Missed the gym? Health book- Day 30

Following a daily gym routine is not easy. However when you get used to it, then missing a day is not easy either!  I have had loads of work in office and hence been returning home quite late from past two days. I regret missing out on my exercise schedule like this. For those who face this on and off ,here are few easy tips to follow and move towards a healthier you.

-Take the stairs. Avoid getting onto elevators or lifts. Some physical activity will keep your heart healthy.

-Walk- Walk some distance and walk briskly. The days I miss my exercise regime, I brisk walk from the main road till home. Almost a kilometer. At least that satisfies me that I did some physical movement! Jokes apart, this activity keeps your blood circulation in good form, tones your legs muscles and controls body weight.

-Stretch- Take short breaks from your work between your schedule to stretch your arms and legs. This awakens your sleeping inactive muscles and regulates the right amount of oxygen in your body. Stretching also relieves you of stress and tension besides shaking off the slumber from your eyes.

-Sweep the floor- This is the best exercise for home that gives you twin benefits. Cleans your house and burns calories too! The best way to do it is mopping the floor while bent on your knees. This shapes your lower abdomen and keeps your calorie count under control.

-Don't shy away from office sports- Participate in sports day or team games whenever you get a chance to. Sports is the best alternative to gym. I am not talking about carom or video games please!

 

-Dance it away- During the Diwali party in my office, I knew that I would miss my gym routine that day. I stepped on the dance floor and danced away my calories! Sounds cool isn't it? Do the same in wedding and parties when you know that you wont be able to exercise! Dancing will improve digestion, burn calories, warm up all muscles of the body and makes you look friendly & confident! That's a tried and tested method :-)

Be healthy be happy! Follow one healthy activity each day and make a positive difference in your life!

Break-fasting?

Which category? Do you fall into the category of those who are big time foodie and don't mind eating anything that comes their way, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner? Or do you fall in the category who are weight watchers and extremely conscious about your calorie intake? The third category is for those who think breakfast in unessential and generally skip it due to lack of time or other factors. Whatever category you fall into, please keep in mind the importance of breakfast and what should go inside your body. You should know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day which should NEVER be skipped. After your night's dinner when you sleep for 6-7 hours, your body has digested the food. The energy of your body is consumed by your body cells to breakdown the food particles. Hence it is important to replenish your body with energy in the morning, with the right food (breakfast). This energy keeps you going throughout the day.

The argument over breakfast- Some say it should be light, some prefer it heavy. Remember, whatever you consume, the food is broken down in the cells accordingly. You definitely don't want to feel sleepy at work/school/college after a rich heavy breakfast! That tempting rice or puri/bhature is hence a big NO for breakfast. Its advisable to eat cereals or anything light. Choose from a variety of fruits (one whole fruit a day is recommended worldwide by all dietitians, doctors), cereals (I have been consuming cornflakes in breakfast from the past 2 years and I am not bored of it), Brown Bread (white bread is MAIDA that aids slow digestion and is not fibrous), Milk/ Fresh juice (packed juice is only sweet flavor, no fiber), oats (sweet or salted as you like), Poha (battered rice), pasta (made of rawa or sooji), Eggs (not omlette), or Cheela (made of chipkea flour/besan and sooji and/or eggs)

An easy recipie

You can made a wonderful variety of the above, if only you had all the time in the world. Being a working professional, I understand the time constraint of everybody. My friends were amused to know see me eating cornflakes daily, which had become a habit. I could not torture them with cornflakes, on the morning of New Year when I had invited them for New Year party the previous night. With less time in hand, no open shops around and with the limited ingredients available at home, I made my own customized CHEELA. (Why has it been named so, only CHEELA would know :p )

Cheela- breakfast/evening snack for 4-5 people

Spread on tawa

Preparation time- 15 minutes Ingredients- 1 and half small cups chickpea flour or Besan 2 and half cups rawa or sooji 1/2 cup refined oil Finely chopped onions Finely chopped tomatoes Half a spoon turmeric A teaspoon of- black pepper, cummin seeds salt as per your taste , a pinch of baking powder Optional: Grated ginger, Finely chopped coriander leaves (Dhaniya), tea spoon of chilly powder/chopped green chillies, 2-3 eggs

Blend chickpea flour, rawa sooji, spices, chopped vegetables together with water in a pan. The paste should neither be too thin nor thick. Mix the right amount of water till you achieve consistency. Make sure chickpea flour don't form balls together. Blend eggs in the mixture if you want. A pinch of baking powder or soda will make the Cheela soft and fluffy. In case you add eggs, skip the baking soda. Heat the pan/tawa, spread a spoonful of oil and/or sprinkle cummin seeds. Pour a small portion of the mixture over the tawa. Follow the process of making omelette. Turn the cheela upside down and cook the other side with few more drops of oil. Don't let the cheela stick to the tawa. Keep turning its sides lest you may burn it.Serve hot with

Follow the process of making omelette

 chutney/sauce. Cheela spring rolls- If you have some more time in hand, on one side of the cheela, spread cooked vegetables like beans, cabbage, carrots, peas or dinner leftover and roll the cheela like a spring roll. You can even stuff the roll with small soya chunks. A healthy, tasty meal with minimum cholesterol is ready within no time. I make this usually on weekends or on days when my cornflakes stock is over!

Whats in there for you- benefits: 

• Nutritious as Chickpea flour- is rich in Vitamin A, Phosphorus, Potassium, Has Zero cholesterol, Sooji- Has Vitamin E& B complex, Iron, Is easy to digest, keeps you full for longer duration
• Less time consuming 
• No hassle preparation( even kids can make it )
• Light yet filling