When it comes to weight loss, diet is the key!
Studies have shown that if you want visible results, then exercise alone won’t help. Eating a filling breakfast and a light dinner can be a good start to losing weight.
What you eat, when you eat, and how you eat, make an essential part of your weight loss journey. Starting your day with a glass of warm lemon water could be a great detoxifier. Similarly, having your dinner before 7 p.m. can also help you achieve your weight loss goals in a healthy way.
These are very simple lifestyle changes that anyone can accommodate in their daily routine. But most young people follow the exact opposite. Their day starts with skipping breakfast, mild lunch, and a king-size dinner. This is one of the biggest contributors to health issues in today’s day.
You should never skip your breakfast and always keep your dinner light!
Also read: Never skip breakfast
Why you should have a light dinner?
Ayurveda highly advocates that you should have a light dinner. Eating a heavy dinner late at night can lead to weight gain, high blood sugar, gastritis, heart issues, and other metabolic diseases.
This is because our body responds to food differently at different times of the day.
During the day, our digestive fire is strongest and so is our metabolism. So, you can eat your proteins and carbs during the day. But at night, our metabolism slows down, and our digestive system is weakest. It is gearing up for rest as you sleep. As such, your digestive system is sluggish and the food you eat is not digested properly. This can result in the accumulation of toxins or ama in the body, which is the root cause of all diseases.
Now that you know why you should eat light at dinner, here are some food items that you can add to your dinner plate –
Also read: What is mindful eating?
5 amazing recipes for weight loss healthy dinner
Mixed Vegetable Salad
A plate of vegetable salad can be your perfect fat-free low calorie dinner recipe. Vegetables are rich in fiber, vitamins, and other nutrients that keep you full for longer. Fibre also boosts digestion and helps you get clear bowel in the morning. Eating a plate of salad before 7 p.m. can help you lose significant weight.
How to make a mixed vegetable salad?
- Cut some carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, beetroot, and zucchini.
- You can add chickpeas or sprouts to it.
- Add a few drops of olive oil.
- Sprinkle some salt, pepper, sesame seeds, and flax seeds.
- Add a dash of lemon.
- Mix well and serve.
Watch now – Healthy Salad Recipes
Carrot Recipes
Carrots can help you in your weight loss journey as they are naturally low in calories. In addition to that, they are a storehouse of vital nutrients. They help in the easy digestion of foods and help in getting rid of the excess fat stored in your body. You can whip up a healthy carrot smoothie or make carrot juice.
How to make carrot soup for dinner?
- Cut a few slices of carrot and beetroot.
- Roast them on low flame.
- Saute some chopped onion, garlic, cumin, and coriander.
- Cook the spices for 30 minutes.
- Add vegetable broth, roasted carrots, and beetroots.
- Add salt, pepper, herbs, and spices to the soup.
- Let it cook for 15 minutes.
- Let the soup cool for a few minutes, then blend it in a blender.
- Add a dash of lemon to it.
Watch Now: Carrot Soup for weight loss
Stir fry your veggies
A bowl of stir-fried veggies with chapati can also make a perfect dinner recipe. Sauté some beans, carrots, broccoli, potatoes, and any other vegetable of your choice in olive oil. Keep the flame low and let it cook for some time. Beans and carrots are both magical ingredients when it comes to weight loss. They are rich in fiber and low in calories.
Idli
Idlis are super-healthy steamed food that can help in weight loss. They are low in calories and rich in fiber which can keep you full and satiated for longer. Idli can also promote healthy digestion and curb your hunger pangs. You can try ragi idlis, or oats idli and add grated carrots or almonds to make it more nutritious. Eat it with coconut chutney and sambhar.
How to prepare idli for weight loss?
Heat olive oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, onion, ginger, and green chilies, and saute for a minute.
Add the finely chopped veggies and a little salt.
Roast the Rava and oats in another pan for about 2 minutes.
Transfer the mix to a blending jar and make a powder of these roasted flakes.
Add 1/4 cup of curd to it.
Add water gradually making a thick batter. Whisk it for 2 minutes.
Add sauteed veggies to the batter. Add some salt to taste.
Cover with a lid and keep aside for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes check the consistency.
Watch now – Idli for weight loss
A bowl of spinach lentils
Lentils are rich in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are low in fat and rich in slow-digesting carbohydrates that keep you full and satiated for a long time. They are also loaded with B vitamins and minerals like iron, calcium, potassium, and zinc. Having a bowl of spinach dal with chapati can help you in shedding weight. Studies say that eating spinach every day can help you with weight loss.
How to make spinach dal for weight loss?
- Clean the dal and cut a few fresh spinach leaves.
- Put it in a cooker. Add salt, and turmeric and bring it to a boil.
- Saute onion, tomato, and curry leaves, in a pan.
- Add cumin seeds, coriander powder, and other spices to it.
- Once it forms a paste-like consistency, add the spinach daal.
- You can try different varieties of legumes to keep your meals exciting.
Watch now – Spinach dal for weight loss
A few more tips for weight loss
- Always eat natural and organic foods that are available locally.
- Avoid stale, unhealthy, processed foods that are high in salt or sugar.
- Eat mindfully and intuitively by paying attention to your food and your body.
- Maintain balance in body and mind through diet, exercise, and adequate sleep.
- Remember, the best time to have dinner is between 6-7 pm.
- Try to leave a gap of at least 2 hours between your dinner and bedtime.
- Drink ginger tea for weight loss. Ginger is one of the most well-known herbs for increasing metabolism, digestion, and detoxification.
- Beetroot juice is an excellent addition to your daily diet that can help in weight loss.
Also read: Beetroot for weight loss
