Nutrition doesn't have to be complicated. The key to sustainable results is having a flexible framework that adapts to your preferences, schedule, and how your body responds. This guide provides complete meal templates using raw weights, grocery lists for practical shopping, and guidance on adjusting portions based on your goals.
All gram values below are raw (uncooked) weights. This is critical for accurate trackingâweigh your rice, chicken, dal, etc. before cooking. People should adjust volumes up or down based on hunger, progress, and taste preferences.
What's Inside This Guide:
đ˝ď¸ 3 Template Days - Complete meal plans with raw weights, landing in the 1,800â2,000 kcal range with 100-120g protein daily.
đ Weekly Grocery List - Practical shopping guide for 1 adult, easily scalable for families.
đ Adjustment Framework - Learn which levers to adjust (rice, dal, oil, nuts) to fine-tune calories while keeping meals simple.
đą Tracking Tools - Guidance on using apps like HealthifyMe or MyFitnessPal for precision and accountability.
Understanding Raw Weights
The most common mistake in nutrition tracking is not accounting for the difference between raw and cooked weights. Rice triples in weight when cooked. Chicken loses about 25% of its weight. Dal doubles. Always weigh raw for accuracy.
Template Day 1 â Oats + Chicken + Dal
Breakfast â High-protein oats bowl
Raw weights:
- Rolled oats: 40g
- Whey powder: 15g (â½ scoop)
- Almonds: 12g (â8-10 almonds)
- Whole egg: 1
Approx: 350-380 kcal
Adjust: To reduceâcut almonds to 6-8g or skip egg. To increaseâadd another egg or +5-10g nuts.
Lunch â Pan-fried chicken + brown rice + poriyal
Raw weights:
- Chicken breast (boneless, skinless): 180g
- Brown (or white) rice: 50g
- Masoor/thuvar dal for sambar: 20g
- Mixed vegetables (poriyal/sambar): 150g
- Cooking oil (gingelly/groundnut): 5g (â1 tsp)
Approx: 550-600 kcal
Adjust: Lowerâdrop rice to 40g or oil to 3g. Higherâincrease rice to 60-70g or oil to 7-8g.
Snack â Whey + peanuts
Raw weights:
- Whey powder: 25g (slightly under 1 scoop)
- Peanuts: 15g
Approx: 180-220 kcal
Adjust: Reduceâuse 15-20g whey or 10g peanuts. Increaseâadd a small fruit (banana/apple) or +5g peanuts.
Dinner â Masoor dal + rice + veg + curd
Raw weights:
- Masoor dal (for thick dal): 70g
- White rice: 60g
- Mixed vegetables: 200g
- Curd: 100g
- Ghee: 10g (â2 tsp)
Approx: This meal with a small fruit puts the day at 1,800-1,900 kcal
Adjust: Lowerârice 40g, ghee 5g. Higherârice 70-80g, ghee 12-15g.
Template Day 2 â Idli/Dosa + Veg thali + Chicken salad
Breakfast â Idli/Dosa style
For about 3 medium idlis or 2 dosas, batter roughly comes from:
- Raw white rice: 45g
- Raw urad dal: 15g
- Dal in sambar: 20g (thuvar/masoor)
- Whole eggs: 2
Note: Count macros using 45g rice + 15g urad + 20g dal + 2 eggs.
Adjust: Reduceâ1 egg, or use 35g rice + 10g urad. Increaseâmore batter (rice 55g, urad 20g) or add 5-10g ghee on dosa.
Lunch â Simple veg thali + whey
Raw weights:
- White rice: 60g
- Dal for sambar: 25g
- Dal for kootu/keerai: 20g
- Mixed vegetables: 200g (keerai/kootu/poriyal mix)
- Curd: 100-150g
- Whey powder post-meal: 20-25g
- Oil for cooking (combined): 5-7g
Approx: 500-600 kcal
Adjust: Lowerârice 50g, oil 5g, whey 20g. Higherârice 70-80g, or +5g oil/ghee.
Snack â Curd + fruit + almonds
Raw weights:
- Curd: 150g
- Fruit (banana/apple/orange): 1 small
- Almonds: 10-12g
Adjust: Change almonds (8-15g) and fruit size.
Dinner â Chicken or Paneer salad
Option A â Chicken salad (raw weights):
- Chicken breast: 150g
- Salad vegetables (cucumber, tomato, carrot, capsicum, onion): 200-250g
- Oil for sautĂŠ/dressing: 10g total
Option B â Paneer salad (raw weights):
- Paneer: 100-120g
- Salad vegetables: 200-250g
- Oil/ghee: 8-10g total
Adjust: To bulk up toward 2,000 kcalâadd 30-40g raw rice as small side, or add 5g more oil/ghee.
Template Day 3 â Egg breakfast + Sardine lunch + Curd rice
Breakfast â Egg-focused
Raw weights:
- Whole eggs: 3
- Egg whites: 2 (optional, can skip if not needed)
- Oil/ghee for cooking: 5g
- Salad veg (cucumber + tomato): 100-150g
Adjust: Lighter versionâ2 whole eggs + 1-2 whites.
Lunch â Sardines + rice + rasam
Raw weights:
- Sardines (cleaned fish): 150g
- White rice: 50-60g
- Dal for rasam: 15-20g
- Veg side (poriyal): 150-200g
- Oil for frying + tempering: 7-10g
Adjust: Bump or reduce rice (40-70g) and oil (5-10g) to move daily calories.
Snack â Whey + nuts
Raw weights:
- Whey powder: 20-25g
- Almonds or peanuts: 10-15g
Dinner â Curd rice + thick dal + veg
Raw weights:
- White rice: 50-60g
- Masoor/thuvar dal (for thick dal): 50-60g
- Mixed vegetables: 200g
- Curd: 150g
- Ghee: 5-10g
Adjust: Ghee (5-10g) and rice (40-70g) based on whether you want closer to 1,800 or 2,000 kcal.
Coaching Framework for Adjustments
For anyone following these templates:
- Weigh once in a while to understand portions (raw grams), then eyeball day-to-day
- Big levers to change calories, while keeping food type the same:
- Rice: typically 40-80g raw per main meal
- Dal: 40-70g raw per day spread across meals
- Oil/ghee: 5-15g per day
- Nuts: 10-30g per day
- Keep protein anchors mostly fixed (chicken/eggs/dal/whey), and adjust mainly carbs (rice) and fats (nuts, oil, ghee) to slide between 1,800-2,000 kcal
Weekly Grocery List (1 Adult)
Below is a 1-week grocery list for 1 adult following the 3 raw-weight templates. Adjust quantities based on how many people eat, how many days are non-veg vs veg, and hunger levels.
1. Protein Sources â Non-veg
| Item | Use | Weekly Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast (boneless, skinless) | Pan-fried chicken, salads | 800g - 1.2kg raw |
| Sardines/small fish (nethili, chala) | Fish + rice + rasam lunch | 500g - 800g cleaned |
| Eggs | All templates (1-4 eggs per day) | 15 - 20 eggs |
2. Protein Sources â Veg & Dairy
| Item | Use | Weekly Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Paneer | Paneer salad dinner option | 200 - 300g |
| Curd/yogurt | Curd, curd rice, snacks, buttermilk | 1 - 1.5kg |
| Whey protein powder | Almost daily (20-25g/day) | 150 - 200g (Buy 1kg tub for weeks) |
| Masoor dal (red lentils) | Thick dal dinners + sambar | 400 - 500g |
| Thuvar dal (sambar dal) | Regular sambar/rasam | 300 - 400g |
| Urad dal | Idli/dosa batter | 200 - 300g |
3. Carbs & Grains
| Item | Use | Weekly Amount |
|---|---|---|
| White rice (raw) | Lunch/dinner, curd rice, idli/dosa | 700g - 1.2kg (Buy 2-5kg pack) |
| Brown rice (optional) | Some lunches | 300 - 500g |
| Rolled oats | High-protein breakfast 2-3Ă/week | 250 - 500g pack |
| Wheat flour (optional) | Rotis if replacing rice occasionally | 500g - 1kg |
4. Fats â Oils, Ghee, Nuts
| Item | Use | Weekly Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking oils (gingelly/groundnut/coconut) |
Daily cooking (~10-15g/day) | 1L bottle (Lasts 2+ weeks) |
| Ghee | Dal, rice, egg cooking (5-10g/day) | 70 - 100g (Buy 200-500g pack) |
| Almonds | Oats bowl, snacks, salad toppings | 150 - 250g |
| Peanuts | Snack days (10-15g) | 200 - 300g |
5. Vegetables (Tamil Nadu context)
Target: 400-600g vegetables per day = 3-4kg per week for 1 person, plus greens.
| Category | Items | Weekly Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Greens (keerai) | Pasalai, siru keerai, mulai keerai, etc. | 3-4 bunches |
| Base vegetables | Onions, tomatoes | 1-1.5kg each |
| Mixed vegetables | Carrot, beans, beetroot, chow-chow, peas | 1.5 - 2kg mixed |
| Variety vegetables | Brinjal, lady's finger, capsicum | 1 - 1.5kg mixed |
| Salad vegetables | Cucumber | 3 - 5 medium |
| Aromatics/herbs | Lemon, coriander, curry leaves, green chillies, ginger, garlic | Small bunches as needed |
6. Fruits
Target: 1 fruit most days
- Banana: 4-6 (small/medium)
- Apple/guava/orange: 4-6 mixed
- Dates (for oats/sweet cravings): 200-250g
7. Spices & Staples
Most Tamil Nadu kitchens will have these staples. Keep stocked:
- Sambar powder, rasam powder
- Turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin, mustard seeds, pepper, hing
- Salt (rock/sea salt preferred)
- Tea/coffee powder as per habit
- Optional: Apple cider vinegar or extra lemon for salads, freshly crushed black pepper for eggs/soups
Scaling This List
- For each additional adult: Roughly multiply protein, rice, dal, veg, and fruits by that number
- For kids/spouse eating partial: Add some buffer but no need to multiply fullyâthey'll often share curries/rice
Using Tracking Apps Effectively
Apps like HealthifyMe and MyFitnessPal are powerful tools when used correctly:
HealthifyMe (Recommended for Indians)
- Extensive Indian food database with common preparations (sambar, poriyal, etc.)
- Use the barcode scanner for packaged goods
- Log meals in real-time for first 2-3 weeks to build awareness
- Focus on hitting protein targets first (100-120g), then adjust carbs/fats for calorie goal
MyFitnessPal
- Larger database, great for international foods and restaurant chains
- Create custom recipes for your regular meals (saves time after initial setup)
- Use "Meals" feature to save common eating patterns
- Track for at least 3 weeks consistently to see patterns
Key Tracking Tips
- Always select "raw" versions of foods in the database (raw chicken breast, raw white rice, etc.)
- Be honest with oil/ghee quantitiesâthis is where hidden calories accumulate
- Weigh food on a kitchen scale for 2-3 weeks until your eyeball estimates improve
- Don't obsess over perfectionâ80% consistency beats 100% perfection that you can't sustain
- Review weekly averages rather than daily fluctuations
Tracking Goal: After 3-4 weeks of consistent logging, you'll develop an intuitive sense of portions. Then track only 3-4 days per week or when you feel things drifting. The goal is awareness, not obsession.
Putting It All Together
Sustainable nutrition isn't about perfectionâit's about having a flexible framework and adjusting based on real-world feedback. Use these templates as your starting point:
- Week 1-2: Track everything to understand your baseline portions and protein distribution
- Week 3-4: Start adjusting the "big levers" (rice, oil/ghee, nuts) based on hunger and energy
- Week 5+: Develop your own rhythmârotate these 3 templates, track occasionally to stay honest
Remember: Progress is built on consistency, not perfection. If you have a heavy meal one day, just return to your plan the next day. No guilt, no restrictionâjust sustainable habits.
Need Personalized Nutrition Coaching?
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