Losing weight is not just about sweating it out for hours in the gym, but also about what you eat. Many people may work out regularly but not see any results as they do not eat the right food. Having junk or unhealthy food can ruin the hard work you put in in the gym in no time. Our expert Shilpa Mittal, a renowned dietician, gives tips and a sample diet for those who want to lose weight.

According to me, if one wants to lose weight, their diet should be as close to their normal diet as possible; only then will they be able to stick to it. Otherwise one tends to discontinue the diet or does not follow it regularly. So, if you are a south Indian who enjoys his dosas and idlis, the diet should include these but in a low-fat form.

Here are a few tips before I share the sample diet for weight loss:

For weight loss, a healthy and balanced diet is a must as it helps maintain your metabolic rate, gives you energy, maintains the shine and lustre of your hair and skin and if a person has any medical issue, the diet helps to prevent it or at least lowers the medicine dosage.

Diet for weight loss involves a healthy lifestyle change – you do not need to follow a particular diet to lose weight but you need to eat healthy. It should be based on your likes, dislikes, culture, schedule, and a pattern that you are willing to accept and follow in your daily life.

Apart from diet, one needs to engage themselves in some kind of physical exercise like walking, cycling, swimming, dancing, jogging, etc. This is essential to burn fat and keep the metabolic rate in control. Here is sample diet plan for weight loss that I have been promising you:

Breakfast: Start your day with milk and cornflakes, or milk and poha/upma. If you are from northern India, and are into eating parathas, you can still have them but make them healthy. Instead of just aloo paratha have potato mixed with other vegetables and use less of oil/ghee/butter. Similarly, if you are from southern India, you can have idlis, dosa, uttappa but avoid medu wada since that is fried. You can even opt for egg omelette or sandwiches.

Lunch: This can consist of a proper meal like rotis/ bhakri with vegetables, salads and a source of protein from dal/curd/ sprouts/ non-veg dishes like eggs, fish, chicken plus a small helping of rice. Avoid pickles and papads.  

Snacks: This can be mixed dry fruits, seasonal fruits or any fruit you like or a handful of roasted channa or kurmuras.

Dinner: Preferably opt for an early dinner and it can be just like lunch or it can be a single wholesome meal like khicdhi, pulav, briyani.

Other important things to keep in mind:

Have small frequent meals. Do not keep long gaps between your meals as it reduces the metabolic rate. Do not skip breakfast, have a healthy wholesome breakfast. Do some kind of physical activity at least for 30minutes, 4-6 times a week. Eat 2 fruits and 3 servings of veggies to get good amount of fibre which will help you lose weight. Stay hydrated by drinking good amount of water. Avoid junk foods, sweets, too much of biscuits, fried and bakery products. Avoid fried foods, jams and instead fruit juices have raw fruits.

Follow these simple tips to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle to keep fit for the rest of your life. 

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Follow these 10 simple health and nutrition tips to make the face staring at you in the mirror hotter than ever.

1. Care about skin care.
Too often, this advice is sloughed off like dead epidermal cells. But listen anyway: Use moisturizers to keep your skin from drying out — and more importantly, apply sunscreen to curb premature aging and undue damage from ultraviolet rays. Make it a habit, like shaving or brushing your teeth.

2. Butt out.
As in, stop smoking. Cigarettes cause worse wrinkling than the sun. Smoking robs the skin of collagen and elastin which give the skin texture, strength and elasticity and in turn speeds up the aging process. Cigarette use can also give the skin a grayish tone. 

3. Eat right.
A healthy diet equals a more glowing complexion, shinier hair and a fitter you.

“The key is to stay well balanced,” says Jim White, a fitness and nutrition expert, and a spokesman for the American Dietetic Association. “Oatmeal is a great power food. It’s loaded with fiber and can help manage hunger and lower cholesterol. Cottage cheese, meanwhile, is low in sugar and high in protein and calcium.”

Overall, stick closely to diet with few high-fat meats and larger amounts of grains, fish and olive oil.

4. Sleep.
Get the recommended eight hours a night, at least. Sleeping restores all organs of the body, including the skin, which is the body’s largest organ. It also reduces tension and anxiety, lessening crow’s feet, frown lines and worry lines. Lack of sleep also causes those dreaded circles under your eyes. 

5. Hydrate.
Skin needs water to function properly especially to fight damage caused by the sun. Drinking the recommended eight glasses a day additionally flushes toxins from the body and brings nutrients to the deep layer of the skin (the dermis).

6. Slim down.
Trimming down will not only improve your appearance but also reduce your risk of stroke, diabetes, cancer and other diseases.

But don’t go on some radical diet. Instead think about portion control. Shave your calorie intake by 500 calories a day by cutting back on some vices like fried foods, and you’ll lose a sensible pound or two a week.

7. Be pro-antioxidant.
Antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E found in fruits and vegetables are essential. They promote skin repair and elasticity and also reduce your risk for heart disease and cancer.

8. Do cardio.
A cardio workout regimen lowers stress, makes you happier and gives your skin a glow. Do any kind of aerobic exercise that will raise your heart rate above baseline for half an hour a day. It could be going for a walk, taking a bike ride or using the elliptical — something that works up a sweat a little. Don’t do too much too fast or you’ll get injured and quit. Exercise should be fun, and you should feel good doing it.

9. Watch the booze.
Alcohol causes swelling of the tissues, especially puffy eyes, and often leads to bad eating habits — causing weight gain — and smoking,

10. Stand tall.
Good posture really is a good thing. Core strength training will get rid of that unseemly slouch. Do light resistance training two to three times a week to strengthen core muscles. A certified personal trainer can work with you on a regimen that you can follow at home.

Content sourced and modified for use with permission from Men’s Life Today.