Hate your belly bulge?

Here's how you can fight it.

I hate to exercise.

Diets don't work well with me either.

And, like millions of others, I need to shed a few kilos.

It was with this scepticism that I walked into the book launch of Jelly Belly (glancing surreptitiously at my own) by Dr Aparna Santhanam.

Within five minutes, I was hooked. It had nothing to do with the fact that the book was being launched by Sachin Tendulkar, who was accompanied by his wife, Anjali.

Actually, it had everything to do with the following lines.

'Imagine you have just come back home from a nice dinner with friends and you're getting ready for bed. You unsnap the button of your stretch jeans, roll down the zipper and out pops your belly all aquiver!'

I felt Dr Santhanam, who was reading an extract from her book, was speaking directly to me.

The rest of the audience seemed to think so as well (ie, she was talking directly to them); no one stirred until Dr Santhanam had finished talking.

It's not just about jelly bellies

We've been told that fluctuating hormones, loss of energy, nagging headaches, hot flushes and depression are signs that we have hit 30.

But what is to be done to control the effect of fluctuating hormones?

How do you address heart and bone health once you hit 30?

What are essential tests and when should you do them?

How do you fight graying hair and sagging skin or control urinary incontinence?

Dr Santhanam hopes her book Jelly Belly (pictured left) will help women address these issues.

Here, then, are some key takeaways.

1. It's okay for women to be selfish and think about their health

"The belly bulge is not uncommon among women over 30," said Dr Santhanam.

"It is symptomatic of a much bigger phenomenon. It is a sign of women's neglect and ignorance of their own health and nutrition as they juggle multiple commitments at work and home."

Three out of five Indian women, she said, stand the risk of a heart condition.

"It's important for women to prioritise their health."

2. Being healthy, not slim, should be your priority

The perfect example? Anjali Tendulkar.

"To tell you the truth, I hate exercising," she confessed. "But I realised there are some things that you have to do. For example, if you are unwell, you have to take medicines. So I decided I'm going to exercise every single day no matter what.

"Every day in my schedule, I take off that hour in the morning. I plan everything else around that.

"Most women are so busy running after their children or looking after their husband, mother-in-law, house, what has to be cooked, etc, that it is really difficult to find time for yourself. But you must make that time and exercise in the gym or do some form of exercise.

"I don't do it because I have to look slim. I do it because I want to stay healthy. I have a family history of diabetes and I believe that prevention is better than cure."

According to Dr Santhanam, people often worry about weight loss and not about being healthy.

"Media and advertising often pressurise you to look good. Diets are fashioned in such a way that they kill the joy of eating. You are constantly watching what you eat and you tend to break down everything into calories."

Sachin admitted one of the many reasons Anjali and he get along so well is that they don't like to exercise.

Dr Santhanam candidly admitted that what unites all three of them is their love for food!

"During holidays, I go berserk when it comes to eating. I eat everything," Sachin said with a laugh as he spoke about his love for food. "During lunch time, I am busy planning what I'll eat for dinner."

He fondly recalled his childhood days when his mother used to "feed him well".

"I used to look forward to summer camps. After the camp, when I'd head home, my mother would make warm rotis and aamras for me. She would generously put ghee on the rotis. Those days, ghee was okay," he smiled.

3. Eat smart

According Dr Sanathanam, the first thing people need to learn is to eat right.

"It is important to know that Google is not always accurate," she laughed. "Half-baked information can be harmful. It's better to eat what you like but remember to eat smart."

"I was lucky enough to have two grandmothers who lived long. They always followed a golden rule: eat everything but in moderation. Don't overdo it," said Anjali.

Sachin suggested, "Eat whatever you want, but not whenever you want. It is about finding the right balance. My coach used to always say 'Once a week, go out and eat everything you want.'"

Dr Santhanam stressed on a cheat day -- a day when you can indulge in the food you like -- to avoid constant cravings. She insisted on the need to cook intelligently, which means cooking at home to have a fair idea of the ingredients used so that you can throw in substitutes.

"You need stay involved in the cooking process and constantly be on the lookout for substitutes," she said.

"There are various ways of making food healthy yet delicious. If you are open to experimenting with newer things, it works. The flavouring and texturing ingredients used in Indian dishes can be really high in calories. Thus it is important to replace it with something healthy."

Sachin says he learnt to cook from his mother. She taught him how to make prawns, fish curry and baingan bartha, among other dishes.

"Earlier, I used to cook with ghee. But, with time, I have found substitutes, and it has worked beautifully.

"During a holiday in Mussoorie, I cooked for 45 friends. Before that everyone was talking about what they don't eat. I immediately realised that idhar ghee nahi chalenga, I need to replace it with something. So, I replaced ghee with yoghurt.

"Of course, they had no choice but to appreciate my food. Though I'm sure it turned out really well."

4. Beware of stress

Both women -- and men -- suffer from stress. However, warned Dr Santhanam, stress can go unnoticed at times.

"A general ill state of mind can lead to illnesses," said Dr Santhanam.

"Often, people don't recognise this. Women tend to get so involved with their kids and families that, when the children grow up, there is a void in their lives. It's important to stay happy; de-stress yourself and do things that make you happy."

Click on the video below to watch Sachin Tendulkar share his secret cooking tips!

Video by Afsar Dayatar/Rediff.com

Photographs Courtesy: WordLabAsia

Lead image used for representational purposes only. Image: Helga Weber/Creative Commons