Look a knockout this new year

There really isn’t any quick way of losing weight or looking great. But you can certainly look more healthy, if you follow certain rules and stick to the regime in a highly disciplined manner, enlightens Dr Anjali Mukherjee.

With the festive season round the corner, most of us want to look our best and enjoy the celebrations. This is the time to start the preparations to look all toned up and well maintained on the New Year eve. There is no need to starve; you can have a well maintained body with just simple rules to follow. Here’s a step wise guide for you to dazzle every one with your healthy and well maintained body.

Here are some crash-course tips to help you look good for the new-year:

n  Drink enough water. Make sure you drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day. It keeps the body hydrated and flushes out the toxins.

n  Drink green tea. 3-4 cups of green tea every day an make a huge difference. The flavonoids present in green tea improve micro circulation, adding to skin glow.

n  Eat lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables give your skin an attractive and healthy glow. Also, include a variety of whole grains in your diet like whole wheat bread, oats, brown rice, millet, and barley.

n  Cleanse your system. Our bodies are constantly exposed to toxins. One of the easiest ways to remove toxins is by including vegetable and fruit juices in diet. Here’s an excellent juice recipe: Take 1 carrot, ½ beetroot, and 2 tomatoes. Cut them and pass all these through a juicer to extract the juice. This combination rejuvenates the cells of the body, detoxifies the liver, and makes your skin glow.

n  Avoid oily foods. They are not good for your skin and make your digestion sluggish. Fats in food make skin more prone to problems.

n  Include protein in your diet: eat lean proteins such as fish, chicken, eggs whites as they are high in protein.

n  Boost your immunity. We all are prone to colds and flu around this time of the year. Be sure to include vitamins C tablets of 1000 mg once a day. Drink juice of amla.

n  Eat home cooked food. Cooking your own food gives you the crucial control of what you eat. Eliminate all fast food and restaurant food.

n  Exercise and move. Make sure you weight train for 3 days in a week. This will help you to improve your body shape and give you more energy.

n  Reduce salt. Salt makes you retain water, which adds to weight and makes you look bloated. Avoid salty condiments like ketchup, barbecue sauce, and canned or processed foods prior to any big event.

n  Do not skip your meals. Don’t follow the feasting or fasting strategy. It adds to a puffy look.

n  Reduce alcohol intake. It will make you puffy eyed and bloated. If you must drink, take small vodka. Avoid cocktails as they add to body weight.

n  Avoid stress. Stress is bad for our skin and body. Avoid being sensitive to issues and take life easy. This is the best way to avoid stress.

n  Catch up on your sleep. It is essential to get good sleep at nights as often as possible to allow your body to rest and recharge.

n  Make sure to keep yourself warm and drive away infections this winter with heat generating foods.

n  Snack on unsalted nuts and dry fruits like almonds, cashewnuts, raisins, walnuts and apricots. They are nutritionally dense and take longer to digest, thus keeping your appetite in check.

n  Have grilled and roasted foods that stimulate the body to produce additional heat.
n  Drink the juice of one stick of fresh haldi and one amla daily. It’s available in winters and helps protect you from infections.

n  Avoid dry skin by having sufficient water and incorporating Vitamin E and Omega3 fatty acid rich foods like nuts, fish oils, and also seeds.

n  Always oil your hair before washing to bind the moisture within. Condition them regularly with a good conditioner.

(The writer is a nutritionist)