Is maintaining your fitness now, tougher than 20 years ago? Well, it definitely seems so
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal (Photo: AP/File)
With fitness becoming a top priority for most, unique alternatives are evolving to ensure diversity in exercise. Though aqua zumba, silk yoga and pilates all seem like a new fad, there could actually be a big reason for their existence. A recently concluded US study showed that it was easier to be healthy and fit two decades ago, than it is now. Be it due to the change in lifestyle or food habits, people these days have to sweat it out extra hard, or keep a constant check on their intake, to keep at their ideal weights.
The study conducted by The Obesity Research & Clinical Practice concluded that factors such as, “Pesticides, flame retardants, substances used in food packaging might all be altering our hormonal processes and tweaking the way our bodies put on and maintain weight.” The other causes cited were anti-depressants, steroid-treated meat, and artificial sweeteners.
Aanchal Madan, a dietician in the city says that a balanced diet plays a 70 per cent role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. “A two-hour-long workout will not solve the weight problem if it is accompanied by erratic eating habits,” she says. One’s meal should contain a perfect balance of proteins, carbohydrates, fat, minerals and vitamins, and should be adjusted for snacks eaten ‘in between meals’.
But what good is planning our meals, but still consuming chemically altered food? Says Aanchal, “This is where food labels come into play. Always read labels — an apple with a printed four-digit number that begins with 3 or 4 means ‘cultivated with pesticides’. A five-digit number beginning with 9 means it is organic.”
She also adds, “A number starting with eight means the fruit has been genetically modified. Vidya Singh, a wedding planner says, “Despite the growing awareness about fitness, the erratic schedules of today mean that an additional effort is needed for exercising and choosing better food”. She cites the example of her father, for whom ‘fitness, exercise and healthy eating was a lifestyle rather than a special effort’. “I am turning 62, but this has been my fitness mantra as well so far,” said Vidya.
“Not just food, but the sedentary lifestyle these days makes it tough to remain slim,” says nutritionist Arthi Balaji. “Traditionally cooked home food using organic produce is any day better than commercial food,” she says and points out that we should try to avoid shortcuts like using ready made dosa batter, and driving when a short walk would be possible. Model and cricketer Aaditya Varadharajan agrees that staying fit these days is difficult, and says self-control is the only solution. “I learned from experience that diet is more important than the hours spent in the gym. I started eating less, and saw results in just a week,” he says. Training the mind to keep junk food out, is as important as working out,” he concludes.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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