Actor Tarun Khanna says fitness is his oxygen

Oh, yes, it is still very important for me. Growing up, I was a weak kid who was mocked at by peers for taking ill frequently. I decided then that I had to change all that and resolved to become stronger and since that time, fitness has been like oxygen to me.

There is only one thing that can help you stay fit, and that is discipline. It is a myth that one needs to do several hours of exercise daily to stay fit.You can do fitness activities regularly and stay fit. I still fit into the same trouser and jean size as years ago. This has been possible because of the discipline I followed consistently since many years. The kind of exercise you chose is individual to your needs. Like, for me Yoga works, even though I don't do it daily, I manage four times a week. It helps me balance my physical and mental fitness. It is the very challenging to fit in a workout regime during shoots. We have to commit almost 12 hours of shooting, with two hours commuting time. Hence, I found exercises that take very little time but give maximum gains and I practice them while shooting, like right now I am doing for Tenali Rama. I use walking as an exercise too. I also use music as an accompaniment to exercise. I love motivational music like 'Eye of The Tiger' and the theme song of 'Rocky' movie are my all-time favourite. Also, ‘Born in the USA’ by Bruce Springsteen is another song I enjoy listening to while working out.

To a certain extent, yes. For instance, I have played the Lord Shiva eight times on different platforms. Mahadev had a perfect physique and the role required me to bare the upper torso. I am not into heavily muscular looks but I like to keep it lean and athletic, and aesthetic.

I carry boiled eggs, sprouts, tomato and onion with me. Mix these things along with a little lemon juice and rock salt, and you have a very delicious snack. I have a secret recipe for a chutney wherein I blend some avocado, tomato and onions with a bit of lemon juice and rock salt. But, I am a foodie but I add a lot of fruits to my diet. I am very fond of and curd but I consume them earlier in the day. You don’t have to be in the gym for 2 hours or consume expensive protein powders. Just 30-45 minutes of exercising everyday will give you very good results. Don’t look for short-cuts. I look up to Virat Kohli for fitness inspiration as I have heard he didn’t cheat on his diet and workout even on the day of his wedding. This is the kind of discipline I strive for.