The festive season is just around the corner. And we all know that it is a time of celebrations, family gathering and of course, enjoying delicious foods. None of us could say no to all that, right? But what about the exercise and nutrition we’ve followed all year long? While you might not be able to stay away from all the street food while pandal hopping during Durga Puja and Dandiya Nights or mithais during Diwali or those fun office and family parties during this time, you can still make sure your body doesn’t have to suffer all this indulgence later on.
To make sure you enjoy this festive season, without having to worry about your diet and weight, we asked Expert Nutritionist, Dr. Archana Batra for healthy eating tips on how to get your body ready for feasting during the Festive Season.
Healthy Eating Tips for Festive Feasting
1) Stay hydrated
Dehydration is typically the cause of strong cravings for particularly unhealthy foods. Keep yourself hydrated to avoid any unnecessary food cravings. Our brains aren’t able to distinguish between hunger and thirst sometimes, and this can cause you to eat when you actually should be drinking water.
2) Never miss a meal
Most people think that missing meals is a good trick to make up for overindulging. Rather, it’s the opposite! If you go to a party with an empty stomach, you end up eating more. So, take a lighter breakfast and lunch, but have a glass of cold coffee or a berry smoothie before stepping out for the party. Skipping meals might cause confusion for your body and slow down your metabolism, leading you to eat unhealthy portions when you next eat.
3) Eat sensibly
Everything that comes under a low-fat label or diet food label isn’t always healthy. Some foods are highly processed and loaded with additives like flavoring, sweeteners, and chemicals, which can seriously harm your body. So, make sure what you are munching on is healthy, and not “healthy.”
4) Prefer home-cooked meals
You know what ingredients you are adding to make the snacks or desserts while preparing meals at home. So, if possible try experimenting with healthy ingredients and make nice and delicious recipes for the festive season at home only. For example, you can make nice dessert bars using just 3 ingredients – nuts and seeds, nut butter and rolled oats.
5) Enjoy Everything in Moderation
Try thoughtful moderation instead of fully limiting yourself. As long as you are conscious of what and how much you are eating, it is acceptable to indulge. So enjoy dessert without stress, but choose smaller portions.
Pro Hacks to make your celebrations healthy:
1) To curb your sugar cravings, dried fruits are a delicious and nutritious alternative. They are naturally sweet and packed with fibers. Dry fruits like dates, figs, apricots and raisins when paired with nuts or other protein-rich foods don’t spike your blood sugars.
2) Choose healthy ingredients in cooking. For example, use whole-grain flour instead of refined flour, replace regular sugar with natural honey or jaggery, and choose healthy oils such as olive oil, and opt for steaming or roasting over frying.
3) When outside, have light dinners, like barbeque or tandoori starters. Avoid consuming calorie-laden foods and high-carb foods at night. Otherwise it can lead to reflux issues the next morning and will also cause unnecessary fat gain.
4) After you come back home, have a cup of relaxing and digestive chamomile tea before going to bed. Chamomile tea is a flower-based tea and, hence, is better than having green tea, which can impact your sleep due to its caffeine content.
Last but never the least, make sure to avoid or manage your stress. Though not related to food and diet exactly, this is something I often tell my clients as it can have an effect on your body overall. And, use this guide to get your body ready for all the festive fun with these healthy eating tips and hacks, without it taking a toll on your health!
Also Read: Nutrition Expert shares how to make your breakfast healthy yet delicious for Indian diets
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Meet our Expert Author: Dr. Archana Batra has over 15 years of expertise in nutrition and diet counselling. Having worked with reputed hospitals like Medanta in Gurgaon and Sitaram Bhartiya Institute of Science and Research in Delhi, she believe in healthy eating practices to lose weight and also in prevention of lifestyle related disorders. She is the founder of Archana Batra’s Diet Clinic.