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Dear Vedu, Thank you for the question

Protein is an important component of your daily balanced diet. The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for protein is 54g/d for men & 46g/d for women.
Here are some of sources of protein that can be included in your daily diet:
• Legumes: lentils, beans (chickpeas, kidney, mung, pinto etc.), peas (green, split, etc.), soybeans (and products made from soy: tofu, tempeh, etc.), peanuts.
• Nuts and Seeds: almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans, hemp seeds, squash and pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds.
• Whole Grains: wheat, quinoa, rice, wild rice, millet, oats, buckwheat,
• While many vegetables and fruits contain some level of protein, it’s generally in smaller amounts than the other plant-based foods. Some examples with higher protein quantities include corn, broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts, and artichokes.
• Milk and milk products such as paneer.
• Lean meat, eggs, fish etc.

As a general dietary guideline, for an apparently healthy individual/ with no specific health or nutrition needs and/or metabolic condition it is recommended to consume 2000kcal per day.

A balanced diet is one which provides all the nutrients in required amounts and proper proportions. It can easily be achieved through a blend of the four basic food groups. The quantities of foods needed to meet the nutrient requirements vary with age, gender, physiological status and physical activity. A balanced diet should provide around 50-60% of total calories from carbohydrates, preferably from complex carbohydrates, about 10-15% from proteins and 20-30% from both visible and invisible fat.

Here are few guidelines for healthy balanced diet that can be considered:
-Have a 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.
- Try to incorporate the My plate Concept by dividing your plate into 4 quadrants, fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, the other two quadrants with cereals and protein. A small quantity of dairy intake is recommended.
-Begin your day with a well-balanced breakfast as it is an important meal of the day.
-Avoid skipping meals. Also, try to avoid fasting and feasting too often.
- Consume small frequent meals, with healthy snacking options.
-Consume minimum 5 servings of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit as they are rich in Fiber, essential minerals & Vitamins as well as they give you a feeling of satiety.
-Try to consume more of Whole grains, Millets and Multigrain foods as they are a good source of fiber.
-Limit intake of deep-fried foods. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
-Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before sleep time.
-Drink adequate amount of water (minimum 8 glasses) of water daily to keep yourself well hydrated
-Engage in at least 30-45 minutes brisk walk/physical activity of moderate intensity at least 5 days a week.
-Try and 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 Farid Tamboli, Thank you for the question

For adult men, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of fiber is 30g per day, for protein it should be considered as 54g per day.

Sustainable weight management requires a holistic approach which involves lifestyle management which includes Dietary modification, Physical activity, hydration, 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
According to the BMI mentioned by you which is 30.8kg/m2, it falls under the Obese BMI range as per WHO classification.

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.
- Studies have shown that some foods can help improve metabolism, they include, cinnamon, green coffee, broccoli, nuts etc.
- Gut microbiota helps regulate metabolism and energy balance, consume banana, garlic, yogurt, buttermilk etc., which are good sources of probiotics and prebiotics to maintain healthy gut.
- 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 Bandita Samantasinhar, Thank you for the question

Sustainable weight management requires a holistic approach which involves lifestyle management which includes Dietary modification, Physical activity, hydration, 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 Swathi Sk, Thank you for the question

During lactation & breastfeeding the lactating mother’s nutritional requirements should meet, her own daily needs, provide enough nutrient in milk for growing infant and furnish the energy for milk production. The nutritional needs exceed during lactation compared to pregnancy.
Consume a diversified balanced diet including all food groups ensure good intake nutrients such as protein, calcium, iron dietary fibre etc. Calcium is essential during lactation for secretion of breast-milk and prevent the risk of osteoporosis in the mother. Some of the good sources of calcium include milk and milk products, ragi, green leafy vegetables, nuts etc. Maintain hydration and good quality sleep regimen.

Galactagogues or lactogogue increase the prolactin secretion which in turn increase milk production. Some of the galactagogue foods include garlic, milk, almonds, Green leafy vegetables, include them in your daily balanced diet to stimulate the production and secretion of breast milk.
It is recommended to consume 2000+kcal with 63g (for 0-6 months lactation) and 59g (for 6-12 months lactation) of protein per day and 1200mg of calcium per day

Body needs adequate time for recovery after childbirth, if you feel enough time has passed and you would like to start your journey on weight gain program, sharing with you few dietary guidelines that can be referred to:

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. Some of the sources of high protein include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds etc.

Here are few guidelines for healthy balanced diet that can be considered:
-Have a 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.
- Try to incorporate the My plate Concept by dividing your plate into 4 quadrants, fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, the other two quadrants with cereals and protein. A small quantity of dairy intake is recommendable.
-Begin your day with a well-balanced breakfast as it is an important meal of the day.
-Avoid skipping meals. Also, try to avoid fasting and feasting too often.
- Consume small frequent meals, with healthy snacking options.
-Consume minimum 5 servings of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit as they are rich in Fiber, essential minerals & Vitamins as well as they give you a feeling of satiety.
-Try to consume more of Whole grains and Multigrain foods as they are a good source of fiber.
-Limit intake of deep-fried foods. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
-Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before sleep time.
-Drink adequate amount of water (minimum 8 glasses) of water daily to keep yourself well hydrated
-Try and follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and Quality.

Please consult your gynaecologist and lactation expert for further assistance on appropriate physical activity regime that may be followed.

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 Seerat nisar, 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