People and their Different Foods: Balanced Diet - Part 2

Balanced Diet – Part 2

People and their Different Foods

We saw that there is nothing called a Balanced Diet for anyone. The diet should change on a daily basis and one has to be alert and sensitive in listening to their body. Anything in excess is bad to your bodily requirements, including drinking excess water.

In this article I am attempting to share my little knowledge on what in general should an individual fill their plate with depending on few basic attributes like Age phase in life, Physically active level, Metabolism etc. These are further classified into before and after. I am no certified dietician or nutritionist to suggest diets, but my basic understanding and reasoning has helped me research on this more and what am going to state is through my proven records.

I am not a believer of any ‘Thumb Rule’ where it states that one’s plate should have particular percentages of proteins, fat, carbs, etc, nor do I believe in portions of food variety like fruits, vegetables, meat, etc, neither believe in having Fiber, Dairy in certain portion, etc. My take is again that each person is different, and lot depends on how your foundation years or childhood have been. If your childhood was more of activity based and ate, as we say, everything that was cooked and there was no definition of a particular food item has to be part of one’s staple diet, or there was limited exposure to sweets, or consumed more of fruits, etc. All this form, what I call as foundation blocks of our digestive system, body activity and muscles. Basis this our youth and adulthoods are defined. We cannot alter the diet overnight nor plan activities, which a body is not accustomed to. It is important to understand one’s upbringing, then what changes in body does one wish to bring in basis which plan the process that too has to be gradual.

Attempting to share what to eat for few categories of individuals:

• Before Running & after Running
• Before Gyming & after Gyming
• Expectant Mothers & New 
• Person who spends more time inhouse and less 
• Person at Desk 
• Person whose job is 
• Manual 
• Children active in 
• Children active in 
• Old people who are still active
• Old people who have resigned from major activities

Broadly a person’s lifestyle can be classified into two: Active and Sedentary lifestyle. These are the two extremes of a spectrum and all would fit in this scale at varied levels. Then other factors get added like: Age, Metabolism, Gender, Weather, Past Lifestyle to Present, Allergies, Medications, few aspects specific to Females like hormonal changes during a month, pregnancy, motherhood etc. All these have a direct or indirect impact on people’s lifestyle, bodily needs, leading to their individual nutritional requirements.

I am attempting to share very few and basic foods, which one can consider under few of the above identified heads. For more detailed food chart for an individual, I may be able to help by deeper analysis of an individual after interacting with them in person.

The first one in the list are the Runners, here am considering people who have been running for a considerable number of years: If one runs early in the morning, I suggest not to hit the road or treadmill immediately after waking up. Allow the body / muscles and mind to thaw and recuperate from rest position to activity mode. It is okay to have your shot at caffeine or warm water with some basic snacks like biscuits. Nothing which would fill your stomach, this is to avoid stomach acids lying bored in your stomach. Next before stepping out, please do basic stretches, breathing, spot jumping or jogging, idea is to get your mind programmed for the run, muscles to wake up and up your heart rate.

If you are an evening runner, then make sure your last meal has been at least two hours before your run. Would not advice caffeine before this run.

Suggested Food. Before the run, I advise stomach to be nearly empty, hence if there has been a long break in your food intake, then I suggest the following food (any of them in small quantity) before the run, again there has to be break of about 20 – 30 min before you start running.

1.    Bananas

2.    Oats

3.    Plain yogurt

4.    Chocolate

5.    Almonds and Walnuts

6.    Berries

7.    Cottage Cheese

8.    Boiled or Half-Boiled Eggs

After a good run, please stretch to cool down, sip water and after a break of about 30 min have either of the following:

1.    Bananas

2.    Boiled Potatoes

3.    Banana Shake

4.    Sweetened yogurt

5.    Berries

6.    Cottage Cheese

7.    Boiled or Half-Boiled Eggs

8.    Boiled Soy

Second category of people, Gym goers: This also depends on type of gym activity one engages into and how long one works out. Heavy weights – long duration to Light weights and shorter duration. And then what has one been brought up eating, what is the purpose of joining the gym, etc. If one sweats a lot, then please keep sipping water. If its warm weather with high humidity, it is advisable to add glucose to your water or sugar and salt in cold water (and the likes). Personally, I do not advise any of the energy drinks, which are available in the market. Regarding what food is good, customisation will be needed, but to give an energy boost before one hits the gym, following food can be considered in small quantity, again minimum 30-minutes before the gym.

1.    Bananas

2.    Boiled Potatoes

3.    Boiled or Half-Boiled Eggs (whole egg)

4.    Almonds

5.    Peanuts

6.    Boiled Soy

7.    Chicken Sandwich

After workout, besides the above, following should be added:

1.    Chicken, preferably roasted or grilled

2.    Cottage Cheese

3.    Chocolate

4.    Yogurt

5.    Lentils

6.    Soup: Vegetable, Chicken, Lentils, Broccoli. Mixed or individual

7.    Almonds

8.    Boiled Soy

9.    Berries

10. Chikoo (Mudapples)

Meals for a decent to heavy gym goer should include the following;

1.    Chicken in any format – dry or curry

2.    Fish in any format – dry, fried or curry

3.    Fruits – all fruits are good, not juices, definitely not canned juices

4.    Vegetables – in salad format, minus any oils or dips. Squeeze a lemon with little salt and black pepper or oregano. Sprinkling herbs is best.

5.    Lentils

6.    Sweet Potatoes

7.    Rice

8.    Breads / Chapatis (Preferably of Ragi or Jowar)

9.    Milk

10. Cheese

11. Cottage Cheese

12. Yogurt

13. Pasta

14. Cereals

15. Pure Ghee

16. Sweet Potatoes

I again repeat that people who works out in a gym, their diet chart will be different and will need much more detailed understanding to draw up their diet chart.

The third category and an important one is the Mothers, both Expectant and New (Lactating) Mothers. Their requirement of food is different because they have one more life, inside her or outside who draws all the nutrition from her. Hence it is extremely important for these mothers to take good care of themselves when it comes to food intake. For them, definitely follow what the doctor suggests, but what I can suggest are the following foods;

1.    Milk

2.    Eggs

3.    Cheese

4.    Cottage Cheese

5.    Pure Ghee

6.    All fruits and vegetables

7.    Nuts

8.    Rice

9.    Chapatis – preferably of Ragi or Jowar

10. Chicken

11. Fish (ones which are low on mercury)

12. Sweet Potatoes

13. Lentils

14. Nuts

15. Broccoli

Please do not forget to keep sipping water. It is one of the most important food category, which is often forgotten to consume.

I am generalizing the fourth category of people who are Less Active with slow metabolism or who lead a more of a sedentary lifestyle or who spend more time at their workstations and travel using automated vehicles. It is a common belief that a person who is not much mobile or has a sedentary lifestyle, does not require much calories etc. My understanding is that this person needs to get active (move more on their feet) and there are foods which make us lethargic or less energetic and the quantity in which they are consumed and at what intervals. Like for this type of person, my advice will be to reduce the quantity of food intake per se. Should avoid heavy foods like biryani, rich curries, parathas, lassi, milk shakes, rich Indian desserts, rice, puri, etc. Food that should be consumed:

1.    Chicken (roasted or grilled)

2.    Fish (Grilled)

3.    Eggs

4.    Butter Milk

5.    Lentils (watery)

6.    Citrus and water rich fruits

7.    Vegetables, more of seasonal vegetables, leafy vegetables

8.    Salad of Carrots, Cucumbers, Tomatoes, roasted Gram & Peanuts

9.    Milk

10. Yogurt

11. Soups

Fifth category of people are Active or Kinetic people with high metabolism. They will need foods which are rich in proteins and carbs because their body will digest the food faster, while proteins, besides giving necessary fuel to muscles, is also heavy, hence will make person less hungry. Carbs will help in giving the necessary energy and power. Foods that are good for such people are:

1.    Chicken

2.    Fish

3.    Lean meat

4.    Eggs

5.    Milk

6.    Cheese

7.    Cottage Cheese

8.    Soy

9.    Nuts

10. Chapatis

11. Yogurt

12. All type of Fruits & Vegetables

13. Lentil

14. Indian dessert

15. Ice Creams

16. Soups

17. Salads

Food consumption is a matter of discipline but at the same time one should not be too harsh on oneself. Enjoy life, try all types of food, be sensitive to your body and listen to what it says. By Discipline I refer to the time of food intake and burn out the consumption. The other important and non-tangible thing is our mind and thinking; Think positive, feel happy and channel your energies towards general good. Use your Limbs more in Movements and Tongue in Tasting.

Lastly, I am not a follower of Fasting of any sort. Yes, there are times when we need to detox our body or fast when our body feels blotted, or sluggish or ate heavy food. The other times could be when one travels to a different time-zone and that can possibly disturb your usual food regime and so to set their body clock to that time zone, people fast. But fasting per se is bad for health, instead correct your eating habits and change your food type. Don’t deprive the body of nutrients that they need. Eat what is good for wellbeing of your body and not necessarily for your greedy glutomy.

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