My new diet plan - eat everything, eat less

This morning I was chatting with my friend Shyam and we briefly touched the topic of dieting. It is almost evening now and I am still thinking about it. I need to come up with a plan.

Over the last few years, I have heard my friends talk about the need to diet and join a gym and the various health problems they have ranging from gas, acidity to lack of sleep etc. Most of them are in their late twenties to mid thirties. Some have given up eating meat, some hardly use any oil in their cooking and some have given up eating rice altogether.

In the last 10 to 15 years we have been introduced to the various diet programs – low carb, no carb, low fat, no fat and a new one coming up each season. I would not be surprised if there are as many diet theories as there are people in this world.

So what was the secret of our earlier generations? Did they not worry about their food habits? I am from Goa (a beautiful place in India) and typically, we have rice, coconut based curries, fried fish and vegetables, all cooked in coconut oil and over the last 10 years use other refined oils.

So if rice and coconut oil and coconut and ghee are not good for your health as per some of the modern day theories, why did our ancestors eat them? And how did they manage to live long and mostly healthy and have good skin even when 60+ ? And for people who knew the importance of each and every herb and spice and grain, I am sure they knew exactly what they were putting in their body.

From what I have heard from my parents and seen my grandma do:

o They lead an active lifestyle and did a lot of manual work – walked to market and back, woke up early in the morning, slept early, swept the floor using a broom, used grinding stone and mortar and pestle to powder spices instead of the various kitchen machines we use today to make life easy.

o They always had home cooked food, be it breakfast or lunch and dinner to crunchy snacks and the delicious sweets and natural preservatives were used if any. No fast food, no junk food, no sodas, no pre-cooked frozen food. They had their food sitting on the floor (not on dining tables) which helped control the intake of food. They also had warm/hot water with their food. Each and every ingredient they used had its own benefits and they knew exactly what was to be used and in what proportion.

o They followed practices in the name of religion to detox their bodies and give their digestive system a break. Fasting, No non-veg days or month in some cases. Each festival having its own special food menu comprising of the fresh fruits/vegetables available during that time of the year and also the climate of the region.

o There was less pollution and they lead a less stressful life. Also they prayed everyday, be it even for 5 minutes each morning. The prayer position of folding your hands together, feet touching each other is supposed to help energy flow from your right side of the body to the left side and vice versa, thus balancing your body. Also the closing of your eyes and concentrating helps calm the mind.

Although some of these points are based on my experience, I am sure if you look back a couple of generations, you would find similar food and lifestyle habits with some variations, irrespective of the religion you follow or the part of the world you come from.

So what can I do, keeping in mind the hectic schedule and the pressures of modern day life? I will have to change some things and work around others that are beyond my control. I plan to do the following:

o Eat everything, no restrictions except if I am required to skip something due to medical reasons or allergies. By everything I mean rice, oil, ghee and all the stuff we had traditionally and not soda and fast food (well, maybe even soda and fast food sometimes). That way, I will eat my carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins etc. I will also not get stressed out about eating a balanced diet everyday – over the week, if I eat a variety of food, which I normally do, my diet will be somewhat balanced. Drink lots of water.

o Eat less. Instead of measuring the carbs and proteins, I will control the portions I eat. I should feel hungry in about 3 hours after eating and also not feel full when I finish a meal. If I don’t get smaller portions, I will buy what I get and eat ONLY what I am supposed to without worrying about finishing everything on my plate.

o Eat 4-5 meals a day as opposed to 3 heavy meals. Breakfast, Early lunch, Early evening snack, dinner and some fruit or nuts in between if required.

o Introduce simple natural detox routines - Oil pulling every morning, hot green tea with lunch and watery buttermilk with curry leaves, pepper and cumin whenever possible.

o Get exercise when possible – park farthest from the store/office and walk, take the stairs, do my own chores. Try to do some structured exercise, yoga everyday for 15 to 20 minutes. Get proper sleep and follow a routine – sleep and wake up at the same time everyday.

o Fast or have a light diet (only juice/fruits) once a month and skip non-veg food for at least 1 day in the week and the same day every week.

o Learn to relax and detox the mind. Use aromatherapy, put a water fountain in the living room, get green bamboo and other indoor plants, keep the house clutter free and organized and do whatever it takes to help me relax.


Let me see where these simple changes take me !!