She is one of the fittest actors in Bollywood and Shilpa Shetty believes it is important to make fitness a way of life rather than working out to "look cool".

The 42-year-old actor said there are many who go to the gym because it has become a fad now, but for her, it was always about having a disciplined lifestyle.

"Fitness is life for me. It is not something I have done to look cool or wear few outfits and pose in front of the paparazzi. Today, going to the gym has become like a fashion," Shilpa told PTI.

The actor said she comes from a family which believes in leading a healthy life and recalled her school days when she used to take part in various sports.

"My father gave importance to health and my mother was conscious of what she was serving us. I was a state-level volleyball player and was also doing Taekwondo in my school days. My parents paid emphasis on fitness. For me, going to the gym was not a luxury, but a necessity. I would have gone to the gym if I was not an actress.," Shilpa said.

The actor recently launched her second book, "The Diary of a Domestic Diva", in which she shares quick and hassle-free methods of cooking healthy, nutritious and delicious meals.

"I love cooking. I try to give a modern twist to all the recipes and it's all easy to make," Shilpa said.