HOW TO KEEP HEALTHY DURING DIWALI

Festivals bring along happiness, prosperity and loads of rich food high on calories. 

Be it Diwali, Holi, Id or Christmas, all festivities call for unlimited servings of sweets, snacks and other fatty foods.

During festival season it is difficult to stick to your diet as our loved ones expect us to join in the celebrations.

Neither you neither want to be snobbish nor a spoilt sport by declining every time you are offered any of those “loaded-with-calories” and sinfully delicious stuff.

Now the question arises: how to make merry and stay in shape as well?

The answer is simple – a little bit of cheating, some food swapping, and smart ways of eating will do the trick.

How not to fall off the wagon during festivals

Follow these simple tips and avoid accumulating those extra kilos during the festival season.

Eat in Moderation:

Easier said than done, but moderation is the key to enjoying festive food. During festivals you are bound to eat fried snacks, sweets and other fatty preparations but it will cost you less on the weighing scale if you keep the portions smaller.

Don’t Skip your Workout:

Don’t let your food sit pretty on your body by simply lazing around in the house during festival holidays. No matter what, don’t skip your daily exercise routine. At least you will even out some of the excess calories that you are going to consume while indulging in those heavenly festive goodies. Even better, motivate yourself to run an extra mile, if you are lusting for some yummy gulab jamuns drenched in sugar syrup.

Use Low Fat Ingredients:

If you are making sweets yourself, try using low fat (skimmed) milk and other dairy products. Rather than refined sugar, use natural sugars like honey, jaggery and dates.

These days “diet” sweets and ice creams are easily available in the market. But remember, that only means that they have been made with a sugar substitute and the cream and ghee quantities usually remain the same as regular sweets. So don't go overboard indulging in these so-called diet desserts.

Dry Fruits over Deep Fried:

If there is a choice between dry fruits and sweets, opt for dry fruits. It's true that dry fruits are equally high in calories but at least they are not “empty calories” and nuts and other dry fruit contain many beneficial nutrients. Most snacks and sweets, on the other hand, are made of refined flour, which holds very little nutritive value.

Drink Water before Snacking:

To bring in that feeling of fullness, drink water before snacking. This will definitely bring down your craving and make you eat less.

Eat Slow:

This age old theory works best here. Instead of filling your plate to the brim, take fewer things at one time. Eat them slowly and gradually, savoring their taste to the fullest.

Say no to Carbonated Drinks:

Did you know all that running for half an hour on your treadmill will be in vain if you consume even a single can of an aerated drink (140 cal per can)? Try to stay away from carbonated drinks as they add unnecessary empty calories, which will be very difficult to burn later on.

Green tea

Last but not the least; continue your affair with green tea as it is a very good antioxidant. Even if you are going out, ask for green tea instead of colas or tea or coffee.

Soups and greens

"Before you set out for dinner, have a bowl of soup or salad  . This will reduce the quantity you are likely to consume, thus cutting down the number of calories. Try to compensate by eating less during dinner if you had lunch at a relative's place

Another good way to keep calories at bay is to have a boiled egg before going out for dinner. It will keep you satiated for a long time and contains lesser calories

If you can’t do away without your bubbly drink, have the “diet” version. You might have to compromise a little bit with the taste but it has less than 4 calories per can.

Share Gifted Sweets:

Don’t be greedy and keep all the sweets and chocolates that you get only for your indulgence. Be generous. Share them with young ones in the family, relatives, neighbours and people in your area who are not as fortunate as you.