The Commonsense Diet: Stop Overthinking, Start Eating

by Rujuta Diwekar

15 Years After Don’t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight Comes the New Diet Manual for the Country

Does intermittent fasting really work?
Should we go on high-protein diets?
Is doing a gut cleanse worth it?
Should we be switching to millets?

In her insightful new book, Rujuta Diwekar answers these questions and shows us a commonsense way of eating and living a full life.

A life without fear and confusion about food.
A life where good health is the default.
A life of happiness and enthusiasm.
Because ghar ka khaana can do that for us.
If we let it.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Food, Self Help

205 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 24, 2025

About the author

Winner of the 'Nutrition Award' from ASIAN INSTITUTE OF GASTROENTEROLOGY, Rujuta is amongst the most qualified and sought after sports science and nutrition expert in the country and the only nutritionist to have associate membership from SPORTS DIETITIANS, AUSTRALIA. In the plethora of diet fads and fears, her voice rings loud and clear, urging us to use our common sense and un-complicate the act of eating. Having worked with people from all walks of life, of all age groups and varying fitness levels, she has fine-tuned her methods to fit the lifestyle of the urban Indian.

Her two books and the film 'INDIAN FOOD WISDOM' have been on top of the best-selling charts for more than 5 years now. Her third book on exercise 'DON'T LOSE OUT, WORK OUT' is out in the market now.

Reviews

[Vinaya Wagh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute must-read, not just for Indians but anyone.

[Amruta Bhave · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, if there is 1 word that will describe Rujuta Diwekar's books, it is "sensible". Enjoyed reading this one!

[Debdutta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Absolute pedestrian style of writing. Unnecessary meanderings and bloated self-indulgence made it difficult for this reader to stay focused on what the author had to say

[Nishaat · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking to read a book that simplifies the idea around diet and health for a common person, then this is it. Some of the content that is mentioned might be familiar to what she says in her youtube videos. Many nutritionists, dietitians and health influencers don't often talk about the social factors that affect health and an individual's access to nutritious food. I like how she briefly addressed that in this book.

[Vidhya Thakkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rujuta Diwekar’s insightful book, The Commensense Diet, champions the timeless wisdom of Ghar ka Khana—home-cooked food—as the ultimate key to a healthy, happy life. Her message is simple yet profound: health doesn’t come from fads or extremes, but from returning to our roots and savouring the everyday goodness of traditional, home-style meals.
Rujuta brings this philosophy to life through engaging anecdotes drawn from her experiences as a nutritionist. These real-life stories offer more than just advice—they open a window into the lived journeys of her clients, filled with joy, humour, and sometimes surprising realisations. Through them, she highlights the often absurd gap between societal diet trends and the grounded realities of good nutrition.

What sets this book apart is its practical, no-nonsense approach. Rujuta doesn’t just debunk common myths—like the obsession with calorie counting or the belief that health demands rigid restrictions—she replaces them with a balanced, sustainable way of eating. Her message is empowering: eating well should be rooted in mindfulness and pleasure, not fear or guilt.
One of the most impactful aspects of the book is how it gently encourages self-awareness and small but meaningful lifestyle shifts. Whether it’s reintroducing seasonal fruits, respecting your body’s natural hunger cues, or learning to eat without screens, each chapter offers tools that feel achievable and grounded in real life. As a reader, you’re not overwhelmed with rules, but inspired to listen to your body and honour its needs.

Read the full review here: https://vidhyathakkar.com/book-review...

[Rahul Vishnoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

-A reality check from one of the most celebrated nutrition expert of India-
Review of 'The Common Sense Diet'

Quote Alert
"'𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧' 𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 (𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐒-𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝) 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬 𝐚 '𝐠𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥
𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐚𝐩'. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝- 𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬."

In The Common Sense Diet', Diwekar, the highest selling non-fic writer of India and a much-sought-after nutritionist debunks the fad diets, popular super foods and almost everything a fitness (or not) influencer spouts on social media. Her exasperation leaks through in her writing as she maintains a calm demeanor while talking with people who tell her about crazy diets they are on.

In the book, Diwekar asks many questions that everybody struggling with their weight has- Does intermittent fasting really work? Should we go on high-protein diets? Is doing a gut cleanse worth it? How do you even cleanse it? Should we be switching to millets? Is wheat evil? What about milk? And sugar? And black coffee?

Diwekar has been a champion of no-nonsense diet. She advocates 'ghar ka khana' over the latest fad you must have heard of. Eating haldi tablets? Why don't you put it in the baghaar? Her writing is filled with Hindi words and phrases and it helps the reader go through the book fairly quickly. She has magnanimously shared her case diaries and they serve to illuminate the complex word of weight loss and nutrition.

Ignore this at your own risk.

[Chitrranshi · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who’s constantly bouncing between diets, calorie tracking apps, and guilt-ridden meals, The Commonsense Diet felt like a much-needed reset. Rujuta Diwekar doesn’t come at you with a list of restrictions or trendy rules—instead, she cuts through the chaos with one powerful idea: just eat the food you grew up with. Her focus on ghar ka khaana (home-cooked food) brought me back to basics and reminded me that health doesn’t have to be hard, foreign, or joyless.

What stood out most was how Diwekar calmly dismantles all the diet trends that left me confused—intermittent fasting, protein overload, gut cleanses, and even the millet hype. But instead of just telling you what not to do, she offers something better: practical, doable advice grounded in real life. Her stories about clients who found their rhythm through small, meaningful shifts—like eating without screens or respecting hunger—made the whole idea of “healthy living” seem less like a war and more like a conversation with your body.

Yes, some parts felt repetitive if you’ve followed her before, but as someone stuck in an endless loop of food stress, I needed the repetition. It’s not about learning something new—it’s about finally listening to what I’ve always known deep down. If you’re overwhelmed by conflicting advice or tired of punishing yourself in the name of health, this book offers a simple truth: your body already knows what to do—you just have to stop overthinking and start eating.

[Swati Jaiswal · Rating 3 out of 5]

What could have been a blogspot has been turned into a book by using some anecdotes and unrelated stories (which are useful) I wouldn't want in a book with this title.
I do relate a lot to the author and that is why that one more star. The book recommendations at the end are useful as well.
But few things that set me off are:

1. The flow of narration was broken throughout.

2. Quite a few hindi terms used here were pronounced wrong.
It could be a mistake from publisher side but we expect someone who is so much for "tradition", "local" etc, that they use right pronounciation of the language when they quote.

3. Content was quite redundant.

Overall, it does provide some good insights ( I might as well thank her for the nutrition advice), BUT, could sufficiently fit in a blogspot.

[Poorvi G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently read the book “The Commonsense Diet” by Rujuta Diwekar and absolutely loved it.
In her trademark Bambaiya English she gives us facts about health and busts myths about the “sciency” diets.
As she has said since time immemorial, “Ghar ka khana” is the best food for us (aside from a few occasional indulgences).
Her book has details about her client interactions and some case studies which reinforce her commonsense beliefs.
There are some new things she talks about in the book but we are already aware of most of the facts she has stated in the book. However, sometimes we need a refresher and a nudge in the right direction and this book is perfect for it.

[Srilekha Reddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Commonsense Diet by Rujuta Diwekar. The book emphasizes the power of simple, home-cooked meals over short-lived diet trends. I liked how she shifted the focus from quick weight loss to sustainable health — encouraging readers to track their fitness, waist-to-hip ratio, and overall wellbeing instead of just the scale. She also stresses the importance of eating local, seasonal, and sustainable foods — making nutrition practical and planet-friendly. The case studies from her clients, along with her recommendations, made the book relatable and actionable. A refreshing reminder that nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective.

[Deepa T · Rating 5 out of 5]

A helpful reminder of the timeless principles of sensible living. I’m currently facing issues related to my lifestyle and food choices. So the content of this book seems very timely (for me). As the title says, it is a very Commonsense approach to eating. It is your way I ate in my childhood, but times have changed so much. Perhaps, conveniences have increased, but it has not been a change for the better in many aspects. A return to the wisdom of my elders is perhaps the solution to my predicament too. Great book. The content will be very familiar to followers of Ms. Rujuta Diwekar.

[Rohan Kamath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall a decent read but not good enough compared to her other books. She has perfectly explained how to focus on common sense diets (though she prefers not to use the word diet) however the anecdotes given by her makes one lose focus. They were not needed. Examples are aptly detailed and one gets the sense of what combinations to eat. However at times I felt that too much negative was written about diets that are generally followed by nutritionists.

[Nil · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good written book which highlights the old traditions and why they worked. it is being forgotten by the generation to not understand how to eat and when to eat. The rising age of social media influences your food habit where pharma lobbies try to sell making something simple dangerous for your health and less sustainability. if you want to learn what it means to have sustainability, this book points out that definition.

[Niyanti Patel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book, not just Indians. It grounds you and reminds you the importance of food and wisdom given to us from our ancestors. It lets you take a step outside of all the diets that are viral and trending...and really understand how your body reacts to the food you are eating. Actually helped me fall in love with food all over again.

[Gunjan Sen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too generalised, was a bit disappointed by this book. In the entire book, I just felt that Rujuta is just stating one point over and over again and no real information was being handed out.

[Sreeranjani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful book from Rujuta talking about the recent diet fads and how to have a balanced diet.

[Prahalathan KK · Rating 4 out of 5]

She questions some of the common misconceptions of diets. Worth reading with an open mind

[Arzmeen Muljiani · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had a lot of easy tips. Generally I do not read books on dieting but this had more to do with common sense practices. Overall a decent read!

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8/5

This book has the basic common sense approach to diet and eating. I mainly read this book to understand the latest dieting trends in India.

It has a mix of practical advice on diets, life with celebrity anecdotes if you are into that.