That winning glow

Here's a sample of meal chart followed by Miss Universe aspirants.

Beauty pageant participants are most envied for their glowing skin and near perfect bodies. The surprising part is that almost anyone can get that package. All you need is some will power (the most important ingredient) and the guidance of a good nutritionist.

We got Pooja Makhija, consulting nutritionist and dietician for all the participants of the I Am She contest (the winner of which will represent India at the Miss Universe pageant) to reveal the dietary secrets behind the blushing cheeks of the contestants.

The main aim, says Makhija, is to ensure that one is not undernourished at any point. “As a rule no one was made to starve. I wanted the girls to look nourished and healthy as opposed to just skinny,” says she. Blood tests were conducted on all the girls to know what exactly their bodies needed.

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And the chef of the Alila Diva Goa, where the girls stayed, was given a meal chart based on their requirements. “They had to indulge in four main meals everyday — breakfast, lunch, evening snack and dinner along with four more light meals,” says Makhija.

Makhija's vegetable juice recipe for glowing skin:
4-inch piece of bottle gourd
1-2 medium size tomatoes
1 stalk of celery
1/2 a carrot
Add water and blend. Strain and add 50 per cent of the roughage back to the juice. Consume the juice immediately for optimum results.