Dietitian shares 80/20 diet plan to help you meet your 2023 weight loss resolutions

Who says you have to stop eating carbs or skip meals to lose weight? Even though some people think that one must "eat less" and give up on their favourite food items in order to achieve results, experts will firmly disagree. In fact, they will tell you that it's far from truth and reality. All you actually need to do is follow the 80/20 diet plan, endorsed and promoted by several nutritionists and dietitians, and be mindful of what you add to your diet and how much.

According to Dr Archana Batra, a dietitian and certified diabetes educator, such a method typically fails because it doesn't result in a sustainable & balanced lifestyle. Instead, it results in a "yo-yo" effect, in which people rely on unhealthy weight reduction methods and then end up eating high-calorie and fatty diets during their cheat days.

Speaking to IANS, Dr Batra said, "Finding a diet that matches your requirements and lifestyle is wholesome. The 80/20 rule has to be the greatest diet plan for meeting all of your weight loss requirements. Also, this diet will prevent you from putting on weight while making you feel satisfied after every meal. This will help keep you fuller for longer periods, reducing cravings. This method emphasizes both, the nutrients that a healthy body needs and the tiny delights that will satisfy your mood cravings."

"So, rather than reducing the number of meals and completely eliminating carbs, the 80/20 rule focuses on dividing other nutrients and carbs evenly throughout the day. It is often difficult to begin a diet plan, thus the goal is to keep your mind satisfied. Then, gradually reduce your intake of high-calorie foods daily," Dr Batra added.

How to follow the 80/20 diet plan?

The 80/20 diet plan consists of 80 per cent nutrient-dense food, such as protein, fibre, vitamins, and carbohydrates, and 20 per cent of snacks and treats, such as a pack of chips, french fries, ice cream,or anything that you prefer. Simple right? Now, let's check out a step-by-step guide that will help you follow this new diet plan.

Step-by-step guide

1. Start by choosing a high-protein meal for breakfast to energise your body.
2. Then for lunch, opt for a home-cooked meal. You can go for white rice, brown rice, multigrain roti, protein side dish, pulses/lentils, vegetable stew, etc.
3. In case, you end up eating alarge meal, try reducing your calorie intake in the next meal. Let's say you eat a grilled cheese sandwich for breakfast, try simplifyingyour lunch by reducing the amount of rice/roti and increasing the number of veggies and meats like chicken, fish, or paneer.
4. Take a 30-minute break post lunch to consume yoghurt or something else that can help you with digestion. Tip: If you're having an extremely low-carb lunch, skip this section.
5. Lastly, plan your meals on a weekly basis. If you have a Saturday outing planned, eat low-carb dishes on Friday and Monday. This method allows you to control your calorie intake.

(With inputs from agencies)

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