Weight loss doesn’t come easy. Those late-night binge sessions, those unaccounted for cheese burst pizzas, the occasional noodle nights (unless it’s shitaki or buckwheat), those days you consider your cheat day although it ideally is your workout day, does show eventually. However, if you watch your food, fitness routine, sleep cycle, stress, diet, and other activities, you might beat the extra pounds to the curb.

The secret to maintaining an ideal weight is to not skip meals and timing your meals. Consuming decent morsels of protein-rich food every two hours ensures you are satiated and do not delay eating your next meal or overeat a big meal (like a dinner or lunch).

First, to acclimatise your body to a new diet plan, you must gradually introduce it in your plan. Start with breakfast, then lunch, then high tea and then supper. This way, your body will not react to a sudden shift in the diet which is likely to cause discomforts like headaches, indigestion and even constipation in some cases. “A holistic approach is the most important factor for weight loss and I put clients in a new clean eating diet plan. To begin with, acclimatisation is more of a mental approach as opposed to it being a deprivation feeling.

Along with the new diet plan, I ensure one’s body is releasing more happy hormones right from their gut by getting in a sporting activity, focusing on planning the meals with happy yet smart foods. These are key elements that contribute to acclimatising one’s Mind and body towards adapting an integrative diet plan,” says Payal Kothari, integrative nutritionist and gut health coach.

Let’s have a look at the 7-day diet plan for a gradual weight loss routine:

1. First Day
2. Second Day
3. Third Day
4. Fourth Day
5. Fifth Day
6. Sixth Day
7. Seventh Day
8. FAQs: Answered by Payal Kothari, Nutritionist

First Day

Breakfast:

This meal should be the heaviest of the day and should be well rounded in nutrition.

You can start with combining ¾ cups of bran flakes, one banana and a cup of fat-free milk in a bowl. Alongside, you can also have a fruit bowl including the likes of avocado, oranges, apple to give you the required satiety and nutrition.

Lunch:

To start with, you can opt for mini whole wheat pita sandwich with ½ roasted pepper, one teaspoon mayo, mustard, and lettuce. You can also add the meat of your choice or if you’re a vegetarian, you can opt for tofu. Add some kiwis to the sandwich and eat away!

Dinner:

This meal of the day should be the lightest of all meals. Eat boiled chicken with two tomatoes sprinkled with a cup of boiled couscous and steamed broccoli.

Second Day

Breakfast:

Energise your day with a glass of boost. Blend 3-4 frozen berries, ½ banana and low-fat milk to the quantity you usually consume. Throw in some mint leaves. You can also add two boiled eggs on the side however, this can be optional.

Lunch:

Try a variation of the usual daal by switching it to a cup of vegetable soup including pumpkins, tomato, chicken (optional), and broccoli. To add some ethical cheat plan – you can eat a 100 per cent whole-grain toast burger with veggies of your liking with a cup of concorde grapes.

Dinner:

You can either opt for skinless chicken breast with barbecue sauce or you could have a grilled fish (using cold-pressed olive or canola oil) sautéed with vegetables like beans, tomato and low-fat butter (optional). Add some spinach for a hint of green and minerals to your diet.

Third Day

Nutritionist and founder of Eat Fit Repeat, Ruchi Sharma shares a day’s detailed diet plan:

Early morning:

Add one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, aloe vera juice to 750 ml water and drink it on empty stomach.

Breakfast:

You can have oats idli, upma, poha or ragi dosa with veggies and sprouts.

Lunch:

A bowl of salad with one multigrain roti, ½ cup boiled brown or white rice, vegetables of your liking, ½ cup of daal and yoghurt or buttermilk.

High tea snack:

Keep this light and avoid fried food snacking. A handful of mixed almonds, walnuts and trail mix of seeds (flax, chia) would suffice.

Dinner:

Keep it light with sautéed exotic vegetables using unrefined cooking oils or just a simple Indian style sabzi, soup and moong dal or besan cheela.

P.S:

For all those caffeine fanatics, no more than two small cups of tea or coffee anytime throughout the day is admissible.

Fourth Day

Breakfast:

If you’re not in the mood to whip up high-profile gluten-free breakfast, you can simply microwave a bowl of oats that cook faster, with low-fat milk and stevia or honey (if you want it sweet), and a dash of cinnamon.

Lunch:

Mix in all vegetables you love (don’t forget the greens) and add some chicken to add flavour. Throw in some slivered almonds, a tablespoon of low-fat mayonnaise, and two tablespoons of Greek yoghurt (unsweetened). Mix well. If you don’t feel satiated yet, you can consume either a whole apple or banana.

Dinner:

For all shrimp lovers, you can try this one and give the chicken a little rest. Mix three ounces of shrimp with one baked potato, a tablespoon of Greek yoghurt (unsweetened), and roughly 3-4 cups of steamed spinach. Voila!

While you are busy following a strict diet plan for seven days, here’s a thought on whether following short-term stringent diets are conducive to your physical and mental health. “In the first few days of any extreme diet, a person can experience a substantial loss of water weight which will come back to haunt you sooner than you think. Steady weight loss is more likely to last over dramatic weight changes. If you lose weight too quickly, you will lose muscle, bone and water, and are more likely to gain it back in half the amount of time,” advises Sharma.

“A successful weight loss and keeping it off is accomplished by making positive lifestyle changes. If you want to maintain a healthy weight, lose fat, and build muscle, make realistic lifestyle changes by eating smarter and moving more. This combination will produce lifelong results without feeling like you are dieting all the time. For the most part, the results we’re looking for will rarely come quickly. But they won’t take that long, either for you treats it as a sustainable lifestyle change.”

Fifth Day

Breakfast:

Keep it simple and English. Top a toasted English muffin with ½ sliced apple, and reduced-fat cheese. Microwave it for half a minute. Add it to your regular stock of unsweetened Greek yoghurt and enjoy.

Lunch:

Consume a cup of mixed vegetable salad, a bowl of lentil curry, and one cup of methi rice. If you wish, you could eat a whole apple for satiety but no more than that.

Dinner:

Have your favourite paneer or mushrooms with a bowl of sautéed mixed vegetables preferably (always) containing greens, one roti, and two tablespoons of chutney. You can also treat yourself with a glass of buttermilk.

Sixth Day

Breakfast:

Give yourself a bit of a break (but not so much) because make this your waffle day! Choose 100 per cent whole-grain flour to whip up your favourite waffle. Instead of going with maple or chocolate syrup, you can spread a teaspoon of no-sugar almond or peanut butter as per your preferences.

Lunch:

If you are missing your Chinese just too much. You can make yourself some yummy soba noodles. Simple yet zippy, you’re not going to regret this. Opt for buckwheat soba noodles (preparation same like pasta), add some cilantro or Thai basil, if available; some baked tofu or tempeh, one sliced cucumber, blanched broccoli and stir in some sautéed mushrooms. You’ve made yourself a yummy lunch!

Dinner:

Make a simple under-30 minute salmon chowder using onion, garlic, and fennel. Sautee all the vegetables and boil the potatoes. Add in salmon and low-fat coconut milk and heat until the broth thickens.

Seventh Day

Breakfast:

Have a bowl of light, simple oats milk (skimmed) porridge and some mixed nuts to go along with it.

Lunch:

Add some paneer made out of skimmed milk, a bowl of mixed vegetable salad, roti and carrot – green pea vegetable. If you wish, you can also consume a small bowl of cut fruits of your choice.

Dinner:

Say hello to your seafood shrimp today! Four ounces of shrimp, a cup of steamed carrots, one steamed broccoli, half a cup of brown rice, cooked; two tablespoons of teriyaki sauce and a teaspoon of sesame seeds.

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The first thing you’d want to get your hands on when you embark on your weight loss journey is superfoods. This is simply because superfoods are embedded in the popular imagination as “miracle ingredients” that help with every type of health issue.

Now, while this is not completely true since there is still no scientifically-approved definition of what classifies as a superfood, superfoods are mostly foods packed with multiple nutrients that can aid disease prevention and weight loss.

A study published in the journal Food and Function in 2018 showed that the consumption of certain superfoods can contribute to the prevention of metabolic syndromes, specifically the onset of obesity, high cholesterol, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Improved metabolic function is exactly what you need to lose weight consistently, properly, and while boosting your overall immunity and health.

Here are 10 superfoods that not only aid weight loss by boosting your metabolism but also carry many other benefits: 

1. Berries

Blueberries, cranberries, goji berries and strawberries are rich in antioxidants, dietary fibre and vitamin C – all of which can improve your immunity and regulate your metabolism to reduce weight. If you can’t get them fresh, get dried berries without preservatives and added sugars. 

2. Chillies

Rich in vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B6, niacin, capsaicin, flavonoids and minerals, chillies are packed with nutrition. They help with protein metabolism and protect your cells from free radical damage. 

3. Ginger

This ingredient is one of the most underrated superfoods, and yet has immense benefits to impart. Ginger is rich in vitamins B3, B6 and C, and is chock full of iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and folate. 

4. Garlic

There’s a reason why you should chew on a raw garlic first thing in the morning. Garlic is full of vitamins, minerals and some very powerful antioxidants like allicin, which makes it very effective against diseases like high blood pressure, cholesterol and even the common cold.

5. Chia seeds

Chia seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, protein, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They are also very easily available at your local markets these days. You should not miss out on this superfood if you’re trying to lose weight. 

6. Flax seeds

Flax seeds have a similar nutrient profile as chia seeds – which means they are just as beneficial. What’s more, these nutty, brown seeds are extremely affordable, easily available in Indian markets and have many traditional uses in Indian cuisine too.

7. Quinoa

Now, quinoa might be a grain that’s imported to India — and it’s definitely not as cheap as Indian whole grains like millets and barley — but this superfood deserves a place in your kitchen because it’s packed with protein, fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

8. Cacao

Yes, cacao is what chocolate comes from, but this doesn’t mean you can eat a few bars of chocolate and claim you’ve had a superfood. Raw cacao is probably the most powerful superfood out there, but it’s bitter to taste. You can easily get some raw cacao powder (not to be confused with cocoa powder, which is processed and has preservatives) and use it to make chocolate milk or bake some healthy cakes and cookies. 

9. Wheatgrass

This one is a very potent superfood, thanks to all the vitamins, minerals, proteins, phytonutrients, enzymes and chlorophyll it delivers to your body. Apart from eliminating toxins and aiding digestion, wheatgrass works wonders on your metabolism. 

10. Spirulina

This superfood is often used as a supplement by those on a diet, and it’s very effective because it has very high vitamin, protein and antioxidant content. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, spirulina is something you can rely on.  

For more information, read our article on What to Eat and What Not to Eat for Weight Loss.

Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.

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New Delhi: According to the ancient Indian philosophy of Yoga, the ‘Annamaya kosha’ (our physical body) and ‘Mana’ (our mind) is a direct reflection of the ‘Anna’ (food) we eat. Fascinating studies agree with this ancient philosophy and are now telling us that our diet habits – what we eat, how we eat and at what time – affect our body, weight and brain, deciding not only how we look but also how well we can take decisions, execute plans, basically our cognitive performance.

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing”, says Walt Disney, and so I shall straight away list out a 5-point ‘Eat Right Action Plan’ to help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.

Action Plans for men for healthy weight loss

Wake up to ‘real’ food! “A good beginning makes a good ending”, says an Italian proverb. Starting off your day right is crucial as it will keep you high on energy and light on your feet all day. Most of us love to have our cup of tea/coffee the first thing in the morning, almost like an every day romance: fingers hugging the hot cup of fresh brew close to the lips, taking in each sip with all the aroma and warmth it offers. But sorry to burst your bubble, tea/coffee is not the best drink as you wake up.

Tea/coffee, of any variety it may be, has caffeine in it. Studies suggest that caffeine triggers the release of cortisol (also called ‘stress’ hormone). A big bump in cortisol puts your body in a ‘stress’ mode and slows down metabolism, breaks down muscle, hampers fat burning, increases blood pressure, etc. This ‘stress rush’ is part of the reason why we feel ‘awake’ or ‘alert’ after our morning cuppa.

While we sleep, all our body processes slow down. As we wake up, the body systems also need time to wake up and start functioning in its full capacity. In such a situation, it is better to eat ‘real’ food that is easy on it versus something that will further load or stress it out.

Action Plan 1

• Start your day with fresh fruit or dry fruits or a handful of nuts or hot homemade breakfast within half an hour of waking up. Post this meal, you can enjoy your morning cup of tea/coffee.
• Planning meals ahead: “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail,” said Benjamin Franklin. Everyone in business knows that planning helps prevent crisis so that you spend less time firefighting and stay ahead of the game.
• Similarly, if you do not want to be caught up in food crisis/accidents (like gorging on a pastry at 6 p.m when you had just decided to eat healthier in the morning), you need to be planning ahead for your meals.
• Eating small, frequent meals every 2-3 hours gives a slow, sustained release of blood sugar which in turn keeps your mind alert and body energetic through the day without feeling the need for stimulants like tea/ coffee/ cigarettes.

Action Plan 2

• Plan for your lunch and evening snack (between 4-6p.m) in advance. For mid-meals, nuts, dry fruits, chana, fruits, yogurt, cheese slice, coconut water, nimbu sherbets are great options.
• Local food, global spirit – Indian men, today are going global like never before. For an undying global spirit, what we must stay true to is eating local. Eating local and seasonal foods is good for your health, supports the local economy and benefits the environment at large. Whereas eating foods from far off places, industrialised and packaged adds inches to your waistline, hampers work productivity and will negatively affect your bottom line.

Action Plan 3

• Replace the cookies/biscuits in meetings with peanuts/cashews, aerated drinks/colas with buttermilk/local sherbets, cakes/pastries with chikki/laddoo/dates, etc.
• Add ghee to your meals: Ever wondered what the traditional business communities (Marwaris/Gujaratis/Parsis/Sindhis) of India eat in common? It’s the ghee. Ghee being rich in omega-3s boosts brain power and improves memory and cognitive function. Its unique SCFA accelerates fat burning, giving you a younger body and sharper mind.

Action Plan 4

• Make sure you have at least 1 tsp of ghee each with breakfast/lunch/dinner.
• Keep a 2 hours gap between dinner and bedtime: Eating a wholesome dinner that is not close to bedtime will allow enough time for digestion to occur, induce sound sleep and reduce the chance of waking up tired, bloated or acidic the next morning. In short, you would be all set to take the busy day head-on!

Action Plan 5

• Choose between dinner options like curd rice, rice and dal/sambhar, khichdi, appam and stew, etc, and have it 2-3 hours before you go to bed.

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Weight loss is on the minds of many Britons with many people will look for the best way to burn fat quickly. A search online will bring up different weight loss plans all promising to give the best results. However, the low carb and high fat keto diet could be better than others when it comes to burning fat, an expert explained.

He told Express.co.uk: “The keto diet is the high-fat, high protein and low carbohydrate diet.

“Your body goes into a state of ketosis, where it is burning fat as the primary energy source, rather than carbohydrates.”

To enter ketosis, some slimmers will eat as little as 25 grams net carbs a day.

What can you eat?

The plan is low in carbs, high in fat and has a moderate protein content.

Foods on the plan include meats, fish, vegetables, eggs, avocados and dairy products.

High carb treats such as bread, pasta, rice and high sugar fruits are off the table for slimmers.

Harry explained dieters will only burn fat when they eat foods low in carbs and enter into ketosis.

He said: “Eating fat only helps to burn fat if you are in a state of ketosis. When you are on a low carbohydrate, high protein and fat diet the body utilises fat as its primary energy source; this process is called ketosis.

“Fat is a potent energy source and typically provides the body around 9.5 calories of energy per gram which is double that of carbohydrates.

“When carbs are cut to extremely low levels and fats ramped up, over time the body’s metabolism shifts and speeds up to burn fat as its energy source.

“This means fat sources all over the body are directly being used up and burned for energy.”

Following this plan will speed up the metabolism but dieters must still ensure they are not eating more calories than they are burning off.

“To process and retrieve energy from fat, the metabolism is raised which means the body is naturally burning more calories,” Harry explained.

“However you will only lose fat as part of a calorie controlled diet. If you are in a state of ketosis but consuming 1,000 more calories than you are burning every day you will gain weight.”

He also explained slimmers should watch the types of fats they are eating when trying to shift excess weight.

“Eating bacon with every meal, chugging whole milk and covering everything with oil or butter just because ‘you can’ or just because ‘it’s high fat’ is not good diet practice to get into,” Harry told Express.co.uk.

“You don’t need to cut out all carbs, it’s different for everyone, but the odd slice of bread, crackers or something carby won’t hinder all your progress.”

One man followed the low carb diet plan to shed an astounding five stone in just three months. 

As well as following the keto diet, he tracked his calories to ensure he did not overeat during the process.

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