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Genie in a diet

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As weight loss resolutions ring in the New Year, I’d like to talk to you about what to expect from your weight loss plan.Treat your weight loss plan like a genie. Expect things from it. Asking for just weight loss is like asking a genie for a kite or a pencil or a sharpener.Anyone can give you that. But if you are going to take control of your weight, if you make changes in the way you eat, shouldn’t you expect better returns on your diet? Here’s what should be on your wishlist…

PERMANENT WEIGHT LOSS

If you choose a diet that focuses only on losing weight, it will ignore other issues like metabolism and overall health. Your diet needs to guarantee permanent weight loss, i.e., where the weight does not come back if you eat `normally’.

INCREASED METABOLISM

A good diet should kickstart your metabolism and actually increase it.Eating every two hours is the secret to stable weight loss.When my clients burst through the door telling me, `I lost 3 kilos!’, I am never impressed. The first question I ask them is, `Did you eat every two hours?’ Because without that, I know (from my experience with all my clients) that the 3 kilos are going to come back.

FAT LOSS

If you don’t lose fat, you lose muscle. And the more muscle you lose, the higher is your body fat percentage. That in turn leads to storage of more fat. Any meal plan low on calories starves you and ensures that your body uses muscles for its daily functioning, which is detrimental to any long-term weight loss goal.

OVERALL HEALTH, ENERGY, WELL-BEING

How are you feeling? This is something no weighing scale or blood test will be able to tell you. Do you get up in the morning feeling lively? Do you feel that you have a better attention span? Do you feel less irritable? Your energy levels should remain more or less the same throughout the day: there should be no major highs or lows. Your blood sugar levels should be consistent and stable. Your overall health and well-being is the ultimate test of the success of any weight loss programme.

Whatever you do, don’t give up. And this year, when it comes to weight loss, I want you to take the same pride a marathoner takes crossing the finish line. If you are here to beat, win, compete, compare, you are measuring yourself against people, bodies and deadlines that aren’t yours. Don’t look over your shoulder. Forget about who’s catching up and who’s running ahead.

Your job is to finish. Be a finisher. That will be your victory.

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Slips don’t lie

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You know you shouldn’t. And yet, three days into your new diet, you are wiping the crumbs of a very crumbly cupcake off your face. Oops! You had no choice, you reason with yourself, because it was your best friend’s birthday, and, well, one couldn’t hurt, right?
Right. Small slips rarely have any great calorific impact ­ so long as you are able to quickly burn it off. But left unattended, many `slips’ can pile on as calories before you even realise it. It takes 3,500 un-burned calories to gain a pound of weight, and the more slips you have without doing anything about it, the more the calories go unburned, and in turn, the more weight you gain.

But this is not about setting sail on a guilt trip. The larger point of this article is to understand what derails your intentions to eat healthy. And you’d be surprised at how innocuous it may be.

CAN’T SAY `NO’ TO AUNTIE

Social pressure is one of the key reasons our diets fail time and time again. Without realising it, that loving bua or neighbour or host, who is pushing you to eat her laddoos -because she equates food with love -is setting back your efforts to lose weight. And while she may definitely have your best intentions at heart, it’s important to gently let people know that it is not compatible with your health plan at the moment. If they genuinely love you, they will respectfully withdraw. Be strong. The more you say No, the more people will understand.

ARE YOU DIETING?

So many people don’t want to look like they are dieting on social occasions. They would actually eat stuff they never usually eat. While it could come from being self-conscious about dieting, the fact is that it’s more   important to think about what you want. Don’t worry so much about what people think: even if you do incur comments initially, these will slowly slide to a stop as people find other things to talk about.

THE HOLIDAY FROM HEALTH

A lot of people, who go on vacation, seem to take a holiday from healthy eating too. There’s no point working hard to shed the kilos before you leave only to find yourself back to square one on your return. Most cuisines have healthy, low-fat options. Enjoy your holiday but don’t make food a part of the vacation experience. Sightsee, shop, walk around and spend quality time with your loved ones: there are other ways to enjoy your time off.

PACK SAYS `LOW-FAT’

One of sneakiest detailers to any healthy diet can sometimes be something you least ex pect: foods marked `low-fat’. Low fat doesn’t always mean low calorie. It’s also important to be vigilant about the other ingredients that go into low-fat products. Sometimes manufacturers add sugar to add to the taste -which adds to the calorie count -or sometimes eating double of something which has 50% less fat, pretty much amounts to same level of fat being consumed. It’s definitely something worth thinking about.
Enjoy your new lifestyle but whatever you do, be aware of what causes you to get off the healthy eating wagon. Because slips, after a point, don’t lie.

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Waste makes waist

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Nothing is as satisfying as seeing the food you have worked so hard to cook get quickly consumed by your loved ones. There go the potatoes. All done. And it’s so nice to see your kid polishing off his plate with the last of the buttered pav. But what’s this? Lurking at the bottom of the dish you got as a wedding present is one spoonful of chicken curry. You look up and ask your family if they’ll finish this last teensy weensy bite. But they’re all shaking their heads vehemently, pushing their plates away, looking fit to burst. What do you do? You can’t let it go waste. How horrifying! In goes the spoon, up goes the chicken right into your mouth. Instead of let ting it stay in the dish, you eat it yourself, ignoring the warning your stomach is sending to your brain -that you were done 10 bites ago.

As Indians, we’re culturally ingrained not to waste. We were raised to finish our food and clean our plates. Wasting food was seen as the ultimate sin of excess and an ultimate insult to the preparer of the food who would, more often than not, look wounded as half-empty plates were sent back to the kitchen.

But trying to not waste could be one of the sneakiest ways the weight piles on.

Think about it this way. Let’s assume that you are eating a little bit of leftover food every night to `clean up’ either yours or someone else’s plate. Even if you eat 100 extra calories a day, that’s 36,500 extra calories a year. And if it takes 3,500 extra unburned calories to gain a pound of weight, simply preventing food from going to waste could lead you to gain five kilos over the course of the year. Five kilos. It’s not too late. Prevent waste from going straight to your waist with the help of the WAIST method:

  1. WAIT

It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to send a signal to your brain that you are full. To prevent overeating, try to stop eating when that feeling of fullness starts.

  1. ASSESS

Combat the problem of wastage by not cooking too much to begin with. Estimating quantities takes time and practice and a little heartache but there’ll soon be a time when y o u ‘ r e cooking just the right amount.

  1. IGNORE

Leave someone else’s food alone. If they’ve wasted it, it’s their problem. Not yours.Your meal is done.

  1. SERVE

Don’t serve yourself too much to begin with. You can always add more later but it’s harder and more tempting -to `not waste’ if you’ve piled on too much food to begin with.

  1. THINK

Leftovers can provide a fabulous foundation to your next meal and there are always creative ways to tackle them.

And don’t fret. If nothing works, it’s not the end of the world. You’ll just get it right the next time. Both for the food, and for your body.

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In Articles to munch on

LET IT GO

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“I have been to every dietician under the sun but nothing works. I’m sure you are very good… but I have no hope. “

My new client and I had clearly got off to a good start.

Cases like Tanya’s are not unfamiliar to me. She had lost almost all the weight she needed to, and only the last 6 kilos were left now. But due to her slowing metabolism, and the fact that she had already lost a considerable amount, she was finding the last mile the hardest to cross. Based on her blood tests and eating habits, I charted out a meal plan and told her to come back in four weeks.

But when she came back, she hadn’t lost a single gram.

I frowned a frown I usually reserve for those clients who have spent their weekends undoing the week’s hard work. I had no doubt that Tanya followed everything I outlined to the T. So why hadn’t she lost weight?
And then, she started to speak…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“I weigh myself first thing in the morning, before a bath, after a bath, before lunch, after lunch, before exercise, after exercise. And my weight has not budged. I’ve hired an expensive personal trainer to complement my diet. I’m so stressed out by this that I can’t sleep. What more can I do?“ When someone weighs herself seven times a day, the person isn’t losing weight to look good or to feel better  he or she is obsessed with the idea of losing weight. Tanya has an obsession with weight loss. For her, food equals calories. For her, weight loss was not a way to get to her goal but it was the goal itself. So whenever she ate, her attitude was not “I am fuelling my body and this tastes so good“, it was, “I am eating calories and I need to work this off at the gym“.

I spent almost half an hour talking to her because I had to understand why anyone would weigh themselves seven times a day. I told her that she had to enjoy the same food, without thinking about the calories. And just to prove to her that it was the attitude and not the diet, I asked her to follow the same plan with a happier, positive frame of mind. I told her to go out and have fun. And she was not allowed to weigh herself at all.

Two weeks later, the same plan gave her fantastic results. In just 15 days, she lost the 2 kilos she had been struggling to lose for months.

Same meal plan, two sets of attitudes.

JUST LET IT GO

” Obsession is as un healthy as a crash diet. “

 

Tanya’s story illustrates the point I have been trying to make  this is the only body you have. Learn to love and appreciate it. Don’t sweat over the little things and stop obsessing over every single calorie. The results will come. For some, they come faster. For some, they take a little time. But there is no way that eating healthy will not make you reach your weight loss goals. Remember that.

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POOJA MAKHIJA: SUMMER GUEST LIST

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Foods have personalities too, just like us. Take the case of caffeine, it revs up your engine and gets you all riled up! Water, on the other hand, gently lays down a blanket of calm inside your body. This summer, learn about the foods that should get a VIP access pass to your plate and those which should be struck off the list.

ON THE VIP LIST
Fresh fruit, fresh veggies, salads:

Summer heat could lead to dehydration, which, in turn, could lead to electrolyte loss. It makes you feel lethargic, nauseous, exhausted and may even cause diarrhoea and constipation. Raise your intake of fresh fruits and veggies in ways that are creative and tasty like finger foods.

Lush liquids and sorbets:


Have kokum water, coconut water, chaas, fruit slushes and frozen iced sorbets. These foods work well to restore electrolyte balance and also provide healthy and interesting ways to pack in nutrients.

Water, Infused water:

Apart from increasing your water consumption to about 10-12 glasses per day, why not try killing two birds with one glass by infusing your water? Take care of both dehydration and nutrition by adding a small piece of fresh fruit like kiwi or strawberry or even basil to your water container.

Sautéed greens: 

Give a nod to sautéed greens this season. These are light, can be made very appetising and always bring nice gifts with them like reduced cholesterol, cancer-fighting abilities, antiaging benefits, powerful vitamins and energy.

Cold soups: 

Team up fresh salads with the perfect escort: hearty cold soups that include gazpachos, cold cucumber soups, tomato soups for flavour and a feeling of fullness.

OFF THE LIST

Excess protein:

Proteins are harder to digest in general and coupled with heat and dehydration, they leave you feeling uncomfortable and nauseous. The recommended daily intake of protein is one gram per kilo of ideal body weight (the appropriate weight for your height). So, no matter what you currently weigh, if your ideal body weight is supposed to be 57-58 kg, your protein in take should not exceed 57-58 gm.
Alcohol:

Alcohol adds heat. It’s is a va sodilator, which means that more blood gushes through your system leaving you feeling hotter and sweatier. Alcohol is also dehydrating.

Oily food:

When the body is not hydrated, it can’t expel the byproducts of heavy, oily foods through the kidney, which is why urination is not as frequent when you are dehydrated. The oily food then reaches your skin, the second largest excretory organ in your body, which makes you sweat more, dehydrates you further, kick starting a vicious cycle. It’s your body, your health, your life. Only food that is good must make the cut.
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5 FOODS TO GET RID OF ASAP

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 Here you go – 5 unhealthy foods that need to kick the curb and be eliminated from your daily diet, RIGHT NOW –

1. DIET SODA When it comes to the calorie count, the diet version may turn out to be a better option than drinking sugar loaded aerated drinks. But artificial sugars and caffeine isn’t something we must consume regularly or get addicted to just because it is zero in calories and does not hinder our weight loss efforts. It does a lot of harm to your body in several other ways.

Swap with: Plain soda Still keeping the carbonated fizz and the zero calorie lure alive, a can of plain soda deletes the negatives of caffeine and aspartame. You tives of caffeine and aspartam could add a bit of flavour to i by squeezing lime or adding some chopped fruits like berries, oranges, melons, mint or celery leaves.

2. MAYONNAISE If you are happily throwing in mayonnaise into your salads and sandwiches thinking it brings in taste and variety, you may as well be clogging your arteries with sticky lard.
Swap with: Hung curd Take some fresh homemade yogurt or the tetra pack slim curd and drain out the excess water through a muslin cloth. Now, flavour this as per taste to make spreads ­ you can add ground or fresh basil and sun dried tomatoes, garlic and onion, roasted peppers and olive, coriander and mint or any of your favorite combo.

3. FLAVOURED YOGURT Something that is actually very healthy can be easily turned into an absolutely unhealthy food item simply by adding loads of sugar, cream and artificial flavours. Yes, I am talking about yogurt. Why turn this healthy probiotic snack (which it is originally famous for) into a dessert item? If you are using flavoured yogurt as an alternative to ice-creams and pastries, it is definitely a wiser option but if it’s stocked in the fridge as a healthy, low calorie, portable snack, get rid of it rightaway.
Swap with: Plain yogurt Flavour it yourself with some chopped fresh fruits like berries, grapes, peach, cherries or any fruit you like. You can even stir it well (it turns creamy) and freeze for a while to get store-like frozen yogurt, but with higher nutrition quotient!
4. MARGARINE Marketed as a healthier option to butter, margarine is anything but that. It is loaded with partially hydrogenated fat which increases the LDL (bad) cholesterol and thus increases the risk of heart diseases and inflammation, a known trigger to premature aging.
Swap with: Fresh mint-coriander mint-coriand chutney Packed with antioxidants like vitamin C, E and low in calories to al calories to almost negligible, this spread will add more taste and health to any sandwich as compared to margarine. To add more proteins to this spread, you can add to it some chana or nuts like peanuts or pine nuts. or nuts like peanuts or pine nuts.
5. PICKLES They add a dash of spice and flavour to your daily meals, thus helping break monotony of everyday cooking styles. But remember, that along with its ichness in taste, pickles are a high source of oil and sodium. The additional oil (since cooked meals have already exhausted your daily oil quota) plays havoc with our lipid profile and ts a load on the heart, and the puts a load on the heart, and the excess sodium (since our meals already take care of our daily salt requirements) spoils the electrolyte balance and thus affects blood pressure.
Swap with: Fresh, homemade oil-free pickles Vegetables such as cucumber, carrots, cauliflower, chillies and onions can be made into water, vinegar or brine based `pickles’. These pickles do not last for months together (since they lack the oil as a preservative) and thus should be consumed soon. They can be refrigerated for longer shelf life, but it’s advisable to make smaller quantities and finish them faster. Do note that brine is high in sodium, so do not consume it daily.
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OLD GOALS, NEW APPROACH

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This year, let’s try making a different set of health resolutions different because their approach will be changed though the objective is still the same -a healthier, thinner, fitter, happier you. We’re in the second month now. Pay attention.

Start on January 1

DON’T AIM TO BE SOMEONE ELSE

Please remember that actors, models and sport stars get the best out of the bodies that they either have been blessed with; or are working very hard upon, with expert guidance every second. Your body is unique, your body is yours. Appreciate every feature, wrinkle and line ­ it’s god’s gift to you. Enjoy it, revel in it and be the best you can be.

PLAN YOUR EXERCISE

Most resolutions just stay on paper because their foundations are weak. Get a clear conception of what you’re about to begin. It is this first step where most people falter. If you haven’t been exercising for years, aiming to show up at the gym every day is more than a little ambitious.Set exercise goals that you’re confident of achieving. A good place to start would be to clock three to four hours of exercise a week. This gives you the scope to break up your exercise regime into smaller capsules, depending on your specific body needs and time available to you. Be the architect of your workout ­ it usually takes just one missed workout for you to feel as if you have failed your purpose.

WRITE A FOOD DAIRY

When you get into the practice of writing down every single thing you eat -whether it’s a piece of fruit or what you ate at dinner -it makes you accountable. The diary works both as your conscience and guide. If you are not losing weight at the pace you want to, just turn the pages of your diary and you’ll find the honest answer. You cannot fool yourself.

PLAN YOUR `ME’TIME

Stress can kill even the best motivation to get fit. In the madness of our lives, we forget what we are eating, ignore meal times and often use food to combat stress. If you want to stay on track, make a plan to manage your stress in ways that don’t invite food as the chief guest. Engage in relaxation activities, whether it’s a hot bath, a massage, a trip to the spa, meditation, deep breathing or shopping! Unplug, disconnect, rejuvenate ­ even if it’s for 15 to 20 minutes a day.

SLEEP WELL TO BE FIT AND SLIM

Your body does not just run on food, water and air. Sleep is a vital component of its functioning.Without adequate sleep (average of seven to eight hours a day), you are setting yourself up for trouble. In my experience, most people who drop their resolutions midway are sleep-deprived. Depression, irritability, reduced brain function, memory loss are all results of not getting enough sleep. Innumerable studies over the years have shown the definite link between sleep deprivation and weight gain. But still, so many of us just do not pay enough attention to our sleep pattern.

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FLOUR POWER

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Seemingly innocuous, flour has im mense power. Embedded in each grain are nutrients impatiently waiting to jump out and help your body combat diseases, and support you with your personal health goals. But how do you choose bread that’s good for you?
Different flours have different powers.Let’s sift through the grain.

  • WHEAT-BASED FLOURS

Most of the wheat or atta used in Indian cooking is culled from the semi-hard wheat varieties or durum that are easily available, versatile, power-packed, tasty and good for you. Atta, cracked wheatlapsi fada and semolina sooji are all high-fibre, and are sources of both healthy carbs and fats. They have been associated with the reduction of bad cholesterol and high blood pressure and mitigate the risk of diabetes as well.While it is true that maida or refined flour -also part of the wheat family -has less fibre than its cousins, that doesn’t mean it’s fattening. The only difference is that it goes through your body faster and does not require as many calories to digest it ­ digestion also burns calories. However, all wheat-based flours have gluten. So, those with gluten allergies need to take note.

  • MILLET-BASED FLOURS

Flours from the millet family (millet is a small-seeded grass) are gluten-free. If you have gluten allergy, the millet family can be your choice of flours. Jowar, and its close relative, bajra, both belong to the millet family. Jowar lowers the risk of heart diseases as well as cholesterol. It also has cancer-fighting properties because of the presence of antioxidants, and brims with protein, calcium and iron. Bajra is a great source of energy, aids diges tion, is good for the heart, and with its ability to increase insulin sensitivity, is also great for diabetics.

  • RAJGIRA AMARANTH FLOUR

The Indian kin to the superfood quinoa, this flour -made from the seeds of the amaranth plant -is a tasty non-gluten option. Rajgira has high iron, calcium, protein and antioxidant levels. Since it retains the hull during the process of making atta, the nutrients are retained.

  • RICE FLOUR

Used a great deal in Southeast Asian cooking and in Indian dishes, like neer dosa, rice flour is good for those with gluten intolerance.

  • SOY FLOUR

Soy beans are ground to make soy flour, which comes in full fat and low fat op tions. It bursts with vitamins and minerals, and is also one of the best vegetarian sources of Omega-3 fatty acids. Soy protein is great for women post menopause and also for elderly women.

  • QUINOA FLOUR

Quinoa is a 100 per cent vegetarian reference protein ­ which means that all the protein present in it is absorbed by the body. The only other food that does this is egg white, a non vegetarian option. The flour can be made at home simply by mashing up the quinoa and using the powder for any dish.

Ultimately, it’s how you treat your flour that takes away or adds to its benefits. Bathing it in ghee, oil or sugar will cancel most of its benefits.

 

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“VEGETABLE JUICES WORK WONDERS FOR A MOTHER“

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Pooja Makhija, 37, nutritionist, columnist

Mother of Ahaana, 10 and Amaira, 7 The toughest thing about being a mother: Constantly trying to be a better one. When you’re a working mother, you feel guilty. So you try harder and pack more in, and that’s something I always find challenging.Also, battling with guilt is a tough task. At work, you are worrying about your kids and when you are with your kids, you’re stressed about work. But, in the end, guilt makes you work harder and magically makes things work.

Mantra to staying fit post childbirth: Eating right and exercising. There’s no magic wand or simple formula.
My fitness regimen: Right now, I am focusing on strengthening and toning my muscles. Post-pregnancy, you are left with a lot of loose muscles. I do core strengthening, ab exercises, mix of pilates with exercise-ball, plank and resistance-band workouts three times a week.
Five must-have foods post childbirth: Have good protein like egg whites. Wheatgrass juice is a must. Carbs are not your enemy; if you avoid them to l o s e weight, you won’t have the energy to take care of your baby. Fats are not your enemy either.Have healthy fats like Omega-3 fatty acids found in flaxseeds, almonds and fish.Take supple Take supplements if you don’t eat these on a daily basis.Stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables because they are loaded with disease-fighting and anti-aging antioxidants.
Foods to avoid: Foods high in sugar and fat. Whatever unhealthy stuff you eat is passed on to the baby because breastmilk is the only source of nutrition for them.
Foods to retain good skin and hair: Vegetable juice works wonders. Toss three different raw veggies in a blender (not juicer), season and drink. Avoid excess sugar, it’s an aging food. Eat egg whites for good hair.
Dealing with hormonal changes: Razor-sharp focus keeps my mind stay strong. Raising my kids well is my final goal and I try not to get distracted.
Inculcating good eating habits in children: Instead of force feeding them, try to use informative tools.
Deliver logic with love in a language that they under stand. For exam ple, I often tell my daughters what to eat if they want their hair to grow as long as Rapunzel’s.
They relate to what I say.
My comfort food: A big slice of chilled, baked Philadelphia Blueberry cheesecake.
It’s my ultimate indulgence.
My favourite work out music: Any hot Bollywood track; I am too filmi.
My fitness icon: My husband, Ravi. He’s a fitness freak. Earlier, I’d only focus on eating right but post-pregnancy, I’ve incorporated his way as well, which is more exercise-friendly.
 
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DIWALI DETOX

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Weight gain is a little like that small pile of unattended laundry on your chair. Left alone, it’ll just stay there and pile up day after day. If you think you’ve gained weight during Diwali, don’t panic. But deal with it before the fat starts to accumulate.

DON’T STARVE…

That’s the fundamental lesson you need to remember. Don’t deprive your body of nutrition by starving yourself with drastic diets. Instead of losing fat, starvation ensures your body loses muscle. Muscle loss leads to more fat storage, which is why you always gain the weight you lose right after a crash diet. Food is the only thing that fuels your body and is your friend ­ not your enemy.

…EAT SMART

Eat simple and smart during your detox phase. Shore up on simple proteins like sprouts and egg whites.Have 4-5 servings of fruit per day (100 gm of fruit per time), and eat and drink your veggies prepared without much oil, or as juice. But whatever you do, don’t forget to break up your meals into smaller ones. Eat every two hours. Like walking or running, digestion also burns calories and eating smaller meals frequently means that your body keeps burning, burning, burning.

…BUT DON’T LOSE THE OIL

Don’t cut oil out entirely because you’d be depriving your body of essential fatty acids. The lack of fatty acids dries up your skin, apart from other adverse effects. In this detox phase, include one teaspoon of oil in your cooking through the day.

STEP UP THE EXERCISE

Get to know your treadmill a little better. In addition to eating right, one hour of explosive exercise is what you need. You can walk, run, cycle, go on the elliptical but whatever you do, don’t forget cardio during this phase. Sweat it off.

SLEEP

Catch up on your sleep. Your body needs food, water and sleep for effective functioning. And fat burning and metabolising food is a part of its functioning. Studies have shown the strong link between weight gain and sleep deprivation. Snooze to lose.DRINK In this phase, drink about three to four litres of water. You could also mix it up by including other beneficial hydrants like coconut water, chaas and nimbu pani. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

How much detox you need depends on how much you have abused your body. If you have binged for four days, detox for the same amount or a week, and so on.

But don’t overdo it, and trust your body during this process.

The body is magical. It will know what to do.

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