Having shed 20 kilos, TV’s blue-eyed girl Avika Gor says she wouldn’t have accomplished all that she did had she listened to those who misrepresent body-positivity
Avika Gor
Avika Gor sits before us for this interview sans makeup, and in a sleeveless top. Both, she says, are “accomplishments” that make her proud. Not too long ago, she would wake up each morning with “a frown on my face” owing to her poor fitness levels — a constant reminder of the fact that her body was no longer capable of doing the things that it could.
Gor had been a dancer since the age of four. But Indian television’s blue-eyed girl, caught in the daily rigmarole of filming a series, found her fitness routine taking a back seat. “[Being overweight] didn’t affect the work that came my way. I got [the series] Ladoo when I was at my heaviest, that is 74 kilos. I was also working in south Indian films, where I usually bagged the part of a chubby girl,” says the actor, asserting that while she did not want to take her success for granted, she had delayed addressing her fitness needs.
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“I would often cry, and was unhappy with how I treated food. I was consuming only junk food. That I was getting roles that were all too similar also affected me. I wanted to do exciting roles, and I wanted people to know that there was more to me than they thought.” The revelation of her physical shortcomings following her participation in a stunt-based reality show served as the final jolt.
Over 90 to 120-minute routines, Gor addressed her physical fitness. “I did weight-training, cardio and pilates. I’d mix it up with bouts of dancing, and boxing.” Gor never faltered on her 15,000-steps-a-day deal. On set, while wearing makeup, and in her character’s attire, she’d strut around to clock in the number on her smart-watch. “People really underestimate walking”.
Unwilling to negotiate with her eating habits at 22, Gor chose to train harder instead. “It was a slow process. Often, I would lose patience. When I’d hit a plateau, I’d make small tweaks, like eat millets instead of rice, or exercise harder.” Adding fruits to her diet not only fixed her skin concerns, but also helped alleviate gastric issues linked with weight-loss. In stark contrast with the kind of roles that were offered to her, Gor is now approached for parts related to action and dance. “These roles are more glam; ones that need me to be in western-wear or swimsuits. I was offered such parts in the past as well, but I am confident about pulling them off, only now. Perhaps, because people can see that I am open to doing them, they are approaching me more often.”
Gor has successfully negotiated her weight-loss journey, but it is easy to see that she hasn’t come out unscathed. She counts Indian viewers among those who have contributed to the need to rope in glamorous actors. She expresses gratitude to Yami Gautam for shattering beauty perceptions. “She is supposed to be the icon of beauty, and when she talks of her skin issue [Keratosis Pilaris] with such confidence, then a person like me, who also battles the same condition, is inspired.”
She also believes that the body-positivity movement needs to be better comprehended. “Many people can’t lose weight due to medical conditions. It is not easy. But, those who can, should address their weight concerns. We can’t tell [overweight] people to accept their bodies in the name of body-positivity. [Had I taken their advice] I would not have been able to achieve what I have. I wouldn’t have taken care of my health. You need to see what you can make [of yourself]. I was so proud to be in fitness magazines. I never knew I could be there.”
The Cheats: Aditya Seal
What’s your cheat meal:
I am a desi at heart, so I love chicken biryani and butter chicken.
How often do you indulge:
At least twice in a week.
Cheat meal vs cheat day:
I have a cheat day, and, I will have a cheat meal on another day as well.
Do you compensate for it:
No. I think cheat meals are part of one’s diet. They are necessary because they also shock the body. So, I don’t try to compensate for them.
Fitness Tip That Works For
Waluscha De Sousa
There is nothing better than eating every two hours, and including essential fats in your diet. Butter and ghee are my favourites. I have them every day.
Raise your glass!
Two celebrity nutritionists tell you how you can enjoy your booze without harming your belly
Choose wisely: Shweta Shah says that choosing “bubbly over sweet white wine” will limit the calorie intake. “Champagne is a preferred option, as one glass will make you feel full.”
Check the alcohol content: While Shah says that vodka, tequila, gin and tonic have approximately the same amount of calories, Chheda adds that attention must be paid to their alcohol content. “People advocate consuming low calorie drinks like vodka and soda because they may have only 26 calories [per serve]. But they have as much as 40 per cent alcohol. On the other hand, something like beer has only nine per cent alcohol but is high in calories. Too much alcohol can affect the liver,” says Chheda. The trick to deal with the predicament, she says, is to “sip slowly and have no more than two units”.
Shweta Shah and Krushmi Chheda
Keep cocktails at bay: Both Chheda and Shah suggest that high-calorie mixers and cocktails are best avoided. “Sip through them slowly and stay hydrated,” says Chheda, while Shah adds, “It is ideal to juggle alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks to watch your weight.” Shah recommends that weight-watchers avoid soft beers, and brandies. “Even the smallest amount is loaded with calories.”
Nutritionist Shweta Shah has catered to celebrities like Katrina Kaif and Deepika Padukone. Sports scientist Krushmi Chheda has managed the diet of Olympic athletes and the Kolkata Knight Riders team.
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