For some people, getting fit means counting calories, hitting the gym regularly and finding a diet they can actually stick to. For Banshdeep Singh, who is from Delhi and now lives in Canada, it meant making a much bigger change to his everyday eating habits.Singh has sparked a debate online after saying that he stopped cooking, shopping for and eating Indian food about 1.5 years ago. According to him, the change made it easier to manage his meals, protein intake and fitness routine.“After that decision, I am in the best shape of my life,” he wrote in the caption of a video shared on Instagram.
Why he stopped eating Indian food
Singh said his current routine involves four meals a day, more than 150 grams of protein and staying in a calorie deficit. He also spoke about how his diet fits around his work and gym schedule.In the video, he described coming home after a long day with very little energy left for exercise. But when he saw his physique in the mirror, he said it gave him the push to head to the gym.“Maine last dedh saal se Indian khana banana aur chhoda hua hai… When I look at myself in the mirror, and my body is looking so good, I feel like working harder. I left all my sleepiness and came to the gym after doing the pre-workout,” he said.For Singh, a big part of the change appears to be convenience.He explained that cooking Indian meals can involve grocery shopping, preparing several ingredients, adding spices and making tadka. For someone trying to follow a tightly controlled diet, he feels that the process takes too much time.“Earlier, when I was cooking Indian food. First of all, it takes a lot of time. Secondly, you have to do so much grocery shopping for that. Then add spices and temper it. It affects the body badly,” Singh said.He also said his current meals leave him feeling full and give him a sense of mental satisfaction.“Isse achha na hi khao. Pet bhi bhara hua hai aur mentally bhi satisfaction milti hai, woh cheez explain nahi kar sakta,” he added.
‘This worked for me’
The video quickly turned into a discussion about Indian food, fitness and what people consider a healthy diet.Singh later clarified in the comments that he wasn’t trying to criticise Indian food or offend anyone. Instead, he said the video was based on what had worked for him.“No intent to hurt anyone the sole purpose of the video is to motivate people who are not able to progress, this worked for me could work for you,” he wrote.That distinction didn’t stop the debate, though.Some viewers said they could relate to his experience. One user claimed that cutting back on Indian food had helped them with their own diet, while another said they had switched to simpler meals such as boiled vegetables, chicken, cheese and seasoning after dealing with gut issues.Another commenter said they now ate Indian food only occasionally, adding that cooking it could be time-consuming and that their body felt lighter after making the change.
Not everyone agreed
Others pushed back against the idea that Indian food should be blamed for difficulties with fitness or weight management.One user argued that traditional Indian cooking has a much deeper history than the version often seen through modern diet trends. Another said the focus should be on managing the overall diet rather than labelling Indian food as unhealthy.“The Indian diet is full of protein and fibre. You just need to be smart about managing your diet, that’s it,” one user commented.Another wrote, “Indian household food is 1000times better than packed food of the Western countries.”The reactions highlight a familiar debate: whether getting fit is really about giving up an entire cuisine or simply changing portions, ingredients, cooking methods and overall calorie and protein intake.For Singh, the answer has been clear based on his own experience. But his video has also shown just how quickly a personal fitness choice can turn into a much bigger conversation about food, culture and health.
