Every few years, we hear of a diet plan that delivers amazing results — weight loss, reduced hunger cravings, glowing skin, lustrous hair and so on. The latest one is Dixit diet plan. It’s the brainchild of Dr Shrikant Jichkar and Dr Jagannath Dixit which advocates eating food, twice a day, at the right time. The Dixit diet is proposed keeping the Indian diet in mind. According to the plan, you can consume two meals at fixed timings in a day; the food has to be consumed within 55 minutes. Between these two meals, you can sip on buttermilk, tea, green tea or coconut water.
What to eat, when to eat
The Dixit diet plan was first mooted by Dr Shrikant Jichkar. Dr Jichkar researched on it between 1997 and 2004 and post -2004, the research was carried forward by Dixit and a few volunteers. Dr Dixit, who is the Head of the Department of Community Medicine at the Latur Medical College, says, “It was Dr Jichkar’s idea to consume two meals a day and during his visit to the USA, where he read up research work on insulin, reinforced it. After his demise, some volunteers and I self-tested it. We decided to go ahead with the results that could be scientifically proven — like weight loss and reduced blood sugar.”
What it recommends
Dr Dixit has studied nutrition and learnt about the kind of diet to be given to a diabetic patient on a general level. He is in touch with around 55,000 followers from 37 countries through social media platforms. The pattern is thus: People, who are looking to reduce weight or treat their ailments, get in touch with Dixit’s coordinators on social media and send their reports. Based on the reports, the people are then added to various social media groups — for weight loss, pre-diabetes or diabetes and so on.
Dixit says, “I recommend the food that we are used to eating like chapatis and bhakris. They are very filling and you can eat them without curbing your hunger. If you follow Dixit diet plan consistently for three months, you will be able to reduce weight, and control your blood sugar levels, including your fasting insulin levels. You must reduce sweets and increase protein intake in your food and do some cardio activities for 45 minutes everyday.”
Doctors say
Dr Dileep Deodhar, however, says that the two-meal diet plan may yield only short term results. “I have some patients who were following this particular diet. They are now being treated for Hypoglycemia that is low blood sugar. It is because they did not eat at regular intervals. Every five hours, one must eat something for the proper process of digestion. Particularly, diabetic patients have to eat at regular intervals in small quantities, at least four times a day, as they take anti-diabetic medicines,” he says.
As far as obese patients are concerned, Dr Deodhar adds, “Patients cannot follow the diet plan for a year or all through their lives. I do not recommend this diet to any one.”
Dr Sujata Chavan, a dietician, says that she does not completely agree with Dixit diet plan. She says, “When I recommend a diet plan to someone, I consider their body type, their work timings and the availability of food. I suggest that they eat more than two to three balanced meals a day. Also, along with any diet, physical workout is a must.”
She says, “I feel people must consult a dietician or a diabetologist (if the patient has diabetes) before going ahead with the Dixit diet. There have been instances when people have suffered from a severe headache because of a gap of 12 hours between their meals. Furthermore, you cannot get all the required nutrients in two meals. As far as weight loss results are concerned, there is a certain extent to which your weight can reduce.”
People's feedback
Pratap Shinde, a professor, has been following the Dixit diet plan for around six months. He says, “Many people have told me that I am looking a bit lean. The only thing I have noticed is that I have been losing hair. Maybe it’s due to lack of proteins or vitamins in the diet.”
Vaishali Galande, homemaker, said that she has been following the diet for a considerable time and has seen positive results. She says, “My sugar levels have reduced and the medicines for sugar problem have also come down by 50 per cent. I have experienced weight loss and feel more active. I also had acidity problem which is under control now.”
