Malaika Arora swears by 'no food after 7 pm' rule, calls intermittent fasting her secret to staying fit at 49: 'It has worked like magic for me'

Akshay Kumar and Kareena Kapoor have company, and it is none other than Malaika Arora. The actress, who is known for her age-defying looks and commitment to fitness, recently opened up about her health regimen, aligning herself with the popular Bollywood belief that early dinners are key to staying fit. While stars like Akshay and Kareena have long advocated having dinner before sunset, Malaika has now echoed the same, revealing she never eats a meal after 7 pm.In a recent interview with 32ND YouTube channel, Malaika revealed that she follows intermittent fasting for 17 hours every alternate day, and in the seven-hour eating window, she doesn’t restrict herself. “It’s all portion control. I don’t believe in cheat days and stuff like that,” she said. Interestingly, she shared that unlike her son, she doesn’t weigh her meals but prefers to eat from a specific bowl that limits her portion size naturally.“Intermittent fasting works like magic for me”The 49-year-old emphasized how fasting has changed her life for the better. “I do intermittent fasting. That’s something that has worked like magic for me. I think it just resets my entire system. I sleep better, I wake up better, I don’t feel heavy,” she noted. Malaika clarified that she used to fast every day but has now shifted to alternate-day fasting, stressing that fasting and dieting aren’t the same thing.“There’s a big difference between dieting and fasting. I eat, but I eat in that limited time of the day and that’s what I eat,” she explained, underscoring how this approach helps her maintain both her energy and physique.Her golden rule: no eating after sunsetAnother principle Malaika lives by is avoiding food post-sunset. “My last meal is at 7 pm. I try not to eat anything after that until the next day,” she revealed, adding that she breaks her fast the next day with ghee and has her first proper meal only at noon. “And then I eat everything—rice, roti, sabzi—everything. I eat everything,” she said, dismissing the idea that staying fit means giving up on traditional Indian meals.Turning 50 strong and steadyAs she approaches a milestone birthday, Malaika is candid about the changes age brings. “After a certain age, you are battling with a whole lot of things. I am 49. I will be 50,” she said, highlighting the importance of tailoring health habits to suit one's evolving body and needs.Beyond her fitness journey, Malaika has also stepped into the culinary business world with her recently launched restaurant in Mumbai.