BURN FAT NOT THE CRACKERS!

HOW TO PLAN A HAPPY DIWALI!

India’s favourite festival is round the corner!

We have been preparing for it since weeks and all the hard work will finally pay off! From the card parties, loud crackers to endless snacks/mithais we seem to enjoy it all.

It has often been observed that this “Weighty festival” ends a lot of diets and fitness routines but not this time. Let’s not postpone our weightloss plan and learn how to enjoy the festivities.

Listed below are few tips on how to maintain weight in this festive season.

Go Nuts!

Opting for a handful of nuts is always a wise choice instead of the salty and fried snacks. If it’s almonds – take 6 almonds in number, if pistachio then 11-13 in number(pistachios are least in calories and rich in essential fatty acids and minerals, improving the quality of diet)

But remember not to binge on them,a handful a day is good!

Portion Control

Diet is not refraining yourself from all the savoury foods but it is definitely how much to eat. You can ENJOY  your preferred foods like burger, panipuri, pavbhaji, biryani and lots more, but, if they are eaten in small portions it will help you from adding extra kilos. Before leaving for a party, make sure you eat something nourishing, this may include a fruit salad, banana or a cup of soup. These are satisfying and will keep your hunger pangs at bay, preventing you from overdoing on junk snacks in the party.

Stay Hydrated!

As we all know that common saying ‘drink like a fish’it stands true when it comes to weight loss. Water is a weight loss drink and 10-12 glasses a day is a must. Or choosing low calorie,sugar free drinks are also a good option like sweet/salted lime soda, coconut water  or ½ glass of fruit juice and jaljeera water.

Exercise

Diwali is a festival of socialising but do not let that take you away from your exercise routine. This stress buster will help you shed those extra pounds help you look wonders in your favourite outfit. You can modify your usual exercise routine by either cutting down on the duration or the frequency of workout.

For example, if you walk 6 days /week for 60 mins you can reduce to 4days / week – 30 – 40 mins , point here is to be consistent with exercise

Sweets

Why to avoid sweets? I know this festive season it’s hard to resist sweets buts it’s easier to make a smart choice – you can choose low calorie (150- 200kcal) tasty and healthy milk based desserts like rabdi,yogurt, rosgulla, sandesh made from skimmed milk.

Mindful eating

Most cravings do not last for more than 20 minutes. Engage your mind doing things that are more important. Within 30 to 45 minutes the mind would have overlooked about the craving and you can resist the temptation. But, if you still want it within an hour then it’s best to eat dates and other dried fruits (cranberry, apricots, and prunes) instead of processed sweets.

Crave curbing trick

Proteins work to control cravings. Usually our cravings tend to be for sweets. But, it is our body's way of indicating that there is need of proteins curd, cottage cheese, beans, nuts, seeds. should be part of your diet as one of the 'crave curbing' trick. They keep you fuller for longer, reducing your need to indulge.

Drink smart

This is especially important if you plan to start drinking as soon as you reach, alcohol tends to stab to the intestine if taken in an empty stomach. So drink only on a relatively full tummy. Have just one small peg at a time, and make it last by diluting it with soda or water.

Conscious eating

This will also help you stay fit. If the party is at your own house, ensure that there are some healthy snacks on the menu. These may include masala idli (which are not steamed but shallow fried), hummus and roasted lavash,dhokla, stuffed tomatoes/capsicum, roasted soya beans, roasted paneer (instead of fried paneer) and dry fruits.

Ideally, you should regulate your eating on Diwali day. But if you aren't able to avoid indulging, then you need to balance this by eating light for the next three or four days. Try to reduce your food intake, specifically your fat and sugar consumption.

‘Your body is where you live in’ and it is no secret that staying healthy is the most important part of and one should never compromise on it for anything.

This Diwali take things easy! Socialize and mingle but do not forget to make healthy food choices .The tips are simple and can help you from putting those extra kilos at bay!

Happy Healthy Diwali!