Diet Chart for Weight Loss: 7-Day Indian Plan (Veg and Non-Veg)

Quick answer

A diet chart for weight loss is a day-by-day plan of what to eat, in what portions, at what time, so you eat a little less than your body uses. For most Indian women that means about 1,300 to 1,500 kcal a day, and for most men about 1,500 to 1,800 kcal. A safe pace is 0.5 to 1 kg a week, which is 2 to 4 kg a month. Never go below 1,200 kcal a day on your own.

Below you will find a calorie table by body weight, a 7-day vegetarian chart and a 7-day non-vegetarian chart, both made from ghar ka khana with portions, calories and protein for every day. Pick your version, then use the links further down for your exact situation.

Most diet plans handed to Indians are built around salads, grilled chicken and protein shakes. That is fine if you grew up eating those. But if your stomach is trained on dal chawal, roti sabzi and curd rice, a plan that ignores your food culture is easy to quit by day three. This chart is different. Every breakfast, lunch and snack is food you already know, just in smarter portions and at better timings.

How many calories do you need to lose weight?

Weight loss comes from a small, steady deficit, roughly 300 to 500 kcal below what your body uses. The table gives a rough daily target. It assumes about 35 years of age, a height of about 160 cm for women and 170 cm for men, and a desk-type routine or a moderately active one. Your height, age and health change the number, so treat these as ranges, not rules.

Body weight	Women, mostly sitting	Women, moderately active	Men, mostly sitting	Men, moderately active
60 kg	1,200 to 1,300 kcal	1,450 to 1,550 kcal	1,400 to 1,500 kcal	1,800 to 1,900 kcal
70 kg	1,200 to 1,300 kcal	1,500 to 1,600 kcal	1,500 to 1,600 kcal	1,950 to 2,050 kcal
80 kg	1,250 to 1,350 kcal	1,600 to 1,700 kcal	1,600 to 1,700 kcal	2,100 to 2,200 kcal
90 kg	1,300 to 1,450 kcal	1,700 to 1,800 kcal	1,700 to 1,800 kcal	2,250 to 2,350 kcal

These are weight-loss targets per day, not what you need to maintain your weight. Do not eat under 1,200 kcal a day without a doctor or nutritionist guiding you. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, under 18 or have a health condition, follow your doctor's advice and ask a nutritionist for your own number. The two charts below sit at about 1,400 kcal, which suits most women of 60 to 80 kg who sit through the day. Men and more active people can add one phulka or a katori of dal at lunch and dinner.

Portions used in these charts

All numbers are approximate and based on standard Indian food values (IFCT and NIN tables), for home-cooked food with about 1 tsp oil per dish.

• 1 phulka or roti (30 g flour): about 80 kcal, 2.5 g protein
• 1 katori cooked dal (150 ml): about 120 kcal, 7 g protein
• 1 katori cooked rice (about 100 g): about 130 kcal, 2.5 g protein
• Paneer, 100 g: about 265 kcal, 18 g protein
• 1 egg: about 70 kcal, 6 g protein
• 1 katori curd: about 60 kcal, 3.5 g protein
• 1 katori sabzi: about 80 kcal, 2 g protein

For more food-by-food numbers, see our calories in popular Indian foods guide.

7-day Indian diet chart for weight loss (vegetarian)

About 1,400 kcal and 55 to 65 g protein a day. Start the day with a glass of warm water if you like, and drink 2.5 to 3 litres of water through the day. Calories shown in brackets are per meal.

Day	Breakfast	Mid-morning	Lunch	Evening snack	Dinner	Day total
Day 1	poha with peas, 1 katori, 1 glass chaas (about 215 kcal)	1 apple (about 80 kcal)	2 phulka, 1 katori moong dal, 1 katori lauki sabzi, cucumber-tomato salad, 1 katori curd, 1 extra phulka (about 520 kcal)	1 cup tea, no sugar, roasted chana, 30 g (about 140 kcal)	2 phulka, paneer bhurji, 60 g paneer, 1 katori bhindi sabzi, cucumber-tomato salad, 1 extra phulka (about 500 kcal)	about 1,460 kcal, 56 g protein
Day 2	2 besan chilla, green chutney (about 250 kcal)	1 guava, 10 almonds (about 140 kcal)	1 katori rice, 1 katori rajma, baingan bharta, 1 katori, cucumber-tomato salad (about 390 kcal)	sprouted moong chaat, 1 katori, 1 glass toned milk (about 215 kcal)	moong dal khichdi, 1.5 katori, raita, 1 katori, sauteed palak, 1 katori, 1 extra phulka (about 430 kcal)	about 1,420 kcal, 61 g protein
Day 3	veg upma, 1 katori, 1 katori curd (about 240 kcal)	papaya, 150 g, 10 almonds (about 130 kcal)	2 bajra roti, palak dal, 1 katori, 1 katori bhindi sabzi, 1 katori curd (about 480 kcal)	1 glass chaas, roasted peanuts, 15 g, 1 glass toned milk (about 235 kcal)	2 phulka, soya chunk curry, 30 g dry soya, cucumber-tomato salad (about 325 kcal)	about 1,410 kcal, 64 g protein
Day 4	2 moong dal chilla, mint chutney, 1 cup tea, no sugar (about 240 kcal)	5 almonds + 2 walnut halves, 10 almonds (about 145 kcal)	2 phulka, chole, 1 katori, 1 katori tori sabzi, cucumber-tomato salad, 1 katori curd (about 500 kcal)	green tea, kala chana chaat, 1 katori (about 120 kcal)	curd rice, 1 katori rice + 1 katori curd, 1 katori dal, 1 katori cabbage sabzi (about 390 kcal)	about 1,400 kcal, 58 g protein
Day 5	oats khichdi, 30 g oats + moong dal + veg, 1 katori curd, 1 small banana (about 350 kcal)	1 pear (about 70 kcal)	1 katori rice, 1 katori arhar dal, 1 katori mixed vegetable sabzi, cucumber-tomato salad, 1 katori curd, 1 tsp ghee on roti (about 450 kcal)	1 katori curd, 1 orange (about 110 kcal)	2 bajra roti, lauki chana dal, 1 katori, cucumber raita, 1 katori (about 410 kcal)	about 1,390 kcal, 53 g protein
Day 6	2 idli, sambar, 1 katori, coconut chutney, 1 tbsp, 1 small banana (about 295 kcal)	coconut water, 1 glass (about 45 kcal)	2 jowar roti, 1 katori moong dal, aloo gobi, 1 small katori, cucumber-tomato salad, 1 katori curd (about 500 kcal)	roasted chana, 30 g, ginger tea, no sugar (about 140 kcal)	2 phulka, thick vegetable dal soup, 1 katori, sauteed tofu, 100 g, 1 katori curd (about 430 kcal)	about 1,410 kcal, 60 g protein
Day 7	daliya upma, 1 katori, 1 katori curd, 1 small banana (about 320 kcal)	roasted makhana, 20 g, 10 almonds (about 140 kcal)	daliya khichdi, 1.5 katori, 1 katori curd, cucumber-tomato salad, 2 tbsp sprouts on top, 1 tsp ghee on roti, 1 extra phulka (about 470 kcal)	5 almonds, 1 cup tea, no sugar (about 65 kcal)	moong khichdi, 1 katori, kadhi, 1 katori, cucumber-tomato salad, paneer cubes, 30 g, 1 extra phulka (about 440 kcal)	about 1,440 kcal, 53 g protein

Swap freely inside the same slot. Poha for upma, moong dal for masoor dal, lauki for tori. Keep the portion and the protein source the same and the day stays on track.

7-day Indian diet chart for weight loss (non-vegetarian)

Also about 1,400 kcal, with 60 to 75 g protein a day from eggs, chicken and fish. Cook with about 1 tsp oil per dish, and choose curry or grilled over fried.

Day	Breakfast	Mid-morning	Lunch	Evening snack	Dinner	Day total
Day 1	2 egg bhurji, 1 phulka, 1 cup tea, no sugar (about 260 kcal)	1 apple (about 80 kcal)	2 phulka, chicken curry, 100 g chicken, 1 katori lauki sabzi, cucumber-tomato salad (about 420 kcal)	roasted chana, 30 g, green tea, 1 glass toned milk (about 225 kcal)	2 phulka, 1 katori moong dal, 1 katori bhindi sabzi, 1 katori curd (about 420 kcal)	about 1,400 kcal, 76 g protein
Day 2	2 besan chilla, green chutney (about 250 kcal)	1 guava, 10 almonds (about 140 kcal)	1 katori rice, 1 katori masoor dal, 1 katori baingan sabzi, 1 boiled egg, cucumber-tomato salad, 1 katori curd (about 480 kcal)	sprouted moong chaat, 1 katori (about 100 kcal)	2 phulka, fish curry, 100 g fish, cucumber-tomato salad, sauteed palak, 1 katori, 1 katori curd (about 450 kcal)	about 1,420 kcal, 77 g protein
Day 3	veg upma, 1 katori, 1 boiled egg, 1 small banana (about 340 kcal)	papaya, 150 g (about 60 kcal)	2 bajra roti, palak dal, 1 katori, 1 katori bhindi sabzi, 1 katori curd (about 480 kcal)	1 glass chaas, roasted peanuts, 15 g (about 120 kcal)	2 phulka, egg curry, 2 eggs, light gravy, cucumber-tomato salad, 1 katori curd (about 430 kcal)	about 1,430 kcal, 60 g protein
Day 4	2 moong dal chilla, mint chutney, 1 cup tea, no sugar, 1 small banana (about 330 kcal)	5 almonds + 2 walnut halves (about 75 kcal)	2 phulka, chole, 1 katori, 1 katori tori sabzi, cucumber-tomato salad, 1 tsp ghee on roti (about 480 kcal)	green tea, boiled egg chaat, 1 egg (about 90 kcal)	1 katori rice, chicken curry, 100 g chicken, 1 katori cabbage sabzi, 1 katori curd (about 430 kcal)	about 1,400 kcal, 69 g protein
Day 5	oats khichdi, 30 g oats + moong dal + veg, 1 katori curd, 1 small banana (about 350 kcal)	1 pear (about 70 kcal)	1 katori rice, 1 katori arhar dal, 1 katori mixed vegetable sabzi, cucumber-tomato salad, 1 tsp ghee on roti, 1 extra phulka (about 470 kcal)	1 katori curd, 1 orange (about 110 kcal)	2 bajra roti, fish curry, 100 g fish, cucumber raita, 1 katori (about 420 kcal)	about 1,420 kcal, 63 g protein
Day 6	2 idli, sambar, 1 katori, 2 boiled egg whites (about 215 kcal)	coconut water, 1 glass (about 45 kcal)	2 jowar roti, 1 katori moong dal, aloo gobi, 1 small katori, cucumber-tomato salad, 1 katori curd, 1 tsp ghee on roti, 1 extra phulka (about 620 kcal)	roasted chana, 30 g, ginger tea, no sugar (about 140 kcal)	2 phulka, chicken and vegetable soup, 1 bowl, 1 katori lauki sabzi (about 370 kcal)	about 1,390 kcal, 66 g protein
Day 7	daliya upma, 1 katori, 1 boiled egg (about 240 kcal)	roasted makhana, 20 g (about 70 kcal)	1 katori rice, 1 katori dal, egg bhurji, 1 egg, cucumber-tomato salad, 1 katori curd, 1 extra phulka (about 490 kcal)	5 almonds, 1 cup tea, no sugar, 1 glass toned milk (about 180 kcal)	moong khichdi, 1 katori, kadhi, 1 katori, cucumber-tomato salad, grilled fish, 60 g, 1 extra phulka (about 450 kcal)	about 1,430 kcal, 68 g protein

Eggs, chicken and fish are optional extras, not a must. Chicken curry here means 100 g boneless chicken with a light onion-tomato gravy. If you do not eat fish, use chicken or paneer instead.

Choose your version

This page is the main chart. If your goal or situation is more specific, these guides go deeper:

• 5 kg weight loss in 1 month diet chart: who can realistically reach 5 kg, with a 7 day veg and non-veg chart
• Diet chart for weight loss for women: iron, calcium and period-week food habits
• Weight loss for women over 40
• Weight loss after delivery
• South Indian diet for weight loss
• Budget healthy diet in India
• PCOS diet plan and thyroid diet plan, food habits only, so follow your doctor's advice too
• Best Indian breakfasts for weight loss
• High protein diet chart
• Calories in popular Indian foods

Why Indian food works for weight loss

Traditional home food, not the restaurant version, is one of the easiest cuisines to lose weight on. The problem is rarely the food. It is how much and how often we eat it now.

The thali model

A thali with one small serving each of dal, sabzi, roti or rice, and curd is balanced by design. It goes wrong when one katori of dal becomes three and one roti becomes four. Our guide to portion control with the Indian thali shows how to fix this without weighing every gram.

Dal, rajma and chana do the heavy lifting

Pulses give protein and fibre together, which keeps you full for three to four hours. Make them the centre of the plate, not a side. For more options see the protein guide for Indian vegetarians.

Foods to eat more of, and eat less of

• More: dal, chana, rajma, sprouts, curd, paneer in small portions, eggs, fish, jowar, bajra, daliya, lauki, palak, methi, tomato, cucumber.
• Less, not never: maida (pav, naan, biscuits), deep-fried snacks, mithai, packed juice, sweet chai and large portions of white rice. Once a week is a better target than once a day. See also the Indian foods that support weight loss.

Common mistakes when following a diet chart

Cutting roti and rice completely

You feel light for three days, then hunger wins. A phulka is only about 80 kcal. Two per meal is fine for most women.

Too little protein

Thin dal, small portions and no curd leave many people at 30 to 40 g of protein a day. That means more hunger and more snacking. Put dal, curd, paneer, eggs or chana in every meal.

Skipping meals to save calories

Skipping lunch or dinner usually ends in a big late-night snack. Eat on time and keep portions steady.

Liquid calories

Sweet chai three times a day, packed juice and cold drinks can quietly add 300 to 500 kcal. Choose chaas, nimbu pani without sugar, coconut water or plain tea.

Judging by one day on the scale

Weight moves up and down with salt and water. Weigh twice a week in the morning and look at the two-week trend. If it stalls, our guide on breaking a weight loss plateau helps.

Copying someone else's plan

A friend's 1,200 kcal chart may be too low for you. Use the calorie table above, and ask a nutritionist if you are unsure.

How fast will you lose weight?

The first week can show 1 to 2 kg, mostly water. After that, a steady 0.5 to 1 kg a week is a healthy pace for most people, so about 2 to 4 kg a month. What matters most is not a perfect week but eight to twelve weeks of keeping portions steady, sleeping well and walking 20 minutes a day. For conditions like diabetes, thyroid or PCOS, follow your doctor's advice and do not use a generic chart as a replacement.

FAQs

What is a diet chart for weight loss?

It is a day-by-day eating plan that tells you what to eat, how much and when, so you stay in a small calorie deficit without going hungry. A good Indian one uses food from your own kitchen, like roti, dal, sabzi, curd and rice, in measured portions.

How many calories should I eat in a day to lose weight?

Most women do well on 1,300 to 1,500 kcal a day and most men on 1,500 to 1,800 kcal, depending on weight, height, age and activity. Do not go under 1,200 kcal without a nutritionist or doctor guiding you. The calorie table in this guide gives rough ranges by body weight.

How much weight can I lose in a month with a diet chart?

A safe pace is 0.5 to 1 kg a week, which is about 2 to 4 kg a month. The first week can show more because of water. Faster than 1 kg a week usually means you are losing muscle too, and it is hard to keep off.

Can I lose weight eating roti and rice?

Yes. Roti and rice are not the problem, portion size is. Two phulkas or one katori of rice per meal, with dal and sabzi on the side, fits easily inside a 1,400 kcal day. Check the roti, rice and dal numbers in the charts above.

Is the veg chart enough protein?

The veg chart gives roughly 50 to 65 g of protein a day from dal, curd, paneer, chana and soya. If you are active or want more, add a bowl of sprouts or a little more paneer or dal. Our high protein diet chart shows how to go higher.

Should I skip dinner or eat very little at night?

No, skipping meals usually leads to a big binge later. Keep dinner light and have it two to three hours before sleep, for example two phulkas, a katori of dal and a sabzi. A steady pattern works better than starving.

Do I need to exercise to follow this diet chart?

No gym is needed to start. A simple 20 minute walk daily, ideally after a main meal, is enough to go along with the plan. What you eat matters most.

I have PCOS, thyroid or diabetes. Can I follow this chart?

Use this as a general guide only, and follow your doctor's advice first. Conditions like PCOS, thyroid and diabetes need food and calorie choices matched to you, so please talk to your doctor and ask a nutritionist for a personal plan. We have separate guides for PCOS and thyroid.

Want a plan made for you?

A DietGhar nutritionist can make a personal plan around the food you cook at home and share it with you on WhatsApp, with changes as your weight and routine change. We plan your own kitchen food, we are not a food delivery service.