Embarking on the path to a healthier lifestyle is a challenge, which lies in sifting through the various fads and misconceptions and finding the right diet and regime to follow. This journey requires knowing more than ‘brown rice is better; green veggies are healthier etc.’ Once we undertake this lifestyle, we come across various doubts, queries, and challenges at each step. And it’s always advisable to take the help of the experts in solving these challenges.

Therefore, we, at bon happetee, have compiled the top ‘health and fitness’ related queries asked by our users along with their answers given by our nutritionists, to simplify your task. You will find most of your queries answered below-

1. My question is how to lose belly fat and fat around neck area? What kind of diet and exercise regime do you advise? How many calories and macros should I take in a day? Diet- veg and north Indian.

A. You could try going on a low carb diet to lose belly fat. Try and enhance the protein, fat and fiber intake along with it. Feed in your details on the app and it will promptly calculate your macros considering your health goals. Physical activity of any kind will help. Start with walking and boost the intensity as you go!

2. I have 3 litres of water every day which was just half a litre a month ago and I have reduced my carbs intake as well. Yet I feel the same, weight wise. Please suggest some other changes as well.

A. No single nutrient can help reach your health goal. With lowering your carbs, focus on high protein and good fat intake.

3. I have a sitting job. And I wanna lose weight from love handles and hip area, adding on to the total weight. Can you suggest few foods and dietary changes for that?

A. Try doing a detox for a day or two and move on to a low carb diet after that. Set your macros on the app and it will guide you. Taking short breaks and walking around at work may also help.

4. I usually have my dinner at around 8 thinking that I will sleep by 10:30. But usually, the sleeping time turns out to be 12 which results in hunger pangs. I mainly try to have puffed rice handy but when it’s not around, Maggi comes to the rescue. How to tackle this post-dinner hunger pangs?

A. You can try having a glass of milk, curd with a fruit, some makhanas or roasted chana. Have a wholesome dinner to avoid late night hunger pangs.

5. I love to have rice items like biryani, pulav, khichdi for dinner in a good quantity.I cannot resist them and end up breaking my good score cycle. How can I make up for this?

A. Rice is not your enemy, the quantity and pairings are crucial. Consume your rice with a protein source like paneer or chicken, pair it with some dahi and try and include as many veggies as you can in your pulav or khichidi.

6. I would like to know healthy yet tasty snacking options.

A. Some snacking options- strawberries with dahi, apple with flaxseed, smoothies, makhanas, peanut butter shake, peanuts, roasted chana, sprouted dals etc.

7. I have started having vegetable juice in the morning to up my vegetable intake. But I add one fruit to it to make it tastier. Is that OK? Can I substitute my subzi requirement with raw veggie juice? I feel I like juice more than subzi.

A. Absolutely! Try and use two vegetables and 1 fruit for your smoothie. Spice it up with ginger, black salt or mint. You can also add some flaxseed and sabja seed for good fats.

8. I have strong cravings, every day. All kinds of junk food, especially chocolate. I’m almost 10 kgs. overweight. I need to lose weight. I have PCOD. Please help. 

A. High cravings can also be a symptom of nutritional deficiencies. Try sorting one meal at a time and do give yourself frequent indulgence with what you like.     

 9. I have cheat days mainly on Saturday and Sunday. On these days, I don’t work out and indulge in a meal of a chicken biryani or go out and have a nonveg starter, butter/garlic naan, and a vegetable gravy, although, the latter scores low. Is this the reason that even after working out whole week except the weekends, I am losing body weight at low pace?   

A.  Balancing out your meals is an important aspect. Along with a chicken biryani pair some raita and a kachumber salad and the score will improve. Also, with bon happetee every day can be a cheat day! Even if you do eat outside, keep a check on your carbs and include a protein and a source of good fat.

10. What kind of exercise would you recommend for weight loss & muscle gain? Also, my bone density level is very low for my age i.e 21. What should I be doing to increase it?

A.  You can go for a mix of cardio and weight lifts. You need to focus on nutrients like protein, calcium, vitamin D, and fiber. 

11. When I started gymming, I weighed 72. Now after two months I weigh 69.6 but isn’t it too slow paced weight loss? What other exercises can I be involved in to lose weight properly and at a faster pace?

Do focus on your pre and post workout meal as well. For eg. Try and have some nuts before your workout along with some nimbu pani and have an apple after. You can pair floor exercises with cardio to enhance your workout.

12. Can anyone suggest exercises for inch loss?

A. Cardio. Find something you enjoy! Cycling, dancing, whatever. You are more likely to keep doing it if it’s fun for you.         

13. I usually workout in evening at around 6:30 p.m. before that I eat a fruit and nuts at 5:30 p.m. and after my exercise I only have my dinner, around 9 p.m., is this a wrong approach? 

A. Try and reset the macros. Opt for a low carb and high protein macro and log your meals for a day. This will definitely help you out. Your workout meals sound good. Do try and let us know!         

14. I have thyroid and PCOD and thin hair lining. Could you please suggest me the diet that is suitable?          

A. Try going on a low carb diet and ensure an optimum protein and good fat intake. Consume nuts and oilseeds for a radiant skin and healthy hair.    

15. Are Thyroid and PCOD interdependent?

A.  They suggest a hormone imbalance and do coexist at times. I would highly recommend the hormonal balance plan with bon happetee 🙂 Try and avoid broccoli and cauliflower. Eat well and exercise more!

 16. I have a hereditary tendency to put on lots on my entire lower body. Can any food item or food habit help me reduce that? 

A. Having a balanced diet and an exercise regime will definitely help. You could try a low carb-high protein diet to kick-start your journey.

17. Relevant to my body weight, I use to drink 3.5-liter water in a day, if I consume 1 litre more at night, would it harm my body (water retention)? 

A. You may have water at any time. It will not have any side effects.

18. What foods are rich in calcium & fibre?

A. Options like spinach, milk and milk products, nuts and oilseeds etc.

19. What should be done to reduce the wheat consumption.? We generally have parantha for breakfast, chapati for lunch and dinner. This results in overconsumption of grains. What should be done?  

A. Do try options like nachni, jowari, bhakri, rajgeera etc.

20. Dinner is always a difficult task to me with low carb and adequate fibre, give me options.

A. You can try jowari roti with an Indian vegetable and Dal or moong Dal chilla- with paneer bhurji or besan dhokla.

21. Looking for veg dinner ideas which are low in carb. Any suggestions?

A. Avoid chapati, have jowari bhakri. Avoid rice, rest you can eat any vegetables, sprout, usal or curry.

22. What is paneer and how do you make it? What I found online looked like fried cheese.

A. Paneer is also called cottage cheese; it’s made by curdling milk with lemon or vinegar.

23. I normally have muesli in breakfast and 2 chappatis in afternoon. As a result, I exceed my grains consumption during dinner and can’t eat moongdal. Please help.

A. Give try to idli sambhar or Dosa, moong dal utappam, sprouts. One way to look at it is to optimize it across the day, so reduce muesli and add some veggies or fruits to compensate in breakfast, add curd or salads to reduce some chapatti. And voila! you earned your moong dal khichdi for the evening.

24. What is the right time to eat salads and when should we eat fruits?

A. Salads can be a part of your lunch and dinner whereas a fruit can be consumed as a mid-meal during 11 am or 5 pm. You can try cutting down your roti and rice intake or try other grains like jowar, bajra, nachni etc. Include items like sprouts salad, flaxseed, kachumber, raita etc.

And if you didn’t find your queries above, you can always ask our experts on the bon happetee app. 🙂 

Akansha is the Founder and Consultant at Beyond the Weighing Scale. With a wide range of expertise and skills, she is adept to speak about nutrition, health, lifestyle management and physical activity.

She is a popular food columnist, a passionate foodie, a health enthusiast, an avid traveller and a happy yogi.