Best International Summer Drinks To Beat The Heat Part 1

Well, the summer is upon us again and due to global warming or whatever, it feels hotter every year. The scorching heat is driving people insane as we seek solace in ice cold drinks to keep ourselves functioning. Everyone has their favourite drinks for summer, non-alcoholic drinks that can be consumed anywhere any time. In order to make things interesting and keep you refreshed a little bit more, let me introduce you to some cool summer drinks from around the world. Hope you enjoy them!

Lassi (India):  It is one of the most popular traditional summer drinks of India. Initially enjoyed only by the people of the state of Punjab, Lassi is now served in restaurant across India and it is prepared in many homes of India as well. This drink is made by mixing curd, water, sugar and ice together. Due to the curd the drink comes out quite thick and it is served chilled. Almonds, peanuts, butter and dry fruits are often added for extra flavour.

Roh or Sugarcane Juice (Pakistan): Sugarcane juice is very popular in the south-east Asian countries and it is considered the national drink of Pakistan. The juice is made by applying pressure to sugarcanes manually or via machines. In summer it is served with ice. Lemon, ginger, mint or black salt is often added to enhance the taste.

Ayran (Turkey): Ayran is the national non-alcoholic drink of Turkey. Ayran is a mixture of yogurt, water and salt. Thickness and saltiness of the drink varies from person to person. Apart from its chilled goodness to suppress the summer blues, Ayran is also considered very healthy as it can replenish sodium in the body very fast.

Chicha Morada (Peru): Apart from having a very attractive name, this Peruvian drink is super tasty and super refreshing as well. The base of the drink is Maiz Morado, a purple maize that is boiled with cinnamon, clove, quinces and pineapple until the drink is of deep purple color and the maize is soft.  

Frappe (Greece): Although Frappe is widely available and popular throughout the world, I am compelled to mention it in this list as the Greek were drinking Frappe much before the rest of the world took notice of it. For the uninitiated, it is iced coffee, or cold coffee as some like to call it. A great drink to have in the summer.

Žinčica (Slovakia): This Slovak drink is made from sheep milk and the best type of Žinčica is called Urda. Common types of Žinčica are either sour or salty. It is a highly regarded non-alcoholic summer drink in Slovakia.

Mugicha Tea (Japan): A popular summer refreshment drink in Japan, Mugicha Tea is made from kernels of Barley. Even though it is available in bottled form, there are some homes in Japan that still brew Mugicha Tea at home.

Kvass (Russia): Kvass is a traditional Russian drink consumed in the summer. It is made by fermenting rye bread. Kvass is considered a non-alcoholic drink as the alcohol is in Kvass is often only 0.05 to 1%. Beet, plum, strawberry, raisin and mint is often added to enjoy different flavours of Kvass.

Agua Fresca (Mexico): Agua Fresca is a refreshing drink made from various fresh fruits and consumed all over Mexico. There are many types of Agua Fresca drinks depending on the fruits used such as Agua de Papaya, Agua de Jamaica, Agua de Fresa, Agua de Melón etc. The fruits are chopped and then blended to create a purée. The purée is mixed with water, sugar and lime juice and served chilled.

Pinolillo (Nicaragua & Costa Rica): It is a traditional drink enjoyed in these two countries round the year but it serves as a summer drink if served cold. Made from milk, water, cocoa powder, sugar, cinnamon and white cornmeal, Pinolillo is so popular in Nicaragua that they call themselves Pinoleros.

Gluehwein (Germany): It is a Apple and Tea punch that requires apple juice, lemon juice, tea, orange juice, sugar, spices and even the orange peels. When the heated mixture is served with ice cubes, it can make you forget the heat right away.

Sorrel Punch (Jamaica): It is a beverage made from dried Hibiscus flowers, if this makes you a little suspicious about this drink, please do not worry. It is a very popular summer drink in the African countries that needs Hibiscus flower, sugar, water and gingerroot. The best thing about this drink is that when served chilled, it makes for a refreshing drink and if you add a dash of rum, it becomes a great party cocktail.

Telba (Ethiopia): This Ethipian beverage is a creamy drink made from flaxseed, water and honey. Apart from a drink, Telba can be also served as a dessert. It is usually served chilled.

Mote Con Huesillo (Chile): It is a traditional Chilean summer drink that contains no alcohol. It is made from wheat and dried peaches which is cooked in sugar/honey, water and cinnamon. The name of this drink comes from “Mote” the Chilean word for husked wheat.

Lemonade Cordial (France): It is a non-alcoholic French drink made from lemon, mint, sugar and water. After mixing the lemon juice, water, mint and sugar,  it is boiled and simmered. After leaving overnight. the chilled drink is mixed with sparkling mineral water, ice cube and fresh mint before serving.

Virgin Orange Blossom (Belgium): It is a replacement for the Orange Blossom cocktail. Using lime soda as a base and mixing with orange juice and almond syrup, the drink is topped up with dry citrus notes and fizz to make up for the lack of hard drinks.

Shirley Temple (Canada): Shirley Temple is available in many countries but the Canadian version is a bit different. It comes in a large glass with Orange juice, lemon-lime soda and grenadine. Have chilled Shirley Temple in the summer and say goodbye to your summertime blues.

Leche Merengada (Spain): Leche Merengada is a traditional Spanish drink that can be made at home or found at restaurants or bars. Made from milk, egg whites, cinnamon, lemon zest and sugar, the mixture of mile, cinnamon, lemon zest and and sugar is cooked and chilled. The milk white is whisked and added to the drink later. Leche Merengada is served chilled with Cinnamon garnish.

VÅR (Norway):

In a country where almost every citizen is a connoisseur of fine cocktails, it is hard to find quality non-alcoholic drinks.  Luckily, there is VÅR. The name VÅR means spring and it is made from fresh fruits and berries. VÅR is available in many flavors such as pineapple, cedar, pear and raspberry.

Saft (Sweden):

Saft is a traditional Swedish drink that is available in both homemade and commercial (bottled) forms. Sweden is known as the country of a thousand berries and each of these berries are available to be turned into a Saft flavor of choice. Saft is to be mixed with water or sparkled water and consumed cold for summertime fun.

Sima (Finland):

Sima is basically a type of Finnish lemon soda consumed during the month of May. It is made from yeast, dark brown sugar, water, granulated sugar, lemon juice and raisins. The brown sugar gives the drink a caramelized taste. It takes around 4 days to prepare this drink and it is served chilled.

Cuáker (Ecuador):

This is an oat based drink that is very popular in Ecuador and yes it borrows its name from the Quaker oats. This drink is made by boiling rolled oats, peeled pineapples, Cinnamon, water and sugar together. The mixture is then boiled or pureed and served cold during the summer.

So there you go. Some of the traditional non-alcoholic drinks to try that originate from different parts of the world. You can try most of these recipes at home and even try your own twists to make them super tasty and refreshing. Enough reading, now it’s time to wait for the 2nd part of this post and indulge 🙂

General Elections In India Is Over – What Does The Future Hold?

Hello guys, I am posting after a long time. A lot has happened since my last post, we welcomed 2014, the hostile conditions in Syria continues, my post on how to drive safely while drunk (if you absolutely have to) got thrashed over the internet, the World Cup Football 2014 is about to start but most importantly, from India’s point of view, the general elections in India is over and we have got a verdict. It is the Bharatiya Janata Party that recorded a landslide victory and Narendra Modi, former chief minister of Gujarat, is all set to take the helm as the 17th prime minister of India.

indian citizens waiting to cast their votes

The 16th general elections in India was also the longest. It was the largest election in the world with 814.5 million eligible voters. This election also saw the highest voter turnout in Indian history at 66.38%. The verdict was out on 16th May and the results were crystal clear. For the first time after 1984 an Indian party touched the magic number of 272 seats, meaning for the first time in 30 years India is set to get a single party ruling without support.

Narendra Modi

Now, many are ecstatic about Nerendra Modi becoming the prime minister as they feel Mr. Modi will be able to finally turn India into a country of the 21st century. Many are sceptical due to his radical Hindu extremism pasts and the 2002 riots. People change over time hence there is no denying that Mr. Modi might have changed as a leader and a person as well. But to what extent is this true? Has he really changed or has he just dawned the mask of secularism for election’s sake? Will the Muslims be safe under the BJP government? Is vibrant Gujarat a reality or a myth? Questions like these are bouncing around the media and the minds of the people and no easy answer is yet to come by.

If we, for an instant, assume that Mr. Modi has really changed as a person and mended his older ways, that would mean that the Muslim contingent in Gujarat are safe and happy at this moment. In fact that is the picture that has been painted over the last 3 or 4 months. The reality, however, is a little different.

During a recent study conducted by a leading newspaper of India, Muslims in Gujarat expressed their concerns over their real plights being overshadowed by manufactured news. The study revealed that even in premier cities like Ahmedabad, it is still very difficult for a Muslim to get a rented house. Muslim women are taunted, teased and abused at every opportunity hence many of them have been forced to leave their jobs. A Muslim NGO worker told the newspaper that the stories of vibrant of Gujarat were grossly over-hyped.

Fire of hatred – The Godhra Riot

Apart from his Godhra riot connections, a horrific massacre of human lives that took place in 2002, there are doubts over the financial solidity of Gujarat as well. Numerous Indians, both young and senior citizens, are almost worshipping Mr. Modi as a messiah of financial breakthrough, a healing force that will bring the reeling Indian economy on track just by his sheer presence. During the election campaign, the success of the “Gujarat model” and how Mr. Modi will use this same model to straighten up Indian economy have been reiterated again and again. There is, however, one small problem. India is not Gujarat. India is a collection of 32 states and 6 central territories, a country where each state has its own unique problems. If Mr. Modi or anybody for that matter believe that the “Gujarat Model” will work for the violence riddled north eastern states or the terrorism  burdened state of Jammu and Kashmir, it is difficult to vouch for their mental sanity.

Even Mr. Modi could not change this picture

Closely scrutinizing the “Gujarat Model” reveals that Mr. Modi an his government has given tremendous importance on the growth of business in the private sector. This has created a lot of job opportunities in the larger cities while the human resource index in the villages and remote areas keep dwindling. In terms of child health, nutrition, education and healthcare, Gujarat’s growth has been minimal.

Even after keeping all these negatives in mind, it cannot be denied that the people of India have spoken and they have chosen Mr. Narendra Modi and BJP as their leaders for the next 5 years. A government without support from the allies mean that it will never have its hands tied for the sake of keeping the government alive. Mr. Modi has got a great opportunity to prove his words right and his opponents’ wrong. One thing is for sure, if he tries to blindly implement the “Gujarat Model” everywhere or leads another manhunt against the Muslims, history will throw him away just like it has thrown the Indian National Congress away. Now it is time to wait and watch.

A Trip To Bedse Caves, One Of The Greatest Trips I Ever Had

Bedse caves near Pune is a tourist place very few people know. It is comparatively closer to Pune as well. The internet mentioned only a couple of Budhist caves there and nothing else. So on the morning of 24th July, Sunday, 2011, we started on our bikes thinking it will be just one of those short trips, just to break the monotony of the daily life. But when we reached there we found out internet barely did any justice to the place. And it became one of the best trips I have ever had.

Bedse Caves are about 45 Kilometers from Pune in Bedse Village and on the old Pune-Mumbai highway (National Highway 4). So after we started off from Wakad , we took the road to Nigdi and was soon on the NH4. It started raining after about 15 minutes on the highway and it made the journey interesting. We were hoping for rain and got loads of it. Had to stop quite a few times because of heavy rain but the scenic beauty on both sides of the roads was awesome so it was really enjoyable. Clouds hovering over distant hills are my all time favorites and we got plenty of it on the way to Bedse caves.

Going straight along the highway for around an hour or so we reached Kamshet chowk. We had to take a left from there and went under a metal arch. Road was bad from there and Bedse village is around 9 KM on the inside. On the way towards village the scenic beauty of the route was mind blowing. The hills had come down to the roads at some places and at some places it really felt like we were riding through the lap of nature. Rains kept the hills lush green and the waterfalls gushing. There is a ghat called Bore Ghat on the way to village which is one of the most beautiful ghats I have ever seen. The roadsides can be great picnic spots if one is interested.

After the sign of Bedse village, the village is another 1.5-2 KMS inside from the main road and you have to do some off-roading over there. Once we reached the village we parked our bikes outside a temple. The road towards the hill starts just to the right. There is no designated road from the temple to the foot of the village and sometimes non-existent. We had to walk through mud and water to reach the foot of the hill. There are farms on the both side of the muddy road. The view of the distance hills from here was quite breathtaking. The waterfalls coming down from the top of the hills makes one feel like running to that place.

After reaching the foot of the hill, there are well laid out stairs to the top making the climb quite easy. We were at the top in 20 minutes. However there are small waterfalls and lush greenery on both sides of the stairs (thanks to the rainy season) so we stopped and took in some of that beauty as well. I strongly suggest visiting Bedse Caves during the rainy season. Otherwise I am pretty sure you will miss at least 60% of its charm. The water is drinkable as well. These small waterfalls can be tracked back upwards to some extent as we did but the rocks being wet and slippery you have to be extremely careful.

There are two caves at the top. One is a ‘Chaitya’ or meditation room and the other is ‘Vihara’ or quarters of the Buddhist monks. The Chaitya has very close resemblance to the Buddhist architecture seen in Ajanta caves. The sculptural prowess is just as graceful and attention to minuscule details just as scrupulous. The cave and surroundings are litter free as not many tourists visit these Caves. The meditation room really calms the mind and makes one feel he is thousand miles away from civilization. If you really want to meditate, it is the place for it. Next to the ‘Chaitya’ is the ‘Vihara’. There are 9 small rooms 7 of which accommodate 2 persons each. It is almost unbelievable that people can stay in such places day in, day out only meditating and thinking of Lord Buddha. And it shows what the human mind and body can achieve once it has set its mind upon something.

There is a small ‘Stupa’ next to the ‘Chaitya’. Small statues and interesting carvings are visible in and around the meditation cave. They resemble the ‘Kinnar’ and ‘Gandharva’ statues of the Ellora caves in Aurangabad . However according to local legend, many of the carvings were destroyed due to human foolishness. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about it-“Until around 1861 the caves were regularly maintained – even painted. These works were ordered by local authorities in order to please British officers who often visited caves. This has caused loss of the remnants of plaster with murals on it.”

The view of the valley from the top of the hill is breathtaking. The constant drizzle made it look even better. One can stand there for hours and feast his eyes on this splendid scenery. I was certainly feeling like going to the top of those hills and sitting there for hours. It reminded me that mother nature has given us so much to cherish but we spend our days running after goals that do not really matter, and leave a bad taste in our mouths even as we achieve them. Rain was coming down with full force by that time so we decided to delay our return. We went inside the small rooms of the Vihara and sat on the rocky beds that belonged to the people who created these caves from nothing many thousand years ago. We were lucky to feel a little of what they might have felt spending their time there on those stony beds, talking among themselves and listening to the rain drops outside.

On the way down we almost camped at a small waterfall. The water was fresh and warm, the force was strong and letting it flow over our legs was utterly satisfying. Not bringing extra clothes was lamented as we really wanted to roll into the flowing water. We spent considerable time there as our legs were pretty tired. Just sitting on the rocks and dipping our feet into the flowing water did wonders. I ventured a little upward to find the root of the stream, but thick foliage prevented my climb in short course. The rain had slowed down to a drizzle by that time and chirping of birds had started. The calmness,pleasure and relaxation almost hypnotized me. I started to feel if there was ever any nice way to die, it will be sitting here like this and slowly drifting of to that eternal sleep. Alas! all good things must come to an end and so was this beautiful trip was coming to. We started descending drenched on the outside but warm inside, tired but satisfied, hungry but calm. The descent was a little difficult as the stairs were slippery from constant water flow over them. But we were at the foot of the hill pretty quickly.

It would have been nice if our trip experiences ended there. But that day had something else to offer. On the way back through NH4 , to the right of the road there is a Ganapati temple made by the Birlas. We decided to pay a visit to that as well. The statue situated at the top of a small hill. Ganapati here is called ‘Mangalmurti Morya’. The statue is huge and the detailing are unbelievable. According to the notes there, the statue took 2 years to finish. As ‘9’ is considered lucky and auspicious number in Hindu Religion, the statue is 72 feet tall(7+2=9), the seat of the statue is 18 feet high(1+8=9) and the seat is 45 feet in width(4+5=9). It is a really nice place to spend your evening at. The unhindered 360 degree view of the city below is something to cherish as well. We spent around half an hour there before deciding it was really time to leave.

Evening fell as we rode into our places. It was time for a little snack and to start preparing for next day which was a Monday of course. But even as I got busy in my daily chores, I knew inside that, that day I saw a rare beauty of the nature that I will remember for a long time to come.

How To Establish Google Authorship Markup For Your Blog

Not too long ago I was trying to establish Google Authorship Markup for my blog. I always think that author information and picture in Google result is a pretty cool way to feature yourself and and your blog/website. But when I set out to do that, I hit a number of roadblocks. The primary problem that I faced was that there were not too many tutorials that listed the steps in a simple manner.

Almost all the articles that I found were encumbered with too much detail. It felt like a
ll of those article writers were somehow trying to establish how complicated this thing was. It is almost like they do not want to share such a treasured piece of knowledge on the internet. But since they are being compelled to do exactly that, they are trying to be as vague as possible. I am pretty sure that I am not the only one who just wants to establish the markup and not know the inner workings of Google.

I have finally established the Markup for my blog (Thank God) and now intend to write a simple step by step tutorial for people who wish to do the same. It is a basic tutorial without any unimportant explanation of the technique. All you have to do is follow the steps exactly as they are listed here. If you want to know about it in detail, I am pretty sure you will have no shortage of information on the internet. So, here it goes:

There are multiple ways to establish authorship markup for your blog.

1) 3 Link Method 

2) 2 Link Method

3) Email Verification Method

I personally prefer the 2 Link Method so let’s start with that:

2 Link Method:

a) Visit your Google Plus profile page and add a picture of yours. This is the picture you wish to see in search results.

b) Go to Profile -> Add Links -> Contributor To and add your Blog Homepage URL.

c) Copy your Google Plus Profile URL it should look like this. Make sure the URL has unique 21 numbers. That is your ID.

d) Visit the Author Biography page of your blog. I am assuming your blog has a Author Bio Snippet on each content page.

e) Add the following link inside the Author Bio snippet:

<a href="https://plus.google.com/121212121212121212121?rel=author">Google+</a>

Replace "121212121212121212121" with your Google Plus profile ID.

3 Link Method:

a) Follow steps a) through c) mentioned above.

b) Add the following code to your Author Bio snippet:

<a href="https://plus.google.com/111111111111111111111?rel=author">Google+</a>

Replace "121212121212121212121" with your Google Plus profile ID. 

Notice "rel = author" has changed to "rel = me"

c) Edit the source code of Author Bio on each content page with:

<a href=”{AuthorBiographyPageURL}” rel=”author”>Author Name</a>

 

Email Verification Method:

Note: This method only works if you have an email address hosted on the same domain s your blog. So if your blog is “WWW.ABC.COM” your email address needs to be “SOMEONE@ABC.COM”.

a) Make sure each content page of your blog has By “Your Name” in it. The name has to be identical with your Google Plus profile name. Hyperlink your email address to the author name in the manner shown above. You do not need “rel = me” or “rel = author”.

b) Follow this link. Add your email address to the field and click on “Sign up for Authorship”.

c) Once you get a mail from Google, click on the provided link for verification. You will also get an option to add the Blog domain to the “Contributor To” section.

Once you have implemented authorship for your blog, it is time to check if it is working or not. Go to Google Rich Snippets Testing Tool to find out. Put the URL of a content page there and click “Preview”.

If the result looks like above then you have successfully implemented Authorship Markup for your blog. If the results show a lot of red or do not look like this, go over the instructions again and find out what went wrong.

It might take a while for your picture to show up in Google results. Exactly how much time? Nobody knows. For some people it appeared within a few days while it took almost 6 months for some people. Give it at least a month or two. If it still does not work, try changing your picture. It is known to work for some people. Remember all you need to do is follow the step as it is. All the best!

My Strategies To Drive Safely While Drunk

First things first, I do not support or condone drunk driving. It is dangerous. Period. I have seen a friend lose his eye and another, his life while driving under influence. It is not worth it and should be avoided at all costs. We all know the basic routines when it comes to strategies to prevent drunk driving. Crash at your friend’s place, keep a designated driver, gather at a bar close to your home, call a cab etc.

But let’s face it, we have always faced the situation when we visit a bar with friends for just a couple of beers. But soon the situation takes over and before you know anything, its 11 PM in the night. You are considerable drunk, drove to the place in your car or bike alone and there is no place around where you can spend the night. So the only choice you have is hobble inside your car and hope for the best. But there are a few tricks that I use when I am stuck in such a situation. Hopefully they will help you too.

General tricks:

1) Drink lots of water along with your drinks. This will help you in two ways. First, you will not be able to drink as much as you would probably have. Second, you will be soberer than you should. It will make you visit the loo more often but that is definitely better than risking your life.

2) Ask for a glass of lemon water before leaving. No lemonade, no sweeteners or flavors, just plain lemon water. Drink the glass as fast as you can. Lemon is effective against hangovers and from my experience, this lemon water will clear up your head to some extent. Driving is a complex reflex action and you may not need your brain functioning at a 100%. Just enough to see you through to home.

3) Washing your face is a well-known solution. But you know what you got to do? Have you ever seen those face wash and beauty cream ads and how those girls splash water on their faces? yes that’s what you need to do. And aim the water for your open eyes. A few cold splashes of water in your eyes should take the edge off the liquor.

4) If you have done everything else and still feel quite inebriated, vomit! Just put your fingers in your throat and vomit it out. It will prevent the situation from going worse as time progresses and the effort it takes to vomit should wake you up considerably.

If You are driving a car:

1) Turn off the AC. Keep the windows barely open so that it does not get sweaty and stuffy inside the car but the air does not hit our right in the face. Cold breeze after drinking will make you fall asleep faster than the Chronicles of Narnia lullaby.

2) Keep the radio turned off. I have seen that while drunk, mind tends to focus on unimportant things too much like a music coming from a distance or the song on a radio. You want to be fully focused on the road and nothing else.

3) Munch on something. It could be a chocolate bar or a pack of chips. The idea is to have some action going as sitting behind a wheel can be pretty boring.

4) If you feel losing control, pull over at the side of the road. Get out of the car, walk around it, shake your head and do what ever it takes to drive away the dizziness. Walking will also increase blood supply to your brain and help it function better.

If you are riding a bike:

1) It’s a lot worse then a car but you have no choice I presume. So wear a helmet. It can save your life and also it will stop the air from hitting you on the face. best thing to do is pull down the visor of the helmet for added safety.

2) Try singing or whistling a song while bobbing your head in rhythm. This is the best action you can get while riding a bike drunk.

3) Drive slow so that you can stop at any time you want.

4) If you feel losing control, pull over at the side of the road. Park the bike, walk around it, shake your head and do what ever it takes to drive away the dizziness. Walking will also increase blood supply to your brain and help it function better.

These are the tips I follow and so far they have worked like a charm for me. But again, I do not promote or condone drinking and driving. If you know you are going to drink in the evening, make plans beforehand for your safe return. Take to driving and riding only if all else fails. Apply my techniques mentioned above and you should live to see the next sunrise.

My Effective Workout Diet For My Weight Loss Routine

So you have decided to finally start exercising to lose weight. The chances are you have already told my articles about 6 guaranteed exercises to lose weight and weight loss exercises for busy people. But working out alone does not help in losing weight unless you control your food intake. It is a known fact that calorie intake is much more easier than losing calories. It takes a healthy amount of exercise to lose 500 calories but only a small ice-cream to gain it back.

You must be thinking that what are the foods that will set you on the path to weight loss. Well coming from a family with many doctors and having some prior bodybuilding experience, I definitely have a few tips to share about weight loss diets. There are certain foods that if taken regularly will satisfy your daily calorie needs without piling on the fat. If you are exercising then you will need foods that give you considerable energy to workout and perform your daily chores effectively.

The last time I set out to lose some Pounds, I did so with some light exercising and a very effective diet. I am going to share the same with you here. Some adjustments to the diet may be necessary as young people need more energy than aged people. Being a grown male, I need around 2600 Calorie per day to function properly. If you are a woman, you will need 500 – 600 calories less than me. There is a myth that to lose weight, you need to take less than your daily requirement calories. Well, it’s a BLATANT LIE! The fact that you are overweight means you have been taking more calories than needed for a long time. For weight loss, all you need to do is eat the right amount of calories and work out to shed off the existing fat.

Well, here is my diet for the whole day if you are doing light workout everyday:

1) Breakfast: Start with a glass of warm water. If you plan to exercise in the morning then after having the water, have half a glass of milk and two fiber biscuits 10 – 15 minutes later. Working out on an empty stomach is not healthy. After the exercise have a toast with low fat butter or some other spread and two boiled eggs. You can conclude the breakfast with a large glass of fresh fruit juice or some fruit salad. I personally prefer the salad.

If you are lactose intolerant then instead of milk drink fruit juices. Drink fresh fruit juice instead of boxed ones. A basic juicer does not cost much money and there are many varieties in the market. Some people prefer bacon and salami in the morning but I personally never preferred meat in the breakfast.

2) Lunch: Since I used to be in office during lunch hours, my choices were considerably limited. The same might be the case for you. But no matter where you are, getting a bowl of salad should not be a problem now-a-days. Usually it is said that breakfast should be largest meal of the day. I have always had problems with eating too heavily in the morning. So I topped of my lunch and then took it easy during dinner.

Some pieces of bacon, boiled egg, boiled chicken and lentils can be your weapon of choice for protein requirements. Boiled vegetables might be unavailable in the office cafeteria so you can consider boiling some vegetables in the morning and take it to work with you. Add a dash of pepper and salt to the vegetables for taste.

3) Evening Snack: It is probably the most dangerous meal in terms of weight loss. It is difficult to consider something eat during those hours in the evening and likely you will only get unhealthy snacks for consumption in the office. One unhealthy meal in the evening can offset 2 – 3 days worth of hard-work.

The solution I opted was an all fruits snack for evenings. Apples, bananas and something like lime or oranges. Banana is considered a super fruit which can fill you up very quickly without adding much calories. Take those fruits with you when you leave for work or college. Eat just the amount required to take the edge off your hunger. Over indulging on the snacks can disrupt your dinner which is very important.

4) Dinner: A light dinner is advised if you are in the weight loss mode. The main reason being that after the consumption of dinner, you will spend 7 – 8 hours sleeping. You will not lose any energy or calorie during this time so whatever extra calories you take in dinner will likely stay in your body. My choice of dinner was small and equal portions of meat, vegetables and juice.

Trying to get calories off fruits, meat and vegetables is always better. Avoid rice and wheat as long as possible. This diet was pretty healthy for me too. I was able to get the proteins and vitamins from the meat, milk, eggs, fruits and vegetables. A combination of meat and vegetable gave me all the essential Amino acids. I avoided fried and oily foods like sin during this period.

Notes:

1) Fresh fruit juices are a must. Packed juices do not offer any real nutrition to our bodies.

2) Since you are breaking your normal intake of high carbs and high fat, your body will rebel this change. You must fight the urge to overeat.

3) I used to have milk and eggs at the same time without any problems. But some people might feel acidity after taking this high-protein combination. If this happens, remove one of the two from your diet list or take milk in the evening.

4) Drink lots of water to prevent dehydration resulting from exercises.

This diet chart was made by me and for me. It worked pretty well as far as I can tell. I never felt any loss of energy during this regime. There were a number of time when I felt the urge to overeat or fall back to my old routine but it was willpower that kept going. When you feel those urges, and you will for sure, just picture in your mind the type of body you want to have. That will keep you on the track.