Fell off the fitness wagon in the year gone by? No problem. You can now say goodbye to year 2024 with a resolve to do better in the new year on your fitness report card. To set your GPS right to reach the health goals of year 2025, you need not panic or draw up a list of ‘to-do’ items that are most likely to fail. This year has got to be different and you must have success, not regrets and a list of excuses for impending failure.
For a food resolution to succeed one should choose the right food and eat it the right way, without worrying about the quantity, says celebrated clinical dietician Deepta Nagpal, who has in the past served as the diet counsellor to former president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
Food has healing powers, and one should not be scared of eating, according to her.
Here is a 5-point absolutely doable roadmap by Deepta Nagpal, who has previously worked with AIIMS, New Delhi; PGIMER, Chandigarh; and Army Research & Referral Hospital, New Delhi.
1. Eat Real Food: Choose food that is closer to nature — farms and not factories — to avoid hormonal disruptions and for better absorption of nutrition. Real food can arrest, prevent and cure many diseases.
2. Practise Mindfulness: Do not eat in a hurry, if you are worried about something, or when you are sad or angry. Eat in a calmer state of mind for proper digestion, assimilation and nutrient absorption, and also to avoid gut-related issues and weight gain.
3. Move a lot, deploy workout + physical activity: There’s a difference between a workout and a physical moment. To enjoy the glow of good health, one must move, and move a lot.
4. Use relaxation techniques: One should know how to deal with day-to-day stress. Find ways to relax — like leisure walks, gardening, cooking, pranayama, breathing workouts, or whatever gives you happiness and takes you out for some time from daily stress.
5. Don't be scared of food: Food has healing powers. Don't fall under the trap of low-cal fad diets. Think broader and wise. Focus on hormonal health, nutrition deficiencies, vitals, digestion, and gut health, and your weight will fall into place. Eat right not less!!
"Food is Sadhna. Earn it well," says Deepta Nagpal, the founder and chief dietician at Beyond Kilos and Inches.
The author is a senior independent journalist.
[Disclaimer: The information provided in the article, including treatment suggestions shared by doctors, is intended for general informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.]