It's time to get fit or get out !

Fruit first

Of course you've got a plateful of green sermons from mommy, so we'll pass that up. But did you know that we are supposed to eat fruits before and not after a meal? If you thought you've been doing yourself a good deed by swapping that sinful dessert with a fruit salad at the end of a hearty meal, know that the poor little fruits would be waiting for a long time before it's their turn to hit the digestive machine. During which time their properties get altered. Since fruits are lighter, it makes good sense to eat them first so that their goodness is incorporated by the body in its entirety.

Go brown

You can never be too tired of the go green slogan, but brown is the latest buzz on the table. Anything made of white, refined flour sticks to the stomach and doesn't aid digestion. Brown bread and rice may not be easily available in your corner grocery, but it pays to make the extra effort if you want your food to be running around your viens and not be sulking in some corner of your tummy! Ditto when it comes to choosing your pastas and pizzas. Always buy the ones made from whole wheat grains. Probably you'll have to settle for foreign brands here but then you are eating Italian anyway!

Are you fat or obese?

How fat is fat? Most fat people love to see themselves as pleasantly plump. There is a huge difference. A few kilos here and there is fine but if you can't be comfortable on a fourth seat in the local, or worse, have the third person falling off their seat thanks to your large form, then you need to wake up and smell the coffee. Obesity is mother that births many illnesses.

C for calorie

You have been warned many times, but it's high time you took heed – get those wafers and colas out of the way. An occasional munch is okay but mindless consumption of easy food only gives you useless calories and inches around the waist. Besides, processed foods of any kind are loaded with saturated fat, which is very difficult for the body to digest.

Shop with care

Be a literate shopper. Read the labels carefully to check for harmful preservatives and additives, especially in our part of the world where food guidelines are pretty lax. Of course in this age and time you cannot make all your achars and sauces at home, but shop with better care. Take some time off to research common additives and preservatives in foods, write to the brands concerned if need be and never be afraid to demand explanations. The consumer is the king you know!

Liquid diet

The party is not yet over, but post hangover, try switching to herbal or green tea from coffee and sticking to beer and wine when it comes to alcohol. Well, only for a change if nothing else. While on the subject of liquids, be aware of how much water you drink in a day. Most of us drink too little water. They say 15 glasses a day, but even if you can down 8 to 10, you should treat yourself to a round of, well, okay, wine on the weekend. And as far as juices are concerned, well, the processed ones are not so healthy after all. It pays to invest in a good quality juicer and do it yourself. Nothing like treating yourself to a tall glass of frothing carrot juice in the morning or a cocktail of apple and grape juice to nurse in the evening during your favourite TV show.

Clean up

And when the party does get over, go for at least a three to four day detox programme to wash all off that sinful indulgence. An all day liquid diet programme also does a world of good if you cannot afford anything longer.

By the way, a week-long GM (General Motors) diet, which you can easily download from the Internet, works wonders for the body, leaving you feeling light, fresh and radiant. Also, if done well, it helps you lose a good four to five kilos flat! In fact, a detox programme is a basic clean up we should give our body from time to time. It also helps to fast once a week.

Sweat it out

Now comes the hard part. If you have decided to burst those tyres, there's no alternative to sweating it out. Take a long, hard look into the mirror and visualise how you'd like to look in a couple of months. Losing weight is a very general term. In the age of specialisation, figure correction should be the new attitude. Take to the treadmill or the asphalt accordingly. Form a mutual motivation club with a friend or a family member if you find the going tough initially. Also, little attention to details like choosing a gym or a fitness club close to your house improves chances of success. Booking a personal trainer also helps ensure you stay more disciplined.

Be gym aware

Are you gym aware? You may have decided to hit the gym with a vengeance but consider the following before your trainer charts out the exercise plan: your age, ailments if any, level of stamina and lifestyle. Most trainers keep pushing you hard, and that is their job alright, but if you feel the slightest strain on your knees and back alert them. Know this – a bad exercise regimen can do you more harm than good. And if your knees pack up, you are done in for life.

Pick a circle of friends

We are not advising you to discard old friends, but stick with the new ones you make at the gym or the tennis courts with some earnestness. You will be in the company of like-minded people who have understood the value of one of the most precious gifts of life – good health. Call them over for a get-together, where you will only serve health meals and snacks and fresh drinks. Go on hikes and health trips (your other old friends are out of shape and do not wish to stir up; which is why you should stick with the new lot more closely) construct a discussion board and encourage others to take that first step towards good health.

Test drive

While at it, it's a good time to take the adage of prevention being better than cure to heart. Invest in regular check-ups to ensure your doctor is not always synonymous with a problem. An annual blood test, sugar and cholesterol tests and eye check-ups are basics one should not ignore. More so, if you belong to the 40-50 + age bracket.

Women need to be extra careful here. Young, sexually active women shouldn't shy away from pap smear tests, which are to guard against cervix cancer. Women looking to conceive need to be especially thorough with rubella and hepatitis B vaccines among others. It is also important to check if one is thalassemia minor before pregnancy. In fact, this test should be done before marriage to check if your partner is a thalassemia minor as well, in which case the child could be thalassemic.

Getting a low down on hemoglobin count is very important for women who suffer heavy bleeding during their menstrual cycles and may experience low energy levels as a result. If one experiences unexplained weight gain, lethargy, dry skin and hair, it may be time for a thyroid test. A mammogram may be mandatory only after a particular age, but periodic self-examination of the breast is something which no woman should ignore.

Older women also need to go for pelvic ultrasounds to check for early signs of uterus or ovarian cancer, especially if there is a similar history in the family.

Men, while you ensure that you egg on the women in your family, do not ignore to get annual check-ups for blood sugar, blood pressure and stress.

Pamper yourself

With all this behind you, take time off to pamper yourself from time to time with sinful massages, facials and pedicures, whether you are a man or a woman. Relaxing the body is a precursor to relaxing the mind. Take at least one longish holiday a year and pick up a hobby or two if you have none already. Little changes in lifestyle make all the difference between living and existing. Throw in a little meditation or yoga and you complete a holistic picture.



•  If you have decided to burst those tyres, there's no alternative to sweating it out. Form a mutual motivation club with a friend or a family member if you find the going tough initially