Weight Reduction:

Counting Calories:
Food is a source of energy and has fattening tendencies, but some foodstuffs are more fattening than others. For example, fats are more than carbohydrates and proteins. Energy and fattening potential of food is measured in calories. Foodstuffs vary in caloric content due to two reasons: Firstly because of the amount of fats, proteins and carbohydrates content. Secondly, due to the amount of water content, which has zero calories. Even the energy we spend working or exercising is measured in calories. The basis of a "calorie control" diet is restricting the calorie intake, while using more number of calories. This results in the body deriving more stores to fill the energy gap and you begin to lose weight.

On a weight reducing diet always avoid:

• Fried and greasy food.
• Sweets: Honey, ice-creams, cakes, pastries, jams, chocolates and candies.
• Dry fruits and nuts- Peanuts, almonds, cashew nuts, etc.
• All alcoholic drinks.
• Fruits like bananas, grapes, mangoes, strawberries.
• Vegetables like potatoes and other tubers.

You can have-
1.Salads: Carrots, radish, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and lettuce.
2.Drinks: Clear Soups, lemon Juice and Buttermilk.

Lose Weight Sensibly:
The most sensible, safe and effective way of slimming is to lose weight slowly. Avoid crash diets as they often fail. They are impossible to be sustained. Crash dieting has adverse effects like making you look haggard and loss of beauty. In the gradual diet control method you adapt to the change of food habits and the craving for certain food items is reduced. An average woman spends about 2,300 calories a day. To reduce your weight you should consume about 1,200-1,300 calories daily. When you eat about 1000 calories less every day, your body falls short of the calories needed. Thus 100grams of your stored body fat is used daily. So in about ten days you would be able to lose a kilo of your weight. However, on this diet, weight loss won't be rapid. But though slow, with persistent diet control you will definitely see healthy results.

There is a myth that protein-rich foods are not fattening. But proteins actually provide the same number of calories per gram as carbohydrates. So they should be equally fattening but protein-rich food stays in the stomach as quickly as carbohydrates. Due to this they tend to satisfy your appetite for much longer time and you don't feel hungry quickly. For example, a serving of mutton seems more filling than a bowl of cereal and sugar. Though both the portions have precisely the same number of calories.

A protein slimming diet suggesting consumption of eggs, yoghurt or fish rather than starchy and sugary foods is likely to be rich in minerals and vitamins. But carbohydrates can be easily eliminated from the diet without causing any deficiency of vitamins and minerals.

How To Cut Down On Fats:
A low fat diet is a sensible reduce the calorie intake. However when we cut out on the fatty part from our our meals, we tend to feel hungry much sooner. Due to which we may succumb to hunger-pangs and end up eating more before the next meal is due, and ruin the dietary schedule. 40% of our daily calorie intake is derived from fats. Half is visible in the oil and butter we use. And the other, not so obvious half, is through cakes, biscuits, boiled eggs and cream in our morning cup of tea or coffee.

Weight Reduction, Dietary Musts For Weight Reduction, Weight Reduction:

• Calorific Values Of Common Dietary Items:
• Milk (1 glass Skimmed) 70 calories
• Tea (1 cup +1/2 tsp sugar) 20 calories
• Egg (1 boiled) 80 calories
• Cottage Cheese (25g) 70 calories
• Bread (1 large slice) 75 calories
• Rice (1 helping of 25g) 87 calories
• Seasonal Vegetables (1 helping of 125g except tubers) 35 calories
• Pulses, lentils (1 helping) 80 calories
• Fruit (1 helping 100g except mangoes, grapes, bananas) 40 calories
• Curd (1 helping of 125g) 75 calories
• Cold Drinks, Aerated Drinks (1 bottle) 80 calories
• Oil (1 teaspoon) 45 calories
• Sugar (1 tsp) 20 calories