A practical guide to building habits that actually stick — designed for your body, your life, and your goals.
Welcome to the programme.
This docket is your go-to reference for everything covered in your consultation — from what's on your plate to how well you sleep. Keep it handy and come back to it often.
Your Coach · Karan K.M. Malani
01 · Your Plate
Foundation
Build the Perfect Plate
Every meal is an opportunity. Use this simple framework at breakfast, lunch, and dinner — no calorie counting required. Just fill your plate with the right proportions.
½ of plate · top
Lean Protein
Builds muscle, keeps you full, and powers your metabolism. Aim for it at every meal.
→ Fish, chicken, eggs, paneer, Greek yogurt
½ of plate · right side
Colorful Veggies
Fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables. More color = more nutrients.
→ Broccoli, spinach, peppers, bhindi, carrots
¼ of plate · bottom left
Smart Starches
Choose whole, fiber-rich carbs that fuel energy steadily — not the kind that spike and crash.
→ Brown rice, oats, sweet potato, roti, rajma, chana
Small portion · 1 thumb
Healthy Fats
Essential for hormones and brain health. A little goes a long way.
Add a Fruit / Dates on the side
Fresh or frozen fruit — or a couple of dates — is your natural dessert: sweet, fibrous, and full of antioxidants.
💧
Drink Water, Herbal Tea or Black Coffee
Water, nimbu pani (no sugar / stevia), plain black coffee, or herbal tea. Skip the sugary drinks.
Two golden rules: Eat slowly and stop when you're comfortably full — not stuffed. Choose whole, minimally processed foods whenever you can.
Visual Reference
Your Plate at a Glance
Use this diagram to visualise the right portions every time you plate up.
Veggies — ½ plate
Protein — ¼ plate
Starches — ⅛ plate
Fats — small portion
Fruit / Dates — side
This is a guide, not a rigid rule. Adjust portions based on your hunger, energy levels, and daily activity.
02 · Portions
No Scales Needed
Your Built-In Measuring Tools
Your hands are perfectly proportioned to your body — bigger body, bigger hands, bigger portions. Use this guide at restaurants, at home, anywhere.
🖐️
Protein
1 Palm
~85–115g cooked meat / fish + 2 whole eggs + 1 cup Greek yogurt ≈ 20–30g protein
✊
Vegetables
1 Fist
~1 cup non-starchy veggies Pile them high — no limit needed
🤲
Carbohydrates
1 Cupped Hand
½–⅔ cup cooked grains + 1 medium fruit + 1 medium potato ≈ 20–30g carbs
👍
Fats
1 Thumb
~1 tbsp oil or nut butter + small handful of nuts ≈ 7–12g fat
How many portions per meal?
Lighter activity
1 palm protein · 1 fist veg
1 cupped hand carbs · 1 thumb fat
More active
2 palms protein · 2 fists veg
2 cupped hands carbs · 2 thumbs fat
Adjust based on hunger, energy, and goals. These are starting points — not fixed rules.
💡 Pro Tip: Plate Size Matters — A smaller plate naturally supports portion control. A larger plate works well for higher-calorie goals like building muscle. Use what suits your body and your goal.
03 · Food Choices
Quality Guide
What to Eat More, Some & Less
No food is completely off-limits — but some choices consistently work better for your body. Use this spectrum as a guide, not a rulebook.
Proteins
Eat More
Eggs
Fish & shellfish
Chicken & turkey
Buff / beef (lean cuts)
Paneer
Plain Greek yogurt
Eat Some
Lamb & mutton
Protein powders
Poultry sausage
Minimally processed deli
Tofu & edamame
Eat Less
Fried meats
High-fat sausages
Processed deli meats
Protein bars
Hot dogs & salami
Heavily processed meat subs
Frozen meats
Carbohydrates
Eat More
Rajma, chana & lentils
Steel-cut & rolled oats
Brown rice
Sweet potatoes & yams
Fresh fruit
Gluten free or whole wheat roti
Eat Some
White rice & poha
Granola & instant oats
Sugar free flavored yogurt
Idli & dosa (plain)
White bread & pasta
Whole grain crackers
Eat Less
Aerated drinks & fruit juice
Chips, namkeen & farsan
Mithai, gulab jamun & barfi
Biscuits & cereal bars
Ice cream & kulfi
Sweetened energy drinks
Fats
Eat More
Extra virgin olive oil
Avocado & avocado oil
Almonds, walnuts, cashews
Chia, flax & pumpkin seeds
Natural peanut butter
Eat Some
Cheese
Dark chocolate (70%+)
Coconut oil / milk
Sesame & flaxseed oil
Trail mix
Eat Less
Butter (excess)
Processed cheese spreads
Refined seed oils (excess)
Hydrogenated trans fats
04 · Vegetables & Recovery
Variety is Nutrition
Eat the Rainbow 🌈
Different colors in vegetables signal different nutrients and antioxidants. Aim for at least 2–3 colors at every meal.
Good sleep = better food choices, faster recovery, and higher energy. These habits make the biggest difference.
1
Keep a regular schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time — even on weekends.
2
No screens 30 min before bed. Blue light blocks melatonin. Try reading or light stretching instead.
3
Avoid caffeine after 2 pm. Caffeine stays in your system for at least 5–6 hours and disrupts deep sleep.
4
Keep your room cool & dark. 18–24°C tends to work best — adjust for the season and your preference.
5
Eat lightly before bed. A small, balanced snack 2–3 hours before sleep is ideal — avoid heavy meals late at night.
6
Move your body daily. Regular physical activity — especially outdoors — promotes deeper, more restful sleep.
05 · Golden Rules
Non-Negotiables
Your 6 Core Habits
These six habits, practiced consistently, will build the foundation of lasting health. Start with whichever feels most achievable right now.
01
Eat Slowly & Stop at 80%
It takes 20 minutes for your brain to register fullness. Slow down, chew properly, and stop when satisfied — not stuffed.
02
Protein at Every Meal
Lean protein keeps you full, preserves muscle, and stabilizes blood sugar. Make it the anchor of every plate.
03
Vegetables at Every Meal
Aim for 5–10 servings of colorful vegetables daily. They provide fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants your body needs.
04
Mostly Whole Foods
Choose foods closest to their natural state. The less processing, the more nutrients reach your body intact.
05
Move Your Body Daily
Structured workouts matter — but so do walks, bike rides, and taking the stairs. Consistent daily movement is the goal.
06
Manage Stress & Sleep
Chronic stress and poor sleep undermine every nutritional effort. Protect your recovery as fiercely as your workouts.
Daily Checklist
Use this to reflect on your habits each day. Consistency beats perfection.
Ate lean protein at most meals
Daily
Started each meal with protein, fibre, or fat — before the carbs
Daily
Included colorful vegetables at most meals
Daily
Ate slowly and stopped when satisfied
Daily
Chose mostly whole, minimally processed foods
Daily
Did some form of movement or exercise
Daily
Got 7–9 hours of quality sleep
Nightly
Took 10+ minutes to de-stress (meditate, walk, journal)
Daily
Stayed hydrated (8+ glasses of water)
Daily
Ate dinner as close to sunset as possible
Daily
Observed a minimum 12-hour overnight fast
Daily
06 · Karan's Pointers
From Your Coach
3 Things That Make a Real Difference
These aren't rules — they're habits that, once built, quietly transform how you feel every single day.
🌅
Tip 01 · Meal Timing
Eat dinner as close to sunset as possible.
Your digestive system is most active during daylight hours, aligned with your body's natural circadian rhythm. Eating dinner closer to sunset — rather than late at night — significantly improves digestion and the absorption of nutrients from your food.
⏱️
Tip 02 · Fasting Window
Observe a minimum 12-hour overnight fast.
Giving your digestive system a full 12-hour rest overnight — for example, finishing dinner by 8 pm and having breakfast no earlier than 8 am — allows your gut to repair, reset, and prepare for the day ahead. This is one of the simplest and most powerful things you can do for your health.
☀️
Tip 03 · Morning Protein for Women
Consume protein within 30–45 minutes of waking.
For women, cortisol levels are naturally elevated in the morning. Consuming protein within 30–45 minutes of waking helps calm this cortisol spike, stabilises blood sugar early in the day, and sets the tone for better energy, mood, and food choices throughout the rest of the day.
🥩
Tip 04 · Order of Eating
Start each meal with protein, fibre, or fat — before the carbs.
The sequence in which you eat matters as much as what you eat. Beginning your meal with vegetables, protein, or healthy fat — before reaching for rice, roti, or bread — significantly blunts the blood sugar spike that follows. Less spike means less crash, fewer cravings, and more stable energy throughout the day. It requires no extra effort, no special food — just a small shift in order that quietly makes a meaningful difference.
The KM Philosophy
We Don't Go on Diets.
We make good dietary choices.
No restrictions. No rules you can't sustain. Just a smarter relationship with food — built one meal at a time. That's what lasts. That's what changes lives.