Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar reveals dietary tips for 360-degree fitness goals

Nutrition science indicates that culturally relevant foods and eating practices are the gold standard for good nutrition and health According to nutrition expert Rujuta Diwekar the nutritional wisdom passed down by our grandmothers coupled with a healthy lifestyle and regular physical activity is essential to tackle these diseases naturallyHere is some cherrypicked expert advice from Rujuta Diwekarrsquos The 12Week Fitness Project on Audible In this audiobook Rujuta shares stepbystep weekly guidelines to help people attain their 360degree fitness goalsWhy tea and coffee arenrsquot the dayrsquos start anymoreTherersquos no better start to the day than consuming fresh fruit nuts and raisins Going by the norm a lot of people start their day with tea or coffee but this is not the ideal move to make if fitness is your goal The allrounder banana entails several health benefits such as fibre weight loss prevention of constipation and improving blood sugar levelsAbout 78 soaked raisins with 12 strands of kesar are ideal for people who suffer from low energy levels and PMS Premenstrual syndrome Consume 46 soaked and peeled almonds for combating insulin resistance diabetes PCOD low fertility or poor sleep quality Specifically for PCOD switch to 78 raisins and 12 strands of kesar 10 days before the menstrual cycle beginsAdd 1 teaspoon of ghee to breakfast lunch and dinnerFrom the shastras to your grandparents everyone has sung glories of ghee which is a core ingredient in most Indian kitchens Adding a teaspoon of ghee to lunch or dinner helps with energy sweet cravings constipation and irritable bowel syndromeThe golden elixir can be consumed with makhanas laddoo or after dinner to maintain healthy skin and keep joints supple Ghee by nature is lipolytic meaning it helps break down stubborn fats helps us destress assimilate nutrients is rich in antioxidants and reduces glycaemic index to aid the regulation of blood sugarDonrsquot limit yourself to a light evening snack instead eat a wholesome meal The makeorbreak evening meal is the most important meal of the day according to Rujuta Diwekar She strongly advises her clients to take this makeorbreak meal seriously as this determines the outcome of a fitness planThis meal of course can be followed by a light dinner A handful of chana or groundnuts for diabetics and jaggery with ghee chapatis for low HB levels are some of the essential evening snack recommendations by Diwekar Light dinner meals such as poha upma dosa egg toast protein shake or besan laddoos post6 pm will keep you sustained after long and tiring work hoursMove more sit lessMostly 95 jobs household chores and other miscellaneous tasks leave no time for a workout How does one bridge the gap By taking the stairs standing up for 3 minutes for every 30 minutes of sitting performing one chore performed by house help once a week and taking 100 easy steps after dinner Park your car far away so you can sneak in a walk every time you go out Donrsquot forget to take a 1015minute stroll every dayStart with at least one session of strength training every weekIt is pivotal to gain lean body weight to lose weight As we get older our fat begins to infiltrate our muscles and our anabolic response ndash that is where strength training plays an important role to turn that around Donrsquot just focus on increasing reps rather increase the weights you lift Strength training is extremely effective but an undervalued intervention for maintaining hormonal healthIt keeps your insulin sensitive prevents diabetes regulates the period cycle and stimulates growth hormones Plan for at least 150 minutes of total workout time in the week with a 2day gap between two weight training sessions Donrsquot forget to build in rest days and schedule cardio a day after weight trainingEat daalrice for dinnerDid you know that the quintessential goto Indian meal lsquodaal ricersquo is an excellent prebiotic lowers cholesterol levels and reduces the risk of heart disease Just because you are following a weight loss diet do not limit your rice options to brown rice because the excess fibre in brown rice comes in the way of absorption of minerals like zinc crucial for insulin functionWhite rice has a lot of lesserknown benefits such as vitamin B1 which is good for inflammation and bloating resistant starch which prevents cancer and BCAA branch chain amino acids in rice helps see results of workout fasterSurya Namaskar can energise your dayThe one and only yoga asana that has stood the test of time the one that bridges the gap between strength and calm is the Suryanamaskar The 4 Srsquos of fitness namely strength stamina stretching and stability can be attained with this asana eliminating the hassle of time space or moneyMake sure you perform five Suryanamaskars everyday whether it is after lunch prebreakfast or postbath Suryanamaskar strengthens back muscles as well as maintains hormonal balanceBring back these three fats in your daily diet Tadka in kacchi ghaani coldpressed or filtered oils Coconut as garnishing chutney etc Cashews as midmeal or with milk before sleepingWhen it comes to cooking use native or coldpressed oils instead of refined oils Kacchi Ghaani refers to the oil that is extracted at a lower temperature and therefore retains the fatty acids vitamins and other nutrients Garnishing food with coconut or consuming it with jaggery is beneficial to onersquos health as it is antibacterial soothes digestion and calms nervesCashews are rich in good fats minerals amino acids and vitamins they can be consumed midmeal or with milk These simple yet traditional kitchen items must not be underestimated when it comes to their nutritional value