3-8% Muscle Lost a Decade: Nita Ambani Workout and Diet at 63
Nita Ambani turns 63 today and still trains 5-6 days a week. Here is her workout and diet, why she warns women about muscle loss after 30, and what Harvard says about strength training.
Nita Ambani has been dancing Bharatanatyam since she was 6 years old. She turns 63 today, and she still works out 5-6 days a week.
Her reason is not vanity. In her words, after the age of 30, women lose about 3-8% muscle mass per decade, and the loss speeds up with age. That one line is the real lesson inside the Nita Ambani workout and diet story.
Quick answer
- Nita Ambani trains 5-6 days a week, working legs, upper body and back on different days, plus swimming, aqua exercise, dance and walks of 5,000 to 7,000 steps.
- Her diet is balanced and vegetarian, with a focus on protein and no sugar or sugar substitutes.
- Her warning for women: muscle loss starts around 30, and Harvard Health puts it at about 3% to 5% each decade for most people.
- Harvard's research summary suggests two or three strength sessions a week as the sweet spot for building muscle.
This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before changing your diet or training.
What is Nita Ambani's workout routine?
Nita Ambani works out 5-6 days a week and splits her training by body part, so legs, upper body and back each get their own day.
She shared the routine on Women's Day, March 8, 2025, and Hindustan Times recapped it for her 63rd birthday (Hindustan Times). "Leg days are my favourite. I have the strong legs of a dancer," she said.
She does not lift every single day. Some days are swimming and aqua exercises. Some days are an hour of dancing. On top of that, she walks around 5,000 to 7,000 steps.
Her approach mixes strength, mobility and flexibility. She has also said that she finds exercise peaceful and that it keeps her in a positive state of mind.
That last point matters more than it sounds. A routine you enjoy is a routine you keep, and the variety stops it from turning into a chore.
Why does she warn women about muscle loss after 30?
Because muscle loss starts quietly in your thirties and speeds up with age, taking strength, balance and metabolism with it.
Her own words were blunt: "After the age of 30, women lose about 3-8% muscle mass per decade, and this accelerates as we age. We lose muscle, bone density, balance, mobility, and strength" (Hindustan Times).
Harvard Health gives a slightly narrower figure. It says both men and women start losing muscle with age, at a gradual decline of about 3% to 5% each decade, starting at age 30 (Harvard Health).
The medical name is sarcopenia. Harvard says it affects about 5% to 13% of people aged 60 to 70, and up to 50% of people who are 80 or older.
People who skip strength training can expect to lose four to six pounds of muscle per decade, Harvard adds, and that muscle is often replaced by fat. That is why the scale can stay flat while your body quietly changes.
Source: Hindustan Times; Harvard Health
What most guides miss: her 5-6 days are not 5-6 days of heavy lifting. Because she splits legs, upper body and back across the week and fills other days with swimming, dance and walking, each muscle group gets trained only a couple of times a week. That lines up closely with Harvard's two or three strength sessions, so a beginner does not need a six-day plan to copy the part that protects muscle.
What does Nita Ambani eat in a day?
She follows a balanced vegetarian diet built around protein, and she avoids sugar and sugar substitutes completely.
"My diet is balanced. I am a vegetarian. My food is more organic and nature-based. It's very important to take protein, and I absolutely avoid sugar or sugar substitutes," she said in her Women's Day video (Hindustan Times).
She has not shared calorie counts or exact meals publicly, so be careful with viral "Nita Ambani diet charts" that claim to.
Her protein focus fits the science. Harvard lists inadequate protein intake among the factors that can affect muscle mass, alongside inactivity, obesity and insulin resistance.
For a vegetarian Indian plate, that usually means building meals around dal, paneer, curd and other protein foods rather than treating them as a side.
How can women start a workout to protect muscle?
Start with two strength sessions a week using body weight, bands or dumbbells, and add a third as you get stronger.
A Harvard Health summary of 2019 guidelines in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research says two or three workouts per week produce the most muscle size and strength compared with fewer or more sessions (Harvard Health).
The same guidelines suggest:
- one to two multi-joint exercises per major muscle group, which works out to six to 12 exercises per workout
- a weight you can lift for 10 reps with good form, where the last two are tough
- two to three sets per exercise, with 30 seconds to two minutes of rest between them
If you see no change after about eight weeks, Harvard says you probably need more weight, sets or exercises.
Simple starting moves include chair stands, calf raises and wall or counter push-ups. Harvard suggests eight to 12 repetitions for exercises like the standing calf raise.
Cardio still counts. The WHO says muscle strengthening benefits everyone, and that adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week (WHO). Nita Ambani's walking, swimming and dancing cover that side.
Who should be careful before copying this routine?
Anyone who has never lifted before or lives with a chronic condition should check with a doctor first, and ideally learn form from a trainer.
Harvard Health advises talking to your doctor before starting if you are new to strength training or have a chronic condition, and suggests a certified trainer, physiotherapist or physiatrist to help you avoid injury (Harvard Health).
The bigger risk for most Indian women is doing nothing at all. The WHO says women are less active than men by an average of 5 percentage points, a gap that has not changed since 2000.
Remember too that a celebrity routine comes with trainers, time and a kitchen team. Copy the principles, not the volume.
FAQs
How many days a week does Nita Ambani work out?
She works out 5-6 days a week. Each day focuses on a different body part, and some days are swimming, aqua exercise or an hour of dancing.
Is Nita Ambani vegetarian?
Yes. She follows a balanced vegetarian diet, prioritises protein and avoids sugar and sugar substitutes.
How much muscle do women lose after 30?
Nita Ambani cites 3-8% per decade. Harvard Health says most people lose about 3% to 5% each decade from age 30, and the loss speeds up later in life.
How many strength workouts a week are enough for women?
Harvard's summary of research guidelines says two or three workouts a week produce the most muscle size and strength. Beginners can start with two.
Expert review: pending.
This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before changing your diet or training.
Related reading
- 250 Calories a Samosa: Why Diet and Gym Must Work Together
- 10,000 Steps Not Enough? 5 Habits a Metabolic Coach Adds
- 15,000 Steps a Day, Still Osteopenia: What Walking Misses
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