Zareer Patell - Fitness and Wellness

The Column

The Truth about Protein Supplements

The Truth About Protein Supplements

Are they really worth the hype?

Let’s begin at home. According to the Indian Market Research Bureau (IMRB), almost 73 percent of Indian diets are deficient in protein. Nine out of ten Indians are unaware of their daily protein needs, often mistaking carbohydrates for protein sources.

This is because we have gradually moved away from our traditional, naturally protein-rich foods, such as lentils, legumes, pulses, eggs, poultry, fish, meat, dairy, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, and increasingly migrated towards refined and processed foods, largely for convenience and lack of time.

The result: we have created a perception that our diets are deficient in protein and that we need protein supplements to meet our requirements. In reality, there is no inherent dearth of protein in a well-balanced traditional Indian diet.

The current obsession with protein supplements is, to a large extent, a modern phenomenon, amplified by an industry that benefits from selling processed protein products. Rather than looking for protein in a tub or a packet, we should first look at the natural foods that have always been part of our diet.

Do we need supplements?

For most healthy people eating a varied, balanced diet, there is no need to rely on processed protein supplements simply because the market tells us that “more protein is better.”

Protein supplements can, however, have a legitimate role in specific situations–for example, in athletes with unusually high protein requirements, or in older adults and people recovering from illness, cancer treatment, surgery, or other conditions where appetite and food intake are inadequate and it is difficult to meet nutritional needs through normal food alone.

Remember: Proteins from whole foods come as a nutritional package accompanied by fibre, vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, polyphenols and other bio-active compounds. A protein powder may provide a concentrated dose of protein, but it cannot replicate the full nutritional “entourage” of the original food.

PS: More protein is not necessarily better. Excessive protein intake increases the kidneys’ workload because nitrogen from protein metabolism must ultimately be eliminated by the kidneys (not to mention a burning hole in your pocket). Therefore, whether young or old, athlete or otherwise, protein should be consumed according to the body’s actual requirements–not according to the hype that more is always better.

Zareer Patell

#ProteinSupplements #NutritionFacts #WholeFoods #BalancedDiet #HealthyEating #CleanEating #ProteinMyth #IndianDiet #TraditionalFood #HealthyIndia #EatLocal #DesiDiet

Protein Profiteering!

Protein Profiteering: How Social Media Turned Protein into a Marketing Goldmine

Advertising has undergone a massive shift over the last two decades. What was once the privilege of deep-pocketed corporations is now accessible to anyone with a smartphone and an internet connection.

Anyone can record, edit and publish from a bedroom for free. Influencers, creators and everyday consumers have become the machinery behind a marketing revolution where hype often dictates sales more than facts.

The “proteinification” of everything is the ultimate example. What began as a niche supplement for elite bodybuilders has been transformed by algorithms, endorsements and corporate opportunism into a global, multi-billion-dollar game.

Today, simply slapping PROTEIN on a label can turn an ordinary product into a premium-priced “health” product. Coffee, beverages, milk, rotis, ice cream, dahi, cookies – even sodas – can suddenly join the protein economy.

The dark side of this protein overkill:

1. Viral “protein-maxing” trends have convinced ordinary people they are chronically protein-deficient.

2. Manufacturers have discovered a profitable formula: take a conventional, low-margin product, add a pinch of whey or plant protein, print PROTEIN in large letters — and charge a hefty premium.

3. AI-generated wellness influencers and online fitness gurus are turning “protein propaganda” into a daily prescription, portraying protein not merely as important, but almost as a miracle macronutrient.

But who is really to blame?

Remember, you are up against a multi-billion-dollar system designed to bypass human logic.

Twenty years ago, when a celebrity appeared in a TV commercial, your brain knew: They’re being paid to say this.

Today, an influencer films a video in a messy kitchen, looks into the camera and speaks like an old friend. Your brain says: “This is authentic. This person understands me.”

That is where the real marketing magic happens.

The question is no longer whether protein is important. Of course it is. The real question is: how much do you actually need – and how much are you being persuaded to buy?

Stay tuned for my next piece: The truth about protein supplements, and whether they are really worth the hype.

Zareer Patell

#ProteinOverkill #ProteinHype #Proteinification #ProteinPropaganda #Nutrition #HealthAndWellness #Fitness #SupplementIndustry #MarketingHype

The Golden 10 Minutes After A Meal

THE GOLDEN 10 MINUTES AFTER A MEAL

Don’t sit down immediately after eating.

Many people, especially after 50, finish a meal and head straight for the sofa, television, or desk. What seems harmless may be working against their metabolism. Within minutes of eating, blood sugar begins to rise. Some people feel sleepy, sluggish, mentally dull, or low on energy. Part of the reason is the post-meal glucose surge and the digestive load placed on the body.

The good news? You don’t need a strict diet, a gym membership, or an exhausting workout.

A simple 5–10 minute walk after a meal can make a meaningful difference.

When you eat carbohydrates – such as rice, bread, pasta, desserts, or sugary foods – part of that meal is broken down into glucose, which enters the bloodstream. Insulin is then released to help move that glucose into the cells for energy. However, with age, inactivity, excess body fat, or insulin resistance, this process becomes less efficient. The pancreas is forced to produce more insulin, and chronically elevated insulin levels encourage energy storage, particularly around the abdomen and internal organs.

This is where walking becomes powerful.

Your muscles act like giant sponges for glucose. When you sit after a meal, those sponges remain largely inactive. But when you stand up and walk – even at a relaxed pace – your muscles begin contracting and can absorb glucose more efficiently. This helps reduce the post-meal blood sugar rise and lessens the demand for insulin.

Timing matters.

The goal is not to burn calories. The goal is to manage blood sugar during the critical window immediately after eating, when glucose is entering the bloodstream. A gentle “shopping pace” walk is enough. Around your home, hallway, garden, or neighbourhood will do.

Think of it as telling your body: “Use some of this energy now instead of storing it.”

This small habit, repeated after meals, may do more for long-term metabolic health than many complicated fitness plans that are difficult to sustain.

– Zareer Patell
Black Belt | Fitness & Personal Trainer | Wellness Columnist | Consultant on Call (since 1972)

#PostMealWalk #BloodSugarControl #HealthyAging #MetabolicHealth #InsulinResistance #WalkAfterEating #GlucoseManagement #PreventDiabetes #HealthyLifestyle #FitnessAfter50 #Longevity #ZareerPatell

Weight Loss Scandals to Modern Day Weight Loss Magic

(SCIENCE EXPLAINED)

Weight Loss Scandals to Modern Day Weight Loss Magic

Weight-loss medications have evolved from dangerous stimulants of the 1940s to today's precision hormone therapies. The focus has shifted from simply suppressing appetite to treating obesity as a chronic metabolic disease driven by complex hormonal pathways.

Discovery of incretin hormones

The modern breakthrough began with the discovery of “Incretins” – gut hormones released after meals that regulate blood sugar, appetite, and energy balance. Two key incretins are GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide-1) and GIP (Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide).

Scientists first focused on GLP-1 because it stimulates insulin release, suppresses glucagon, slows stomach emptying, and signals fullness to the brain. This led to the development of GLP-1 receptor agonists, culminating in drugs such as semaglutide (Ozempic/Wegovy). Introduced globally in 2018, these once-weekly injections improved blood-sugar control while producing significant weight loss by reducing hunger and increasing satiety.

The story behind GIP is fascinating. Back in the 1960s–70s, researchers noticed something strange: if a person drank glucose, the pancreas secreted much more insulin than when the same amount of glucose was given directly into the vein. This became known as the “incretin effect”. Scientists realized that the intestine must be releasing some hormone after food is eaten, which then signals the pancreas to produce insulin.

Researchers eventually identified one of these gut hormones and named it: Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide (GIP). Unfortunately, it appeared less promising because its effects seemed diminished in people with Type 2 diabetes.

How did GIP suddenly become popular

So researchers largely prioritized GLP-1. However, a surprising discovery emerged. GIP alone was not impressive while GLP-1 alone was very good. But GLP-1 + GIP seemed better than either alone. Meaning, GIP could enhance and complement GLP-1 activity when both pathways were activated together. This achieved unprecedented improvements in blood-sugar control and average weight-loss results exceeding 20%. This is how Mounjaro / Zepbound, the wonder weight loss drug, was born.

Now - The Triple Agonist Breakthrough

The next frontier is triple-agonist therapy. Drugs such as “Retatrutide” target GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon receptors simultaneously, with clinical trials reporting weight-loss results approaching 30%. When retatrutide activates the glucagon receptor especially in the liver, the body releases stored energy, increases fat burning, increases heat production, increases resting energy expenditure, and reduces liver fat accumulation.

In simple terms:

GLP-1 = eat less

GIP = handles nutrients more effectively

Glucagon = burn more of what you have already stored

These advances are transforming obesity care, but they also reinforce an important reality: obesity is a chronic disease. Long-term success requires ongoing treatment, medical monitoring, healthy nutrition, regular physical activity, and sustainable lifestyle changes alongside these powerful new therapies.

– Zareer Patell - Black Belt, Fitness/Personal Trainer, Wellness Columnist and Consultant on Call (since 1972)

#GLP1 #GIP #ObesityMedicine #MetabolicHealth #WeightLoss #DiabetesCare #LifestyleMedicine #HealthEducation

The Great Woman and the Profound Irony

A man enters this world through a woman. For nine months she carries him beneath her heart, brings him into life through pain and sacrifice, nurtures him, teaches him, loves him, and helps shape the person he becomes. He later falls in love with a woman, builds a family with a woman, and relies on women throughout his life. Yet the profound irony remains: why do some men abuse women?

The answer lies in a complex mix of biology, psychology, culture, and power. Society has often taught men to value dominance over empathy and control over understanding. Some grow up viewing a woman's care, sacrifice, and support not as gifts, but as obligations owed to them. When respect is replaced by entitlement, abuse can take root.

Biology may provide physical advantages, but it never excuses violence. The real problem begins when strength is combined with poor emotional control, insecurity, and a desire for dominance. Many abusers have witnessed violence growing up or use aggression to compensate for feelings of inadequacy and powerlessness.

Patriarchal attitudes have also played a role by teaching generations that women exist primarily to serve men. Such beliefs foster entitlement rather than partnership.

The solution begins at home. Boys must be taught emotional intelligence, empathy, accountability, and respect. They should learn that true strength lies not in controlling others, but in controlling themselves. By modelling equality and mutual respect, families can raise men who see women not as possessions or subordinates, but as equal human beings deserving dignity.

A civilised society is measured not by the power men hold, but by the respect they show women.

– Zareer Patell

#RespectWomen #EndAbuse #GenderEquality #EmpathyMatters #HealthyMasculinity #StopViolenceAgainstWomen #MutualRespect #HumanDignity #EqualityForAll #SocialChange

The Toxic Obsession with “Self-Optimization”

The fitness and wellness market has exploded into a $7 trillion global market – now out-earning even big pharma and professional sports. What once centered around health and exercise has rapidly evolved into a hyper-commercialized obsession with “self-optimisation” and longevity.

Bio-hacking, peptide therapies, and the longevity gold rush are the new frontier. Billionaires with vested interests are funding scientific experiments to improve human performance. Consumers are spending top dollar on health data tracking, expensive supplements, no-blue-light circadian rhythm tracking, and cryotherapy in pursuit of perfect biology; all of this has become the new urban status symbol.

The latest example is the “Enhanced Games” in Las Vegas – a sporting spectacle openly promoting athletes using performance-enhancing substances. This is not about sports. It’s a billboard for a telehealth empire that wants to turn elite bio-hacking into mass-market subscription.

It all started with German investor Christian Angermayer building a fortune in biotech and becoming his own test subject – and now he is marketing the results. Other Silicon Valley billionaires have explored human enhancement in private and are now building a $1.2 billion spectacle, the “Enhanced Games,” to market these methodologies to the public.

Many are attempting to chemically or technologically create what disciplined living once provided naturally. While science and medicine certainly have their place, no shortcut can fully replace the foundational pillars that sustained human life for centuries: movement, exercise, balanced nutrition, purposeful activity, rest, and respect for the body’s natural design.

It may simply be too early for the side effects to fully emerge. Only time will reveal the true cost of this new human enhancement race.

— Zareer Patell

#FitnessIndustry #BioHacking #Longevity #EnhancedGames #HumanPerformance #WellnessIndustry #Peptides #HormoneTherapy #FitnessCulture #HealthTrends #Exercise #NaturalHealth #PerformanceEnhancement #SportsScience #FutureOfFitness

Nutrtion

The Americanisation of the Indian Morning Table

The Americanization of the Indian Morning Table

India survived for centuries on traditional morning meals (nashta) – idlis, dosas, poha, upma, parathas, daliya, rotis, eggs, sprouts, fresh chutneys, and seasonal foods prepared in our homes for real sustenance. Every state had its own wisdom. Simple. Fresh. Nourishing.

Then came the American invasion of “Cereal Killers” that hijacked Indian breakfasts.

Children, adults, and even the elderly were pushed away from traditional Indian recipes towards crispy, sugary, ready-to-eat products sold as “healthy.”

Colourful boxes. Cartoon mascots. Chocolate flavours. Honey-coated rings. “Multigrain.” “High-fibre.” “No added sugar.” “Healthy for kids.”

Most modern cereals are ultra-processed products loaded with refined starches, sugars, artificial flavours, preservatives, binders, and chemicals designed to create addiction through crunch, sweetness, and convenience.

Parents are busy. Children rush to school. Teenagers return hungry from classes. So the fastest option wins: pour from a box, add milk, eat in minutes.

These so-called “healthy cereals” train the palate to crave sugar, spike blood glucose, confuse hunger signals, and disconnect children from real food.

We abandoned centuries of Indian food wisdom for factory-made breakfasts engineered in laboratories and sold through aggressive advertising.

Don’t let “healthy packaging” fool you.

Not all serial killers carry weapons. Some come in cereal boxes.

— Zareer Patell

#CerealKillers #AmericanizedFood #ProcessedFood #UltraProcessedFoods #IndianBreakfast #TraditionalFoods #RealFood #FoodAwareness #HealthyEating #StopProcessedFood #ChildNutrition #FoodIndustry #BreakfastCulture #EatNatural #BackToBasics #IndianFoodWisdom #SugarTrap #FitnessAwareness #HealthyLifestyle #FoodMarketing #HealthOverHype #ZareerPatell

fitness

Getting Shorter as You Age?

Dr. Rashida Patell, my mother (PhD, University of London), was an accomplished woman – cultured, highly educated, graceful, and intellectually formidable. In the late 1940s, at a time when very few Indian women travelled abroad for higher studies, she sailed to England for her doctorate. The journey itself took nearly four months by ship, around the Cape of Good Hope. She spent five years there, completed her PhD, and returned to India by sea once again – another long voyage home.

But what I remember most vividly about her was not merely her academic stature – it was her physical presence. She was the tallest woman in our family and among our relatives. Elegant, upright, commanding without effort.

Yet time has a silent way of altering all of us.

As the years passed, the once tall and striking woman had gradually become smaller, frailer, almost diminished before our eyes. Without realizing it, she had lost close to a foot in height.

Which raises an important question:

Do We Really Shrink With Age?

The answer is yes.

Most people lose some height as they grow older. A loss of half an inch to one inch over the years is considered fairly normal. But more significant height loss can indicate deeper problems – weakening bones, spinal degeneration, muscle wasting, or osteoporosis.

The body does change with age – but understanding why it happens gives us a better chance of slowing it down.

Bone Density Loss – Osteoporosis

As we age, bones lose mineral density and structural strength. The vertebrae of the spine become more fragile and may develop tiny compression fractures over time. These small collapses in the spinal column slowly reduce overall height. When the spine weakens and compresses, we literally become shorter.

Disc Compression in the Spine

Between each vertebra lies a soft, cushion-like disc that acts as a shock absorber. These spinal discs contain water and elasticity in youth. But with advancing age, they gradually dehydrate, flatten, and lose thickness. The spaces between the vertebrae narrow, and because the spine contains multiple discs stacked one upon another, even minor thinning adds up significantly over time.

The result: reduced height, stiffness, and often a bent-forward posture.

Poor Posture

Aging also brings progressive muscle loss – especially if physical activity declines.

Weak back muscles, weakened abdominal support, and inactivity contribute to stooping and spinal curvature. Unfortunately, modern sedentary lifestyles accelerate this process.

Flattening of the Foot Arches

Even the feet are not spared.

The arches of the feet tend to flatten gradually with age due to ligament laxity and wear and tear. This alone may reduce standing height by a small amount.

It may seem insignificant, but combined with spinal compression, weaker muscles, and bone thinning, the cumulative effect becomes very noticeable.

The Good News — Much of It Can Be Slowed Down

Aging may be inevitable, but accelerated physical decline is not.

There is a great deal we can do to preserve posture, bone strength, mobility, and functional height.

Eat Enough Calcium

Calcium remains essential throughout life – not just in childhood.

Most adults require approximately 1000 mg daily, along with sufficient Vitamin D for proper absorption.

Stay Physically Active

Exercise is perhaps the most powerful anti-aging medicine available.

Resistance exercise, mobility work, and balance training force the bones and muscles to work against gravity – helping preserve strength, posture, coordination, and skeletal integrity.

Early Action is the Key

The tragedy is that most people begin caring about bone health only after damage has already occurred.

My mother remained intellectually tall till her very last days.

Perhaps that is the deeper lesson.

Time may shorten the body – but discipline, dignity, knowledge, and strength of character can still allow a person to stand tall.

Zareer Patell

#HealthyAging #ActiveAging #BoneHealth #Posture #FitnessAfter50 #OsteoporosisAwareness #StrengthTraining #HealthyLifestyle #Mobility #Longevity #AgingGracefully #SeniorFitness #Wellness #ExerciseIsMedicine #ZareerPatell

The Rot begins at the Top

The Rot Begins at the Top

My assessment of healthcare in 2026: while “individualized precision medicine” – predictive, preventive, personalized and participatory (4P medicine) – is hailed as the future, its real-world implementation faces significant structural obstacles in a system where strict guidelines given to practitioners mainly revolve around a band-aid-like approach to an ailment.

Humans are creatures – and preachers – of habit. Physicians are time-constrained, and most of them have adopted practice patterns they are unwilling to change to adapt to the new methodology of prescribing personalised precision medicines based on an individual’s lifestyle, biology, and environment.

Now consider this: if lying benefits the liar, liars multiply. Several pharma companies and researchers have already been caught fabricating or manipulating data. So the uncomfortable question is: what percentage of the data coming out is true? How does a physician know the veracity of this data – and if he doesn’t know, how does he make an informed decision in his practice? The answer to this is that we need more philanthropy-driven research.

It’s said - 70% and upwards of those authors who write guidelines for statins and PCSK9 inhibitors have some kind of a bias due to vested interests in the companies that manufacture them. Unless this deception is removed, we will continue to pump medicines and adopt procedures instead of following the new path of personalised precision medicines in sync with a mindful lifestyle approach.

Zareer Patell

#Healthcare #PrecisionMedicine #LifestyleMedicine #PreventiveHealth #MedicalEthics #BigPharma #PersonalizedMedicine #Wellness #

The Outdoor Advantage

“To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.” – Alfred Austin

Modern science strongly supports what many of us instinctively feel – fitness works best when the body reconnects with nature.

Green workouts in open or semi-open spaces can help improve mental well-being, sleep quality, stress control, weight management, cardiovascular fitness, bone strength, and even long-term brain health.

There is something deeply energising about exercising under the open sky, breathing fresh air, feeling grounded to the earth, and moving naturally in a green environment. It transforms training from a routine into an experience.

For over 53 years, I have passionately advocated outdoor fitness and functional training. My personalised sessions go far beyond calorie burning – they combine practical training wisdom, movement efficiency, recovery guidance, and realistic nutrition strategies developed through decades of hands-on experience.

All you truly need is the decision to begin – and the right guidance to help you stay the course.

The accompanying video captures the spirit of this philosophy beautifully.

Zareer Patell
Black Belt | Personal Fitness Trainer | Wellness Columnist and Consultant on Call (since 1972)

#GreenFitness #OutdoorWorkout #FitnessLifestyle #HealthyLiving #FunctionalTraining #Wellness #MindBodyFitness #NatureHeals #OpenAirTraining #ActiveLifestyle

Z.P. Est. 1972

“Don’t think of exercise as losing valuable time — think of it as time devoted to carving out the shape of your muscles, maximising recovery, and conditioning your delivery system for a higher level of health & fitness.”

Zareer Patell, Black Belt & Fitness Columnist