Model-turned-actor Adnan Siddiqui, who has several hit TV plays under his belt, has been an integral part of the entertainment industry for almost 22 years. His work on television defines him more than anything else, particularly his role in plays like Uroosa, Meri Zaat Zara-e-Benishan, Vasl, Aahista Aahista, Maat, Meray Qatil Meray Dildar alongside many others. Siddiqui, who is currently playing an artist in ongoing play Pakeeza alongside Aamina Sheikh and Alyy Khan, will also be seen in Hassan Rana’s upcoming war film Yalghaar and is also said to be making his Bollywood debut with Mom alongside veteran Indian actress Sridevi.

Even though Siddiqui has crossed 40 and is married with three kids, he looks as fit as someone who has just stepped off the boat. Instep spoke to the actor to find out the secret to his charms and how he manages to stay fit and active even at this age. While one may think it’s hard to maintain a healthy routine and a proper diet as we age, Siddiqui believes when it comes to health and fitness, there are no excuses.

Maintenance Mantras

While many people think that it is difficult to maintain a healthy routine with every passing year, Siddiqui thinks that it actually becomes more important to maintain a healthy lifestyle as one grows old. "It is said that men get naughty at 40. I don’t agree with it. I believe one needs to be more serious and careful about their routine and diet after they turn 40," he opined.

"It is easy to go on a diet when one is young and it works very well at that point but as one ages, one cannot afford skipping anything from their diet completely," he elaborated.

Healthy Eating

"I just eat to delight myself, not to fill my tummy," the actor maintained when asked about his eating habits. Siddiqui makes calculated choices when it comes to consuming food and makes sure he
doesn’t overeat. "I take care of my diet and eat good food. I have my breakfast really early, lunch around 12:30 and have my dinner around 7ish. Whatever I consume after dinner is without carbs," he revealed.

When it comes to eating preferences, Siddiqui avoids packaged food and prefers organic food instead. Apart from that, he doesn’t like to skip anything from his diet. "I eat everything, including nihari, paye and even desserts but in limited proportions," he shared.

While he makes sure he doesn’t miss out on anything that he loves to eat, he has adapted a routine that allows him to do so. "I have lukewarm water with honey in the morning and a pinch of kalonji, dried figs and boiled chickpeas in breakfast. For snacking, I have nuts or something to satisfy my sweet tooth," he shared.

"I avoid fizzy or hard drinks. I don’t have juices as well because they are rich in calories so I prefer to have fruits instead which I believe are healthier. Also, I don’t drink water in between or before any meal but only after an hour of eating," he added.

Working It Out

Apart from having a proper diet plan, it is highly essential to work out in order to maintain one’s body shape and increase stamina. Siddiqui’s key to maintaining fitness depends more on how intense the workout is than the time spent on it. "I do high intensity exercise for 20-30 minutes a day with brief intervals in between," he shared. Research also suggests that intensity is way more important than duration in determining peak oxygen uptake.

"In my opinion, weight training is the most discouraging sport. I instead prefer body weight exercises that include push-ups, crunches, etc," Siddiqui stated. He doesn’t have a trainer and relies on books for that advice and consultation.

Self Motivation

The happy-go-lucky actor, who doesn’t stress over things, strongly believes that motivation comes from within. "Your belief is your motivation. If you make a promise to yourself, nothing can stop you from achieving what you desire and this, I believe, is the biggest motivation for anyone," he asserted.

Sleep is very important for one’s peace of mind and Siddiqui makes sure he has 6-7 hours of sleep (and some power naps on the sets) which he considers to be very important to stay sound. For him, the key to happiness is to not expect anything from others so that you don’t get disappointed if your expectations aren’t met.

Adnan’s Advisory

The actor advises his fans to have a certain amount of knowledge on how to go about things. "Self-check is very important; you need to know what’s right and what’s wrong for you. Make a commitment to yourself and then work on what you wish to achieve. It’s very important how you adapt to it and stay flexible at the same time," he advised.

"One needs to keep a check on numbers; you should know your BMI as well as the calorie-count. Once you know the numbers, it’s easy to handle everything," Siddiqui concluded.