After Nimisha Sajayan, 29, finished shooting her latest film, Babita Singh Reporting, where she had to gain 14 kg for her character, she went to the gym the next day. “At that point, she was not in a healthy physical condition at all. Even walking was difficult. She would get extremely breathless after just two or three steps, so we knew that we couldn’t immediately start with regular weight training or intense workouts,” her fitness trainer for the past two and a half years, Ali Shifas, told indianexpress.com in an interview.During preparation for Babita Singh Reporting, Sajayan’s calorie intake increased progressively, eventually reaching close to 9,000 calories a day on some shooting days. “Once the shoot was completed, we couldn’t suddenly bring her calories down. After such an intense period of overeating, drastically cutting calories overnight would have been extremely difficult for her body. So, her diet team reduced her calorie intake gradually and systematically, step by step. At the same time, we increased her overall activity level. Her training was also quite demanding. We had weight training sessions in the morning, and in the evenings, we included different forms of cardio and activity, such as cycling, dancing, and other physical practices,” said Shifas, who has 17 years of experience in the field.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.So, it was about regaining her strength, stamina, mobility, and energy without rushing. “We started with the absolute basics. Initially, we focused on simple functional movements and light cardio, just to improve her basic endurance and mobility. As she gradually became fitter, we slowly introduced weight training and strength training,” Shifas explained.The entire process was gradual and carefully structured. “We didn’t try to achieve the transformation overnight. We focused on making small, sustainable changes and progressively increasing her activity as her fitness improved,” noted the Kochi-based trainer.‘A mental challenge’: How Nimisha Sajayan progressedAccording to the coach, the first few months were really challenging for Sajayan because she couldn’t do the kind of workouts she had done before. “There was also a mental challenge. For almost a month, we trained during non-peak hours when the gym was relatively empty. She was quite insecure about people seeing her in that condition because nobody had really seen her like that before,” recalled Shifas. Nimisha Sajayan as Baby in Babita Singh Reporting (Photo: Amazon Prime Video)In this phase, her calories were gradually and systematically reduced until she reached a sustainable maintenance level, while ensuring her nutritional needs were being met. Once she lost some weight and developed enough endurance and confidence, she started coming to the gym during normal hours. “So, her transformation was not just about losing weight. She had to overcome a lot of physical and mental challenges, especially during those initial months. What really stood out to me was her consistency and willingness to keep going despite how difficult the process was,” said Shifas.Story continues below this ad6 days a week: Inside Nimisha Sajayan’s workout routineDuring her transformation phase, Sajayan trained six days a week with one rest day. “Even on her rest day, she would try to walk for around an hour. Each training session was generally around an hour. At the beginning of the weight-loss phase, sessions sometimes took around 1.5 hours because she needed longer recovery and breathing breaks between exercises. As her fitness and stamina improved, we were able to bring the sessions down to around one hour,” said Shifas.Notably, Sajayan’s diet was planned according to nutritional requirements, with the right balance of protein, fibre, carbohydrates and other essential nutrients. She also had a professional chef, who prepared her meals according to the diet plan, whether she was at home or on location. “The nutritional ratios were adjusted depending on whether she was in the weight-gain, weight-loss or maintenance phase, so the quantities and ratios were not fixed throughout the entire journey,” shared Shifas. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NIMISHA BINDU SAJAYAN (@nimisha_sajayan)How Shifas started training Nimisha SajayanShifas was introduced to Sajayan through friends and clients connected to the Malayalam film industry. “We initially started training with a general goal of building strength and improving her overall fitness. It wasn’t specifically for a particular film role at that time,” recalled Shifas, who has an ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) Personal Trainer Certification.Interestingly, Sajayan has always had an active lifestyle. She is a trained dancer and has also practised martial arts from a young age. “During her training phase, we would usually work out in the mornings, and she would stay active through activities like cycling, dance practice and outdoor games such as badminton. She enjoys staying physically active, which has been a big advantage throughout her fitness journey,” Shifas reflected.Strength, cardio and martial arts: How Nimisha preparesShifas said he generally combines strength training and cardio as part of Sajayan’s routine. “When she is preparing for an action-oriented or physically demanding role, we customise the plan by adding martial arts and other role-specific activities. For example, strength and cardio may be done in the morning, followed by martial arts or action-based training in the evening. This helps prepare her physically for the specific demands of a particular role,” he elucidated.Story continues below this adShifas has worked with numerous celebrities, including Rajisha Vijayan, Grace Antony, Kalyani Priyadarshan, Naslen, Sandeep Pradeep, Khalid Rahman, Anna Ben, and others. “Their training schedules usually vary depending on their shooting commitments, so the sessions are planned around their availability,” he shared.Nimisha Sajayan’s current workout routineCurrently, Sajayan is in the maintenance phase. “With the movie release, promotions, and discussions around her upcoming projects, she has a very busy schedule and travels frequently. So, we usually manage around two to three workout sessions a week, although she aims for three to four whenever her schedule allows. She continues to follow her diet well and tries to stay as active as possible. The main focus now is maintaining her fitness, strength and overall health,” said Shifas. View this post on Instagram A post shared by NIMISHA BINDU SAJAYAN (@nimisha_sajayan)How her diet changed during the weight-gain phaseRecalling Sajayan’s dramatic weight-gain phase, Shifas said the diet team made sure she was getting adequate protein and essential nutrients while gradually increasing her overall calorie intake. “Since consuming large quantities of food was difficult, the focus was more on calorie-dense foods that provided more calories in smaller portions,” he said.To achieve the required look, her calorie intake was increased gradually. “Her intake was progressively increased from around 2,000 calories to 3,000, 4,000, 5,000, and eventually close to 9,000 calories a day during the shooting period. However, maintaining such a high-calorie intake was extremely challenging and took a physical toll. She experienced significant weakness and other health-related difficulties during the shoot. It was a very demanding phase for her physically, and she had to put in a lot of effort to maintain the required look throughout the filming,” he recalled.How Nimisha Sajayan trained around her shootsWith an actor’s shooting schedule, finding time for dedicated workouts can be challenging. “Whenever possible, we used online video-call training sessions during breaks between shoots. Even on location, Nimisha would make an effort to stay active by walking and keeping her activity levels up. On non-shooting days, she returned to her regular gym training and followed her diet. She always tried to make the most of whatever time was available and maintain a consistent level of daily activity,” said Shifas.Story continues below this ad‘Energy, positive attitude’: What makes Nimisha Sajayan consistentShifas expressed admiration for Sajayan’s “energy and positive attitude”. “She is extremely energetic and always brings a very positive vibe, whether during training or even while interacting with people. Whenever I give her a workout or a task, she always tries to give 100 per cent and do it as perfectly as possible. That dedication and positive energy have made a big difference throughout her fitness journey.”Also Read | How Dia Mirza stays fit: Trainer Kunal Vijay More reveals her workout and diet secretsOne thing people can learn from Sajayan’s lifestyle is the importance of staying active throughout the day, he candidly admitted. “Even when she doesn’t have a regular workout, she tries to include one to two hours of some form of physical activity, whether it’s dancing, cycling, playing games or simply walking.”DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.