Check yourself

 Check your fitness level..came across this quiz in the newspaper..treat yourself if you are fit!!!


Is your stamina up to the mark or are you a puffer? Test your fitness levels with this easy quiz

A Score 2

B Score 5

C Score 10

1 Can you climb up six flights of stairs in a building? 

a Without breaking a sweat

b Yes, but I'll be puffing and panting

c Eventually, with a few rest stops. Slow and steady...

2 Any outdoor exercise like trekking or heavy lifting leaves your muscles sore 

a For a day or two at the most

b I can feel aches and pains for a few days afterwards

c Any outwardly activity has my muscles out of commission for at least a week

3 Can you jog for two or more kilometers without stopping? 

a Without difficulty

b I can try, but not promise

c No way in hell

4 Can you touch your toes with your fingers without bending your knees? 

a Easily

b I can try

c I could earlier, not any more

5 How often do you visit a doctor? 

a Once a year for a regular check-up

b Only when I'm sick

c Almost every few weeks with something or the other

6 Can you run about 100mts under 15 seconds? 

a Yes

b Maybe but I might overshoot it a little

c Are you nuts?

7 How many pushups can you do in one go? 

a Over 30 (men)/ 25 (women)

b Over 25 (men) / 30 (women)

c Under 20 (men) / 15 (women)

8 How ready are you to participate in a city marathon? 

a With a few more training exercises I'm ready to go

b Give me a few weeks to tone up and I'm up to speed

c Cheering squads are underrated

9 What's your level of cardio endurance? 

a More than 20 minutes

b Between five and 20 minutes

c Less than five minutes

10 How often do you currently exercise? 

a More than three times a week

b Once or twice a week

c Where's the time?

Your score: 

Based on your current lifestyle your fitness quotient is...

38-55 

Healthy 

Not only are you extremely fit, you also pass with an excellent bill of health. Now whether you are a fitness freak or just some who keeps a tab on their calorie count, your fitness program is on the right track. Keep up the dedication to a fitter lifestyle.

56-100 

Getting heavy 

So you aren't a treadmill Nazi. Working out is as important to you as shaving once in three days; required but not a necessity. While this is a good way to keep things balanced, you'll need to make sure you don't get carried away and ignore your weight or you'll pack in the pounds in no time.

101-140 

Over the bulge 

Clearly, obesity ads and gyms springing up in every corner mean nothing to you. You are careless about your health and your body reflects it. Even if you don't look it, it's only a matter of time before fat wins the war and takes you down. Control it while you still can and chalk out an exercise regimen.

Eggplant/baingan ka bharta

                 Aaahh...its my husband's one of the favorite dishes;mashed eggplant gravy.

Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4


Ingredients:
2 large eggplants
1 large onion,finely chopped
2 tomatoes,finely chopped
1/4 cup boiled peas
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
A pinch of asafoteida
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Cilantro to garnish


Directions:

• Peel and chop eggplants in cubes.Put them in pressure cooker with enough water to cover and cook till 1 whistle.
• In the mean time,heat oil in pan,add asafoteida and cumin seeds,let them splutter.
• Add chopped onions,saute till brown,then add chopped tomatoes.
• Drain the eggplant and save some water.
• Add drained eggplant to onion mixture and mash it with the end of spatula.
• Add all spices,and mix well.Cook on medium flame for 10-15 minutes.
• Add peas towards the end. Turn off the gas.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with any paratha or plain rice.

* Instead of boiling you can roast eggplants directly on gas or ovens.Remove the skin and follow the same directions as above.

Crispy arbi

         No frying,yet crispy arbi to eat...sounds delicious!!! Trust me..it tastes delicious too...
                    I dedicate this dish to my bro..he loves fried arbi like anything..!!!

Time: 20 min
Serves: 4


Ingredients:
6-7 medium sized arbis (taro root)
1 red onion,finely chopped
2 green chilies,finely chopped
2 tsp gram flour 
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp amchoor (mango powder)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
1.5 tbsp oil
Chopped cilantro to garnish
Pinch of asafoteida
Salt to taste
water


Directions:

• Bring a cup of water to boil.
• Peel arbis and slice them.Add to boiling water.Turn off the gas after 2 minutes but let arbis sit in.
• In the mean time,heat oil in a kadhai/pan.Add asafoteida,cumin seeds and carom seeds,let them crackle.
• Add chopped onions and green chilies to it.Saute till onion turns light brown.
• Drain arbis,discard water. Add arbis to sauted onions.
• Add all spices and give a mix everything on medium flame.
• Sieve and sprinkle gram flour over arbi,splash some water and mix.
• Keep mixing and cooking arbis with 4-5 splashes of water till they turn crisp.
• Garnish with cilantro and enjoy hot with chapati.

Tomato Salsa dip

Tomato salsa,a great accompaniment to Mexican dishes.You can get it from stores,but nothing tastes as good as freshly homemade salsa.

Time: 15 min
Serves: 5-6


Ingredients:
3-4 big tomatoes
1/2 red onion
1 jalapeno
1 serrano pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

• In a pot bring 2 cups of water to boil.Add whole tomato.onion,jalapeno and peppers to it.
• Let it boil till tomato skin separates.
• Drain everything,let them cool and peel tomatoes and remove the stems of jalapeno and pepper.
• In a blender,combine everything,add cilantro,salt,pepper and lime juice.
• Blend for 1 minute on high.
• Enjoy with chips or refrigerate for later use.

* Oregano and roasted cumin seeds can also be added.

* If you like it chunky,then chop everything fine,no need to blend or boil.Let it sit for an hour.

Sweet potato chips

                               Cheating is sometimes fun..!!Lets try it with sweet potato salted chips.

Time: 45 min
Serves : 3-4


Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
Salt to taste
1 tsp black pepper
Olive oil for coating


Directions:

• Preheat the oven at 400 F/200 C.
• Wash and dry sweet potatoes.Do not peel them if organic.
• Slice them thin (1/8 inch thin). Toss them with oil,salt and pepper.
• Spray the baking sheet with cooking spray or grease them with little oil.
• Arrange the slices on a baking sheet without overlapping.
• Bake for 30 minutes and then turn.
• Chips will be done when crisp with lightly browned edges and orange centers. 
• Let them cool and enjoy.

* If left over,they can be stored in air tight container for upto 3 days.

Sweet potato fries

                                                Crispy cheat for french fries.

Time : 45 min
Serves : 3-4 


Ingredients:
2 large sweet potatoes
1tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder (optional)
salt to taste
Olive 
Oil for dressing


Directions:

• Preheat the oven at 450 F/235 C.
• Wash and dry sweet potatoes. Peel them.
• Discard the ends and slice them in the shape of french fries ( 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch thick.)
• In a bowl toss them with olive oil,just enough to coat them.
• Sprinkle salt,pepper and garlic powder and toss.
• On the baking sheet spread them,make sure they are not crowded else they'd turn out soggy.
• Bake them for 15-20 minutes and then flip them over.
• Bake them for another 15 minutes.Bake till they are golden brown.
• Enjoy it as a side dish.

* Sweet potatoes should be dried properly after being washed.

*Try using them unpeeled if organic.

Whole wheat pizza

   A healthier version of pizza made with whole wheat flour,lots of veggies and less cheese.

Thin crust pizza

Time to bake : 20 min each

Makes : 4(8 inch)thin crust or 3 thick crust pizza

Ingredients:

For crust:

thick crust/pan pizza

2 cups whole wheat flour                                

1/2 cup warm water 

1/2 cup milk

1 package of yeast (2+1/4 tsp)

1/2 tsp salt

1tbsp honey/sugar

1 tbsp olive oil

Extra oil for greasing.

Toppings:

Pizza sauce

Vegetables of your choice

4 oz part skim mozzarella cheese or more

Directions:

• Sieve the flour twice to loosen it and add salt.
• Heat milk and water together, warm enough to touch at around 110 F/45 C)
• Keep 1/4 cup of solution aside and use it if required later.
• To remaining solution add honey,oil and yeast and mix well.Let it side aside for 4 minutes.You should see it foaming.
• Now start adding the liquid mixture to flour.Stir by hand till everything comes together.Kneed for another 3 minutes.
• Coat it with oil and let it sit covered in a greased bowl for 2-3 hours.Keep it in some dark place.It will double in size.
• Punch it and kneed for 2 minutes by folding over and over.Divide in 4 parts for thin crust or 3 parts for normal crust.
• Preheat the oven to 425 F( 220 C) and oil the baking sheet.
• Roll the dough ball using a rolling pin and flour or stretch it with your hands and place it in the baking sheet with up sides to form a rim.Let it sit covered till oven is ready to use.
• Spread pizza sauce and toppings of your choice.Cover it with handful of grated cheese.
• Bake it till crust is golden brown and toppings are done.
• Slice and serve hot.

* Grate the cheese real thin so you can spread all over without using much of it.

* You can make this pizza with whole all purpose flour or combining it with whole wheat flour(1:1)

* 1 oz part skim mozzarella has about 80 to 90 calories.
* Water should neither be too hot nor cold,else yeast would not work.

Sambar

A spicy and tangy soup made up of toovar (arhar) dal and vegetables,but in my version it has red lentils as well.

Time to cook : 40min
Serves : 4


Ingredients:
1/3 cup red lentils (whole)
1/3 cup toovar dal
1 sliced carrot (lengthwise)
7-8 sliced beans
1/2 cup cauliflower
4-5 okra/lady fingers divided lenghtwise (optional)
1/4 cup tamarind water 
1 onion sliced
1 tomato sliced
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
5-7 curry leaves
3-4 whole dry red chilies
1.5 tbsp sambar masala
Salt to taste
Oil


Directions:

• Soak a 2 inch piece of tamarind in water and sieve when ready.
• Wash and soak both the lentils for 2 hours.
• In a pressure cooker add lentils,carrots,cauliflower,okra,tomato,salt and 3 cups of water.Cover and let it cook till 1 whistle.Turn off the gas.
• Do not open the pressure until steam is gone.
• In the mean,heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds till they splutter.Also add curry leaves,red chilies and onion to it.
• Saute till onions are light brown.Add sambar masala to it.Saute for next 2 minutes.
• Add tamarind water to it.Mix well.
• Now add this onion mixture to lentils in pressure cooker.Let it cook for another 10 minutes till spices blend with lentils.
• Enjoy it as soup or serve it with idli,dosa or rice along with chutney.

* You can adjust the consistency of sambar with less or more water.

* To make it only with toovar dal,take 1/2 cup dal and 2 cups water.

Small changes can make a big difference

To maintain the healthy body or reach a healthy weight,you can start with very little changes to your diet,which would not take a toll on your taste buds:

• Read the nutrition labels on food items and make sure how many calories are you consuming.

• Chew your food slowly,savoring each bite.The mind takes some time to tell you that you are full.

• Eat small but healthy meals throughout the day to keep your energy up and your metabolism going.

• Cut off an intake of extra added sugar.Stick to fresh fruits rather than juices.
• Drink lots of water, may be with a slice of lemon.

• Opt for fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.
• Stay away from sodas. One 12-oz soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, more than the daily recommended limit!

• On a go,grab a fruit or handful of  unsalted cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts or almonds rather than a bag of potato chips.

• Choose low-salt or reduced-sodium products as high salt intake can cause high BP.

• Include good fats,good carbs and protein in your diet ,it will keep you fuller.
• Your plate should contain twice as many carbs as protein.

• Include more of high fiber whole grain pastas/breads/cereals/oats/crackers to your diet,they help controlling your appetite.

• Snack on sunflower,pumpkin or sesame seeds.

• Include pulses as a source of protein in your diet.
• Stay away from items which contains hydrogenated oil like some margarines and vegetable shortening.

• Bake.grill,steam of stir fry rather than deep frying.
• Use Virgin olive oil for dressing your salads instead of mayonnaise.

• Substitute veg oil or olive oil for butter or margarine.
• Set aside large carbs diet for your evening meal as they can make you sleepy.
• Start your day with any high fiber cereal.

Basics to lose weight

Loss of 3500 calories equals 1 pound loss...interesting..!!!

For this first calculate your calorie intake to mantain your current weight.
Click here to find out.


Easy steps to lose weight:

• Set your goal.

As mentioned above,loss of 3500 calories equals the loss of 1 pound (app.450 grams).This is achievable in a week by deficit of 500 calories a day.So decide how many calories can you afford to lose or burn in a day.Accordingly you'll start losing weight.

This deficit can be achieved by combining:

(A) cut in your calorie intake.
(B)urning off the calories by workout or any physical activities.

• Keep a track of calories you intake and burn.

Check the nutrient label and try to keep a track of calories you intake.Likewise start adding up the calories you burn.Simple activities like walking,cleaning and using the stairs instead of elevators add up to calorie burn. 

• Limit your portion size.

Be portion savvy.Use a smaller plate or bowl to have your meal.Smaller dish looks full with less quantity of food. Do not eat anything straight out of container,you'll end up eating more.

To find out out how small changes can make a big difference ..click here

Daily calorie needs

Daily calorie requirement depends on sex,age and activity level of a person.An active person needs more energy as compared to an inactive person.


        
Daily calorie requirement for kids and teenagers:

Gender	Age (years)	Sedentary	Moderately Active	Active
Child	2 - 3	1,000	1,000 - 1,400	1,000 - 1,400
Female	4-8 9 - 13 14 - 18	1,200 1,600 1,800	1,400 - 1,600 1,600 - 2,000 2,000	1,400 - 1.800 1,800 - 2,200 2,400
Male	4 - 8 9 - 13 14 - 18	1,400 1,800 2,200	1,400 - 1,600 1,800 - 2,200 2,400 - 2,800	1,600 - 2,000 2,000 - 2,600 2,800 - 3,200

Kids and teenagers must consult their doctors and talk to their parents before undergoing any change in calorie intake because you not yet done growing.Your body needs more nutrients as compared to well grown up adult.

Daily calorie requirement chart for women:

Weight	Age 18 to 35	Age 36 to 55	Age over 55
45 kg - 100 lbs	1760 cals	1570 cals	1430 cals
50 kg - 110 lbs	1860	1660	1500
55 kg - 121 lbs	1950	1760	1550
60 kg - 132 lbs	2050	1860	1600
65 kg - 143 lbs	2150	1960	1630
70 kg - 154 lbs	2250	2050	1660
75 kg - 165 lbs (and above)	2400	2150	1720

* Pregnant or lactating women need a higher calorie intake.

Daily calorie requirement chart for men:

Weight	Age 18 to 35	Age 36 to 55	Age over 55
60 kg - 132 lbs	2480	2300	1900
65 kg - 143 lbs	2620	2400	2000
70 kg - 154 lbs	2760	2480	2100
75 kg - 165 lbs	2900	2560	2200
80 kg - 176 lbs	3050	2670	2300
85 kg - 187 lbs	3200	2760	2400
90 kg - 198 lbs (and above)	3500	3000	2600

Calorie adjustment chart depending on activity level:

Body Weight	Inactive Office Worker Bed Ridden Computer Geek	Moderate Activity Tradesman Golf Gardening	Strenuous Activity Physical Labor High Energy Sports
50 kg - 110 lbs	Minus 480	+ 240	+ 480
60 kg - 132 lbs	Minus 570	+ 290	+ 570
70 kg - 154 lbs	Minus 670	+ 340	+ 670
80 kg - 176 lbs	Minus 760	+ 380	+ 760
90 kg - 198 lbs (and above)	Minus 960	+ 430	+ 860

Considering all the factors calculate your daily calorie intake to maintain your weight.

To find if you weigh right,find your BMI: (Body Mass Index)

OR

The chart says it all,if you are underweight,you need to increase your calorie intake.

To learn about the basics to lose weight Click here :

Sooji uttapam/Quick uttapam

                        A quick breakfast recipe made with lots of veggies onto semolina batter. 

Time taken: 25 minutes
Yields : 4 uttapams


Ingredients:
1 cup sooji/semolina
3/4 cup curd
1/2 cup water
2 tsp ginger chopped
1 cup chopped cabbage
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper (capsicum)
1 chopped red onion 
1 finely chopped tomato
2 chopped green chili
1/2 cup chopped coriander
4-5 chopped curry leaves
Oil
Salt to taste


Directions:

• In a bowl mix sooji,curd,ginger,water and salt and let it sit for 30-40 minutes.
• Mix it well and check the consistency.It should be quite thick.
• Mix all the vegetables together and keep aside.(not in batter)
• Heat a flat griddle, sprinkle some oil and spread 1 ladle full of batter onto it.
• Spread to get a thick circle.
• Spread a handful of vegetables on the top of uttapam till the other side cooks.
• Turn the uttapam carefully and let it cook.Add some oil drops if needed.
• Serve it with sambar and coconut chutney when cooked thoroughly.
• Repeat the above steps for remaining batter.
• Sprinkle some chat masala and serve hot with sambar or chutney of your choice.

* If you are in hurry add less water to get the desired consistency and start making uttapam. 

* You can omit or add your choice of veggies.

\

Rava idli

The soft, fluffy and small round discs made up of semolina.

Semolina idli

Time taken: 1 hr
Makes 16 idlis


Ingredients:


1 cup semolina (sooji/rava)
1/2 cup sour yogurt/curd
1/2 cup water
Salt to taste
1 tsp Eno/fruit salt
Oil
Salt to taste


Directions:

• In a bowl mix semolina,curd,water and salt thoroughly. Cover and let it sit for 30-45 minutes.
• Check the consistency of batter,it should not be too thick.Add 2-3 tsp of water if required.
• Heat the steamer and grease the idli mold.
• Divide the mixture depending on how many idlis can you make in one go.
• To the batter add 1/2 tsp of eno (for 8 idlis) and mix properly.Divide it equally in idli molds.
• Put the idli mold in the steamer and cover it for 8-10 minutes.
• Check if idli is done or not by pricking it with a tooth pick.It should come out clean.
•  Repeat the above steps for remaining batter.
• Serve hot with Sambar or chutney of your choice.  

* If you dont have use pressure cooker if your idli stand fits in it.Do not close the pressure cooker, just cover it with its lid.
*  As you can see in the image,I have put some chopped tomatoes in the mold before pouring the batter.Likewise if you wish you can put coriander or any veg of your choice.