An Indian diet plan for Dubai

Dubai is the easiest place in the world to buy Indian groceries and one of the hardest to eat moderately in. The food is not the problem; the hours and the eating out are.

Groceries are not the constraint here

Lulu and Carrefour carry toor dal, idli rice, atta, paneer, curry leaves and fresh coconut. Nothing in an Indian plan is out of reach, which removes the usual excuse.

The actual problem is the schedule

Long hours, late dinners and a canteen or food court at lunch. The pattern that wrecks most people is a skipped breakfast, a heavy biryani lunch and a 10pm dinner.

Fix breakfast first. Curd, eggs or leftover dal at 8am changes the size of lunch more reliably than any decision made at lunch.

Eating out, read in numbers

• 1 plate chicken biryani — roughly 700–900 kcal
• 2 chapati with dal and sabzi — roughly 450 kcal
• 1 shawarma — roughly 400–500 kcal
• 1 masala dosa — roughly 350–400 kcal

Biryani twice a week is fine. Biryani four times a week is the whole deficit.

Sharing a kitchen

If several people cook in rotation, a plan that needs separate food for you will not last. Build from what the house already cooks and change only the portion and what goes alongside.

Common questions

Where do I buy Indian groceries in Dubai?

Lulu and Carrefour carry almost everything; Al Adil and the Karama grocers cover the rest.

Can I eat biryani and still lose weight?

Yes, as an occasional meal rather than a default. One plate is most of a day's budget, so plan the rest of that day around it.

This is general food guidance, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, taking medication or managing an illness, show any plan to your doctor first.