The Fastest Indian Vegetarian Diet to Lose Weight

Indians are popular for their love for food especially North Indians because of the availability of various different vegetarian and non vegetarian cuisines all over the country. India is the heaven for vegans because you can find range of different tasty and interesting vegetarian foods which not only satiate your taste buds but even your soul. That is the magic of vegetarian Indian food.

There are chances that you will gain weight by gorging on variety of yummy vegetarian dishes and you want to restrict your diet in order to lose that. No worries because you can easily do so with the diet of same origin (i.e. Indian) but the ingredient will be a bit different. Let’s find out about the fastest Indian vegetarian diet to lose weight.

INDIAN FOODS FOR WEIGHT LOSS

Our country is rich in food ingredients which we can use to stay fit, healthy and energetic whole day. The diet plan should focus on intake of food which provides you enough calories for proper functioning of the body and which should not get stored as fat in the body. The items listed below are rich in nutrients and fibers which increase your metabolic rate, detox the body and enhance the fat burning process.

Fruits and vegetables

Some fruits and veggies have high calories which is not good for your weight therefore stock your fridge with very low calorie veggies such as bell peppers, cabbage, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes etc. and fruits like lemons, grapes, apple, pears, oranges, plums, strawberries, watermelon, etc.

Spices

Use of different spices is the feature of Indian cuisines to enhance the flavor but some common spices also have fat burning properties. Therefore, you should try to include them in your diet. Some of these spices are cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds, ginger, mustard seeds, turmeric and black pepper which you can easily found in your kitchen.

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Seed and nuts

No Indian sweet or dessert is complete without seed and nuts because it makes the dish more tempting and delicious. But you can use these food items in favor of your weight too. You can have them as snacks instead of processed items like chips, wafers etc.

Whole grains

This is the most recommended food item in any diet plan as it is high in fiber and low in fats. Besides that, whole grains contain various nutrients such as protein, minerals, vitamins, antioxidants and phytochemicals which help in increasing your metabolism.

Leafy veggies

These are richest source of soluble and insoluble fiber and you can find different leafy vegetables (or saag) like spinach, Amaranth, Mustard greens, fenugreek leaves, water spinach, pea leaves, Chenopodium album, sorrel leaves, soya leaves (Dill) etc. These veggies are also rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants which help in growth and development, increases immunity and improve digestion.

Pulses

These are extensively used all over the country whether it is north Indian dish (dal) or south Indian dish like Sāmbhar. These are rich in proteins and other nutrients. Therefore, it will provide you enough energy for the whole day when you will be on restricted diet. You can have it in sprouted form, boiled, baked or cooked form. Beans like soybeans and black beans can satiate the body therefore you will have less hanger pangs during dieting. The soluble fiber content of pulses helps in reducing the level of triglyceride and cholesterol in the body and therefore reduces the risks of heart related problems.

Brown rice

White rice is mostly consumed by the Indian population which can cause health problems like type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Besides that it has high glycemic index than brown rice means it can raise the blood glucose level much more than brown rice. Its nutrients like fiber, vitamins, magnesium and other minerals, lignans, phytoestrogen, and phytic acid also get lost in the refining process of white rice. Therefore brown is the much health conscious option as a carbohydrate resource.

Cottage cheese

It is easily available in Indian market and has various health benefits. It is rich in protein, healthy fat, vitamin B complex and minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and selenium which helps in reducing the risk of breast cancer and helps in weight loss while supplying essential nutrient for the body.

Garlic

This is a must in any weight loss plan because it reduces the appetite during dieting and gives flavor to your boring soups or vegetable broth. In addition, it also reduces the cholesterol and blood glucose level in the body. It is found to be very effective in preventing cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Cucumber

This is the favorite and healthiest snack during dieting as it fills your stomach without adding any calories to your body. Its high water content and fiber keeps your body hydrated throughout the day and reduces hunger pangs.

SAMPLE VEGETARIAN DIET PLAN

You should have 4 – 5 small meals in a day so that you feel full without consuming large amount of calories and compromising your daily energy requirement. The minimum energy requirement for a person is 1200 – 1800 calories but you can restrict yourself to 1800 calories if you are taking an Indian diet. You should divide the required calories into at least three meals but you can increase the number of meals provided you have small portion size. Here is a sample plan which can give you a fair idea to customize one for you.

Early morning

You can start your morning with a glass of lukewarm water with lemon juice. You can add a teaspoon of honey to the mixture. Honey has fat burning properties and it also gives a flavor and sweetness to the drink. You could also drink a cup of green tea, black tea/coffee without sugar instead of lemon water. This will cleanse your system and improves your digestion.

Breakfast

This meal should contain less than 350 calories therefore it should be very light but provide enough energy to sustain you till next meal i.e. mid morning snack

• Two rotis with a bowl of cooked lentils (dal) or
• Quarter plate of brown bread/upma and glass of low fat milk or
• Two idli, cup of sambar and glass of low fat milk

Morning snack

You can take salad made up of boiled or sprouted pulses or low calorie fruit or nuts and restrict the calorie intake up to 50 – 70 calories. These fiber rich snacks will make you feel full and provide energy as well. You can have half cup of carrot and cucumber/melon salad or 20 grapes or fistful of nuts like peanuts/almonds.

Lunch

Your lunch should also be restricted up to 350 calories and you can eat rotis, dal, brown rice and vegetable gravies according to your preference. If you are eating vegetables or salad in lunch then make sure that low fat oil has been used for cooking or dressing of veggies. Here are some examples for lunch

• 1 cup brown rice (200 grams), half cup mixed vegetable gravy, one bowl of mix vegetable salad, 1 cup of raita or low fat curd
• 2 rotis, small bowl of dal, 1 bowl of salad or raita
• ½ cup of rice, 1 roti, 1 cup dal, 1 bowl raita/salad

If you think that the above suggestions can’t fill your stomach then you can have bowl of soup before lunch or drink 1 – 2 glass of water as it will fill your stomach and therefore you will eat less.

Evening snack

You can have green tea or salted lime juice or butter milk as beverages. You can have a bowl of oats cooked in low fat milk or water. You can also repeat the morning snack if you wish or take soup or salad made up of sprouted grams, chopped onion, tomatoes, and chilies. It is a tasty, nutritious and satiating snack.

Dinner

You should have a light dinner and start it with a bowl of tomato soup. You can opt between brown rice and roti or have equal proportion of both in dinner along with a bowl of dal, cooked vegetable gravy, and 1 bowl of salad. You can have a bowl of oats instead of roti or rice.

Besides having small meals throughout day, you should drink at least 3 – 4 liters of water. This will keep your body hydrated, filled and refreshed. Drink a glass of water 30 minutes before and after any meal because this will make you eat less.