To maintain a healthy body, it is essential to watch what you are eating, along with daily exercise and relaxation.

Here are few tips which are not difficult to follow but can be easily inculcated in the daily routine. These are general guide lines recommended by nutritionists to maintain an Ideal weight and Healthy Body. The content prepared here is based on a low fat, high fiber, moderate calories dietary pattern keeping in mind the requirements of a young healthy adult with a sedentary lifestyle. This is a generalized concept and it is essential to consult a dietitian for more customized diet plan suiting your individual requirements. It is essential to understand what works for one, may not necessary work for the other individual. Tips to a Healthy Approach to Daily Diet Eat six small meals a day. Try eating three main meals and three snacks in a day. Research shows that Grazing is good to keep the metabolism high during the day. Having one big meal at a time makes it difficult to digest and slows down the bodys metabolism. It does not allow complete absorption of nutrients from the meal either and acidity and feeling bloated are common complains of people who consume only one or two but big meals in a day. Start your day with breakfast. Breakfast is essential to fuel the body and brain to start the days activities. A little protein like boiled egg, cheese, paneer, milk is good to have in breakfast along with high fiber cereals.Protein keeps you full longer and also keeps you alert. If you are always On-TheGo a quick breakfast option is a banana with two soaked almonds and a glass of skimmed milk/lassi. Drink at least 1.5 L of water a day at work place. Water rids of all the toxins of the body and keeps you feeling active and fresh. Fidgeting from your chair/bed to refill water bottle will help you relieve stress from lower back. Exercise at least 45 minutes a day. Brisk walking is good and you can do it in two shifts if time is a restrain. The objective is to keep the metabolism high. Try taking up a high intensity exercise over the weekend like playing sports, swimming, and aerobics. Sugar - Maintain an allowance of only 2 teaspoons per day. A Teaspoon of sugar is 20 calories. Research also indicates consuming a lot of sugar contributes to high Triglycerides (Bad cholesterol) in the long run. In case you are substituting sugar with sugar free tablets, it is preferable to choose natural substance based substitutes likeStevia. In case you are taking Aspartame tablets, it is advised not to consume more than two tablets a day because research indicates that it can affect the nervous tissues. Honey is higher in calories than sugar but has anti-microbial, anti-mucosal properties and is obtained in natural form, so one can substitute honey to sugar but in small portions. Jaggery or Gur is a natural unprocessed form of sugar and is similar in calories to sugar but hasIron which is good for the body. If trying to lose weight it is advised to restricting sugar/honey/jaggery intake to as little as 2 teaspoons definitely helps in weight loss. Oil - restrict your consumption to L of oil per month. One way to reduce oil consumption is to eat steamed food as far as possible. The Indian Dietetic Association says that 2 Tablespoons of oil are sufficient for daily allowance of any sedentary individual. To give you a perspective, a samosa contains approximately 2-days of recommended oil intake. Bakery items like cookies, pastries, patties

etc are rich in Butter/margarine, namkeens, mathis, papads, pickles, chips, wafers all contribute to Oil intake. Rotate your Oils - To maintain a healthy heart it is recommended to change the brand and variety of refined oils each month as each oil has its specific antioxidant properties. Mustard, Soyabean, Canola, Saffola, Olive, Groundnut, Linseed, Flax seed, Palm oil, Rice bran oil all are good and have their unique properties. Switching oils frequently every month give you the benefit from each variety. Avoid Ghee, Butter, Margarines, and Vanaspati. These are Saturated fats (bad fats) and contribute to clogging of arteries and increasing Bad Cholesterols in the blood which if uncontrolled result in Coronary Heart Disease. Packaged foods like Chips, biscuits, cookies, Instant noodles etc all are high on Trans Fatty Acids-these are bad fats which contribute to damage of healthy arteries. Adults and children all are advised to restrict intake of processed packaged food items and prefer to have fresh home cooked meals and snacks. Fried and bakery items are high on Trans Fatty Acids. Increase your fiber consumption by eating fruits, salads, bran roti, whole grains and pulses, oatmeal, Dalia, brown rice. High fiber snacks are popcorn (not buttered), bran wheat flakes, puffed rice, roasted channa, sprouts.Fiber is important to maintain healthy bowel movements and also flush out toxins and bad cholesterols from the body. In case you enjoy white rice ensure you are taking same amount of raw vegetables along with it, to increase fiber consumption. Also, mix one part of wheat or oat bran or Sattu to three parts wheat flour to make chapattis. Salads - It is recommended to ensure that there is some raw vegetable with each meal. Raw vegetable contributes to Dietary fiber that absorbs all the toxins and cholesterol from the intestines. Excretion of faecal matter is comfortable if the intake of raw vegetables is high. Include natural antioxidants/phytochemicals like all seasonal vegetables and fruits, fresh fruit juices as well as vegetable juices, nuts like almonds and walnuts. Antioxidants are Mother Natures fighting mechanism against stress radicals produced in the body. They help to strengthen our systems from insides. Deeply colored plant products like carrots, beetroots, pomegranates, jamuns, mangoes, green spinach etc are rich in antioxidants. Soya products are rich in phytochemicals and if consumed regularly help lower bad cholesterols and regulate diabetes and also balance premenstrual or menopause hormones. Fruits and Vegetables - One should target to have at least 2 fruits a day. Eat them in between meals as a high fiber snack. Fruits are rich in antioxidants strengthen bodys immunity. Also are good sources of fiber and vitamins and minerals. Nutritionists today recommend having at least 9-10 servings of different seasonal fruit in day, to protect the body against daily stress radicals and chronic diseases. Nutritionists recommend that there should be at least two different vegetables in any form in each meal. The objective is consuming as many natural nutrients (Phytochemicals) and hence a variety is important. Milk and Milk products should be skimmed well off dairy cream. Prefer to consume toned/double toned milk. Dairy Fat is fattening and also contributes to increasing blood cholesterol levels. Curds are easily digested than milk and also contain the Gastro-friendly microbes called Probiotics which aid in digestion, absorption of nutrients and maintaining health of the intestines. Eat dinner 2 hours before you sleep. Research indicates that eating two hours before nap time helps to digest the meal and absorb all nutrients. It also prevents water retention and also maintains a flatter tummy. Sleeping slows down the metabolic rate and the food does not get digested properly and stored as fat. In case you return home late from work and this is not possible than try and eat an evening healthy snack so that you dont reach home ravenous and keep the supper light in terms of

quantities like soups and salads with a Whole Wheat Toast or Two Phulkas with vegetables and Soups.

Post dinner - Have papaya to digest the meal and clear bowels in the morning. Those who like milk can also have a cup of skimmed milk. The protein Tryptophan in milk helps you to relax the mind and have a good nights sleep. SAMPLE DIET PLAN FOR A SEDENTARY YOUNG HEALTHY ADULT BASED ON THESE GUIDELINES: Early Morning: (6-7 a.m) Mid Morning: (10.30-11.30 a.m) Lunch:(Packed Tiffin) 1.00-2.00 p.m) Evening Tea:(4.00-6.00 p.m) Dinner:(7.00-8.00 p.m) Post Dinner:(8.30-9.30 p.m) Notes: On Rising: Glass Of Water Tea/Coffee with a Rusk or Biscuit One Orange. Phulkas (made with one part Oat Bran + Three parts wheat Flour) along with Paneer Bhurjhi made from skimmed milk and sliced carrots. For The Sweet Tooth: Candied Dry Amla Piece Tea/Coffee with Bhelpuri ( avoid the namkeens and papri and keep the chutneys intake low) Tomato Soup with Vegetable Noodles Dessert: One small cup Jelly. Papaya Morning walk/Evening walk: 30-45 minutes Oil intake: 2 Tablespoons Sugar intake: 2 Teaspoons Water: 1-11/2 L a day

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