

This yoga enthusiast has never looked back ever since. She says, "Initially, as a part of my teacher's training, I used to attend and observe many yoga classes. On one of those days, I was told to take an early morning yoga session with a student due to the lack of presence of another trainer. Little did I know it would be a session with Kareena Kapoor Khan."

The actress enjoyed training with Parwani and has been practising yoga under her guidance ever since.

She says, "Bebo has been one of the greatest guiding lights in my life. She has inspired me to practice self-love because she herself embodies it."

The trainer tells us, "Training celebrities is like training any other client, however, it does serve some benefits." Being a known trainer to celebrities, Parwani was offered an opportunity to share her expertise on the sets of Deepika Padukone, Ananya Panday and Siddhant Chaturvedi starrer Gehraiyaan which was released in 2022.

"Deepika Padukone played the role of a yoga instructor in the film. She was expected to play someone like me. I was asked to help direct all the yoga postures, and certain studio sequences and help Deepika enter the character of a yoga teacher. So it was cool to be on the sets and work behind the camera. It was an opportunity I would have never got had I not been a celebrity instructor. This for me has to be one of the most memorable projects of my life."

Besides training celebrities, Parwani also creates content around yoga and wellness to spread awareness among people and make yoga fun. Not only does she promote the benefits of yoga but also emphasises the importance of complementing the right lifestyle with yoga practice.

Yoga goes just beyond improving one's physical appearance
"Yoga is not just about how you look on the outside. It is a complete transformation of how you are as a person. It is like an internal makeover. While the physical benefits of yoga are widely known, people must realise the larger positive impact it has on one's mind and soul," says Parwani.

Yoga helps individuals seek mental clarity and emotional stability by practising asanas, breathwork, and deep meditation. It helps foster a deeper connection with yourself.

Parwani states that yoga follows the eightfold path which emphasises not just practising asanas, but following a healthy lifestyle, adopting a healthy and balanced diet and practising kind words and actions to be a better human in all aspects.

For yoga to be effective Parwani says, "Consistency is key. Practising your asanas regularly, even if it is for a few minutes, is going to have a significant output. Another important thing is to listen to your body. Your body won't perform the same way it performed yesterday nor will it perform the same tomorrow and that is okay. Tuning in and understanding your body and its requirements is essential. Listening to your body also helps in preventing injury and makes you more mindful."

"All of these tools combined," Parwani says, "will help one achieve the best results of practising yoga."

Parwani loves eating ‘ghar ka healthy khana'
The trainer also practises what she preaches. A day in Parwani's life is one full of healthy practices. "I wake up early, express gratitude for waking up healthy, have a glass of hot water, practice mala asana and legs-up-on-the-wall pose, spend some time with my dog, eat breakfast, take some classes. I make sure I move every single day, practice a few asanas, do my breathwork, and eat balanced meals. I am someone who loves eating home-cooked food.

Besides this, I drink a sufficient amount of water -- at least two litres every day."

For Parwani, striking a good work-life balance is also essential. "Just as my work is important, so is spending time with my loved ones. Further, getting enough rest, and the right amount of sleep too goes a long way in living a healthy life."

She adds, "I always make time for myself. I love playing sports, spending time in nature, and engaging in various other hobbies. All of this combined helps me stay energetic and fresh every day."

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People have numerous misconceptions about yoga
When asked what common misconceptions people have about yoga, Parwani laughs, "There are so many I want to bust." She lists down the key ones:

1. Yoga is for the flexible ones: Of course, flexibility is an added benefit, but you don't have to be flexible to start yoga.

2. A lot of people also believe yoga is a religion: It is not true. It is a lifestyle tool that aids people in living a better life.

3. People also believe that yoga is just for women: Yoga is for every body. Anyone who has a body, mind and soul can practice yoga.

Parwani's top five favourite yoga asanas to practice daily

"While one can practice any yoga asana that best suits them, I have my top five favourite asanas that everyone can do for two to three minutes each," says the yoga instructor.

1. Suryanamaskar - It is a great stretching pose that helps improve strength, flexibility and endurance. It also promotes good blood circulation.

2. Mala Asana - It is a great exercise for the hips. Hips hold a lot of stress. Mala asana is a hip-opening asana that releases stress and also eases constipation.

3. Viparita Karani - Also called the legs-up-on-the-wall, this pose is great for reducing inflammation and improving blood circulation. It also improves hormonal imbalances. Further, practising this asana can also help in preventing varicose veins.

4. Yog Nidra - This is a conscious relaxation technique which helps you tune in and connect with yourself.

5. Pranayama - A famous breathing exercise, it helps calm the mind, reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve lung function.

In whatever you do, Parwani says, "The mantra should be to strike a good balance in whatever you do."