Somy Ali, who runs a US-based NGO called No More Tears, says that showbiz is very demanding. She says that one is expected to look a certain way, and that can be pressuring. Somy Ali opens up about how actors and actresses are made to have a certain type of body and attaining that is quite tough. Not only that, not attaining that body type also puts a lot of pressure on the minds of the actors and actresses, which leads to them getting depressed.
“It is not only required but a mandate to focus on being vain and vanity is a huge part of being an actor. There is nothing wrong with it if that’s what makes one happy and if they are able to fulfil the prerequisite of the industry which is not what it used to be during the Sri Devi era, but now everyone who is a female actor has to look super slim to stay in that world and the men have to attain Sylvester Stallone’s body type. Everything comes at a price, even vanity,” she says.
Ask her what is her fitness funda, and she says, “For me, it’s weightlifting as I detest cardio and weightlifting builds muscle which burns fat thus that’s been my go-to for years when it comes to a specific workout preference. I stay away from carbs as much as I can except on Saturdays, which is when I eat whatever I want otherwise it’s all protein consistently in my diet.”
Somy, who helps rehabilitate victims of domestic abuse and rape in the US, says, “Since I am always in the field working with victims I rely on low in sugar and high in protein power bars as a replacement for meals. There are many times when I don’t have the luxury to be home and cook myself a healthy meal, but saving a life takes priority when it comes to worrying about my next meal and the protein bars have worked just fine over the years.”
Talking about the significance of being mentally healthy, she says, “Absolutely! Our minds and bodies are severely connected and if one of them is wired wrong everything crashes. I have therapy sessions thrice a month at least given the work I do and what I witness daily. Talking to a good psychologist has been a huge help for me to maintain stability and continue my life’s mission.”
She adds, “Being on the road nonstop makes it harder to eat a proper and complete meal, but again, the comparison of helping others takes precedence over worrying about getting a proper meal. It’s similar to models and actors where they have to stay away from certain foods no matter how much they crave them because now the world is all about an unreasonable size zero for females which is beyond my comprehension, but that’s what people want and that’s what actors give to survive.”
