Anjali Mukherjee

Recently I was on a short vacation in bali. I was looking my worst in faded jeans and uncombed hair midway through my watery tomato soup. When a voice shrilled into my ears saying, “Aren’t you so and so…?”excitedly. I gagged over my soup wondering who on earth would recognize me here and found myself saying, “Yes I am”… even before I could complete my sentence she said “you know I read your column regularly and you should write about what people would like to eat, rather than what you would like them to eat. This way more people would take interest in your column!” “That’s true” I answered solemnly – but I write to safeguard your health. The food has to agree with your body and not your tastebud!” i continued; she looked as though she ‘saw’ things differently for the first time! encouraged, I continued…“you must eat to nourish your body and not to pamper your tastebuds as they will always want food that may/may not be healthful”.

If you have been brought up on a traditional diet of fresh green vegetables, well set curd, crisp rotis and lasoon flavored dal; all your five senses will rejoice on eating such food and so will your body. But if you have been brought up on colas, cakes, chocolates and curries then you do need to read my columns. You must consider yourself more important than such health destroying foods and keep reading my articles till you begin to ‘see’ a shift in your own health. When you begin to eat healthily you don’t necessarily give up chocolates and ice creams; but you realize that a salad satisfies you much more. And that is just the beginning of your journey towards better health…..

The other day I was at lubna adam’s birthday bash. The pool side party was full of recognizable, perfectly groomed models. Needless to say lubna was looking gorgeous and so were my other clients and ex Miss India’s. Most of them had well worked out bodies and looked tall, slim and striking in their knee length floral summer dress.

I went to the bar and asked for my favorite drink fresh lime soda salted. The bar tender looked up from his busy table with a worried look (meaning that he didn’t have it), so I settled for a virgin mary which has my favorite tomato juice correctly spiced. As I sipped it slowly enjoying the salt as the rim and watching more familiar faces walk in, someone tapped my shoulder and said, “What is the secret behind your effective weight loss program?” How do they all look so slim and attractive! Their motivation and my food formulas is what I wanted to say – but I just smiled…..

I am often asked this question at parties! Just to let you into the secret that there is no real secret to a beautiful you. Beauty is simply an inside job. You have to eat right and workout regularly to bring out the glowing and slimmer you! All that you need is the desire and the inclination…..