Eating right is the key to one’s overall well-being, says Veer Ramlugon
As much as we like to tell ourselves that we’re too busy to work out, that isn’t a legitimate excuse and deep down, we all know it. In such cases, it’s important that we at least be honest with ourselves and admit that we have priorities that supersede our desire to stay fit. While exercise is certainly an excellent way to stay healthy, it has only a limited effect on one’s overall wellness. What’s far more important is one’s diet, which accounts for 80 per cent of a person’s total well-being. For a good diet, we need someone to guide us and for this we need a food coach who would guide lazy individuals to eat right. The details of what constitute a healthy diet vary based on an individual’s unique biochemistry.
Regular exercise is something that can be overlooked by most people without much consequence, but a person’s well-being can’t because it has far more overreaching and nuanced effects on an individual’s health. This makes one’s nutritional intake particularly important for people who don’t want to work out but still enjoy some of the benefits of a healthy lifestyle such as increased immunity, lower instances of heart disease, diabetes and improved self-confidence, to name a few. Given this, a nutrition coach or taking the support of online services helps you monitor your food and nutrition intake to attain the health goals more easily. To begin with, here are a few simple tips that can be easily imbibed in your daily life.
Stay Away From Carbs
Carbohydrates serve primarily as a fuel for metabolism. Whole grains, sweet potatoes, oats, rice, fruits are just a few of the multitude of sources of carbohydrates and while they’re vital for regular bodily functions, in excess, they can be troublesome. Carbohydrates are a staple food group in India and that is why many people tend to eat them in excess; without much protein (the fat burning nutrient) being included in their meals. A continuous supply of carbohydrates that is sugar and glycogen in the body leaves one’s stored reserves of fat untouched. This is problematic because stored fats tend to accumulate over time if not burnt by the body. Eliminating carbs is a foolproof way of getting thin, but controlling time and portions consumed, preferably under the supervision of trained professionals is wise. This way the body can be easily tricked into burning its reserves of fat. If you’re looking to lose weight without the burden of constant exercise, monitoring your carbohydrate intake is a good place to start.
Say No to Sugar
Fats are one of the three major macronutrients along with proteins and carbohydrates. They serve both structural as well as metabolic functions. However, fats mixed with sugars are particularly dicey because this combination, while rarely found in nature are abundant in many modern food items like cookies, brownies, and burgers to name a few. The real problem is the fact that they trigger insulin and place fat cells into muscle cells which makes it extremely difficult for the body to metabolise effectively, thereby causing complications as they continue to accumulate. The human body has yet to adapt to fat-sugar combinations, which is why they should be avoided at all costs, despite being undoubtedly delicious and appealing
Starvation isn’t Salvation
In the logical sense, starving should theoretically burn the body’s supply of reserve fat resulting in weight loss. Unfortunately, that’s not quite the way the human metabolism functions. A significant cut in the body’s regular calorie intake would induce a defence mechanism called ‘survival mode’ which would in turn cause it to store any source of energy it has access to. A significant calorie reduction would also result in a drastic drop in muscle mass, which gives the individual a sick, lanky look. This is why it is necessary for anyone looking to lose weight to consult a nutritionist before undertaking such a task, especially considering the long-term implications and complexity of human metabolism.
Small meals,the real deal
Digestion in itself is a calorie burning activity. For every calorie that is ingested, the body burns a certain amount of energy to properly metabolise. Of all macronutrients, proteins require the maximum amount of energy to burn, which is why foods which are rich in protein are ideal for weight loss routines. The basic principal of frequent eating at regular intervals is because it requires the body’s digestive system to function continuously, over an extended period of time. This means, essentially, that the body is burning more calories on multiple small meals, than it would have otherwise when metabolising a single large meal, of a similar calorific value. Scientists call this phenomena the thermogenic effect and it’s very smart, effective way to lose weight.
Keep time to stay fine
It is between 4pm and 6pm when the human body is drained out and in urgent need for sustenance. This is the reason that it craves food. To skip snacking at this time would result in an individual binging out at dinner, when the body’s metabolism is much lower. A lower metabolism essentially means that the body’s ability to convert food to fuel is less efficient. This sort of repeated behaviour greatly increases one’s prospects for developing a big waist line, not to mention the various repercussions that accompany it.
It’s fortunate that today, a healthy lifestyle doesn’t necessarily need to infringe on personal comfort and limited leisure. As long as one’s nutritional intake continues to remain top notch, many of the advantages of an active lifestyle such as weight loss, increased immunity, superior physique and better general well-being will go hand-in-hand. While working out and regular exercise are certainly advisable, and do a lot more to improve one’s health. Eating right is the key to one’s overall well-being.
(The author is the founder of The Food Analaysts, the first WhatsApp based human powered calorie counting service)