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This is how I do my bit for my buttocks:

i) Never deep fry at home: Enjoy greasy food steeped in saturated fat in restaurants or other people's houses.

ii) Don't cook in ghee: Use this pure version of fat with caution. Use a small amount to add that delicious buttery taste without the full fat impact.

iii) Use olive oil: Olives and olive oil are full of good fats and are mainstays of the healthy Mediterranean diets. 

Yes, it is an expensive substitute for ordinary cooking oil and adds a rather distinct, unauthentic flavour to Indian dishes. 

You could use it when making pastas, soups and other Continental dishes though.

iv) Avoid a massive portion of carbohydrates for dinner: After breakfast and lunch, I get some form of exercise, even if it is walking to the water cooler. After dinner, I sleep. No exercise means that carbs turn to fat. Go figure.

v) Never ever skip meals: This makes your metabolism go mental. It slows down and the next time you eat, not as many calories are burnt. So, in fact, skipping meals can make you fatter.

Obviously, I could also stay off the triple chocolate cookies at work and consume sweetened yoghurt instead of butterscotch ice cream. Fat chance of that happening!

(The author writes an Indian cooking blog titled www.quickindiancooking.com for busy food lovers around the world. Born and brought up in Kolkata, India, she lives and works by day as a public relations consultant in London.)

Liked this one? There's more! Check out Mallika Basu's earlier columns:

• Great steps to good health
• My 5-step flavour plan
• Make a great meals out of left-overs