Bangalore: All around the city are establishments promising weight loss and good physique. You can pay Rs. 3,000 or five times that, depending on where the joint is located and its overheads.

"A simple weight loss plan is something you can easily draw up with the help of a dietician and if you stick to it, you can reduce... but not 10 kilos in one month," says Natasha Singh, trainer at a health club.

It helps to begin by noting down what you eat, when and how much. There are enough diet and calorie charts and books in the market to tell you how many calories typical Indian foods like an aalu paratha or a cup of chicken pulao contain. The dietician can further help by figuring out how many total calories you need each day, depending on your age, build and physical activities.

No to fried snacks

For many overweight persons, eating a number of smaller meals minus sweets and fried snacks helps; the calories are easier to burn away than two heavy meals a day.

"Weight loss alone may not guarantee a better body shape. Especially for women, cellulite that collects around the middle does not just go away even if the total weight comes down," cautions Ms. Singh.

Spot reduction

"The trouble with most `spot reduction' exercises is that they involve too many repetitions and become too boring besides causing muscle or joint pain," she adds.

A combination of several exercises in relatively short duration, like a 15-minute stint on the mechanised treadmill, 10 minutes on a stepper and not more than 15 abdominal crunches at a time are recommended. There can be two days a week without these when 30 minutes to 45 minutes of brisk walking or a shorter jog may help. For those who want to tone up hips and legs, bicycling can be a good alternative on the days when they do not visit the gym.

Even for the most die-hard dieter, an occasional indulgence is allowed, a reward for sticking to that diet and exercise regimen. But, if you do have an ice cream or chocolate fudge, reduce the size of the next meal and you still have not gained a milligram more.

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