I lost weight to feel fitter, not look better: Parineeti Chopra

Parineeti Chopra has been on the receiving end of much adulation as well as criticism for her dramatic weight loss. On one hand people have appreciated her perseverance and on the other, she has been accused of body shaming those that don’t belong to a certain type. Here, the actress talks about staying sane through it all — and that includes occasionally having a pizza.

Your slimming down has been met with mixed reactions from fans and audience. What is your message to those who look up to you?
There is no uniform definition for how a guy or a girl should look. I lost weight to be fitter, not to look better. If in your heart you feel you need to lose weight, then do it. There are certain body types where weight-loss is not required. I’ve seen the fattest people who are the fittest. They move with amazing agility.

What prompted such serious measures after all this while?
I knew I needed to slim down. I was not healthy. I was not fit. I lacked stamina. I was sleepy all the time. I’d tire easily and was constantly looking for naptime on the sets. Now, I can shoot non-stop and not get tired. My physique now supports my work demands. I feel better about myself. I can work better.

What’s your message to girls wanting to get thinner?
Why only girls? I feel both girls and boys need to work towards their fittest self. Everyone thinks I lost weight to conform to the type that heroines are supposed to look. But let me assure you, if my body type didn’t allow weight loss, I wouldn’t have done it. I knew I could look fitter, feel better, wear better clothes.

So, no more of your favourite pizzas…?
(Laughs) I do eat pizzas. I eat everything —but in moderation. If I am eating something rich, I balance it out in my diet.

Was it difficult to take that break for a year during the physical training?
Not at all. It wasn’t as if I was sitting idle. I had a lot to attend to. I was doing up my new home. It took me eight months to get my home in order. Then I was working on myself. I was travelling all over the world, doing everything that I couldn’t attend to earlier. Now I am raring to go back to a film set. I am so happy that I’ve finally got a script that I am excited about. I needed an emotional and physical break and I am glad I took it.