How to have a balanced diet for weight loss
For the last so many years I had been struggling to one day without pain in my physical body. Yes, you heard it right as I had been on various medications for various ailments, from thyroid to arthritis. Frustrated, I went to a doctor who after a battery of blood tests informed me that my RA factor was negative so no rheumatoid arthritis meds for me despite clinically I had all the symptoms. It was just the thyroid that needed attention. After all the discussion, everything zeroed down to one thing and that was, how to have a balanced diet for weight loss.
According to the doctor the only thing that can keep you healthy is balance. A little effort to control imbalance in life can help control bigger health issues. Since metabolism pays an important role to stay healthy, the kind of food that we eat on a daily basis maintains our body’s equilibrium. After discussion he made me understand that by taking care of the PH level of the body, we can achieve sustainable and permanent weight loss goals.
One major way to plan a balanced diet for weight loss is by following an Alkaline diet plan. To have a balanced diet for weight loss we need a balanced blood pH. pH is basically the measurement of the acid and alkaline ratio of the body fluids and tissues. When there is an imbalance in the pH, it becomes the cause of various diseases and metabolic disorders.
There are certain basics that we need to keep in mind.
- Foods that are rich in proteins, phosphate, and sulfur are acidic in nature. In the acidic state, the blood in our body absorbs calcium and magnesium from bones and tissues in order to maintain the pH level of body. This results in brittle bones, nails, and hair.
- Foods that are rich in calcium, fiber, vitamins, magnesium, and potassium are alkaline in nature.
It is important to maintain a balance as when the blood becomes acidic it becomes fatal for our body. Thus in any case the best advice is to maintain 80-20 balance between Alkaline and Acidic diet to maintain good health and stay disease free.
Why your diet should be 80% Alkaline?
- Acidic blood affects calcium and magnesium making the bones brittle, while alkaline diet controls this making the bones strong and healthy.
- Alkaline diet helps urine becomes alkaline thus reducing urine infection and kidney problems.
- The major benefit of alkaline diet is weight loss. Since alkaline diet mainly consists of high fiber low-calorie foods like fruits and vegetables so it automatically cuts down the calories intake while promoting weight loss.
- Alkaline diet, helps in increasing the pH of our body thus controlling the cancer cells’ growth. A diet balanced between more vegetables and fruits and less meat helps to heal cancer.
- Alkaline diet being low in saturated and trans fats and high in fiber improves heart health by controlling cholesterol levels.
Let us take a look at the foods that are Acidic or Alkaline
- Alkaline: fruits, nuts, vegetables and legumes.
- Acidic: Meat, fish, poultry, dairy, eggs, grains, and alcohol.
How to follow a balanced diet for weight loss
For us Indians the most difficult task is to maintain a balance in diet to lose weight and stay healthy. Let us take a look at the list of common food items which must be an important part of daily diet.
- Herbal and green tea,
- Lemon in vegetable juices, coconut water, wheat grass, sprouts etc.
- fruits like mango, apple, melons, papaya, figs, grapes, pear, kiwi and dates etc.
- Green leafy vegetables are known to be alkaline for the body. These are full of vitamin A, B, E, folic acid and minerals, calcium and iron with phosphorus that is important for body and immunity.
- Munching a handful of nuts as snack is a good idea because they are packed with healthy fats and have an alkaline effect in the body. Almonds, walnuts and cashews regulate blood sugar, improve heart health and controls weight being a source of antioxidants, fats, and proteins.
Balanced Indian diet plan for weight loss
- Begin your day with a glass of luke warm water with lemon juice.
- Breakfast can be a cup of vegetable juice with 1 bowl Quinoa/sprouted dalia.
- A cup of fruits bowl mentioned above in the list or a glass of coconut water.
- For lunch have a bowl of Tomato cucumber salad, with oats or mixed grain roti with any one vegetable from the list given above.
- For dinner have a bowl of green salad with beetroot chapati and spinach broccoli stew.
In addition to this, sweet lime and oranges which are a good source of vitamin C must be added as these help in detoxifying the system. Similarly root vegetables like sweet potato, beets, radish, turnips and carrots are an amazing source of alkaline foods that help to maintain the pH balance of body. Being a wonderful source of soluble and insoluble dietary fibre they help in boosting a healthy gut.
My take
Though it is a good idea to eat a balanced diet which is 80% alkaline and 20% acidic but as each body is different so before following anything blindly, it is great to observe mindful eating behavior. Drinking plenty of water, and limiting sugar, meat, processed foods and alcohol is the key to a healthy life without diseases. I am going to make a conscious effort to have a balanced diet to ease out my health issues, are you?
