Come December and planning of New Year resolutions begin.

“I’ll lose 10 kgs this year”
“I’ll stay away from fast foods”
“I shall get healthy”
“I’ll take care of my cholesterol levels”
“I am going on a diet this coming year”
“I shall brisk walk daily”
“Gym and Diet shall be my fitness mantra this year”
“I shall get back in shape”
“I will drop one size”

It is great to make a resolution, it motivates you to achieve and regularize your lifestyle in a positive way but how many of us actually follow it?

We make our resolutions by last week of December and break it by the end of first week of January. What’s the reason behind such a gradual shift?

With Dietician Priyam Ahuja, let us have a look at the reasons why our resolution happens to be just a writing on the sand which gets washed away by the waves the very next second!

Well, New Year comes with a hope of newness, a new tomorrow and a new and improved us, but the very start of the New Year when we decide to start our resolution towards health, ditches us thanks to the rich food. After all its party time,where we would not just party but party hard.

So we then decide to kick-start our resolution by 2nd Jan, but our party buzz leaves us with a dull inactive day which lacks the zing to start anything new especially a change in diet or an addition of physical activity to an otherwise laid back attitude. Then comes 3rd January when we resume our work and realize there’s a lot of pending work due to the past two-three days of celebration and we get busy with the same stressful work routine.

By 4th January we rethink our resolution, some of us have already lost motivation to fit in a dress we desired, while others follow their path but in a wrong manner. In a haste they decide to be their own diet and fitness expert and indulge in the so called ‘dieting’ where all they do is skip breakfast but do not miss their tea sessions with some namkeen and fried food and then when its time for lunch they inform other colleagues that they are on a diet and shall have salads and they would end the evening with a glassful of juice or a bowlful of fruits. They continue this for 3-4 days until they feel tired and exhausted and then by the weekend decide to cheat on the so called dieting regime only to end up bulking in more fat and lose on the muscles, needless to say the diet goes in vain by the end of first Sunday of the new year.

This time follow Dietician Priyam Ahuja’s steps to not just make a resolution to be healthy but stay happy and healthy for life.

Step 1: Start your resolution before the start of a new year, 10 – 12 days before the new year mood sets in.

Step 2: Do not make drastic shifts in your schedule, give your body the time. It needs to adapt to change.

Step 3: If you are looking at weight loss go in for slow gradual reduction in weight under the guidance of a renowned dietician who understands your needs and lifestyle.

Step 4: Never skip meals or over indulge in food.

Step 5: Start with having small frequent meals in your daily routine, follow a six meal pattern.

Step 6: Follow my QQD approach to weight loss and healthy living and take care of the quality, the quantity and the distribution of food in all your meals

Step 7: Always keep trying out new innovative recipes which are healthy as well as tasty.

Step 8: Include antioxidant rich foods in your diet. Have good amounts of fruits like berries,papaya, guava, tomatoes and have green leafy vegetables, flaxseeds, chia seeds, oats, probiotic yoghurt, aloe vera, wheatgrass, traditional healing and disease preventive churan powder, eggs, sprouts, ample amount of hydrating fluids and water in your daily diet.

Step 9: A healthy lifestyle includes a healthy diet and a physically active life. Positive attitude and absence of any harmful addictions go hand in hand so take a holistic step towards health.

Step 10: Always have realistic goals and keep reminding yourself of that goal every week to keep the motivation high!

Follow these steps and enjoy your health journey the tasty way and soon it shall be a part of your life. After all , as Ms. Ahuja always says, its your commitment to Health!

Happy New Year!


BDST: 1544 HRS, JAN-01, 2014
Edited by: Sharmina islam, Lifestyle Editor