One Step at a Time

It has been awhile, since I wrote for the blog. Many things are happening in my life… A breather today was welcomed with open arms .

So how are things going for me? Pretty good! Lost a bit of weight in last month. And now 15 days into Ramadan, more weight loss should happen.

So what’s my current weight? Hey, you know I hardly measure myself on the scales. So how do I know that I have lost few kilos? The fit of my clothes says it all. They are bit loose than before, my wedding ring glides easily onto my finger and I can feel the increase in my energy levels. The whole process wasn’t easy for me though.

All along, I took small steps and achieved victories at each step. And trust me, these small victories have been good motivator for my weight loss journey. Few baby steps and good habits at a time made way for healthier me.

Earlier I tried various ways to shed pounds, but I burned out too easily. After some good soul searching, I decided to take small achievable steps. Did you know that it takes about three good weeks to establish a habit? I found this when i was pushing myself religiously, sometimes once/twice a day to do my yoga exercises. Besides working out at home, I would look forward to my classes. Yoga helped me calm down and enjoy ‘me’ time, which was rare.

Before starting yoga, I was not sure how to get started. So I sat down with my list of changes and chose weight loss as the first change. I haven’t been able to do a makeover in my entire diet, but it is happening in bits and pieces.

I feel confident each day with my renewed sense of energy. I am positive that I will be able to check off all the items on my list for change soon.

Have you hit the Weight Plateau?

You did the right exercises, ate the right foods, and controlled your portion sizes, but still the scales did not budge. Isn’t it extremely frustrating, when scales stop co-operating?

Just because you haven’t lost weight, avoid the temptation to drown your sorrows by taking extreme measures such as skipping meals or excessive workouts. A weight plateau is no reason to give up on a healthy plan. Instead, it could mean that you’re ready for something more.

The numbers on the scales don’t tell us all that is needed to assess fitness levels. Calm down, regroup your priorities and consider other ways to measure your progress. It’s time to see health rewards elsewhere other than on the bathroom scales.

Monitoring numbers such as body fat percentage, waist-hip ratio, BMI, blood pressure, heart beat rate, cholesterol and stress levels and improved overall quality of life denote positive change in the weight loss efforts.

Few ways to trace your progress:

Keep a daily journal of your fitness activities, measurements, dietary needs, sleep and your day-to-day feelings.

The fit of your clothes is the best indicator of how is your body shaping up with regular exercise and healthy food habits. If your clothes hang looser in all the right spots unlike earlier, then your weight loss program is effective

Test your fitness level to measure your muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance, stamina and flexibility. Repeat these tests at regular intervals and compare the results. Difference in numbers should tell all.

Stalling in a weight loss program is natural. A plateau means that your body needs a change in the intensity, frequency and/or type of workout. The ideal way to get over weight plateau is to bring about small changes in kinds of exercises, speed and intensity of doing them.

I too, have reached weight plateau many a times and frankly it is uninspiring. But my fitness success is not measured by bathroom scales alone. Fit of the clothes and finger ring, increase in flexibility, stamina and energy levels to do various things gauge my weight loss progress.

The Multigrain Mantra

Without doubt, bhakris are the best (healthier n tastier) , but making them (right) is not everyone’s cup of tea! These storehouses of complex carbs give you the best combination with regards to energy and have a low glycemic index, which basically only means that the sugar is low and the energy is released more slowly into the system. The multi-grain atta gives you enough fibre and vitamins that your body needs. But preparing them is the biggest issue in modern households today.

The other viable alternative that you could try is – Since rotis/chapatis/phulkas are a staple in this part of the globe, try making it multigrain. By multigrain I do not mean using the readily available multigrain atta (there are not many brands available,besides being relatively more expensive than regular atta, it is also difficult to knead into a ball). I have supplies of soyabean, Raagi, Jowari and Bajri atta ready at hand. I add a handful of any one/two of those mentioned above with the regular whole wheat atta while making the dough for rotis. Your multi-grain rotis turn out soft and easy to make, just as usual rotis! Other than the colour of the rotis, there isn’t much change in the taste or texture of the final product. So, you can be rest assured that your brats won’t know a thing, if you can just convince them about the change in colour of the rotis! Healthy eating that’s easier on the pockets too!

Happy Healthy Eating

I love eating dahiwadas. It is one of my regular chaat dish that I eat at the chaat stall outside Andheri west station. It is so delicious and yummy, that one plate is always insufficient for me. At home, I prefer to buy a packet of ready made mix of dahiwada. Now since, weight loss is a priority, I have cut down on most of the fried stuff, the wadas too has found its place in the list of fried foodstuff. Last week, my cravings for dahi wada could not be ignored. When i opened the food larder, I saw 8 whole wheat bread slices. So I decided to make bread dahiwadas.  I’m sure this recipe is quite well known among food blogger.

Here’s my recipe for Bread Dahiwada

1 big packet of whole wheat bread (brown bread)
Chilled home made curd (use skimmed milk to set curd) according to one’s need
A bowl of khajur-imli chutney (read below for recipe)
Salt and red chilli powder for seasoning

Cut the four corners of the bread. If you have any shape cutter, use it to make interesting shapes of the bread dahiwadas. Stack one slice over another to make a layer in the plate. Pour the whipped dahi to soak the bread slices. Drizzle khajur-imli chutney, dash of salt and red chilli powder. Refrigerate it or eat it at the room temperature. You can add more dahi, if the bread becomes a bit dry.

I had it as soon as I made it. Also I did not temper the curds with mustard seeds and curry leaves, used plain curds. And yes I did leave some for my hubby and in laws. They too loved it and second the fact this is an healthier eating option. I plan to make this often during Ramazan.

Benefits:
High in fiber
High in calcium

Khajur-Imli chutney

To make two cups, you will need

1 cup seedless khajur,
100 gms ripe imli or tamarind pulp
1/4 tsp salt,
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
2.5 tbsp powdered jaggery
1.5 cups of water

Boil all the above ingredients on medium flame for 10 minutes or until soft. If you want the chutney to be sweet, add more jaggery or ripe tamarind or pulp to make it more tangy. Pass the boiled mixture through the seive. Squish the khajur and imli with your fingers to extract the pulp. Strain, cool and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a month. This chutney is ideal to be served with chaats, samosas, khaman, patras and a variety of savoury snacks.

Benefits:
Khajur is a natural sweetener and packed essential vitamins and minerals.