Sonam Kapoor is a fitness nazi. The svelte actress whose giggle-a-minute banter and easy smile have made her a fashion magazine favourite, doesn't call off her date with the treadmill...Not even for an interview. "I try and work out at least five times a week," she reveals, "It's only to maintain my weight and be healthy." One look at her exercise schedule will tell you that the lady is no iron-pumping gym bunny… In fact, it sounds more like a hobby list than an exercise calendar.

Fit and fun
"I love hiking and biking, they're my favourites," says Sonam, insisting that she still takes time out to cycle outdoors when she can. "I also love dance pilates and would recommend half an hour of mad dancing before you head to work to release that great rush of energy." The get-up-and-dance music that's currently dominating her iPod includes tracks by Rihanna and Lady Gaga, Kanye West, Jay Z, and of course, queen Madonna.

Yoga and cardio complete the cycle, but Kapoor insists that she needs to keep changing her routine to prevent boredom. Her worst fitness mistake — lack of sleep. "I used to miss out on a good night's sleep, and only later did I realise that sleep deprivation made me put on weight. It's the worst thing you can do." This love for fitness is not just a by-product of being a rising movie star.

Till 15, she was so skinny that her nickname at home was 'Giraffe'. Then, suddenly at 16, her hormones went out of whack. She says, "I had a polycystic ovary disorder and gained 30 kilos. Of course, I over ate too, but I wasn't aware of the fact that I was fat and didn't look good. "My decision to lose weight wasn't about looking good, it was about fitness because I realised I couldn't dance like I used to."

Assisting director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was her pivotal moment. "Sanjayji cast me in a film when I was at my heaviest."

Weight off
"But it took me a year and a half to lose weight because I was determined to do so responsibly." Aware that being a public figure weighs her down with public expectations, she adds, "I'm not striving to be extremely skinny. I want to look and feel young, so I eat right and exercise."

And does she cheat on her healthy diet often? "Cheating once in a while is not cheating," she winks and continues, "You just need to balance it out." The actress also announces that she's turned a tee-totaller. "I was never fond of alcohol, I only enjoyed the occasional glass of white wine but I stopped even that because it's high in calories. "I don't party too much. I think I've crossed that age of partying hard. I like to be in control. I'm a happy person. I don't need the high."

Fitness regime:

Works out at least five times a week
Loves dance pilates and freestyle dancing
Also mixes it up with yoga, cardio, biking and hiking
Avoids alcohol because it's high in calories
Believes in 'early to bed, early to rise'

Sonam rates B-town beauties:

Best body: Shilpa Shetty
Best waist: Priyanka Chopra
Best arms: Deepika Padukone
Best legs: Katrina Kaif
Best hair: Sonam Kapoor