Indians have become more health conscious from the last decade. People belonging to all age groups want to maintain a healthy weight and to have a fabulous looking body. However, it is not easy for an Indian to remain in their ideal weight as any celebration in India include a variety of food items that contain loads of sugar, ghee and other fattening items. Many health enthusiasts think that the best way to lose weight is to join a gym and work out for hours. However, if you are having a high calorie diet after your work out your entire struggle will go wasted. If you are an Indian looking for the best way to achieve weight loss, then you should have an Indian diet plan for weight loss. It is a well-known fact that you need to restrict your calorie intake if you want to reduce your weight. Though the Indian recipes are spicy and carb-rich, you can also make low calorie recipes from the commonly available Indian ingredients.
Indian Diet Plan to Lose Weight
When you are creating an Indian diet plan for weight loss, you need to consider certain important factors. It is necessary to consider the gender, age, weight, metabolic rate, activity level, health condition of the person for whom the plan is created. The body of each person is different and has different energy or calorie requirements. By finding the body mass index of a person, it is easy to determine the required weight loss to achieve the ideal weight and this will help to plan the diet according to the calorie requirement of the body. Finding the basal metabolic rate helps to identify the ability of the body to use up energy and it is possible to include food items that improve the metabolic rate of the body in the diet plan. To create the perfect weight loss Indian diet, it is also necessary to have an idea about the weight loss foods available in the particular area. Select food items that easily available from the grocery store or from the nearby supermarkets. You should also know how to cook the food in the ideal way to achieve weight loss.
Top 10 Food for Weight Loss
The success of any diet plan depends on having planned the intake of food which provides only the necessary calories for the perfect working of the body and no excess calories which may be stored in the body as fat in various parts of the body. It is necessary to have a nutritious and well balanced diet which includes the necessary quantity of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and essential fats. Drastic diet plans will make you only look lethargic and undernourished. The weight loss Indian diet should contain foods that will boost the metabolic rate of the body and at the same time add less calories. Some of the weight loss Indian foods that can be included in a diet plan are given below
1. Brown Rice
Most of the Indians use white rice as their staple diet and it is rich in carbohydrate. Brown rice has more nutritional value and has a lower glycemic index than the white rice. Brown rice has more fiber and makes you feel fuller even when you eat less quantity.
2. Beans And Lentils
Beans and lentils are rich in proteins and are great weight loss foods. Soybeans, black beans, etc. provide the feeling of satiety and reduce hunger pangs while dieting. The soluble fibers in these food items help to reduce the triglycerides and cholesterol level in the body. These can be cooked used as snacks in between meals to maintain an ideal weight.
3. Leafy Vegetables And Spinaches
There are different varieties of green leafy vegetables that are used by people in the different parts of India. Greens like palak, Basella or Poi Sag, fenugreek leaves, drumstick plant leaves, colocacia leaves, mustard leaves, etc. are easily available and contain fiber and folate. They are rich in water content and have very low calories when consumed. These greens will improve the digestion and metabolic rate. Broccoli, cabbage and lettuce are also considered as best weight loss foods.
4. Cucumbers
There are different varieties of cucumbers available in India which is excellent for weight reduction diet. They are rich in water content and have very low calorie in them. They help to fill your stomach without adding extra calories in the diet.
5. Garlic
Garlic should be included in any weight loss diet as they reduce the appetite. It also reduces the cholesterol in the body and helps to maintain blood sugar level. They are very effective in preventing cardiovascular diseases and cancer.
6. Whole Grains
Whole grains are rich in fiber and have low fat. Whole grains contain protein, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and phytochemicals which are needed for maintaining good health.
7. Nuts And Seeds
Nuts like peanuts and almonds and seeds like pumpkin seeds and flax seeds help to reduce bad cholesterol and improve the level of good cholesterol. They are rich in omega three fatty acids.
8. Fish
If you are a non-vegetarian, you can include fish in your diet 2-3 days a week. They are excellent sources of protein and omega 3 fatty acids. To achieve weight reduction, avoid the use of fried fish. Sardines, anchovies, tuna, mackerel etc are the best choices.
9. Low- Calorie Fruits And Vegetables
Apart from the above items you can also use various low-calorie vegetables and fruits in the Indian diet to lose weight. Vegetables such as bell peppers, cabbage, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes have very low calories. Low-calorie fruits for weight loss include lemons, grapes, apple, pears, oranges, plums, strawberries, watermelon, etc.
10. Healthy spices
Spices also contribute to weight reduction to a certain extent. You can include cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds, ginger, mustard seeds, turmeric and black pepper in various food preparations for weight loss.
Best Vegetarian Diet For Weight Loss
As said earlier, the calorie requirement of every person is different and some people prefer vegetarian food and some prefer non-vegetarian food. Whatever be the type of food you are having, there should be some deficit of calories in your body so that the body starts using the stored fat. However, the minimum energy requirement of an adult human being is 1200-1800 calories. Hence, your Indian diet to lose weight should be restricted within 1800 calories. You can create
best vegetarian diet for weight loss which will restrict to 1800 calories using the various vegetarian weight loss ingredients. Make sure that you divide the 1800 calories into 3 meals per day and healthy snacks twice daily to achieve the best possible result within a short period. Here is a guideline for creating the best vegetarian diet for weight loss. Based on this, you can create your own diet plan as the food choices of each person may vary and the items available to you may be different from what mentioned here.
Early Morning
You can have any of the following items to start your day.
- 1 glass of lukewarm water with lemon juice added to it. This drink will have zero calories in it.
- You can add one teaspoon of honey to the above mix and have it in the morning. This combination is believed to burn the fat inside the body.
- 1 cup of green tea or black tea or black coffee without added sugar
You can choose any of these for your diet plan or change the items daily to avoid monotony.
Breakfast
You can have a breakfast which contains less than 350 calories. Here are some options
- Two rotis along with half a cup lentil gravy or tofu gravy
OR
- 1 quarter plate brown bread or broken wheat upma and a cup of low fat milk
OR
- 2 Idlis and half a cup of sambar and ½ cup of low fat milk
Mid Morning Snack
You can use boiled pulses, green salads, low- calorie fruits or nuts as a snack
- Take ½ cup melon/cucumber and carrot salad or 20 grapes or a fistful of peanuts/ almonds/ melon seeds.
- Make sure that the calorie consumption is between 50-70 calories.
Lunch
There are multiple options for vegetarian lunch. You can eat rotis with vegetables or go for brown rice and vegetable gravies or have some roti and rice, according to your preference. Make sure that the calories do not exceed 350 calories. Here are some suggestions for your best vegan diet for weight loss.
- 1 cup brown rice (not to exceed 200 grams cooked rice) and ½ cup mixed vegetable gravy along with one bowl mixed vegetable salad and 1 small bowl raitha or low fat curd. Ensure that the vegetables are cooked using low fat oil and without adding coconut.
- 2 rotis with ½ cup vegetable gravy of your choice and one small cup raitha or green salad.
- You can change the above menu to ½ cup rice, and one roti with vegetable gravy, if you prefer to eat both rice and roti for lunch.
If you feel that your stomach is not full, try having some clear soup before having your lunch.
Evening
In the evening you can opt for any of these
- Green tea
- Buttermilk
- Salted lime juice
- Half cup oats cooked in low fat milk or water
If you prefer to eat some snacks, you can select any of the mid morning snack or can opt for a half cup of cooked pulses or beans.
Dinner
Start your dinner with any thin soup. You can eat 2 rotis or one quarter plate upma or 3 slices of brown bread or one bowl of oats at night along with ½ cup vegetable and 1 bowl of salad.
Healthy Vegetarian Meals To Lose Weight
If you are looking for healthy vegetarian meals to lose weight, you have to make changes in the preparation of the meals as well. Select healthy cooking oil like rice bran oil or olive oil to prepare the food. Do not include more than 2 teaspoons of oil in your daily intake, if you want to lose weight. Avoid the use of sugar and reduce the amount of salt in your meals. Try to bring variety to your meals using new ingredients every day to avoid repetitiveness. Try to include more of raw fruits and vegetables in your vegetarian meals in the form of salads to reduce weight effectively. Totally avoid deep fried food items and give preference to cooking methods such as steaming, boiling and grilling. If you feel hungry in between meals opt for soups and salads to keep the appetite in control.
Weight Loss Indian Recipes
The following are some of the tasty Indian recipes that you can prepare that will also help you to lose weight.
1. Oats
There is no better way to start our day than having a bowl full of oats. It is the healthiest food that you can ever eat and it is now becoming one of the most common ingredients that people use to prepare their breakfast, lunch or dinner. Oats help in controlling blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, reducing weight, reduces the risk of heart diseases as well as Type 2 diabetes and boosts immune system. The following are the healthy recipes that you can prepare using oats.
a) Lemon Oats
If you want to prepare a spicy, tasty and healthy Indian oats recipe, then lemon oats is a very good option.
Ingredients:
- Oats – ½ a cup
- Water- 1 cup
- Turmeric Powder -1/4 tsp
- Lemon Juice 1 to 1 ½ tbsp
- Salt to Taste
Tempering Ingredients:
- Olive oil – 1 ½ tbsp
- Mustard Seeds – ½ tsp
- Green Chilies – 2 to 3 nos (slit)
- Peanuts – 1 tbsp
- Black Gram -1 tsp
- Bengal Gram – ½ tbsp
- Curry Leaves – 6 to 8
- Asafoetida – a pinch
Preparation:
- Heat a non stick pan and dry roast the half cup of oats for a couple of minutes on low flame. Keep this aside.
- Now add oil in another pan and add Mustard seeds, Bengal Gram and Black Gram and stir it for a minute or so. Now add slit green chilies, turmeric powder and curry leaves and stir well.
- Add the peanuts and fry for a minute. Now add one cup of water and salt to taste and then allow it to boil.
- Once the water is boiling, add the oats and keep on stirring for 2 to 3 minutes.
- The oats would be cooked and you can turn off the flame.
- Add lemon juice to the prepared oats, mix well and serve it hot.
b) Oats Idli
One of the best healthy breakfast or dinner recipes is the oats idli. This dish is high in fiber and is also very nutritious. You will only need to use very little oil to prepare this dish and is an ideal alternative for people looking to cut down on oily food.
Ingredients:
- Oats - 1 cup
- Curd – ½ cup
- Wheat Rava – ½ cup
- 1 cup of finely chopped mixed vegetables of your choice
- Water- 1 cup
- Coriander Leaves – 1 ½ tbsp (finely chopped)
- Eno fruit salt – ½ tsp
Ingredients For Tempering:
- Olive oil – 1 tbsp
- Black Gram – 1 tbsp
- Bengal Gram – 1 tbsp
- Mustard – ½ tbsp
- Green Chilies – 2 nos (finely chopped)
- Curry Leaves – 5 to 6
Preparation:
- In a non stick pan, dry roast the oats for 2 to 3 minutes. Let it cool down and then blend it in a blender for about a minute.
- In a pan, add oil and add the tempering ingredients and sauté for one to two minutes. Once the ingredients turn brown, add finely chopped vegetables and coriander leaves and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the wheat rava to this mixture and sauté for another minute.
- Transfer this mixture to a mixing bowl and add the ground oats, salt, curd and water and mix it well so that it turns into an idli batter consistency.
- Add the eno fruit salt only when you are ready to make the idlis.
- Grease idli plates with a little bit of oil and pour the required amount of batter in each of the plates.
- Pour the batter in an idli pan and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove the oats idlis from the pan and serve hot with tomato chutney.
2. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which is recommended by nutrition experts and dieticians. Adding tomato soups in your diet will help in reducing your appetite and thereby help in reducing overall weight. Tomatoes are known for its anti inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
a) Spicy Indian Tomato Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 number each of potato, carrot and onion
- 1 cup of chopped tomatoes
- 250 ml water
- 250 ml of vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp of tomato puree
- ½ tsp chili powder
- Salt to taste
Preparation:
- Add sliced onions, diced carrots, chopped potatoes in a saucepan. Now pour water and vegetable stock and mix it well.
- Put the saucepan on high flame and boil the mixture. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, salt and chili powder and then simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes. Stir the mixture occasionally.
- Add water as and when required. Once done, turn off the flame and put the mixture in a blender and blend it to make a smooth saucy soup. Transfer this soup into a soup bowl and serve it hot.
b) Tomato And Basil Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 large potato
- 5 to 7 raw tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 3 to 4 cloves of garlic
- ½ inch ginger
- 2 tbsp of tomato puree
- 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
- Fresh chopped basil leaves (a bunch)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ tsp chili flakes
Preparation:
- Finely chop onions, tomatoes, garlic and potatoes and keep aside.
- Take a medium sized saucepan, add 1 tbsp olive oil and fry onions and garlic till they become soft. Now add potatoes to this mixture and sauté for a minute and then add half a liter of water.
- Allow the mixture to boil and once you find the potatoes to be semi-cooked, add tomato puree and the chopped tomatoes. Now simmer and cook these ingredients until potatoes are completely done.
- Add finely chopped basil, salt and pepper in the final bit of the simmering process and then turn off the heat.
- Transfer the soup into a soup bowl and serve it hot with bread sticks.
3. Ragi
Ragi is a very popular annual plant that is loaded with a lot of healthy nutrients. It is a very good source for iron, proteins, calcium and other minerals. It is also very rich in fiber and is a very good food for weight loss as it contains very less saturated fat. It will help in controlling diabetes, cholesterol and blood pressure and is also known to help in digestion. The following are some of the Ragi recipes that will help you to lose weight.
a) Ragi Malt
Ragi malt is an energy drink that is very commonly used in South India. It is a natural health drink that will help in energizing the body and you can substitute your breakfast fruit juices with ragi malt to keep you active throughout the day.
Ingredients:
- Ragi Flour- ½ a cup
- Skim milk – 1/4th cup
- Water – 1 cup
- Powdered Jaggery- 1 tbsp
- Cardamom powder – 1 tsp
Procedure:
- In a mixing bowl, add the ragi flour and slowly add water to this flour. Keep on stirring while adding the water so that no lumps are formed. Make this into a smooth paste.
- Now, heat skim milk in a pan and bring it to boil. Add the ragi flour paste along with cardamom powder and keep stirring the milk.
- Now add the jaggery powder and simmer this for about 5 minutes on low flame. Make sure that stir the mixture continuously.
- Allow it to cool and your healthy ragi malt drink is ready.
b) Ragi Upma
Ragi upma is a very popular South Indian breakfast dish that is not just delicious to taste but is also very healthy. Eating ragi upma in the morning will help in reduction of food cravings and you will feel full for the most part of the day.
Ingredients:
- Ragi flour – 1 cup
- Cumin seeds and mustard seeds - ½ tsp each
- Olive Oil - 1 ½ tsp
- Black Gram – ½ tsp
- Bengal gram – ½ tsp
- One Onion, finely chopped
- ½ a tomato, finely chopped
- 2 finely chopped green chilies
- Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
- Curry Leaves - 6 to 7
- Water - 2 cups
- Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
- Lemon Juice – 1 ½ tsp
Procedure:
- Add olive oil in a saucepan and then add the Ragi flour in the pan. Saute the flour until roasted aroma fills the air.
- Now add a little bit of oil in a fresh pan and add mustard and cumin seeds. Let it crackle and now add the Bengal gram and Black gram and saute them till they turn golden brown.
- Add onions, curry leaves and saute for 2 minutes. Now add tomatoes and then saute for another 1 minute.
- Now add salt to the mixture and pour two cups of water. Bring the water to a boil. Once done, add the sauteed Ragi flour into the pan and stir it frequently.
- Mix it well and then cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Simmer the flame when you cover the pan with a lid.
- Finally, turn off the flame and add lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves and serve it hot.
Weight Loss Indian Diet Plan
Whenever you search the internet for a diet plan, you will always come across diet plans that are suited for the western culture. If you are an Indian and have spent most part of your life in India munching on the wide variety of Indian foods, it is very difficult for you to follow the American diet plan that will help in reducing weight. You would be longing to find an Indian diet plan that will help you to reduce weight so that you eat what you have been eating so far and yet lose weight. The following is an Indian weight loss diet chart that you need to follow to shed off the extra kilos in your body easily.
1200 Calorie Vegetarian Indian Diet Plan Menu To Lose Weight
By following this menu guide, you will be able to restrict your food consumption to just 1200 calories to 1300 calories a day and thereby you will feel lighter after a couple of weeks of following this weight loss diet menu. The vegetarian diet menu is as follows:
Early Morning (7 Am):
o A glass of lukewarm water with lemon (0 calories).
o A cup of tea with skim milk, no sugar and 2 biscuits (90 calories)
Breakfast (8 am):
o 2 Wheat Rotis or chapattis + ½ cup of Paneer gravy (tofu is better) (330 calories). Or
o A plate of brown bread upma and a cup of skim milk (300 calories).
Mid Morning Snack: (10:30 am):
o A banana or 20 Grapes or ½ cup melon (50 calories).
Lunch (1 pm):
o 1 cup of brown rice (200 grams) + ½ cup mixed vegetables + one small bowl of Raitha + 1 bowl vegetable salad (345 calories).
Evening (4 pm):
o Butter Milk 1 glass or 1 cup (35 calories)
Dinner (8 pm):
2 Chappatis or Rotis + 1 bowl of Vegetable Soup + 1 bowl of salad (370 calories)
The total calories you will consume in this vegetarian diet is about 1220 calories.
Vegetable Juices Benefits
- Consuming vegetables in the form of juices will help in taking in more vegetables than what a normal person can eat.
- These juices will help in improving the digestive system by providing a soothing and healing effect.
- As these juices have high levels of dietary fiber, they will aid in weight loss.
- It will help in controlling your hunger pangs and will make you feel fuller.
- It is loaded with vitamins, minerals, fibers and antioxidants. This will help in improving your immune system.
- These juices will help in improving the pH levels of your body and thereby will help in boosting the energy levels of your body.
- These juices will help in controlling cholesterol as it does not have any saturated fats or sodium in it.
- Drinking vegetable juices three times a day is said to lessen the chance of a person to develop Alzheimer’s disease.
