Dietician Sheela Seharawat Interview By Manasa Gowda
A healthy diet is one that helps to maintain or improve overall health. A healthy diet provides the body with essential nutrition, fluid, macronutrients, micronutrients and adequate calories. Sheela Seharawat is registered dietician under IDA, and she is the founding member of Diet Clinic, operating around 35 outlets successfully all over the country.
A motivational speaker, an expert dietician and a strong believer of healthy and motivated living, she has transformed the lives of many through her breakthrough diets and inspiration on living a healthy life. Another feather
is added to the name of Diet Clinic Health Care as the esteemed magazine and organization “Silicon India Start Up City” has recognized and awarded “Diet Clinic” in their annual listing of “10 Best Startups in Fitness, 2017” Here are some of the questions asked for her on the various facts and myths followed by youngsters, these are the answers given by her if you would like to know more on this read the following Interview.
Exclusive interview done by Manasa Gowda
Q.1. Today most of the youngsters are going for crash diet. Can you please tell what should be diet of a person who wants to lose weight?
Crash diets are not good for youngsters or anybody else. It could lead to nutritional deficiency, decrease metabolic rate and affect your body&39;s functions. For weight loss, diet should be high in protein and fibre with moderate intake of carbohydrates. Prefer whole grains over refined foods. Include whole fruits and fresh vegetables instead of juices. It is not necessary to starve in order to lose weight. You just have to eat right food at right time.
Q.2. Most of the youngsters go for taking supplements to meet their energy levels. As a nutritionist what is your suggestion? Should teenagers take vitamin supplements? If so what is the procedure?
As a dietitian, I do not recommend supplements. For a healthy body; a balanced diet and active lifestyle is must. Take natural foods like eggs, sprouts, tofu, kala chana, paneer, soy, white meat – chicken and fish. There is no requirement of a vitamin supplement for a teenager unless until they suffer from some vitamin deficiency and it has been suggested by doctor after tests. Supplements should not be an option if you wish to carry a healthy lifestyle.
Q.3. what portion of meals is best for teenagers?
A balanced diet plan includes 5 -6 small and frequent meals instead of only 3 main meals in a day. Breakfast should never be skipped and one should take a protein rich breakfast. Lunch should be a combination of proteins and carbohydrates. Dinner should be light and as early as possible. Have 2-3 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. Parents should start inculcating the lifestyle of healthy and on time eating in kids from the very start.
Q.4 What is the difference between dietitian and nutritionist?
Dietician focuses on healthy food options in a balanced diet plan. They promote healthy eating habits whereas a nutritionist may suggest some supplements also along with a diet chart. There is difference in qualification of a dietician and a nutritionist. Dietician knows how to handle patients with medical issues in a more scientific way as compared to a nutritionist. Though, both have their very own significance.
Q.5. How much water should an individual consume in a day?
An individual should consume at least 8 -10 glasses of water daily. The quantity can be increased or decreased depending on the medical issues and the activity levels of the person. One should always carry a water bottle. If you keep your water bottle or container around you, you’ll end up consuming more water, which is good for health.
Q.6. What’s your opinion on the zero size concept of Kareena which most
of the young girls try to follow?
Zero size concept of Kareena is very popular among young girls. There’s
nothing bad about it unless it does not affect your health and day-to- day
activities. A fact that everyone should know is that, being skinny is not
always a sign of good health. In personal opinion, I believe in following a
healthy and balanced diet which gives a healthy body and a healthy mind.
Q.7. How good it is to follow the U-tube diet?
There are many people who suggest diet plans on YouTube channel.
However they may or may not be qualified and so it is best to take
professional help from a qualified dietician. Also, the diet plan differs
person to person depending on their age, sex, lifestyle, habits; medical
history etc, so following a YouTube diet plan may not be fit for you.
YouTube provides general diet tips for people but if there are any specific
medical issues, these YouTube diets may harm your health.
Q.8. People have a notion that taking rice and ghee puts on weight. Is it
true?
Rice and ghee combination will gain weight if taken regularly and in large
quantities. But if taken in the right quantity and at the right time
occasionally will not gain much weight. Pure Desi Ghee can be taken up to
1 tsp daily. It’s up to the individual’s quantity consumption of this
combination.
Q.9. Today most of the working women do not have time to go for gym or
yoga. Can you suggest the simple recipes which one can follow in their
daily regime?
Yes, it is true that since women are also working now-a- days, they do not have much time for gym or yoga. However to keep fit, they should concentrate on a right diet which should be low-calorie diet (1000-1200 calories). Diet should be high on protein and fibre -rich foods. Cut on fried foods, junk foods and sugar and dinner should be the lightest meal.
Q. 10. Your suggestion for the youngsters
To all the youngsters I would like to suggest them to start taking serious
care of their health, teenagers might ignore it now, but they will realize it
later. Teenagers should have wholesome meals. They can have a healthy
breakfast like milk with egg & toast or may be fruit, milk and oats, or may
be a vegetable or a paneer sandwich. Never skip any meals. Go for home-
cooked meals, occasionally eating out on weekends is fine. Avoid aerated
drinks like coke, soda, instead go for fresh juices. Avoid smoking and limit
alcohol intake.
Q.11.Some women after delivering a baby follow crash diets to lose
pregnancy weight. How safe it is?
It is not recommended to go for crash diets immediately after delivering a
baby as the baby has to be breastfeed at least for 3-4 months and proper
nutritious diet should be taken by the mother. Feeding also helps the
mother to lose weight and uterus comes back to normal size. She can go
for diet plans after 3 months under the guidance of dietician but not crash
diets.
Q.12. What is your opinion on having only millets in the diet?
Diet should include foods from all food groups – fresh fruits and
vegetables, cereals, pulses, milk and milk products. Including only millets
does not provide complete nutrition. Our body needs more than much
nutrition for various functioning. Though, millets can improve health but
sticking just to it, may not work well.
By - Manasa Gowda
