Mantra #Newyear2017 - Don't Do Dieting, Change Your Lifestyle

Dieting What this term really brings to your mind? You may recall few popular fad diet which you may have read somewhere or some one may have recommended you for quick weight loss. These fad diets generally refers to diet which emphasis on few particular foods and restrict some, thus this makes difficult to follow them on long term basis. Some of fad diet are actually harmful to your health. Then what is correct diet to follow for weight loss and good health? The best diet is not at all a diet, but its a lifestyle change.Lifestyle includes food you enjoy, exercise and healthy eating habits. The reality of weight loss is that, in long run, slow and steady approach brings more lasting effect then a fad diet.

Here are few simple tips to change your lifestyle to achieve your targeted health goal in coming year..

1. Variety in food:Our body needs all the nutrients like carbohydrate, protein, fats, vitamin and mineral to develop and function properly. Thus it utmost important to include food from all groups. When you prefer fad diet you are depriving your body from one or the other nutrient, which on long run may hamper your health.
2. Controlled portion:As mention above you need to eat variation but keep in mind about moderation. Eat all food in controlled portion. When eating out either order small meal or share your food with friends or family. That will help you to cut down on calories.
3. Eat small & frequent meal:Small& frequent meal for about gap of 3 4 hours helps to keep your metabolism high, which results in good weight loss and good sugar control for diabetic.Prefer foods like fruits, nuts, flaxseeds, roasted chana and multi-grain biscuits which are handy and you can munch on in between meals.
4. Colour your plate:Include all coloured vegetable and fruits in your daily diet. They are rich in fiber,vitamins, minerals and anti oxidants which helps to keep many diseases including cancer at bay. Fill your half plate with salads & vegetable and rest half with cereals and protein rich food like dal/ lean meat or diary product.
5. Avoid bad fats:When its comes to fats we need to be very cautions, you can include oil which are rich in unsaturated fats (MUFA & PUFA). Limit the saturated fats like ghee,coconut, etc. Avoid the Trans fat coming from fried foods, baked foods, packed and processed foods.
6. Check out your kitchen and refrigerator:We eat what we buy from the market and store in our kitchen. So best thing is to checkout what are the unhealthy and healthy foods in your kitchen. Make a list and just clean out all the unhealthy stuff and fill it up with healthy food. This will help you to avoid the food craving too.
7. Hydrate your self:Average human body is made up of around 70% of water. Well hydrated body burns more calories. Thus it essential to include appropriate amount of water in your diet. You should include 2 2 liters of water per day. Mind it that you dont replace water with fruit drinks or soda
8. Avoid empty calories:Avoid all sugar containing soda, drinks and foods products.
9. Exercise:We say food is important for good health so is the exercise. You should at least exercise 150 minutes per week. It can be divided into 30 mins per day or 40 mins four days a week.
10. Stress buster:Stress is one of the reason for the bad health. Try to relief stress by various method like meditation, yoga, listen to soothing music or do things you enjoy. Dont try to relief stress by getting involve in addiction of alcohol, smoking etc or binge on food. These are harmful.

So,this coming year if you are planing to make a new year resolution for good health or weight loss these points are to be kept in mind.

Dieting is a temporary, but a Lifestyle change is permanent.

This article was originally published on Practo Health Feed by Dr. Fatima Radhanpurwala, Dietitian/Nutritionist