HEALTHY FUNDA: New Year, New Me, New you!

Let me start of by wishing you a Happy New Year! Not only have we commenced on a new year, but we have also entered a new decade!

I'm sure, just like everyone else out there; you have made your own new year's resolutions. But let's be real for a second. New Year's resolutions hardly ever work. You'll promise yourself to make major or minor changes to yourself or your lifestyle and before you know it, you're back to square one.

This year, instead of a resolution let's try to make a meaningful and long-lasting change to your lifestyle. Let me help you reach your goals of becoming a fitter you!

Now, now; don't be scared by the idea of a change in your lifestyle. It's a lot easier than you might think. I don't need you to gulp juices, bullet proof coffees, alien foods, go into fasting or avoid any food groups. I will teach you ways to do it in without going crazy.

Vegetables provide phytochemicals, vitamins, minerals and fibre- these are our life lines. To our advantage, vegetables are easy to incorporate into every meal; in soups, salads, roti, rice, dals, curd, fish and chicken. The versatility of vegetables allows them to absorb any flavour you want them to.

We are blessed to be living in a country like India where it is easy to make your food yum as we have an abundance of herbs and spices available through the year. I think it would be quite silly of us not to take advantage of this. Ginger, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin seeds, carom seeds, asafoetida, and I could go on and on. It's really simple; add it to all your food even to your chai that is good old masala chai.

Let me guide you through an average day of good eating-

Start your day with a tall glass of water; the elixir of life. It gives you a quick boost of energy as soon as you wake up.

For breakfast, keep it uncomplicated. Choose seasonal fruits or opt for anything with vegetables be it dosa sambhar or egg bhurjee and roti. Accompany this with coriander chutney tossed with moringa leaves, lemon and rock salt.

For the bigger meals of the day, which are lunch and dinner, stick to one or two cooked vegetables with a small portion of any grain. What an assortment whole grains, millets, seeds, grains and various kinds of rice that we can chose from. You can tie your meal together with a small portion of dal, fish or curd. Squeeze lemon on all food to keep your body alkaline.

When the clock strikes 5 or 6 pm and your stomach is grumbling and growling, reach out for nuts and seeds; salted and roasted they are delectable and one can easily throw out fried savouries and biscuits. This mix can include seeds like sunflower seeds, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds as well as nuts like pistachios, almonds and walnuts; all these mixed together with some salt makes for a delicious evening snack.

To wrap up your day, have this simple concoction- hot water with turmeric and a little A2 cow's ghee. It is the perfect way to boost your immunity. Choose organic produce and switch to rock salt and sea salt.

Drink plenty of water, exercise and deep breath. These add ons help you stay on top of your game at all times.

As you can see, a change in your lifestyle is very simple and this year I want you to promise yourself that you will make these necessary changes.