SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING- THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS HEALTH (Myths, weaknesses and health problems of our new client and how they were solved)
It was a Saturday afternoon and we were busy winding up work for the weekend before holi. And then I was reminded I had an appointment with a couple for diet counseling. Sharp 1pm the couple was in our office. Saurabh and Anushka a young smart couple! in their mid-thirties. Anushka seemed to be very concerned about her husband’s not so healthy life style. On the other hand Saurabh was a happy go lucky man and was very comfortable with his routine. It was very clear he was there to meet me just to please his pregnant wife.
The challenges in planning their diet
- To convince Saurabh to quit alcohol
- Teach them to eat smart on parties as they had regular outings
- Change their meal timing specially the late dinners
- Ensure they followed the diet
As a dietitian I feel it is very important not be very rigid in your rules while planning a diet. It is impossible to expect people to change their eating plans overnight. Changes have to be gradual so that the client is motivated and comfortable to follow. Planning a very strict diet charts are usually not followed!
We came to a mutual compromise where alcohol was allowed 3 times a week instead of 5. The late heavy dinners after alcohol were switched with healthier high protein snacks along with alcohol. A few minor changes were made like increasing the fiber content by including three seasonal fruits.
Usually when you visit a dietician the first expectation is that all tasty food will be slashed out from the diet chart. But to keep our dieters emotionally happy we just make their favorite chunk food healthier for example. Regular pasta into vegetable pasta or replace butter with hung curd in their sandwiches. Saurabh too was thrilled to know that he would be offered pao bhaji, hummus, Chinese and many more interesting dishes as part of his weight loss journey. On the other hand Anushka was most happy to receive the videos of the dishes as it became most convenient to explain the house cook.
Now the couple doesn’t regret an outing anymore. Our smart outing plan helps them to choose the right food. Anushka was fed up of giving alibis to her friends to miss a party of saving Saurabh of some heavy junk food. She would starve him the whole day before an outing to compensate for the calories to be eaten later. But sadly he would be starved to death by the time he would reach the party and as a result gorge double the food he should have eaten. After our advice now he eats a low calorie high protein snack just before he leaves for the party. As a result he is only pecking on food which he actually relishes rather than eating mindlessly to fill his stomach. On our weekly update we were very happy to know that the whole family was following our diet instead of just Saurabh and Anushka.
Feedback from Saurabh and Anushka after 10 days of following our diet
- Saurabh had lost 1 kg of weight effortlessly
- The couple was fighting less as most of their fights were on food
- Their sex life had improved
- Saurabh gets a better undisturbed sleep and gets up feeling fresh in the morning
- Anushka is most happy with the compliments she is collecting for her glowing skin
- Now Saurabh feels he is more active in the gym and is able to exercise more.
Their family is looking forward to bring in the little one into a happy healthy and smarter family. A healthy diet is not just for a short term to achieve some goal. Good eating habits have to be followed for life. This is what we are trying to achieve at Guru.
