Rani Mukherjee's photo shoot and Interview for Prevention magazine (March 2011)

In a career spanning over a decade, Rani Mukerji has worked with some of the finest names in the industry. Having handled serious and glamorous roles she has been hailed as one of the finest actors of her times. The queen of hearts who is now gathering critical acclaim for her role in the latest outing No One Killed Jessica, says adopting a healthy lifestyle has helped her emerge a more contented and happy person.

From bubbly to the svelte, the one thing that has always shown through is your fabulous energy level. The key to your high spirits?

Good health is key to my existence. I firmly believe in the saying health is wealth. If you have health on your side, everything else falls into place. That's exactly how it has worked for me. If I don't feel healthy and happy from within, I can never be on top of myself. I have always been an extremely cheerful and positive person and this is because I've always maintained good health.

When you say good health, what all does it entail?

Essentially, adopting a good lifestyle with a fair amount of discipline-eating healthy, working out religiously, sleeping well, taking time off to unwind and keeping stress at bay. It's about looking and feeling good from within, about being physically and mentally fit, the importance of which I continue to realise with every passing day. It's a prerequisite to be able to do my work well and lead a balanced life.

So, was pursuing the cause of good health more of a professional requirement?

Although I've always been enthusiastic about health, honestly speaking, I wasn't the fittest of people during my early days. I've always been a foodie and although I wasn't exactly feeding on junk, I would pick unhealthy foods at random. I would exercise on and off but there was acute lack of commitment. But when you are in your 20s, you can get away with a lot of things without having to put in much effort. Even crash diets work because your body is able to handle a lot more. But as you age, you start caring more about your body. Beyond a point it's not about shedding the extra kilos, it's about leading a healthy life. My dad's illness was some kind of an eye-opener for me and I realised I just had to take care of my health. Of course, my profession also requires me to look great all the time. That was definitely a factor but not the determining factor. But honestly, once you get on to a fitness regime and start enjoying it, you become a fitness freak for life. You just need to begin somewhere.

And what does your typical workout regime look like?

Since I'm a person who tends to put on weight at the drop of a hat, it was extremely important to be able to devise a workout regimen suiting my requirements and stick to it. I now alternate between cardio exercises for 45 minutes, weight training for 30 minutes and yoga which essentially includes several sets of surya namaskars. I usually work out early in the morning for at least an hour and a half healthy, working out religiously, sleeping well, taking time off to unwind and keeping stress at bay. It's about looking and feeling good from within, about being physically and mentally fit, the importance of which I continue to realise with every passing day. It's a prerequisite to be able to do my work well and lead a balanced life.

And that translates into your much talked about smile…

I believe in three essential principles when it comes to leading a good life: eating right, sound sleep and a hearty laugh. I believe in eating right as getting the right amount of nutrition through everyday foods has a great bearing on the way one looks and feels. I haven't ever given up on anything, I've just brought more discipline to the table: cut bad carbs, opted for healthy fats, chose proteins wisely and included loads of veggies and fruits in my everyday diet. Having said that, it's also important to leave space for occasional cravings. This apart, I always ensure I get my full six to eight hours of sleep every night. On days, when I haven't slept enough, I invariably wake up feeling cranky and continue to feel lazy through the day. On such days, I make sure I catch up on a power nap at some point in the day. It works wonders in upping one's energy levels.

And yes, I like to smile, I'm essentially a happy person. I actually laugh my way through stressful situations, I take things a little less seriously than I should and all these things help me stay and feel younger at heart. My mantra for instant happiness: an unwinding session with my family.