Indian actress Ananya Panday has a good sense of humor, judging by some very tongue-in-cheek pictures the 23-year-old posted on her Instagram account, wearing a two-piece white bathing suit. “Expectation vs. Reality 🥲 was tryna have my Heroine moment but I got attacked by feathers and my hair got stuck in the blower instead ✌🏼🤭 #AAFAT #Liger25thAugust,” she captioned the post. How does she stay so fit? Read on to see 7 ways Panday stays in shape and the photos that prove they work—and to get beach-ready yourself, don't miss these essential 30 Best-Ever Celebrity Bathing Suit Photos!
1. She Loves a Good Breakfast
“For breakfast I have an egg, I have an omelet, I have toast with butter, and I have my black coffee,” Panday tells Bollywood Hungama. “For lunch I have a chicken sandwich, and for dinner I have either fish or chicken and soup. And throughout the day I have coffee.” “Whole eggs are nutritionally rich, supplying almost every nutrient you need,” says registered nutritionist Jo Lewin. “They are useful sources of some of the hard-to-get nutrients like vitamins D and B12 as well as the mineral iodine. Eggs are regarded as a ‘complete’ source of protein as they contain all nine essential amino acids, which we must obtain from our diet. Furthermore, if you choose brands enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, due to the diet the chickens are fed, you’ll benefit from higher omega-3 fatty acids as well as fat soluble vitamins such as vitamins A and E.”
2. She Gets Lots Of Sleep
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“I need to get at least eight hours of sleep and ten hours is ideal for me,” Panday says. “I sleep a lot.” “Contrary to our quiet physical state, the brain is very active during sleep, carrying out many important functions,” says Erica Jansen, Research Assistant Professor of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. “Sleep is essential to every process in the body, affecting our physical and mental functioning the next day, our ability to fight disease and develop immunity, and our metabolism and chronic disease risk. Sleep is truly interdisciplinary because it touches every aspect of health.”
3. She Loves Seafood
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“I love salmon and I love prawns,” Panday says. “I love seafood.” “We’ve long been told that fish is ‘brain food’, and there’s convincing evidence to support this,” says Lewin. “Studies suggest regular consumption reduces age-related brain loss and may improve memory – it’s the omega-3 fatty acids that are responsible for this. Studies investigating the role fatty varieties of fish play have seen benefits for conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, depression and multiple sclerosis.”
4. She Eats Her Veggies
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“Bhindi. I love bhindi! It's too good,” Panday says. Bhindi is a delicious Indian dish where okra is cooked with onion, tomatoes and spices. “A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke, prevent some types of cancer, lower risk of eye and digestive problems, and have a positive effect upon blood sugar, which can help keep appetite in check,” according to the Harvard T. Chan School of Public Health. “Eating non-starchy vegetables and fruits like apples, pears, and green leafy vegetables may even promote weight loss. Their low glycemic loads prevent blood sugar spikes that can increase hunger.”
5. She Drinks Black Coffee
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Panday drinks black coffee throughout the day. “I was a tea person but now I'm allergic to tea and milk also doesn't suit me so I just have black coffee every day.” “We have a lot of evidence that coffee is good for the liver,” says liver specialist Jamile Wakim-Fleming, MD. “Coffee is especially helpful when it comes to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. You have to consume regular coffee — not decaf — daily to get the liver benefits. There’s something inherent about caffeine that is helpful to the liver.”
6. She Loves to Eat Bread
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While rice is a staple in Indian food, Panday prefers bread. “I'm also allergic to rice, I'm allergic to quite a few things, but I like having bread more than anything. I like having cheese with it.”
“Cheese contains protein, fat and saturated fat, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin B12, among other nutrients,” says Samantha Cassetty, RD. “However, amounts vary, depending on the type of cheese you select. While many of these nutrients are necessary for optimal health, some, like saturated fat and sodium, are discouraged.”
7. She Enjoys Cheat Days
What does Panday enjoy on her cheat days? “Everything,” she says. “I like pancakes, cookies, pizza, burgers, brownies, everything.” “Research shows that after a cheat meal, the body increases its metabolism, causing you to burn calories faster,” says Northwestern Medicine. “This is caused by increased levels of leptin, a hormone secreted by fat cells and responsible for maintaining energy balance in the body. After eating a larger meal than usual, your body increases leptin production by as much as 30 percent for up to 24 hours.”