Bollywood actress Bhumi Pednekar's remarkable weight loss journey has inspired many. The talented star gained over 30 kilos for her debut role in the 2015 film Dum Laga Ke Haisha. Subsequently, she shed an impressive 35 kilos without resorting to extreme diets or shortcuts. What is the secret behind her transformation? From dietary changes to fitness routines, here are some effective tips that helped her achieve her weight loss goals.
Who is Bhumi Pednekar?
Bhumi Pednekar is an accomplished actress in Hindi cinema. Before her acting debut, she worked for six years as an assistant casting director for Yash Raj Films. For her first film, Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015), where she played the lead with Ayushmann Khurrana, she had to put on about 30 kg to look the part. This helped Pednekar emerge as a torch-bearer of body-positivity and self-love in the Indian film industry and earned her acclamation from fans. Her drastic transformation after the release of the film further contributed to her popularity (alongside her impressive acting skills) and helped her make headlines. She also won a Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut after the film’s release.
Throughout her career, Pednekar has won many hearts for exploring edgy and relatable roles in her films. Her authenticity, freshness, and acting charm have also helped her stand out. Most of her career milestones were marked by commercial films with an underlying social message, such as Toilet: Ek Prem Katha (2017), Bala (2019), Pati Patni Aur Woh (2019), Saand Ki Aankh (2019), and Badhaai Do (2022). Last year, she made headlines with her commercial release, Thank You for Coming, a lighthearted romantic comedy about a virgin food blogger seeking physical intimacy. While the film didn’t succeed at the box office, it allowed the actor to explore versatility in her acting pursuits and allowed audiences to see her in a new light.
Bhumi Pednekar’s Weight Loss Post “Dum Laga Ke Haisha”
For her debut film, Dum Laga Ke Haisha, Pednekar had to put on 30 kg within six months to meet the requirements of her role as an overweight, newlywed woman. During this period, Pednekar indulged in her favorite treats, especially the high-calorie ones, to put on excess weight. After the film's release, she admitted in an interview that she wasn’t body-shamed at all for her appearance. Instead, she earned much love and respect from the audience for the character she played and the message the film gave about self-respect and acceptance.
Since the film, Pednekar has been in a constant process of self-improvement. However, what we love about her approach is that she didn’t starve herself to get “thinner” and instead prioritized nutrition and overall fitness. After the release of Dum Laga Ke Haisha, she lost more than what she had gained to achieve a healthy body weight. Pednekar never liked the word “thin” and has always believed in being “fit”. Now that it has been years since the release of her debut film, she has stopped weighing herself on the scale. Instead, she measures herself in inches to determine whether her body has a healthy waist-to-hip ratio. The waist-to-hip ratio is a straightforward indicator of healthy body proportion, particularly measuring excess abdominal fat (1). In an interview, the Badhai Do star expressed that she appreciates girls these days working on being strong instead of becoming skinny and frail. She likes how the paradigm has shifted to girls building muscle, lifting weights, and eating protein rather than starving themselves to reduce weight. This is the kind of fitness the actor herself enjoys. Let’s understand more about her fitness approach by understanding the weight loss diet she adopted.
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Key Principles of Bhumi's Weight Loss Journey
Bhumi Pednekar's journey emphasizes a holistic approach to weight loss, combining a balanced diet, regular exercise, and mental fortitude. She prioritizes sustainable habits over quick fixes, making her story relatable and inspiring. Here's a breakdown of the key elements:
1. Healthy Diet and Portion Control
Losing weight doesn't require skipping meals and eating tiny portions. Her meal planning was centered on nourishment and balance. "Food was never the enemy," Bhumi once told the Times of India, emphasizing that she prioritised portion control and home-cooked meals over eliminating entire food groups. She ate with awareness, incorporating lean proteins, sabzi, handmade rotis, and seasonal fruits. Bhumi is a self-proclaimed foodie, never denying herself her favorite foods but replacing fast food with healthier, home-cooked versions. She kept her portion sizes in check and developed a diet plan that included food items such as eggs, missi roti, upma, poha, grilled chicken, multi-grain rotis, and rajgira.
Insights from Bhumi Pednekar’s Weight Loss Meal Plan
Pednekar never gave in to fad diets and would consume simple, home-cooked meals to lose weight. The following are some healthy diet and lifestyle choices that Pednekar made to lose weight and stay in shape.
Never Skipping Breakfast
One thing that Pednekar made sure of in her diet was to never skip breakfast. She believes breakfast to be a very important meal in the day, as it supplies much energy for her hectic schedule ahead. Research demonstrates the adverse health effects of skipping breakfast such as compromised memory, poor attention, increased cortisol levels, issues in weight, poor performance, etc. Contrarily, having a nutritious meal in the morning showed positive effects such as sustained energy levels, improved mood, better productivity, and optimal weight management (2). In an interview, she revealed that she never used to skip breakfasts and used to start her day with a glass of hot water first. Apart from this, she used to take muesli in the morning along with skimmed milk.
Avoiding Excess Carbohydrates for Dinner
Instead of skipping breakfast in the morning, the Shubh Mangal Saavdhan actor prefers avoiding carbohydrates for dinner. After all, carbohydrates are more ideal to consume when the body needs instant energy, which is usually not required before bedtime. Pednekar also likes to start her day with a glass of warm water - a healthy habit, which has been proven to flush out toxins in the gut and increase metabolic rate (3). She tried to have her dinner by 8:30 pm.
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Reducing Sugar Intake
Another excellent lifestyle choice that the actor made is to cut back on refined sugar as much as possible - it doesn’t matter if it is brown sugar or white sugar, it is only taste and empty calories - as per the actor. As healthier alternatives, she prefers natural sweeteners such as maple syrup, coconut sugar, and raw honey to satisfy her sweet tooth. Research published on ScienceDirect underlines the benefits of natural sweeteners over refined sugar as they contain bioactive compounds, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, and even fiber in some cases (such as fresh fruits and dates) (4). One thing that Thank You for Coming actress completely said no to was sugar. In an interview, she revealed, when starting her weight loss journey, she cut down meetha that helped her lose weight quickly.
Staying Hydrated
The Toilet: Ek Prem Katha star consumes at least six to seven liters of water every day. Drinking lots of water every day is a healthy practice that improves gut health and skin health, optimizes hunger, improves cognition and heart health, and reduces the risk of kidney stones (5). Another study infers that increased hydration may have something to do with weight loss, too (6). To help her stay hydrated and feel refreshed, Pednekar would often consume detox drinks comprising cucumber slices, lemon, mint, and some fresh water.
The following are some specific healthy meals that Pednekar would consume to maintain good health. However, in 2020, Pednekar became a vegetarian as “eating meat didn’t feel good anymore,” due to its negative impact on the climate.
Sample Daily Diet
- Breakfast: Fresh fruit, a small amount of porridge or toast and a handful of soaked almonds. Muesli with skimmed milk and flax or sunflower seeds.
- Lunch: Simple, home-cooked wholesome food that includes roti, sabzi and dal. Her rotis are not made of wheat but of bajra, jowar, nachni, soya, chana or rajgira and topped with a little white butter. You can mix all these grains together to make a power-packed multi grain roti or use them individually. Her dal has tadka and the sabzi has oil but olive oil used in moderation. On days where she’s out or in the mood for a different flavour, she opts for other healthy options like grilled chicken, brown bread vegetable and grilled chicken sandwich (she likes using hummus/honey mustard, green chutney or just little olive oil if she wants to grill it as a spread instead of butter or any other trans-fat spread), hummus with cucumber and carrots, nutri-nuggets or some home made chicken gravy cooked in very little oil with a bowl of brown rice. This meal would be anywhere between 400 to 500 calories and under 80 grams of carbs. She doesn’t starve, just eat healthy and work out.
- Evening Snack: Half a papaya or an apple / pear / guava. After an hour or so, she has a cup of green tea with few almonds or walnuts. Around 7:00pm, she has a big bowl of salad with all salad greens, maybe add an apple, and some walnuts or some dried berries if seasonal ones are unavailable - dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar or some olive chilli oil with garlic and mustard, or some apple cider vinegar.
- Dinner: Grilled fish or chicken. On days she wants to eat a vegetarian meal, it is usually fresh, grilled or slightly pan cooked paneer / tofu, stir fried or steamed vegetables (seasoned as you like) with a small cup of brown rice or a thin multi-grain roti. She tries eating as less carbs as possible at night.
- Healthy Snacks: Berry smoothie (Pour a glass of water into the mixer and add 2 tablespoons of yogurt. Add one teaspoon of honey and fresh berries of all kinds into it). Yoghurt cubes (You can pour a homemade smoothie into the ice cubes. Pour the strawberries shake into the ice tray and freeze it. You can make it a slushy and eat it up). Other healthy alternatives are: Kale & Soya chips (I totally love them!), whole wheat lavash with hummus, or even dry roasted grains like puffed bajra. BTW, if you are really craving, you can have a piece of dark chocolate - the darker the better. Chocolate made with at least 70% cocoa contains less sugar and more antioxidants.
2. Diverse and Enjoyable Workout Routine
Sticking to one type of workout often becomes monotonous. She was constantly changing things up. Bhumi's exercise regimen was unexpectedly diverse and personal. Rather than going for what appeared to be hard, she chose exercises that made her feel good, like Pilates, weight training, long walks outdoors and dance-based routines. Bhumi did not went with high-intensity exercises in one go. Instead, she began with a variety of workouts from running, working on machines, functional training, swimming and dance aerobics. Even after weight loss, she tries to be consistent with her workout and follow a combination of cardio, weight lifting, pilates and stretching to stay fit.
Insights from Bhumi Pednekar’s Exercise Routine
Pednekar loves working out and staying fit. She appreciates how energized and rejuvenated exercising makes her feel. She particularly likes workouts that help her build lean muscle, tone the body, and improve posture, such as weight lifting. However, she also likes the occasional highs of cardiovascular exercises and understands that they are important too for lung and heart health. What motivates the Dum Laga ke Haisha star to exercise consistently is sharing her workout videos on social media. The massive encouragement and love that she gets from fans motivates her to do better. The following are some exercises that she would typically include in her routine.
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Running
For an exhilarating cardio boost, Pednekar likes to go for a run. Research shows that even a leisurely run can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and mortality (7). Another study shows that running regularly can help prevent obesity, type-2 diabetes, respiratory ailments, and hypertension (8).
Swimming
Pednekar is a water baby, which is why, it’s no surprise that she likes swimming a lot. Even on her coastal retreats, the Pati, Patni, Aur Woh actor likes to take a dip in the sea. Swimming is not only an enjoyable activity but also offers plenty of health benefits. It improves insulin sensitivity, glucose control, blood pressure, physical strength, and aerobic fitness (9), (10), (11). Moreover, it is also an excellent exercise to enhance mood and reduce negative stress and anxiety (12).
Functional Training with Weights
Some common functional exercises that Pednekar practices include leg raises, weighted squats, weighted lunges, Russian twists, weighted push-ups with twists, tricep push-downs, and glute bridges with a medicine ball. These weight training exercises help her increase her bodily range of motion, agility, and overall functionality.
Strength Training Exercises
In addition to functional exercises with weights, she also practices deadlifts, shoulder presses, and bicep curls using moderate to heavy weights to boost strength.
Pilates
Like most other celebrities, this aerobic exercise is an all-time favorite of Bhumi Pednekar, too. Practicing Pilates regularly provides her with a plethora of health benefits such as increased flexibility, better abdominal and lumbo-pelvic stability, and enhanced muscle strength (13).
Stretching
For a rejuvenating cooldown, Pednekar engages in deep stretching. This helps alleviate pain, improve muscle function, coordinate muscle control, enhance organ function, and has an overall therapeutic effect on the body (14), (15), (16).
While having an active lifestyle, Pednekar is very particular about having “break days” to recover from the wear and tear from her workouts. She really respects her body and aims to do what’s best for its needs, without any pressure of “getting skinnier.”
3. Mental Strength and Body Positivity
Despite the fact that she had to put on weight for her debut project, public affection and support kept her mentally strong. She did not consider her weight a weakness. The star took advantage of it as a springboard to regain her health at her own pace instead. The shift was driven by purpose rather than shame, which is why her emotional well-being remained unaffected. Actress Bhumi Pednekar has always unabashedly embrace her body, even when the trollers attacked her for gaining 32 kgs for her debut movie Dum Laga Ke Haisha. She portrayed the character of an overweight newly-wed wife.
4. Patience and Consistency
Bhumi took her time with her weight loss journey. There was neither a crash phase nor a deadline. Every kilogram lost was the result of perseverance and preparation. The actress said that she paid more attention to how her clothes fit and how she felt on the inside than to the number on the scale. She achieved a lasting and side-effect-free transformation by slowing down. For somebody who stormed into your worlds weighing 89kgs, I can imagine how difficult it can be for you to digest the fact that I am now just 57kgs. Reminds me of those weight-loss advertisements they show on late night television - the excited anchor selling you the dream shape / weight where you make no effort at all. As far as I am concerned, I had to make a serious effort, but it isn't as insane or Herculean as it is being imagined by many of you. And for all those, who think that ‘losing weight is impossible’ - for you guys - it's a BIG FAT NO.
5. Openness and Honesty
Bhumi Pednekar candidly shared her feelings about the struggle of early mornings, the discipline required, emotional eating and the occasional touch of self-doubt. Known for her body positivity, here’s how the Thank You for Coming star lost over 30 kgs after her debut film.
Bhumi Pednekar’s Top Tips for a Balanced And Healthy Lifestyle
Bhumi Pednekar’s diet plan and workout routine have yielded her beneficial results. She not only drops major fitness cues but also urges one to pay heed to certain hacks for well-being. Here are a few tips and tricks for maintaining a healthy lifestyle just like this B-town beauty.
- Make sure you set easy and manageable goals.
- Track your progress by maintaining a journal.
- Try to modify your routine and make it more enjoyable.
- Incorporate activities that you love and thoroughly enjoy.
Fans' Reactions to Bhumi Pednekar’s Weight Loss
Fans and audiences worldwide reacted positively to Bhumi Pednekar's weight loss journey. They appreciated her resilience and dedication to adopting a healthier lifestyle to undergo a flawless transformation. In fact, many of them praised her and saw her as a role model. On the other hand, there were a few criticisms regarding the constant pressure to conform to unrealistic beauty standards for films. However, Bhumi took it up in great spirits. Her openness about her struggles and weight loss journey has been appreciated by many.
Conclusion
Bhumi Pednekar's weight loss journey is a testament to self-discipline and the pursuit of a balanced life. By shedding over 30 kgs through a comprehensive diet and exercise routine, she proved that with the right mindset, significant changes are possible. While her stunning transformation has garnered admiration, her candidness to reveal her ups and downs illustrated the essential aspects of personal growth. The actress has truly been an epitome of determination and resilience, and that has helped her perform better and do better. The unparalleled determination is conspicuous from her journey in movies like Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Baala.