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Ayurveda, the ancient system of medicine that originated in India over 5,000 years ago, places great importance on eating the largest meal in the middle of the day (aka lunch), when digestion is believed to be strongest. Eating a nutritious, well-balanced lunch will power the engine through the rest of the day. It provides the fuel needed to sustain mental and physical activities, ensuring that individuals perform optimally until the end of the day. Lunch time is also a break from work, school and college activities, allowing individuals to refuel and recharge and provides an opportunity for people to take a break from their daily responsibilities and enjoy a nutritious meal. Contrary to popular belief, skipping lunch is not an effective weight loss strategy, especially for individuals who seriously count calories. While it may seem like skipping lunch will help cut down on a lot of calories, it can actually lead to overeating during dinner and the late night hours, sabotaging your weight loss efforts. So, rather than skipping lunch altogether and starving until dinnertime, we’re making small tweaks to lunchtime to maximize weight loss. Read on:
1. Plan your lunches ahead of time.
The first and most important thing to do is plan all of your meals – breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks in advance to ensure nutritious options are readily available when you get hungry. By avoiding last-minute decisions, you can avoid readily available but unhealthy options that are often calorie-dense and can derail your weight loss goals. Not sure about planning weight loss friendly meals? We are here to help! On the Rati Beauty app, Weekly diet plans are available that help you plan all of your meals in advance, and they can all be made in less than 30 minutes, and all of these lunch options can be packed at the office, too. Planning ahead, particularly through a diet plan, will ensure that you eat a well-balanced, nutritious meal while controlling calories. Subscribe to the Rati Beauty app to access all of our diet plans.
2. Start with a salad:
Research shows that starting a meal with a salad on the side can help cut calories at the next meal and prevent overeating. Eating salad means you will feel full with fewer calories. For our Indian meals, we don’t even need fancy dressings – just a very basic salad with cucumber, carrot and tomato, will do. Also read: “The 17 Best Salad Ingredients for Weight Loss.”
3. Include a lean source of protein and fiber:
Including lean protein and fiber in your lunch can make your meal more satisfying and enjoyable. The combination of these nutrients can keep you feeling fuller for longer and you will be less likely to reach for unhealthy snacks later. Lean protein sources such as lentils, legumes, tofu, Greek yogurt, paneer, chicken, fish, eggs, etc. give a sense of fullness and help curb appetite. Both protein and fiber digest slowly, keeping you feeling full for longer periods, which may prevent overeating and snacking on unhealthy foods. Protein is also necessary for the maintenance and repair of muscle tissue. When trying to lose weight, maintaining muscle mass is important, as it increases your metabolism. Fiber adds bulk to your meals, promoting healthy digestion and regular bowel movements. High-fiber foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes, help regulate blood sugar levels. They slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, preventing spikes and crashes in energy levels. Stable blood sugar levels contribute to better appetite control and reduced cravings for unhealthy foods. So, make sure you have a source of protein and fiber in your plate.
4. Fill half of the plate with vegetables:
Vegetables, with only a few exceptions, are low in calories and rank high on a high satiety factor. They provide the body with vital vitamins, antioxidants, fiber, protein, and minerals needed to synthesize essential hormones and enzymes, thus promoting weight loss. Health experts recommend eating two to three servings of vegetables per day to support overall health and weight management, and filling half of your plate with vegetables is a good idea without coming off a calorie deficit. Are you looking for interesting ways to include vegetables in your diet? Check it out – “9 Interesting Ways to Eat More Vegetables to Lose Weight.”
5. Ditch Desserts and Sweets After Lunch:
Indians love to eat sweets after every meal, be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. Gulab jamun, jalebi, barfi, laddu, halva, peda, little kheer/payasam – these are very popular dessert that people love to enjoy after having a sumptuous lunch. But all of these desserts are calorie-dense and have heaps of sugar, so ditch the sweets after lunch to lose weight.
6. Prepare your lunch at home:
By making your own lunch at home, you have complete control over the ingredients and portion sizes. This way, you can ensure that your meal is full of nutritious ingredients, high-quality oil, and no harmful ingredients or excess calories.
7. Avoid fried foods:
Avoiding fried foods at lunch is good for weight loss because they are often calorie dense due to the absorption of a lot of oil during frying. Fried foods tend to contain large amounts of saturated fat and calories, which contribute to an increase in body fat percentage. It’s also heavy and greasy, which can cause digestive discomfort, bloating, and a feeling of lethargy. This can affect your overall energy levels and motivation to engage in physical activity later in the day, which is essential for weight loss.
8. Control parts sizes:
Pay attention to portion sizes to avoid overeating. Avoid entering for a second. Use smaller plates or bowls to help control the amount of food you eat. Eat your food slowly, chewing every bite, to allow your body to register when it’s full.
Additionally, incorporate a short walk or mini-picnic into your post-lunch routine. A leisurely walk after the midday meal will help with digestion, promoting the movement of food through the digestive tract. This should prevent bloating or discomfort that often occurs after eating. In addition, going for a walk will help increase your total daily caloric expenditure, contributing to the calorie deficit necessary for weight loss. It will also promote physical activity, boosting metabolism, resulting in better energy expenditure and fat burning.
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9 interesting ways to eat more vegetables to lose weight
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