Malaika Arora says ‘avoiding carbs is a myth and leads to hair loss’; champions intermittent fasting with 18-hour window

In a recent podcast with Soha Ali Khan, Malaika Arora debunked the myth that avoiding carbs is essential. She promotes portion control, intermittent fasting.

Malaika Arora is a stickler for rules when it comes to her fitness. The 49-year-old star enjoys everything in moderation and believes that is the key to her fitness, not restricting herself from enjoying certain things, including carbs.

In the first episode of All About Her With Soha Ali Khan, shared on YouTube on August 22, Soha sat down with Malaika Arora and nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar to talk about fitness and diet. During the interaction, Malaika debunked the myth around avoiding carbs and championed intermittent fasting.

Malaika Arora doesn't believe in avoiding carbs

If you are on a weight loss journey or your aim is to just be healthy, many online experts and influencers will tell you to avoid carbs. But that is far from the truth. On Soha's podcast, Malaika stated that avoiding carbs only leads to issues like hair loss, faintness, and depleted energy; advocating for eating “a little bit of everything.”

Calling ‘avoiding carbs’ as the biggest myth around fitness, Malaika told Soha that many people think that you're not supposed to eat carbs, and then you find them with hairfall, feeling faint, not able to do any work because there is no carb in their diet, which leads to sudden depletion of all the energy.

She stressed, “You have to have a little bit of everything. I truly believe in portion control; that is something I really do. I've done this my entire life, actually…I rarely eat on a plate. I always eat in a katori (bowl) because that is the portion size that I should eat. I mean, you could have three meals a day or four meals a day, but I'll only eat that in a katori.”

Talking about the size of the bowl, she stated that it shouldn't be too small, like a baby-sized bowl; rather, it should be of a decent size. She advised that one should eat a serving of their meal in that bowl, and then stop, and eat a healthy snack later, if they feel hungry. “In a plate, you don't realise it, and keep serving yourself, and then before you realise it, you're stuffed.”

‘I finish my meals by sunset’

Malaika also believes in finishing her meals before sunset. “I don't really eat anything after [sunset] because I feel I have discovered that, for my body, it really helps. I need that many hours to digest and to kind of let my body relax. As opposed to sitting at 12 at night and having a late-night meal,” she added.

Intermittent fasting with 18-hour windows

Apart from portion control, Malaika also practices intermittent fasting. She began intermittent fasting a couple of years ago, finding it sensible. She practices an 18-hour fasting window, typically three times a week, which makes her feel lighter and more energetic.

Lastly, the star is a big champion for local food and believes eating basic home-cooked meals is the essence of her fitness. She adds, “Ghee is my superfood. Sleep, water, discipline, consistency, I mean, I know these are all words when you say it, but when you actually put it into effect, put it into use, it makes a huge difference in your life.”

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.