Thread by @theBuoyantMan

I just checked my weight after a long time. I was 76kgs back in september 2019, today I am at 68 kgs. Even back in february, I was at 73-ish. The last time I was 68 was 10 years ago. Have always fluctuated between 72 and 76kgs.

I used to eat 3 meals per day, and snacks - back when I was staying in hostel at college. This was when I weighed 73-76 consistently. Until I left PayPal, I kept up the 3-meal per day way. After I went into business full time, I started eating only 2 meals per day.

One around morning 10-11am, and another before 8pm. This went on until 2019, and from 2020 January, I have adapted a 1 meal a day way of eating. You'd think it would have made me less energetic, less strong or whatever.

I have noticed fat dropping off - you feel the change around your waist, and more definition in your body when you workout, etc. I feel a bit more agile, fewer energy swings throughout the day. Only time i feel a drop in energy is when there's a crash after eating in evening.

That's also primarily because I still eat rice (red rice though) as primary food and it has the obvious carb based crash thereafter. But the energy levels are much better than before.

The vitals are great. Two years back when I got myself tested - my cholesterol was around 128 (normal is below 200) and blood sugar was well between the prescribed ranges, BP was 110/80 (top one 10points lesser than normal). These were the three things I was concerned about.

Was planning to get a test in March this year, and it's gotten postponed since. So, over the last few years, I have come to understand certain things about food, exercise, health, and energy.

There are thousands of people on twitter telling you only their way is right. There's a carnivore camp that cites research saying humans grew up eating animals and meat and that's what they should eat for better health and energy. There's the vegan camp that cites research and

say that even eating vegan is better now considering ethical and environmental issues and in no way are you deprived of much by going vegan. Carnivore guys hate Vegan accounts, and vice versa. But it's all a process of polarization, building an echo chamber of sorts.

So, I ll lay down some no-nonsense overview about how you can get to your ideal weight. You can save the hundreds of dollars you give to these twitter Gurus of either camp (or even bodybuilders for that matter).

i) I will first tell you what I eat. On a normal day -red rice, sambar rice, dhal rice, curd rice - i add ghee for sambar and dhal rice. There are always veg curry - different vegetables each day. I always make peanut chutney to go with everything.

ii) I eat fruits whenever i want, occassionally I indulge in desserts also (those that we make at our factory, and those my mother makes) and also some fried stuff (that my mother makes - i don't eat junk food outside). Monthly or bi-monthly once i go out for samosa-channa.

iii) I don't drink or smoke. I don't consume milk. I don't drink coffee/tea. I do eat curd. I don't take white sugar for anything (except in rare cases when i am indulging in desserts where white sugar taste isn't overpowering). I love chikkis. I do have sweet tooth. So I try to

avoid junk and cheat foods as much as possible. Back when I got that test done, I was eating atleast 150-200g of peanut butter everyday (now it's in chutney format). So, my diet isn't all that exciting or anything. I am a vegetarian, so that's also there.

So, you could say that I eat clean, but not too clean that i deprave myself of the little food pleasures. And, I have been doing this for 5 years now, so you could say that it works.

Without further ado, let's get to it.

1. Cut out almost all processed foods. Anything that is far away from its natural form. Includes processed/refined sugar, processed/refined carbs, processed/refined oil, etc.

2. Carnivore accounts on twitter vilify seed oils. Absolute BS.

Indian culture as such has built itself around cooking with cold pressed oils from sesame, groundnuts, sunflower seeds, coconut, etc. I personally prefer Coconut, Groundnut, and Sesame oil - in that order.

So, avoid refined oils, go for cold pressed/chekku based oil, unrefined. Or get an expeller and make oil yourself from the nuts/seeds. I would suggest using oils strategically. Brings me to next point,

3. Avoid fried anything - except on cheat days once or twice a month.

4. Avoid over processing any food beyond recognition.

5. Exercise every day - every single day - 45 mins is enough. I do different variations of push ups, pull ups, squats and hand/headstand to finish. No need for gym. Look up CONVICT CONDITIONING book and study it inside out.

6. Watch this video by Madhavan -

Apply everything he says. Makes a huge difference. This is how I am able to eat one meal a day and still be healthy, feel good throughout the day.

7. If you're around unhealthy/obese people, you'll often be tempted to lose control. Until you start seeing results from this way of life, stop associating with people who aren't exactly role-models for your desired lifestyle.
8. Stop smoking and drinking - cold turkey.

9. Drink as much water as you're thirsty for. Over-hydration is a thing and can be toxic. So, whenever you're thirsty, drink 200-300ml of water.

10. Meat, eggs, fish, etc., take as per your preference if you're non-veg. But remember, as close to natural form as possible.

11. Which means, fried chicken - strict no. Omelette sandwich with white bread, lotsa cheese, mayo, etc., - strict no. Boiled eggs, plain omelette, chicken breast, etc., are acceptable. I don't prescribe to non-veg diet or way of life, so I can't really say what all you can eat.

12. Fat isn't making you fat. A combination of carb + fat makes you fat - as the body utilises carbs for energy and stores fat in the body. So, to actually efficiently burn fat, cut off as much carbs as possible (gradually) and increase protein/fat consumption.

13. Which means - lots of eggs, milk, paneer, cheese, whey, chicken breast, fish, etc., and lot less rice or atta or bread. Try avoiding desserts as much as possible when you're starting out. Desserts are motivation killers. Makes you swoon, weak, and bends you to their will.

I am not a fitness guru or an expert or whatever. But just like stock markets, the gurus or experts have something to sell. I only have my story to tell. Take these suggestions, and adapt them to your own life and lifestyle. Tweak and identify which foods your body feels good abt

and which foods make your body feel like shit. Go on and eliminate the foods causing you to feel like shit - usually those that make you feel so good and addicted while eating, and like you have instantly added oodles of fat around your waist right after gulping it down.

Eventually you'll settle at a place in a year or two where you have a list of foods that make you feel good and you realise your emotions, moods, etc., are highly controlled by the food you eat, and when you eat.

There's this tweet that i found the other day "if you wanna be productive, don't eat". Can't tell you how good and valid this is. Of course, not like you should never eat. But whenever you wanna have your productive hours, don't eat from 2-3 hours before it starts. Sip on water.

Have nuts and healthy snack handy to cure hunger pangs and don't resort to unhealthy food. Eliminate unhealthy processed foods from pantry & fridge. Workout the first thing in the morning.

These should be plenty helpful and will be good to start off with. Goodluck on your fitness and wellness journey.