Tasneem Shaikh - Choose Sustainable Easy Daily Actions Practised Consistently Over Temporary Extreme Diet or Exercise Plans (Nutritionist & Dietician)

I help you eat, move and live better using a combination of psychology, communication, nutrition and other health science skills.

1. Tell us more about yourself and your profession.

Hi, I am Tasneem Shaikh (MSc Nutrition, BSc Dietetics, CDE, CPT) - a dietitian who doesn't give diets. Then, how do I help you become fitter? I help you eat, move and live better using a combination of psychology, communication, nutrition and other health science skills at the Indian Health Project for Free.

In other words - You talk to me about yourself. I'll listen, understand and ask questions. And then your lifestyle will magically change! :) I prefer abundance over restrictions. Sustainable easy daily actions over diet plans. Autonomy over dependency.

You lead, I guide. 

I would love to know you and help you every step of the way! Ready? Visit www.tasneemshaikh.com for a free consultation or search for @indianhealthproject on Instagram. (www.instagram.com/indianhealthproject)

I also work with IIT Bombay on a government-funded program to reduce malnutrition in the country.  You can learn more about my education, work, clients, workshops, etc here: www.tasneemshaikh.com/about


2. What is your fitness mantra?

Let's choose abundance over restrictions. Choose sustainable easy daily actions practised consistently over temporary extreme diet or exercise plans. Choose autonomy over dependency.

3. What are some of the major misconceptions about diets and exercises?

There are many. One of the most common ones is that there is a "best" diet or exercise that can magically help you become fitter. If this were true, how come athletes from all over the world (different ethnicities, foods, eating habits, exercise habits, etc) compete in the Olympics? Aren't they all fit? :)

Another very common misconception is that to be fit, you need to punish or restrict yourself with short-term diets or exercises you hate. 

If this were true, how come you see so many athletes or other people stay fit for decades together? Are they eating the exact same extreme diet for decades? And how come people from remote villages or tribal areas or daily wage workers are so strong and lean? Are they dieting? Or going to the gym? And how come I and 1000s of my clients have never followed any diet or done any exercises that we hate doing and yet are super fit for decades? Think about it! 

The short term extreme diets or exercise programs are easier to make and more appealing to sell to people who are vulnerable. Learning and using skills like counselling, communication, listening, psychology, empathy, etc to help people like you change permanently takes a lot of time and effort.


4. How can one maintain a healthy lifestyle?

It is specific to each individual. Generally speaking, it is as simple as eating better consistently, moving your body consistently, sleeping better consistently, managing your stress better consistently and managing your relationships better consistently. 

How you do these things is specific to each individual. No two people live the exact same lives. So what actions they practice consistently to be healthy will also be very different.


5. How can one build a successful career in your field?

By learning and practising the skills needed to help people change. Most people think that as dietitians or fitness professionals, all we need to know is nutrition science or exercise science. Yes, that is helpful too. But tell me, how many people don't know that sitting for 10 hours or not eating any vegetables is not helping them get fitter? 

Sometimes they know that these obvious changes must be made, right? But they are still not doing it. They need help to practice those changes consistently. That's why they invest in a dietitian or a fitness coach. 

If we don't know how to help people change - if we just keep telling them that "you should do this or that" - it won't end well for the client or us. So anyone who wants to be successful in this field needs to learn and regularly practise some very essential skills like active listening, communication for change, change psychology, empathy, accountability, etc. 

Fortunately, we teach all these skills for free in the Indian Health Professionals community. Anyone who wants to learn them can join our group (www.bit.ly/ihprotelegram) or connect with us on Instagram at @indianhealthprofessionals. (www.instagram.com/indianhealthprofessionals)


6. What is one piece of advice you would like to give someone who wishes to lose weight?

Here's what I would say to them - "Hi you! I would love to know your deeper reason for trying to lose weight. Is it to become more confident? A more energetic parent? A better athlete? To get more work? To be more independent? To run freely? Why is losing weight important to you? Imagine your future fitter self. Tell me how exactly has your life changed after losing weight. What is it like?"

I ask these questions because finding that deeper reason and connecting it to all your lifestyle changes will help you practice your daily changes consistently. If you don't know why you are doing something, you are more likely to not do it after a few days or months. 

When you know the reason and can very clearly connect it to all your actions every day, choosing the better action (being active instead of sitting, eating homemade food instead of packaged food, etc) over and over again will be very easy. 

All your daily choices will add up and eventually you will be as fit as you imagined yourself to be.


7. How do diets and exercise contribute to overall well being and happiness?

Anybody who has tried eating better and moving their body consistently in a sustainable way, without restrictions or punishments, will agree that it makes them truly happy. Most of us even feel proud of ourselves for taking care of our body. Scientifically also, eating better and moving your body makes all your organs - including your brain - happy. 

You feel stronger, more energetic, lighter, more productive, pain-free, fresher, and so many other desirable things. Being fitter helps all other areas of our lives as well - be it work, family, education, etc. So yes, improving our physical health definitely contributes to our well-being and happiness. :)


- Tasneem Shaikh (Dietician, Nutritionist)

Tasneem Shaikh (MSc Nutrition, BSc Dietetics, CDE, CPT) is a dietitian who doesn't give diets. She helps people eat, move and live better using a combination of communication, psychology and nutrition counselling skills. She prefers sustainable easy daily actions over diet plans or restrictions. She will help you for free at the Indian Health Project. Visit www.tasneemshaikh.com to know more.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tasneem-shaikh-77463b96


Interviewed By Pratibha Sahani