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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Weight loss: It’s inevitable that there will be times when things come up and you just physically can’t do your workout, and you need to cancel. Read here to know what you can do.

Weight loss: How do you feel when you miss your workout? Inevitably guilty would be a first. But, do you also overcompensate by exercising for an extra hour, or doing exercise with heavier weights, etc? If yes, then you need to stop right now! Exercising more or lifting weights that are heavier than your capacity can severely increase your risk of an injury, and may make you extremely sore. Whether you are trying to lose weight or if you are trying to gain muscle or simply get fitter, your attitude towards exercise needs to be more holistic and definitely more sustainable.

Weight loss: What should you do when you miss your workout?

Kayla Itsines, Sweat fitness trainer, says that you must not stress at all about missing a workout. “It’s inevitable that there will be times when things come up and you just physically can’t do your workout, and you need to cancel,” she writes in the caption of her Insta post.

Instead of feeling guilty and beating yourself up for missing that one workout, you should quickly get prepared for your next workout and schedule it as soon as you can. Write down exactly what body part or muscle group you are going to train. Get ready with the equipment you may need for it, your workout clothes, shoes, water bottle, towel, and your playlist too.

No matter what, don’t give up. Do a small-duration workout like Tabata or HIIT. Go for a quick run or go cycling. Any form of activity that challenges you physically, can make the cut.

Reward yourself for taking the very decision to workout. These are all effective ways to keep you motivated at all times. Instead of pushing yourself down for missing one workout, these are things that you should actually do.

On the other note, Merry Christmas everyone!

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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Apart from diet, which plays a major role in your weight loss journey, exercising is the second most important thing you need to focus on to shed those extra kilos. While some of us are super excited for our workout sessions, many of us dread going to the gym.
If you are someone who is often dreading the tough days at the gym, here is a tip for you.

The study

In a study conducted by the psychologist at the Department of Sport Science, 78 volunteers were split into four workout groups. All of these people were asked to cycle on a stationary bike for 30 minutes.
One group was told that their workout would result in many health benefits and one was informed (falsely) that cycling won’t help them in any way. The left two groups were given a compression shirt to wear and some of them were told that it will help increase their workout benefits, while some were given no explanation at all.

While they worked out, it was tracked how difficult the exercise felt and how much efforts the volunteers were putting out.

Results

As expected, it was found that volunteers who believed that their workout will result in multiple health benefits, said that efforts were tolerable. Among the two groups wearing a compression shirt, those who were new to exercise and believed that the shirt can boost their workout found the exercise to be easier.

Explanation

Results were seen as evidence of the placebo effect in exercise. Believing in the power of exercise can make the effort easier. But it was surprising to find out that workout gears helped people who were new to exercise.

Verdict

The study was done on a small scale and further research needs to be done to know the underlying mechanisms at play.

But there is no harm to focus and knowing how exercise can help you. Also, trying new workout gears is one of the easiest methods to try if it can help improve your performance by making your workout feel easier.

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High blood pressure, unfortunately, is quite prevalent worldwide. Did you know one in three Indians has this health condition? This hardly comes as surprise as the intake of processed food and sedentary life is on the rise. And these two are the common causes why our BP readings are increasing. For the unversed, in this condition, the pressure of blood against the walls of arteries is higher than normal. The same can lead to life-threatening diseases related to heart, kidney, eyes and brain among others.

Aside from medication, one should go for lifestyle changes which can bring down BP readings naturally. Reducing intake of salt, increasing the consumption of potassium-rich foods, indulging in some of the physical activity, reducing alcohol intake and smoking are some of the ways to combat hypertension.

30-Minute morning workout

Coming to physical activity, as per new research which was published in the American Heart Association’s journal, 30 minutes of a morning workout can help you to lower BP. The same has a positive effect on men and women who are obese. The study also revealed that women who take brief and frequent breaks from sitting throughout the day can boost the benefits of the workout even more.

The study was conducted among men and women from the age bracket of 55 to 80. Michael Wheeler, B.Sc., lead author of the study who is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Western Australia in Perth and works at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, Australia, “Traditionally, the health effects of exercise and sedentary behaviour have been studied separately. We conducted this study because we wanted to know whether there is a combined effect of these behaviours on blood pressure.”

The study was conducted on 67 participants and the studies were deduced when they were in different scenarios. The same was conducted in a controlled laboratory environment and the participates had standardized meals. Their BP and adrenaline levels were checked repeatedly.

The researchers found that average blood pressure, especially the systolic one was reduced among both men and women who did morning exercise compared to those who didn’t. A significant reduction in the average systolic blood pressure especially in women was seen when they combined morning exercise with frequent breaks from sitting throughout the day. 

Wheeler added, “For both men and women, the magnitude of reduction in average systolic blood pressure following exercise and breaks in sitting, approached what might be expected from antihypertensive medication in this population to reduce the risk of death from heart disease and stroke. However, this reduction was greater for women.”

Wheeler also added that breaks from sitting for long hours also benefitted people who had a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. He added, “We wanted to focus on the novel aspect of combining exercise with breaks in sitting. However, it means that we cannot say for sure that breaks in sitting alone had no blood pressure-lowering effect in men, as any effect could have been masked by the preceding effect of exercise.”

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