Keeping fit is all about discipline: Manoj Bajpayee

Satya, Gangs of Wasseypur, Zubeidaa… Manoj Bajpayee needs no introduction. He most recently featured in the critically acclaimed Sonchiriya, which was released in March, and was also awarded a Padma Shri this year. When it comes to health and fitness, the 50-year-old actor believes in following ‘his grandfather’s ways’ — yoga and dinner by 6pm!

Eating at the right time, in the right quantity, is my fitness mantra. My entire family follows it very strictly too. Quantity is very restricted, quality is unquestionable and the timing is very, very important. By 6 pm our household kitchen is closed. It’s a habit I got from my grandfather.

That’s why we don’t go out for dinner, don’t invite people over for late dinners. We as a family strongly believe that this food schedule helps prevent diabetes, high cholesterol and heart disease.

It’s all about discipline. We start our day with yoga and meditation. Even my eight-year-old is now used to this. I also go to the gym, run, do suryanamaskars.

When travelling, whether for leisure or a shoot, I do a few asanas, go for a nice run or a brisk 40-minute walk if there’s no gym or treadmill around. Then a suryanamskar and I’m ready for the day.

I feel all the endless discussions about food and diet are a waste of time; just stick to a schedule and don’t take your body for granted. Somewhere down the line, work and stress became far more important than the food we eat.

I’m not the munching kind but we eat five kinds of fruit every day, seasonal fruits too. I try to avoid fried foods, like pakodas. I love samosas but the way I eat them, people turn their heads away — I eat just the aloo filling, discarding the fried shell.

Mutton curry, which I cook myself, is my guilty pleasure.