MY VISIT TO THE DIETITIAN FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!!!

Today I visited an accredited dietitian,  Dorothea Michalik, RD, Nutrition services at Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Mountain view, California. This is the first time I have taken professional advice from a dietitian. We discussed, current diet, snacking, portion size, BMI, Exercise, Water Intake, Sugar intake, Cheat foods etc.Very happy to realize that am doing the right thing with the Indian + American diet. The consultation went for 40 minutes.

I was surprised to hear that:

• Having a glass of water immediately after meal is bad for your digestion 😵
• Drinking liquids during your meal dilutes your naturally occurring digestive enzymes and stomach acids which make it harder to break own food. You can take small sips if the food is dry, but the preferred way is "Drink water or other liquids 20 mins before / After you consume food".
• A 10-minute walk immediately after each meal is far more effective than exercise at other times at reducing blood sugar levels, which helps in weight loss.
• Low-carb diet makes you more hungry.
• Usually, I take smoothies/ fresh fruits for breakfast. It makes me full too. My second meal is Lunch around 12.30pm and dinner at 7.30pm. Most difficult part is to control my cravings at 4 pm, in between lunch and dinner. My dietitian figured out the less carbohydrate intake from breakfast and lunch makes me hungry and which leads to approach cheat foods. 
• She solved it by introducing a post Lunch / Pre-dinner meal. It is basically converting my 3-day meal plan to 4 meals.
• Finally, she reminded me that, it is important to eat at least 3 hours before going to bed. Which I try to do from December 2016, but didn’t follow for many years.

I will be writing a meal plan according to the information I got from my dietitian and will upload soon.

Happy Fitness,

Lena

Mexican dry rub Chicken with watermelon Salsa

Mexican Dry Rub Chicken

Serves : 2, Calories : 251 cal per serving

Ingredients :

Boneless chicken Breast : 10 oz

Lime juice from half of a Lime

Mc Cormick Taco Style seasoning : 2 tsp

Salt

Olive oil : 1 tbsp / use cooking spray

Method :

Clean and Pat dry the chicken peaces. Cut into small cubes. Add the seasoning, salt and lime juice and mix really well. Heat oil in an iron skillet and shallow fry the chicken pieces till they are done.

Watermelon Salsa 

Watermelon Salsa

Serves : 3, Calories : 119 cal per serving

Watermelon :4 Cups , finely chopped

Bell Pepper : 1/2, finely chopped

Purple onion : 2 Slice, finely chopped

Coriander leaves : 2 tbsp minced

Lime juice from 1/2 of a lime

Jalepeno : 1/2, seeded, minced

Salt

Pepper

Method : 

Toss all ingredients together until combined. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for upto 2 days. 

Happy Fitness,

Lena

Healthy Foods to stock in your Fridge

The right food you put in your refrigerator is the key to healthy eating.  If you want to loose weight, get rid of the junk and stock the shelves with nutritious choices.  

Healthy food to stock in your Refrigerator

When we diet, we reduce the quantity of each meal which will make you hungry after few hours. There comes the villain- Unhealthy snacks in the fridge / pantry / freezer - ice creams / pastries / salty chips / carbonated drinks . I love most of the unhealthy snacks, so i don't buy them. Once in a while you can eat all these things, but if you are sitting / working from home and your fridge and pantry has unhealthy snacks, your hand will reach for it. So today after grocery shopping, i thought of taking a photo of my well stocked refrigerator and write about it. 

Refrigerator must-haves

• Milk : You can choose 2% milk for healthier choice or you can use unsweetened Almond milk. I use only Almond milk for my smoothies and cereals, but i buy whole milk for my family.

• Eggs : Boiled egg or omelette is a quick and satisfying snack or a side dish.  If you had an Omelette with 2 eggs and veggies , it keeps you full for long time compared to cereals. 

• Fruits and Vegetables : Before i started dieting, i hated fruits except mangoes. So it was a challenge for me to eat it daily, but i included it in diet. Then when i noticed fruits are helping me to control my sugar craving, i started loving it.  Keep bananas and few apples on counter top. Transfer oranges, grapes and berries to refrigerator. Cut up melon, cantaloupes and keep it ready in a box to munch. 

Healthy food to stock in your Refrigerator

• Yogurt : Go for low-fat Greek Yogurt and make a parfait with fruits and granola. You can add it to smoothies or use as a fat substitute in baking cakes / muffins.

• Baby spinach / Kale / Lettuce / Spring mix bags : Its great for a salad. You can use it as a filler in sandwiches / burgers / wraps.

• Salad Dressing : My favorite is marmalade Vinaigrette dressing, but sometimes i use mayonnaise / ranch / cream cheese / Dijon mustard dressing. 

• Cheese :  Replace mellow, soft cheeses with sharp, harder ones. A small amount packs lots of flavor, saving you both dollars and fat grams. Look for aged Cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano. I use Cheddar cheese slice in my sandwiches and for snacking i use Babybel / Swiss cheese wedges. Both are from same company "Laughing Cow", but recently i read this article and i found babybel is beter than Swiss cheese wedges. so this month option is Babybel.

• Chicken / fish / turkey breast : I stock it all the time as i am a non-veg lover. I use grilled chicken in my salads / soups / sandwiches or i make our traditional curries. Teriyaki salmon is my favorite Entree with apple salad. Turkey breast is a good filling for cold / warm sandwiches.

Happy Fitness !!

Lena 

Diet for June - week 2

" Being defeated is only a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent " - marilyn vos savant

 I lost 2 pounds after June week 1 diet. So who is up for week 2?

Green smoothie: 1/2 avacado, 1 cup baby spinach and 1 1/2 cup almond milk. ( I added 1 tsp of sugar as I like the combo of avacado and sugar). I topped it with 1/2 tbsp chia seeds..

Breakfast Options : (Its always same)

1. fresh juices / smoothies. Juice is less in calories. So if you are having juice in the morning make sure you are having a morning snack.

2. Oatmeal with milk / water with brown sugar

3. Scrambled eggs with sauteed carrots and peas

4. Wheat toast with Peanut butter

(For more options refer previous posts)

Turkey Cobb salad with romaine,boiled egg, diced tomatoes, blue cheese, cheddar and avacado vinaigrette

Morning / Evening Snack Options :(stock it up as much as you can and have whenever you get cravings :) )

1. Apple slices with peanut butter

2. protein bar

3. 1/2 cup dry fruits 

4. 1cup fresh diced fruits

5. one Boiled egg

6. 12 Baked Tortilla chips / apple chips

7. 3 Prunes

8. homemade guacamole with tortilla chips

9. Blanched broccoli

Baked Chicken Thighs

Lunch & dinner Options :

1. Chappathi / tortilla wrap with healthy fillings

2. Salads - Caesar salad / Chicken salad / Stir fried Tofu salad

3. 1cup rice / 2 medium oil free chappathi with dal and 1/2 cup vegetable sabzi (reduce oil and salt) with carrot / beetroot / beans / cauliflower

4. Sandwich with grilled chicken / vegetables / Paneer / Tofu /Turkey / boiled egg

5. I made dosa batter today. so 2 medium Iddli / 2 Dosa with chutney / 1/4cup sambhar will be sure in next week diet

6. egg biriyani / any pulao/ 1 1/2 cup Vegetable Pulao / Mushroom mint pulao / Chicken biriyani (Don't forget the portion size)

7. 1Cup Brown rice with 1/2 cup greek yogurt and 1/2 boiled corn / carrots

8. Fish curry / paneer curry with rice or chappathi

9. Soups

10. Whole wheat pasta with marinara sauce (no creamy sauce)

Happy Fitness,

Lena

Diet for June - Week 1

A point that every person who is on diet reaches - to continue or not continue, have you been there?? I have, not once but several times.Excuses are different, India Trip, Kids Birthday party, Vacation etc etc... I realized, when you think of stopping your diet / exercise, that's the point you really should try to go on. Search for more motivation, try your old cloths which you were wearing years ago / compare your old photos with new one / get friends for weightloss to do it together / read success stories etc. I am uploading diet for 7 days today and what you have to do is write your daily food intake to me. Isn't that simple!!! Lets do it together friends :)

Apple Spring Salad

5 golden rules for weightloss

1. Eat every three hours: Don’t wait till you get hungry. It is important to consciously eat at the right time for your body’s metabolism to work optimally. If you are late to take a meal, you are tend to eat cheat foods. I learned it from my experience.

2. Control your portion size: If you got your portion size correct, you are half way done for your weight loss. Eat everything you like including icecream / chocolate / pizza, but make sure you are following portion size.  

3. Avoid / reduce sugar intake : They just add empty calories to your body. We can get enough natural sugar from seasonal fruits and dry fruits. This is the hardest for me, but still i try to reduce the intake of sugar.

4. Drink enough water: Keep yourself hydrated by drinking enough water every day. I drink 7 to 8 glasses of water daily

5. Exercise : It is very important to add exercise to your daily routine. Exercise is not for the numbers you see on a weighing scale, but its for your health and future happiness.It reduces stress and anxiety. 

Breakfast Options :

1.  As i mentioned in last post, im having fresh juices / smoothies for breakfast from Jan. Juice is less in calories. So if you are having juice in the morning make sure you are having a morning snack.

2. 1Cup of multigrain serials with 1/4 cup 2% fat milk topped with fruits and 1tsp flaxseed meal.

3. 1/2Cup granola with 1/2 cup greek yogurt and fresh fruits

Morning / Evening Snack Options :

1. 1/2 cup walnuts / Pecans / almonds / raisins 

2. 1cup Cantaloupes / grapes / berries / 1 apple
3. one Boiled egg
4. 12 Baked Tortilla chips / apple chips
5. 3 Prunes

Lunch Options :

1. 1cup rice / 2 medium oil free chappathi with dal and 1/2 cup vegetable sabzi (reduce oil and salt) with carrot / beetroot / beans / cauliflower

2. Salad

3. Sandwich with grilled chicken / vegetables

4. 2 medium Iddli / 2 Dosa with chutney / 1/4cup sambhar

5. Poha

6. 1 1/2 cup Vegetable Pulao / Mushroom mint pulao / Chicken biriyani (Dont forget the portion size)
7. 1Cup Brown rice with 1/2 cup greek yogurt and 1/2 boiled corn / carrots

Dinner before 7.30pm

1. Oats Kanji (Boil 1 1/2 cup of water in a sauce pan . When it comes to rolling boil, add 3tbsp of oats an dclose with a tight lid. Turn off the flame immediately. Open the lid after 10 minutes and adjust the salt )

2. No rice in the night for week 1

3. fresh fruits melons / apples / grapes

4. Oats Upma

5. Broken wheat Upma

6. Soups - Lenthil soup / Tomato soup / Lemon Chicken Soup / Sweet corn soup

7. Salads

My favorite breakfast Juices / Smoothies

I started taking juice/ smoothie for breakfast from Jan 2015. I started enjoying juices as a post work out drink first and slowly i thought of taking smoothie / juice as my breakfast. It gives me the energy and nutrients i need in the morning . Juicers are expensive, but if you're serious about eating healthy, a juicer may be a worthwhile investment. I have a Breville juicer and a nutribullet pro 900 series blender which i use regularly. These 8 juices / smoothies are perfect for breakfast, lunch, or a snack.

Pineapple Celery juice 165cal

2cups of fresh pineapple, 2 celery stalks and 1/2 inch gignger root..

Carrot celery juice : 260cal

place 6carrots , 1/2inch ginger and 2 celery sticks in a juicer

Avacado smoothie : 304cal

place 1 small avacado 234 cal, 1cup almond milk 30cal, 1tsp honey 20 cal and 1tsp chia seeds 20cal in a blender and blend until smooth

Apple Beetroot Juice : 224cal

place 1 honey crisp apple,1 peeled betroot and 1/2 inch ginger in a juicer

Cucumber juice - 102cal

Ingredients : 1large cucumber, 4 mint leaves, 1/2 inch ginger nad 1/2 of a lemon juice in a juicer

Strawberry Banana Smoothie : 235 cal

place 10 strawberries, 1 ripe banana, 1/2cup skim milk and 1tsp honey in a blender and blend until smooth

Mango Smoothie : 270cal

place 1 Mango 148cal, 1/2cup Greek yogurt 70cal, 1/2 cup fat free milk 45cal and 1tsp flax seeds 17cal in a blender and blend until smooth

Blueberry yogurt smoothie 106cal

place 1/2cup blueberry, 1 cup almond milk and 1/4 cup Greek yogurt in a blender and blend until smooth

Diet for November Challenge

I will suggest you to follow a High protein, High fiber - low carbohydrate diet for those who find their BMI between 24.1 < 31. Try not to consume All purpose flour in any form (bread / cake / cookie / Naan) for November diet. Make sure you are not starving your body by consuming below 1200 calories. Read this for more information.

Breakfast : Maximum 400cal

1. 1 cup multigrain cereals with 2% reduced fat milk and 2tbsp raisins / Strawberries - 200cal

2. 1/2 Cup granola with 1/2cup greek yogurt and 1/2 cup berries - 355cal

3. two medium dosa / 3 medium Iddli with 1/4cup sambar or 2tbsp chutney - 250cal

4. two Whole wheat banana pancakes - 360cal

5. Two fried eggs in 1/2tbso olive oil - 200cal

6. Avacado Smoothie with 1/2avacado (55g), 1 cup 2%milk and 1tsp honey - 247cal

7. Butter jam sandwich with Two slices of whole wheat bread (180cal), 1tsp jam and 1tsp melted unsalted butter - 220cal

8. Oatmeal cooked with 1/2cup oats and 1cup 2% milk - 205cal

Snacks : Maximum 200 cal
prune 17cal / 1 apple / banana 105cal / low fat cottage cheese 80cal / 1/4cup unsalted almonds  / 1 Laughing cow Swiss cheese wedge  / 10 Tortilla chips / 1 hard boiled egg / 1 low fat string cheese

Lunch : Maximum 400 cal

1. broken wheat vegetable upma 
2. 1Cup any rice with 1/2 cup daal curry and any vegetable sabzi
3. Grilled chicken breast 6oz with vegetables (peppers, onion, carrot) : 239cal
4. Mushroom Mint pulao 400cal /veg pulao 390cal
5. Two chappathi (Without ghee) and 1/2 cup paneer gravy / chick pea gravy / Rajma curry / boneless skinless Chicken Curry / Fish curry 
6. Whole wheat Sandwich with roasted veggies / grilled chicken breast, 1 slice of cheddar cheese slice (no mayo )

Dinner (before 7.30pm) Maximum 400 cal

You can eat similar food like Lunch for dinner if your BMI is below 28. If not, try not to eat rice twice a day. Dinner should be light. 

Japanese Soba noodle soup

1. 1 large bowl of soup (tomato / chicken / vegetable) with 1/4 cup soaked peanuts and 10 baked tortilla chips

2. 1Cup boiled chick pea salad

3. Grilled / Pan seared 5oz fish fillet / 4oz Skinless boneless chicken breast

4. 1 healthy tortilla / Chappathi roll with  veggies or minced chicken 

5. Quinoa salad / Caesar salad / Black bean salad

6. 1 cup rice or 2 chappathi with 1/2 cup daal / skinless chicken breast curry / fish curry with 1/2 cup veggie stir fry or sabzi

Notes : a) Reduce the amount of oil you use to make Lunch / Dinner b) Do not use Potato in week- 1 diet (You can consume it slowly after week 2) c) No Deep fried food 3)  If you are taking Tea / coffee , make sure do not use sugar more than 1tsp a day 4)Try not to have any food after 8pm 4) Try to have 2 green tea a day 5) An average person should drink 2 liters of water a day.

Exercise :

I do gym 5 days a week and burn a minimum of 500 to 600calories. It is a combination of 30min treadmill, 15min Elliptical, 15min Cycling, 15min Rowing and 20min Strength training exercises. It took 4months for me to form a pattern of exercises which i love. If you are a beginner to exercise and need to know more details to choose an exercise, do let me know. If not choose one from below options as your main exercise and if interested add more according to your stamina.  

1. 45min to one hour walking

2. 45min to one hour

3. 45min swimming

3. 30min Treadmill

4. 30min Elliptical

5. 45 min dance / Zumba

You can reduce weight with no exercises too. As i mentioned in 'September & October diet' post, i got ligament inflammation and not in a state to do exercise in November. But im sure i will stick to my diet with a smoothie / cereals as breakfast, healthy snack,  chappathi / rice with curry and sabzi as lunch and soup / salad as dinner. I wont eat more than 1400 cal for sure. You can follow that too. If you want you can write to me what you are eating daily with portion size. 

Exercise for Beginners 
Week 1 -  Only cardio : 15min treadmill at 3.5 speed
Week 2 - Strength training : 2 sets of 10 squats (click here for youtube video) , and 2 sets of 10 crunches & week1 exercise
Week 3 - Week 2 and abs exercises
Week 4 - Jillian's abs exercises(try to do atleast 6 with them) and week 3 exercise

All the best friends :)

Happy Fitness, 

Lena