Friday, December 23, 2011

Do's and don'ts to get fit by 31st December


With the New Year just round the corner, everyone wants to look their best for the multiple upcoming parties.
If you've spent much time staring wistfully at that hot outfit you wished you could wear come 31st December, then look no further. Nutritionist Rekha Sharma, President of the Indian Dietetics Association helps us understand diet do's and don'ts in order to get fit by 31st December.

To be clear: Weight loss can never function in a
healthy manner within just a couple of weeks. What we are looking at today is a simple plan to avoid extra weight gain, bloating, and eating habits that help you be the fittest you can currently be. A healthy, balanced diet combined with adequate exercise is a must for a toned body that looks great all year round. As tempting as a crash diet might appear, it will only work to your advantage in the short term and the few pounds that you lose by denying your body proper nutrition will result in you feeling completely drained of energy- something you clearly don't want while celebrating the New Year!

Diet Do's
- Eat small portions at regular intervals through the day.
- Picking the right food is the key especially in such a short time frame.
- The meal should contain food which is high in proteins and fiber such as egg white, whole pulses and beans, low fat milk and milk products, whole grains, oats, beans, broccoli, papaya, orange, guava etc.
- Excessive consumption of foods high in fat should be avoided.
- Choose cooking oils that are high in MUFA (mono-unsaturated fat) as these fatty acids control bad cholesterol. Oil such as canola is the right option as it is healthy for the heart and free from bad cholesterol.

Diet Don'ts
- Food containing fat should not be completely eliminated from the diet as there are good fats such as omega 3 and mono-unsaturated fats which our body needs more.
- Fasting and skipping meals should be avoided, as when this happens the body goes into a conservation mode and the basal metabolic rate (BMR) falls, which results in preservation of energy leading to no weight loss. On the other hand small frequent meals keep the BMR boosted and exercise further raises it, thus leading to the weight loss.

Break a sweat!
Having regulated the intake of food, it is important to break down the fats that are already in our body. The quickest way to do that is by following a regular workout regime. In order to shed the fat, you need to break into a sweat! You can do that by doing aerobic exercises like running, swimming, cycling or pretty much anything that increases your heart rate and keeps it up. Stomach crunches alone will not help you lose weight and will only tone the muscles.
Staying active through the day is also a great way to get some additional exercise. Simple things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator and walking a few extra steps everyday can keep you fitter than you think.
Effective Living Clinic
B-3/19, 0:1, Sector 3, Vashi
Navi Mumbai 400703
Tel: 9987223811 / 9969105310
www.effectivelivingclinic.com