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1 year ago

Dear Kriti Sundar Mazumder, Thank you for the question

Increased abdominal 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.
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- 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.


Aging is natural process and is associated with physical changes and moderated nutritional needs. Successful ageing is defined not by longevity alone but also by sufficient wellbeing in multiple domains – socially, physically and mentally. The 3 components of successful ageing are: avoiding disease, engagement with life and maintaining high physical and cognitive function.
Some of the changes that body undergoes with aging include reduced bone mass, less ability to fight infections, slow metabolism and increased risk of metabolic diseases, hence it is necessary to follow a healthy lifestyle including a diversified balanced diet, regular physical activity and good sleep regimen.
Some of the essential nutrients:
-Calcium to prevent risk of osteoporosis and maintain healthy bones. 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
- Vitamin D: which the body needs in order to help absorb the calcium
- Vitamin B12 to build red blood cells and maintain healthy nerves. Sources include meat, milk and eggs, beef, fish and poultry, eggs, whole grains, dark leafy green vegetables (asparagus, spinach, Brussels sprouts), liver, peanuts, legumes (dried beans and peas) bananas, strawberries, oranges.
- Zinc to compensate for lowered immunity due to aging. Plant products such as – whole grains, legumes such as chickpeas, groundnuts, lentils, Nuts & seeds like cashews, pumpkin seeds, almonds etc. Animal products such as- meat, seafoods (fish, prawns, crab, chicken, eggs, milk and milk products.
- Potassium , especially in the presence of high blood pressure or the use of diuretic drugs
- Folic acid, B vitamins, which the body uses to make DNA and red blood cells, may also help to lower blood levels of homocysteine, a compound in the blood that has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease
- Dietary Fiber to prevent constipation and aid digestive health.
- Antioxidants: They have anti-inflammatory effect and help reduce the oxidative stress to cells.
Some important tips on active & healthy ageing:
- Undergo regular health check-ups after the age of 40 years
- Participate in family life and spend time doing things that you enjoy. Pursue your interests.
- Challenge the body and mind by learning new things
- Surround yourself with positive, energetic people
- Follow a healthy eating plan that emphasizes fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods.
- Participate in regular weight-bearing exercise/ any kind of physical activity
- Maintain a healthy body weight.
- Maintain hygiene and cleanliness

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.

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