"Don't Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight" by Rujuta Diwekar is a holistic guide to weight management that goes beyond conventional dieting and calorie counting. The book, written by one of India's leading nutritionists, focuses on adopting a sustainable and balanced approach to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. In a comprehensive exploration of nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle choices, Diwekar provides readers with valuable insights and practical tips for achieving their weight loss goals.
Don't Lose Your Mind Lose Your Weight discusses the balance needed between overeating and deprivation of meals. The author highlights the misconceptions that people have regarding nutrition and dieting. The author, instead of focusing on dieting, focuses on the importance of eating right.
The book helps you understand how to eat carbs, protein, fat, and fruits for the best health. What is the best way to eat your food and manage your life?
Main Features
- Helps improve your weight loss routine
- Reveals the basics of nutrition
- Clears misconceptions about dieting as well
- Suitable for all ages and body types
- Helps you strike a balance between overeating and dieting
- Never look at the weighing scale & BMI and judge your health.
- Body is made up of 2 parts: Fat weight & Lean body weight (weight of your muscles and bone.)
- You must look at how much fat is there in your body than looking at overall weight. You can differentiate that many people with high-fat percentages will look weak and plum and even with low-fat percentages and high muscles percentage will look lean and toned.
- It was discovered that fructose, the sugar which we get from the fruit, gets converted to triglycerides, especially when eaten after a heavy meal,
- Triglycerides: a type of fat that circulates in our bloodstream. A high level of triglycerides causes heart disease, and insulin insensitivity and of course leads to the bigger fat cell.
- Irrespective of which fruit you intake, it is bound to give you fructose.
- A fruit can be taken as a meal or as a morning meal or after exercise, but definitely not as a dessert after dinner.
- You must avoid juice because the very process increases the surface area and nutrients are lost.
- The reason is fruits are antioxidants, when you make a juice its surface area is increased and exposure to air and surroundings has already oxidized its nutrients.
- Ideally, they should get oxidized in our body and not outside it.
- You should not replace sugar with a sweetener.
- Regular use of all sweeteners is linked with certain types of cancers, thyroid malfunction, memory loss, acidity, obesity etc.
- 1-2 teaspoons of sugar are not going to harm you as much as the sweetener.
- Stop eating before reaching the overeating threshold.
- All you need to train yourself to do, is to be attentive to your stomach.
- Eat freshly prepared food
- Such as, prepared 3 hrs within the cooking
- Smaller the number of people for whom food is prepared, the better its nutrient level.
- Eat your fruits and vegetables whole instead of cutting them into pieces because you lose nutrition from their surface.
- Eat at least one meal daily that you have been eating since childhood/ that reflects your genes.
- Such as Tamilians eat idli, etc.
- As much as possible, Eat local produce and seasonal food.
- Maintain a calm state of mind.
- By maintaining a disciplined life which means waking up close to sunrise, exercising, self-expression, and most importantly keeping all our sensing focussed on one thing at a time i.e. while eating you focus only on the food.
- A paneer paratha is always better than a pizza. When it comes to food always think about nutrition, not calories. Stick to low GI (Glycemic index) food as a general rule. High GI foods (fast carbs) get converted to fat quickly and low GI foods (slow carbs) have a much better chance of getting utilized for energy instead of getting stored fat.
- Examples of low GI food are; Jowar, barley, bajra, legume, etc.
- High GI food is all sweets, biscuits, pizzas, jams, etc.
- Your body can take high GI(Glycemic index) food only after exercise when your body needs instant sugar.
- In absence of carbs, fats cannot be utilized for energy. During any form of workout, the muscles goes through microscopic wear and tear, and hence post-workout, we must have a meal with high protein and GI carbs.
- Too much protein consumption also has limitations. When too much protein is taken at one time, it cannot be stored for future use, instead, it gets converted to fats in your body.
- Consume an adequate protein diet and eat a diet with a balanced amount of carbohydrates and fats.
- Our protein requirement stands roughly at 1 gm per kilo of body weight. So if you are 70 kgs individual you will need 70 grams of protein a day.
- Maintain optimum weight and you must include healthy fats like nuts, ghee, cheese, paneer, and fish in your diet.
- Ensure an equal ratio of omega 3 and omega 6 in your diet.
- You should combine fats with carbs and protein, which works at reducing the glycemic index of food.
- Try to include different types/kinds of oil in your diet. This means you could use peanut oil for breakfast, and sunflower oil for dinner.
- Have at least 1 teaspoon of homemade ghee every day.
- Use Iron cooking ware(tavas and kadhais) and utensils. It helps in improving the iron content of your food.
- Drink water all the time, sip by sip, and swirl it in your mouth as if you are relishing every sip.
Principle 1:
- Never have tea first thing in the morning. Eat meal food 10-15 mins of waking up.
- Eat every 2 hours. This works on the concept of DIT or Diet Induced Thermogenesis.
- This means that every 2 hours, you increase burning just by eating. But remember the threshold level of eating.
- Meal 1: Fruit/homemade Snacks
- Meal 2: Breakfast
- Meal 3: Handful of Peanuts/Yogurt/Milk
- Meal 4: Lunch
- Meal 5: Fruit/ healthy snacks,
- Meal 6: Dinner
- Eat more when you are more active and less when you are less active
- Finish your last meal at least 2 hours before sleeping Always maintain your timetable,
- Such as, Waking up early and sleeping at a fixed time.
- Take at least good 6-7 hours of sleep every day.
- Exercise religiously and try any form of workout that interests you. Every time you exercise, it should challenge the body’s current fitness level. This is called the progressive overload principle.
- Weight training: At least twice a week for not more than 60 minutes
- Yoga: You can do daily, Stomach to be relatively empty and eat a healthy meal post yoga.
- All food is good, do not take diet plans which deprive of food
- Exercise and dieting are not mutually exclusive
- Eat homemade food snacks.
- Diet should be customized, it does not fit for all
- Train your stomach
- Eat fresh food
- do not cut vegetables and fruits into small pieces
- Go to your genes
- Eat local and seasonal food
- Eat with the calm state of mind
- Learn how to eat fruits
- Eat every 2 Hours
- Last meal should take before 2 Hour of sleep
Key Concepts:
1. Eating Right, Not Less:
Diwekar challenges the common notion of crash diets and starvation, advocating instead for a balanced and nourishing diet. She encourages readers to focus on the quality of their food, embracing a variety of nutrients from different food groups.
2. Local and Seasonal Eating:
The author emphasizes the significance of consuming locally sourced and seasonal foods. This not only supports the environment but also ensures that individuals receive a diverse range of nutrients throughout the year.
3. Meal Timing and Portion Control:
Diwekar delves into the importance of meal timing and portion control. She recommends regular and timely meals, emphasizing the need to listen to one's body and eat in moderation.
4. Incorporating Traditional Wisdom:
Drawing on traditional Indian practices, the book discusses the value of incorporating foods like ghee, jaggery, and various grains into the diet. Diwekar dispels myths surrounding these items and highlights their nutritional benefits.
5. Mindful Eating:
Mindful eating is a central theme in the book. Diwekar encourages readers to be present and conscious while eating, fostering a healthier relationship with food. This involves savoring each bite and recognizing hunger and satiety cues.
6. Exercise and Lifestyle:
The book stresses the importance of regular physical activity tailored to individual preferences and capabilities. Diwekar also explores the impact of lifestyle factors such as sleep, stress, and hydration on weight management.
7. Customized Plans:
Recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all solution, Diwekar provides customizable plans based on different body types, activity levels, and health conditions. This approach acknowledges the uniqueness of each individual's body and requirements.
8. Building Sustainable Habits:
Rather than promoting quick fixes, Diwekar guides readers in building sustainable habits. This involves making gradual changes to one's lifestyle, leading to long-term weight management and overall well-being.
Practical Tips:
1. Create a Balanced Plate:
Diwekar suggests including a variety of foods on your plate, incorporating different colors, textures, and nutritional components. This helps ensure a well-rounded and nourishing meal.
2. Hydration is Key:
Adequate hydration is crucial for overall health and weight management. Diwekar recommends incorporating water, herbal teas, and coconut water into your daily routine.
3. Listen to Your Body:
Pay attention to hunger and fullness cues. Mindful eating involves being aware of your body's signals and avoiding overeating.
4. Include Traditional Superfoods:
The book introduces traditional Indian superfoods like ghee, millets, and local fruits. Diwekar explains their nutritional benefits and suggests ways to incorporate them into your diet.
5. Embrace Regular Physical Activity:
Find an exercise routine that suits your preferences and lifestyle. Whether it's yoga, walking, or gym workouts, staying active is essential for maintaining a healthy weight.
6. Prioritize Mental Well-being:
Stress management and adequate sleep are emphasized in the book. Diwekar explains the impact of stress on weight gain and encourages practices such as meditation and relaxation techniques.
The book is great to read and interesting for all those people who want to maintain good health and weight.
Critique:
While "Don't Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight" offers valuable insights, some critics argue that the book's recommendations may not be universally applicable. Individual responses to diet and exercise can vary, and factors like genetics and medical conditions should be considered.
Conclusion:
Rujuta Diwekar's book provides a refreshing perspective on weight management, focusing on sustainable lifestyle changes rather than quick fixes. By combining traditional wisdom with modern nutritional science, she offers a holistic approach that resonates with a wide audience. "Don't Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight" serves as a guide for those seeking a balanced and mindful approach to achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.
Who is the Author? Who is Rujuta Diweka?
- Contents: 288 pages
- Language: English
- Publisher: Random House India
- Binding Type: Paperback
- Genre: Health and Nutrition
- Dimensions: 12.9 x 1.8 x 19.6 cms
