No need to say 'no'

Fitness and nutrition expert Rujuta Diwekar busts diet myths and tells you just what you should do to stay fit and healthy.

Coconut Salad: A whole meal. Photo: Special Arrangement

Unpronouncable names, tall claims, exotic looks, tastes like cardboard, advertised for weight loss and super expensive… any guesses what we're are talking about? Well, these are diet foods. Normally fitness and weight loss diets come with fewer do's and many don'ts.

There are a few ground rules that must be kept in mind to stay healthy. A fit person is one who will manage to lose weight and stay toned. The main ingredients that form a wholesome meal are rice providing the carbs, dal providing the protients and vegetables, coconut and groundnut, filtered oil providing the other essesential nutrients. This is what makes the complete meal. Rujuta Diwekar's workshop in Chennai was an extensive session to help people eat right. These are her tips that can change your lifestyle and the way you look.

Eat local food (Eat what is grown in your State and surroundings). The further the food comes from the further your navel will be from your spine

Avoid storing, eating, reheating and plastic. Plastic has a compound similar to estrogen. So the more food is in contact with plastic the more the chances of a hormonal imbalance resulting in PCOD and PCOS.

The amount you should eat is a question that should be only answered by you. Establish a rapport with your stomach and try as far as possible to eat in silence so that you can hear your stomach tell you to stop.

Always make sure you sleep at the same time every day.

Follow an exercise that you can not only enjoy but will want to pursue for the next 15 years. Make sure to improvise and stay consistent.

Change your attitude and respect your body.

Never count calories. Always count the nourishment it provides.

Fruits have fructose that are necessary for the body. Any fruit can give you that. Make sure to consume seasonal fruits. For example it's the season to have custard apple. With its other properties it can help you combat monsoons, boosts the immunity system has fibre iron and B6 needed for a flat stomach.

Give yourself a sweet visa to avoid cravings and then bingeing.

Use filtered oil in as it the one which retains the necessary nutrients.

Rice

Rice is a must-have. Grown regionally, eat rice as it has Methionine needed for lustrous hair. If you are dieting and cutting out rice, you will notice how the diet leads to hairfall. Always check for rice in which you can see a couple of red lines. That's the rice you should be eating.

Ghee

Always add ghee in your food. Ghee or clarified butter increases the immunity needed in a body. It should be an integral part of your diet as it increases the flexibility needed for bones. It is also an important anti ageing agent. Make it at home to avoid impurities.

Coconut

Coconut is wholesome. Every part of it can be used. Coconut has anti fungal and anti viral properties that are useful for the body.

Groundnuts

Groundnuts has anti oxidants which very few plants have and it's called reservetol. It has properties that can burn the stubborn fat in your bodies. Eating some peanuts will keep the heart healthy. It helps you mobilise the fat deposited areas that need to be worked on.