The holiday season does not spare anyone when it comes to indulging in a delicious feast. During this time of year, even the most dedicated fitness enthusiasts break the rules and succumb to temptation. Tables stacked high with steaming hot pakodas, fluffy and sugary gulab jamuns, juicy jalebis, and crispy chaats may persuade anybody to make a bargain with the devil. Festive seasons bring everybody together to enjoy the most significant days of the year along with families, meeting long-lost relatives, and extended friend circle. These celebrations also come at a heavy price, one that is mostly borne by the diet and increase in body weight. In this article, Palak Chaturvedi, Nutritionist & Lifestyle Consultant is sharing some life-saving tips to maintain your diet during the festive season.
Before Stepping out
Even so, there are ways to ensure avoid going overboard with the festivities and the tempting sweets.
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- Before stepping out, consuming fruits or a fruit smoothie with a sprinkling of almonds will help lower the food craving.
- Having 2 boiled eggs or a few paneer cubes provides the necessary protein boost that can otherwise be even met with a whey protein shake.
- Having yogurt or flaxseeds will help build control over the subsequent meals.
- While eating, try having just a few items and enjoy them guilt-free, chewing into them slowly and avoiding indulging in every item on the menu.
- It is advisable to eat at about 80% of the eating capacity and finish the meals with plain lemon water.
- When it comes to desserts, it is always a good idea to share and reduce the portion size.
During Festival
While most people assume that gaining holiday weight is unavoidable, there are a few things that can help enjoy the celebrations without modifying one’s lifestyle.
- Ensure to take a 30 minutes stroll every day without fail.
- Begin the day by drinking a glass of warm water with lemon, even on festive days as it will reduce the quantity of the subsequent meals.
- It is advisable to have one sweet when tempted to have 3.
- Consuming at least one fruit a day is a better way to stay fuller throughout the day.
- Drinking warm water instead of regular warm too helps in preparing the body to stay hydrated and is even more beneficial when cinnamon water is consumed before bedtime.
Manage the Diet
When it comes to managing the diet especially if a sumptuous dinner is arranged, be sure to eat a light lunch that includes a salad and soup.
- Replace rotis with ragi rotis, aloo sabzi with roasted sweet potato, and post-meal dessert with a piece of dark chocolate.
- Avoid carbohydrates and fats as much as possible.
- Going for a light stroll post meals will help fill the gap between working out on days during festivals.
- Bake or shallow fry food items to lower oil usage when compared to normally packaged fries, sweet potato or zucchini fries fried in an oven are highly healthful and simply wonderful.
- Makhana or fox nuts are also delicious while sweet potatoes, arbi, and raw bananas are excellent substitutes for potatoes in chaats.
- Instead of refined oil, use cold-pressed oils such as coconut, groundnut, and sesame to make vadas, bajjis, and bondas.
- It is advisable to consume eat homemade festivity foods and homemade sweets like dry fruit ladoos than having meals and sweets from outside.
- For mid-meal snacks, some roasted makhana or roasted chevda are great options in making one feel fuller for longer.
In conclusion, festivities encourage gatherings of family and friends served with plenty of delicious food. On these occasions, indulgence in fried and junk food is quite normal yet avoidable. That is why it is critical to keep a record of what is consumed and build a balanced diet around these festivals and guard against instances like bloating, burping, and indigestion after dining out. These tips are sure to provide many health benefits and create awareness of the consequences of some indulgent food habits while safeguarding the diet from being laid off track during the festive season.
Image credits- freepik