"The Low Down on Low-Carb Diets"

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Low-carb diet. Its one of those phrases everyone seems to be tossing around these days. You hear the babes from the bollywood brigade swear by it. You listen to the fitness gurus talk about it. Heck, you even overhear the aunty on the treadmill next door to you showing off her “latest” knowledge to the aunty speed walking next to her!


So what exactly is the so called “low-carb diet” and is it really all that its been made out to be? Or are there some things about it which might not be all that great for you after all? Fear not boys and girls, for I am here to break it down for you. To begin with, the low-carb diet is just that. Exactly what it sounds like. It’s a diet that focuses on keeping the amount of carbohydrates consumed to a lower amount. And what do I mean by carbs? Rice, roti, pasta, noodles, bread, muffins, cake, cereals, upma, poha, idli, puris, dosa, pizza, and basically anything that has something of a thick (or thin) doughy consistency. Now there are different variations of this sort of diet. Some people will eat their carbs in the day time and choose not to touch any food containing carbs after 7pm (so that they can burn the carb calories during the day which is easier than during the night, when the body is generally at rest). Others will choose to avoid carbs entirely and design there meals around larger amounts of proteins (chicken, dals, soya) and veggies instead.

While it is a fact that changing ones diet to a low-carb diet for a temporary period of time does aid in weight loss, and has also been proven to lower blood pressure for people who suffer from high blood pressure, its important to understand that this diet should be followed only for short periods of time and not attempted on a permanent basis. I for one believe that there is nutritional value to be gained from all food groups, and banishing one from your diet forever could lead not only to a deficiency of some sort, but also to a host of physical problems. Instead, its most essential to keep a sense of balance in your diet. Even if you do decide you would like to cut down on your carb intake, consider perhaps switching to the whole wheat version of certain kinds of carbs, for instance brown rice, whole wheat pasta, even multi-grain bread, all of which contain healthy doses of fiber which promote good digestion and provide the body fuel. Also, last but not least, always talk to your doctor before you decide to make any drastic changes in your daily diet. You have just one body boys and girls, so do yourself a favor and respect it.

"Banish Binges"

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It happens to the best of us. There you are behaving like a perfect angel, living a balanced life in which where are being careful about what you eat, getting the right (healthy) portions of all those carbs, proteins, fruits, veggies, and more on your plate at the right time of the day, and of course supplementing all this good behavior with regular visits to your gym, ensuring that you are getting a good 45 minutes on the treadmill or maybe even an hour at the new aerobics class. When suddenly it happens. Seemingly out of nowhere, the attack is a surprise. It’s unexpected, and catches you off guard.


And oh no, you didn’t see it coming. The big fat binge.

Before you know it, you are sitting at your desk surrounded by empty packets of chips, candy wrappers, and (god forbid!) multiple, now empty, boxes of pizza….And here comes the guilt.

Now you feel like kicking yourself. How did you let that happen? All those weeks of working out and healthy salads gone down the drain. You may as well give up right? Wrong.

Its time to take control people. I am here to tell you that not only can you have total power over those crazy cravings that have a habit of attacking when least expected, but you can avoid the moments of wanting to drown your sorrows in even more ice-cream entirely. I am talking about living a binge-free existence baby.

First things first, the worst thing you can do is to cut out everything sinful out of your life completely. We all have certain weakness, mine personally is chocolate. So what do I do? Allow myself to have those couple of pieces every couple of days…and you what? I ain’t obese. On the other hand, I can handle it when I come face to face with a ginormous Cookie Monster size cake. Plain and simple, if you love something, leave a little room for it in your life. That way you won’t go nuts every time your will power to fight it fades!

Second rule, avoid emotional eating. You just had a fight with your boyfriend. Your boss just yelled at you. Someone just called you “plump”. Do not, I repeat, do not take it out on all the junk food you can find. Stuffing your face full of high-fat, high-calorie food that’s poor in nutritive quality is not the answer girls and boys. Instead, give yourself a time out. Step outside for a couple of minutes if you can, trust me the fresh air can work wonders on a pissy mood. Drink a couple of glasses of water to quell the automatic need to eat something “bad”. In short, find a way to cool down. You’ll find the food choices you make to be dramatically different once you do so.

Finally, don’t fight it. No, I don’t mean load up on fried samosa the next time you feel the urge. I mean, stock up you desk drawer with a few healthy goodies (granola bars, unsalted nuts, baked snacks, digestive biscuits). The next time you get a need to binge, break out the baked stuff baby.

Eat and enjoy :)

"Dairy Diet"

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All of us like a bit of variety. Something different to look forward every day so that it doesn’t feel like you are reliving the same 24 hours again and again and again. And lets face it, that’s why we like to eat out or order in. Just the change in menu from the regular ghar ka khana to something a little more exciting (say Chinese or Italian…yummm) can make for a nice break in the average mundane week. And why not, absolutely nothing wrong with stimulating the taste buds with a little something out of the regular fare I think. As long as you are still getting your daily basics on your dinner plates that is.


So what are those basics? Well, simply put, they are your carbohydrates, proteins, fruits and veggies, and oh yes, your dairy. Now you know enough reasons why it’s super important that you get your daily dose of those first three categories, but what about the fourth? Why do you really need to bother with dairy after you pass the age of 15 when your mom finally stopped yelling at you about drinking your milk so that you could grow “big and tall and strong”?

The truth is that despite all the bad press they may get from dietaholics (oh yes, I do believe that’s a valid term to use for those obsessed with calorie counting, for gods sake, we are NOT all going to walk around calculating every breath of air we take!) dairy products really do contain a bunch of good stuff. Lets start with calcium, the main ingredient found in all dairy products, helps to keep the body strong and prevents brittle bones, nails, teeth and hair as well as decreases the chances of osteoporosis later in life.

Dairy also contains high amounts of protein, which is the main nutrient needed for good muscular health. Vitamin D is another important reason to get that dairy on your plate as it works as an important aid in the absorption of calcium by the body, increasing its bone density and strength. Research has even shown that those people who consume healthy amounts of dairy products on a regular basis are less likely to develop high blood pressure over a period of time than those who have a low intake of dairy.

Last but not least, where oh where do you find this vital nutrient for your daily diet? Good sources of calcium, protein, magnesium, Vitamin D and Vitamin B12 can be found in milk, paneer (cottage cheese), cheese, butter, yoghurt and even in ice-cream (low-fat) --- but go slow and reach for the low-fat versions so that you avoid the extra saturated fat, calories and cholesterol and still get all the rest of the goodies you need.