Fitness tips in a book

Highly respected nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar published her latest book

and sustainable path health and fitness.”

Qtowards

How does the book address the special medical and health conditions?

R: Most medical and health conditions that bother people on a daily basis include constipation, acidity, bloating, sugar cravings, sleepless nights, poor compliance to exercise, painful/irregular periods, etc. What I did through this book was share easy tips, including food tips such as starting your day with soaked raisins, exercising tips such as doing five Suryanamaskaras daily and lifestyle tips such as switching to iron kadhai in the kitchen. Essentially, these are accessible, inexpensive, culturally relevant tips that will help enhance daily health and wellbeing.

QSo many of your clients have incredibly busy schedules. How do you keep them motivated even when they don’t feel like working out?

R: Motivation is an internal game. It doesn’t come because you signed up with a dietitian. Often, it works the other way, you sign up with someone like me when you are high on motivation, so the conversion to results is easy, a pre-decided consequence almost.

QWho is the target audience for this book? R: Anyone with an aspiration to lead a healthier life, to fit into a smaller size or simply eat right is my audience. The book is an easy read, with a 12-step approach towards a life where eating right, exercising and sleeping on time can become a default mode.

What sets this book apart from other fitness and nutrition books?

R: This book is based on the public-health project that my nutrition team and I had started in 2018. We conducted an online open survey, which had over 1.25 lakh participants from across 40 countries, who registered

Qwith us via a Google form we had created. They watched a live video every week that offered an easy tip on diet, exercise or lifestyle. Participants were to follow tips we offered in a cumulative manner; every month then on, they filled out a google form that tracked their metabolic health parameters. At the end of the 12 weeks, participants saw a huge improvement in their health. More than 83 percent had lost inches from waist and there was a 53 percent improvement in PMS/period pain, for example. The impact report in the infographic (attached) shows the results. The project never made weight loss the goal but a happy by-product.

QWhy do you think so many Indians connect with your advice in such a big way? R: Because it reconnects them with their identity, culture, climate and childhood. In a way, it reassures them that they do not have to give up on their ‘Indianness’.

QConsidering we deal with high levels of pollution, many children are subject to respiratory infections and low immunity. How can diet help? R: Diet — amla, haldi-doodh, aliv laddoos, rice-dal for dinner, etc. — can work to a certain extent in helping fight the free radicals caused by high pollution levels. But the real game changer is a robust policy and a government that is committed to clean air, water and soil for its citizens. Pollution is a monster that cannot be fought individually; it needs to be fought collectively.

You’re the nutritionist for many celebrities. How did that come to be?

R: By chance and by the virtue of being in Mumbai, the home ground of Hindi film industry and industrialists. My client Shaira, Ahmed Khan’s wife, introduced me to Kareena Kapoor .But much before that, it was Lally Dhawan, Varun Dhawan’s mom, who recommended me to her circle of friends.

QQAs a nationally recognised nutritionist, how do you manage a healthy lifestyle onthe-go?

R: For me, it is easy. I have a beautiful and efficient team, both at home and work. In fact, those two aspects of my life simply overlap and eating locally, making time to exercise and to rest and recover becomes an inherit part of the environment. As a working woman, creating a healthy environment for growth and wellbeing for all gives me the biggest sense of empowerment and purpose.