South Indian cuisine is wonderful! Just the smell of curry leaves, hearing mustard seeds pop, and the thought of eating a nutty chutney with perfectly cooked dosas and hot pickles makes your mouth water. However, it is very easy to overeat any South Indian food, resulting in weight gain. That is why we have come up with a South Indian diet chart for weight loss.
You do need to starve yourself with salads and protein powders. Simply change your eating habits a little. We have made a South Indian diet chart, as well as items to consume and avoid and lifestyle modifications to make, in this article.
But first, you must complete the following checklist.
StyleCraze Says Most south Indian dishes are either boiled, steamed, or fermented, which makes them healthier compared to other foods and ideal for weight loss.
In This Article
Things To Do Before Going On The New South Indian Diet
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- See Your Doctor
Your doctor will calculate your BMI and BMR, monitor your blood pressure and current medication and then determine if you should lose weight at all and if you do, why you should. This will help you do the following.
- Write Down Your Weight Loss Goal
Unless you write your weight loss goal down, you will not be able to adhere to it. Planning and execution are crucial to losing weight. Give yourself a deadline of one week and write down how much weight you want to lose. For example, “I want to lose 1.5-2 kgs in one week.”
Well, does this seem like a slow weight loss? Well, here’s what you need to know.
- Keep Your Weight Loss Goals Realistic
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Is it possible to lose 10 kgs in one week? Maybe. You will lose a lot of water weight and muscle mass, which, in turn, will slow your metabolism down. So, basically, you will regain the weight, and your immunity will take a hit. Fad diets are called fads for a reason. Slow weight loss is the best – it will give you time to adjust to a new lifestyle and keep you focused.
Finally, here’s the last but the most important thing you must do.
- Kitchen Makeover
Stock your fridge and cabinets with whole foods. Use ragi instead of white rice. Buy whole pulses, multigrain atta, quinoa, pure clarified butter, whole-fat milk (yes!), veggies, eggs, fatty fish, and chicken breast (if you are a non-vegetarian), nuts, etc. Toss all the junk food out, including the homemade deep-fried ones, refined sugar, store-bought or homemade sweets made with refined sugar, vegetable oil, etc. We will see more about it later in the article. Now, you are ready to start your new and revised diet. Here you go!
One advantage of the south Indian diet is that you can modify it to your liking, nutritional needs, and dietary preferences.
The following graph showcases the diverse eating habits and dietary requirements in a sample population. According to this data, most people follow a flexitarian diet (rarely consume meat). These people can follow the south Indian diet with ease as it has many vegetarian food options.
Type Of Diet vs Corresponders
Source: Keep Yourself Alive”: From Healthy Eating to Progression to Orthorexia Nervosa A Mixed Methods Study among Young Women in the Netherlands
7-Day South Indian Diet Chart For Weight Loss
Day 1 (1500 Calories)
| Meals | What To Eat | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Morning (6:00 a.m.) | 1 cup warm water with juice of half a lime and honey | ||
| Breakfast (7:00 a.m.) | 3 millet idlis + 1 small bowl sambar or 2 egg whites + ½ a small bowl of peanut and coconut chutney + 1 cup green tea | ||
| Mid Morning (10:00 a.m.) | 1 medium apple or a small bowl of grapes | ||
| Lunch (12:30-1:00 p.m.) | 2 ragi balls + Vegetable curry + 1 cup rasam + 1 cup buttermilk | ||
| Post-Lunch (3:30-4:00 p.m.) | 1 cup green tea + 2 Marie biscuits | ||
| Dinner (7:00 p.m.) | 2 rotis + 1 medium bowl of vegetable curry + 1 cup spinach daal + 1 small bowl of curd | ||
| Bed Time (10:00 p.m.) | 1 cup warm milk with a pinch of turmeric |
Total Calories Consumed – 1489
Why This Works
Warm water with lime and honey kick starts your metabolism, maintains the internal pH, and boosts your immunity. Millet idlis are super healthy, and peanut and coconut chutney will provide your body with healthy fats and protein. Choose sambar or egg whites as a source of lean protein, which will keep you active throughout the day. Green tea helps flush toxins out and keeps your hunger pangs at bay (1). Apples or grapes are good sources of vitamins and minerals (2), (3). Ragi balls provide energy, calcium and fiber (4). Have any vegetable curry and a cup of rasam to support your body functions. Buttermilk and curd strengthen the digestive system and immunity (5). Marie biscuits, though not healthy, will help you relax with a cup of green tea. Avoid having white or brown rice for dinner, and consume no more than two rotis. You can have one extra cup of daal if you feel hungry. Drinking warm milk with turmeric will prevent you from snacking on junk and help you sleep better.
You must also exercise along with eating healthy to shed the fat. Here’s your workout plan for Day 1.
Day 1 Exercise Plan
- Warm-up – 10 mins
- Rope jumping – 3 sets of 50 reps
- Crunches – 2 sets of 15 reps
- Bicycle crunches – 2 sets of 15 reps
- Leg-up crunches – 2 sets of 15 reps
- Sit-ups – 2 sets of 15 reps
- Russian twist – 2 sets of 25 reps
- Flutter kicks – 2 sets of 30 reps
- Scissor legs – 2 sets of 15 reps
- Leg raises – 2 sets of 15 reps
- Brisk walk – 10 minutes
- Cool off by doing some stretching exercises
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