Avoid the festival calories this Diwali!

At Clinic Dermatech, we often have a slew of queries post Diwali on how to lose the extra calories gained during the festive period. However, our take on this is different because we want you to look your best always. Why gain them at the first place and how to keep away from the unwanted flab is what we shall apprise you through this blog.
Sweets, sweets and some more sweets…every Indian festival, be it of any religion, is incomplete without the mithai. Not just this, we often tend to consume a lot of fried snacks as well during the festivals. And this is where the diet schedules get relegated to the bin. The conscious mind that is generally aware of the calorie count is switched off. However, the good news is that there is way out and you can have a regime to avoid the calories during festivals.

 

 

First and foremost, keep reminding yourself the number of hours you have spent doing yoga or doing the treadmill in the gym to be in shape. Moderation is the mantra to success – which essentially means that you do eat the mithai and fried snacks if you must, but do not overdo them.

If you are the one who is cooking, using low fat and low sugar ingredients is the best way to keep those calories off. You have low fat milk, low calorie sugar etc., available in the market these days. Make the most of them. Again, do not over consume them just because they are low calorie because at the end of the day too much of low calorie food will add up as high calorie in your body. Remember, low calorie does not mean no calories.

 

 

Resort to very less quantity of oil for cooking. It is so very unfortunate that generally what pleases the tongue is not good for our figure. Just nod your head in horizontal direction to signal a big no with a smile to everyone who offers you high calorie stuff. It’s that easy.

 

 

While you avoid oil rich food on all other days, keeping off them during the festivals is easy too. Besides, you do not have to eat to your heart’s content when you come across fried food. Eat just 3/4th of what your hunger is and you will be fine.

 

Cheat yourself and drink a glass of water before it is snack or mithai time during festivals. This will make your stomach partially full, you will eat less and therefore consume less calories. Festivals are all about meeting people, chatting up with your loved ones – do more of that than eating. Thin chatterboxes are more welcome than quiet heavyweights. So, talk more and eat less. You’ll forget food while you converse with people.

In case you are buying packaged food or snacks, make good use of your education and read the labels for calorie content and nutrition information. Add only those ones to your shopping cart which have low calorific value.

Be your own record keeper i.e. write down the calories you have consumed and adjust your diet accordingly. If you have had a very heavy lunch, light khichdee for dinner is an awesome idea. If you, for some reason, cannot avoid a heavy dinner too, then hitting the gym the next morning is a must. Burn out what you have consumed and you will be in shape always.

There are substitutes to sweets and snacks available. Serve or pick up fruits and nuts instead of mithai and fried snacks if there is a choice. Even fruits, nuts and dry fruits have calories, if not as much as mithais and fried snacks, so do not consume them in excess. Moderation is the name of the game.

Colas flow like water during Indian festivals. Please say no to aerated drinks. Do not buy them and serve them. Try serving fresh fruit juice or neembu pani for a change this time. When it comes to personal consumption, nothing can be better than water though because it is only water that quenches thirst.

 

 

Clean plate mentality can be kept aside during festivals. When you are invited for parties, it is OK to leave food on the plate if you are feeling full. The hosts generally do not have the time to note and will not feel bad. Your health comes first and not what others feel about you.

Serve small or take small helpings. Yes, you tend to eat less when you serve or take the helping in small quantities in small plates. Even small spoons, glasses and bowls are beneficial to avoid unhealthy food stuff. However, running away from food will not help you achieve your goal of staying away from unwanted calories unless you correct your dietary habits. There is no shortcut to success. Balanced diet, regular exercise, yoga and meditation etc. are the only way out. They keep you physically as well as mentally healthy.