Diet Plan, Diet Chart & Tips for Weight Loss: A Detailed Guide

Eating right is the first step towards staying fit and shedding extra weight.  However, looking at the diverse and huge fare we have in India, it might sound impossible. Especially with our high carbohydrate meals and the inclusion of too much sugar in our daily diet. Also, there are the snacks, sweets and street foods that we love to indulge in. To add to that, most people are not active in terms of exercise and physical activity. And hence, people in India deal with the issue of obesity.

However, by a little modification in food preference and including some basic ingredients available in your kitchen, you can make a huge change in your diet. It is easy but require understanding the logic behind losing weight. So, let’s understand the reason behind weight loss.

What is the Skill behind Weight Loss?

The science of losing or gaining weight depends on your calorie consumption. You will gain weight if you eat more calories as compared to what you burn. Similarly, you will lose weight if the calorie consumption is fewer as compared to what you use. So, by managing your calorie intake and burning the excess calories, you can manage your weight easily. Along with counting the calories, you also have to make sure to eat healthy alternatives as compared to unhealthy food to manage weight.

The Best Weight Loss Diet Plans

Since our body needs a variety of food to get the required nutrients, it is important for us to have a balanced diet that consists of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals etc.  If you are really interested in the best weight loss diet plans, it must combine the food such as cereals and pulses, fruits and vegetables, dairy and meat,  oils and fats. In addition, you have to be mindful of the portion sizes you consume and the meal times.

Ideal Diet Chart for Weight Loss

So, what does an ideal diet chart for weight loss look like? This will vary from person to person depending on the nutritional requirement of an individual. For instance, the nutritional needs of a male would differ from female nutritional requirements.  Also, it depends on the location you are living in, as in India the diet and food habits change as per location. Here, we are discussing a sample ideal weight loss diet chart. However, it is always recommended to follow a diet chart only after consulting a dietician or nutritionist.

Sample Diet chart for Weight Loss

Here is a sample diet chart for weight loss that we have prepared for your understanding with alternatives to choose from on a per day basis. You must consult a nutritionist to include the food items that are suitable for you as per your nutritional requirement and any medical condition that you may be facing.

Between 6 – 7 am – 1 glass detox water (cucumber juice or as per choice)

Between 8 – 9 am – breakfast of 1 bowl porridge with milk (preferably skimmed) and nuts / 2 pieces besan chilla with garlic chutney/ 2 pieces idli with sambar/ peas poha/ 1 egg omelette with fruit smoothie/ 2 pieces multigrain toast with yoghurt/ 2 pieces stuffed roti with curd (you can choose what to eat for breakfast from the choices given above)

Around 11 am – 100 grams grilled paneer (preferably of skimmed milk)

Between  1:30 – 2 pm – lunch of 1 chapati, 1 katori dal, 1 katori sabji, 1 katori salad (you can replace the chapati with half katori rice or missi roti etc. on certain days and the available sabji like gajar and matar sabji/ palak/choley/aalo baingan/paneer curry/bhindi etc.)

Around 4 pm – one fruit/ one cup mixed fruits / buttermilk

Between 5:30 – 6 pm – 1 cup tea/coffee with/without milk and no or little sugar

Around 9 pm – dinner of 1 katori salad, 1 katori dal, 1 katori sabji and 1 chapati (you can replace the sabji with the available and seasonal vegetables to bring variation to your diet like lauki/paneer/mixed veg/ lentil curry/ bhindi/aalo matar etc. )

7-day Diet Chart for People Trying to Lose Weight

Below is a seven-day diet chart for healthy adults without any health complications that can be considered if you are trying to lose weight. However, you must note that this is a generic plan and it is better to consult your doctor before trying any diet modifications.

	Breakfast	Lunch	Snack	Dinner
Day 1	Whole wheat poha, a handful of nuts, an apple, and some boiled sprouts	Vegetable soup/dal with brown rice, and some sauteed vegetables	Roasted chana and a fruit	Vegetable upma/1 egg omelet, and a bowl of salad
Day 2	Dalia/paratha with a glass of warm milk	Ragi/quinoa upma, 1 bowl of curd, and sauteed veggies	Roasted chana/boiled peanuts, and an apple	Vegetable pulao with boiled vegetables and curd
Day 3	Poha/oats/porridge/2 egg whites and a glass of warm milk	Vegetable biryani with curd, and sauteed vegetables	Baked/boiled potatoes with salad	Dalia with mixed vegetable
Day 4	2-3 whole wheat chapatis with curd	Multigrain/brown rice with dal and vegetable	Roasted chana and a bowl of fruits	Veggies with peanut sauce and a bowl of curd
Day 5	Wheat/jowar flour chapati and a glass of warm milk	Soup and chapati with mixed vegetable	Roasted chana, some nuts, and an apple	Vegetable pulao/sauteed veggies and a chapati
Day 6	2-3 multigrain chapattis, and a glass of warm milk	Vegetable pulao with curd/dal and sauteed veggies	Roasted chana and 2-3 fruits	Uttapam with sambhar
Day 7	Ragi dosa/idli with sambar, and a glass of warm milk	Vegetable biryani with curd, and sauteed vegetables	Baked or boiled potatoes with salad	Masala oats and some veggies

 

What Should be Included in a Balanced Diet Plan for Weight Loss

Carbohydrates  – Carbs are very important for the body as they are the main source of energy. However, eating the right carb is necessary, such as high fiber and nutrient-rich carbs rather than simple carbs. The complex fiber-rich carbs do not digest immediately and hence keep your hunger pangs under control for long. For example, brown rice, oats, millets, ragi, jowar, bajra etc. are some complex carbs.

Proteins – Proteins are also essential to build and repair the muscles, tissues, skin etc. Hence, it is important to include high protein in your diet to support your weight loss program. At least 30 percent of your diet must include proteins such as rajma, choley, lobia, green gram etc. One serving of protein per meal is good.

Fats – Though fat is not considered good for health, it is necessary for everyone to produce hormones, provide energy and store vitamins. Your diet should contain 20 percent healthy fats. You can use a blend of oils such as olive, groundnut, mustard, sunflower, sesame, etc. along with limited portions of butter or ghee to get the fat intake in your body.

Vitamins and Minerals – Besides the above, vitamins and minerals are also equally important for your body including vitamin A, E, B12, D as well as calcium, iron etc. All these support the bones, cell production, muscle function and so on. The sources of these vitamins and minerals are plant based food, fish and meat, nuts, green vegetables, oilseeds, fruits etc. So, it is important to include 100 grams each of fruits and greens in your meal.

Habits to implement balanced diet plan to lose weight and stay healthy

• Go for 6-7 small meals per day rather than 3 large meals
• Quit the habit of junk food in between meals
• Go for healthy snacking additions in your diet
• Have dinner light and early by 8 pm
• Drink enough water per day
• Eat enough fiber (minimum 15 grams each day)

Factors to Consider for Weight Loss

A balanced diet together with regular exercise goes hand in hand when you want to lose weight. Also, quality sleep is a significant factor that plays a great role. Below are some factors that contribute to losing weight.

• Your weight loss journey starts with healthy and balanced eating. So, choose a low-calorie diet of whole foods high in fiber to support weight loss
• Consider regular physical exercise/activity to support your weight loss journey that can easily fit into your lifestyle and keep you motivated
• Another important factor is to keep stress away as stress leads to binge eating/overeating resulting in weight gain. So, try to manage stress by including meditation and yoga
• Quality sleep is another important factor. It regulates hormones and may help curb appetite and cravings
• Age also affects the weight gain process. With age, the metabolism of people slows down and their ability to burn calories becomes low
• Sometimes, genetics also play a key role. So, if you have overweight family members you are prone to become overweight
• Some medicines like antidepressants can also affect your weight loss journey. So, seek alternative medication from your doctor to reduce weight gain risk

Things that Support Your Weight Loss Journey

• Healthy food/recipes
• A meal planner for advance meal planning
• Weighing scale to keep a tab on your weight
• Food calorie counter to ensure how many calories you are consuming
• Exercising/training gear

Things to Consider While Following a Diet Plan to Lose Weight

• Avoid consuming processed or packed food items
• Consume a whole food-rich balanced diet
• Maintain physical activity of some form
• Avoid consuming sugar in any form

Some Myths About Weight Loss Diet

Several myths are there about the weight loss diet. Being ignorant about these myths might be a detriment to your optimum weight loss journey. So, let us bust some myths below and know the facts about your weight loss diets.

Myth-1: As per myth, you are supposed to cut out all carbs in your diet while trying to lose weight.

Fact: The fact is carbohydrates are an essential part of a balanced diet and shouldn’t be eliminated.

 

Myth-2: The myth is that highly restrictive fad diets guarantee quick and permanent results for weight loss.

Fact: But the fact is these diets may just help you lose weight temporarily

 

Myth-3: The myth is that you can lose weight by skipping meals

Fact:  However, the fact is skipping meals slows the metabolism, which leads to eating more for the next meal

 

Myth-4: There is a popular myth that your health supplements can replace a healthy diet.

Myth-1: But the fact is supplements should be consumed only to balance your diet.