As Konkona Sensharma celebrated her 46th birthday recently, the actor and filmmaker revealed the simple yet powerful wellness philosophy that keeps her energised in her 40s. Today, her routine blends strength training, yoga, mindful nutrition and a sustainable approach to fasting, choices shaped by years of evolving self-awareness.

Fitness wasn’t always her priority

Konkona has openly shared that during her teens and 20s, fitness barely featured in her life. Like many, she relied on youth to get away with indulgence. Everything changed after she became a mother in her early 30s. That period marked her initiation into yoga, an anchor she has sustained for more than a decade.

Yoga: The foundation of her mind–body balance

She credits yoga with building her connection to her body, boosting flexibility, improving mental clarity and transforming how she approached long-term wellness. A consistent yoga practice became her first major step into a healthier lifestyle.

Strength training in her 40s: A game changer

While yoga strengthened her inside out, it was in her 40s that she embraced weight training. Konkana told Indian Express that incorporating resistance workouts has reshaped her physically and mentally. She now focuses on overall strength, mobility, and balance rather than pursuing weight loss. For her, strong muscles are non-negotiable, supporting longevity, joint health and daily functionality.

Why she believes fat loss starts in the Kitchen

Although her personal goals go beyond weight management, Konkona emphasises a truth she has learned with age: most weight loss happens due to diet, not workouts. She estimates that around 80–85% of fat loss is influenced by food choices. This awareness has guided her toward more intentional eating habits.

A smarter, cleaner diet after 35

Konkona says she has never eaten as nutritiously as she has in the past decade. Her daily diet is structured around:

–High protein intake to support muscle health and satiety

-Plenty of fruits and vegetables for vitamins and fibre

-Healthy fats like nuts, chia seeds and flaxseed paired with fruits to prevent sudden sugar spikes

-Magnesium awareness, which she now views as essential for energy, sleep and recovery

She is also more conscious of issues like insulin resistance, something she believes women should start tracking in their late 30s and early 40s.

Intermittent fasting

Konkona practices intermittent fasting in a flexible, sustainable way. She typically follows a 14-hour fasting window four to five times a week. On days when her body signals fatigue or poor sleep, she shifts to a 12-hour digestive break instead of forcing a strict schedule.

She often trains during her fasting window and finds that it gives her more energy, though she stresses that this is her personal experience, not advice for others. For anyone considering fasting, she recommends checking in with a doctor and evaluating any pre-existing health concerns.

^{Photos by Catie Cleveland}

The College of Charleston School of Health Sciences is debuting a state-of-the-art testing program that will have students, faculty and staff working directly with campus and community members who wish to better understand various measures of fitness and how they impact their health. 

The Fitness and Community Health Testing (FaCHT) program will assess cardiovascular fitness, body composition, metabolic rate, muscular fitness and more for those who are using weight loss drugs, receiving hormone therapy or looking to better understand their fitness levels. The program will not diagnose or treat health conditions. 

The FaCHT program will offer VO2 max testing, the gold standard testing for heart and lung health and oxygen utilization, which health experts agree is the strongest predictor of longevity. DXA scan data, which shows the amount of fat and non-fat mass on the body, can be bundled with the VO2 max results for a better overall picture of health. This can be especially useful as people age.  

“Tracking body composition and cardiovascular fitness gives us a comprehensive picture of an individual’s overall state of health,” says Chris Reader, FaCHT program coordinator in the Department of Applied Exercise Science. This, he adds, “can be helpful to provide to their physicians to diagnose and treat health concerns.”

“The launch of the FaCHT program fills a void in the health and fitness testing market in Charleston, and represents a one-stop shop for anyone who wants to be able to present test results to their own physicians for deeper insight into their fitness journey,” says Wes Dudgeon, dean of the School of Health Sciences.  

Community members interested in learning more about the Fitness and Community Health Testing program can meet faculty and staff and receive guided tours of the new lab space on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 6–7:30 p.m. RSVP to [email protected] by Dec. 6.  

How it works

• Community members can visit the College of Charleston MarketPlace Fitness and Community Health Testing page to learn more about the types of tests offered and to sign up.  
• Initial results are made available at the visit, and a complete report is emailed to participants for ease of sharing with their physicians.  
• Individuals can discuss results with their doctors to refine health and fitness programs for optimal results. 

Benefits to Students

Along with the benefit to the community, the program also offers unique opportunities for College of Charleston students. FaCHT will host two student interns this spring semester, providing experience in a lab environment, managing data and understanding the science of the testing environment.