Having made her acting debut at the young age of 13 with drama serial Kash Mein Teri Beti Na Hoti, actress Minal Khan has been in the headlines ever since her drama Jalan went on air. Though she already has some notable performances in drama serials such as Hassad, Qismat, Ki Jaana Main Kaun and many others, Minal has brilliantly portrayed the selfish character of Nisha in Jalan.

Apart from this, the actress can currently be seen in Nand, which features Aijaz Aslam, Faiza Hasan and Shahroz Sabzwari in lead roles. While in Jalan Minal plays a toxic individual who can go to any extent to get the best in life, in Nand she essays the character of a simple girl, whose married life is ruined by her sister-in-law.

Besides being a versatile actress, Minal Khan has come a long way as far as her fitness in concerned and she visibly appears to be fitter than ever these days.

We caught up with the actress to know more about her fitness regime…

Healthy lifestyle choices

Talking about her regime, the Minal shares that she wouldn’t call herself a complete health maniac but yes, to some extent she has altered her eating habits. “Now it is more about healthy eating choices. I have incorporated lots of greens in my meals and I make sure to squeeze in exercise whenever I have time on my hands,” she says.

On how she lost so much weight, Minal informs, “It wasn’t easy to be honest. I believe slow and steady wins the race and that is how I have achieved my goal.”

She further went on to share a few tips on how to shed those extra pounds.

“It is important to cut down on your carbs and try not to have meals after 7 pm. Portion control also makes a lot of difference. Drink lots of water and yes, exercise whenever you can,” she advises.

When asked about her fitness goals, Minal reveals, “The fitness goal for me is to be the fittest according to my body type rather than adapt to a standard size zero. As they say, being strong is the new skinny. So I want to work on gaining more stamina and strength keeping my body type in mind.”

The actress also believes that around 7 to 8 hours of sleep is necessary to stay healthy. “For me 8 hours of sleep is very important and I think if you want to stay healthy, hit the bed early,” she adds.

Speaking of what keeps her motivated for a healthy lifestyle, Minal tells Instep, “People around me, especially my colleagues, are a big motivation. In my opinion, the healthier the lifestyle, the happier you are.”

The fitness goal for me is to be the fittest according to my body type rather than adapt to a standard size zero. As they say, being strong is the new skinny. So I want to work on gaining more stamina and strength keeping my body type in mind. The actress also believes that around 7 to 8 hours of sleep is necessary tostay healthy. “For me 8 hours of sleep is very important and I think if you want to stay healthy, hit the bed early.

Eating preferences

When it comes to a healthy diet plan, the Jalan actress says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and should not be skipped. “I make sure to have breakfast before heading out for work. It keeps me energetic throughout the day and makes me ready to face the world.”

As for how many meals she consumes on a daily basis, Minal shares, “I usually have two meals a day. As I mentioned earlier, breakfast is essential and then I have my dinner around 7 p.m.”

According to Minal, proteins dominate her diet; however she makes sure to keep her meals balanced. “For breakfast I usually have eggs or milkshake. Mostly I skip lunch, but if I am super hungry I’ll grab a salad and for my last meal of the day I go for a steak or tikka with my usual greens on the side.”

Moreover, there is a green juice that is an important part of Minal’s diet. “I make this juice which is really good for your skin and hair. I just take some apples, spinach, beetroot and blend it with water and the green juice is ready.”

Workout routine

“I make it a point to squeeze out time for my workout even if it’s just 30 minutes a day. It really helps me stay fresh and I don’t feel lethargic throughout the day,” she stresses.
As far as the type of exercises is concerned, she informs, “I do weight training, HIIT and circuits at the gym. But recently I am quite intrigued with aerial yoga so I plan on trying that.”

When there was no access to gyms during lockdown, Minal shares that Youtube was her best friend. “I followed different trainers online and worked on getting my form right.”

Stress management strategy

Stressing on the importance of mental health, Minal says that you should always give priority to your mental health. “Keep yourself busy and distracted. Working out and dancing in my room really helped me overcome stress and anxiety,” she asserts.

Piece of advice

“The only advice I would like to give my fans is that if you want to attain a healthy lifestyle, then exercise daily or else engage yourself in some sort of activity. Drink lots of water and don’t forget to eat your greens,” she concludes.