SHARES
Deepavali or Diwali is popularly known as festival of lights. It brings prosperity and lights up our lives. Not only Deepavali but every festival, of all religions, is incomplete without sweets and family dining. Most of the time you end up having eaten more than required.
Sweets with loads of ghee, sugar and dairy items (like milk and khova) and fried foods consumed during festivals are full of calories. Thanks to the changing times, we even get caramalized nuts and chocolate fillets with dry fruits to ‘encourage’ us to eat more. House visits won’t help as you feel impolite rejecting host’s offer. However, festivals don’t have to be a dietary disaster. With these easy tricks you can stay on track and even lose weight, too!
Moderation is the key to enjoy festive food and still keep the weighing scales in balance. Here are 6 tips on how you can stay fit during Deepavali.
1. Substitute with low sugar and low fat product
Instead of full cream milk, why not go for low fat or low sugar? Substitute them while making your sweets and snacks to reduce some calories. However, use it with limitations, as ‘low fat’ doesn’t mean it’s ‘no fat’, and it doesn’t give you license to have even more!
2. Less Oil
Limit the quantity of oil while preparing your food. Overeating of oily food will make us indigestion and our body store it as layer of fat. Substitute your trans fat oil with more natural or organic oil such as coconut oil, for health benefits.
3. Drink Lots of Water
When it is snack time during festivals, drink a glass of water. A glass of water will make your stomach partially full. As a result you will eat less; this will help to minimize the calorie intake. Drink water before meal will help too.
4. Be Conscious of What You Eat
Try to be conscious of what you eat during festivals, so that you won’t exceed daily calories intake. You can make adjustments to your diet later or you can attend an extra workout session. Plan your meal or workout ahead, make sure you stick to the plan too!
5. Substitute Sweets & Snacks with Nuts
When you serve sweets and snacks, add fruits and nuts to the plate. When you just cannot resist the temptation, eat nuts and dry fruits in small quantities to reduce calorie intake.
Platter of Diwali sweets
6. Use Smaller Plates
Portion matters. You tend to eat less when you serve yourself in smaller plates. Use small spoons, glasses and bowls to avoid unhealthy foods. Try to avoid second helping as well, as this will help in keeping a good control on your portion sizes. Some people tend to eat less on main meals, which they shouldn’t as they will end up snacking a lot when they feel hungry. So eat up to get charged!
Share this post with your friends or family for them to have a healthier Deepavali!
by Qian
Qian's interest in healthcare industry came about after her father was diagnosed with bladder cancer. This experience has led her to become a strong believer in empowering individuals to take charge of their own health. View all articles by Qian.
