In a generation where food is a big market and often changes with the demand of the mass, the Award Winning Nutritionist hailing from Mumbai, Amita Mishra suggests ‘Ghee’ over dieting courses in your meal. She approves our vedic-style eating habits and strictly states not to fall for ‘Trending’ food habits. Niloy Banerjee from SBI interviews Amita to know her classic secrets on diet and her strive to keep a step affront on a healthy-living. Edited Nub Below.
Q. What made you come into this business and your recognitions as a Nutritionist and key areas of expertise?
Right from childhood, I have been a food lover. Nothing excites me more than good food, the right energy, and our traditions. I have always wanted to pursue a career in this so I went after doing a Master’s in food science and Nutrition. While I started practicing I recognized the importance of the age-old yogic concepts of health which made me approach my Teacher Training course in yoga and to blend it with modern science I did my diploma in sports nutrition and I am still pursuing a course on being a diabetic educator. So even after having clients in 12 countries and being awarded and entitled as the “Iconic Nutritionist in Mumbai”, I feel I am still a learner and not an expert yet.
Q. What are the key services you provide to your clients?
I run Online weight loss and health programs which are educational in nature.
My programs are personalized and customized. They are lifestyle plans targeting key areas that need to be worked upon. So apart from meal plans and exercise plans, the program includes goals for each person based on their sleep, activity levels, mental health, gadget exposure, etc, and this is how we track progress in each client. The clients are educated about food groups so they make informed choices and not blindly follow a calorie cut plan.
Client education and personalization are my key areas of expertise where the interactions happen through calls, personal meets, Video calls, or skype in any part of the world.
Q. The young generation is more tech-frenzy, hence how you look into the emerging Diet-Science?
That’s the scariest part. Information is so easily available these days on the tip of your finger, that it’s easy for our generation to get carried away by fads, changing diet trends, exotic meals, etc. However, In India, ours is an oral tradition, where this ancient knowledge about food, health, and medicine has been passed generation after generation through word of mouth or probably in the form of our rich cultural diversity of food. So though there are 100’s of researches on western foods, we as a generation need to realize that our ancestors ate what was locally produced, as per the season and in their desi-styles and were far healthier and active than us who keep on changing our eating patterns, based on every new article. So to emerge as a healthy person, we have to get back to our roots first and start documenting that more and make it the “new cool” of our generation.
Q. What are the key nutrition-tips you specifically give to your clients?
Eat as per your traditions and season, with love and not guilt is my prime tip. Understanding your body’s requirements is the key principle in managing portion sizes. Along with that I emphasize including ghee in their diets, along with proper activity and sleep to maximize nutrient assimilation.
Q. People in now time are opting for Vegan Foods alongside the Vegan food market is also deluging with junk foods. What do you suggest as a nutritionist as good food habits?
This is the thing about fads, it keeps changing and the only people who benefit out of this are food and pharma companies, and not the common people. So some time back there was a trend of “Keto”, where people were made to eat meat under the label of protein and fat, and now subject them to veganism, making them go through extremes and affecting their metabolism badly. And the companies then replace it with meat-free sausages or fake meat etc which is processed and marketed under the label of “veganism”. So they defame your ladoo first and then market the processed nut bar etc which is higher in portions, calories and preservatives. This is something people need to understand. That everything made in your own house is healthy and will lead to better choices. No need of following “labels”.
Q. What are the key nutrition facts one should follow?
Including dal chawal, and ghee in your diet.
Avoid skipping a meal, or substituting it with a salad or soup, it will only make you lose weight now and gain back later with problems larger than the weight. Include local fruits like sitaphal, chikoo, fanas, peru, orange , anjir etc [all in season now]
Q. What is the daily diet or let’s say nutrition (healthy eating rules) one should follow daily?
a. Eating small meals frequently
b. Managing portion sizes [Eating till you are 80% full]
c. Including maximum homemade foods
d. Eat as per your activity levels [more in the day, less in the night when you are less active]
e. Including seasonal ingredients, and cooking in your traditional style. [eg- A baingan sabji is best utilized by the body when made in mustard oil and not olive oil]
Q. Managing Mental Health in today’s time is emerging as a major challenge? What are your tips and suggestions to maintaining good mental health with physical health?
Indeed! We have started to create stress in everything, Right from your food [which needs to be the simplest] to work, family and relationships. And the only way to manage it is to work at it one step at a time. Exercising at least 3 days a week releases feel-good chemicals like endorphins and serotonin and helps conditions of depression, anxiety, and mental health issues. Indulging in one hobby a week or spending time with friends and family helps you create a stronger support system of love and affection where you can express.
Q. Lastly, a bit about your personal journey and the way forward you look as we keep our footsteps into 2020?
I have been working in this field for the past 2 years. And from the time I have learned yoga, I feel a change in the way I practice. I have started realizing that your food choices not only affect your body but is influenced a lot by your mind. Hence I primarily work in understanding my clients state of mind, mental stress, emotional state, availability, lifestyle, etc, before planning the sessions, Once I hear that out, it makes it easier to craft a doable, sustainable and customized plan for them which they can follow and hence the results are great with every client. The industry has successfully created a lot of confusion and fears in the minds of people, so once you start educating them on the basics, they will never follow any fad or dwindle with their health or chase a number. So my personal goal in 2020 is to reach out to more people and help them transform. I also plan to do more talks and workshops across the globe to spread awareness about our traditional eating patterns.
Q. How can one reach you?
You can log on to http:// amitamishra.com/ to reach me. Or find me on facebook as Amita Mishra Nutritionist or follow me on Instagram- @amitamishra470.
You can also contact me on – 9004813998.
Or write to me at- amita. mishra470@gmail.com
Know The Veteran:
Amita Mishra is a Masters in Food science & Nutrition, Qualified Yoga instructor, Certified Sports Nutritionist and she has bagged the Iconic Nutritionist Award
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a health advice. We would ask you to consult a qualified professional or medical expert to gain additional knowledge before you choose to consume any product or perform any exercise.
