Women's Day 2020 Special: Experts share fitness and diet tips that women should follow on a daily basis

International Women's Day is just around the corner and is celebrated on March 8. The day is observed to celebrate womanhood, the progress that they have achieved so far and reflect on the issues that they are still facing today. On this special occasion, we have compiled some fitness and diet tips that are provided exclusively by the health experts that women should follow on a daily basis. Right from having a hearty breakfast to the inclusion of fruits and veggies to exercising and having me, these tips are very vital for ladies as following the same will help them to lead a healthy life which in turn will help them to achieve greater heights.

Ms. Shalini Bhargava, Director at JG’S Fitness Centre, said, "Consuming a wholesome breakfast is particularly vital on days when exercise and physical activity is on your agenda. Avoiding breakfast will leave you feeling dizzy or lethargic while you work out. Hence choosing the right kind of breakfast is extremely important."

She also stated how one should include fresh fruits and veggies. She said, "Fruits and veggies are great sources of natural fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other essential compounds that your body requires to function appropriately. Moreover, these are also low in calories and fat. You must fill half your plate with fruits and veggies at every meal."

She also stressed the importance of hydration. "It is also crucial for women to stay hydrated at all times. Drinking water at steady intervals will aid you in avoiding problems of feeling dehydrated, thus leading to a healthier you." 

Dr. Deepti Bagree, Head of Department- Healthcare Division, RESET- Holistic Living Concepts also shared some fitness tips. She said, "A simple change in kitchen can help you manage blood pressure or blood sugar fluctuations in a much easier way than to popping pills forever. Just saying no to white sugar, salt and refined flour (all-purpose flour) and using their healthier counterparts without taste compromise like pink salt /rock salt, organic jaggery, unpasteurized honey /manuka honey is a great way to manage lifestyle disorders.

She added, " For women who travel frequently for work or otherwise it’s important to stay fit and not deviate from fitness regime by sticking to certain general guidelines such as using the wait time at airport for taking steps, walking around, eating meals before leaving home so that one doesn’t eat at food counters, following GPRS mantra (grilled, poached, roasted steamed/stir fry) while ordering food at restaurants."

She also talked about the importance of breathing properly. "Pranayama- Deep breathing, taking up a hobby, a short vacation to distress, friends get to gather are all ways to distress yourself. De-stressing helps in lowering the stress hormones and soothing nerves and relaxing tense muscles. This helps in the absorption of nutrients from the food well."

Ms. Carlyne Remedios, Group Manager – Clinical Practices, Nutrition & Product Development - Digestive Health Institute by Dr. Muffi opined how women should ditch the weighing scale. She said, "Stop obsessing about your weight and instead focus on your fitness and health. Pick 3 goals that are not weight-related and work towards it. For E.g. walk up a flight of stairs without getting breathless or avoid energy slumps at the end of the day. This way you will learn to listen to your body and respect it rather than starve yourself to look thin."

She stressed on how women should take time out for yourself. "It’s important to have quality ME time. The time that you take to focus only on yourself. The best way to do that is to plug in your earphones and go for a run/walk, practice yoga/meditation or pick any fitness activity that you fancy - it could be a Zumba class or a dance class or any sport. But take out at least 30 - 40 mins of your day for exercise/fitness."

Dietician Jinal Savla, founder & owner of Healthy Palate Clinic & Products talked about the importance of getting good night’s sleep. "I cannot stress enough on how important good sleep is for health. Body’s important processes of repair, growth & regeneration take place during sleep. If you wake up tired & often forget things, try getting 6-8 hours of deep sleep & see how you wake up fresh, energetic & with better memory."

She added, "Start the day 10-15mins early than your usual time & invest some time in a small meditation/prayer & quickly chalk your daily planner. This will keep you focused & save a lot of time."

Diksha Chhabra, a certified Nutritionist and wellness expert, Founder of Diksha Chhabra Consultants talked about choosing sustainability over what is trending and about exercising. "We often get lured by the news around the fancy diets our favourite celebs follow to look so good on the screen and immediately we jump into following it with an impulse. Every day a new diet ll be seen and if you constantly switching from one to another. A particular diet takes at least 3 months to get visible results jumping frequently will stall the process besides one should choose sustainability over what is trending. Always choose a diet that suits your day to day activity, environment and body, what can be done for the long term.

"Exercise is an integral part of healthy well-being. Human bodies are physiologically made to do physical work. Thanks to our stressful life we are ignoring this fact every day. Hence the disorders like diabetes, pcod or thyroid are becoming more common than cough and cold. Including an active lifestyle is the answer to get rid of this situation. Devote at least 30-45 mins a day in some activity can be gym, swimming or sports.

"Burn it in a fun way: Like diet trends, various exercise trends are also coming up. Many fun ways have been introduced in the market to keep up the momentum. A consumer has a lot of options from Power yoga, Zumba to DIY workout that gives you the leverage to burn your calories in a fun way. Irrespective of what way you choose effectiveness and continuity is the key to get results. So make a choice that interests you for the long term."