Throw out everything you’ve learned about fad diets or juice cleanses or detoxes to lose weight! The ultimate weight loss & dieting hack is here, and we promise it will make a major difference. Paper and pencil at the ready? Let’s jump right into it!

This magical diet hack is called Calorie Counting or Macro Counting. Now what exactly is this mathematical sounding method and is it as complex as it sounds? Absolutely not!

All you need to do is get an approx measurement of what you’re eating, download an app like MyFitnessPal and you’re good to go!

First thing first, we need to calculate your calorie intake limit, you can follow the link below to do it:

https://www.freedieting.com/calorie-calculator

Once you get your limit here’s what you need to do:

1. If you want to lose weight, you stay in a calorie deficit i.e. eat the equivalent of your calorie limit in a day, and lose about 300-400 calories with the help of exercise. If followed properly you could lose up to a kg a week!
2. If you want to maintain your weight, you eat the equivalent of your calorie limit.

Easy? Now here’s what your ideal day of eating should look like if you want to lose weight and have an intake limit of 1200 calories:

1. Early Morning (1 calorie)

A glass of warm water + one tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice. This drink might just be a secret elixir in order to get your gut health back on track and regulate your energy levels and immunity.

2. Breakfast (243 calories)

1 whole boiled egg and a slice of multigrain bread with low fat-cheese and a tomato with salt and pepper. Your breakfast is the most important meal of the day, which is why you need to get all your nutrients right by including complex carbs, protein, calcium and fiber in it. You can enjoy a cup of black coffee with your breakfast too!

3. Lunch (approx 350 calories)

2 chapatis, a bowl of vegetables and a bowl of dal + salad. In order to keep your energy levels lifted through the day you need to get your fix of nutrients + just enough food to keep your tummy full! If you add multigrain chapatis to this mix, it adds on to the health benefits of your meal.

4. Post Lunch (120 calories)

You might feel hungry or feel a dip in energy by about 4 o’clock, which is when you eat a sliced apple with a spoon of peanut butter. The apple contains a nutrient that will keep you full, and the peanut butter will add that extra punch of protein to your day!

5. Snack (150 calories)

You could add a small snack of DIP Baked Masala Sticks and enjoy them with a fat free dip like hummus or yoghurt. You need a snack to keep your stomach full till dinner, in order to not binge at your last meal.

6. Dinner (230 – 250 calories)

Finish your day with a nice healthy bowl of soup, either chicken or vegetarian with DIP Baked Croutons. Since you will sleep after this, you need to ensure your digestive system isn’t loaded with trying to digest a very healthy meal. Which is why soup and croutons is the perfect combination. You get your intake of fluids, protein and carbs all in one!

And there you have it! A perfect day of eating to lose weight.

Like always, you can and should check with your doctor in case you have health conditions which require special care.

Good luck!