Ever wondered how Jessica Alba, Halle Berry, Scarlett Johansson and many more such actors stay lean and fit? Well, Ramona Braganza, Hollywood celebrity fitness trainer, reveals the secret in her book “Feel Fit Look Fantastic In 3-2-1”. The 52-year-old Los Angeles-based fitness trainer who has helped several actors get into shape and build the finest bodies in quickest possible time however, says, “There is no magic pill or secret shake for looking great! It takes hard work and an open mind to think differently about yourself and your relationship with your body.”
The book is divided into three parts, namely, “Get Ready Mentally”, “Get Set Physically”, and “Go Forward Emotionally”. In a candid chat on her book launch in Fitness First in Select Citywalk Mall she reveals about her early life, her dreams as a kid, her mantra to stay healthy, the hourglass figure and her love for chocolates. In between she packs in a dose of encouraging words to keep you going. “Meaningful motivation urges you to take action in your life that you would not take otherwise.”
A wannabe actor in her teens, Braganza participated in some dramas and stage plays before she realized that acting was not her calling. At 18, she tore her knee ligament and that is when she shifted her base from Vancouver to LA. Having participated in fitness contests she took up a job at a gym and continued with her fitness training. “I have been training all my life. In fact my mother, who is my role-model, is a Zumba instructor herself. And, even in her 70s she is full of energy.”
The 200 page book offers a mix of fitness secrets from the West with the 3-2-1 training method and the foods from the East with the 3-2-1 nutrition plan. Spelling it out Braganza says, “It is 3 cardio, 2 circuit and 1 core exercises with 3 meals, 2 snacks and 1 litre of water.”
By the way, for those who think a busy lifestyle means fitness is up for a toss and that if you are not a gym member you can’t be fit Braganza pulls you up by her three word response, “back to basics”.
“There has been a lot of change in the lifestyle. And so, many new machines and techniques have also come up. But, I feel the basics are still the same. And, the need is to focus on the basics. You don’t necessarily need flashy equipment or the latest machines. What you need is tremendous mental, physical and emotional energy.”
So, she bases a lot of fitness on the temperament and the mental attitude. Her mantra is “You must believe in yourself and love your body. Train yourself hard and eat right.” Well, by now it must be sounding clichéd to you. And why not considering that you shall be preparing for the ultimate sacrifice on chocolates and iced creams? But, here is the final punch: “I eat everything. I just had a chocolate today. The key is to have everything in moderation.”
