Vijay Varma reveals how he looks ‘very lean’ in Jaane Jaan

Vijay Varma’s response to Rujuta Diwekar on his leaner frame (Source: Rujuta Diwekar/Vijay Varma/Instagram Stories)

Let’s decode more about how basic home food can help you optimise your fitness goals.

One of the main myths revolving around weight loss is that we should shun the consumption of our traditional foods and shift towards fancy exotic cuisines. “But this isn’t true. The magic pill behind fat loss resides somewhere in our traditional foods,” said clinical dietitian Garima Goyal.

Upma

This dish is a favourite South Indian breakfast and its significance on a weight loss diet is that it is lower in calories than other standard Indian breakfast dishes such as dosa, paranthas, poori, bhatura etc. “The basic ingredient of upma is semolina, also known as sooji, which is high in fibre levels and provides enough satiety to avoid frequent hunger pangs. In addition to sooji, the addition of vegetables makes this dish more balanced and wholesome, enriched with vitamins and minerals. Not only sooji can be used to prepare upma, but other wholesome grains such as rajgira or amaranth, ragi, rice flour, quinoa or oats can also be used to make upma. A spoonful of ghee when added while preparing upma, makes it more wholesome,” said Goyal.

Poha

For weight loss, the main thing to keep in consideration is that food should be high in fibre. “As poha is a natural source of dietary fibre, it can be a helpful tool for managing weight. It is a low-calorie dish that offers some proteins, carbohydrates, and fibre,” said Goyal.

Furthermore, when one adds additional ingredients like onions and peanuts, the nutritional value of this dish is further boosted. “Poha is a light breakfast dish that helps to speed up digestion. It doesn’t cause bloating and helps you feel fuller for longer because it’s easy to digest. It’s a nutritious and appropriate breakfast,” said Goyal.

Have you ever made this khichdi? (representative) (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

Khichdi

From a weight loss point of view to a therapeutic role, khichdi does it all for you.

“Khichdi is a wholesome meal. The addition of vegetables to khichdi enhances its nutritional value in terms of fibre, vitamins, and mineral content. Khichdi is a meal prepared with a combination of rice, lentils, and ghee and provides an adequate blend of carbohydrates, protein, fibre, healthy fats as well as vitamins and minerals, thus giving you an energy and immunity boost and not letting you fall sick,” the nutritionist said.

“Taking curd along with khichdi adds to its protein value,” shared Goyal.

Curd

Known for its amazing taste and smooth and creamy texture, the curd is enriched with essential nutrients and acts as a key catalyst in digestion. “Being a natural probiotic dairy product, curd promotes the growth of good bacteria in the gut and maintains the gut microbiome. The live bacteria present in curd is termed Lactobacillus bulgaricus, which is proven to ease dyspepsia. The richness of protein in curd supports losing weight and maintaining overall health. Curd can help you lose body fat and weight more than a low-calorie diet with minimal protein, but keep in mind to have curd made from low-fat milk,” Goyal said.

According to the expert, it offers you a flat tummy by supporting in shedding of those stubborn fat pockets around the abdominal and waist regions.

“Have 1-2 small bowls of khichdi, poha, or upma a day and a serving of curd a day,” said Goyal.

📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don’t miss out on the latest updates!