Nutrition

Fad diets are trendy but do they work? There's always some new diet trend that makes news and goes viral giving promising weight loss techniques. Unfortunately, these various diet concepts leave us confused and overwhelmed. The only solution to this is we need to educate ourselves about food. Knowing that certain foods [which are considered taboo] are actually rich in certain nutrients, will help you make a progressive shift in UR food and diet choices. Q & A with Kinita Kadakia Patel With so many diets going viral, how do you formulate your client’s diets? Fad diets are just like seasonal changes. For me, any diet which is not sustainable is a fad diet. I have an effortless way of defining this; if you can't keep up with it, then it's not meant for you to try! Adapting to any diet takes time but it works on you eventually. For this reason, I follow up with my clients weekly, I take their feedback to know and understand whether the diet I recommend is suiting their body, improving their health and energy levels. This crucial information helps me formulate customised sustainable plans for my clients. What do you feel about following an intermittent fasting as a diet preference? Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern/style, which cycles between the period of fasting and eating. This has rapidly become a phenomenon globally. This style of fasting is less of a diet plan and more of a lifestyle choice for many. What I understand and believe is that intermittent fasting doesn't make you withdraw any food group. However, fasting requires some discipline and patience to adjust to. Intermittent fasting can be challenging but it’s not misleading like some other trends such as- high-fat, high protein, gluten-free, dairy-free, raw foods, low carbs etc. and hence I wouldn’t consider it to be a fad diet. What according to you is "The Perfect Diet Full of Nutrition"? Maintaining a balanced ratio between carbohydrate, protein & fats is critical. A perfect diet is not about calories, it’s about where the calories are coming from. All foods are rich in nutrients and the key is to include them in UR diet at the right time and in the right quantity to attain maximum benefits. Thumb Rules of a Balanced Diet  Finish UR fruits and grains in the first half of your day  Spread UR dose of nuts and seeds evenly through the day  Every single meal throughout UR day should have 15-20 grams of protein.  Keep a tab on the visible fats like oil, ghee, butter, etc…  Know the foods rich in invisible fats such as nuts, avocados, flaxseeds, etc…  Hydrate well and remember your fluid intake depends on your weight, activity level and nutritional intake. Fun Fact: There are good fats in the Indian diet which can be found in ghee, coconut oil, flaxseeds and nuts. With a little mindfulness along with a pinch of expert nutrition advice, one can make the right choices in their nutritional intake and sustain a healthy diet.

Kinita Kadakia Patel 3 min read