Q: Could you suggest me a menu for a balanced diet? I want to lose fat on my thighs and abdomen.

A:One of the key factors in maintaining good health is eating balanced diet and maintaining a calorie balance. Caloric requirement depends on a number of factors like height, weight, sex, age, existing nutritional status and physical activity. To maintain an optimal body weight, the calorie intake and expenditure must be balanced. It is most desirable that your caloric requirement is determined on an individual basis keeping in mind the above factors. A daily diet and activity plan should be prepared in consultation with a doctor or a dietician, as this requires individual counseling. However for your information given below is a small note on balanced diet and suggested intakes. The diet that one consumes must provide adequate calories, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Balanced Diet - A balanced diet is one, which provides all the nutrients in required amounts and proper proportions. It can be achieved through a blend of different food groups. The different food groups that should be included in the diet so as to get the necessary nutrients are cereals & millets, pulses, fruits & vegetables, milk & milk products, meat & meat products, sugar and fat. In addition, a balanced diet should provide non-nutrients like fiber, which provide positive health benefits. The diet that one consumes must provide adequate calories, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Since the nutritional requirement varies, it is best to consult a dietician to prepare an individualized diet keeping in mind the age, sex, physical activity, the nutritional status etc. Regarding how to lose weight on the thighs and abdomen, you cannot target these areas by themselves. When you lose fat, you lose it evenly throughout your entire body. Some parts of your body hold a higher amount of fat than others. So let us say you start losing fat. You may notice your arms becoming defined, but your thighs still look fat. If you kept losing fat, eventually your thighs will look defined, though your arms at that point will appear very lean. Every body is different. The only way to lose fat on the body is to do aerobic exercise 4-6 times a week, for at least 30-45 minutes, working up to 60 minutes. Add some light resistance training 3 times a week (weights) and you will make great strides in loosing body fat and reshaping your body so it looks firm. Also, you must eat 5-6 meals a day. They can be small, but keep them consistent, every 3 hours or so. This fools your body into thinking it is not starving so it can release the fat you are currently holding.