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Home » Diets that Work » Excl health webinar: Working from home in lockdown 2.0? Make sure you have a protein-rich breakfast, and handful of nuts & a bottle of water by…

The novel coronavirus outbreak has changed the way we live our lives. With working from home becoming a norm amidst this lockdown, several people have been experiencing problems with their fitness regime, eating habits and sleeping hours, among other things.

If you, too, have been worried about irregular eating habits during this lockdown, stressing about food is not the answer, say health experts.

In an exclusive 'Staying fit during a pandemic' webinar moderated by ET Online Lifestyle Editor Lopamudra Ghatak, Sandhya Pandey, Chief Clinical Nutritionist at Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurgaon, and Dr Meghana Pasi, Nutrition Consultant with Arogya World's MyThali program, got together to bust some common food and diet myths and how to make healthy eating less stressful during these current times.

Pandey, who has been visiting the hospital every alternate day for regular rounds, said that washing hands has become a ritual. Dr Pasi, who has been working from home and guiding her patients virtually, said that staying conscious about the health and nutrition of the children and elderly in the family is the most important thing in these uncertain times.

Both were of the opinion that being home-bound has been stressful for a lot of people, hence, worrying about ones food menu every day is not a wise decision.

Talking about one positive change that has come out of this difficult situation, Pandey pointed out that health has come into focus, and more people are choosing to be conscientious about boosting immunity and staying healthy.

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While it is crucial to include a balanced diet in Covid-induced sedentary lifestyle, working out daily and giving your body a proper rest during nap time are extremely crucial.

Q: With limited working-out and physical activity, how does one strike a balance?Dr Meghana Pasi (MP): From women and men to children and elderly, the requirements of a balanced diet vary for everyone. According to a WHO report, an individual is said to be living a sedentary lifestyle when s/he doesn't work out for 30 minutes daily or indulges in household chores. The study also suggested that a lot of Indians today are sedentary.

A balanced meal comprises items from five categories of food groups - cereals from grains, protein from pulses & meat, fruits and vegetables, fat from oils, and milk and milk products under dairy. On a daily basis, every individual should ensure that s/he consumes 50 per cent of fruits and veggies, 25 per cent of protein and the remaining 25 per cent of carbs or fat.

Q: Which is a better diet plan: Keto or paleo?SP: I do not recommend going for any fad diet unless you are absolutely sure.Diet plans that suggest 1-meal the entire day for weight loss, etc, are not the best option as the body needs all the nutrients. Whenever you think of following a diet plan, it is always advisable to see what goes to your plate, and how it was prepared.

At this point, it is key to boost immunity, and it can only happen when there is a proper mix of all food items. Include more complex carbs like jowar, bajra to your diet as the body needs that.

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Try to mix and match food items in the kitchen on a regular basis. Alternate between different pulses like kidney beans (rajma), black chana, and even fruits. Always try to buy one fruit, finish it, and then buy another if you fear they will go bad.

Q: What is the best time to have proteins - day or night?SP: It is best to divide proteins through the day. Each meal should have proteins. If a person is indulging in a high-intensity workout, then s/he can have 1 bowl for muscle recovery.

MP: Try to include pulses like chana chat, chickpeas salad, lassi, buttermilk and curd in your diet. It is important to make sure that the breakfast is protein-rich and has complex carbs. Breakfast doesn't have to be a tedious process, and you can make parathas out of leftover sabzi for a wholesome breakfast. However, it is important to know your portion size.

Q: What are your views on intermittent fasting?SP: Not a lot of people understand intermittent fasting. It is fasting (for 16 hrs) and the remaining time (8 hours) is for feeding. In my opinion, 16 hours of fasting is a long time and not practical to do.

When fasting for 16 hours, our body starts the process of utilising the available resources which further translates to weight loss. While there hasn't been much research in the clinical setting for intermittent fasting, we suggest people look at fasting on alternate days or with time restrictions. Before recommending it to my patients, I decided to start a 14-hour-long intermittent fasting process, but the only difference was I ate only healthy during the feeding time. I avoided processed sugar, junk food, etc.

I believe intermittent fasting teaches you discipline about mindful eating. If you begin your day at 9 am, try to close it by 7 pm. After that, only resort to drinking green tea, chamomile tea or nimbu pani if you crave for food.

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Q: How can one plan the day with a complete meal diet?MP: Start your day early with a glass of warm water. Stay hydrated through the day. Have a healthy, protein-rich breakfast with cereals, milk, eggs or other dairy products.

If you feel hungry between breakfast and lunch, a handful of nuts can help. Don't waste time making yourself a cup of coffee or tea. Having two to three fruits in a day can help boost immunity.

For lunch, opt for eat a proper thali that includes sabzi, curd, dal, rice/roti. If you feel like having a Chinese dish, do that, but make sure you include a lot of mushrooms, tofu, etc to make it healthy.

With the weather getting warmer, it is important to drink two to three bottles (8-10 glasses) of water every day. It is also time to increase the intake of other healthy fluids like nimbu paani, buttermilk, etc.

Keep your dinner light and restrict it to dal-rice and salad, or curd rice or roti sabzi.

Q: Is rice unhealthy?SP: Rice consists of B vitamins like folic acid, niacin & thiamine that get washed away when it undergoes processing. Avoid consuming processed rice. It is advisable to keep an eye on the quantity of food being consumed.. One regular biscuit (not a cookie) equals 50 kilocalories, and two biscuits are equal to 1 chapati. Avoid gorging on biscuits and cookies when you feel snackish.

Q: Limited physical activity has also led to constipation. How can food help with that?SP: Include fibres in your diet as gut health is important for immunity. , Add more probiotics and fibres like oats, pulses, legumes, sprouts, seeds, fenugreek seeds (soak them till they germinate) to your meals. Also, increasing fluid intake is essential, and try junkshakes, cold drinks and cold milk as they add to the calorie and sugar intake. Keep some movement going by getting up to go and fetch a glass of water when you are thirsty. Try to walk around when attending calls. Set a target of steps every day, and try to achieve it. An hour of workout every day is very important.

Q: Can food help us in feeling active and energetic?MP: There are three types of food - 'Go foods' that are fats and carbohydrates and give a lot of energy, 'Grow food' which are rich in protein, and 'Glow food' that come under the protective category like veggies. Protein and fibre-rich food items give the most energy. Avoid juices, and go for the real fruits instead as it can help boost your mood and immunity. Also increase your water intake.

Q: What kind of fitness regime should one opt for? SP: Start small if you are a beginner. Make sure your position and posture is correct when working out looking at online classes. Take up simple exercises. Surya Namaskar uses the complete body weight and gives you a full body workout.

Q: What's the right time to exercise?SP: There is no right time to work out, and you can do it depending on the time that suits you the best. But, one should make sure to start and be consistent. Dressing up for your workout, asking friends to join digitally, or stretching with your family can help set the mood set right.

SP: It is important for patients who have lifestyle diseases to take medication and food on time. If you have Vitamin D, A or C deficiency, make sure you include food rich in those. Vitamin D deficiency is linked to respiratory problems. Three tips that are helpful in the time of coronavirus:.

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Excl health webinar: Working from home in lockdown 2.0? Make sure you have a protein-rich breakfast, and handful of nuts & a bottle of water by...

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Home » Diets that Work » Excl health webinar: Working from home in lockdown 2.0? Make sure you have a protein-rich breakfast, and handful of nuts & a bottle of water by…