Food for thought: What I eat in a day
“What do you eat?”
- A common question I’m asked by friends and students all the time.
While I preach and practice yoga a lot, I realize that I don’t talk about my diet that often. So I decided to give you a sneak peek into my plate and what I typically eat in a day. I believe that our relationship with food can make all the difference to our health, mood and well-being.
My advice to anyone who’s asked me about my diet has always been...
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1. Stick to a meal plan which is sustainable
Why?
Fad diets do not really work in the long run. Lot of them work on the principle of depriving your body of certain food, carbs, fats and nutrients. This can in turn cause a lot of anger and irritation as we tend to suppress our cravings. Remember: in life and on your plate, balance is key.
2. Consult a professional nutritionist
who will take the time to understand your body, your daily routine, medical history and other factors to create a sustainable plan customized to your lifestyle and health goals.
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Why?
Just googling a diet or following someone else’s diet plan blindly can be highly risky, because what works for someone else might not work for you. Every body is different.
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Now coming to what I eat in a day and my reasons...
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I have worked with a couple of nutritionists, studied a bit of Ayurveda and finally also incorporated dietary recommendations from the school of yoga. Again, it’s important to remember: what works for me might not work for you! The idea isn’t to provide you a dietary chart or template but show you how discipline and consciously making better food choices can work wonders for your mind and body.
A little background about my medical history:
I have been anaemic all my life. With that comes low BP, low energy levels and sometimes hairfall too. In addition, I also have a history of haemorrhoids, joint aches and a case of the morning sniffles. I sound like an old lady, don’t I? But it’s true. I am the best example of how a poor lifestyle can take a huge toll on one's health. All my childhood, I used to take a concoction of medicines for even a common cold. There was a point when even medicines stopped working. Years later, I see the side effects of this. It’s not fun to have bad gut health and a sensitive stomach (trust me I know). I’d be lying if I said it was only a change in diet that changed things for me.
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My transformation also had a lot to do with yoga kriyas
such as Vamana Douthi and Shankhaprakshalana that revived my health, improved my immunity and helped cleanse my gut.
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Anyway, here’s what I usually eat at home.
On waking up
Overnight soaked munakka raisins and water
Why ?
It’s high in iron and great for fighting my anaemia. Soaking overnight helps to keep the blood sugar levels in check. I also munch on a few walnuts, almonds or a handful of dry fruits to keep me going.
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Pre Breakfast:
When I’m not working out -Stewed apples or a fruit
If working out - A protein smoothie ( half banana + any milk (I use almond or coconut) + spinach + dash of lemon + cacao powder + a scoop of plant protein)
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Post workout -
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Option 1 - A Protein Smoothie
Option 2 - South Indian Breakfast (Idli-dosa for the win)
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Pre Lunch - A fruit
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Lunch - Keeps varying but the rule is the same. I divide my plate into 3 portions.
1 portion of carbs
1 portion of protein
2 portions of vegetables
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Evening snack
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Coconut water or buttermilk.
Sweet corn or sprouts and vegetables or fruits.
Hummus and vegetables are my absolute favorite! So YUM.
Dinner - same rule as lunch
Few things I keep in mind and make sure to get enough of:
Any form of Iron and Vitamin C in every meal. Iron absorbs the best when there is a form of Vit C, eg - spinach and lemon.
¼ portion of every meal is a protein ( in addition to my protein shakes) - this is only to recover better and not lose the muscle in my body.
Due to my gut issues, I avoid raw vegetables as much as possible.
I also take Vit D and B12 supplements .
So this is what I eat in a day! Writing about food has made me super hungry. Now, let me go get cooking. Found this post helpful? Like, share, and let me know what you think.