Vidya Balan On What Went Behind Her Drastic Weight Loss: "This Is The First Year That I Have Not Worked Out"

Vidya Balan, who will reprise her much-loved character Manjulika in the Diwali release Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, opened up about her drastic weight loss in an interview with Galatta India. Vidya, who has always been body shamed for her weight since the beginning of her career, revealed she lost weight after following a strict "diet" and not through a tough workout regime. In fact, Vidya revealed that she hasn't even worked out for a year ever since she started following a particular diet. Talking about her constant struggles with losing weight, Vidya told Galatta India, "You know, all my life, I have struggled to be thin. I have dieted and exercised like crazy, and sometimes, I would lose weight, and it would come back... and then, early this year, I met a nutritional group called Amura (Amura Health) in Chennai. They said, 'It is just inflammation; it is not fat'."

Vidya added, "So, they put me on a diet to get rid of the inflammation, elimination of inflammation it is called, and it worked beautifully for me and the weight went like that because they eliminated foods that were not suiting me. I have been a vegetarian all my life, (yet) I didn't know palak and doodhi (spinach and bottle gourd) don't suit me. We think all vegetables are good for us, but that is not the case. You have to figure out what's good for you as just because it is good for someone else, it may not be good for you."

Addressing the speculation about going through a tough workout regime, Vidya told the portal, "You know everyone has been telling me 'Oh my God, you are your slimmest' and I have not worked out all year. This is the first year that I have not worked out. And I want to say judgment around the body is brutal. A lot of times, people put on weight for various reasons because our bodies express what we are going through emotionally also...even I would not have believed last year if I had been told 'Stop working out'. I used to be a beast in the gym. And I had people telling me, 'You must not be working out at all'."

Sharing her unique fitness mantra, Vidya said, "And now, people tell me, 'So what are you doing?' and I am like, 'No, I don't do anything'. I am just enjoying myself and I am feeling healthier than ever. I am not saying you should not exercise... but remember no two people are the same... we must respect our individuality."

Vidya Balan is known for her work in films like Kahaani, Shaadi Ke Side Effects, Shakuntala Devi, Sherni, Jalsa, Neeyat, Do Aur Do Pyaar.