Fancy Diets, Pills, Fasting, etc. All of these are the new age solutions for weight loss. Now the science behind them isn’t exactly incorrect, but they each aren’t a sure shot method to sustainable weight loss.
This is because each human body is unique; we all have different genetics, body metabolisms and of course, living environments. The combinations of each of these are infinite. So while one diet might work for your colleague, it might not end up working for you.
The above fact might have answered your question as to why certain people are skinny year round and others are not.
But there is a generalized process for weight loss and that’s the secret – Calorie Deficit
Let us put that into perspective:
The above image Shows Doritos (Chips) on the left and apples on the right.
They both are the same calories (200 calories) but the quantity differs (41 grams versus 385 grams). And of course, one is good for you, while the other is bad. You pick.
You will feel much fuller by eating the plate of apples and you would have consumed 200 calories only.
By using numbers we can make this much simpler to understand
Ideal Daily calorie requirement –
Indian Male: 2100 calories
Indian Female: 1900 calories
So to maintain an ideal weight, an Indian Male must eat 2100 calories per day.
And this is where exercise and daily activity come in as a factor.
Sportsmen will have a much higher daily calorie intake because they burn more calories on a daily basis.
Thus, if you consume fewer calories than your daily requirement, you will achieve a Calorie Deficit and hence you will lose weight.
Technically it means that you can lose weight while eating junk food as long as you are in a calorie deficit. But this will create a lot of medical issues in the body, as the diet you will consume will not be a balanced one.
Here are our tips for weight loss:
- Eat a balanced diet with all the major nutrients (protein, fats and carbohydrates).
- Exchange some starchy carbohydrates for vegetables
(spinach instead of potatoes for spinach).
- Don’t cut off fats. Some healthy fats are essential for body functions (olive oil, almonds, etc.).
- If you are trying to build muscle or go to the gym make protein a larger part of your meal (lentils, chickpeas, etc.).
- Cut out on sugar.
- Cut out on white bread and rice. Replace with multigrain bread and brown rice.
- EXERCISE!! Calorie deficit + exercise can help you lose weight faster.
Here is a sample vegetarian meal plan for weight loss:
- Breakfast: Chana dal pancakes with mixed vegetables and fruits
- Lunch: Dal and rice or chickpea curry (chana masala) with multigrain roti
- Dinner: Dal Khichdi with mung bean sprout salad or spinach and paneer paratha with raita