How to order when eating out
Eat something healthy before going out, so you will not be tempted to eat more when at the restaurant.
Read the menu carefully to judge which are the least fatty foods.
Choose clear soups instead of creamy ones. Clear soups are just as nutritious and filling but don’t contain as much fat.
Green salads and veggies with low fat dressings are deliciously refreshing and contain lesser fat. Lemon juice, salt, pepper and vinegar are great low-fat dressings. Avoid potato and macaroni salads, as they are high in calories.
Choose grilled, steamed or poached foods over those with rich, creamy gravy/sauces.
Choose tandoori roti, romali roti or missi roti over breads with high butter content.
Grilled items like tandoori chicken, baked fish, pasta with tomato sauce and paneer tikka make great entrees.
Specify that you would prefer as little use of butter and oil in your dishes.
Try to resist ordering dessert, but if you must, then choose fresh fruit or frozen yoghurt.
While Travelling for business or pleasure, pre-plan meals and snacks to reduce stress and to keep your energy high. Take along mineral water, iced tea, vegetable juice and some low fat snacks like whole wheat sandwiches, salad and fresh fruits.

Food Myths
Myth 1 : Juices help reduce weight and cut calorie intake.
Fact : Juices are concentrated sources of energy and have added sugar content. Eating whole fruit whould be more beneficial for your health.
Myth 2 : Refined oils are 99% fat free.
Fact : All refined oils are 99% fat, irrespective of their composition and trade name. 1 teaspoon of refined oil gives 45 cal.
Myth 3 : Honey is good for weight loss.
Fact : Honey consists of 75% sugar (glucose & fructose) and 25% water. It increases the blood sugar and provides 3 Cal per gram of honey.
Myth 4 : Refined oil is preferable to ghee or butter.
Fact : The ideal combination of oil should be as follows : PUFA : MUFA: SFA = 10:12-13:6-8.
PUFA (sunflower oil/safflower oil)
MUFA (olive oil/mustard oil/groundnut oil)
SFA (ghee/butter)
Myth 5 : Toasted bread has less caloreis than the normal brea.
Fact : Toasting bread only converts starch into dextrins. The caloric count however remains the same, i.e., 1 slice of bread = 70 Cal.
Myth 6 : Healthy foods means bland food.
Fact : This is not true. Traditional spices provide the necessary taste and flavour to the foods. At the same time, they are rich in micronutrients, anti-oxidants and fibre. There is no reason to avoid spices, unless they are not tolerated. Theonly restrictive feature of healthy diet is its low sals and fat content.
Myth 7 : Fat content of milk may be reduced by adding water.
Fact : If water is added, all other nutrients in milk also get diluted. Skimming is the best way to remove fat from the milk. Other nutrients are retained in skimmed milk.
Myth 8 : Low calorie foods can be eaten in unlimited amounts.
Fact : Even low calorie foods have calories which add up and must be burned off regardless of what kind of food we eat. Balance is the key to success.
Myth 9 : Buttermilk has only carbohydrates.
Fact : Buttermilk is a very good source of proteins & calcium.

Water helps keep fat away

Water is the key part of any weight loss programme. You should drink at least 10-12 glasses of water everyday. It is essential for you as it helps remove body fat and is good for you overall health.
The benefits of water are manifold :
It helps suppress your appetite.
It reduces build up of sodium in your body.
It reduces fluid retention. It is when your body does not get enough water that it starts retaining fluids.
It reduces fat deposits.
It helps maintain proper muscle tone.
It helps you body get rid of waste and toxins.
It relieves constipation.
Among other fluids, Nimboo Pani should be preferred.
Fresh lime soda (without sugar), Buttermilk, Coconut water, Vegetable Juice and clear Soups are also recommended for healthy body.
Start your meals with one of the above or just a glass of plain water.
Water Retention
Water Retention happens when excess water gets stored in the tissue spaces between cells. It is caused due to the following factors :
(a) Salt Intake - Restrict consumption of Sodium in your diet. Foods high in sodium will cause water retention.
(b) Hormonal Imbalance.
(c) Pre Menstrual Retention - Pre menstrual retention of water can be minimised by drinking plenty of water, maintaining an active programme & restriciting your salt intake.

Foods with high sodium content
You should avoid the following items if on a low Sodium diet :
:: Salt
:: Baking Powder
:: Bicarbonate of Soda
:: Mono-Sodium Glutamat (Ajinomoto)
:: Cheese
:: Bacon, Ham, Sausages, Dried Fish
:: Meat and yeast extracts like Marmite
:: Salted Chips, Nuts, Popcor, Biscuits and all varieties of Papad.
:: Salted Pickles, Chutneys.
:: Commercial salad dressing and sauces, pudding mixes.
:: Soft drinks containing Sodium Benzoate.
:: Soup cubes
:: Proprietary drinks containing Chocolate.

Walk daily, be fit for life
Whatever your age, whatever your level of fitness, walking is the simplest and most effective form of activity for losing weight.
While walking, you should wear loose clothes and well-fitting canvas shoes.
Start at a slow pace and be careful to build up your speed and distance gradually.
Walk briskly with rhythmic movement of your arms and feet. Walk fast enough to become a little breathless and slightly tired but never leave yourself gasping for air or completely exhausted. You should be comfortabel enough to carry on a conversation while walking.
Regular walks will slowly improve your heartbeat, endurance and all-round levle of fitness.
Walking builds long learn muscles, which help in burning calories all the time, day and night, even while you are asleep.
Preferably walk on an empty stomach or 2-3 hours after the last meal.

Easy ways to boost your activity level
Walk as much as possible throughout the day, use your car as less as possible.
Always take the stairs instead of the elevator.
When parking your vehicle, park it as far away as possible from where you want to go.
Hide all your remote controls, operate everything manually.
Whenever possible, stand instead of sitting. If you are desk bound at work, stand up when you are on the phone; walk over to give messages to colleagues rather than using e-mail or phone. During break at work, walk the stairs, around the building or down the halls.
While doing household chores, exaggerate your movements and make them big.
While doing household chores, exaggerate your movements and make them big.
Plant a garden, take up gardening as a hobby.
Spend quality tiem outdoors with your children or grandchildren.
Take up an outdoor with your children or grandchildren.
Try to work out as much as possible, but at your own pace. Reward yourself, not by getting yourself a snack, but maybe by buying a new wardrobe for your trim body.

Tips to control your food intake
Keep a daily reocrd of your food intake in the diet diary.
Do not shop when you are hungry. Buy only non-fattening food. Read lables carefully before buying.
Always eat in one room, at the same place and avoid pairing you eating with other activities like watching TV, cooking or reading.
Always keep at hand low-calorie foods to use as snacks, like fruits and raw vegetables.
If you feel like nibbling on something, you can have “saunf”, “ilayachi” or nibble on pieces of chopped apple, etc.
Make small portions of food appear larger by using a small plate or by spreading the food.
Eat slowly and chew food thoroughly. This helps to eat less food but absorb more vitamins and minerals.
Store food wisely. Keep high-calorie items in places which are hard to reach, like high shelves.
Don’t think just because you are eating low fat/low calorie food, you can eat all you want. The calories still add up and must be burned off. Balance is the key to success.