Are you excited about the festive season?
Are you already planning your Diwali parties?
Or are you worried about your ongoing diet plan?
Diwali – the festival of lights and joy, rituals and celebrations brings everyone together. The festive season means many dinners and parties and yes a lot of festive eating. The festive season tempts you with delicious mithais and desserts, crispy namkeens and other calorie-rich foods. Are you going to abstain from the festive treats? Or are you going to enjoy guilt-free this season?
We believe that moderation is the key. Celebrate your Diwali and enjoy everything in a limit. Here are a few healthy hacks to eat well this Diwali:
1. Don’t give in to your sweet tooth
Choose mithais and ladoos made with sugar substitutes or dates that are available in the market.
2. Make your mithais at home
Choose to make healthy mithais at home with no added artificial colours.
3. Stay hydrated
Drinking water at short intervals will leave you feeling full, preventing you from overeating.
4. Focus on fibre-rich food
Limit your intake of fried foods and foods made from refined ingredients. While at a party choose to have salad and stir-fried vegetables instead of fried snacks. Fibre leaves you feeling full without causing you to gain weight.
5. Snack before you go out
Eating a light meal at home ensures you don’t reach hungry at a party and start binge eating. This helps exercise self-control at parties.
6. Think before you drink
Diwali is synonymous with parties. Before you raise your glass, remember alcohol is made by fermenting sugar and starch, so being high on alcohol is equivalent to being high on sugars and calories. Drink alcohol in limit.
7. Watch your portion sizes
The sight of your favourite dishes can challenge even those most dedicated to their diets. If you can’t control what you eat, manage how much you consume. Start by choosing a small plate to serve yourself.
8. Avoid talking when you eat
Eating while chatting with family and friends makes you overeat too quickly. Also, chew slowly for five to ten times to allow the brain more time to recognise when you have eaten enough.
9. Exercise
Apart from controlling your food intake during the festive season, it is important to burn calories too. So don’t skip your workout. Take half-an-hour out to walk, jog or cycle every day as cardio is the quickest way to burn calories.
10. Make your snacks
Use whole flours like wheat, bajra, jowar instead of refined flours to make traditional family recipes. You can also bake your snacks instead of deep-frying them.
Are you hosting a Diwali Party?
Here are a few tips to cook healthy:
- Avoid using any processed foods.
- Use low-fat or skimmed milk to make desserts instead of full cream milk.
- Use healthy cooking methods like stir fry or baking instead of deep-frying.
- Replace sugar in mithais with dates, jaggery or any natural sweetener.
While we agree that Diwali means celebrations and indulgence one must not lose track of their fitness goals. This is especially true for patients suffering from diabetes, obesity and high cholesterol levels. Diwali comes for a few days but the havoc it may create in your health numbers may be detrimental for your health. Be attentive towards your food choices and balance your Diwali festivities.
Do you want a personalised diet plan for Diwali? Consult our expert nutritionists who can guide you with a complete diet plan for the festive season.
