A. Pulses are great for the healthy eating pattern, as they are high in complex carbohydrates, protein and fibre, and low in fat and sodium. Besides they have a low glycemic index making it great for weight control.

Pulses by themselves however do not contain complete proteins. The best way to have pulses is by combining them with cereals like Rice and sambhar, rotis and rajma, idlis and dosas, dhoklas and khichdi. When cereals and pulses are combined the essential amino acid deficiencies of each individual group are compensated for and this way you can ensure that your body is getting adequate intake of protein. So don't be afraid to combine cereals and pulses.

Another great way to eat pulses is to sprout them. Sprouts have more vitamin C and are quite suitable for weight control. But remember not to add much of oil or ghee while preparing these recipes.

A. Both your children are definitely overweight and they have good height as well. I would suggest that you should combine healthy eating with regular exercise and build it in their daily schedule. Cut down on fats and sweets, totally. This also means reducing oil used in cooking foods, ghee on chapatis, replace paranthas, puris with plain un-buttered chapattis, use steamed, boiled vegetable cooked with minimum oil. Avoid too much cheese, butter and jams on sandwiches. Use green chutney, curd based spreads etc. Instead of fried cutlets, use fresh vegetable in sandwiches. Use double toned milk instead of full cream. Everybody in the family should have this diet on a long-term basis. This means that ice cream, eating out etc should be done only on occasional basis.

As far as exercise is concerned, children may not enjoy jogging so much. Let them choose activity of their choice: swimming, cycling, dancing, basketball, even badminton are all good exercises and fun too. As their stamina builds up, they can spend more time on these activities. Time can easily be taken out by cutting on their TV/computer time.

A. Eating guava cannot make you gain weight, as guava is a very rich source of fiber and vitamin C. So there is no reason for it to make any one overweight. Guavas are known to reduce excess blood sugar and cholesterol from the system. They are also rich in antioxidants. In fact one can eat 2-3 guavas a day.

A. Yes. But they are also concentrated sources of sugar that don't give you anywhere near the same level of nutrients you get from whole fruits, if you're trying to lose weight, you won't get the same sense of fullness from a glass of juice that you will from a piece of fruit.

A. I know, its very easy to put on weight due to hormonal changes and sluggish metabolism people, but one can lose upto 2-3 kgs per month. As there is also a problem of water retention seen commonly in many cases. So accordingly you would take minimum 3 months to lose 10kgs. The weight lose is also dependent on your metabolism and the line of treatment you are following. With good guideline of diet therapy along with some exercise your weight can reduce without crash dieting or starvation.

A. Milk has its nutrient which as necessary for our body. As we know milk is rich in calcium and vitamin D. So it’s very essential for us to consume it on every day at least 400- 500ml. The weight occurs incase of over consumption of full cream milk instead of skimmed milk. Always use skimmed or double toned milk. Can increase the intake of milk by making fresh fruit shakes, but remember to not to add sugar in your shakes as they add on to calories and fruits have their own sweetness.

A. Protein diets are not the answer for weight loses. It is very essential to consult a dietician for a proper guidance on diet therapy for weight lose. Protein rich diet helps for the people who want to develop more muscle mass and are into body building. The regular dietary allowance for protein is 30g per day. You can include pulses, eggs, milk, non vegetarian food like (fish , chicken ) in your diet and improve the intake of protein.