If the age old weight-loss remedies and prescribed diets don’t seem to work, demotivation sets in. More often that not, knowing how to create your own diet plan does the trick.
A layman resorts to extreme measures such as starvation, excessive workout or just shoving the idea of weight loss altogether, the moment things go a little haywire. But the thing to understand here is that each body is unique, and so are its demands. You might think that going to a dietician and getting a daily prescription for what you should be eating to shed those extra pounds is easy, but easier would be to know how to create a personalized diet plan according to your taste, budget and what’s in handy!
Remember, you just don’t have to lose weight, but also maintain it at a steady pace. If your work out schedule and lifestyle is such that negates your diet plan, then all the hard work would come to naught. Now, the key is to indulge in a ‘calorie deficit’ or intake lesser number of calories than your body needs, yet keep the nutritional value of your meals quite high. There is no dearth of calorie counting websites, so you can make a fresh start today. Follow these five simple rules and you would create your own diet plan that would lead to a steady weight loss, fit body and general wellness!
Don’t be too ambitious, neither is there a need to undermine yourself when it comes to eating healthy. While designing your own meal plan, remember that you have to nourish your body and not punish your body. Nobody said you can’t treat yourself to a cheat meal here and there. It’s time for some introspection. At the end of the day, your personalized diet plan should make you happy!
Your BMR or the basal metabolic rate plays a huge role in weight loss. The apt metabolic rate determines the rate at which you burn the calories you consume involuntarily. The moment your BMR drops, weight gain surges automatically. The BMR not just depends on factors like age, weight, height and gender but also your lifestyle choices and eating habits. Two main factors which lead to rapid BMR drop are skipping of meals and regular unhealthy food intake. So till the time weight loss is on the agenda, skipping breakfast and hording on junk food ought to be avoided.
Eat as much as you need, and not as much as you want!
Calorie count is essential for weight loss. Noting down whatever you eat, consulting the websites and charts and counting calories in your diet that you’re consuming with each bite sounds like a boring job, but this would only be required in the initial scheme. Slowly, you would start to get a hang of things! You have to know how many calories to cut for it to work for you. Again, being realistic is the key here. Not eating enough meals or comparing with friends is not going to be of any help. Even a small amount of deficit can go a long way!
Since you’re doing it all by yourself, you should know 1500 calories is the minimum intake needed by the average body to function properly. Take it from there. You should also strive to conserve calories wherever you can. Low fat dips, lean chicken pieces or diet sodas should be preferred even while you’re cheating! There are loads of custom fitness meal planners in the market that help you maintain a regulated diet.
Don’t make your diet plan an avalanche of nutrition. It might have its implications rather that show any results that you’re looking for. You just need a healthy mixture of macro-nutrients, that is to say an amalgamation of fat, carbs and protein in your diet. You might have heard the mantra ‘eat healthy and detoxify’, but you have to only do it as much as it suits you. Some people try to cut fat from their meals altogether and end up feeling lethargic and depressed by the end of the day. This is how you should divide your meals:
Carbohydrates: 50-60%
Protein: 20-30%
Fat: 10-20%
Divide your plan into minimum three meals. For days when you feel like eating out, keep your fibre intake high to boost metabolism. Maintain a food journal to keep a tab on what’s going inside you. As part of your normal routine, whole grain breads, cereals, salads and fruits are a good source of carbs. Your body would have the optimum protein levels if you include egg, milk products, fish, pulses, soyabean etc. in your plan. Avoid all red meat till weight loss is on your mind. As for the fat, consume ‘good fats’ which your body needs. Nuts like walnuts, almonds and seed oils from mustard, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds would be good. Cook food in refined oil as much as you can for your daily dose of unsaturated fat.
Having said that, the micro nutrients also play a big part in proper bodily functions. The vitamins, minerals and other type of anti-oxidants are found in abundance in fruits, vegetables and other type of berries. If you want to ease into hardcore healthy eating, then multi-vitamin tablets would also do! Creating a diet plan step by step needs to be a healthy balance of macro and micro nutrients!
The importance of drinking water couldn’t be stressed enough. Since detoxification is essential while losing pounds, drinking at least 2-3 litres of waters a day would be highly beneficial. Include oats with milk, juices, zeera water, ginger water, all citrus fruits and green veggies for proper detoxification or the secretion of toxins out of the body!
Following a customized diet plan won’t be enough
How to design your own diet can be a bit tricky as a diet plan is only complete when it joins hands with an effective exercise program. Exercise on a regular basis but don’t go overboard with it. The idea is not to not eat, but to burn the extra calories to prevent weight gain and subsequently lead to weight loss. Take out at least 20 minutes each day for a brisk walk, yoga or cycling!
Steer clear from alcohol and reduce the amount of caffeine you take. Sleep and wake up on time. Think good and stay active. There’s no preaching here. Since you have decided to take the healthy path, no gain would come without a little amount of pain.
Voila! Your diet chart shouldn’t take long to get ready now! How successful you want it to be depends upon you. How to make your own diet plan did not seem to be that hard a task, did it? Now go forth with your plans, detoxify, and stay healthy!
