7 diet mantras to stay slim

ou've finally made up your mind to get back to working out. No more procrastination, you've told yourself.

That's great!

Part I: Your mantra for today -- exercise
Part II: Get that hot body NOW

To achieve your target, you need to do more than sweat it out at the gym. What you also need is a balanced diet.

Here are some basic guidelines put together by dieticians and fitness instructors -- in terms of what you need to eat, and what you need to steer clear of:

i. Drink lots of water

Muscles and other tissues are made up of approximately 80 percent water.

If you limit your water intake, the body will retain water and make you feel like the 'queen or king of bloat'.

On the other hand, staying hydrated will release some of the excess water trapped in the body and most likely reduce your weight by a few kilos.

ii. More meals, but small ones

Break your usual three meals into five to six smaller meals and eat every three hours.

If you break your meals into smaller portions, it helps to control blood sugar, thus putting you in a better position to lose fat.

5 steps to a better, healthier you

iii. Don't starve

Don't starve yourself, create a mild caloric deficit instead.

In other words, your body should burn off more calories than you take in.

After your body has used all the food calories, it uses your fat cells for energy.

iv. Say NO to fatty foods

This may sound cliched, but it is nevertheless worth every iota of effort you make.

Avoid fattening foods like pastries, ice creams, rice, curd, milk products like cheese, etc.

Try limiting the intake of fatty foods too.

How fattening is your salad?

v. Fruits and veggies

Have lots of fruits, salads and green leafy vegetables.

vi. Make breakfast an essential part of your diet

This meal is very important for the human body.

"You sleep through the night. So, if you keep your stomach empty, your body is going to sense an emergency. It will think there is a famine and will do everything, including holding on to the stored body fat, to keep you alive," says Rashmi, a dietician who regularly formulates weight-loss diets.