Just over two hours of weekly exercise keeps diabetes away

It takes as little as 150 minutes of exercise every week to improve blood glucose tolerance, reduce body fat and the risk to all possible lifestyle diseases that come with obesity, says a celebrity fitness trainer and nutritionist.

In her third book, "Don't Lose Out, Work Out", Rujuta Diwekar tries to tackle every myth and fad related to exercise, demystifies exercise for everyone and presents it as not an activity but a science which has the potential to combat all lifestyle disorders including diabetes and obesity.

According to the Mumbai-based nutritionist, whose clientele includes the likes of Anil Ambani, Kareena Kapoor, Karisma Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Konkona Sen Sharma and Anupam Kher, the best exercise is the one that gets done on a regular basis.

"If you are a lover of the breaststroke in an Olympic-size pool, then that's the best exercise for you. If you love the treadmill, then it's the treadmill for you. If squatting under a bar double your body weight does it for you, then it's weight training for you, and if your head won't function without the sirsasana or sarvangasana cycle, then it's yoga for you," she says.

Diwekar also suggests that it is best to keep daily exercise to an hour, including warm-up, workout sets and cool down, and perhaps even the drive back home if one lives close by the gym.

"This will improve exercise compliance and lead to reduction in guilt and body fat, again brought about by the exercise compliance."

Eating right is more crucial for weight training than any other form of exercise, because weight training leads to maximum metabolic and biochemical changes in the body, she says.

A fruit, ideally a banana, is a perfect pre-workout meal, she suggests.

"Post-workout one needs to follow the 4 Rs – rehydrate, replenish, recover and repair- for which it is recommended to have water, seasonal fruit, protein shake and vitamins."

The writer also feels that people tend to walk less as they get older and richer.

"We won't walk, take the bus or run for the train, or for that matter won't even open the door, draw our curtains or walk to the kitchen to get a glass of water. In India, the richer you get, the less physical activity you are supposed to do to help yourself."

The book, published by Westland Ltd, also has sample training schedules and real life workout examples with analysis.

Diwekar, whose earlier books are "Don't Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight" and "Women and The Weight Loss Tamasha", says half information is a dangerous thing, especially when it concerns one's health and wellbeing.

"This book is an attempt to turn the half information on exercise to complete information, things we should have been taught in school (along with nutrition) with the same seriousness as any other science, because how fit and unfit we stay influences the lives we lead and how complete or fulfilling they are," she says.