At 35, Karuna Swami is in the best shape of her life and fitness is both her career and her passion. In an interview with rediff.com, she discusses how a super-fit mother of six inspired her, why Indians have no commitment to their health and how looking like a celeb is not the be-all and end-all of exercise and dieting.

The venue is UK Fitness Centre, the location Andheri, Mumbai. Uday Swami, a body builder, greets us and then proudly introduces his wife. Winner of Miss India Fitness Physique 2012, Karuna Swami walks in beaming, her face lit up. Giving all our contemporary actresses a run for their money, the lady claims her body is 'out of shape' at the moment.

"People these days simply associate being thin with being fit -- I don't understand why. If you have broad shoulders, be proud of your broad shoulders, but tone your body instead of losing weight," she starts off.

Despite being a sports enthusiast since her school days, Karuna faced opposition from her father initially -- he wanted her to be a teacher. "During our days, it was only if someone didn't do well after graduation that s/he was encouraged to resort to the fitness profession. It was one career which desperately needed professionals; even a person without any expertise or knowledge could become a trainer," she says.

Although her struggle wasn't easy, today she proudly flaunts her trophy and believes the respect she receives was totally worth the wait. With more than 15 years of experience in the fields of yoga, aerobics, gymnastics and body building, she breaks fitness myths for professionals who have no time for their well-being.

The Swamis recently launched a 'Fitness Modelling Programme' at their Juhu centre, which combines fitness training with body sculpting and brings any fitness enthusiast to par with international standards. The three month long rigorous training programme began in May 2012 and invites applications from everyone.

Karuna also conducts regular sessions for women and holds competitions on a mass level to encourage sports across the country.

In the following pages, she discusses her career, the fitness programme she and her husband are offering at their centre and simple tips to incorporate health into your daily routine.

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Meet Miss India Fitness Physique 2012!