We all have once in a while tried dieting or thought about it at least. “We are what we eat,” tells us why dieting is important. It helps for not only weight loss and a healthy body but also a healthy mind and positive energy.

A Plan for Healthy Life

In conversation with Sonal Talegoankar, Clinical Nutritionist & Founder of Sonal's Nutrofit. Instagram: @sonalsnutrofit

 

  1. What basic diet plan can be followed by people staying at home during lockdown?

For anyone staying at home must have a good 3 meals a day (with a proper combination of complex carbohydrates like millets, brown rice, buckwheat with protein & healthy fats). Staying hydrated helps the diet well. Sipping green tea, giloy tea, or even making a herbal kadha (grandmoms recipe never fails) could help a lot. Having a small piece of jaggery post meals. Jaggery is a broncho dilater, which makes it good for respiratory problems. A glass of lemon water daily can be refreshing. Eating green leafy veggies and lean protein intake from chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, paneer is the balance of regular diet. Losing sleep can never be healthy so prioritize sleep for a better recovery & to fix your circadian rhythm. Sleep deprivation weakens immunity & increases susceptibility to infections. I suggest to make an immunity powder (organic turmeric powder+ black pepper+fennel seeds+ cumin seeds+ coriander seeds+ dry ginger powder+cinnamon powder+black cloves). Have half tsp daily with lukewarm water.

 

  1. What kind of impacts can excessive diet cause?

Yes absolutely, excessive dieting or following crash diets can cause nutritional deficiencies, menstrual irregularities, muscle loss, slows down your metabolism, weakens immunity, poor gut health, increased constipation, poor mental clarity & constant fatigue, dehydration. A slow & sustainable diet with exercise is the answer, which you can follow for your life & not just for 2-3 months.

  1. What do you suggest the beginners and what are the motivating factor for the practice?

Always keep short-term goals & focus on the betterment of the health first. Staying away from quick fixes, detox teas, meal replacement shakes etc. are easy ways to start the diet journey. Fix the underlying issues first (constipation, fatigue, bloating, etc) & then you will see fat loss. Patience & consistency is the key to a successful diet. Remember not to jump from fad diets. Understand what works for your body. Eat your food, exercise daily, sleep well & manage your stress levels to see optimum results. Hard work never betrays you.

 

  1. What tips do you suggest to people working from home to stay fit and healthy along with work?

Schedule breaks & do some stretching to circles of the head, hand, arm, and shoulder and to relaxing back rotations. Follow proper sitting arrangements not to affect your posture. With that, keeping a bottle of water nearby and sipping it from time to time helps us to stay hydrated. Storing junk food at home must be avoided as that leads to mindless eating while working. Keep a nut box (but don’t binge!!) Snack on fruit/ fox nuts (makhana), roasted chana, puffed rice, popcorn, etc. could be of help. Remind yourself to take breaks; maybe listen to some music to feel relaxed.

  1. Does diet practice help in weight loss and good health both mentally and physically?

Our 3-month transformation program focuses on eating right, correcting nutritional deficiencies, well-calculated diet charts, exercise guidelines, Nutri-educating the client, helping with grocery shopping, daily WhatsApp support & counseling, dining out guide, etc. Yes, it helps in losing fat & we plan diets to help preserve muscle mass & lose fat. The idea is to be disease-free, to feel healthy physically & mentally.