Diet foods that will help you maintain/lose weight

White rice is everyone’s staple food in India and of course is the richest form of carbohydrate intake. Many people fail to see the fact that brown rice has way too much nutritional value and lower glycemic index than white rice. Little intake of brown rice will make you feel fuller and reduces the carbohydrate count in your body. If the carbs are reduced, your body easily tends to maintain the same BMI.

The highest form of protein intake and a great way to lose weight is when you take Beans and lentils. Did you know that food items like Soyabeans, black beans, etc gives you the feeling of satiety and reduces hunger pangs when you are dieting? Cholesterol levels and Triglycerides levels are reduced drastically when you consume these items, since they have soluble fibres in them. They can either be cooked or had as snacks in between your meal to make sure your stomach doesn’t grumble.

In India, different kinds of green leafy vegetables are used. Some people in the North mostly use Pudhina, while people in the south use more of Spinach. Basella, Poi Sag, fenugreek seeds, mustard and jeera are the most common ones used in India. Since they are rich in water content and have very few calories, these foods can be consumed even on a regular basis. Other vegetables are always good for health like Cabbage, lettuce, drumstick, broccoli. They can be added in the diet of the teens for stronger and healthier living.

Know the golden rules of losing weight

This water rich food is available in different varieties in India. There are so many recipes that have proved that drinking or eating cucumber, can make you lose weight easily. Having the lowest calorie count in them, cucumbers help in filling your stomach easily without adding on extra calories. You can slice them, chop, mix them with rice , chapathi or even drink it as juice.

If you are planning for a diet plan, include Garlic as your first food. Garlic has a special feature of letting you maintain the blood sugar level and reduces the cholesterol in your body. It in fact goes up one level higher by protecting you from cardiovascular diseases and cancer. You can use garlic in any form. Raw or fried or as a paste in the food you are making. It tastes nice and gives a different flavor to your food. Isn’t it easier to have both taste and health check in one item?

You can also use low calorie vegetables and fruits in your routine when you are planning to lose weight. A few vegetables have very less calorie content in them like Bell pepper, cabbage, mushroom, onions and tomatoes. There are a certain fruits like lemon, grapes, apples, plums, watermelon which are highly rich in water content and help you reduce weight.

Apart from these, there are other foods like Ginger, turmeric, cloves, cinnamon that not many Indians use for weight loss. But using these will help you maintain your weight and makes sure that you don’t put on more and more. There are basically two kinds of people. People who eat a lot of rice and people who eat only chapathi. Both the foods are healthy, but the only thing you should remember is that, whatever you eat, take in small quantities and eat healthy food. Over eating or binging on fast food will never help you follow your diet plan. Stick to a plan that is easy for you to follow and go ahead. In no time, you will see your weight reducing and you will be able to gain a healthy and a beautiful body with these diet foods.

-Pavithra Ravi