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Dear Tushar Jagtap, Thank you for the question

WHO has given different BMI (Body mass index) classifications to categorise adults into different weight categories. BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height. It can be considered as a 2nd level indicator of overall health.
It can be calculated using a simple formula of BMI = Weight (kg) / Height (m²)
Following is the WHO BMI Classification
18.5 to 24.9 - Normal
Less than 18.5 - Underweight
25 to 29 - Overweight
Above 30 - Obese

As per WHO BMI (Body Mass Index) classification, a person weighing less than 18.5 kg/m2 is considered underweight.


The causes of underweight or unintended weight loss can be due to genetics, inadequate food intake, stress, hormonal imbalance, malabsorption or other underlying health condition.

An ideal weight management program such as weight gain involves lifestyle management including dietary modification, regular physical activity, hydration and good sleep cycle. With any weight gain diet, changes take time to reflect as your body requires sufficient time to adapt to the changes in order to show results.

A high calorie and high protein diet is recommended for weight gain. Daily protein requirement should ideally be followed as 0.8-1g protein per kg body weight. Some of the sources of high protein include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds etc.
Here are few guidelines that can be considered
- Having a Healthy Diversified Balanced Diet that includes all the food groups in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning. Include energy dense foods, keeping in mind the daily needs.
- Maintain a positive energy balance where the calorie intake should be more than the energy expenditure.
- Include energy dense foods, keeping in mind the daily needs. Some of the energy dense foods include Whole wheat, Multigrain, millets, dairy products, nuts, colocasia leaves, banana, raisins, pulses/lentils etc.
- Do not skip meals. Eat small frequent meals.
- Three major meals a day with healthy nutritious snacks in between is preferred.
- Try to increase the serving size and portion size gradually and systematically
- Include healthy fats from nuts and seeds.
- Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to maintain hydration
- Indulging in physical activity can help in increasing the appetite and give a feeling of hunger.
- Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.
For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions, please contact your Health care professional.
Hope we have answered your query.
Wishing you a great day ahead

Dear Iqra Qadeer, Thank you for the question

Adolescence or teen age is acritical period of our lives in which our body undergoes rapid changes, growth and development. It is very essential to consume a healthy balanced diet with adequate amount of protein and other nutrients such as calcium, iron, vitamin D etc., which will help support growth, development, pubertal changes and strong bones.

An adolescent girl should take enough calcium rich foods in her diet to support the increase of bone density and maintain healthy strong bones. Some of the calcium sources include milk, cheese, paneer, Ragi, curd, yougurt.

Reference weight and height for a 19-year-old female is 53.8kg and 161.1cm respectively

In any weight management programme, it is very essential to consume a healthy diversified balanced diet with few dietary modifications and regular physical activity. For weight gain it is essential to focus on your daily balanced diet with high calorie, high protein and regular meals.

With any weight gain diet, changes take time to reflect as your body requires sufficient time to adapt to the changes in order to show results.


A high calorie and high protein diet is recommended for weight gain. Daily protein requirement should ideally be followed as 0.8-1g per kg body weight. Some of the sources of high protein include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds etc.
Here are few guidelines that can be considered
- Having a Healthy Diversified Balanced Diet that includes all the food groups in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning. Include energy dense foods, keeping in mind the daily needs.
- Maintain a positive energy balance where the calorie intake should be more than the energy expenditure.
- Include energy dense foods, keeping in mind the daily needs. Some of the energy dense foods include Whole wheat, Multigrain, millets, dairy products, nuts, olocasia leaves, banana, raisins, pulses/lentils etc.
- Do not skip meals. Eat small frequent meals.
- Three major meals a day with healthy nutritious snacks in between is preferred.
- Try to increase the serving size and portion size gradually and systematically
- Include healthy fats from nuts and seeds.
- Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to maintain hydration
- Indulging in physical activity can help in increasing the appetite and give a feeling of hunger.
- Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions, please contact your Health care professional.
Hope we have answered your query.
Wishing you a great day ahead

Dear Ankita, Thank you for the question

Increased lower body fat can happen due to sedentary lifestyle, excess intake of high fat foods, hormonal imbalance and/or an underlying health condition. Please contact your health professional for further diagnosis and assistance.
A sustainable and healthy weight loss regimen, should target on overall weight loss and fat reduction. Weight loss requires a holistic approach that involves lifestyle modification which includes Dietary modification, Physical activity and stress management. With any weight loss plan changes take time to reflect as your body requires sufficient time to adapt to the changes in order to show results.
An ideal weight loss meal plan should include calorie deficit diet with appropriate exercise regime followed under professional guidance.

However here are few objectives to be considered when planning to start with a weight loss program.
Count Your Daily Calories
• It is recommended to consume 500kcal less than your average, daily, current dietary intake of calories to target on 2-3kg weight loss per month (ideally 0.5kg per week).
• This target is a healthy& sustainable way of reducing and then maintaining the weight loss.
• The first step hence is “counting your daily calorie intakes”. Counting your daily calorie intake is proven to be effective when on a weight loss diet. You can use applications/apps freely available, that will help you count your calories to keep a track on your daily calorie intake and physical activity levels.
• These apps will also help you to track your hydration & sleep patterns which also impact your weight.
• Ideal body weight for an individual can be calculated using the Broca Index (BI) which is: Ideal Standard Weight (kg) = Ht (cm) – 100
• WHO has given different BMI (Body mass index) classifications to categorise adults into different weight categories. BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height. It can be considered as a 2nd level indicator of overall health.
It can be calculated using a simple formula of BMI = Weight (kg) / Height (m²)

Following is the WHO BMI Classification
18.5 to 24.9 - Normal
Less than 18.5 - Underweight
25 to 29 - Overweight
Above 30 – Obese

General Dietary Guidelines for weight loss that can be considered:
- Eat a well-balanced diet that includes all the 5 food groups (cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables, milk & milk products).
- Do not skip your meals. Have small quantity of meals at regular intervals.
- Choose healthy snacking options in between your meals.
- Monitor your portion size.
-Try to include whole grains like wheat, millets and multigrain in your diet as they are a good source of fiber and other nutrients.
- Fiber in your meals can potentiate the satiating property, suppress excess hunger and control food intake. All fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts & seeds etc., are a good source of fiber.
- Try switching from saturated fats and trans fats to MUFA (mono-unsaturated fatty acids) & PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) as they are essential fatty acids and are good for your health.
- Consume fresh, seasonal fruits as they contain many essential nutrients and are good sources of fiber.
- Carbonated and alcoholic beverages to be limited or preferably avoided.
- Deep Fried foods to be restricted. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
- Minimum of 8 glasses of water should be consumed to keep yourself hydrated.
-
- Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before Bed time.
- Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

Some Physical Activity Tips:
Engage in at least 30-45 minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity such as walking for at least five days a week.

For further assistance you can book a call for free dietitian consultation on our website. https://www.callr.live/aashirvaadexperts/Book-Appointment
For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions please contact your Health care professional or any registered dietician.
Hope we have answered your query.
Wishing you a great day ahead.

Dear Priya N, Thank you for the question

A sustainable and healthy weight loss regimen, should target on overall weight loss and fat reduction. Weight loss requires a holistic approach that involves lifestyle modification which includes Dietary modification, Physical activity and stress management. With any weight loss plan changes take time to reflect as your body requires sufficient time to adapt to the changes in order to show results.
An ideal weight loss meal plan should include calorie deficit diet with appropriate exercise regime followed under professional guidance.

However here are few objectives to be considered when planning to start with a weight loss program.
Count Your Daily Calories
• It is recommended to consume 500kcal less than your average, daily, current dietary intake of calories to target on 2-3kg weight loss per month (ideally 0.5kg per week).
• This target is a healthy& sustainable way of reducing and then maintaining the weight loss.
• The first step hence is “counting your daily calorie intakes”. Counting your daily calorie intake is proven to be effective when on a weight loss diet. You can use applications/apps freely available, that will help you count your calories to keep a track on your daily calorie intake and physical activity levels.
• These apps will also help you to track your hydration & sleep patterns which also impact your weight.
• Ideal body weight for an individual can be calculated using the Broca Index (BI) which is: Ideal Standard Weight (kg) = Ht (cm) – 100
• WHO has given different BMI (Body mass index) classifications to categorise adults into different weight categories. BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height. It can be considered as a 2nd level indicator of overall health.
It can be calculated using a simple formula of BMI = Weight (kg) / Height (m²)

Following is the WHO BMI Classification
18.5 to 24.9 - Normal
Less than 18.5 - Underweight
25 to 29 - Overweight
Above 30 – Obese

General Dietary Guidelines for weight loss that can be considered:
- Eat a well-balanced diet that includes all the 5 food groups (cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables, milk & milk products).
- Do not skip your meals. Have small quantity of meals at regular intervals.
- Choose healthy snacking options in between your meals.
- Monitor your portion size.
-Try to include whole grains like wheat, millets and multigrain in your diet as they are a good source of fiber and other nutrients.
- Fiber in your meals can potentiate the satiating property, suppress excess hunger and control food intake. All fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts & seeds etc., are a good source of fiber.
- Try switching from saturated fats and trans fats to MUFA (mono-unsaturated fatty acids) & PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) as they are essential fatty acids and are good for your health.
- Consume fresh, seasonal fruits as they contain many essential nutrients and are good sources of fiber.
- Carbonated and alcoholic beverages to be limited or preferably avoided.
- Deep Fried foods to be restricted. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
- Minimum of 8 glasses of water should be consumed to keep yourself hydrated.
-
- Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before Bed time.
- Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

Some Physical Activity Tips:
Engage in at least 30-45 minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity such as walking for at least five days a week.

For further assistance you can book a call for free dietitian consultation on our website. https://www.callr.live/aashirvaadexperts/Book-Appointment
For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions please contact your Health care professional or any registered dietician.
Hope we have answered your query.
Wishing you a great day ahead.

Dear Mamta Choudhary, Thank you for the question

Constipation can be due to inadequate fiber and water intake, it may also be a symptom of gastrointestinal digestive issues such as indigestion, IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), intolerances etc., and/or due to an underlying health condition which requires medical attention.
Some other causes that can lead to constipation include neglecting urge to defecate, irregular meals, excess stress etc. For further diagnosis and assistance kindly contact your specialized health care professional.
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of fiber for female is 25g per and male is 30g/day
Here are a few tips to help manage constipation
- Include adequate amount of fiber to your daily balanced diet. Some of the good sources of fiber include Whole grains, multigrain, millets, Psyllium, fruits such as apples, banana, citrus fruits, vegetables like green beans, peas, potato, cauliflower, nuts and soybean etc.
- An intake of at least 2 litres of water per day.
- A glass of hot water , preferably taken with lemon juice taken early in the morning, stimulates gastro colic reflex and helps ease constipation.
A few guidelines for general digestive health to be considered:
- Do not skip your meals, have small frequent meals at regular intervals.
- Eat a well-balanced diet including minimum 5 serving of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit in a day as they are good sources of fiber and essential nutrients such as vitamin A, Vitamin B, iron, zinc etc.
- Include prebiotics such as banana, soyabean, garlic etc., good sources of probiotics like yogurt, buttermilk etc., to maintain a healthy gut.
- Avoid large, heavy meals, and practice portion guidance.
- Deep fried foods to be restricted. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
- Food should be eaten slowly and chewed well as fast eating provokes gastric feeding reflex.
- Avoid lying down immediately after your meal consumption
- Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day
- Have a gap of minimum 2-3 hours between bedtime and your last meal
- Engage in physical activity for a minimum of 30-45 minutes for at least 5 days a week.
- Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

For a customised and personalised meal plan for specific conditions, please contact your Health care professional.
Hope we have answered your query.