"My biggest mistake was not my diet but...": Why most women can't lose weight despite doing everything right

Shruti M is a housewife approaching menopausal age. She was never lean, but she gained close to 20 kgs in the past five years. She ate light, avoided fried food, and wrapped up her dinner by 7 pm. She maintained a strict diet for years, but the weight kept creeping up. Most of the doctors she visited either made her go through multiple tests, gave her vitamins and minerals, or even put her on hormonal medication. When results were not visible, she was told, "It's your age that is to be blamed. At your age, it is difficult to lose weight."

Shruti was finally referred to a homeopathy doctor in Delhi's Bengali Market by her friend. The doctor asked her to do just two things — give up snacking and replace her breakfast with seasonal fruits. "At first, I was really worried as I thought that fruits on an empty stomach would aggravate my acid reflux, but this did not happen! I started feeling better and as soon as I quit snacking, I realised I had started losing weight. My biggest mistake was not my diet but my snacking habit. I kept munching on biscuits and namkeens and felt guilt-free as, according to me, my meals were clean!" Shruti told The Times of India that she is losing close to 2 kgs a month and her reflux has vanished.

"A woman's body is constantly changing — from hormonal shifts to metabolic changes that never stop. And yet, amid all the conversations about balanced diets and healthy lifestyles, one thing barely gets a mention: what women eat between meals. Snacking has a reputation problem. Most people treat it as either a guilty pleasure or an afterthought. But for women, it deserves far more attention than that," says Tarun Agrawal, Co-founder & CEO, Healthy Master. "Snacking is not just about satisfying hunger. It is about fueling your body with the right nutrients at the right time. For women especially, the quality of snacks directly impacts energy, hormones, and long-term wellness," he adds.

Acclaimed nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar advocates for 4–7 PM snacks because she feels that this is the time when one's energy comes crashing down due to hunger and if a person does not eat at this time, they are more likely to overeat at dinner. But she recommends only a few snacks and warns against biscuits, sweets, and namkeens. She recommends a handful of peanuts, roasted chana, chikki, makhana, or even roti with ghee and jaggery, or a sandwich.

Why snacking is bad
Dr Raman Kishore, a family physician in Patna with experience serving thousands of patients in medical camps, says, "Many women believe small snacks do not affect weight, but even small amounts of packaged and processed snacks, which are not part of a balanced diet, can contain very high calories and unhealthy fats. Frequent snacking adds extra calories throughout the day without providing proper nutrition or lasting fullness. For healthy weight loss, women should focus more on balanced meals rich in protein and fiber instead of repeated snacking. The real concern is not hunger but the habit of consuming high-calorie snacks without realising their impact on health."

Chef Gautam Kumar shares a list of snacks that are low in calories and can keep women satiated for long:

Jhal Muri: This spicy treat is low in calories and has a good mix of carbs and protein. In a bowl, add 1 cup murmura, 2 tsp mustard oil, chopped onions and green chillies, a handful of soaked gram, a pinch of chilli powder, black salt, 1 tsp lemon juice, and some roasted peanuts.
Ghee-roasted makhana with salt and pepper: Dry roast makhana on a low flame. Once crunchy, add salt, pepper, and ghee and mix well. Eat!
Chana Chaat: Boil black gram and drain the water. Add peanuts, chopped onions, tomatoes, green chillies, 1 tsp lemon juice, and coriander leaves. Enjoy!
Hung curd dip with crackers: Add some crushed garlic to hung curd along with parsley, black pepper, and salt. Enjoy with rice crackers or breadsticks.