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Meal Preparation Strategies

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Whether working or a full time homemaker, deciding on a cooking menu every day for all times of the day is always a task. It’s a bigger task when you are very conscious about the nutrients and a balanced diet. Some simple edits to your routine will surely make it much simpler and fun.

  1. Plan your weekly menu: Whether you plan or do not plan invariably items in our menus are repeated every week. But, if we do plan properly with respect to all the meals for the day, a proper distribution of nutrients throughout the day is possible. Like high energy and protein items can be added in breakfast to kick start the day, light salads and some basic carbs in lunch to keep you going in office without making you feel drowsy, and at the end of the day keeping the dinner such that you digest it without much physical activities.
  1. Prepare in advance: As per plan, prepare for the next meal as well as next day meals. For instance if you need to soak beans/pulses etc. soak it overnight. Also cut/peel some vegetables and keep them ready in advance as per plan.
  1. Shop & Store: As you plan your meals, you will need certain items to be bought from the shop and some would be readily available in stock in your kitchen. Perishable items like dairy, poultry, fruits and fresh veggies needs to be shopped and stocked as per your plan at regular intervals. Non perishables can be stocked for monthly requirements based on your consumption.
  1. Plan of Action: Now as you have outlined what to do and how to do, you need to document it to keep everything in line. Yes, a weekly menu plan on a piece of paper will bring in the clarity for next week. This will make sure you don’t repeat items very often and plan beforehand for the next day and especially for step 2 and 3 above.

Also you can spare Sunday for preparation of dry snacks, chutney, dips etc. to be used in next week.

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Set small goals that are easy to achieve

Relaxing: Hemant in a meditative mode

Relaxing with Meditation: Hemanth in a reflective mode

At 22 years old he led the most sedentary lifestyle. While sitting down all day may seem harmless, but, he was not surprised that it was having a negative impact on his health. Being aware of the problem and not knowing how to go about rectifying the problem… is the story of most people’s lives. However, Hemanth Kumar did not lose heart and found a way out to get motivated and get on his path to fitness. His story in his own words.

I am a mechanical engineer and I have been working in shifts. Shift work means sleep and food patterns are erratic. Further due to lack of any form of exercise or physical activity, I would always feel lethargic. So much so that I would not be interested in doing anything. As for my daily diet, I would have 3 heavy meals namely breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It was no surprise for me that sitting behind a desk, commuting or relaxing on the couch for too many hours a day can be harmful to my health, but what I was not aware of was the extent of havoc it is causing my body. I realized it while I was reading an article on health.

After I finished reading it I was scared for myself as I was young and could not take it lightly. I had to do something to change my lifestyle before my condition got worse. I also read that most health professionals recommend walking 10,000 steps a day (approximately 5 miles = 8 Km). It is the ideal goal to set for improving health and reducing the health risks caused by inactivity.

This statement got me thinking and I started researching on various sites like Amazon and the likes looking for a fitness tracker. I was wanting a health gadget that could get me on track. Something that could track my fitness and other aspects. And, I came across GOQii. I read several reviews and content on GOQii. I was convinced with what I read. The best part was that it came with expert advice from a coach. I was relieved that there will be somebody to monitor my progress. So I was not going to be alone on my path to a healthy lifestyle.

GOQii is also about getting people to change their lifestyles without doing anything drastic. Changes are brought about purely through new healthy habit formation and letting go of your old unhealthy habits. I bought my GOQii band on December 25th and Dr. Afsha Shaikh is my coach.

I discussed my lifestyle with my coach and we zeroed in on my health goal. My first health goal was to get into a regular exercise regime, daily target to clock 13k steps and an increase my intake of protein which I lacked.

My coach got me into regular exercising. She also altered my diet. Instead of having three heavy meals a day. I started having small and frequent meals. I have also started including fruits in my diet which were missing earlier. Many of what my coach added to my diet were something I was aware of but never got around to having them. My water intake was also poor prior to GOQii and now I drink 2.5 litres of water daily without fail.

I have learnt a lot by being on the GOQii platform. While researching on health and fitness I remember reading “traditional thought suggests that having a healthy diet and getting aerobic exercise will offset the effects of time spent being sedentary. Even if you exercise for 30 minutes a day, you may not be able to counteract the effects brought on by the lack of activity throughout the rest of your day. Rather, the solution seems to be less sitting and more moving overall”.

That is exactly what my coach got me to do. She got me to start moving. My coach helped me set small goals and also guided me on how to achieve it. Today, I feel good about myself and more energetic. I am also fitter than before.

What does Coach Dr. Afsha Shaikh have to say about player Hemanth Kumar?

Hemanth Kumar had a long term goal to lose fat, extra inches, and weight. We had set some small term goals to increase fiber intake and I must say he was one of my dedicated players who has been following his goals seriously. Also, he has been very good with maintaining his step count which has reflects his enthusiasm in doing some good physical activity. On the days he could not complete his step count, he would make up for the loss over the weekend.  Initially, we had decided on exercising in the morning then when he got on the night shift he could not do morning exercises and therefore, we decided we would do exercises as and when possible. This decision suited him appropriately and he became more regular with his exercise.

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6 tips for Mindful Drinking

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Most adults admit they turn to alcohol to help them cope after a stressful day.Even though it might seem like a few drinks can relieve the pressures of the day, in the medium to long term it can actually add to them – whether they’re work, financial or family related. Stress can also be an excuse for people to drink more than they should, especially if they don’t realize the negative impact it can have on their health and well-being. 

Here are 6 tips for mindful drinking :

  1. Eat first and eat enough.

By the time most people get to a happy hour, they’re starving. Ordering a platter or salad is always a great option because it has fiber and protein and won’t lead you to consume tons of fried or junk food.If you are still hungry after an appetizer, order a regular meal. You are likely to be more satisfied and end up eating fewer calories than if you were to just snack on tons of things around you.

  1. Pace yourself with water.

It’s easy to pound two or three drinks quickly, especially after a long day. To limit your alcohol intake, start with a big glass of water and lemon and order a sparkling water in between drinks. This will force you to stay hydrated and limit going overboard on booze.

  1. Skip the mixing and fruity stuff.

Stay away from mixed drinks. They’re high in calories, but not satiating. Don’t switch from beers, to shots, to liquor, to margaritas, to whatever.  Bad idea.  Don’t start with beer and then switch to hard liquor either.  You’re already drunk so you won’t be able to tell how much liquor you’re consuming, which is when things go downhill quickly.  Pick something and stick with it.

  1. Keep count

Drink in moderation, of course. More than four drinks in a sitting for women, or more than five in a sitting for men is considered binge drinking.  Remember tip number 2— sipping water between alcoholic beverages is a great way to slow down the count.

  1. Day-drink wisely.

Weekends can mean prolonged drinking over the course of the day. Choose drinks that are lower in overall alcohol content like beer, wine, and wine spritzers to avoid overconsumption and allow you to stay in the action for the whole day. Don’t forget to get some high quality calories from your meals and consider a break for an hour or two without alcohol throughout the day. 

  1. Rest up, before and after.

Don’t drink after strenuous physical activity or after a night of poor sleep. And be sure to get a good amount of sleep after a night of drinking. Alcohol can lower blood sugar levels, and hitting the bottle on an empty stomach or after a tough workout only depletes those levels further.

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‘Do not blame the fats for what the carbohydrate did!’

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More than calculating calories it’s imperative to count the composition of each meal with respect to carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Let us Centre our attention on carbohydrates. India is a carbohydrate rich country but, carbohydrate over time is not doing much good to us. All our concerns lie with consuming excess carbohydrate. Carbohydrate (Sugars & Starches) forms a greater proportion of our diet and hence there is manifestation of carbohydrate toxicity which in turn is leading us on the road to impaired insulin levels, weight gain, hormonal imbalance & cardiovascular diseases.

Carbohydrates, like any other nutrient are beneficial only if consumed in the right proportion. The right amount of carbohydrate for most Indians is about 55-60% of total calories with emphasis on complex variety as against 70-72% being consumed at present.  Much of the benefits attributed to carbohydrate foods come from slow digesting, complex variety. They are high in fibre, low in fat and a good source of vitamins hence a crucial part of diet.

Balancing carbohydrate intake is central for managing our diet. So how do we know if we are having the right proportion?

  • Firstly, we need to distribute carbohydrate in our main meals plus in our snacking hours. Piling up carbohydrates during main meals and skipping it at snacks creates a problem.
  • Ditch the wheatflour in chapatti and white rice in main meals atleast thrice a week, try variety of complex carbohydrates such as

Sorghum (Jowar), Pearl Millet (Bajra), Ragi or Red Millet (Nachni), Corn or Maize, Quinoa, Oats, Barley, Semolina(Rava), broken wheat and brown rice. These taste great in our age old recipes such as Sorghum bread, Mix flour cutlets, Ragi or Red Millet Porridge, Mix Flour breads, Brown Rice steamed Idlis, Semolina Pancake, Corn bread, Pearl millet roasted crispy breads!!

  • Avoid refined carbohydrates like Bread (sandwiches), Maida(is a finely milled refined and bleached, closely resembling Cake Flour (Biscuits, Bakery Items, Noodles, Fried Breads (Puri, Bhatura, Naan), Pasta, White Sauce), Sugar (White Sugar, Brown Sugar, Honey, Soft Drinks, Energy Drinks, Sugar Containing Breakfast Cereals, Sweets, Chocolates).
  • Simple carbohydrate such as Fresh fruits are great but avoid fruit juices, 1 glass fruit juice has triple the amount of carbohydrate!
  • Please do not consider Potato, Sweet Potato, Yam (Suran), Colocasia (Arvi) as vegetable, consider it in a carbohydrate rich cereal group. Limit adding of these in vegetables – we love potato mixed with all possible vegetables and even cereals.
  • Do not get tricked with Wheatflour written on food products, Wheatflour is essentially Maida(is a finely milled refined and bleached, closely resembling Cake Flour). Choose food products that have atleast 75% whole wheat flour (WHOLE word is important)! (Oops, do check your brown breads ;))
  • Do not eliminate carbohydrate from your diet just to have a temporary goal satisfaction. Balance is important. It is not the carbohydrate that is immoral but our very low intake of protein and wrong fats, so be smart and choose your foods wisely.

•          Lastly do not eat carb alone – couple 1 serving carb with 1 serving protein & 1 serving vegetables.

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