Mumbai, March 18 (IANS) Actor and fitness enthusiast Milind Soman has revealed a fascinating fact about his senior citizen mother.
The actor, in an exclusive conversation with IANS, revealed that his 86-year-old mother continues to lead an extremely active life, saying she can comfortably walk 20 to 30 kilometres, hike mountains and even skip with a rope, seamlessly.
Speaking about her fitness, Soman said that such activity should actually be normal for people of that age if they take proper care of their health.
“Look at my mother. She’s 86. She still skips. She can skip with a skipping rope. She can hop. She’s hiking. She can walk 20-30 kilometres very, very comfortably,” he told IANS.
The actor further added that people often express surprise at his mother’s fitness, but he believes it should not be considered extraordinary, and in fact be normalised.
“People say that, ‘Oh, your mother is so amazing.’ I say, yes, but that is normal. Everybody at her age should be able to do this if they take care of themselves,” he said.
The former supermodel, who recently turned 60, also addressed the perception around ageing and fitness.
He said that people are often surprised by his age because society has a ‘preconceived notion of how someone in their sixties should look.’
“I think I look like a very normal 60-year-old. Probably it’s just such a notion in everybody’s head that 60 should look a certain way,” he said.
Explaining the reason why many people struggle with fitness today, Milind said that modern lifestyles have disconnected people from their natural physical abilities that should have been a priority and made into a lifestyle.
“People are disconnected from themselves. In the last 50-60 years, with technology and so many advances, we have been encouraged to give up our inherent abilities,” he said.
The actor, talking about himself, shared that instead of relying on gyms, trainers or strict diet plans, he focuses on building fitness as a part of his everyday lifestyle.
“I don’t go to the gym. I don’t have a trainer. I don’t have a nutritionist or dietitian. I decide what I need to do and I incorporate that into my lifestyle,” he said.
He also emphasised that staying active through small daily choices can make a significant difference, citing his own example.
“If there’s a lift and stairs, I will take the stairs. Ninety-nine per cent of the time I’ll climb the stairs, sometimes even three steps at a time. That’s my opportunity to exercise,” he added.
He added, “I exercise about 10 to 12 minutes a day, literally. It’s not about working out; it’s about having a lifestyle. When you live that way, you can do anything, run a marathon, climb a mountain or swim long distances if you want,” he said.
The actor who has been a part of the entertainment industry for over 30 years, is now all geared up for his upcoming project, Kaattaan along with South superstar Vijay Sethupathi.
The show goes on air from the 27th of March, on Jio Hotstar.
–IANS
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