“I want to live fit and healthy for 100 years.” Bipasha Basu, one of the fittest female actors in Bollywood, has always stressed on the importance of having a fit body.

Fitness has always played a vital role in her life and she owes a major portion of her success to her toned and glamorous physique. She has not only made women envious of her but has also inspired them to get into shape. Her love for fitness even saw her releasing a DVD titled ‘Bipasha Basu: Love Yourself’, which was highly appreciated by everyone. Its resounding success has inspired Bipasha so much that she has decided to release a second fitness DVD for her fans and fitness enthusiasts.

Discipline is crucial when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle. Without discipline, you cannot set up a fitness regime. Having a disciplined approach in life helps you to work towards your goals with focus and determination.

Bipasha Basu is extremely disciplined when it comes to following her fitness regime. “I combine a lot of other modern techniques to devise a regime for myself. I also plan a routine for my friends. For a perfect body, it is important to have discipline and regular exercise.”

Success never comes without hard work. In order to flaunt that perfect body, you must follow fitness regimes religiously. Restricting yourself to a certain diet can also prove to be an uphill task and requires great deal of hard work.

Bipasha, too, doesn’t believe in shortcuts and has worked very hard to achieve that enviable figure. “I worked hard to carve a bikini figure. I toiled hard in the gym and went on a high protein diet; I kept away from salt and had to curb my sweet tooth. I avoided junk food too.”

There is no other way to fitness than working out. Going on crash diets or slimming pills can never bring you satisfactory, long term effects. You need to have a proper workout plan to get that perfect shape. Regular exercise can and will show you wonders in the long run.

Follow Bipasha Basu when it comes to following a fitness routine. “I’m a fitness enthusiast and it takes a lot of discipline and special care to get a fit body. It is important that you exercise everyday to stay fit. The main emphasis should be on working out the abs and lower limbs,"

Whether it’s the doctor or your grandma, the importance of water has always been stressed on. Water can be magical when it comes to keeping various health ailments at bay. Not only does it flush out harmful toxins from the body but it also keeps your skin glowing. Drink a lot of water every day if you want to cleanse your system and feel healthy from within.

According to Bipasha, “even if you don’t feel thirsty, keep yourself well- hydrated by having lots of water. I drink around eight glasses of water every day”.

All that sweating out in the gym would be rendered useless if you aren’t eating right. The food you eat is as crucial as your everyday workout in the gym. Everything you eat has a direct effect on your body which is why you must be very careful about following a strict diet.

Bipasha eats everything except red meat and rice. “Lots of greens, chicken, dal, roti and vegetables form a part of my daily diet. For beautiful skin, I recommend fish, barley, nuts, seeds, sprouts, yogurt, fruits and vegetables—especially the leafy, green variety. Fish and nuts are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids that help with glowing skin.”

Sticking to one kind workout can often become monotonous which may lead to your losing interest in it. The element of change must be introduced in order to keep the excitement going in your everyday fitness routine.

Bipasha endorses changing your workout routine every once in a while and does so herself. “I change my fitness routine regularly and don’t stick to just one format. I include both cardio and muscle training in my routine. You need not be a gym person—a brisk walk, a run in a park, taking the stairs instead of an elevator can all help in making you fit.”

In the quest for fitness, change leads to continuity.

Ultimately, it is all about loving yourself. Once you start loving yourself you also start taking care of your body. Neglecting your body is the worst thing you can do and its ill-effects will be seen in your latter years.

Bipasha Basu’s first DVD was rightly named ‘Love Yourself’ which surely inspired a lot of people to do the same. The actor says, “I take good care of myself because I love myself. I believe it is important to invest in your health. Just as we invest in property, relationships and a career, we should invest in health too, otherwise other investments won’t matter. It all boils down to nothing if your health isn’t in place. I plan to launch another fitness DVD soon.”