Combating Obesity Through Diet
“The Diet Doctor,” by renowned nutritionist Ishi Khosla, is a powerful guide focused on tackling obesity through effective dietary changes and lifestyle adjustments. The book provides practical strategies and insights to help readers achieve and maintain a healthy weight, promoting overall well-being.
By Amresh K Tiwary
If you are serious about becoming your strongest and fittest self, eating nutritionally dense foods is essential to your workout plan. Nutrition plays a pivotal role in achieving fitness goals, and understanding the components of a balanced diet can make a significant difference. Achieving and maintaining a healthy body requires a holistic approach that includes both physical activity and mindful eating habits.
Fitness should not be seen as a ‘monthly paid subscription’ routine that a person can revoke anytime. It is a lifelong commitment between your body and good health metrics that safeguards both your body and mind from heart disease risks, strokes, diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. A sustainable approach to fitness involves consistent effort and dedication. Viewing fitness as a long-term investment in your health is crucial for achieving and maintaining optimal well-being.
“The Diet Doctor,” a book by renowned nutritionist Ishi Khosla, delves into the adverse effects of obesity and how it can be effectively managed. Obesity and corpulence are described as curses for the body, which can be easily warded off with pertinent actions. The book highlights a significant announcement by the World Health Organization (WHO) listing obesity among the top ten risk conditions globally. The repercussions of obesity are inexorable and include conditions such as fatty liver, chronic depression, irritable bowel syndrome, and erectile dysfunction, which are common causes of sleepless nights for many.
Diet plans are often dreaded by food lovers, but Khosla’s book makes them accessible and manageable. She describes the components of a healthy diet plan and what it should include, making the book a must-read encyclopaedia for those struggling to create and follow a diet plan. It features an elaborative table that fulfils every nutrient requirement for the body while also keeping weight in check. The book provides practical guidance on how to balance the enjoyment of food with the necessity of maintaining a healthy weight.
The book emphasises that “keeping your body at its optimum weight is a health must and non-negotiable.” Weight loss should be a priority, not just to look good but as a healthy and nutritional way of life to overcome the endless health hazards and problems attached to obesity. To understand how much weight one should lose, Khosla suggests getting accurate measures of Body Mass Index (BMI), total body fat percentage and distribution, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, and body shape. The book also educates readers about the key differences between simple and metabolic obesity. Simple obesity is described as weight gain in a generalised fashion, usually without a family history of diabetes and without marked insulin resistance. Conversely, metabolic obesity facilitates an insulin-resistant state, often leading to conditions like Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).
“The Diet Doctor” also explores how the Indian diet aggravates obesity. Traditional Indian diets are high in carbohydrates and have a high glycaemic index, with staples like rice, pulses, potatoes, and wheat. The book identifies sugar consumption, snacking, late dinners, and sedentary lifestyles as major causes of obesity. Globalisation has introduced Western dietary influences, increasing the consumption of alcohol and processed foods, which contributes to acute corpulence. Overeating, whether due to stress or lifestyle, adds to the growing ‘globesity’ statistics, a term coined by WHO. The book provides a thorough analysis of how dietary habits and lifestyle changes contribute to the obesity epidemic in India and globally.
Khosla asserts that the only way to shed extra kilos and achieve long-term fitness is by consistently monitoring your diet. She suggests that “knowledge of calories and nutrients is a great way to manage your everyday diet.” Diet temperance, or moderation, is crucial. Knowing the amount of calories consumed versus the amount needed for healthy functioning is essential. Excess calorie intake, especially from fried and junk food, exacerbates weight issues. While one should not obsess over every bite, developing a good understanding of calorie intake is important. For example, whole grains, being high in fibre and low in fat, are a good choice for weight watchers. The book encourages readers to develop a balanced relationship with food, focusing on nutritional value rather than mere calorie counting.
The book also identifies problem areas such as increased temptation, eating larger portions, and higher intake of refined starches like maida, poor-quality fat, sugar, and salt as contributors to widespread corpulence. This is an indubitable fact, as fast food frenzy and lack of self-control have become vexing issues, particularly among younger generations. The societal shift towards convenience foods and larger portion sizes has significantly impacted dietary habits, leading to widespread obesity and related health issues.
Planning your day in advance, regulating portions, and following the half-plate rule are some of the strategies suggested to help decrease weight. The book also lists fifteen uncompromising principles to solve obesity problems, including regular exercise, mindful eating, stress management, avoidance of late-night meals and meal skips, and regular health checkups. These principles serve as a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to adopt a healthier lifestyle and manage their weight effectively.
Ishi Khosla also offers inventive and delicious healthy recipes for starters and main course dishes such as Slimmer’s Fibre Delight, Quinoa Vegetable Porridge, Savoury Vegetable and Lentil Bites, Brown Rice Poha, and Moong Dal Poha. These recipes are easy to make, nutritious, and beneficial for overall health. The book provides a variety of meal options that cater to different tastes while ensuring nutritional balance, making healthy eating enjoyable and sustainable.
“The Diet Doctor” is a nutritional exposition that every person making dietary errors or struggling to lose weight should read to make comprehensive lifestyle changes. It aims to provide a smooth journey towards lifelong fitness rather than a burdensome trudge. The book’s holistic approach to diet and fitness underscores the importance of integrating healthy habits into daily life, making it a valuable resource for anyone committed to improving their health and well-being.
Short Box with Ishi Khosla’s Pic
Ishi Khosla is a practicing clinical nutritionist, columnist, author, entrepreneur, researcher, and welfare worker. She is actively involved in clinical practice at the Centre For Dietary Counselling in Delhi, where she deals with a wide range of nutrition-related health problems, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, food allergies, digestive issues, immune system disorders, neuropsychiatric conditions, and endocrine disorders in adults and children. To scale up her practice and reach out to a global audience, Khosla continues to share her extensive knowledge and expertise through her writings and consultations. Her work is instrumental in helping individuals achieve their health goals through personalised dietary counselling and practical nutritional advice.