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 food. However, 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 and bhujias. Even we encourage our friends and family into eating more, 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. So, it isn’t a surprise that India is battling with a growing problem of obesity.
But, the answer doesn’t lie in shunning Indian food in favour of foreign ingredients or fad diets. Moreover, you’ll find that the best Indian diet plan consists of foods that you’ve already got in your kitchen and which will enable you to lose weight by making a few changes to your diet.
Table of ContentsUnderstand the Science Behind Weight LossThe Best Indian Diet Plan for Weight Loss1200 Calorie Diet PlanBalanced Diet ChartMeal SwapsUnderstand the Science Behind Weight LossWeight loss and gain revolve around caloric consumption and expenditure. Simply put, you lose weight when you consume fewer calories than you expend and you gain weight when you consume more calories than you sweat.
To drop those extra kilos, all you need to do is eat within your calorie budget and burn the required number of calories. So, a combination of the two works best suggested experts.
Get your daily requirement of calorie consumption and burn based on your lifestyle and dietary preferences.
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 Indian diet plan is balanced i.e. it covers all food groups and provides all the nutrients you need necessary for good health.
The Best Diet Plan for Weight LossNo single food provides all the calories and nutrients that the body needs to stay healthy. That’s why a balanced diet consisting 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. Furthermore, knowing how to divvy up the food groups, allocate portion sizes, and the best/ideal time to eat is also equally important.
1200 Calorie Weight Loss Diet Chart PlanA 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. So, here meal preferences come into play since the consumption of food by a vegetarian or a vegan differ largely from that by a non-vegetarian.
However, we have put together a diet plan ideal for weight loss with Indian food. This 7 day diet plan also known as a 1200 calorie diet plan is a sample, and should not be followed by any individual without consulting a nutritionist.
1. Carbohydrates Diet PlanCarbs 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. This is because Fiber-rich complex carbs are harder to digest, leaving 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 Diet PlanMost Indians fail to meet their daily protein requirement. This is troublesome, as proteins are essential to help the body build and repair tissue, muscles, cartilage and skin, as well as pump blood. Hence. a high protein diet can also help you lose weight, as it helps build muscle – which burns more calories than fat.
For instance, 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 Diet PlanA 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 must consist of healthy fats – polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and Omega-3 fatty acids.
For example, 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. But, you must avoid trans fats – that are found in fried snacks, completely for a balanced Indian Diet Plan.
4. Vitamins and Minerals Diet PlanVitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, calcium and iron are essential for the body as they support metabolism, nerve and muscle function, bone maintenance, and cell production. Since, these are primarily derived from plants, meat and fish, minerals can also be found in nuts, oilseeds, fruits and green leafy vegetables.
Experts and nutritionists recommend consuming 100 grams of greens and 100 grams of fruits accordingly.
5. Indian Weight Loss Diet Plan Meal SwapsOne of the easiest ways to eat healthy is to swap out the unhealthy foods from your Indian Diet plan is with its healthier alternatives.
For example, fulfil your cravings for a snack to munch on with air popped popcorn instead of relying on potato chips. So, it is great if you check out a few healthy meal swap options that you could try going forward.
Along with a balanced Weight loss diet chart 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 in controlled portions for the day. Spacing your meals across regular intervals prevents acidity and bloating and also keeps hunger pangs at bay. So, quit your junk food habit by making healthier snacking choices in your indian diet plan.
Have an early dinner: Indians eat dinner later than the other societies across the world. Since metabolism slows down at night, a late dinner can lead to weight gain. Experts recommend you eat your last meal of the day by 8 pm.
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 and also find a list of drinks that will help you lose weight here.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.
In conclusion to everything stated above. you don’t necessarily have to ditch your regular food habits or make massive changes to your diet, all you need is to follow the best balanced Indian diet plan to get fit!
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