This happens majorly because our diet is essential in ensuring we lose or retain fat. Below is a diet chart, which will help you lose weight by reducing the fat content in your body. The diet chart is not medical advice, so you should refer to a medical practitioner before taking this diet. I am sharing it because it helped me in losing weight.

Also, losing fat and keeping it in check is important because unused fat creates complications as the body ages. Although exercise like weight training and cardio is important, it is also important that we keep our diet in check.

Early Morning at around 7:30 AM

• Tea
• Coffee, or
• Green Tea without sugar

Breakfast at around 8:30 AM

• 3 Idli or
• Dosa or
• Moong Dal Chilla (2) made without oil with Roasted Bengal gram dhal or onion chutney or tomato or ginger chutney-2 Tbsp + Boiled Egg Whites (2 No), or
• Vegetable Poha/Upma (1 Katori) with Pudina Chutney + Boiled Egg Whites (2 No), or
• Phulkas (2 small) made without oil and salt; made from 45 gms of wheat flour and Vegetable curry 1 Katori (gravy and not fried) + Boiled egg whites 2 No.

Mid Morning at around 11:30 AM

• Guava 1 or
• Apple 1 or
• Pomegranate
• Musk Melon or
• Pineapple or
• Kiwi 1 Katori or 100 gms
• Figs 2 to 3 nos can be mixed with fruits and Nuts (Almonds 5)

Lunch at around 1:30 PM

• Green vegetable salad - cucumber, carrot, lettuce, tomato, and any other allowed veggies - 1 Katori
• Rice or any millet semolina or Khichdi 1 Katori
• Dhal with Vegetables or Greens 1 Katori made from 30 gms, or
• Skinless Chicken or Fish or Low Fat Paneer Curry - 75 gm
• Vegetable Curry - 1 Katori (gravy and not fried and No roots and tubers like potatoes if overweight or obese, can be mixed with vegetable curry also - 100gms).
• Low Fat Curd - 1 Cup (100 ml Milk)

Early Evening Snack at around 4 PM

• Tea, Coffee, or Green Tea - 1 cup without sugar

Evening Snack at around 5:30 PM

• Fruit - anything from the above list or Plain Flaked Rice - 1 small cup or
• Plain Puffed Rice - 1 small cup with roasted Bengal Gram if preferable or
• Bhelpuri or Mudi with sprouts - 1 Katori

Dinner at around 8:30 PM

• Green Vegetable Salad - Cucumber, Carrots, Tomatoes, and any other allowed veggies - 1 Katori
• Wheat flour Phulkas or Millet Flour Phulkas or Jawar Roti - 2 Small, made without oil, or
• Boiled broken wheat/millet (Dalia) - 1 Katori
• Thick Dal with Vegetables - 1 Katori
• Vegetable Curry - 1 Katori (gravy and not fried)

Bedtime at around 10 PM

• Buttermilk without salt or sugar - 1 glass (optional)

Tips for Healthy Eating

1. The recommended total fat (cooking oil) intake is 15ml (3 tsp) per day or 450 ml per month per person.
2. Eat a variety of foods in the desirable amounts (as mentioned) and avoid fried foods.
3. Balance food intake with physical activity.
4. Six small meals are better tolerated than three large meals. No skipping meals.
5. The diet should be rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, whole green gram pulses, and sprouts to provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. Make your meal as colorful as possible with fruits and vegetables.
6. Take foods rich in Vitamin A (all green leafy vegetables, oranges, carrots, papaya).
7. Relish Vitamin C foods like citrus fruits, cabbage, tomatoes, and green leafy veggies.
8. Eat o allowed salads and fruits when you are hungry. Have fruits instead of fruit juices.
9. Low-fat curd, paneer, and buttermilk can be included in the diet. It is a good probiotic and helps in healthy intestines.
10. Consume less salt (1 Teaspoon (4 to 5 gms) of salt per day per person).

Foods to be Included

1. Raw salads and Sprouted legumes are rich in fiber and B-complex vitamins.
2. Permitted fruits like Orange, Papaya, Guava, Sweet Lime, Apple, or any less sweet seasonal fruits.
3. Skimmed or Toned Milk 400 - 500 ml/day, including coffee, tea, curd, and buttermilk.

Foods to be avoided

1. Red meat like Mutton
2. Honey, Sugars, jams, jellies, ice creams, soft drinks, and chocolates
3. Foods high in salt pickles, and packaged food
4. Bakery items like bread, cakes, biscuits, and pastries that are made from refined flour
5. Fruits like mangoes, grapes, sapota, and banana
6. Vegetables like potato, sweet potato, beetroot, tapioca, colocasia
7. Deep-fried items like vada, poori, samosa, and other snacks
8. Beverages containing sugars like Milk Powders, maltova, coca-cola, Pepsi, and others
9. Avoid Alcohol consumption