From skipping meals to ignoring hydration: Clinical nutritionist explains 5 everyday habits that could undermine even a healthy iet

From sleep patterns to portion sizes, here are everyday habits a clinical nutritionist wants you to rethink for better health.

You’ve switched to salads, replaced sugary drinks with diet soda, started snacking on nuts instead of biscuits, and made sure roti or rice features in every meal. Yet, the belly fat doesn’t seem to budge. If this sounds familiar, you may be overlooking the small, everyday habits that influence your overall calorie intake, metabolic health and ability to manage weight. Eating healthy is not just about choosing foods labelled as nutritious.

It also involves understanding portion sizes, meal composition, cooking methods and how consistently your lifestyle supports your health goals. In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Tanay Mandowara, nutrition and lifestyle medicine coach and metabolic health specialist, shared common habits worth re-evaluating if you’re trying to manage your weight and improve your metabolic health.

1. Drinking diet sodas and assuming they are entirely harmless

According to Mandowara, diet sodas are often seen as an easy alternative to sugary beverages because they contain little or no sugar. While they can help reduce sugar and calorie intake when they replace sugar-sweetened drinks, they should not automatically become the foundation of your daily hydration habits.

Diet sodas are often seen as an easy alternative to sugary beverages because they contain little or no sugar.

What to do instead: Make water your primary drink. Unsweetened beverages are also useful options. If you enjoy diet soda, consume it in moderation and pay attention to your overall dietary habits.

2. Underestimating the amount of oil used in cooking

“Cooking oils are often treated as a minor ingredient because they are used in small quantities,” highlighted Mandowara. However, oil is calorie-dense, and repeated additions during cooking can significantly increase the energy content of a meal. A home-cooked meal can contain vegetables, pulses and whole grains and still become considerably more calorie-dense if generous amounts of oil are used for tempering, frying or preparing gravies.

What to do instead: Measure oil while cooking, choose preparation methods such as grilling, steaming and roasting when appropriate, and be mindful of repeated servings of fried foods. Focus on consistency rather than attempting to remove all fats from your diet.

3. Building every meal around roti, rice or other carbohydrate-heavy foods

Mandowara highlighted that roti and rice are staple foods in many Indian households and can absolutely be part of a healthy diet. The problem is not carbohydrates themselves, but meals that contain large portions of starch with insufficient protein, vegetables and fibre.

What to do instead: Build balanced meals. Include a protein source such as dal, beans, curd, paneer, eggs, fish or lean meat, alongside vegetables and an appropriate portion of rice or roti. The right proportions will vary depending on your activity level, preferences and health needs.

4. Ordering salads loaded with high-calorie dressings

According to Mandowara, a salad may appear to be the healthiest option on a restaurant menu, but its nutritional value depends on what goes into it. Creamy dressings, mayonnaise-based sauces, generous amounts of cheese, fried toppings and large portions of nuts can make a salad considerably more calorie-dense than expected.

This does not make these ingredients inherently unhealthy. Rather, the issue is that people may underestimate how much they are consuming because the base of the meal consists of vegetables.

What to do instead: Choose salads with a variety of vegetables and a satisfying protein source, such as chickpeas, beans, paneer, tofu, eggs or grilled chicken. Ask for dressings on the side so you can control the amount.

A salad may appear to be the healthiest option on a restaurant menu, but its nutritional value depends on what goes into it.

5. Grazing on ‘healthy’ nuts throughout the day

“Nuts are nutritious sources of unsaturated fats, protein, fibre and several essential micronutrients,” Mandowara explained. They can be an excellent addition to a balanced diet. However, because they are energy-dense, portions can add up quickly when you snack directly from a large packet or jar.

A handful in the morning, another while working, and a few more in the evening may seem insignificant individually. Across the day, however, these portions can contribute a substantial amount of energy, particularly if they are added on top of regular meals rather than replacing less nutritious snacks.

What to do instead: Serve a portion into a small bowl instead of eating straight from the packet. Choose unsalted or minimally processed varieties where possible, and consider your overall appetite and daily eating pattern when deciding how much to consume.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.