Avoid all kinds of deep fried foods is the first rule Why : it automatically reduces intake of calories & is good for your health
Limit refined/processed foods (all packed, bottled & tinned food products). These foods are rich in fats and sugars or salt Why : rich in calories and low or no nutrients.
Bakery: Limit condiments and bakery foods. Why : are made of maida(refined flour which has no nutrients but adds calories) & dalda or butter or margarine(which is very harmful for the heart – increases LDL & decreases HDL = clogging of arteries)
Stock only healthy snacks at home & work place Why : will not get tempted to eat wrong kind of food. Do not test your will power having a cake/samosa & an apple to choose from. You will definitely fail!!!
Serve small portions and eat in small plates. Why: feels full/complete psychologically.
Fruit juices: a complete NO, Even without sugar or retaining fibre. Why: Surface area of fruit is increased & gets oxidized due to exposure to air & surroundings thus nutrients are lost. Also, the structure of the fibre is destroyed & the whole purpose of fibre is lost. When it comes to fruit, eat - do not drink.
Greens: Use greens every day in some form – playa, curry, sambar, salad, soup, juice, in chapathi/roti dough, in dhal, in chutney, dosa/idly batter, etc, Why : lots of fibre & iron
8. Use red rice or unpolished rice for all purposes – try Rajmudi variety of rice. Why : has fibre & minerals intact which is absent in white rice & so is unhealthy.
Roti: Add Soya, bengal gram, methi seeds & barley seeds in wheat flour while milling Why : to make it more nutritious & add fibre
Do not read or watch TV while eating. Why : will end up eating more
Keep food diaries. Why : helps identify wrong foods and portions and help to modify them.
While eating out : Don’t hesitate to make a special order, turn to a lighter menu, avoid buffets, watch the portion size and learn sharing your food or have a healthy snack prior to dining out.
1Avoid alcohol and smoking. Why : harmful to health, and adds extra empty calories.
Incorporate physical activity. Why : burns calories along with innumerable health benefits
Handle stress in positive manner. Why : releases stress hormones which induce fat deposition as it perceives as threat to body.
Avoid drastic and unrealistic diet changes, such as crash diets & fad diets; because they lack one or more nutrients & are unhealthy & are impractical & unlikely to be followed for the long term.Sample Diet plan
Time
Suggested meal pattern
Wake up
150 - 200ml of luke warm water with 1 freshly squeezed lemon(not lemon juice stored in bottle)
Morning Sadhana
A small banana/papaya – before walk
Walk for 45 mins to an hour(can be done in evening also)
Around 8.00am
Breakfast
Any balanced breakfast with lots of veggies & very little oil used
1 cup curd/milk
1 cup raw vegetable
11.00am
Tender coconut water + few nuts & dry fruits
1.30pm
Lunch
Pulkas/unpolished rice/a whole cereal preparation
Dhal/sambar or a legume preparation
Cooked vegetable & greens preparation
Raw vegetable salad
Curd /butter milk
4.00pm
1 or 2 whole fruits
7.00pm
Pulkas/unpolished rice/a whole cereal preparation
Dhal/sambar or a legume preparation
Cooked vegetable & greens preparation
Raw vegetable salad
Curd /butter milk
This will provide approximately 1500 - 1600kcals & 60 g of protein/day
