Breakfast (7 to 9 a.m.)
- Fruit juice. one cup of juice of any fruit, such as, orange, apple or pineapple.
- Fresh fruits. one apple, or one guava, or one banana, or two peaches.
- Germinated gram (Chickpeas). ¼ cup
- Wheat bread or toast. two pieces or cornflakes, or oatmeal, or wheat dalia with milk and sugar.
- Eggs (if desired). one (boiled, poached or scrambled)
- Tea or coffee. one cup (if desired)
Lunch and Dinner (12 to 2 p.m., 6 to 8 p.m.)
Salad (a mixture of tomato, cucumber, radish lettuce, carrot etc, with salt, pepper and lemon juice or with salad dressing)—about one cup
- Soup of any type—one cup
- Rice, bread or chapati
- Leafy vegetables (saag) of any kind
- Green vegetables of any kind
- Pulse (moong, masur, chana or any kind)
Note: The non-vegetarians can take fish or liver or any sea-food, but should avoid taking meat and chicken for a few months, if possible. Such restrictions on diet would help in solving the problem of obesity.
Afternoon Refreshment (3 to 5 p.m.)
- Fresh fruit of any kind—one or two pieces
- Salted biscuits—a few pieces Dry fruits ( a mixture of cashew, almond, pecan, pistachio and walnut) ¼ cup.
- Tea or coffee—one cup (if needed)
The above mentioned diet chart provides just an outline of items to be taken for breakfast, lunch, afternoon refreshment and dinner. The chart does not explain the method, principles and essential requirements. Without observance of these vitally important aspects, just eating according to the diet chart would not bring a satisfactory result. The chart becomes meaningful and important when the following principles, method and requirements are observed sincerely.
Principles and Requirements of Eating
- The first and most important principle is to eat slowly after chewing and crushing the food quite thoroughly.
- The second vitally important principle is to finish eating (specially dinner) at least two hours prior to sleeping time during night.
- The third and the most important principle is: never eat more than 85 percent of your capacity at any time. In other words, always eat a little less than you need.
- Avoid drinking water while eating. Drink water after half an hour of eating. Take ten to fifteen glasses of fresh water in twenty four hours.
- Do not eat fatty, fried and highly seasoned food. Avoid hot spices, pickles, chutney and sweets. Prepare your dishes by using the least amount of spices for flavour.
- Eat only four times in twenty-four hours, that is, take breakfast in the morning lunch at noon, some light refreshment in the afternoon and dinner at night. Avoid eating any thing in between these four fixed hours.
By following the principles and method of eating as described above and by practising yoga asanas as mentioned below you can be sure of losing a minimum of six pounds of weight every month.
