Ashhar Alam / New Delhi

Weight loss advice is everywhere from celebrity diets and detox drinks to viral fitness hacks on social media. But according to renowned nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, lasting results have little to do with shortcuts and everything to do with building healthy, sustainable habits.

In a recent Instagram post, Diwekar outlined three practical principles for achieving healthy weight loss. Instead of chasing rapid transformations, she encouraged people to focus on consistency, balanced nutrition and realistic expectations that support long-term well-being.

Aim for gradual, sustainable weight loss

Diwekar believes there is no need to rush the process, regardless of whether someone wants to lose a few kilograms or significantly more. She recommends adopting a steady approach instead of relying on crash diets or extreme calorie restrictions.

According to her, a realistic goal is to reduce about 5 to 10 per cent of body weight over a year. Those who need to lose more weight should simply extend the timeline rather than forcing quick results.

She explained that gradual weight loss can lower the risk of several lifestyle-related conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, thyroid disorders, osteoporosis and certain cancers. It also helps preserve muscle mass, bone strength, immunity, healthy skin and hair while reducing the likelihood of nutritional deficiencies.

Build your diet around familiar foods

Rather than following restrictive or trending meal plans, Diwekar advises people to eat foods they have grown up with. She emphasised that healthy eating does not require expensive superfoods or imported ingredients.

Whether the meal includes dal and rice, idli and dosa, fish, chicken or other traditional dishes, she believes a balanced diet should be based on familiar, wholesome foods that suit an individual's lifestyle and culture.

Ignore social media diet trends

Diwekar also cautioned against blindly following weight-loss trends circulating online. She noted that social media frequently promotes "miracle" foods, supplements and diet hacks that often lack strong scientific evidence and are quickly replaced by the next viral trend.

According to her, lasting weight loss is not achieved through detox drinks, fat-burning teas, seed cycling or restrictive eating plans. Instead, it comes from maintaining healthy habits consistently over time.

She encouraged people to focus on balanced meals, mindful eating, regular physical activity and dietary patterns they can comfortably sustain for years.

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Diwekar's message is straightforward: there is no magic ingredient for weight loss. Long-term success comes from patience, consistency and a lifestyle built on healthy everyday choices rather than temporary diet trends.