7 Dinner Rules That Will Help You Lose Weight

If you’re trying to lose weight, small changes in your lifestyle can add up to a big impact.

Dinner is one of the most important meals of the day. It comes at the end of the day when you’re tired, hungry and irritable and – most likely than not – liable to binge. Making the right choice is essential as you must consume enough to stave off hunger, but limit your calorie consumption so that you can lose weight. Low-calorie, high-protein and nutritious foods will fill you up and keep you away from overeating.

Follow these seven dinner rules to speed up your weight loss.

1. Don’t skip meals. It’s an acknowledged and scientifically proven fact that skipping meals during the day can lead to binging during dinner time. It also promotes belly fat storage and increases the risk for insulin resistance. Eating small meals at regular intervals can boost your metabolism.
2. Have a pre-dinner snack. A whole fruit or a bowl of corn on the way back from work can quell those hunger pangs. Or else, try these protein-rich snacks that will keep you feeling fuller for longer.
3. Enjoy an entrée. Plan your meals so that you partake of a salad and soup as the first course. This fills you up and ensures that you have a smaller portion of the main course. Follow this sensible mantra when eating out to quell weight gain.
4. Eat just enough. We all know that we should eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. But how many of us do it? Eat dinner sparingly and slowly, till you feel satiated. Overeating at this time of the day is a bad idea as the body’s metabolic rate has slowed down by then.
5. Opt for one-bowl meals. Take time out to plan simple and nutritious meals such as rajma/chickpea salad, a fresh garden salad, fruit chaat or recipes involving sprouts. Ensure that you measure portion sizes to avoid overeating.
6. Say no to dessert. The diet goes for a complete toss if you end a nutritious meal with a dessert high in fat and sugar. Say no to cake, ice cream, and cookies – they can be a weekend treat. If your sweet tooth needs a fix, try whole fruit, a fruit salad or a bunch of raisins/dates.
7. An after-dinner meal. If you are used to staying up late and find yourself hankering for a late-night snack, stay away from impromptu sandwiches, ice cream or namkeen. A cup of low-fat milk is the best option to lull you into dreamland.

Most people usually have complaints regarding acidity and gastric reflux post-dinner. Following these dinner commandments not only takes care of medical issues but has also helped them lose and keep the weight off.

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Written by Neha Jain

She may have multiple degrees to back her expertise, but Neha Jain believes there’s nothing complex about nutrition. There is no magic formula for a healthy diet – the trick lies in balancing a variety of food groups and ensuring you’re eating the right portion size. With an MSc in Food and Nutrition from Delhi University and diplomas in naturopathy and yogic sciences, Neha is also a certified diabetes educator with extensive experience in endocrinological disorders and weight reduction, having worked with renowned endocrinologist Dr Ambrish Mithal in Delhi. Her goal is to help people find easy ways to make healthy choices, and believes HealthifyMe has simplified her task with its technology. Neha’s made the right choices for her family – she’s helped her husband control his high cholesterol levels and borderline diabetes by changing the meal plan at home, and introducing him to regular exercise – and now she’s hoping to ‘healthify’ you too.