At 44, Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor Khan has moved past the size-zero image she once popularized. Today, her focus is on building strength, lifting heavier weights, and embracing challenging workouts that go beyond aesthetics. Her fitness journey includes intensive exercises and a mindset shift that emphasizes resilience and well-being.
According to her fitness trainer Mahesh Ghanekar, Kareena trains four times a week. Her routine includes strength training, functional exercises, and heart-rate-based circuit workouts. Ghanekar, speaking to HT Health Shots, revealed, “Kareena has been working with me for over two years, but it’s only in the last five months that we’ve achieved true consistency. She trains two days in a row and takes one day off, which helps with recovery.”
Each session lasts around an hour, sometimes longer. The workouts are intense and varied. “We usually do 14–15 different exercises per session. It’s all high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and she’s completely present and engaged. That energy makes the sessions enjoyable,” he added.
A Shift in Physique and Mindset
While intermittent fasting, clean eating, and regular workouts have helped Kareena lose weight, it’s her overall transformation—both physical and mental—that her trainer is most proud of.
“She has gone from 67.5 kg to about 64 kg, and we’re aiming for another 2–3 kg reduction. She’s also lost inches from her arms and other parts of her body. Strength training suits her well, and she can feel herself getting stronger,” Ghanekar said.
Ghanekar, who has also trained Soha Ali Khan and Bipasha Basu, shared that Kareena’s current fitness routine combines weight training, functional movement, and core strength work—all structured around her heart rate.
“We aim to push her heart rate to 135 bpm or higher, often reaching 170 or 180. Then we observe how fast it recovers before the next round. The quicker the recovery, the fitter the person. We try to burn 400–500 calories per hour without using gym machines. I believe mental and physical strength go hand in hand. If your body is healthy inside, it shows outside.”
Equipment and Environment: Versatility Is Key
Kareena’s workout involves weights ranging from 2.5 kg to 12 kg. The routine includes weighted plates, steppers, dumbbells, and kettlebells. To keep things interesting and break the monotony, she also uses walls and staircases in her home for exercise. She enjoys challenges and is even open to working out outdoors instead of staying in an air-conditioned gym.
Ghanekar emphasizes that when celebrities like Kareena support a balanced, strength-focused lifestyle, it helps normalize fitness goals beyond weight loss. He believes this is especially important for women in their 40s.
Why Strength Training Matters After 40
“There are many physical and emotional changes that women go through in their 40s,” Ghanekar explained. “Losing weight becomes harder. Mood swings and irritability can increase. The perimenopause stage brings new challenges.”
He strongly advocates for strength training during this period. “Women between the ages of 45 and 55 should make fitness a priority. Think of it like a pension. You invest in your health now so you can enjoy life later. If your body is weak, how will you enjoy the money you’ve saved? We’re not saving money to spend it on medicines.”
