Okay so I’m just gonna be honest here. Losing weight is mad hard and figuring out diet is the worst part. Everyone says different things, like one person tells you to eat only salad and the other says eat whatever but no carbs. Confusing as hell.
I tried a bunch of things, some worked, some didn’t, some were just dumb ideas I got from internet So here’s what I learned about diet for weight loss from my own experience.
Why diet is more important than gym
People always say “exercise exercise” but no matter how much you workout if you keep eating junk, you won’t lose weight. I know guys who go to gym everyday but drink coke and eat burger everyday too, no surprise they stay fat.
Weight loss is basically eating less calories than you burn. Sounds easy but it’s not. Starving yourself will just slow your metabolism and make u crazy hungry.
Stop following all these fad diets lol
Keto, paleo, juice fast, cabbage soup diet (wtf). I tried keto once and felt like dying. I gave up in like 2 days.
These diets cut out whole food groups which you actually need. Instead of going crazy, try to eat balanced food.
Eat more protein
Protein is your friend. It fills you up and helps keep muscles. I started eating eggs in morning and dal or chicken in lunch and it helped.
If you’re veg, don’t worry there are lots of protein sources like beans, paneer, nuts etc.
Cut down on sugar and white carbs
This was hard coz I love sweets and white rice. But white rice and sugar make you hungry soon again.
Try switching to brown rice, whole wheat chapati, oats. It will help you stay full longer.
Eat veggies and some fruits
Vegetables are great coz they have less calories and fill you up.
Fruits are good too but don’t eat like 10 bananas a day thinking it’s healthy. Fruits have sugar too so eat in moderation.
Portion control is very important
I learned this the hard way. Even healthy food if you eat too much will make you gain weight.
Try using smaller plates and serving less rice or roti. Wait 10 mins after eating if you still hungry then eat more.
Don’t skip meals especially breakfast
I thought skipping breakfast would help me lose weight but it just made me more hungry later and I ate a lot more.
Drink lots of water
Sometimes we think we are hungry but actually thirsty.
Try to drink glass of water before meals.
Avoid sugary drinks coz they have lots of calories but don’t fill you up.
Don’t ban junk food totally, just limit it
I love samosas and chocolates but try not to eat them every day.
If you binge one day, it’s okay. Just start fresh next day.
Healthy fats are good
Fat doesn’t mean you gain weight. Eat nuts, seeds, olive oil, avocado.
Avoid fried and junk fats.
Plan your meals
I used to eat whatever was around and ended up eating junk.
Now I try to cook and keep food ready so I don’t make bad choices.
Listen to your body
Eat when you are hungry, stop when you’re full.
Don’t eat just because it’s “meal time” or you’re bored.
Don’t weigh yourself everyday
Weight changes daily coz of water and other things.
Check once in week or two.
How long does it take?
Safe weight loss is 0.5 to 1 kg per week.
Don’t expect fast results or you’ll get frustrated.
Sample day diet
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Breakfast: oats or eggs + bread
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Mid-morning: fruit
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Lunch: brown rice or chapati + dal + veggies
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Evening snack: green tea + roasted chana
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Dinner: chapati + sabzi + curd
Final words
Weight loss is slow and hard.
Be patient, don’t starve, eat balanced, drink water, sleep well and move a bit.
Mess up? No problem, just start again next meal.
You got this!!