Be slim Be fit


Rosy Vohra

Deposition of undesirable adipose tissue popular as body fat is a generic problem faced across the globe. From beauty and health point of view the accumulation of body fat around the abdominal belt is much abhorred. A healthy body has adequate lean body mass making for an ideal body weight. One can easily have an ownership to a beautiful exterior. Much care should be taken on the kind of food one consumes.

• Food should be taken in small amounts in many serving through out the day. This helps in the slow and systematic release of energy to fuel our day to day activities. Consuming meals in one go are heavy on digestive system and are the major contributors of fat.

• Food should have the right mix of green and other colored veggies plus the non-vegetarian diet. It has been found that non vegetarian food has many essential amino acids absent in vegetarian diet. It pays to remember that proteins are composed of units called amino acids. These are of two types: essential amino acids can not be synthesized in the human body and have to be supplemented from external sources to bridge its deficiency. Methionine, tryptophan, threonine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, histidine, phenylalanine and valine are some of the essential amino acids crucial for the efficient functioning of the body. Non-essential amino acids on the contrary can be bio-synthesized by the human body from the precursors present in foods irrespective of vegetarian or non vegetarian. Essential amino acids are found in foods as fatty fish as tuna, salmon, shrimps and cod goes a long way in ensuring optimal weight. Vegetarians can make up for protein deficiency by consuming food rich in beans, grains, nuts, legumes as pea, pulses, tofu, mustard green, soybeans, dairy products etc. The omega 3 fatty acids contained in fatty fish can be complemented from the cod liver oil marketed in the form of capsules and can be taken by even vegetarians.
• Intake of lots of water several times a day to flush out metabolic wastages and toxins from the body.
• Adequate and deep sleep. An eight hour good night sleep ensures a good basal metabolic rate and absorption of food in the body.
• Take lots of fresh fruits and veggies; green and other colored variety.
• Reduce the intake of saturated fats and much of white sugar. Eat fats rich in mono- or even poly unsaturated fats. Ghee is anytime better than butter and margarine for the latter two are saturated.

• In the morning take a glass of lemon water mixed with a spoon of honey an hour before breakfast also helps reduce weight.

• Before calling of to sleep consume 3-5 pods of garlic.

• Take up recourse to meditation or yoga to balance your mind, body and soul. Research has proved that concentrated attention to a thought, ones ongoing breath or anything else stimulates the hypothalamus lodged in the brain. This is the seat of producing release hormones which in turn propels other endocrine glands to produce their respective hormones. Integrity of structure and balanced function of all body activities is ensured with a good support of the hormone availability in the body.

• Consume lot of Indian gooseberry popularly marketed as amla juice.

• Encourage foods cooked by steam. Avoid over-cooked food or food cooked in lot of oil or over high flame. Food should be aptly cooked on low flame using minimum oil. The latter cause’s alteration in the structure and nature of the food constituents. Deformed foods when consumed are imbibed in this altered condition and are deposited in the body as cellulite and ugly fatty tiers.

• Eat less salt and sugar. Try to supplement their intake from natural sources as fresh as well as dry fruits in ample quantities.

• Encourage eating fresh cooked food. Avoid refrigerated, canned and preserved foods.

• Ensure a lot of movements. Instead of artificial work outs resort to natural forms of exercises as swimming, walking, running and playing any of your favorite outdoor sport.

• Regular body massage before warm water bath helps beautify the body whilst reducing weight. A few drops of aromatic oil to vegetable oils as coconut or olive oil are very enthralling to the spirits.