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It can be challenging for men who want to lose weight to find a suitable weight loss diet that really works and also gives them the high quality nutrition that their bodies need. Nutrition for men and women cannot be the same. If you are looking for a male weight loss diet plan, we will give you that in this article.

Here are some of the weight loss and health challenges that men need to think about:

• Men tend to put on weight differently and in different areas of the body when compared to women. Fat in the belly and chest is more common among men.
• Excess weight can result in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) which harms the liver.
• Men are more prone to high blood sugar due to excess weight. This can first cause prediabetes and later become diabetes.
• Hypothyroidism is becoming more common among men with excess weight being a big factor.
• Digestion issues like gas, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), bloating and acidity/acid reflux can occur with a poor diet over a long period.
• Kidney issues are also becoming more common among men who are overweight.
• Sleep apnea is also a problem that occurs more among overweight men.

In order to avoid these issues and improve health it is important to focus on not just weight loss, but fat loss. We do not want to lose muscle which is essential for men especially as we get older. This is the problem with most extreme diets. Yes, a lot of weight is lost but a good amount of that is muscle, which is very hard to build again. A balanced male weight loss diet plan will preserve the muscle and focus on losing fat alone.

Annamalai, before & afterDaily9.

If you’re looking for a scientific and sustainable way to lose weight, this article explains how to plan and follow a diet for weight loss. We’ve put together this diet plan for weight loss along with other helpful tips for different situations. We know that men who spend more time in an office have very different challenges when it comes to diet & exercise when compared to men who spend more time at home. We’ve provided helpful tips for both situations in this article.

Male weight loss diet plan tips

Weight loss is a big concern for many men and is often the first priority in their fitness plan. Weight loss is not easy but certainly achievable with a structured plan, effort and patience.

The key is to focus on the 3 big areas that matter the most when it comes to a healthy lifestyle – a balanced diet, regular exercise and good sleep habits.

Many people are under the impression that a weight loss diet requires something drastic or extreme. For example, starvation diets, very low or no-carbs, keto, paleo or using pills and supplements. While some of these can show results, this only lasts for a very short time.

None of these approaches have been proven to work in the long run. In fact, following such diets in the long run can cause health problems and result in issues like losing muscle and disrupting your metabolism.

What has been shown to work is a balanced & nutritious diet with the right proportions of all food groups.

Here are the 3 main food groups that must be considered when designing a weight loss diet chart or plan:

Food group 1: Vegetables

This is important to give your body the important nutrients like vitamins, minerals & fiber. In addition, vegetables also include a lot of water and eating enough vegetables helps you feel full and satisfied after a meal. Eating enough vegetables must be at the heart of your diet plan for weight loss.

Food group 2: Protein

There is a misconception that protein is only required for building muscle or if you are working out. This is a myth. Protein is made up of amino acids and they are a basic requirement of the human body for many things, including for good digestion and immunity.

Including protein helps with reducing snack cravings as high-protein foods are very filling.

Therefore, any diet for weight loss for men must focus on including high-quality sources of protein. This is especially important for men because there is some loss of muscle with age and this also impacts bone health and strength. Adequate protein intake is important to deal with this.

Food group 3: Carbohydrates

The Indian diet tends to be high on carbs, which is mainly grains like rice & wheat. Foods like rice, roti, oats, poha, idli, dosa, biscuits are all made from grains and therefore major sources of carbs. It is important to control how much carbs you eat in a day. The idea is not to eat very low or no carbs.

The reality is that for many, these carb foods are more than 60% or even 70% of their daily diet.

That is too much, harmful to health in the long run and can lead to issues like fatty liver, diabetes and thyroid. The goal is to lower the amount of carbs while also increasing protein and vegetables. This helps make the diet balanced and ideal for weight loss. It has been shown in studies and we see this with Daily9 users also – rebalancing the diet in this way improves health by getting fatty liver and blood sugar under control while also achieving weight loss.

The exact balance of these 3 food groups – vegetables, protein and carbohydrates will vary per person. As a simple guideline, you can aim for an equal balance of these groups on your plate.

Balancing the food groups

Indian Diet Chart for Weight loss

It can be tempting to focus on the ideal breakfast for weight loss, lunch for weight loss or best dinner for weight loss.

What is more important is a balanced overall food intake in a day.

Below is an easy to follow Indian weight loss diet chart that can be followed for a week (7 days) by a man. The portions are based on a man in the weight range of 65-75 kgs and should be used as a guide. If you would like a more customized meal plan, fill out this short form and we will send it to you.

Please note the following points:

• Some foods are noted in cups. A cup = 240ml. This is a standard unit of measure and you can buy it from Amazon, see these options. See the cup in red below to get an idea of how much it is.

• Some foods (like paneer) are noted in fist-sized quantities. A fist = your fist. Keep the food next to your first to estimate the quantity.
• We include some whey protein shakes in the weight loss diet plan below. Whey protein is an extract from milk and proven to be safe and healthy. While we do not recommend supplements, whey is the one exception given its proven benefits. But you can feel free to swap it with another protein option like greek yogurt (hung curd) in the shakes.
• You can modify this diet plan to swap one vegetable for another or to have one grain for another (rice instead of roti for example).

While we have provided a weight loss diet plan below, please use this as a guide only. There is no single ideal diet chart as a one-size-fits-all answer approach will not work when it comes to a weight loss diet plan. One’s nutritional requirements will vary based on a number of factors, including gender, height, weight, meal preferences, any medical conditions, allergies etc.

We have prepared a diet plan ideal for weight loss focusing on mainly Indian foods. This diet plan is a sample, and we would recommend that you work with a Daily9 coach to customize it for your needs.

PURE VEGETARIAN DIET PLAN FORWEIGHTLOSS

Day 1

Breakfast:

• 1 fist paneer bhurji with ½ cup tomato, onion, capsicum
• 1 slice toast
• 1 orange
• 1 cup tea/coffee

Lunch:

• ½ cup rice
• ¾ cup methi dal (½ cup lentils)
• ½ cup cauliflower
• ½ cup yoghurt

Snack:

• ½ scoop Whey fruit smoothie with ½ cup milk
• 1 banana

Dinner:

• 1 cup mixed veg sabzi/ stir fry
• ¾ cup dal ( with ½ cup cooked lentils+water)
• ½ cup jeera rice
• ½ cup green salad (cucumber, tomato, onion, carrot)

Day 2

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• Whey fruit smoothie (1 scoop whey, 1 banana, ½ cup milk, ½ cup oats)

Lunch:

• ½ cup rasam rice
• ½ cup cabbage poriyal with sprinkled coconut
• 1 cup pumpkin and lentil stew (with ½ cup pumpkin, ½ cup dal)

Snack:

• ½ fist sauteed spiced paneer
• 1 pear or apple
• 1 black tea/coffee

Dinner:

• Green beans+soy bean curry (½ cup each)
• 1 radish paratha
• 1 cup mix veg raita (with ¾ cup veg)

Day 3

Breakfast:

• 2 Adais (lentil dosa)
• 1 cup aviyal (mix veg + coconut stew)
• 1 cup tea/coffee

Lunch:

• ½ cup Peas pulao
• 1 cup Green salad
• 1 fist Paneer tikka

Snack:

• 1 Banana
• 1 black tea/coffee

Dinner:

• ½ cup Ridgegourd or other vegetable chutney
• ½ cup spiced soy bean
• 2 dosas
• 1 cup yoghurt

Day 4

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• 1 fist paneer bhurji with ½ cup tomato, onion, mushroom
• 1 slice toast

Lunch:

• ½ cup rice
• ½ cup bittergourd sambar (¼ cup veg+¼ cup dal)
• ½ cup bhindi sabzi
• ½ cup yoghurt

Snack:

• 1 scoop Whey+apple smoothie

Dinner:

• 1 cup veg stew/kurma
• ½ cup rice
• ¼ cup Grated carrot salad with ¼ cup chickpeas

Day 5

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• ½ cup Overnight oats with 100 gms Greek yoghurt +1 grated apple

Lunch:

• ½ cup Jeera pulao
• ¾ cup rajma in tomato/onion gravy (½ cup rajma+¼ cup gravy)
• ½ cup Ivy gourd (kundru) sabzi

Snacks:

• Broccoli and paneer tikki (with ½ cup broccoli + ½ fist paneer+¼ cup oats)
• 1 green tea

Dinner:

• Palak tofu (1 cup palak, 1 fist tofu, without cream)
• 1 roti
• Mixed veg raita with ¼ cup veg

Rice & rajma

Day 6

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• 2 besan ka cheela with ½ cup tomato onion chutney

Lunch:

• Stuffed bell pepper (½ cup rice, ½ cup veg, ½ fist paneer)
• ½ cup salad (lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomato)

Snacks:

• ½ scoop Whey protein shake
• 1 cup papaya

Dinner: Eating out

• ½ fist Tofu satay
• 1 cup Veg curry
• 1 cup jasmine rice

Day 7

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• ½ cup spiced soy bean, ½ cup mushroom and spinach
• 1 cup melon

Lunch:

• 1½ cup pulao (½ cup veg/½ cup rice)
• 1½ cup black dal (1 cup lentils)

Snacks:

• 1 glass coconut water
• ½ cup cucumber, tomato and bell peppers

Dinner: Eating out:

• 3 slices Paneer and Veg Pizza (½ fist paneer+½ fist cheese+¼ cup veg)
• ¾ cup Caesar salad

Vegetable pizza

VEGETARIAN (WITH EGGS) DIET PLAN FORWEIGHTLOSS

Day 1

Breakfast:

• 2 egg omelette with ½ cup tomato, onion, capsicum
• 1 orange
• 1 cup tea/coffee

Lunch:

• ½ cup egg rice with 1 egg
• ¾ cup dal (½ cup lentils)
• ½ cup cauliflower
• ½ cup yoghurt

Snacks:

• ½ scoop Whey fruit smoothie with ½ cup milk, 1 banana

Dinner:

• 1 cup veg stir fry
• Mutter paneer with 1 fist paneer
• ½ cup jeera rice
• ½ cup green salad

Day 2

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• Whey fruit smoothie (½ scoop whey, 1 banana, ½ cup milk, ¼ cup oats)

Lunch:

• 2 boiled eggs
• ½ cup Rasam Rice
• 1 cup cabbage poriyal
• ½ cup pumpkin kootu (with ¼ cup dal, ¼ cup pumpkin)

Snacks

• 1 fist sauteed spiced paneer
• 1 pear
• 1 black tea/coffee

Dinner:

• Veg+soy bean curry (½ cup each)
• 1 radish paratha
• 1 cup mix veg raita (with ½ cup veg

Day 3

Breakfast:

• ½ scoop whey in water
• 1 adai
• 1 cup aviyal
• 1 cup tea/coffee

Lunch:

• ½ cup roast potatoes
• 1 cup Green salad
• 1 fist Quick paneer tikka

Snacks:

• 1 Banana
• 100 gms Greek yoghurt
• 1 black tea/coffee

Dinner:

• 2 scrambled eggs
• ½ cup onion-tomato chutney
• 2 small dosas

Day 4

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• 1 fist paneer bhurji with ¼ cup tomato, onion, mushroom

Lunch:

• ½ cup rice
• ½ cup beans/carrot sambar (¼ cup veg+¼ cup dal)
• 1 cup bhindi sabzi
• 100 gms Greek yoghurt

Snacks:

• 1 boiled egg
• 1 glass Coconut water

Dinner:

• 1 cup veg stew
• ¾ cup rice
• 1 fist spiced soy bean

Day 5

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• Fruit with Greek yoghurt (200 gms Greek yoghurt +1 grated apple)

Lunch:

• ½ cup Jeera pulao
• 2 boiled eggs
• ¼ cup rajma in ¼ cup tomato/ onion gravy
• 1 cup Ivy gourd (kundru) sabzi

Snacks:

• Broccoli and paneer tikki (with ½ cup broccoli + ½ fist paneer+¼ cup oats)
• 1 green tea

Dinner:

• Palak tofu (¾ cup palak,½ fist tofu)
• 1 roti
• Mixed veg raita with ½ cup veg

Day 6

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• 1 besan ka cheela with ½ cup green chutney

Lunch:

• Stuffed bell pepper (½ cup rice, ½ cup veg, 1 fist paneer)
• ½ cup salad (lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes)
• ½ scoop Whey smoothie with 1 cup papaya
• ½ cup spiced soy bean/ edamame

Dinner:Eating out

• Sesame ginger baked tofu (1 fist tofu)
• 1 cup veg stir fry
• ½ cup jasmine rice

Day 7

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• 3 egg omelette with ¼ cup mushroom and spinach
• ½ cup melon

Lunch:

• 1½ cup pulao (½ cup veg/ ½ fist paneer/ ½ cup rice)
• ½ cup green salad
• 100 gms Greek yoghurt

Snacks:

• 1 glass coconut water
• ¼ cup cucumber, tomato, bell peppers

Dinner: Eating out

• 2 slices Paneer and Veg Pizza (½ fist paneer+½ fist cheese)
• 1 cup Caesar salad

Veggie-loaded omelette

NON-VEGETARIAN DIET PLAN FORWEIGHTLOSS

Day 1

Breakfast:

• 2 egg omelette with ½ cup tomato, onion, capsicum
• 1 orange
• 1 cup tea/coffee

Lunch:

• ½ cup egg rice with 1 egg
• ½ cup dal
• ½ cup cauliflower
• ½ cup yoghurt

Snacks:

• ½ scoop Whey smoothie with ½ cup milk + 1 banana

Dinner:

• 1 cup veg stir fry
• 1 fist chicken breast
• ½ cup jeera rice
• ½ cup green salad

Rice with chicken curry

Day 2

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• Whey smoothie (½ scoop whey, 1 banana, ½ cup milk, ½ cup oats)

Lunch:

• 2 boiled eggs
• ½ cup Rasam Rice
• 1 cup cabbage poriyal
• ½ cup pumpkin kootu (with ¼ cup pumpkin+¼ dal)

Snacks:

• 1 fist Quick paneer tikka
• 1 pear
• 1 black tea/coffee

Dinner:

• Veg+soy bean curry (½ cup each)
• 1 small radish paratha
• Mix veg raita (with ½ cup veg)

Day 3

Breakfast:

• 1 adai
• 1 cup aviyal
• 1 cup tea/coffee

Lunch:

• 1 fist Arabic chicken
• ½ cup roast potatoes
• 1 cup Green salad

Snacks:

• 1 Banana
• 1 cup Greek yoghurt
• 1 black tea/coffee

Dinner:

• 2 scrambled eggs
• ½ cup onion-tomato chutney
• 1 dosa
• 1 black tea/coffee

Day 4

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• 1 fist paneer bhurji with ¼ cup tomato, onion, mushroom

Lunch:

• ½ cup rice
• ½ cup carrot/beans sambar (¼ cup veg+¼ cup dal)
• 1 cup bhindi

Snacks:

• 2 boiled eggs
• 1 glass Coconut water

Dinner:

• 1 cup veg stew
• ¾ cup rice
• 1 fist fish curry

Day 5

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• Fruit with Greek yoghurt (200 gms Greek yoghurt +1 grated apple)

Lunch:

• ½ cup Jeera pulao
• 2 boiled eggs
• ½ cup rajma in tomato/onion gravy (¼ cup rajma)
• ½ cup Ivy gourd (kundru) sabzi

Snacks:

• Broccoli and paneer tikki (with ½ cup broccoli + ½ fist paneer+¼ cup oats)
• 1 green tea

Dinner:

• Palak chicken curry (1 cup palak, ½ fist chicken)
• 1 roti
• Mixed veg raita with ½ cup veg

Day 6

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• 1 besan ka cheela with ¼ cup tomato-onion chutney

Lunch:

• Stuffed bell pepper (½ cup rice, ½ cup veg, 1 fist paneer)
• 1 cup salad (lettuce, cucumber, cherry tomatoes)

Snacks:

• 1 scoop Whey smoothie with 1 cup papaya

Dinner: Eating out

• Sesame ginger baked tofu (¾ cup broccoli/bell peppers/carrot/ zucchini+1 fist tofu)
• ½ cup jasmine rice

Snacks:

• 1 scoop Whey smoothie with 1 cup papaya

Day 7

Breakfast:

• 1 cup tea/coffee
• 3 egg omelette with ½ cup mushroom and spinach
• ½ cup melon

Lunch:

• 1½ cup pulao (½ cup veg/ ½ fist paneer/1 cup rice)
• ½ cup green salad
• ½ cup yoghurt

Snacks:

• 1 glass coconut water

Dinner:Eating out

• 2 slices Pepperoni and cheese Pizza (½ fist meat+½ fist cheese)
• 1 cup Caesar salad

Weight Loss tips for men traveling to work

We know that men who spend a lot of time in an office environment have some unique challenges. Therefore we have provided some diet related tips below to help you.

Diet tip 1: Do some meal preparation at home

This need not be anything elaborate. But packing simple snacks like fruits (apple, banana, orange), a raw cut salad (carrot, cucumber, tomato) or boiled eggs and taking it with you can help with eating better in an office. You will also be able to avoid unhealthy (sugary or oily) food options at the office canteen.

Having healthy food with you is very important in the evenings when you get very hungry but do not have any healthy options available.

Doing some advance preparation will help you in these situations and support your weight loss diet plan

Cut veggies in a snack box

Diet tip 2: Eating out smart

You may be required to eat in restaurants while traveling or during meetings as part of your job. While this can be a challenge, it is possible to still eat healthy.

The key is to focus on vegetables and proteins.

For example, at an Indian restaurant you can build a meal with dishes like soup, malai broccoli, paneer tikka, mixed veg raita, dry vegetable curries, a side salad and having smaller portions of steamed rice and roti. Skipping the desserts also helps. You can opt for healthier options like buttermilk or a lime juice to drink. This way you can handle such work lunches/dinners but not mess up your weight loss diet either.

Diet tip 3: Limit the treats at work

We know that friends and colleagues at work might tempt you often with cakes, donuts or other treats. While it is not always possible to avoid them, keep the portions small. This way you will avoid awkward social situations but also not hurt your weight loss diet plan.

Getting enough exercise can be difficult if you are spending most of your time at a desk. Here are some ideas:

Exercise tip 1: Take frequent breaks from sitting

Sitting for long periods of time has been shown to cause health problems. So it’s important to take frequent breaks from sitting. Take short breaks to stretch your body and avoid joint stiffness. You will add more exercise to your day which will help with your weight loss goal. We’ve provided some helpful guidance and stretches here.

Exercise tip 2: Try intermittent workouts

You may not always find time for 30-60 mins of exercise. But it does not have to always be that long. Even short sessions of movement – like 5-10 minutes help. These are intermittent workouts.

A short intermittent exercise session will help you destress and reduce snack cravings.

This will support your weight loss diet plan. See this infographic where we provide many examples of exercises you can do and how to add them to short breaks in your day.

Exercise tip 3: Walking & stairs are your friend

Add a little exercise into your work day. You can walk around your office building or take the stairs instead of the lift. You can even take calls while walking. All these little ideas will add up and help you get more out of your weight loss diet plan.

Weight Loss tips for Men working from home

We know that men who spend a lot of time at home have some unique challenges. Therefore we have provided some tips below to help you.

Diet tip 1: Keep your diet simple, especially vegetables

If getting a lot of cooked vegetables is hard, you can use raw cut vegetables like tomato, carrot, cucumber & capsicum as a side salad. Add some lime, salt & pepper for taste. This will make it easy on others in the family who might be preparing the food and by keeping it simple they can also support you with your weight loss diet plan.

Diet tip 2: Snacking

Can be a challenge at home. You can try black coffee or teas like black, green or herbal teas which can help deal with cravings. Another option is fruit – 2 fruits a day are a great choice as a snack and can be included in your weight loss diet. If you have sugar cravings, sugar-free chewing gum can help.

Struggling with evening snack cravings from Daily9 Wellness on Vimeo.

Diet tip 3: Have a work zone and eating zone

It helps to have some basic rules when working from home. A simple one is to split your house into zones – a work zone (e.g. table), a family zone (e.g. TV room), a food zone (e.g. kitchen) etc.

The idea is to work in the work zone only, not anywhere else. Similarly, you only eat in the eating zone.

This helps you avoid snacking while working and also helps focus on work and food properly and without distractions.

Getting enough exercise can be difficult if you are spending most of your time at home. Here are some ideas:

Exercise tip 1: Walking

Walking within the house or even around your building is a great option. Walking at a brisk pace is proven to be effective for weight loss. See some ideas in this article that will help you get more out of your walks.

Exercise tip 2: Surya Namaskar

is a zero equipment exercise you can do at home. While it is usually done in the morning, you can do it whenever you find time during your day. Performing Surya Namaskar is known to energize the whole body and activate all the major muscles. This will help support your weight loss goal.

It’s also very effective in calming your mind and body.

We have provided some helpful tips and videos to do the Surya Namasker in this article.

Weight Loss tips for Men who hit the Gym

If you have a regular exercise schedule, here are some tips to help you maximize your weight loss results.

Tip 1: Add some strength training to your exercise routine.

Strength training is proven to have many benefits for men’s health including weight loss. Try to get 1-2 strength training sessions in a week focusing on all the major muscle groups.

Tip 2: Don’t overeat due to exercise

It can be tempting to think that you need to eat extra before & after your workout. This often leads to eating too much. For light and intermediate level exercise of up to 1 hour, your usual eating should be adequate. Aim to eat a balanced meal within 2 hours after your workout.

Tip 3: Don’t miss out on sleep.

You may think that you need to get that daily workout in at any cost. Often this means you will have poor sleep and wake up early to exercise. While that is to be applauded, you may not know that sleep is a big factor in weight loss.

If you do not get enough sleep, you may get stuck with your weight loss even with a good diet & exercise.

Prioritize your sleep and aim for around 7 hours on a regular basis.

Daily9 weight loss programme for men

We’ve worked with hundreds of men and understand the unique challenges they face when trying to lose weight or find a weight loss diet plan. You can see some of our success stories here. The Daily9 system is proven to work as an effective weight loss diet plan. Male coaches at Daily9 have developed practical ideas and strategies that work in real life and improve the weight loss that men achieve with Daily9. This helps with weight loss and also many health conditions that Indian men face like digestive issues, fatty liver, diabetes, thyroid and joint problems from excess weight.

While there are many calorie counters out there, we believe that a focus on quality & nutrition (and not just calories) is critical for any weight loss diet plan. Instead of tracking calories, we believe in tracking healthy habits at Daily9.

Most importantly, the Daily9 weight loss diet plan is practical and suits an Indian family environment. This will set you up for success with weight loss and also weight maintenance in the long run.

If you’re looking for a scientific and practical approach to weight loss, take a look at the Daily9 coaching programme. It’s the only programme that helps with weight loss and weight maintenance.