Here's a diet that can help you knock off anywhere up to 10 kilos in two months. It is a realistic and easy to follow programme that you will have no trouble sticking to.
As with any weight loss plan, you will need to couple this with an exercise routine which is equally easy to follow.
Your diet:
A good weight-loss diet is one which helps you drop kilos while improving your overall health. This food plan will make sure you never go hungry or even feel like you are on a diet. Things you need to be particular about are following the plan closely and maintaining regular, fixed meal times every day, because erratic eating causes the body to store fat.
Breakfast:
- A bowl of cereal (of your choice, except sugar-coated varieties) with skimmed milk
- Egg whites (boiled or poached)
- Wholegrain toast with a low-fat spread
- Fruit or fruit juice
- Tea or coffee with skimmed milk and a sugar substitute (optional)
Mid-morning snack:
- Handful of nuts
- Glass of water with lemon OR green tea
Lunch:
- Rotis
- Vegetables lightly cooked in olive oil
- Dal
- Salad OR a wholegrain sandwich with low-fat filling, eg: veggies with chutney or hummus, egg with low-fat mayo etc.
Evening Snack:
- Fruit OR idlis OR khakras
- Tea/ coffee with skimmed milk and a sugar substitute (optional)
Dinner:
It is extremely important to eat your dinner at least 3 hours before you lie down in bed, in order to prevent fat storage:
- Soup
- Salad with a low fat dressing
- Lightly cooked chicken/ fish/ lentils
Drink plenty of water through the day. Have a glass between every meal and two glasses before, during and after exercise.
If you find yourself craving chocolate, wafers or any such sinful foods, you have two options:
a. Go for a low-fat version of it or,
b. Have just one bite of it to satisfy the urge.
But make sure you don't do this more than once a week!
Your exercise routine:
Simply put, your body needs to burn more calories than it is consuming in order to lose weight. So while your diet takes care of not adding on unnecessary calories, exercise takes charge of burning the accumulated calories/ fat.
Here's a very simple exercise to help you burn off the kilos: Walking! You need to walk 5-6 days a week for a duration of 45 minutes. Start off with a 7-minute warm-up of walking at a medium pace. For the next 30 minutes, walk at a fast pace and maintain that pace through the 30 minutes (work hard!). Bring the pace down to medium again for the last 7 minutes and then to slow for the last minute. Make sure you walk on a jogging track or any even surface and wear proper walking shoes. Increase the walking pace each week. You could even start jogging.Constantly pushing yourself will help you see good results.
Be persevering
Every individual's body reacts differently and some people lose weight faster than others. So if you don't see the results you'd hoped for un two months, don't give up. It just means that your body will take a bit longer, but you will get the figure you've always wanted, so keep at it!
Brinda Sapat is head of the Group Exercise Department at Gold's Gym, Napean Sea Road, Mumbai. Certified with Training Zone & Progressive Fitness (USA), she has been a fitness instructor for over a decade.
(While the fitness routines described in this feature are created by a professional fitness trainer, rediff.com does not make any representations about its suitability or reliability in connection with individual readers. It is best to consult a professional before proceeding.)
