How Keerthy Suresh lost 9kg with cardio and no protein shakes: ‘Almost 6-7 egg whites in a day’

In 2018-19, Tamil film industry actress Keerthy Suresh shed 9kg for a role through cardio workouts and a high-protein, low-carb diet. During a 2025 interview, she divulged the specifics of her diet, stating she consumed nearly six to seven egg whites daily, alongside paneer, tofu, chana, soya, and pulses. She refrained from protein shakes.

Clinical Nutritionist Pravalika Londe of Aster CMI Hospital in Bangalore noted that protein is crucial for muscle strength, energy, immunity, and overall metabolic health. She explained that simple additions to regular meals can boost protein intake and aid weight loss. Chana and pulses, such as dal, sprouts, or roasted chana, are easy ways to enhance meals.

Adding an extra bowl of dal to lunch or dinner, mixing sprouts into salads, poha, or sandwiches, and incorporating paneer in parathas, sabzi, pulao, or sandwiches are straightforward methods to increase protein without consuming excessive carbs.

Londe suggests paneer in parathas, sabzi, pulao, or sandwiches, curd for protein, calcium, and gut health, and eggs as an excellent protein source, particularly when the yolk is removed to avoid bad cholesterol and extra fats. Chicken, fish, or soy products are suitable alternatives for non-vegetarians. Seeds like peanuts, almonds, sesame seeds, flaxseeds, and pumpkin seeds, when added to curd, smoothies, oats, or salads, or used as seed powder in chapatis or rotis, further enrich simple recipes.

Lastly, protein-rich flours such as besan, ragi, soybean flour, or sattu can be mixed with wheat flour to make rotis or chapatis, increasing the nutritional profile without significantly raising calories. Londe emphasized the importance of consulting a qualified dietitian for portion control, as excessive intake of anything is not advisable.