A resident of Media Centre, Arjun, 35, lost 4 kilograms in just 15 days - with simple diet meals that are supplied to his doorstep everyday. Arjun is a documentary filmmaker and he hardly gets any time to workout. “My work schedule is crazy. Sometimes I have to spend days and nights in the studio to edit films. All this has resulted in a severe weight gain. Last month, when I weighed102 kg, I realised that I needed to make changes in my diet and lose weight. I decided to go for TLC Diet Meals for 15 days. Amazingly, I lost 4 kg in 15 days and 9 kg in the whole month,” he says. Similarly, Chhavi Bhargava, MD India and Sri Lanka, TNS India, also prefers healthy food every time she throws a party at home. “Even if you are not suffering from any disease, you would like to have healthy and low-calories. Such food is also more hygienic… and yes, tasty too,” she says. Chhavi orders her food from Health Chef Bharti Sanghi, who offers authentic traditional recipes, using low fat, to cater to health-conscious people.
Each day’s meal is different. What makes the food healthy is a high fibre and high protein content. As most vegetarians eat less protein and more fat, they feel fatigued easily. Health Chefs address this problem by offering a more filling meal - with a balance of carbs, proteins, minerals and dietary fibre. The Meal is designed such that, while people can easily go back to work after eating, they do not feel a need to binge between meals. People can also choose from a wide variety of cuisines - ranging from Indian, Continental and Asian. Further, ordering is convenient. One can order Online and the food is delivered at office or home. Tarani’s Low Calorie Kitchen, for instance, provides calorie-controlled and portion-controlled food deliveries across the country. “There are many working couples in the City who would be thrilled if healthy food can be delivered at their doorsteps. It is good to see that people appreciate what we are doing, as this is the need of the hour,” says Tarani Kapur, Owner, TLC Kitchen. “I realised how difficult it must be for people to themselves cook special meals - be it for weight loss or for a diabetic; and how difficult it must be for people coming back from work and then cooking. Besides, there is now an acute shortage of chefs and maids who have the right knowledge about nutritious food,” she says.
Many teenagers and kids are also following the Diet plan. “My four-year-old daughter enjoys Diet Food, as it is really very tasty. Besides, the presentation of the food makes it attractive for kids,” says Arjun. 16-year-old Tanisha, who suffers from Type 2 Diabetes and high Cholesterol, relishes the delicacies offered by TLC Kitchen. She is a non-vegetarian and loves their Chicken Biryani and Prawn Curry. TLC’s Healthy Heart Meal, which is available in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian versions, has helped in lowering her high sugar level. “This food it is cooked in a clean and hygienic manner,” informs Tanisha’s mother. TLC offers four basic Meal Plans. Although the menu already offers a highly customised and calorie-controlled diet, each meal can be customised according to the taste and preference of the consumer. There is also a dietician on call, to help those who need specific advice on Health Food. The Nutritionists and Health Chefs at the Kitchen continuously make changes and upgrade the Menu, so that people don’t get bored with the dishes. Due care is taken in case a person is allergic to certain food items.
For Bharti Sanghi the biggest challenge was to cook low-calorie and sugar-free delicacies for her mother-in-law, who was suffering from Diabetes. She soon started taking orders for healthy meals and sweets. Encouraged by the response, Bharti founded her brand, Life, in 2006. Chhavi, who has been ordering food from Life for more than four years, says, “I am fond of authentic traditional ‘mithais’, but in a city like Gurgaon it is quite difficult to get items that have authentic taste. Of course you are also worried about calorie consumption. Bharti offers a wide variety of sugar-free and low-calorie barfis, laddus, jalebis and samosas.” She is also popular for her unique creations - such as White & Tiranga Dhoklas, Phogle ka Raita and Gvar Pattha (which is a curry dish made with aloe vera). Offering innovation and a wide variety, some new-age Health Chefs have ensured that health food can be for everyone. “It is difficult to explain to a kid why junk food should be avoided. In fact, if you are too restrictive, it can cause obsessive cravings. A good alternative is to offer (healthy) food items that taste the same, but have a higher nutritious value,” feels Bharti.
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