Published Feb 01, 2026 | 7:00 AM ⚊ Updated Feb 01, 2026 | 2:55 PM
Representational image. Credit: iStock
Synopsis: Nutritionist Aayesha Parveen says that sustainable weight loss comes from consistent, moderate habits rather than crash diets. Simple changes—balanced plates, mindful snacking, protein-rich breakfasts, and portion control using hand measures—help reduce calories naturally. Avoiding liquid calories, maintaining meal timing, and prioritising sleep support long-term results. Meanwhile, personalised plans tailored to lifestyle and culture ensure lasting, healthy weight management.
Many people think losing weight requires crash diets or intense workouts. However, according to Aayesha Parveen, consultant nutritionist, Kinder Women’s Hospital and Fertility Centre, Bengaluru, sustainable weight loss comes from small, consistent habits that reduce calories naturally — without making life miserable.
Instead of cutting out foods, she suggests adjusting plate composition. Switching to half vegetables, a quarter protein, and a quarter carbs helps reduce hunger, curb snacking, and support fat loss naturally.
Vegetables like carrot, beetroot, ridge gourd, and bottle gourd work well, while protein can include eggs, paneer, curd, dal, chana, or sprouts. Eating protein at breakfast helps control cravings throughout the day.
Parveen highlights that liquid calories often go unnoticed. Tea with sugar, flavored coffee, or juices can add up quickly. Swapping these for lemon water, buttermilk, or plain tea and coffee can reduce calorie intake without feeling deprived.
Nutritionist Aayesha Parveen
Sleep and meal timing also matter. Eating late at night or sleeping poorly encourages fat storage. Finishing dinner two to three hours before bed and keeping meal timings consistent can support hormonal balance and help weight management.
Even without strict calorie counting, these small changes — portion size, protein, fiber, and timing — can deliver long-term results.
Parveen suggests several habits that make weight management easier:
• Split meals across the day: Eating five to six smaller meals, starting with soaked nuts or a light breakfast, prevents overeating later.
• Eat slowly and without screens: It takes around 20 minutes for fullness signals to reach the brain. Focus on the meal to feel full sooner.
• Start meals with fibre or protein: A cup of vegetables, paneer, or sprouts before the main meal reduces overall intake naturally.
• Choose whole foods: Home-cooked meals with millets, ragi, bajra, and other complex carbs keep fiber high and calories lower.
• Snack mindfully: Eat snacks while seated, preferably protein- or fiber-rich, and hydrate before reaching for food to avoid mistaking thirst for hunger.
Crash diets are hard to maintain because extreme restriction is not sustainable for the body or mind. They often cause rapid weight loss by burning muscle instead of fat, leading to rebound weight gain. Severe calorie cutting also slows metabolism and increases cravings, making long-term success difficult.
A moderate approach that balances carbs, protein, fibre, portion size, and timing supports gradual fat loss while preserving muscle mass and overall health.
You don’t need a weighing scale to measure your meals. Aayesha Parveen recommends using your hands as a simple guide:
“Everyone has different medical conditions, schedules, sleep patterns, stress levels, food preferences, height, weight, and BMI,” says Parveen. Personalised diet plans that account for these factors are far more sustainable than generic diets.
For example, a postpartum mother, a teenager, and a sedentary adult all need different calorie, protein, and fibre targets. Diets tailored to lifestyle and culture are easier to follow consistently and produce lasting results.
(Aayesha Parveen is Consultant – Nutritionist, Kinder Women’s Hospital and Fertility Centre, Bengaluru)
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
