DITCH THE DIET !

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Stay fit, not thin...

Do you make it a point to count calories as you skim through the menu card before ordering a plate of your favorite yummies? Do you starve yourself silly even as you dream of double-cheese dripping sandwiches and triple chocolate mousse? Well, then maybe it’s time you realized that size zero is out. Right from Kareena Kapoor to Priety Zinta, people have started shoving their size zero frames out the window, opting for a fuller and more voluptuous look.

Says artist and socialite Asha Menon, “Five per cent of our country’s population is either overweight or obese. While those with so-called perfect figures and chiseled Greek God bodies hogged the limelight, those on the healthier side got used to being ignored. But slowly, people are waking up to the fact that round is a shape too!”

ON THE DAY

Talking about International No Diet Day (INDD), nutritionist Geetha Desikachari says, “About 18 years ago, Mary Young, a feminist, addressed the media on the dangers of anorexia. She famously said, ‘Fat Woman Bites Back’ and dedicated a day to celebrate body acceptance and create awareness on the dangers of dieting. Some of the main goals of this concept are to question the idea of a right body shape and declare a day free of dieting and weight obsession.”

D FOR DANGER?

So, does that mean dieting is a dangerous prospect? Fitness trainer Munira Salim says, “The word diet itself has taken on such an unhealthy connotation, thanks to those who starve themselves in the name of dieting. Ideally, a diet refers to a healthy intake of nutrients as per the body’s requirements. Diets only work when you also work out. ‘Fit’ should be what people aspire for, not ‘thin’.”

LIVE LIFE KING SIZE

So, are Chennaiites worried about their shape? Sunandini, a mass communication student, says, “Earlier, I used to worry myself sick thinking about the way I looked. I tried everything to improve. But when nothing worked, I blamed it all on metabolism and heredity and now, though I’m plus-sized, I’m quite happy.” As an icing on the cake comes the result of a study that reveals that people look younger if they have a fatter face. It’s found that having a BMI that is four points higher than the normal (25 points) results in a younger appearance. Adds Geetha, “Studies prove that those who are not obsessed with their weight live longer and at some point, even lose some kilos naturally. Instead of constantly weighing yourself on the scale, distract your mind. Crash diets help only in temporary weight loss. When you starve, your mind is always preoccupied with thoughts of food and you might just end up binge eating. The worst thing about crash dieting is that you put your life on hold, waiting to become reed thin so that you can socialize.”

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