The Hindu Business Line : Slim chance

There's a growing tribe of disillusioned dieters. Their complaint: they've forked out big bucks, and yet, have lost neither in kg nor inches. In truth, there's nothing to be disillusioned about. Most diets — if followed strictly — work. The principle of any weight-loss plan is: eat, don't cheat.

If you've already decided "I can't give up ghee or oil while cooking, I can't avoid butter and cheese," you've defeated yourself even before you've begun. You have to accept that your body runs better on some fuel-rich foods than fat-rich tastes. Further, focus on the `dos' instead of agonising on the `don'ts.'

The secret of permanent weight-loss lies neither in fasting nor feasting but balancing your meals with the right proportion of food-types. There are four practical categories:

Eat unlimited: raw or lightly steamed vegetables and fruits. These can not only be part of your meals but also serve as snacks. Rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre, they ensure healthy, physiological functioning.

Eat frequent: complex carbohydrates such as rice, rotis, bread, pasta and potatoes. These supply energy.

Eat moderate: protein from pulses (preferably sprouted), dals, low-fat dairy products, soya, mushrooms and egg whites. These repair and maintain muscle.

Eat rarely: fat foods and simple sugars.

Once you've made these four principles your own, it will be much easier to say `No' to fats and outwit temptation. The next step is to substitute fat foods with carbo foods or low-fat foods.

Substitute:

butter or cheese with vegetable-based sauces or chutneys;

full-fat milk products with low-fat milk products or soya milk products;

salad-oil or full-fat curd dressings with low-fat curd or vinegar dressings;

potato wafers with boiled or baked potatoes;

fried fish or chicken with grilled fish or chicken;

red meats with skinned poultry;

sweet and crispy snacks with fruit, veggies, idlis;

western desserts with stewed apples;

Indian sweetmeats with low-fat rice kheers.

Avoid energy drinks. They zap you with energy precisely because they are high in simple sugar calories. If you are feeling under the weather and weak, they are great pick-me-ups. If you are competing in a marathon, they are your cheering section. But, if you want to burn fat, an energy drink is a bad idea.

When the sugar level rises in the blood, the pancreas produce insulin to ferry this sugar into the muscles. And when there is insulin hanging in the blood, the body cannot burn fat for energy. So, you retain fat. The cheering news is: within a few days of making healthy changes in your food, you will feel lighter in body.

Now, it's time to fire the second engine — exercise.

Exercise gives an extra surge to your motivation. It adds value to your diet. As my student Priti says, "When I'm working out so hard and feeling so good, I don't feel like spoiling it by eating fat foods. It takes me an hour to exercise and feel fresh. And it takes just a few minutes to eat fried food and feel heavy. I want to hold on to that great feeling!" Quite.

On this beautiful path to fitness, wisely accept that low-fat food and exercising are smart lifestyle practices for life. It's not as impossible as you think. It's about being aware of what's good for you and making small changes:

Stack only healthy snacks at home.

Keep away from cocktail snacks at parties. Hold your drink in your right hand and a book in your left. Then you can't reach out for those fried peanuts!

Chew low-sugar gum while cooking to prevent mid-snacking. Better still, cook low-fat food. Then even if you snack from it midway, it won't add weight-woes.

Brush your teeth and gargle with a mouthwash after every meal. It will stop you from going for second helpings or dessert.

Make a rule: after meals, "the kitchen is closed." Though this sounds rather draconian, it's required particularly in obese families.

Have a fixed time for exercise that neither rain nor shine (nor excuses!) can interfere with.

Take your weight every day. This keeps you on your toes.

With every kg lost, become more determined to stay the fitness course. None of that complacent "I don't need to exercise or diet now." This is how 95 per cent of people regain weight.

If you happen to binge a bit, it's okay. Even if you were to eat an additional 3,500 calories, you would put on just half a kg, which you can be easily rid of. It's a matter of being wisely aware and taking timely steps.

The writer is co-author of the book `Fitness for Life'

Have a query on fitness?

Do send it to life@thehindu.co.in; our fitness columnist Bharat Savur will answer it.

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