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Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
At 86, Helen lost weight in four months and ditched her walking stick: Here's her fitness routine
Starting the Journey: Slow and Steady Remarkable Progress in Four Months Veteran Bollywood actress Helen, famous for her iconic dance performances, has made an inspiring comeback to fitness at the age of 86. Her transformation, guided by celebrity Pilates trainer Yasmin Karachiwala, stands out as one of the most rewarding success stories in the fitness the COVID-19 pandemic, Helen maintained a reasonably active lifestyle. However, the extended period of reduced movement took a toll on her health and mobility. In a recent episode of the hK Vitals podcast on YouTube, Yasmin Karachiwala, who has trained many Bollywood stars like Alia Bhatt and Deepika Padukone, revealed that she noticed Helen's declining physical condition at family gatherings. Helen began using a walking stick and seemed to lose her confidence, even avoiding eye contact at events. Karachiwala recalled that Helen would sometimes hide her face, showing discomfort with her physical reached out to Karachiwala with a firm resolve to regain her strength and independence. When she first arrived at the Pilates studio, she was reliant on a cane and had significant muscle weakness due to inactivity. The trainer began with gentle exercises focused on gradually rebuilding strength and improving mobility. The approach was patient and consistent, tailored to Helen's age and physical just four months of dedicated Pilates sessions, Helen showed impressive progress. She no longer needed the walking stick, was able to climb stairs without assistance, and could even bend down to play with Karachiwala's puppy. In a light-hearted moment, the trainer shared how Helen surprised her by confidently jumping on a trampoline, highlighting her regained agility. This marked a significant improvement not only in Helen's physical fitness but also in her confidence and enjoyment of emphasized that Helen's transformation was largely due to her unwavering commitment. She attended sessions daily, except when unwell, showing remarkable discipline for someone her age. The trainer pointed out that Pilates can be adapted for a wide range of individuals, from young athletes to elderly clients like Helen, allowing everyone to benefit from increased strength, balance, and flexibility.
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
At 86, Helen lost weight in four months and ditched her walking stick: Here's her fitness routine
Synopsis At 86, veteran Bollywood actress Helen achieved a remarkable fitness transformation by losing weight and giving up her walking stick within four months. Guided by celebrity Pilates trainer Yasmin Karachiwala, Helen rebuilt her strength and mobility through consistent, tailored Pilates sessions. Her journey highlights the power of dedication and shows that age is no barrier to regaining health and independence. Veteran Actress Helen's Inspiring Weight Loss and Mobility Comeback Veteran Bollywood actress Helen, famous for her iconic dance performances, has made an inspiring comeback to fitness at the age of 86. Her transformation, guided by celebrity Pilates trainer Yasmin Karachiwala, stands out as one of the most rewarding success stories in the fitness the COVID-19 pandemic, Helen maintained a reasonably active lifestyle. However, the extended period of reduced movement took a toll on her health and mobility. In a recent episode of the hK Vitals podcast on YouTube, Yasmin Karachiwala, who has trained many Bollywood stars like Alia Bhatt and Deepika Padukone, revealed that she noticed Helen's declining physical condition at family gatherings. Helen began using a walking stick and seemed to lose her confidence, even avoiding eye contact at events. Karachiwala recalled that Helen would sometimes hide her face, showing discomfort with her physical state. Helen reached out to Karachiwala with a firm resolve to regain her strength and independence. When she first arrived at the Pilates studio, she was reliant on a cane and had significant muscle weakness due to inactivity. The trainer began with gentle exercises focused on gradually rebuilding strength and improving mobility. The approach was patient and consistent, tailored to Helen's age and physical condition. Within just four months of dedicated Pilates sessions, Helen showed impressive progress. She no longer needed the walking stick, was able to climb stairs without assistance, and could even bend down to play with Karachiwala's puppy. In a light-hearted moment, the trainer shared how Helen surprised her by confidently jumping on a trampoline, highlighting her regained agility. This marked a significant improvement not only in Helen's physical fitness but also in her confidence and enjoyment of emphasized that Helen's transformation was largely due to her unwavering commitment. She attended sessions daily, except when unwell, showing remarkable discipline for someone her age. The trainer pointed out that Pilates can be adapted for a wide range of individuals, from young athletes to elderly clients like Helen, allowing everyone to benefit from increased strength, balance, and flexibility.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Helen's weight loss and fitness transformation at 86: Celebrity fitness trainer reveals she can jump on a trampoline, climb stairs and play with a puppy
When people picture celebrity fitness wins, they usually imagine young stars on magazine covers. Yasmin Karachiwala, the Pilates trainer behind , and , has worked with many such transformations. Yet her proudest tale is not a red-carpet makeover. It is the simple, powerful return to movement of veteran actress , who is remembered for iconic dance numbers such as 'Piya Tu Ab To Aaja', 'Aa Jaane-Jaan', and other classic cabaret songs that lit up old Hindi cinema. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now At 86, she found strength, balance, and joy again. A call that began a quiet revolution Yasmin remembers how the change started. Helen had been fairly active before the pandemic, but months of reduced movement took their toll. Yasmin saw the difference at family events and was worried. In a chat with hK Vitals podcast on YouTube, she said, 'I noticed her movements were deteriorating. She was walking with a stick, and it started affecting her confidence. She would even avoid looking at me at events, covering her face and saying, 'I don't want to even see you, darling!'' That moment stuck with Yasmin. It was not about looks, it was about a loss of independence and self-belief. Then one day, all at once, Helen made a decision. 'One day, she just called and said, 'I'm ready,'' Karachiwala said. Gentle starts, steady progress, big change Helen arrived at the studio with a cane and weak muscles. Yasmin describes how they began carefully, 'She walked into my studio with a cane, barely able to move because of her weight and muscle atrophy. But we started slow, building strength day by day.' Within months the difference was clear. Yasmin laughed recalling the scene, 'She no longer uses a cane. She can climb stairs, bend down to play with my puppy, and even jump on a trampoline. I had to tell her, 'Aunty, don't bend so much,' and she replied, 'I can!'' Helen made it her daily habit What made Helen's turnaround possible was more than a few sessions. It was commitment. Yasmin stresses the role of routine. Karachiwala said,'She came in every single day, unless she was unwell. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Pilates allowed her to enjoy movement again. That's what I love about it, it can be tailored for both an 86-year-old and a top athlete.' Why is this Yasmin's favourite success story Yasmin admits that, if asked four years ago, she would have named transformations of younger stars. 'If you had asked me this question four years back, I would have told you about one of my Katrina (Kaif), Alia (Bhatt), Deepika (Padukone) transformations, but my most recent transformation…I don't know if I will call it challenging as much as satisfying…is of Helen's. She is 86 now'
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Yasmin Karachiwala opens up about yesteryear actor Helen's transformation at 86: ‘She could barely walk because of her weight'
Pilates coach Yasmin Karachiwala recently opened up about the transformation of yesteryear actor Helen at 86. When asked about her favourite fitness transformation, she mentioned that Helen's was the most satisfying. 'If you had asked me this question four years back, I would have told you about one of my Katrina (Kaif), Alia (Bhatt), Deepika (Padukone) transformations, but my most recent transformation…I don't know if I will call it challenging as much as satisfying…is of Helen's. She is 86 now. I am very close to the Khan family, and every time I used to meet Helen aunty, I would be like…when are you coming to Pilates…because before lockdown, she used to come and do a little bit of Pilates, and after lockdown, she never got the energy to come back. Every time, there was a birthday or Diwali, Eid …or one of the functions, I would meet her…and I would be like…when are you coming back…because I was seeing her movement deteriorating…she was using a stick to walk…it became so embarrassing for her…such that she would see me at parties and cover her face..'I don't want to even see you, darling!'…and I was like…I am not going to ask you this question…you come when you are ready…' recalled Karachiwala. Eventually, Helen came around to restart Pilates with Karachiwala. 'She calls me one day, and she's like I am ready. She came into the studio with a cane, she could barely walk, because of her weight and because of inactivity…her muscles had atrophied…so we started training Helen aunty…cut to four months later…she is not walking with a cane, she can climb stairs, she bends to play with my puppy…so much so that I am like…aunty…don't bend so much….and she is like…'I can!' She jumps on the trampoline. She sits and stands without support. I think that for me it is better than any of the other transformations.' Karachiwala added that with Pilates, Helen 'enjoyed what she did'. 'She kept coming every single day…she would come for class every day unless she was unwell…she kept coming….it's a beautiful form of exercise…that you can make it so gentle for someone who needs it and super challenging for an athlete. That has been my success story,' Karachiwala told hK Vitals podcast on YouTube. Taking a cue from her candid expression about Helen's transformation, we asked an expert about how Pilates can be tailored across age groups. Pilates is a gentle, yet effective workout that strengthens the core, improves flexibility, and muscle control. 'It's slow, controlled movement can improve balance and coordination, keeping us independent as we age,' said Varun Rattan, founder, Evolve Fitness, adding, 'Indeed, it's very satisfying for a coach when the individual's flexibility improves'. According to Rattan, Pilates can be tailored to you even if you're a newcomer to movement or if you are dealing with joint pain. 'As strength and control improve, the exercises can be made more challenging. This might mean increasing repetitions, adding resistance with bands or springs, or trying slightly more complex movements. Over time, many people experience better mobility, less stiffness, and more confidence in everyday movement,' said Rattan. DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
