Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight – The title of the book is good enough to attract a second look by most urban people. Top it up with a one-liner from Kareena Kapoor claiming that Rujuta Diwekar is the best thing to have happened to her life. You already have all the ingredients needed for a bestseller.
Well, I like what the book Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight and the author say. You do not need to starve yourself and that too starve yourself of any of your favorite foods. I also agree with most of what she recommends, based on my experience of attempted weight loss. She suggests following a simple 4 step process for diet, which can be summarized below:
- Never wake up to tea or coffee i.e. do not have them first thing in the morning. She recommends having a fruit within 10 mins of waking up.
- Eat every two hours: Counterintuitive, but perhaps make sense. As you are never dog-hungry to hog, and would probably eat sensibly.
- Eat more when you are more active, eat less when you are less active: This one seems very simple and logical. But since not many of us observe our eating patterns, we may not be following this. Getting conscious about it should take care of this.
- Finish your last meal at least 2 hours prior to sleeping: This is a principle I can personally vouch for. In fact, if weight watchers can follow this one principle, they would see visible results in a matter of weeks. If you can restrict your eating around sunset and not eat anything after that, it should take care of all your digestion problems along with weight ones. After you follow this, if you eat later than sunset, you would see your stomach complaining.
Combine all the 4 above with at least 3 hours of physical exercise per week. Now that does not seem like too much.
The book Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight, is like a mathematical theorem where you have one line as the hypothesis. But you spend pages and pages working out and explaining the hypothesis. And then finally give a sparkling example and say QED i.e. hence proven. The author suggests the 4 principles and then the rest of the book is about proving that these principles work.
She picks up stereotype examples of people who want to lose weight – busy executives, rich housewives, post delivery mothers. She also explains all the nutrients in various foods. And how much of each is required for humans on a daily basis and where is it found in nature. Of course, every now and then she talks about her most celebrated client Kareena. You can almost see her adulation for her when she describes how humble and disciplined she is. At places, she has also mentioned the spiritual aspect of food. Which I think requires far deeper delving. Of course, that was not the subject of this book.
Written in a tongue and cheek manner for the urban upper-class audience, the book makes an easy reading. I think the author could have avoided tangential remarks on people and situations that were not required for the book. She has tried to write as if she is talking to you, which is good. But I am not too much of a fan of mixing languages and use of colloquial language in writing. Though this seems to be the trend with the latest generation of writers.
There is a whole chapter on Kareena Kapoor, how she got in touch with the author. How she is the busiest star in town, how she is disciplined. And followed the regime to the T and how she managed to attain size zero in Tashan and how she jokes about her size zero with Rujuta. Of course, she may be the best reason for making the author who she is today, not to undermine her understanding of the subject. To use your own language Rujuta ‘Had hoti hai yaar’.
Buy Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight by Rujuta Diwekar at Amazon
I am going to give a try to your 4 principles, and would let you know if it helped, now that you are available on your website, blog and on twitter…:-)
Update: I have been following a few things that Rujuta Diwekar suggests in this book, and I must say they help. Rest it depends on your discipline.
Interesting Book Reviews…!!
great blog indeed..!!
Good review.. I bought this book and just completed chapter 1. Yet to go ahead.
As you said, title associating to Kareena made this book a hit. Otherwise, it would've been "Just Another Book" gone unnoticed. 🙂
Rujuta came into limelight only after talks about Kareena's size zero made news. I too want to be in shape. I am planning to buy this book and after reading your review the book sounds more interesting to me. hope the 4 principles work for me.
Vinz, thanks for appreciating, keep visiting.
Manasa, read it, it may help you eat guiltlessly…:-)
Sayalee, Let me know if the principles worked…:-)
good review… all the principle will work ..