Is no dinner after dark the secret to fitness? Malaika Arora spills her ageless diet routine secrets that ‘have worked like magic'

Economic Times

03-06-2025

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Is the secret to glowing skin , toned bodies, and endless energy simply this: don't eat after dark? Malaika Arora certainly seems to think so. The 50-year-old fitness icon has now joined the likes of Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and even veteran actress Mumtaz in endorsing what might just be the most underrated health hack of our time—wrapping up your meals before sunset.In a recent chat with 32ND – Lifestyle, Investments & Residences on YouTube, Malaika revealed her rather disciplined yet realistic approach to fitness. 'My last meal is at 7 pm,' she shared, adding that after that, she eats nothing until noon the next day—breaking her fast with a spoon of ghee and then diving into a wholesome Indian meal. Her practice is rooted in intermittent fasting , but with a mindful twist.What makes Malaika's approach stand out is her honest take on the process. 'It's not about dieting,' she emphasized. 'There's a big difference between fasting and dieting.' Unlike calorie-counting or fad detoxes, her strategy focuses on when you eat rather than what you eat. Malaika follows a 17-hour intermittent fasting routine every alternate day, allowing herself a seven-hour eating window. During that window? 'I eat everything—rice, roti, sabzi,' she said, adding that portion control is key.Her hack? A modest-sized bowl. 'I like eating out of a bowl and it's a specific size… that's the amount I will eat.' Her son may weigh his meals, but Malaika trusts her bowl—and her body's instincts.Malaika's dedication to health goes beyond personal goals—it's become a lifestyle and, recently, a business. The wellness maven has stepped into the food space by launching a restaurant in Mumbai, perhaps hoping to bring her philosophy of clean, conscious eating to a broader audience.But she's also refreshingly realistic about ageing. 'After a certain age, you are battling with a whole lot of things,' she said, explaining why she has become more attuned to how and when she eats.Malaika's routine isn't an outlier. Kareena Kapoor recently admitted that she's made a similar shift—wrapping up dinner by 6 pm and calling it a night by 9:30. 'My friends know not to expect me at parties. And they respect that,' Kareena shared in an interview with Nod magazine.Even yesteryear superstar Mumtaz, now 77, attributes her discipline to Akshay Kumar's advice. No dinner, early to bed, early to rise—it's a pattern that seems to transcend generations in the film industry.Malaika's story is more than just a celebrity diet trend—it's a gentle nudge toward rethinking how we treat our bodies. In an era where wellness is marketed as superfoods and supplements, she reminds us that timing might just be the simplest, most ancient secret to good health.So, is skipping dinner the next big thing in fitness? Or rather, is it the oldest wisdom we've only just begun to rediscover? Whatever it is, if it works for someone at 50 like Malaika Arora—radiant, agile, and thriving—it might just be worth a try.