• Investment World
• eWorld
• Catalyst
• Mentor
• Life
• Canvas
• Praxis
• Urban Pulse
• Brand Quest

Sravanthi Challapalli

Exercise affects shape; diet affects weight. While eating plans suitable to various requirements and sensibilities exist, opinion is unanimous that a balanced diet is a must. And that results from passive weight loss programmes, where one gets kneaded and massaged by machines, are ephemeral.

Diets no longer constitute deprivation cuisine such as boiled vegetables and bland porridge. They seem to allow for a bit of everything, try to accommodate individual likes, weaknesses and circumstances and suggest alternatives. They also attempt to inject some excitement into what is often a tedious and frustrating endeavour.

Says Shahnaz B. Gulrez, a Chennaibased nutritionist and dietician, "I am working on a summer diet right now; also a `five-colour diet' where I tell my clients about the benefits of vegetables and fruits of various colours."

Dr Avilochan Singh of the Arya Vaidya Pharmacy attached to Apollo Hospital, Chennai, says ayurvedic theory holds that one should never fill one's stomach. A third of the stomach's volume should be left empty, and one should eat only when hungry. Combine this with rejuvenating and detoxifying practices such as Dinacharya and Panchakarma, and harried executives will find much relief, he says.

Health and organic food is evolving into a chic business. Nina Reddy, Executive Director, Savera group of hotels, is one such entrepreneur. She has roped in culinary expert Karen Anand to design the menu at Citrus, her latest venture, described as a restaurant with a low-fat gourmet menu.

"I didn't want to brand it a health food restaurant because the emphasis is on gourmet taste and healthy eating gets confused with denying oneself something." So the menu uses olive oil, substitutes raw cane sugar and jaggery for white sugar in most desserts, uses tofu in place of cottage cheese and non-iodised sea salt. Steaming, grilling, pot roasting, hot plate cooking and baking are the cooking techniques used, and there is almost no deep or shallow frying, explains Karen.

Incidentally, Nina Reddy also owns two fitness studios, O2 and Body Lyrics, in Chennai. AIWO, a new restaurant in Chennai which describes its offerings as gourmet health food, is really different in that it serves no rice or wheat, no sugar and is totally vegetarian. Also, its menu contains dishes like soya kesari made with Splenda, a sugar substitute. The meal is designed to contain 750 calories provided one doesn't ask for second helpings.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Feel good about fitness

Copyright © 2004, The Hindu Business Line. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu Business Line