Why you shouldn’t eat less

There are some scientific reasons why under-eating can produce sleep disturbances. For one thing, limited human studies show that short-term fasting reduces melatonin production. Whether or not the same effect is seen in chronic calorie restriction is unclear, but it is plausible. And for another thing, even mild chronic calorie restriction can alter hormone levels and patterns, including thyroid hormones, cortisol and adrenaline. One common pattern among those who under-eat is for stress hormones to peak early in the morning causing waking and anxiety or stressful feelings.

Often, sleep disturbances attributed to under-eating can be temporarily alleviated by eating, especially something with easily digested sugar and perhaps a bit of salt in order to suppress stress hormone production. Therefore, I find that eating a bit of honey is often enough to help people get to sleep or return to sleep.

I find that eating a bit of honey is often enough to help people get to sleep or return to sleep

However, in the long run, increasing caloric intake and especially making sure that one isn’t restricting carbohydrates too greatly, tends to be essential in order to improve sleep duration and quality. For most people, that means eating a minimum of 2500 calories a day, though sometimes requirements may be higher [men, young people, pregnant or breastfeeding women, sick people and active people in particular may have significantly higher caloric requirements]. In some cases it is necessary to eat significantly more calories during a recovery phase, sometimes upward of 4000 calories a day for many months, in order to restore balance. So what I have found, again, in my unscientific study, is that people I communicate with tend to sleep better when they eat more rather than less, and many people are surprised to find that they have been eating too few calories.

Increase your carbohydrate intake

Under-eating is a major cause of sleep problems from what I’ve seen, but it certainly isn’t the only nutritional factor in sleep problems. Carbohydrate restriction is another major contributor; carbohydrates help to get some nutrients into the brain to produce the hormones necessary for sleep; they also provide glucose, which is one of the two primary fuel sources of the body, and by most accounts, the preferred fuel source. Certainly, the brain requires glucose and if you fail to eat enough carbohydrates your body will produce glucose from other things to keep your brain alive.

People tend to sleep better when they eat more rather than less, and many people are surprised to find that they have been eating too few calories

The brain is fuelled using glucose that comes from stored energy in the liver. That stored form of glucose is called glycogen, and the liver can only store about 100 grams give or take, which means that if the liver is not well supplied, it is possible that sleep can be interrupted because of the stress of running out of the main reserve of brain fuel. People often find that eating substantial amounts of carbohydrates in the evening benefits their sleep.

There are other factors that are shown to influence melatonin levels, though it isn’t always clear that the effects will be substantial enough to influence sleep. For example, one study showed that eating orange, pineapple or banana significantly increased blood levels of melatonin, but was probably not enough to influence sleep. [Melatonin is present in the blood during daylight hours in small amounts, serving as an antioxidant and performing other functions, but the levels are much lower than at night.]

What to consume for better sleep

Vitamin B6 and folic acid

Vitamin B6 and folic acid are necessary for the formation of serotonin and so might be helpful for sleep when supplied in adequate amounts in your diet. This is sensible, and so adequate amounts are a very good idea, but there doesn’t seem to be any evidence that more is better. So if you eat a varied diet that includes meat [especially some organ meat], dairy, fish, potatoes, bananas, oranges and some green vegetables, you’re most likely covered when it comes to B6 and folic acid. Studies show little benefit from taking supplements, though. Of course that doesn’t mean that some people might not benefit. But most won’t. If you supplement with either of these vitamins, do not take more than the recommended daily allowance and use the active forms, which are less potentially toxic. Still, be cautious when taking supplements, particularly B6, since excess can lead to neuropathic symptoms.

Magnesium and zinc

It has been theorised that magnesium and zinc may also help convert serotonin to melatonin. However, studies don’t show any benefits from taking supplements of these as long as people have adequate dietary levels. If you eat some meat, especially red meat, and/or seafood, you’re likely getting enough zinc. Magnesium, on the other hand, may be more challenging to acquire through food, and, reportedly, many people are deficient. If you eat fish, dairy and green vegetables, you may get enough magnesium in your diet. If you choose to supplement, then you can opt for oral or transdermal supplementation.

• Oral magnesium supplements are often poorly absorbed, leading to gastrointestinal discomfort and loose stools; so look for the well absorbed forms such as magnesium citrate, malate, or glycinate and start with small amounts, increasing slowly to avoid gastrointestinal problems.
• For transdermal supplementation, one of the most relaxing and least expensive options is to soak in a warm Epsom salt bath. Soaking in an Epsom salt bath before bed can be very relaxing for many people and often improves sleep quality.

Omega-3 fatty acid

Although there aren’t any studies that show that an omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio affects human sleep, there is reason to suspect that it might. When omega-6 fatty acid levels are high, inflammation can be high. Therefore, reducing omega-6 fats in the diet [corn oil, soy oil, canola oil, and other vegetable oils excluding olive, coconut, and palm] and including some omega-3 fatty acid source such as fatty fish [sardines may be the best because they are lowest in mercury of all fish] may help to improve sleep.

Sleep and your wellbeing

Is sleep a solution to all your problems? It is not. But getting sufficient sleep over time can have surprisingly positive effects. And if health problems were caused by insufficient sleep in the first place—whether those are heart problems, blood sugar problems, mood problems, energy problems, or any other sort of problems—then replenishing your sleep stores and maintaining an adequate quantity and quality of sleep can work miracles in some cases. Even if getting enough sleep won’t solve everything, it can provide a necessary foundation for health and wellbeing.

The post The direct connection between what you eat and how well you sleep appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Were you always on the heavier side or did you gain weight during your show Highway On My Plate?

Rocky: I was a national level hockey and football player and I boxed as a boy. So, being healthy and fit was a part of life for me. But you could say that I gained some kilos during the show.

Mayur: We grew up very active, and back then fitness was a way of life instead of the buzzword that it is today. The air was clean, the food and water was uncontaminated and exercise involved playing out in the open at least four hours a day. I was 78kg when we started HOMP in 2007. At my peak during HOMP I was a 104kg. So yes, I suspect it’s an occupational hazard. [winks]

Tell us about your new show Get Fit

Rocky: The show takes the two of us, a bit overfed, and puts us to work. We realised, “If we could do it then anyone could do it.” Apollo hospitals was working on a great public initiative for people to take better care of themselves. So we joined hands with them to show people how we do it. The show puts us through the paces and makes people realise that fitness is a good thing. Hopefully our journey will inspire people to start their own. Each person’s journey to health is unique and here’s hoping that people find the fitness route that’s best for them in order to get fit. Physically, I felt we were slowing down. When energy levels dip in our line of work, it’s usually the end of the line. So to make sure the free food kept coming our way for longer it was important to get into a better shape—and it is helping like you would not believe.

Mayur: Get Fit is correct. It’s not just “get thin” and it’s not about binge diets and random spurts of activity. It’s about a gradual and sustainable change in lifestyle. Pruning the excess six laddoos one at a time. [laughs]

Why we’re doing it? Do the math… get fit, live longer and eat more. Five years of life extended is equal to at least 1500 meals more and if even five per cent of that is a binge then that’s 75 extra opportunities to eat jalebis. [smiles]

Can healthy food actually be tasty too, what’s been your experience so far?

Rocky: There’s a whole world of healthier options out there. Fresh produce, seasonal vegetables, millet, ragi, bajra, dals… they are all so healthy and tasty. It’s not about how much food we are eating, it’s about what kind of food. Toss up a good salad with some delicious masala vinaigrette home made dressing, grab a whole wheat toast and a glass of skimmed soy milk and join us in getting healthier and fitter.

Mayur: Yes! Fresh fruit smoothies, yoghurt based dips, multigrain bread with nuts and seeds, almonds, walnuts, organic dark chocolate… what’s not to love? Almost everything you love to eat can be had in a healthier avatar. If it can’t, then I feel there’s no harm in eating those once in a while.

When it comes to losing weight and getting fit, what’s your mantra?

Rocky: I was 42 kilos over my ideal weight. So I’m hoping this journey will start me off to my ideal weight. With so much weight, the first step for me was to lose the extra kilos and I achieved it by eating healthier. Not eating less, not dieting, but just eating healthier. Now I’ve started exercising slowly, with consultation from a doctor [and make sure you do that too when you’re starting] but initially it was only healthier eating. The journey continues and now I’m in a ‘more exercise’ phase so it’s great fun. My mantra is simple… whether you’re partying or during festivals, no matter where or when, eat healthy.

Mayur: My mantra is eat small, eat often, do 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise daily, drink lots of water through the day and get more sleep.

What is the ultimate comfort food for Rocky and Mayur when back home?

Rocky: Spicy chicken curry, spicy bhindi, red chilli pickle, sliced onion with lime and chilly powder and a seven grain mixed roti. It has been my favourite since I was five years old. And my grandmother taught us all how to make it… it’s the best.

Mayur: Dal, roti, palak paneer with sliced onions, mint chutney and raita. Mmmm yeah!

Any fitness idols you have?

Rocky: Milkha Singh. The rock version of the song Bhag Milkha Bhag does it for me.

Mayur: My cousin Milan. He treks 30 odd days a year, cycles an average 50 km/day and plays squash twice a week. He’s not a professional athlete but at the age of 46 his resting pulse rate is in the low 60s. He also meditates everyday. Above all, he can actually touch his toes without bending his knees.

To lose weight, how much of it is about counting calories or following a dietician’s advice and how much is about instinctive eating?

Rocky: When you go to a dietician and find out what’s best for you [and YES, it’s VERY different for everybody], it’s hard for about two weeks. By the third week you start making better choices and putting your imagination to work and then it’s a lot of fun. Binge eating of unhealthy food is allowed too. I eat a mad meal once a week and then for the rest of the week it’s sensible, healthy, fun and varied eating.

Mayur: Much of it is about being sensible and listening to your own body. There are some golden rules and even those are best modified to your lifestyle, occupation, calendar and abilities. This is important as it will help you stay the course. If the calories go up then exercise a bit more.

Apart from your own book, which cook book and travel book do you recommend?

Rocky: I love books on local food from all over the world. Wherever I am, I always try and connect with a local chef. I was in Goa when I met a chef. She was a brilliant home cook, just a Goan housewife who had just started cooking one day and then gone on to become a brilliant chef. On her 60^th birthday [I think it was her 60^th] her family made a little book of her recipes which they photocopied for her friends and family. I am the proud owner of one of those homemade books. So if you love food, you will find the best for yourself. I recommend you look every time you have a chance. AND you make the chance.

Mayur: I love Bill Bryson’s books on travel. I’ll start consuming literature on food once they make edible books.

Indian cuisine is said to be one of the healthiest in the globe. Would you also vouch for that? What other cuisines are healthy?

Rocky: Yes, traditional Indian food is possibly the healthiest in the world. Fresh local produce [unfrozen] and a bunch of spices [medicinal]. A variety of items in a meal with at least one vegetable and a lentil and there’s your proof. We eat a wonderfully healthy diet across our nation and this we’ve done in every state in India since time immemorial.

Thai cuisine is another very healthy cuisine and one of my favourites just for the tastes of their food. The health aspect has only now become important to me.

Mayur: Indian food prepared right is very healthy especially as the herbs and spices we commonly use are a fount of medicinal and healing properties. Turmeric, tulsi, cinnamon, pepper, cloves are just a few examples of ingredients with phenomenal health benefits.

South East Asian cuisines with their limited use of oil and dairy are healthy in general.

Being a foodie is often used as an excuse for being unfit. You hope to change that perception?

Rocky: That’s the attempt. You and everyone reading this would know that we will NEVER stop eating the food we love. The food of India. Between us we eat everything and we are definitely “foodies” though I prefer being called the “hungries”. So that’s important and the way we can do that for many more years is by getting to a healthier place with our bodies and then enjoy things even more, without guilt.

Mayur: Being a “foodie” in my book means that the love for food is central to your existence. Giant portions of fat laden, deep fried food or food rich in preservatives and refined sugar have nothing to do with it. So stop making excuses! First step to changing anything is wanting to change. Second step is persevering and third step is celebrating each small success [though not necessarily with halwa!]

Tell us your most cherished moment from the show Jai Hind

Rocky: It was when we were shooting with the 42 Medium Regiment. A soldier, out on exercises in the desert, sang a song; it was his friend’s favourite song and he had lost his friend in action. The song was about a soldier who knew he was going to his certain death but did his duty by following orders and going still. It tells of the message he leaves behind for his comrades, his wife, his family and his nation. There was not a single dry eye in the compound when he sang this song by lamplight. The tears streamed down my face and I will never forget that emotion as long as I live.

Mayur: Seeing the surprise on the faces of the soldiers at the Commando Training School when we completed some radical elements of their obstacle course. They thought we’d never be able to manage it. Determination counts for a lot! Even when you are changing lifestyles.

You can watch Get Fit with Rocky and Mayur on NDTV Good Times every Sunday at 9:30pm. Follow their Facebook page.

The post From food fanatics to fitness freaks appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Each year, more nutritional research studies demonstrate that following a whole food, plant-based diet can prevent and even reverse chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, other autoimmune disorders, and several types of cancer. These studies have repeatedly shown that such illnesses stop progressing and even go into remission when patients reorient their diet to more foods found in the produce aisle and the farmers’ markets: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.   Unlike treating illness with pharmaceuticals, the reported “side effects” of this approach to wellness are all positive, such as improved energy level, mental clarity, loss of unwanted weight, elimination of pain, improved complexion, improved sleep, lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and reduced dependence on prescription medications. The largest managed health care system in the United States, Kaiser Permanente, recently issued a health bulletin to all of its physicians, recommending that they “prescribe” a whole food plant-based diet—discouraging consumption of meat, dairy products, eggs, and all processed and refined foods—as the first line of treatment, especially for patients with high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or obesity.

What makes whole plant foods so beneficial?

First, only plant foods contain fibre. Fibre is important for keeping the digestive tract flowing smoothly, which removes toxins from the body and also helps to remove excess levels of circulating hormones, such as oestrogen, that can lead to hormone-dependent cancers [e.g., breast and ovarian]. Fibre also helps us feel full and satisfied after a meal. Perhaps most importantly, fibre is essential for maintaining the good bacteria in the digestive system that are critical for a properly functioning immune system. When people eat a mainstream diet that is high in animal-derived products and contain no fibre, and refined and processed foods, that contain minimal fibre, they miss these beneficial effects, thereby increasing their risk of developing chronic diseases.

Whole plant foods are also rich in micronutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytochemicals, which play a key role in helping our immune system function optimally, so we can fight off communicable illnesses as well as genetically mediated diseases like cancer. When our immune systems are functioning properly, inflammation is minimised. In some, this may mean elimination of chronic pain [including migraine headaches and joint pain], reduction in inflammatory markers related to arthritis and a decrease in body mass index [BMI]. Studies have repeatedly shown that elevated BMI is a risk factor for heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and cancer.

How much does it matter whether or not those foods are organic?

Ideally, we want to minimise our exposure to toxins, like pesticides. However, it may not always be possible or affordable to eat only organic produce. A good rule of thumb is that, if a vegetable or fruit is consumed in its entirety, such as leafy greens, apples, berries and peppers, choosing organic is more important, but if the vegetable or fruit has a skin or rind or similar outer coating that is not typically consumed, choosing organic is less important. The Environmental Working Group maintains a list of the “Dirty Dozen” and the “Clean Fifteen,” so you can see which crops are least and most heavily sprayed.

If you purchase conventional produce, wash these items well and, where applicable, peel them to remove possible chemical residues. But always remember that it is better to eat conventionally grown produce than no produce at all.

Once you begin eating this way, your taste buds adapt and you begin to enjoy more intensely the natural sweetness of fruit, the saltiness of leafy greens, and the astringent nature of legumes. You will soon find that eating is even more pleasurable than ever before! It is important to note that even when you are eating healthy whole plant foods, you should eat only until you are satisfied, and over-full. Although whole plant foods are generally low in calories and nutrient-dense, over-eating these foods, like any other foods, can cause problems such as indigestion, bloating, and lethargy, and weight gain if done habitually. Overeating too close to bedtime may cause gastric reflux and interfere with sleep; best to allow 2 – 3 hours after the last meal before lying down. However, whole plant foods, with their high fibre and high water content, are naturally filling, and the body gives clear signals when sufficient calories, nutrients, and bulk have been consumed.

How to get started

If you are hesitant about jumping in with both feet, start by increasing the proportion of healthy whole plant foods in your diet. Allow vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains to make up the majority of your plate, and consciously reduce consumption of meat and dairy and processed foods. These changes alone will make a positive difference in your health. But if you want to see more substantial results, give an exclusively whole food, plant-based diet a “test drive.” Try it for three weeks and see how you feel. There is no need to make a long-term commitment; just pick a day to start and mark your calendar to note how you are doing at the end of 21 days. To help get you started, try out this free online program, starting next month: Every day for 21 days, you will receive an email in your inbox with recipes, tips, and lots of encouragement along the way.

Food as medicine

Our genes are not our destiny. Rather, it is our lifestyle choices that most profoundly affect whether we can live longer, healthier lives, with the freedom and mobility to participate in the activities that bring us joy and to share precious time with our loved ones into our advanced years. Do yourself a favour and watch the documentary “Forks Over Knives.” In this film, you will follow the inspiring stories of several patients as they transition to a whole food, plant-based diet and experience remarkable health transformations. As the film so powerfully demonstrates, we can all benefit if we remember and apply the maxim, “let thy food be thy medicine and let thy medicine be thy food.”

The post Using food as medicine appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Manoj Khatri [MK]: First of all, my compliments for writing such an amazing book [Don’t lose your mind, lose your weight]. I actually don’t need to lose weight, so there is no question of my losing my mind. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the book very much.

Rujuta Diwekar: Thanks, I am glad you liked it.

MK: The pleasant surprise for me and my colleagues was that many of your philosophies—if I may call them so—are the ones we propagate too. Complete Wellbeing is based on a copyrighted concept of the Three chakras, the idea being that individuals are not sum of parts—we are not a mind+a body+a soul.

Rujuta Diwekar: That’s true and I think it is high time we all wake up to this truth.

MK: Absolutely! That’s basically our objective when we bring out the magazine. We too highlight the hidden interconnections and inter-dependencies between various aspects—including relationships and satisfaction at work—and how these affect our physical health. This brings me to my first question—in your opinion, what is the number one reason for people to lose their mind when they attempt to lose weight?

Rujuta Diwekar: The top reason for people to lose their minds is lack of awareness—of themselves and of the uniqueness of their bodies. This unawareness leads them to try out every fad possible in order to become the ‘ideal’ size, shape or weight. If only such individuals spend time understanding their bodies, they will begin to appreciate and love themselves exactly as they are.

Desperately wanting your body to comply with the current fashion trends is what produces frustration and anger towards it. This anger with your body makes you starve it, which is obvious—if you don’t love your body, then there is little motivation to feed your body. And, an unfed, undernourished body has a restless mind. It’s a downward spiral.

MK: So what you’re saying is that acceptance of oneself is imperative for losing weight.

Rujuta Diwekar: Yes, accept and love your body, but do so unconditionally. Do not love your body only if it loses 10kg or becomes two dress-sizes smaller.

MK: Talk of obsession about size! I know of people who weigh just right but they just want to get into the right size. Then they end up losing what we call the ‘good weight’.

Rujuta Diwekar: Again, this is mindless obsession at work. A couple of decades ago, when the fashion market in India was still under-developed, international brands introduced ready-to-wear garments, which adhered to the sizes and shapes of western natives. Soon, everyone began to hate their bodies thinking that they were the wrong size and shape. Little did they realise that they don’t fit into those western clothes because they were never meant to.

Each one of us is different: the Oriental body is different from that of an African, which again is different from an Indian. Even within India, a North Indian is different from a South Indian.

But instead of celebrating our differences, we are all trying to mould ourselves into a one-size-fits-all standard. As a country, our strength lies in our diversity. Our culture is all about celebrating the differences, which can happen only when we accept those differences in the first place.

MK: How true. Standardisation is absurd—it is almost like treating our bodies like machines.

Rujuta Diwekar: Yes, it is like treating our bodies as items—as bodies without any minds, souls, feelings, or karma.

MK: The clothes we wear are actually supposed to be made for us, but we have ended up trying to become something different for our clothes—how ironical. This discussion about Indian culture reminds me of your book—you discuss the Ayurveda philosophy that states that eating at the right time is as important as eating the right quantity/quality of food.

Rujuta Diwekar: Absolutely! I think the real challenge for all of us is to stop thinking in terms of numbers. In our career, we must give more importance to job satisfaction and less to the salary package.

In our relationships, love and compatibility must precede everything else. But look at the matrimonial ads—they are all about numbers: weight, height, salary and so on.

When it comes to food, we are paranoid about ‘number of calories’, whereas we must actually think in terms of whether the food we are eating is nourishing my body, mind and soul. Only when we begin to think about food in the right way, will we become more sensible about what we eat instead of being as frivolous about it as we are now.

MK: Surely you must be encountering many people who struggle to lose weight, give up, then label themselves as failures.

Rujuta Diwekar: Yes. But what I have realised over a period of time is that in such cases body weight is not really the issue. The real problem is a feeling of inadequacy arising out of challenges in other areas of life such as relationships, career or even personal fulfilment. It’s unfortunate that body weight has become one of the most acceptable expressions of this inadequacy.

MK: Can you give me an example of this?

Rujuta Diwekar: Sure. I know of many women, who have this distressing feeling that they have zoomed past life without doing anything meaningful. So, if you love playing the guitar and complain about not being able to play it for 20 years, you don’t find much support from those around you.

But if you say, “I really want to wear low waist jeans, but just can’t! Look at my flab,” you will be surprised to find a lot more people who empathise with you. Somehow, being obsessed about body weight is much more acceptable than being obsessed with a passion.

MK: Hmm. Perhaps they are just trying to evade the real problems by looking for fulfilment and satisfaction elsewhere. Chasing financial success, for instance.

Rujuta Diwekar: People haven’t really figured this out: there is a cost of making money. Once we figure out the cost, and we are at peace with it, then it’s OK. But sometimes, the cost is much higher than the money made and then discontent sets in.

MK: That’s a nice thought, and it’s almost counter-intuitive. In fact, so much of what you’ve written in your book, is counter-intuitive. For example, most people would find it difficult to believe that one can actually lose weight by eating more. How did you discover this approach?

Rujuta Diwekar: This approach is not new. it’s ancient. Every single religion talks about going beyond the limitations of the body. To take your body beyond limitations, you have to nourish it.

If you study the traditional Indian scriptures, you will find that there is a scientific basis for the way we consume food. We sit on the floor, for instance. Even the food is served on our plates in a certain way: certain foods go on the right side of the plate, certain on the left and a few stay in the centre.

Eating at the right time, in the right quantity, and with the right attitude is an important part of the process of nourishment. The ancient scriptures outline that we don’t eat simply to feed the body–we eat for a higher purpose. All this is deeply ingrained into our culture and is something our mothers and grandmothers have always spoken about. A lot of it is actually what I have seen being practised in our homes.

MK: I was wondering, what made you write such a book?

Rujuta Diwekar: With globalisation, we have lost our perspective a little. We’ve become intrigued with the concept of calorie-intake. It’s the result of this fascination we have for the West.

I wrote this book because, as a nutritionist, I was unable to find a good Indian book on diet and nutrition. Whichever books I picked up, discussed nutrition in a predominantly Western way—that too mostly with respect to Western dishes and cuisines. Nobody was talking about samosas, gulab jamuns, puri bhaji, srikhand, idlis and dosas that we regularly eat.

Trying foreign cuisines is fine, but ultimately, food must appeal to our taste buds. I believe that when you continue to eat against your taste, there comes a point you give up everything and come back to home-cooked food. What’s sad is this new trend where home-cooked food [roti, sabzi, dal, chawal], is not considered healthy, when in fact, it is probably the healthiest.

Then there is this new fad of eating low-calorie foods. People drink a diet-cola thinking it is calorie-free and, therefore healthy, when in reality it is not so. Advertising makes us believe that it is free of calories. But, calorie-free does not mean it is not getting converted into fat in our body. Another example is that of ghee, which was a part of our Indian household for ages. All of a sudden now, there is no ghee. We have started replacing it with olive oil!

So, in writing this book, all I did was brought back the ancient Vedantic principles into limelight in a language that was easy to understand.

MK: Can you give us an example of how this approach has helped someone?

Rujuta Diwekar: I am working with a 76-year-old man in Kerala who was put on a restricted diet because he had some disorder. Going from one dietician to another, he was eventually made to give up everything that he traditionally grew up eating. So whether it was ghee, bananas, rice or even coconut—everything was taken out from his diet. He was only eating low-fat biscuits, high-fibre chapattis, but nothing that he enjoyed or relished eating. Now, if the food you eat does not appeal to your senses, your digestive system does not secrete the right kind of enzymes essential to extract the goodness from the food. Ever since I put ghee, rice and coconut back into his diet, he is doing so much better—his lipid profiles have improved, his kidney too is functioning better. The recovery is because his system is now getting a feeling of being taken care of. Food is really the best way to take care of ourselves, of showing love to ourselves. The last time I met him, he said, “The voltage on my face is back, I’m actually glowing”. For a 76-year-old to say that is amazing. Food can indeed bring back your youth.

MK: Wow! That’s an inspiring account. But along with right eating, regular exercise too had a role to play…

Rujuta Diwekar: Of course! The human body has been designed for a lot of activity. So a villager who leads a simple life, whose only means of locomotion is walking and who lifts, carries, pushes and pulls, enjoys much better health than the city-dweller who even has his car’s door opened by a chauffeur—all he has to do is sit! Biomechanically, urbanites are leading the most unscientific life. Even if we think of just the body, it was never meant for sitting but for regular activity.

MK: I agree. Our lifestyle, especially in cities and towns, is deteriorating by the day. Where owning a car was once a luxury, today every household has two or even three cars. Sometimes it’s just a status symbol.

Rujuta Diwekar: Cars are a necessity. But viewing them to measure how well one has done in life is silly. How well you are doing has nothing to do with the number/size of the cars parked in your garage.

MK: In fact, how well you’re doing in life has got nothing to do with accumulation of wealth and status in life. It is about how happy you feel about yourself.

Rujuta Diwekar: Absolutely! And happiness has got nothing to do with age, mind—least of all, bodyweight! The idea that ‘I will really be happy if I just lose those two kilos’ is ridiculous. Once you want to be happy, you will be happy even if you are 20 kilos plus. You don’t have to lose any weight to be happy. Ironically, the only way your bodyweight will reach an optimum number is when you experience a sense of happiness, calm and peace within you. If you are not happy with yourself, your body is only going to swell.

MK: How do you deal with clients who come to you with this belief that they’ll be happy once they shed a few kilos or a few inches?

Rujuta Diwekar: I begin by making my new clients write down a three-day record—what time they wake up/sleep, what they do throughout the day, what they eat [what time, how much quantity]. Most of the times, at the end of three days, and even before the first consultation, clients themselves realise that they need to change their lifestyles.

When you come to my office, you won’t find a weighing scale. That’s because I do not measure progress by the amount of weight lost. My parameters for progress are answers to questions such as “Are you feeling more energetic than before?”, “Are you sleeping better?”, “Are you getting hunger signals?”, “Are you feeling like eating?” For me, these parameters matter. Consulting a dietician is not about losing a few kilos—it is about adopting a lifestyle change. It is only when you change how you think, what you eat and how you sleep, that you can bring about a real change.

MK: In other words, aim for “Complete Wellbeing”, not just for weight loss! Thank you for sharing such refreshing insights with our readers.

Rujuta Diwekar: Thank you for the opportunity, Manoj.

[Watch out for Rujuta’s second book titled, Women and the weight loss tamasha]

The post Rujuta Diwekar on weight loss: Eat more to lose more appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.