Sonali Bendre says she fasts for 18–20 hours and eats just 'one-and-a-half meals a day'; reflects on her cancer journey

From practising 18–20 hours of intermittent fasting to opening up about her cancer journey, Sonali Bendre shared habits and mindset that keep her healthy today.

Sonali Bendre has always been vocal about prioritising her health and well-being. In a July 7 interview with Mashable India, Sonali offered a candid glimpse into her diet, fitness routine and the mindset that helped her navigate one of the most challenging phases of her life. The actor spoke about practising intermittent fasting, maintaining portion control and how she coped after being diagnosed with stage IV metastatic cancer in 2018.

Sonali Bendre reveals her 18–20-hour fasting routine and the mindset that helped her beat cancer. (Instagram)

Sonali Bendre's diet

During the conversation, the host remarked that she seemed to eat very little. Responding to the observation, Sonali revealed that she had just ended a long fasting window before the interview. She shared that when they had previously eaten together, she had likely been fasting for over 16 hours.

"I do 18–20 hours of fasting," Sonali said, explaining that she follows an intermittent fasting routine. She added that she typically eats only "one-and-a-half meals a day." While there are days when she has two meals, most of the time she fasts for 18 to 20 hours and limits herself to one-and-a-half meals, focusing on mindful eating rather than frequent meals.

Opening up about her cancer diagnosis

The actor also reflected on the emotional impact of being diagnosed with stage IV metastatic cancer, which had spread to her brain. She admitted that the diagnosis initially left her frightened.

"Thodi der ka emotion hai (You feel scared for a short while)," Sonali said, explaining that fear is a natural response but choosing to stay in that state serves little purpose.

She shared that she realised there was no benefit in allowing fear to consume her, as it would only take away from the time she had. Instead, after acknowledging her emotions, she chose to face the diagnosis with courage and remained consistent throughout her treatment journey, focusing on what she could control rather than what she couldn't.

In an earlier post on X (formerly Twitter), Sonali shared that autophagy played an important role in her healing journey after she was diagnosed with cancer in 2018. Reflecting on that phase of her life, she wrote, "In 2018, when I was diagnosed with cancer, this study really helped me. My naturopath introduced me to it, I researched it, and this is what I followed, autophagy for healing. And I continue to follow it till date."

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.

This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.