Losing weight is often seen as a challenging endeavor requiring intense workouts and a strict diet. Many people believe that weight loss necessitates drastic measures like skipping meals or severely limiting their favorite foods. However, this is not entirely true. Effective weight loss involves a balanced diet that includes all food groups in the right proportions.

Today, I will share a diet plan that is easy to follow and can accelerate your weight loss journey. The key is to pay attention to what and when you eat.

Diet Plan:

6:30 am or immediately after waking up:

Start your day with 1-2 glasses of warm water to help detoxify your body. After 15-20 minutes, have 4-5 soaked almonds and raisins, a banana, an apple, or any seasonal fruit. Consuming this first thing in the morning provides numerous benefits, including an energy boost for your exercise. If you want tea, you can have it, but try to limit it to half a cup with little or no sugar.

8:30 – 9:30 am Breakfast:

You should have your breakfast between 8:30 am and 9:30 am. For breakfast, you can choose from a variety of options: a bowl of Poha with vegetables and peanuts, 2-3 Idlis with sambar, 2 Moong Dal Chilas, oats (easy to cook and excellent for breakfast), sweet or savory Daliya with vegetables, Upma, 2 Besan Chilas, 2 slices of brown bread with peanut butter, 2 vegetable sandwiches, or 2 chapatis with vegetables. You can also have half a cup of tea, coffee, or milk.

Ensure you don’t overeat and vary your choices throughout the week to avoid monotony.

11:00 – 12:30 pm:

You should have one apple or any seasonal fruit (preferably local to your area), as fruits are an excellent source of vitamins and nutrients. Alternatively, you can enjoy some roasted channa or peanuts. Avoid consuming chips, biscuits, and other similar snacks.

1:00 – 2:00 pm Lunch:

This is the ideal time for lunch. Your meal should include a bowl of salad, dal, vegetables, and either two chapatis or a bowl of rice. If you consume non-vegetarian food, incorporate it into your lunch rather than your dinner. It is advisable to reduce your portion size by 20% compared to your usual intake.

4.30 pm – 6.00 pm:

The best thing in the evening is to have 1 glass Plain curd lassi or Buttermilk. Ifyou are a person who cannot live without tea, then you can have a cup of tea with 2 biscuits.

The other option(s) for good evening snacks are :-

Handful of groundnuts and chana / Jaggery, ghee and chapati / Poha/ Upma/ Egg toast/

30 peanuts with onion, tomato, chaat masala, lemon and coriander in it

Puffed rice bhel with lots of veggies in it (avoid potato)

Puffed rice bhel with lots of veggies in it (avoid potato)

Egg white omelette with onion, tomato capsicum and coriander in it

Scrambled egg on toast with loads of vegetables in it

Dal moth or sautéed moong with onion, tomato, garlic and coriander in it

Poha with onion, carrots, capsicum, peas and a few peanuts

Vegetable frankie stuffed with lots of vegetables in it. You can add mushroom, bean sprouts

or paneer in it

Two moong dal chilla with vegetables like spinach and carrots in it

Bread upma with onion, tomato and capsicum in it

Idli Sambhar with lots of vegetables like drum stick, onion, tomato, pumpkin in it

Upma with lots of fresh vegetables plus peas

Mix vegetable or oats uttapam with vegetables like onion, tomato, capsicum and coriander in it

A vegetable sandwich with cucumber, onion, tomato, beetroot in it

Kidney beans or rajma with vegetables like (lettuce, tomato, onion, capsicum, bell peppers) and salsa

in it / Handful of roasted gram

8:00 – 9:00 pm Dinner:

For effective weight loss, ensure you have dinner by 9 pm at the latest, though ideally, it should be by 8 pm. In my experience, 9 pm is a realistic goal considering overall daily routines. Your dinner can include similar items to those in your lunch or your regular evening meals. However, ensure the portion size is 20-30% smaller than your lunch. Additionally, avoid consuming non-vegetarian food at dinner while you are trying to lose weight.

10:00  – 11:00 pm:

Half glass of low fat hot milk without sugar.

Some important Guidelines:

Avoid consuming fried foods, maida, fast food, sweets, and soft drinks. If you crave something sweet, have it during the day, between meals, and not at night or immediately after a meal. Include some desi ghee in your lunch and dinner, but in limited quantities. Salads should also be a part of both lunch and dinner.

Ensure you engage in a good workout for 45-60 minutes and maintain physical activity throughout the day.