Ideal Weight for Healthy Living

Usually our idea of ideal weight is dictated by the images of the beautiful shapely bodies of models and celebrities. The size zero bodies of beautiful women may look attractive on magazine pages or on television screen. However, when you realize the harm that these women do to their health while creating the skinny body, you will be forced to reconsider your concept of ideal weight.

What is an ideal weight?

An ideal weight is one that keeps you healthy and fit. Health professionals do not emphasize on the term ideal weight, instead they focus on healthy weight. While diet and physical activities primarily contribute to the body of a person, there are other factors such as age, race, genetics, family history of body weight, environmental factors, behavior and metabolism rate that help to determine the body of a person.

Body weight vs. Body Mass Index

The ideal weight varies according to the stature of a person. Therefore, while measuring the body weight, it is necessary to take into account the height of a person. While the weighing scale displays your body weight, to determine the amount of fat in your body, you must calculate your body mass index (BMI), which is defined as the weight, measured in kilogram or pound, divided by the square of height, measured in meters or feet. The body weight is considered healthy, when the BMI is between 19 and 24.9. People whose BMI is below 19 and above 24.9 are considered underweight and overweight respectively.

How to attain ideal weight

To attain the ideal or healthy body weight you need a healthy diet and regular physical activities. Balancing energy consumption and energy expenditure is prerequisite for attaining the healthy body weight as well as for maintaining it. You gain weight when your energy expenditure is less than your energy consumption. By increasing the level of physical activities you burn the unused calories that are stored as fat.

A person is underweight when the amount of calorie intake is less than the amount of calorie used during physical activities. To attain the ideal body weight, an underweight person should slowly increase calorie consumption.

A healthy lifestyle will help you to maintain a healthy body mass index. A diet containing sufficient whole grain, fruits, vegetables and moderate amounts of animal protein is considered beneficial for health. A balanced diet combined with regular physical activities will keep you healthy and happy.

Yummy Quintessential Indian Dish - Sambar

Food with high nutritional benefits aids us to evade the risk of ailments. A common notion which is prevailing among people is that a highly nutritious food would not taste or smell good. The pre-conceived notion about nutritious foods can be broken down by typical Indian lentil based delectable vegetable gravy called "SAMBAR".

The Lentil soup - Sambar cooked with vegetables, tomatoes, onions, garlic, curry leaves and tamarind water along with spice enhancers such as chilli powder, coriander powder & salt; and seasoned with taste & flavor enhancers such as mustard, asafoetida, fenugreek, cumin seeds, ghee and coriander leaves. This unique blend of nutrients makes Sambar a highly nutritious food on the palate with a good source of protein, folate, vitamins, irons, potassium etc.

Sambar's unique ingredients combination balances the downsides of each other Sambar ingredients. Flatulence & bloating seldom would be the downside effect of protein, folate & dietary fiber rich Legume- without which Sambar is not possible, will be taken care by garlic and asafoetida which are blessed to mankind to overcome gastric problems.

Any other form of digestive problems that is not controlled by garlic or asafoetida like constipation, indigestion, stomach ache, piles etc can be overcome by fenugreek and cumin seeds with high medicinal properties and when taken continuously would help us to maintain good metabolism. Sambar is made more nutritious by adding vegetables which are rich sources of calcium, minerals, vitamins, iron, potassium etc,. Curry leaves added along with the vegetable is a good source of Iron and is predominately used to prevent premature grey hair. Anti - oxidant Mustard seeds and anti - inflammatory turmeric powder are added to enhance flavor, color and nutritional benefits to Sambar. Taste and flavor enhancement of Sambar is done by adding some ghee which, will act as a stimulant for digestive acids secretion and also will help to absorb fat soluble vitamins from other foods. Garnishing is done by coriander leaves which are rich source of thiamine, vitamin C & niacin. In addition to the above benefits Sambar's good Glycemic Index will slow down the digestion and absorption resulting in gradual increase in blood sugar and insulin level.

Tasty, yummy, delicious, lip smacking, quintessential Indian dish called Sambar is used as a side dish to dip for breakfast dishes such as rotis, dhokla, iddli, dosa, pongal, vadai etc and as a main starter to mix with rice for lunch and dinner, An amateur cook can make delicious Sambar easily by combining spices, salt, and tamarind in a correct proportion along with the above told other ingredients. Perfect spice blend off the shelf readymade Sambar powder available in market will aid you in easy and delicious Sambar preparation.