03/12/2017
TELL TALE: A DIETITIAN`S `DIET`
AT A CERTAIN DINNER PARTY, OUR FRIEND ASKED ME,`` SO YOU ARE A DIETITIAN!! HOW MANY TIMES A DAY DO YOU EAT `DIET FOOD`?? ONCE, TWICE OR ALL THE TIMES??`` AS HARD AS I TRIED TO CONTROL MY LAUGHTER AND SURPRISE ON MY FACE, I COULDN’T STOP WONDERING ABOUT THE MISCONCEPTS THAT PEOPLE HARBOUR IN THEIR MINDS ABOUT HEALTHY EATING. WE ARE OFTEN ASKED, ``DO YOU EAT BOILED VEGETABLES FOR DINNER?? OR , U MUST HAVE COMPLETELY ABANDONED SWEETS`` WELL, THE ANSWER IS A BIG `NO` . INSTEAD, I USUALLY INSIST ON ABANDONING THE WORD `DIETING` OR ``MAIN DIET KAR RAHI/RAHA HOON`` AND ADOPTING THE PHRASE `LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION`. ONCE YOU HAVE DONE THAT, YOU HAVE TAKEN THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS A HEALTHIER YOU. REMEMBER, WEIGHT MANAGEMENT REQUIRES A `LOT OF DEDICATION`. IT ALWAYS REMINDS ME OF THE SAYING `ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN ONE DAY`
SO WHAT `LIFESTYLE MODIFICATIONS` HAVE I MADE IN MY LIFE??
1) EATING A BREAKFAST: COME WHAT MAY, I DO NOT SKIP THIS MEAL. AND YES, ITS NOT JUST OATS OR STEAMED SPROUTS EVERYDAY. MY BREAKFAST INCLUDES A LOT OF VARIETY; FROM MOONG DAL APPE TO PESARATTU AND FROM SUGARFREE MUESLI TO DALIYA PORRIDGE.
2) REDUCED EXCESSIVELY PROCESSED FOODS: THIS WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT YET MOST IMPORTANT STEP. AS A FAMILY,WE CUT DOWN CONSUMPTION OF BISCUITS, NANKATAI, KHARI, WHITE BREAD, INSTANT NOODLES, TETRAPACK JUICES, PACKAGED SOUPS ETC. WE DELETED THESE ITEMS FROM OUR MONTHLY GROCERY LISTS OR AT LEAST PUT A CAP ON QUANTITY TO BE PURCHASED. THIS NOT ONLY SAVED US SOME EXTRA BUCKS, BUT ON A HEALTHIER NOTE, REDUCED THE EXCESSIVE SODIUM, SUGAR AND EMPTY CALORIE CONSUMPTION.
3) INCLUDING PROTEIN PREPARATIONS DAILY: I MAKE SURE THAT I CONSUME SUFFICIENT PROTEINS FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES DAILY SUCH AS DALS AND CURD WITH EVERY MEAL, ROASTED CHANA, CHEESE, PANEER AND EGGS ROUTINELY.
4) REDUCED SUGAR CONSUMPTION: I MAKE SURE TO KEEP ADDED SUGAR INTAKE TO LESS THAT 2-3 TSP DAILY. SMALL STEPS LIKE SHUNNING CARBONATED BEVERAGES, TETRAPACK JUICES, MILKSHAKES, BISCUITS HELPED ME TO AVOID HIDDEN SUGAR. LOGICAL DECISIONS LIKE `NO ADDED SUGAR` IN JUICES OR COFFEE WHEN EATING OUTSIDE, OR EATING SMALL PORTIONS WHEN INDULGING IN EATING SWEETS WENT A LONG WAY.
5) INCREASED CONSUMPTION OF LOCALLY AVAILABLE FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: I MAKE SURE THAT OUR DIET CONTAINS PLENTY OF VEGETABLE PREPARATIONS AND AT LEAST 1-2 FRESH FRUITS DAILY. ALTHOUGH I LOVE TO INDULGE IN EXOTIC VEGETABLES LIKE BROCOLLI , RED CABBAGE & BELL PEPPERS, I MAKE IT A POINT THAT I DO NOT SPEND AN OVERWHELMING AMOUNT ON THE ` SHRIVELED REFRIGERATED ONES` AT THE MALL, INSTEAD I PURCHASE FRESH LOCALLY AVAILABLE VEGETABLES.
6) STILL USE TRADITIONAL RECIPES : NO, I DON’T SHY AWAY FROM ADDING COCONUT, PEANUT POWDER OR GHEE TO OUR PREPARATIONS. ALTHOUGH, I MAY HAVE MODIFIED THE QUANTITIES IN SOME RECIPES. NEITHER HAS MY FAMILY STOPPED CONSUMING RICE, ALOO OR BANANA TO MAINTAIN WEIGHT. YES, WE DO WATCH PORTION SIZE AND AVOID GREASY AND SPICY MEALS ESSP AT NIGHT.
7) MAKE SURE TO INCLUDE MILK PRODUCTS DAILY: I START MY DAY WITH A CUP OF MILK (YES, NO GREEN TEA, HONEY FOR ME!!). I ALSO ROUTINELY CONSUME CHEESE & PANEER (ALBEIT NOT IN THE FORM OF PIZZAS AND PANEER LABABDAR!!!) AS SANDWICHES , PARATHAS, FRANKIE OR PASTAS AND ESSENTIALLY INCUDE YOGURT OR CHAAS DAILY. THESE FOODS ADD TO MY PROTEIN AND CALCIUM INTAKE.
8) EAT NUTS DAILY: I EAT NUTS , RANGING FROM FLAXSEEDS TO CASHEWS DAILY. I HAVE THEM AS CHUTNEYS, MUKHWAAS OR ADDITION TO PORRIDGE . NO, I AM NOT WORRIED THAT THEY WILL INCREASE MY CHOLESTEROL LEVELS OR MY WEIGHT….AND SO SHOULDN’T YOU.
9) AVOID BUYING ANY `DIET FOODS`:
