However, since I don't know the severity of your condition, I suggest you check with your doctor on which exercise you should choose. Once you start, take some precautions:

Don't give in to any excuses. Even on a lazy day, decide to exercise "for only 5 minutes". You will find yourself extending it naturally. The trick is to keep the physical momentum going when the mental motivation flags.

The best diet is your normal food — cooked without using oil or ghee. You will find tried and tested oil-free recipes (including sambhar and dum aloo) in the book, Fitness for Life, which I have co-authored with my wife Shalan (www.jaicobooks.com) .

While on that site, check out `Oilless Recipes' by Aroona Reejhsinghani. Also, make it a point to include a big helping of fresh raw vegetable salad with lunch and dinner. Since vegetables are rich in fibre, they cleanse your body of toxins and aid weight-loss.

Drink 10 glasses of room-temperature water per day as well. Water stimulates your metabolism to work and burn fat. Don't drink cold water — it slows down your digestion and metabolism.

Finally, aim for 5 kg loss at a time — 85 to 80, then to 75 and so on, until you reach 65 kg.

I'm a student preparing for the IAS exam. I have some problems with sleep; I want to fall asleep by 9.30 p.m. and wake up at 4 a.m., but find it difficult to do so. Please guide me. Also, what are the consequences of sleep disorders in adults and recommendations for better sleep?

Nitin R.

For seven days, set your alarm for 5 a.m. and force yourself to get out of bed however sleepy you may feel. This practice will automatically make you feel sleepy at around 9.30 p.m. This is the best way to set your body clock — the circadian rhythm programmed by nature. In the second week, set your alarm for 4 a.m. Waking up early is a fantastic habit to cultivate as the brain is rested and fresh. Studying in the quiet, hushed early hours helps you absorb and remember better.

On the night-front, don't do anything stimulating like playing computer games, watching TV-news, etc. Avoid caffeine-containing stimulants such as coffee, colas and chocolates, at least two hours before sleep. If you feel hungry, have a glass of warm milk without sugar. Sweets excite the brain.

I also suggest exercising 6-7 hours before bedtime — a brisk walk, jog, or a bout in your gym. Don't overdo it. You should feel fresh and alert. This helps you concentrate better while studying. Then, as the body temperature falls in 6-7 hours, you will begin to feel pleasantly tired and sleepy.

As for sleep disorders, getting a sound sleep at night is so important that England has initiated a special course on the subject for medical interns. Lack of sleep not only makes you tired and less effective, you also tend to make more mistakes. Worse, your perspective can become foggy causing you to overreact — such as resigning from your job at the slightest `provocation'. A sound night's sleep is a worthy investment in your well-being.

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

Do you have any queries on health and fitness? Send them to life@thehindu.co.in

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