With the start of the New Year, people are moving towards improving their life forms, and most common ones are those related to diet, healthy eating, and exercise.

The reasons for people hesitating and reverting are usually due to these decisions immediately after the beginning of the year, because they were not practical or possible in the first place, and because they did not merge simply with the daily routine of life. This applies in particular to decisions related to diet and healthy eating, where both require a certain degree of planning, discipline and effort to follow up diligently and throughout the year.

One of the most effective ways to do this is preparing the "Food Plan for 2020", the goal being to add a personal nature to the food plan to achieve realistic goals and implement steps, which makes it easier to stick to the diet and achieve health goals.

To help readers prepare their own nutritional plans, the nutritionist, Dr. Dana Al-Hamwi, from India Gate, has shared some ideas gathered over more than two decades of experience and science.

The ideal food plan should be comprehensive and practical above all, including basic foodstuffs in the region, taking into account climatic conditions and social and nutritional restrictions. This will ensure that healthy food becomes part of daily life, which can be followed throughout the year.

Given the hot and dry climate in the Middle East, it is necessary to eat enough water, and the diet should include leafy vegetables and fruits, and other components that contain a high content of water such as rice, chia seeds and quinoa, and avoid foods that contain a high salt and caffeine Because these ingredients increase the dryness of the body.

In addition to the content, the frequency and timing of meals is also important. It is best to eat small meals at regular times, rather than eating two big meals a day.

Exercise is another pillar that we rely on for a healthy, harmonious body. People who aim to lose weight often focus on diet only, without engaging in any exercise or physical activity. This method does not produce the desired results.

Starting physical activity in conjunction with your diet will provide you with double benefits from lower calorie consumption and increased metabolism, so you can reach your desired weight faster. Muscles also require more calories to work.

Doing sports or any other activity you like 30 minutes a day is enough. But it is important that the activity be moderate and intense. You must have a positive and optimistic outlook on life, which will help you reduce stress. Meditation and immersion in your passion can eliminate stress.

When it comes to dieting, there is what to do and what to avoid:

Reducing salt, sugar, soft drinks and sweetened drinks.

Add healthy fiber sources to your daily diet such as quinoa and brown rice.

Increased intake of fruits and vegetables.

Eat fish twice a week, especially oily fish.

Reducing saturated fats.

Add 1 tablespoon of chia and flax seeds to your daily meal.

Follow healthy habits in basmati rice. Basmati rice contains a low percentage of sugar compared to other types of rice, which means that once it is digested it releases its energy slowly, keeping the blood sugar level constant.

Certain foods support a healthy lifestyle, such as spring artichoke, "folic acid with vitamin BC", which is beneficial for liver health. And summer berries are "rich in lycopene and antioxidants." Watermelon «carotene water». Yogurt milk «Probiotics». Whole grains, autumn quinoa "rich in protein." Broccoli is "rich in antioxidants". Winter oats «healthy fibers». Pumpkin soup, cauliflower and sweet potato.

Particular care should be taken during the seasonal transitional months, such as the arrival of summer in May and its end in September. During those times, you should regulate the amount of water you eat, to keep the body hydrated, and to eat a portion of protein-rich foods such as quinoa.

And in the holy month of Ramadan, the time for fasting and breaking fast, you must determine with great accuracy what you should eat and when.

Dr. Dana has some advice during the month of fasting:

Drinking enough water is very important to hydrate and avoid headaches.

Reduce caffeine and sugar intake.

Start breakfast with yogurt and yogurt.

Your breakfast should include soup.

Don't skip over Suhoor.

Bananas must be eaten at the suhoor meal "which has a high magnesium content".

Avoid eating many dishes at the breakfast table.

Avoid fried foods, juices, and sweets.

Try to include healthy breakfast in your breakfast instead of pudding and dried fruits.

Avoid salty food.

Try to move and be more active after breaking the fast, such as praying.

Avoid stressful exercises while fasting.

Desserts should contain chia seeds to avoid constipation.

“It is better to eat small meals at regular times, rather than eating two big meals a day.”