Exercising thrice a week can reduce your cardiovascular risks

I am a 27-year-old man, 5 ft 8 inches tall and weighing 85 kg, which I am aware is over my target body weight. I am not able to control my weight. I consulted an Aayurvedic doctor, who recommended that I exercise, walk and stop eating rice and rice products as well as non-veg food (chicken, mutton and beef, sea food) as well as fried items. I have stopped taking non-vegetarian food completely but find myself unable to stop eating rice or fried items. I don’t exercise every day but I like walking and walk whenever I get time. How do I lose weight?
—   Ananth Vishnu S Das, Kerala
Excess body weight leads to many diseases like cardiac disorders, diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol and other lifestyle diseases. I would suggest you to get a simple fat percentage test done to determine the exact fat percentage.

It will help you stay more focused on your eating habits and exercise. As exercise has many benefits apart from burning calories, please do enroll in a good gym to get a complete workout consisting of cardio, strength and flexibility. Exercise teamed with a good diet plan will result in physiological changes within a month.

It is not necessary to swear off non-vegetarian food, as it is a good source of protein.  Non-vegetarian fare gives you a feeling of satiety and stops you from binging.

Modify your diet and switch to lean meat and fish instead. Rice is often blamed for weight gain, but the truth is it has the same amount of calories that roti has. Its just that it is less nutritious and less filling.

You can try switching over to brown rice as it is not depleted of nutrition. Brown rice also takes a longer time to digest and thus keeps you from reaching for snacks in between meals.

Fried items should be totally avoided or consumed in extreme moderation. It is not going to do you any good, so it is best to avoid it.

I am 45 years old. I have borderline cholesterol and recently my doctor detected ischemic heart disease. He said it is not something I should unduly worry about and suggested lifestyle change. I have stopped smoking. Can I exercise in this condition? If yes, what kind of exercises can I do? I am about 8 kilos overweight.
—Rahul, Ulsoor
Inactivity and unhealthy eating habits lead to health issues. Maintain ideal body weight. It  will help control your cholesterol and cardiac condition. Lifestyle changes must be made immediately.

Exercising thrice a week can reduce your cardiovascular risks. Go for a simple 20-30 minutes of walking session with moderate intensity and a 30-minute yoga session everyday.

This will keep your stress levels down and improve your flexibility. However you need to consult your doctor before starting.

The major lifestyle change that you need to make is in your diet. By and large, stick to home cooked food. Cut down the consumption of trans fats, fast food,  deep-fried food and rich sweets as all of these can play havoc with health.

Stop taking any kind of alcohol and carbonated drinks. Consume good carbs and proteins every two hours and stay hydrated. Focus on consuming low-fat dairy, lean meat, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

These will give you your required dose of vitamins and minerals and will also increase your immunity. Such food give you a feeling of satiety and puts a check on snacking. And further, do not forget your annual health checkups.

Wanitha Ashok is the founder of Moving Body chain of fitness centres and is a trained expert