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A little bit about me
I am a Nutritionist by profession but I don't count calories. Instead I look at the quality of the food. As we age, our metabolic efficiency drops. So although I am a foodie, I remind myself that my body has a budget. I never starve or skip meals. I believe that food should please the palate as much as it protects the waistline. All foods can be fattening, if you eat them in excess. If the amount of calories you burn exceeds the amount you eat then no food is fattening. I keep all this in mind while eating.
I would like to call myself a fitness freak as I exercise religiously. At 18 years of age, I attended a ten day yoga workshop which made me realise the feel-good effect of exercise. Joining the gym as an age appropriate activity introduced me to the enjoyment of pumping iron. I was also amazed at my soaring energy level after a workout session. But what really cranked up my fitness level was the first ever Mumbai Marathon in 2004. I participated in the 42 kms run in spite of a healthy dislike of running and surprised myself by completing the marathon. This provided the impetus for further exercising.
My diet
My dietary regime is:
| 6:00 am | A glass of warm water followed by a cup of tea followed by fruits or sprouts or egg and my protein shake depending on my workout schedule |
| Breakfast | Oats porridge in soya milk or oats dosa three to four times a week |
| Lunch | Vegetable soup or salad followed by brown rice, bhakri or chapattis with some vegetables, little dal, a bowl of curd and either paneer or grilled chicken or fish |
| Dinner | Salad and roasted or boiled sweet potato or a slice of bread with two eggs |
| I eat a piece of chocolate after my lunch and dinner to satisfy my sweet tooth and I have two or three cups of green tea in a day and drink plenty of water |
My fitness regime
On an average, I train five to six days a week for 45 to 90 minutes. I weight training thrice a week in the gym with Triple Split workout (first day is legs, next is back and biceps and the third day is for chest-shoulder-triceps). I train my abs on the day after my leg workout. I keep at least two days for cardio activity like running or jogging with stretching and some breathing exercises. A combination of some form of resistance training with cardio and stretches provides the best results.
Takeaway message
I would advise people trying to lose weight to stay away from crash diets or fad diets as they destroy your metabolism and are harmful to the body. If done sparingly and under guidance, they can be effective. Otherwise, not only do they make you nutrient deficient but there is substantial weight gain after the diet ends. Fitness to me is a way of life for me. It would do everyone a lot of good if they followed this mantra. To age well is not an accident; it's a gift that those who care can give themselves.
Ms. Prema Kodical is a Nutritionist at Hope & Care Endocrine Centre in Mumbai and also has a blog
