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Komal Jethmalani |308 Answers |Ask -Follow

Dietician, Diabetes Expert - Answered on Nov 26, 2020

Komal Jethmalani is a practising dietician and nutritionist with over 26 years of experience.
She specialises in weight loss and diabetes management.
Jethmalani has completed her MSc in food and nutrition from SNDT University and trained at Jaslok Hospital.
She is a NDEP-certified diabetes educator.... more

Question by Amit on Nov 26, 2020Hindi

Hi Komal
I am 35 years old.
I have not paid any specific attention to either my diet/nutrition or exercise till now.
I want to start and I want my wife, 30 years, and son, 10 years, to start too.
How would you suggest this family of beginners starts?
Amit Khanna

Ans:

Glad to know that you have started your journey towards fitness.

It is never late to begin. But once you have decided, then remain focused.

The food we consume in an Indian setting is generally a family meal. So changes in dietary habits will affect all the family members.

Start with refraining from binge eating.

Avoid all high fat and sugar foods, fruit juices, alcohol, packaged foods etc.

Concentrate on incorporating healthy foods in the family diet like fruits and vegetables, whole grain cereals, lentils and healthy fats.

In addition, increase physical activities.

Go for walks/jogging or any sports activities.

You can do some stretch or strengthening exercises as well.

DISCLAIMER: The answer provided by rediffGURUS is for informational and general awareness purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical diagnosis or treatment.

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Yoga, Naturopathy Expert - Answered on Oct 05, 2021

Question by Shalini - Oct 05, 2021Hindi

Dear Roopashree, I have two cases where I need your help. 1. My daughter, who is 16 years old, was a state level swimmer until two years ago.At that time, her diet and exercises were at a very different level.She suddenly decided to quit swimming. This led to weight gain and she became 60 kg; her height is 5.2 feet.She then started some exercises, watching YouTube, etc, and went into self-starvation mode in order to reduce weight.We didn’t realise that she started throwing food. It continued for months while she doubled her exercise to twice a day.As a result she not only lost 15 kg in a year, but it also stopped her periods for a year now.Can you help us with this problem?2. For myself, I am 44 years old, height 5 feet, weight 60 kg and a big belly.I like to eat spicy food so maintaining just soup based diets becomes difficult beyond a day or two.Can you guide me on what diet programme I should follow to reduce 7 kg in next five months?I have a family occasion coming up in Feb 2022, for which I want to be ready.Shalini Shukla

Ans:

Let me tackle this individually.

Let’s look at your daughter first.

We often define health by weight. While it is certainly an important factor, body functions -- whether hormonal, digestive and/or nervous -- are equally, if not more, important.

Given the major shifts in your daughter's routine, both during her swimming days and workout days, her body must be going through a lot. And let’s not forget the hormonal changes happening during this age.

I would suggest that she takes a mental break from thinking about diet and exercise for at least 2-3 months.

This does not mean she should overeat and not do basic physical exercises. Instead, opt for a balanced diet (lots of fruits and less of grains and processed foods).

Include a little physical activity (not workouts) but more playful activities. Light walks or basic jogging, yoga or any other sport of her choice like badminton, etc, will keep the body remain active without stressing the hormones.

She can also start basic pranayama (deep breathing exercises) to balance her energies and lower stress levels.

As far as her menstrual issues are concerned, I would suggest you meet an ayurvedic practitioner. They will identify if there is any possible imbalance of the elements and recommend ayurvedic medicines if required.

Shalini, let’s look at your concerns now.

A big belly can be due to many reasons -- excess fat retention, water retention, bloating, etc.

You should focus on addressing the root cause and not on weight loss through strict dieting.

I suggest you follow some basic principles of food intake, starting with a detox for your stomach.

Have a glass of petha (white pumpkin) juice (recipe here) in the morning. Avoid eating anything else for an hour. Do this for a month.

Avoid fried food and restrict non-veg and heavily processed foods during this period.

You can eat a full meal, but avoid eating after sunset.

Spices can be therapeutic as well as harmful, depending upon consumption.

If you practice yoga, then do Kapalbhati pranayam for 5-10 minutes in the morning.

Half an hour after your meals, go for a stroll.

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Dietician, Diabetes Expert - Answered on Dec 14, 2020

Question by Poonam - Dec 14, 2020Hindi

Dear KomaljiPranaam!Thank you for your service in helping people like me.I am female, 45, getting fit for first time.I am 5”3, 75 kilos, age 44.What is best exercise for me -- yoga, walking, zumba or something else?How I should change food habits?Poonam

Ans:

Fitness is very essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Incorporate healthy food habits and focus on body toning to start with.

Include foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables as a source of fibre and good protein sources like milk and milk products, eggs, legumes and lean meat.

Avoid high fat, high sugar, packaged foods, fruit juices, alcohol, etc.

Follow a regular schedule of exercise that includes cardio and strengthening exercises.

Drink plenty of water to remain hydrated.

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Dietician, Diabetes Expert - Answered on Aug 22, 2022

Question by Amisha - Aug 22, 2022Hindi

Dear Komal, Can you please give me a good healthy diet for a 50-year-old? And an exercise routine. Can you please give me in terms of dishes and not like calories and vitamins, etc? If you can say what we must eat during the week, even that is ok. For exercise, can you give proper specific exercises and how long one should do it for? Thank you, Amisha

Ans:

A healthy diet for a 50 year old will be based on your BMI (Body Mass Index). There are other factors like physical activity, medical conditions, sleep, water intake, gut health and others which have to be considered while planning a diet.

You must ensure that your diet has adequate protein for good metabolism, fibre-rich foods like vegetables, fruits, salads and multigrain cereals that are good for gut health and help lower metabolic disorders like high cholesterol, diabetes, fatty liver, etc.

A low-fat intake with a focus on consumption of healthy fats like Omega 3 is good for anti-inflammatory reactions.

Adequate water intake, adequate sleep at the right time and a positive mind will aid in achieving fitness.

Adopt a regular fitness regimen that includes strengthening and aerobic exercises for at least 30-40 minutes daily.

The details of these exercises need to be discussed at a personal level with a fitness professional based on various parameters like BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate).

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Yoga, Naturopathy Expert - Answered on Aug 29, 2022

Question by Madhu - Aug 29, 2022Hindi

Dear Roopashree I have never exercised and never been physically fit. But I need to start now. Can you suggest me a good routine to start week one, week two, week three and week four and what I should do after that? I get tired very soon when exercising and it makes me give up. Very grateful for your help. Madhu

Ans:

One of my earlier articles captures how one can begin their wellness journey. It has the answers to all your questions. You can read it here.

Remember that a healthy diet and routine is the first step towards wellness -- but only if practised consistently.

In wellness, those who are slow but steady always win; therefore persistence is more important than following stringent diets/heavy workouts and then letting it go!