Studies show the way a man loses weight is different from the way a woman will lose weight. Men may lose weight more quickly because of more muscle mass. While women have more fat thus they take time to lose weight. Read on to know about the Indian weight loss diet plan for women.
Diet and exercise are key to weight loss for women along with other factors. Stress, sleeping pattern, or any underlying disease condition also affects the process of weight loss. These factors have a major impact on hunger, metabolism, weight loss, and belly fat.
Women’s presence of estrogen speeds up the process of weight loss by increasing the metabolism. But with menopause, the estrogen levels reduce making it difficult for women to lose weight. But a check on what goes on your plate and increasing physical activity help lose weight.
It is very easy to fall for the fad diets that are freely available. You will lose weight fast. But does it last long? Instead, it is better to lose weight gradually that helps to keep off that weight for a longer period of time.
Indian weight loss diet plan for women:
Calorie Distribution:
Energy: For weight loss, a calorie deficit diet is recommended along with a moderate-intensity workout. The recommendation is 1200 – 1500 kcal according to the current lifestyle of the woman.
Protein: The percentage of protein in the diet has to be a bit on the higher side. This helps the body to trigger the metabolism to burn more calories. 60 – 65 grams of protein a day is advisable. Check our high protein diet plan for weight loss.
Carbohydrates: Opt for complex carbohydrates rich in fiber. A high-fiber diet helps avoid overeating. Avoid refined carbohydrates like sugar, maida, or any sieved flour. Include whole fruits and vegetables in whichever recipe possible. Check out the top sources of complex carbs in India.
Fats: The quality of fat is more important. Select MUFA rich and omega 3 rich oils. Include good quality fats sources like nuts, oilseeds, avocados, and dry fruits. Use groundnut, rice-bran, or olive in rotation. Do not mix oils and use them. 2 – 3 teaspoons a day of visible oil is sufficient for an individual. See this useful video on top cooking oils for good health and weight loss in India. Don’t forget to subscribe to our Youtube channel to watch such interesting videos.
Weight loss Tips for Indian Women:
Start small:
In terms of exercises, Begin with walking or jogging for 15 minutes and increase it up to 30 – 45 minutes steadily and gradually. In terms of diet, Do not put all the tips in your schedule at once and make your diet routine impractical. Apply small changes every day, until they become your habit. Then introduce the net tip.
Keep realistic goals:
Set targets that are achievable and time-bound. Don’t aim for more than 2 – 3 kgs in a month. Start with 1 change at a time in your diet and slowly introduce more acceptable changes.
Eat smart:
Whenever possible opt for home-cooked food. The day you need to eat out, have a small snack before that meal. This will help to avoid overeating when you are eating out. Start with a salad to control the total calorie intake.
Keep healthy snacks handy:
While working or at home, stack small snacks like nuts, cereal puffs, makhana, seeds, or smoothies handy. Replace the fried munchies with these healthy options.
Wisely select the method of cooking:
Try and consume steamed, roasted, shallow fried, boiled, or grilled foods. Less use of oil means less calorie intake.
Keep yourself hydrated:
Sometimes the body gets confused with signals of being thirsty with signals of being hungry. Whenever you feel a bit hungry try and drink water initially. If still the hunger persists then you can go for some healthy snack options given above. Studies show a glass of water before meals help reduce calorie intake by almost 13 %.
Use smaller plates:
Smaller plates mean fewer calories. This promotes portion control that indirectly helps in weight reduction.
Intermittent fasting:
A new concept where you fast for a specific window of 14 to 24 hours and then eat. Once in a while, intermittent fasting under the guidance of certified professionals helps to speed up the process of weight loss. Check out our Intermittent fasting diet plan for weight loss.
Keep stress at bay:
Stress initiates binge eating disorder. Try to involve yourself in some hobbies that will keep your mind preoccupied. Less stress directly improves the body’s health and keeps you fit.
Sleep sound:
Sleeping helps the body to recover. It keeps the body’s metabolism balanced. Lack of sleep increases the ghrelin hormone which is responsible for hunger. More ghrelin triggers overeating because of which you gain weight.
Squeeze in more activity:
Start with light to moderate activity like walking, jogging, or swimming. Do cardio workout at least 5 days a week. Complement the cardio with resistance training or high-intensity workouts. Resistance training keeps muscles toned and cardio helps lose fat in the body.
How to increase your activity with a busy schedule:
- Take the stairs instead of the lift.
- Park your vehicle a bit away and walk down to the venue.
- In-office get up every hour and walk towards the pantry to drink water.
- Every few hours do some stretching exercises on your work desk.
- Practice yoga on the day you don’t feel like doing any outdoor workout.
Sample Indian weight loss diet plan for women:
Here is a sample weight loss diet plan for women. This diet plan will help you in losing around 5 kg weight in 1 month. Looking for more? You can also take up our personal consultation program.
Empty stomach: | Soaked Nuts (2 walnut halves + 2 Almonds + 1 Apricot + 1 teaspoon Pumpkin seeds |
Breakfast | 1 cup Tea/ Coffee (No sugar) + 2 Small Vegetable Moong dal Chilla OR Uttapam with Green chutney OR 3 Idlis with 1 Cup Sambar |
Mid-Morning: | 1 Fruit (No Banana/ Chickoo/ Sitaphal) OR 1 cup Berries |
Lunch: | 1 Cup Salad / Vegetable Raita + 2 Chapati (Multigrain Atta) + 2 Cup Vegetable + 1 Cup Pulse or Dal |
Snacks | 1 cup Lemon or Green Tea + 1 cup Spicy Makhana Puffs OR Puffed Jowar OR ½ cup Oats Porridge (No sugar) OR 2 Boiled Egg whites |
Dinner | 1 cup Vegetable Soup OR Bone broth soup + 1 – 1 ½ Medium size Bajra Roti + 2 cups Vegetable + a cup of kadhi/chicken or fish curry |
Bedtime | 1 Glass Buttermilk with ½ teaspoon chia seeds OR 1 Cup Turmeric cinnamon milk |
Endnote:
It is easy to shed off those extra kilos, but difficult to maintain that lost weight. Be smart and follow a healthy diet plan that lasts for a very long time. Do not use the workout as an excuse to eat unhealthy food. It takes exercise, healthy food, and a modified lifestyle to lose and maintain weight.
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This is super great stuff, I am currently on my weight loss journey. I agree that combined exercise and healthy diet is important.
It does not have to be 1000 steps or anything like that. But start with a small thing such as walk in the park and maintain the momentum and improve on a daily basis. Weight loss should be enjoyable and rewarding at the end. Also, small habit such as keeping fruit in the fridge and healthy snacks such as roast almond can give you huge pay off in the long term.