Water makes up about 60 per cent of the human body and plays an integral part in all aspects of life. However, many people are concerned about their water weight.
This is particularly true for professional athletes and bodybuilders who want to lose weight or improve their appearance. Edema, or excessive water retention, is typically harmless, but it could be a sign of a larger medical problem like heart, liver, or kidney illness. Water retention is also common in women during the luteal phase of their menstrual cycle and during pregnancy. Here are six methods to cut down on water weight naturally and effectively.
Reduce Sodium
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Replacing high-sodium foods with low-sodium alternatives is a simple first step in losing weight. Too much sodium, or salt, can induce water retention right away. Because the body must maintain a balanced sodium-to-water ratio in order to operate properly, it will retain water if too much salt is taken. The newest dietary guidelines propose limiting salt intake to no more than 2,300 mg per day. Although table salt has significant sodium content, processed foods contain 75 per cent of the sodium individuals consume. Cheese, cold meats, bread, frozen dinners, soup mixes, and savoury snacks are among them. Natural foods are low in salt, such as vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Drink More Water
Drinking water, contrary to popular belief, can really help you lose weight. Dehydration can cause the body to store additional water in order to compensate for the lack of incoming water. Water aids kidney function by allowing excess water and salt to be eliminated from the body. Adults should consume approximately two litres of water every day. Substituting pure water for sugary drinks is an excellent strategy to meet the body’s daily water requirements.
Sleep More
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Sleep is equally as crucial for health as diet and exercise, according to research. Sleep may influence the sympathetic renal nerves in the kidneys, which regulate salt and water balance. A good night’s sleep can also help your body maintain hydration and decrease water retention. Aim for a healthy duration of sleep per night, which is typically seven to nine hours for most people.
Reduce Carbohydrate Intake
Carbohydrates, often known as carbs, cause the body to retain water. When we eat carbohydrates, we store the energy as glycogen molecules. Each gram (g) of glycogen is accompanied by three gram of water. Cutting carbs is a quick way to deplete glycogen levels, which implies water weight will be reduced as well. Adults require at least 130 g of carbs per day to function properly, but the average human diet contains far more. Bread, rice, and pasta are all common carbohydrates. Water weight can be reduced by replacing some daily carbs with high-protein foods such as lean meats, eggs, and soy products.
Stress Less
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Long-term stress can boost cortisol levels, which have a direct impact on fluid retention and water weight. This could be because stress and cortisol raise the antidiuretic hormone (ADH), a hormone that regulates water balance in the body. ADH tells your kidneys how much water to restore to your body by sending signals to them. You can maintain a normal amount of ADH and cortisol by controlling your stress levels, which is critical for fluid balance and long-term health and disease risk.
Supplements
Natural solutions for water retention include vitamin B-6 and magnesium oxide. These supplements occur in association with the kidneys to aid in the removal of excess water and sodium from the body. These two supplements are particularly efficient at relieving the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, or PMS, including water retention, according to studies. They can also help with bloating in the stomach, leg swelling, and breast soreness. Before taking any new supplements, it is best to consult with a doctor because they may have side effects or interfere with other prescriptions.
Mindful Eating: Losing Weight By Following An Indian Diet
In today’s fast-paced life where one is overloaded with work and hard-pressed to meet deadlines, one often neglects health, making poor dietary and physical activity choices, which eventually leads to obesity or some serious health issue.
According to a study conducted in 2017, India is considered to have the second-highest number of obese children (14.4 million) and third-highest obese people (11% of all adolescents and 20% of all adults). Known for its rich spices, versatile flavors and fresh herbs, losing weight effectively in India, is an insurmountable challenge.
For instance, a typical meal is high in carbohydrates and sugar – we eat a lot of chapatis (filled with gluten), rice, potatoes and spices. A day doesn’t pass without munching on namkeens and bujias. Out of hospitality and affection, we even pressurize our guests into eating too much and consider refusing an extra helping a rebuff.
It’s no wonder that India is battling a growing obesity problem, especially in the past few decades. Although, the answer doesn’t lie in shunning Indian food in favour of foreign cuisines. Thankfully, the best Indian diet plan for losing weight consists of foods lying in your kitchen and making a few changes to your everyday Indian diet. We all know the importance of a balanced diet for healthy living. Even for weight loss, we need to eat all for groups, although some more than the other.
Carbohydrates
The primary supplier of energy, carbohydrates should make up half of your daily calorie intake in your Indian weight loss diet chart. That said, it’s essential to choose the right type of carbs. Bread, biscuits, candies, white rice and wheat flour are simple carbs that must be avoided because they contain too much sugar and are bad for your health.
Instead, opt for complex carbs which you find in foods such as brown rice, millets such as ragi and oats that are rich in fiber and dense in nutrients because they are slow to digest. They leave you feeling full for longer, so if you are looking at a diet chart to reduce belly fat or slimming, the type and amount of carbohydrates that you include in your diet plan are influential.
Tip: Completely avoid things like a zero-carb diet or starvation.
Proteins
A lot of the Indian population is vegetarian, thus failing to fulfill the daily protein intake. Many dietitians suggest that approximately 30% of your diet must contain proteins. They are essential for repairing body tissue, muscles, cartilage and skin, as well as pumping blood. The icing on the cake? Consuming a high-protein diet can help in losing weight as it burns calories and instead builds muscle.
The primary source of protein is eggs, lean beef, chicken, turkey, white fish and dairy products. Although a high protein vegetarian diet would include whole dals, paneer, chana, milk, leafy greens (like spinach and fenugreek) and sprouts. By and large, try consuming one helping of protein along with every meal.
Tip: Recently a new concept of ‘vegan meat’ has sprung up, which gives you similar amounts of protein as real meat, but is plant-based.
Vitamins and Minerals
The last year has been a good eye-opener of how important getting vitamins and minerals are for good immunity. Vitamins A, E, B12, D and minerals calcium and iron are paramount, especially for weight loss. These nutrients aid in metabolism, improve nerve and muscle functionality, bone health and improve immunity. These are usually found in plants, meat, fish, nuts, oilseeds, fruits and green vegetables.
Experts suggest that you should consume 100 grams of greens and 100 g of fruits daily for weight loss. There are many diet charts for weight loss, for example, focusing on consuming mostly fruits and vegetables in a structured manner. This is one of the most natural weight reduction diet plans, suggested for vegans.
Tip: Avoid drinking fruits and vegetable juices because while juicing healthy fibre is lost.
Fibre
As mentioned earlier, consuming fibre-rich foods keeps you full for a longer period. Luckily, Indian meals contain fibrous foods that aid in digestion and protect your heart’s health. Nutritionists suggest a properly balanced diet for weight loss must include the consumption of a minimum of 15 g daily. Oats, lentils, flax seeds, apples, avocado, berries and broccoli are foods high in fibre.
Tip: Your mini-meals can include nuts, seeds, fruits and salads.
Fat
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As ironic and scary it may sound, the fat group is as important as other food groups because they help synthesize hormones, store vitamins, and provide energy. The famous Keto diet focuses on consuming a majority of foods dense in mini-meals healthy fats while eliminating carbohydrates. The sense behind it is that the body learns to use fat stores for energy instead of carbohydrates.
Healthy fats need to be consumed including polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and omega-3 fatty acids while eliminating bad fats like saturated and trans fats as they increase blood cholesterol levels. If 20% of your diet comprises healthy fats, you are good to go. There are many heart-healthy oils that you can use while cooking oils such as olive oil, mustard oil, soya bean, sesame, sunflower and groundnut oil.
Tip: Consume a spoonful of ghee every day, which is extremely flourishing for your joints and the gut.
Seven Day Diet Chart
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Many experts have suggested the below or a similar diet plan:
For Monday:
- Breakfast: 1 glass of detox cucumber water and Sambar with Idlis or Paneer sandwich
- Mid-morning snack: Black Coffee or Green Tea and Bowl of Nuts
- Lunch: Mixed vegetable salad or 1 bowl of Dal, sabzi of your choice and Brown Rice
- High Tea: Fruits and Buttermilk
- Dinner: 2 Rotis, Lauki Sabzi and 1 bowl of dal/ 1 bowl of vegetables
For Tuesday:
- Breakfast: 1 glass of detox cucumber water, Chana dal pancakes/ mixed vegetable parathas
- Mid-morning snack: Black Coffee or Green Tea and Bowl of Nuts
- Lunch: Mixed vegetable salad or 1 bowl of Dal, 2 whole-wheat rotis and Sabzi of your choice
- High Tea: Sauteed Paneer and Buttermilk or Green tea
- Dinner: Low fat paneer curry and Brown Rice
For Wednesday:
- Breakfast: 1 glass of detox cucumber water, Vegetable uthappam with salad or multigrain toast
- Mid-morning snack: Black Coffee or Green Tea and Bowl of Nuts
- Lunch: Mixed vegetable salad or 1 bowl of Dal, Sabzi of your choice and Brown Rice
- High Tea: Banana and Chole salad
- Dinner: Lentil pancakes and Tofu tikka masala
For Thursday:
- Breakfast: 1 glass of detox cucumber water and Egg or Tomato omelette and Buttermilk
- Mid-morning snack: Black Coffee or Green Tea and Bowl of Nuts
- Lunch: Mixed vegetable salad or 1 bowl of Dal and 2 whole-wheat rotis and sabzi of your choice
- High Tea: Fresh fruit smoothie and Bean Salad
- Dinner: Chana Masala and Basmati Rice and Vegetable Salad
For Friday:
- Breakfast: 1 glass of detox cucumber water and Yoghurt with fruits, nuts and honey
- Mid-morning snack: Black Coffee or Green Tea and Bowl of Nuts
- Lunch: Mixed vegetable salad or 1 bowl of Dal and chole and Brown Rice
- High Tea: Buttermilk and Papaya
- Dinner: Multigrain Parathas and Curd
For Saturday:
- Breakfast” 1 glass of detox cucumber water and Vegetable poha or upma
- Mid-morning snack: Black Coffee or Green Tea and Bowl of Nuts
- Lunch: Mixed vegetable salad or 1 bowl of Dal and 2 whole-wheat fibre rotis and Sabzi of your choice
- High Tea: Sauteed Vegetables and Curd
- Dinner: Vegetable Salad and Paneer Curry and Basmati Rice
For Sunday:
- Breakfast: 1 glass of detox cucumber water and Sambar with idli or whole-wheat dosa
- Mid-morning snack: Black Coffee or Green Tea and Bowl of Nuts
- Lunch: Mixed vegetable salad or 1 bowl of Dal and Paneer Sabzi and Brown Rice
- High Tea: Besan Chilla and Avocado Toast
- Dinner: Cheat meal
Tip: Always have freshly prepared meals. And never forget the famous saying “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.”
FAQs
Q. What are healthy snack options to lose weight for women?
A. A typical Indian woman requires five to six small meals instead of three huge meals because of how much work they do. Below are some snack options for women:
- Buttermilk or green tea
- Fruit smoothies topped with nuts and seeds
- Veg sandwich.
- Walnuts and dates
- Vegetable/ fruit salads
- Multigrain flour khakras
Indian homemade food is considered to be the best weight loss diet.
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Q. What are some Indian foods that must be avoided?
- Ravishing Indian sweets
- Carbonated drinks
- Naans, laccha paratha, or anything made from refined flour
- White Bread
- Thick gravy subzis
- Alcohol
- Normal White rice
- Ice cream
- Alcohol
- Chocolate and Candies
Sources:
https://www.femina.in/wellness/weight-loss/indian-diet-plan-for-weight-loss-202898.html
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/50-super-healthy-foods
https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/essential-guide-to-healthy-eating/
https://selecthealth.org/blog/2019/03/keys-to-a-healthy-diet
