Dieting the healthy way

It is eight o’clock in the morning. It is mayhem in the house. The children are late for the school van. Suman is impatient to leave because he has an important meeting and his breakfast is not on the table. And where is Sudha? She is fighting back tears of frustration because the kameez that she really, really wanted to wear to the office today, is unbecomingly tight.

Urban Indians are now fighting the battle of the bulge as much as their Western counterparts. Everybody is looking for the shortcut diet, the painless diet, the miracle diet that helps one shed those unwanted kilos.

What sets off the urge to lose weight?

It is interesting to know that though a small minority of women tries to lose weight because of health constraints, appearance and physical comfort are the driving factors for most women who embark on a weight loss program.

Even the smartest overweight individual is willing to try just about any new diet that promises quick, dramatic results more in line with her desired goals and expectations. All scientific facts go out the window!

Popular diets are not always scientifically sound. Before embarking on a quick-fix diet, you need to determine if the diet is effective for weight loss and most importantly, for weight maintenance.

Popular diets- what price?

• Many popular diets result in weight loss but not in weight maintenance.
• Many weight loss institutions give unrealistic and intense low-calorie diets that over the short term cause a greater loss of body water than body fat. When these diets end, water weight is quickly regained.
• A popular diet shuns carbohydrates and advocates a high-fat diet. This diet is nutritionally inadequate and is high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Though the weight loss can be quite dramatic, it comes at a high price. It is extremely hazardous to your health.
• Diet suppressant pills and powders are expensive and can be hazardous to your health in the long run.