For many people trying to lose weight, the first advice they hear is to completely eliminate their favourite foods. But gastroenterologist Dr Pal says that approach never worked for him. After surviving a heart attack, weighing 110 kg, and struggling with obesity and high cholesterol, he tried multiple diets that banned mutton biryani. None of them lasted. His turning point came when one coach encouraged him to change how he ate rather than what he ate.

Sharing his journey on social media, Dr Pal revealed that following his heart attack, his medical reports confirmed what he already feared. He weighed 110 kg, had high cholesterol, and was obese. Determined to improve his health, he consulted one dietitian after another, hoping each new plan would finally deliver lasting results.

However, almost every diet came with the same strict rules. He was told to avoid mutton biryani, give up sweets, stop eating out, and stick to rigid meal timings. Dr Pal admitted he could follow those plans only for a few days. The more he restricted himself, the more he found himself thinking about food. Eventually, he would overeat. He said it wasn't because he lacked discipline but because he was constantly fighting his cravings.


Living in the United States made the challenge even greater. According to Dr Pal, American dietitians did not fully understand Indian food preferences. He then turned to Indian dietitians, who understood his favourite foods but were unfamiliar with the realities of his lifestyle in America.

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Everything changed when he met a coach who took a different approach. Instead of asking him to stop eating biryani, she taught him how to enjoy his favourite foods in a healthier way. Dr Pal said she focused on sustainable habits rather than strict restrictions. Her guidance centred on portion control, meals that kept him feeling full, flexible eating, and routines that he could realistically maintain over the long term.


For the first time, Dr Pal said he was no longer "fighting my food." What made the difference was that the approach was sustainable. It worked not just for a week or a month but eventually became a lifestyle. The gastroenterologist shared that the experience changed the way he viewed nutrition and patient care. As a doctor, he said he could not ignore what had worked so well in his own life.

Instead of prescribing rigid meal plans, he began helping his patients build healthier habits around the foods they already loved. According to Dr Pal, this shift away from restriction and towards sustainable eating habits produced "incredible" results. His experience highlights an important lesson: lasting weight loss often depends less on eliminating favourite foods altogether and more on building habits that people can comfortably maintain for years.