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Happy Tummy Expert

4 months ago

Dear Swagata Bhattacharya, Thank you for the question

Back pain may occur due to overweight, nutritional deficiency or underlying health conditions, some other common causes include, accidents or falls, Congenital disorders (present since birth), Inflammation, Infection, Inherited disorders, or injuries etc.

It is important to take care of calcium and vitamin D requirements for bone health, maintain bone mineral density and prevent the risks of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis.  Some of the calcium sources include milk, cheese, paneer, Ragi, curd, yogurt. Sunlight is the one of best sources of vitamin D, exposing yourself to the sun or sunbathing for 10-15 minutes can help maintain bone health and vitamin D increases the absorption of calcium in the bones. Other sources of Vitamin D include eggs, fatty fish, fortified cereals etc.

Recommended daily allowance for calcium is 1000mg and for Vitamin D is 600IU (15mcg) per day for Female.

A sustainable and healthy weight loss regimen during such a condition, in the absence of physical activity can be approached with a holistic approach that involves lifestyle modification which includes Dietary modification and stress management.

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 for Asians

18.5 to 23 - Normal

Less than 18.5 - Underweight

23 to 27.5 - Overweight

Above 27.5 - Obese

Please note that it is recommended for the target weight to be within normal BMI

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.
• Include protein in your diet. Some of the sources include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds, etc. 
• Fiber in your meals can potentiate the satiating property, suppress excess hunger and control food intake. All fruits and vegetables, whole grains, multigrains, millets, 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.

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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