Best Indian Diet Plan for Weight Loss
Best Indian Diet Plan for Weight Loss
Are you looking for the
best Indian diet plan to lose weight? The rules are simple. All you need to do
is start eating right. But in India, this can feel like an insurmountable
challenge, given our food culture and dietary habits. For instance, a typical Indian
meal is high in carbohydrates and sugar – we eat a lot of potatoes, rice and
sweets. We also love our snacks and can’t imagine a day without our fix of
namkeens (salty) and bhujias. We pressurize our friends and family into eating
too much, as a sign of hospitality and affection, and consider refusing an
extra helping a rebuff. To top it all, we’ve never embraced physical exercise
as essential. It’s no wonder that India is battling a growing obesity problem.
But the answer doesn’t lie
in shunning Indian food in favour of foreign ingredients or fad diets. You’ll
find that the best Indian diet plan consists of foods you’ve already got in
your kitchen and that you can lose weight by making a few changes to your diet.
INDEX
✔ Understand the Science Behind Weight Loss
✔ The Best Indian Diet Plan for Weight Loss
✔ 1200 Calorie Diet Plan
✔ Balanced Diet Chart
✔ Meal Swaps
Understand
the Science Behind Weight Loss
Weight loss and gain,
revolve around caloric consumption and expenditure. You lose weight when you
consume fewer calories than you expend. Conversely, you gain weight when you
consume more calories than you expend. To drop those excess kilos, all you need
to do is eat within your calorie budget and burn the required number of
calories.
However, simply determining how many calories your body needs isn’t enough. After all, four samosas (600 calories), two slices of pizza (500 calories) and two gulab jamuns (385 calories) may be within your daily requirement of 1500 calories, but these unhealthy food choices will eventually lead to other health problems like high cholesterol and blood sugar. To lose weight the healthy way, you also need to ensure your diet is balanced i.e. it covers all food groups and provides all the nutrients you need necessary for good health.
The Best Indian Diet Plan
for Weight Loss
No single food provides all
the calories and nutrients the body needs to stay healthy. That’s why a
balanced diet comprising of macronutrients like carbohydrates, protein and fat
along with micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals, is recommended.
The best Indian diet for
weight loss is a combination of the five major food groups – fruits and
vegetables, cereals and pulses, meat and dairy products, and fats and oils.
Knowing how to divvy up the food groups, allocate portion sizes, and the
best/ideal time to eat is also important.
1200 Calorie Diet Plan
A lot can be spoken about
what goes into an ideal diet chart. However, one’s nutritional requirement
varies based on various factors. It could change depending on gender, for
example, male dietary requirements vary from that of a female. Geography can
play a role as well, with North Indian diets being largely different from South
Indian ones. Meal preferences come into play since the consumption of food by a
vegetarian or a vegan differing largely from that by a non-vegetarian.
However, we have put
together a diet plan for weight loss with Indian food. This 7 day diet plan,
1200 calorie diet plan is a sample, and should not be followed by any
individual without consulting with a nutritionist.
Day 1:
l After starting your day
with cucumber water, have oats porridge and mixed nuts for breakfast.
l Have a roti with dal and
gajar matar sabzi for lunch.
l Follow that up with dal
and lauki sabzi to go with a roti for dinner.
Day 2:
l On the second day, eat a
mixed vegetable stuffed roti with curd for breakfast.
l For lunch, have half a
katori of methi rice along with lentil curry.
l End your day with
sauteed vegetables and green chutney.
Day 3:
l Breakfast on day 3 would
include Multigrain Toast and Skim Milk Yogurt.
l In the afternoon, have
sauteed vegetables with paneer and some green chutney.
l Half a katori of methi
rice and some lentil curry to make sure you end the day on a healthy note.
Day 4:
l Start Day 4 with a Fruit
and Nuts Yogurt Smoothie and Egg Omelette
l Follow that up with
Moong Dal, Bhindi Sabzi, and roti.
l Complete the day’s food
intake with steamed rice and palak chole.
Day 5:
l Have a glass of skimmed
milk and peas poha for breakfast on the fifth day.
l Eat a missi roti with
low fat paneer curry in the afternoon.
l End the day with roti,
curd and aloo baingan tamatar ki sabzi.
Day 6:
l On Day 6, have idli with
sambar for breakfast
l For lunch, roti with
curd and aloo baingan tamatar ki sabzi
l To end Day 6, eat green
gram with roti and bhindi sabzi
Day 7:
l On the seventh day, start with besan chilla
and green garlic chutney.
l Have steamed rice and palak chole for lunch.
l End the week on a healthy note with low fat
paneer curry and missi roti.
Balanced Diet Chart
While creating a diet
chart, it is important to make sure it is balanced, in order to ensure that you
receive all the required nutrients. Include the following nutrients in your
diet plan:
1. Carbohydrates
Carbs are the body’s main source of energy and should make up half of your daily calorie requirement. However, it’s important to choose the right type of carbs. Simple carbs, such as bread, biscuit, white rice and wheat flour, contain too much sugar and are bad for you. Instead, opt for complex carbs that are high in fiber and packed with nutrients as compared to simple carbs. Fiber-rich complex carbs are slow to digest, leave you feeling full for longer, and are therefore the best option for weight control. Brown rice, millets such as ragi and oats are all good complex carb choices.
2. Proteins
Most Indians fail to meet their daily protein requirement. This is troublesome, as proteins are essential to help paper writer the body build and repair tissue, muscles, cartilage and skin, as well as pump blood. A high protein diet can also help you lose weight, as it helps build muscle – which burns more calories than fat.
About 30% of your diet
should consist of protein in the form of whole dals, paneer, chana, milk, leafy
greens, eggs, white meat or sprouts. Having one helping of protein with every
meal is essential.
3. Fats
A food group that has acquired a bad reputation, fats are essential for the body as they synthesize hormones, store vitamins and provide energy. Experts suggest one-fifth or 20% of your diet comprise of healthy fats – polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and Omega-3 fatty acids. Using a combination of oils for different meals – including olive oil, rice bran oil, mustard oil, soya bean, sesame, sunflower and groundnut oil – along with restricted quantities of butter and ghee is the most optimal way to consume fats. Avoid trans fats – that are found in fried snacks, completely.
4. Vitamins and minerals
Vitamin A, E, B12, D, calcium and iron are essential for the body as they support metabolism, nerve and muscle function, bone maintenance, and cell production. Primarily derived from plants, meat and fish, minerals can be found in nuts, oilseeds, fruits and green leafy vegetables.
Experts recommend consuming
100 grams of greens and 100 grams of fruits everyday.
5. Meal Swaps
One of the easiest ways to
eat healthy is to swap out the unhealthy foods in your diet with healthier
alternatives. For example, fulfil your cravings for a snack to munch on with
air popped popcorn instead of relying on potato chips.
Along with a balanced diet
plan, these habits will help you stay healthy
Opt
for 5-6 meals a day: Instead of three large meals, try having three
modest meals and a few snack breaks through the day in controlled portions.
Spacing your meals across regular intervals prevents acidity and bloating,
and also keeps hunger pangs at bay. Quit your junk food habit by making
healthier snack choices.
l Have an early dinner: Indians
eat dinner later than the other societies across the world. Metabolism slows
down at night, so a late dinner can lead to weight gain. Experts recommend you
eat your last meal of the day by 8 pm.
l Drink a lot of water: How
does drinking more water help you lose weight? For starters, it’s zero
calories. Also, drinking a glass of water can help curb hunger pangs. Have six
to eight glasses of water daily to lose weight.
l Eat a lot of fiber: A
person needs at least 15 gm of fiber every day, as it aids digestion and heart
health. Oats, lentils, flax seeds, apples and broccoli are some great sources
of fiber.
You don’t
have to ditch your regular food habits or make massive changes to your diet,
you just need the best balanced Indian diet plan to get fit.
Hope this article is a helpful for you.
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