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Happy Tummy Expert

2 years ago

Dear Ashish Awasthi, 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.
- 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.

Here are few guidelines that can be considered for nutrition management during workouts

Pre-workout –the role of nutrition is fueling
• Carbohydrates are the preferential fuel for general exercise sources of carbohydrates are whole wheat, millets, multigrain, wheat bran, oats etc.
• Low fat and moderate protein should be consumed to reduce gastric disturbances
• Good Pre-workout food options include oatmeal, whole grains, fruits such as banana, apple etc coupled with dry fruits.
• Always start your workouts well hydrated.
During Workout- The role of nutrition is performance
• For shorter period of exercise carbohydrate intake is not necessary
• For longer periods consuming carbohydrate rich snacks like energy bars, sports drinks can prevent fatigue and delay hunger.
• During exercise water should be consumed every 15-20minutes to avoid early fatigue.
Post- workout – the role of nutrition is recovery
• Consuming protein is necessary to help gain recovery and prevent muscle loss
• Carbohydrates should be recovered to restore glycogen
• Post workout food options include egg whites, paneer, curd, fruits, smoothies, lean meat etc
• Rehydration with water or electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and chloride help maintain electrolyte balance blood pressure of the body
It is very important to be well hydrated when beginning your workout.
Do contact your fitness expert do discuss your protein needs as per your exercise routine. It is recommended to practice regular workouts and exercise under professional guidance.

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.
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.


Please contact a specialized health care professional such as gastroenterologist for specific health needs and further guidance and assistance.
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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