Veteran actor Deepshikha Nagpal revealed her diet secrets, saying her eating habits are clockwork and that she prefers home-cooked food. “I am half Punjabi, half Gujarati, so I have to have my parathas like aloo (potato) or gobhi (cauliflower) because I feel hungry in the morning. I eat an early dinner, so I feel hungry in the morning. I have my paratha, or a sandwich, or poha with my tea. Then I have lemon water or fruit after two hours. I don’t have dal chawal or roti sabzi. Either I have roti, sabzi, dal, or I have dal rice. I don’t mix roti and rice. I am more of a roti eater. This, along with salad,” she told actor and producer Prachi Sharma on her podcast.

Nagpal, 49, continued, “After 2-3 hours, I have my tea and some biscuits. And then after coming back from my evening walk, I have juice. 7.30-8 pm, I have my dinner, which is my last meal. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a normal human, and dinner like a pauper. Even if I go to parties, I eat food at home. As such, you won’t put on.”

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She enjoys her share of parathas

A balanced diet should provide adequate protein, fibre-rich carbohydrates, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables and micronutrients, with portions adjusted according to individual goals and health needs.

“Follow a balanced diet which includes protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and fruits and vegetables. Protein can be obtained from vegetarian foods such as dal, pulses, milk, curd, paneer, all of which help to preserve muscle mass and promote healing,” said consultant dietitian Garima Goyal.

 

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A single dinner won’t instantly turn into body fat just because it’s at night. Goyal noted that weight gain happens when you consistently eat too many calories over time. “The real issue with late-night cheat meals is that they often come with larger portions, alcohol, desserts, or mindless eating, which can lead to overeating. If you enjoy a treat at dinner, keep portions reasonable and avoid making bingeing,” said Goyal.