When it comes to weight loss, a crucial step involves understanding your calorie needs. After this step is taken, physical activity should balance those calories with healthy food choices – eating too many fried snacks like samosas and jalebis will not only add unnecessary pounds but can lead to serious health complications like heart disease, diabetes, and high cholesterol. It’s highly advisable to consult Prachi Shah, the best dietitian for weight loss in India, before getting started with your diet regime.

Indian cuisine contains many nutritious foods that fit within healthy diet guidelines. One such example is Gujarati cuisine, which utilizes gram flour and cooking techniques that encourage Gujarati diet plan for weight loss. It provides protein and fiber that support normal blood sugar levels and weight management. Gujaratis are known for their love of food. When we think about Gujarati food, the dishes that immediately come to mind are dhokla, khakhra, thepla, khichdi, jalebi, and fafda. 

However, apart from these dishes mentioned, various other items form an integral part of the weekly menu for Gujarati family. It’s important to remember that a region’s location, history, and culture all significantly impact its cuisine. Gujaratis are masters in vegetarian cooking, owing to the state’s substantial vegetarian population. Gujarat is separated into the following geographical regions: North Gujarat, Kathiawad, Kutch, and South Gujarat, with little differences in eating habits and preparation methods due to climate and cultural differences.

A Traditional Gujarati Diet Food Recipe Consists of These Things:

Rice or khichdi,

One or two steamed or fried snacks called farsans,

A green vegetable,

Shaak (they are main courses with vegetables and spices mixed into a sweet or spicy curry or dry dish), A type of kathol (pulses like beans, roasted chickpeas, or dry peas),

One or more yogurt dishes, like Dahi,

Kadhi (yogurt and pulses soup),

Raita or sweet shrikhand,

Daal usually toor dal, moong dal, chana dal

and sweets like halwa, basundi, or shrikhand.

What Gujarati foods are unhealthy and shouldn’t be included in a Gujarati diet plan?

Gujarati diet plan is often seen as unhealthy because of the addition of sugar and jaggery in every food item. Also, the gujjus are big on fried farsan like fafda, papdi, gathiya, and basundi. And the Gujarati plate is deprived of protein and fibers, making it a carbohydrate-dominant meal; hence, Gujarat is also called the ‘diabetic capital’ of the nation. 

How to Make Your Weight Loss Diet Plan for Veg Gujarati People?

So, to begin with, we all have heard rice leads to weight gain, but the real problem is not rice but how we eat it. The foremost thing to keep in mind is to stop pairing roti and rice together. Have them separately. And pair it with enough protein and fiber sources like dal/pulses and vegetables. And the quantity of dal/pulses and vegetables should be more than rice.

• A great example is the ultimate gujju food, khichdi, and kadhi- the quantity of dal, vegetables, and kadhi should be higher than rice.
• As already mentioned, While a Gujarati thali has a variety of nutrients, it is also high in sugar and fried foods. So here there are a variety of healthier options that one can choose from the “farsan”- instead of fried, choose steamed options like dhokla and patra and make sure to again add it with enough veggies in it and not it should be prepared from a home-made batter and not with the readymade batters. Of course, moderation is key
• Adding a glass of unsalted buttermilk post-lunch helps with better hydration
• Avoid adding sugar/jaggery in dals and subzis.
• Instead of deep-fried puris, choose wheat rotis/bhakri/ rotlo made from jowar or bajra flour
• Avoid having potatoes as a subzi with rice or roti in choosing your vegetables. This makes the plate more carbohydrate-dominant. Instead, choose another variety of vegetables.
• Adding nuts and seeds as a daily part of the diet is also essential as they are rich in good fats.
• While choosing the type of oil to cook in, it is best to use different oils in rotation every 3-4 months so that we can get all kinds of fatty acids like groundnut oil, sesame oil, sunflower oil, mustard oil

Sustainable Weight Loss With a Gujarati Diet Plan

Hundreds of fad diets and weight-loss programs promise quick and easy weight loss. But the cornerstone of effective weight loss continues to be a nutritious, calorie-controlled diet coupled with more exercise. You must permanently alter your lifestyle and eating habits to lose weight successfully and sustainably. Weight loss does not always have to be associated with fully giving up your favorite foods or a fitness plan you despise. Rather than embarking on a short-term “diet plan” to swiftly recover, why not make permanent lifestyle changes to lose weight? You can implement healthy behaviors with simple lifestyle changes to help you lose weight while indulging in some of your favorite Gujarati dishes. 

As mentioned, you can enjoy the delicacies by changing how you pair your foods. The best dietician for weight loss in India suggests that “one is certain to succeed in their weight-loss endeavors by incorporating the following factors”:

• Drink water before each meal and snack. To regulate your hunger, establish a healthy pattern of drinking water—preferably 250 ml of it—before each meal or snack. You’ll eat less at your dinner if you implement this strategy.
• Include fiber-rich, low-calorie, and vitamin- and mineral-rich vegetables to help prevent bloating. Make sure you start at least one meal with a cup of raw veggies with your meal.
• Try switching to herbal tea and infused water instead of the tea and coffee. Since tea and coffee frequently have sugar added to them, drinking too much of either is unhealthy.
• It’s crucial to fit in at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week. This could be participating in your favorite sport, such as badminton or cricket, taking a yoga class nearby, or going for a run or a bike ride.
• Start your dinner with soup. You can include any vegetables or a combination of vegetables for making the soup. This will help control the portions and appetite for dinner and ensure enough fiber intake. Besides, soups made by using herbs and spices are healing to the body
• Use smaller portions using smaller plates; this will ensure that you are in a calorie deficit, which will lead to fat loss.

If you adhere to the mentioned advice and make minor adjustments to your daily routine and meal preparation, you can maintain a healthy weight even while consuming Gujarati food.

Here are some examples of food that you can include in your three main meals with some snack options:

Weekly menu for Gujarati diet plan: You can plan and tweak your weekly menu like:

Breakfast: dhokla/thepla/vegetable poha/ vegetable upma/bhakhri

Lunch: Roti+ sabzi + dal/pulse or rice+ sabzi + dal/pulse

Dinner: Vegetable Handvo/dudhi chana subzi + paratha/dal+rice /khichdi +kadhi/gree mong+ rice

Snacks: Chana/fruit/nuts/ khakhra

Conclusion

Gujarati diet plans can easily accommodate both vegetarians and non-vegetarians, making it an excellent option for people with diabetes looking to effectively manage their blood glucose levels. Contact the Health Habitat by Prachi Shah, the best dietitian for weight loss in India, to learn more about the most effective Gujarati diet plan!