'The moment someone forbids you to eat something, you want to eat it even more.' Dietician Riya Jain says this all-or-nothing mindset is exactly why most fitness resolutions fail.
Have you ever started the year promising yourself that this will finally be the year you get fit, then finding yourself quitting sugar, overdoing workouts and quietly giving up by February? Well, you're not alone.
According to Dietician and Nutritionist Riya Jain, most fitness resolutions don't fail because people lack discipline but because they start with extremes that are impossible to sustain.
Riya holds a BSc in beauty and wellness with a specialisation in nutrition science and dietetics from Symbiosis University, Pune.
She is also the founder of Ri-eat, a nutrition brand that focuses on eating smart rather than cutting off, helping people build sustainable habits even as they continue to eat the foods they love.
In a candid conversation with Rediff's Rishika Shah, Riya Jain breaks down why most fitness goals collapse early in the year, how to build habits that last beyond January and why learning to eat smartly matters far more than avoiding eating your favourite foods altogether.
Say no to extreme diets
According to Riya, extreme diet and workout plans rely heavily on willpower rather than habits, and biology always wins.
"They fail because they rely on willpower and not habit building," she says. "Your body is smart. Biology eventually overrides your motivation."
She explains that extreme restriction leads to hormonal and metabolic issues.
"It increases your hunger hormone, causes blood sugar instabilities; all of this eventually makes a person give in to cravings. And the whole regime comes down crashing."
Don't give up on your favourite foods
One of the biggest mistakes people make, Riya says, is believing that fitness requires cutting out your favourite foods completely.
"The moment I forbid you to eat something, you want to eat it even more," she explains. "This puts you in the cycle of craving, eating guilt, then compensation, and eventually you quit."
She also warns that restriction makes the body fragile.
"When you restrict yourself too much, your body doesn't become resilient. Your weight shoots up the moment you reintroduce forbidden items."
That's why she encourages planned indulgence.
"Once in a while, you should be eating junk, sugar, fried food. Once a week, I tell my clients to have a cheat meal. Your body remains used to crap food and so your weight won't shoot up when you consume it."
Eat smart is better than eat clean
Riya's approach focuses on smart eating, not rigid food rules.
"You have to understand how to eat smart over clean," she says. "Follow food priority, portion sizes and order of eating. That's what smart eating is about so you don't have to give up your favourite foods."
She points out that weight loss isn't about cuisine or calories alone.
"We add recipes of burgers, pasta, dumplings and fries in the diet and clients still lose weight. It's not about calories or cuisine; it's about recipe style, portions and smart eating."
Make your favourite foods healthy
Riya emphasises food priority -- deciding what goes into your stomach first.
"Before each meal, fill half the volume of your stomach with protein or fibre," she says. "Then you need lesser carbs to feel full."
Using pav bhaji as an example, she explains:
"I'll drink a glass or two of thick buttermilk with jeera first. It gives protein, fills volume, keeps the stomach cool. Then I add raw salad like cucumber or onion to the bhaji. At home, I'll even grate 40-50 grams of tofu inside the bhaji."
The result? "I don't even taste the tofu but the protein increases and I need less pav to feel full."
She also recommends a simple plate rule:
"Follow a 2:1:1 proportion -- two portions of veggies, one portion of protein, one portion of carbs."
Choose portion control over cutting foods out
According to Riya, portion control is far more effective than food elimination.
"Portion sizing wins every time," she says. "You can overeat healthy food and put on weight."
She explains that the body processes excess food the same way.
"If I overeat makhana (foxnuts), the end product is still glucose surplus."
Her key message: "Quantity matters more than food labels, even for healthy foods."
Healthy vs unhealthy
Riya believes nutrition quality matters but context is important.
"An apple and a biscuit may have similar calories but an apple will help you lose weight because nutrition works at a cellular level," she says.
However, she adds perspective.
"From a bird's eye view of weight loss, a biscuit alone is never the problem. Eating it mindlessly and not having physical activity is."
Small habits, big results
Riya stresses that fitness is built through small, consistent habits:
- Start your day with a healthy fat or metabolic enhancer like methi seeds, cinnamon, nuts, ghee in water, chia seeds or apple cider vinegar.
- Have at least one fruit every day with a fat like nuts or seeds.
- Prioritise fibre and protein before lunch and dinner so you rely less on carbs.
- Track hydration through urine colour -- it should be transparent or lemon yellow.
- Walk for 10 minutes after meals to control sugar spikes.
She also highlights walking as a powerful weight loss tool.
"Walking increases NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis). The more you walk, the more calories you burn even at rest."
Slow eating is a game changer
One habit she strongly advocates is slowing down while eating.
"Become a slow eater. Take smaller bites and chew till liquid consistency," she says. "This improves nutrient absorption and controls appetite."
She adds, "Fast eaters always need more servings. Slow eating gives mental satisfaction; even small portions feel filling."
How to balance work, social life and fitness
Riya believes people burn out chasing perfect routines.
"People try one-and-a-half hours of gymming and on-point diets. They burn themselves out," she says.
Her solution? "Build flexible but non-negotiable practices. Thirty minutes of movement daily is non-negotiable. Five days of mindful eating is non-negotiable. Which five days -- that can be flexible."
Consistency over intensity
When it comes to results, Riya is clear: Consistency always wins.
"Six months of moderate, consistent exercise will always outdo six weeks of intense effort," she says.
"Consistency makes your body resilient. Intensity gives temporary results."
How to handle slip-ups
Slip-ups are inevitable, quitting isn’t.
"One or two days of overeating is not proof of failure," she says. "Not resuming your routine the next day is abandoning it."
Her rule is simple: "Reset at the very next meal, not next Monday."
Motivation is overrated
Riya believes motivation is unreliable.
"Motivation and excitement are superficial. Build habits and identity instead," she says. "Work on exercising and eating well, not obsessively checking the scale."
The one rule that works
If there's one rule Riya insists on, it's this:
"Never do anything to lose weight that you cannot continue for life."
She explains, "Eat what you truly enjoy but eat smartly, in moderation, in a balanced way. Be flexible but be certain about non-negotiables."
"When you're not deprived, you're likely to stay on routine for the rest of the year and your resolutions don't fade."
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