Diet plan for NRIs — eat Kerala home food abroad and still lose weight
By the VaruFit team · Updated
A good NRI diet plan keeps the Kerala and South Indian dishes you grew up with, cooks them with ingredients available in your city, and plans around long shifts, heat and eating out. Batch-cook protein and vegetables, measure rice and oil, drink enough water, and keep takeaway like shawarma, mandi and broasted chicken as occasional meals.
Moving to Dubai, Doha, Riyadh, London or New Jersey usually changes how you eat more than what you eat. Long shifts, shared accommodation, bachelor cooking, more takeaway and less walking add up — many people gain weight in their first years abroad.
You do not need to switch to salads and protein shakes. You need a plan that fits the kitchen and groceries you actually have.
Common reasons NRIs gain weight
- Eating one very large rice meal after a long shift instead of spread-out meals.
- Frequent takeaway — shawarma, mandi, biryani, broasted chicken, burgers.
- Sugary tea, juices and soft drinks in hot weather.
- Less daily walking because of cars, metros and heat.
- Late dinners close to bedtime because of work hours.
How to eat Kerala food abroad, the healthy way
- Batch-cook twice a week: a dal or kadala curry, a fish or chicken curry and one or two thorans. Portion into boxes for the week.
- Use frozen fish, frozen grated coconut and frozen vegetables from Indian and Asian stores — they are just as good for a diet plan.
- Keep rice to one measured cup per meal and add a second vegetable instead of more rice.
- Carry a home lunch box on work days; keep takeaway to one or two meals a week and pick grilled options.
- In the Gulf heat, drink water through the day and choose buttermilk or lime water without sugar instead of juices and soft drinks.
Shift work and late dinners
If you work night or rotating shifts, keep the same total amount of food but spread it across your waking hours: a proper meal before the shift, a light protein snack in the middle and a smaller meal after. VaruFit adjusts meal timing to your schedule and to the steps and activity data from your phone or watch.
Sample NRI work-day diet plan (~1,600 kcal)
| Meal | Time | What to eat | Approx. kcal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 7:00 AM | 2 boiled eggs + 2 chapatis or 1 bowl oats upma with vegetables + tea with less sugar | ~380 |
| Mid-morning | 10:30 AM | 1 apple or orange + a handful of roasted chana | ~150 |
| Lunch (lunch box) | 1:00 PM | 1 cup rice + batch-cooked fish or chicken curry + 1 cup thoran | ~550 |
| Evening | 5:00 PM | Black tea or coffee + 1 cup cucumber or carrot sticks with curd dip | ~80 |
| Dinner | 8:30 PM | 2 chapatis or 2 dosas + dal or kadala curry + salad | ~440 |
| Total | ~1,600 kcal | ||
Calories are approximate and vary with recipe, oil and portion size. VaruFit calculates your personal target and plans meals from the groceries you can get locally.
Takeaway swaps that still feel like a treat
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