Ms. Namita Nayyar:
What is your advice on eating healthy? Do you ever indulge in your cravings? What type of diet do you follow to manage weight & strength? At times you have talked about intermittent fasting and carb cycling?
Ms. Swetha Devaraj:
5 things I live by –
- Eat to perform.
- Less is more.
- Make sure you know what you put into your system.
- Whatever goes into your system should help you to optimize at the cellular level.
- Detox.
I practice a plant-based diet. I was a hardcore meat-eater 6 years ago, and haven’t touched meat ever since after being influenced by some of the documentaries that threw light on what’s happening to our planet from the meat and dairy industry.
Occasionally I indulge in dishes made by my mom that may have dairy but nowadays even she makes sure to substitute them with plant-based items. I do indulge in cravings once or twice a week but in moderation. Except for meat nothing is off limits those days including alcohol but everything in moderation.
I’m a big fan of fasting as it promotes autophagy (cellular repair), improves cognition (tons of research on how overconsumption impairs brain health), builds discipline, tolerance, and resilience, more energy in the body as cells are being repaired constantly, faster recovery, etc. I do restrict certain carbs at certain times of the day for some part of the month as for my body type, carbs can make me lethargic, but for women, carbs are very important especially when the body is producing estrogen and progesterone in your monthly cycle. But nutrition is more important than physical activity. I pay attention to everything that goes inside starting from making my own electrolytes, to eating a balanced meal that helps me recover and the supplements that not only make me stronger but also sharper in the head.
Ms.Namita Nayyar:
You have stated “self-care does not mean you are being selfish”. Please elaborate.
Ms. Swetha Devaraj:
Yes, one more thing I believe in is “if you are happy, everyone around you are happy” so when you are self sufficient, happy and content with ourselves, positive about even the negative, confident to face anything, you will naturally care for others and you will have only the good things to give others. All this happens when you take care of yourself first and there is nothing selfish in this because this is only gone benefit others around us. This is hard to do but once it clicks, you will be invincible.
Ms. Namita Nayyar:
You have had a tough marriage & divorce. Your piece of advice of women going through the trauma & where to seek help?
Ms. Swetha Devaraj:
I will be honest, this is the toughest question to answer, I still don’t know how I got out of that phase. I am not going to act as I know it all but my advice is to not stay in any relationship that’s toxic to you. Ask yourself and if you doubt even for a single second, then get out, rest will come to you if you hold on to your decision. This particular thing is not easy in India as each family is different. But I suggest family is your best bet and they are not there, turn to friends, seek professional help to get counseling.
Practice mind works through mediation, make sure you get into workouts of any forms, especially in a group setting, functional training gyms or running groups, where you will make friends and that will allow you to be busy or focus on something positive, build a support system of your own. It is very important to have your own set of friends at times like these. I put myself in a situation where I could not have either But something that helps me is constantly telling myself that “I am enough and I should be able to get out of whatever I am in!”