Health Check: Feasting during Festivals

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Festivals in India are an integral part of people’s life. They are celebrated with an assortment of mouth-watering, rich, irresistible sweets and snacks. During the festival season, it is difficult to stick to a diet because of the expectation to join in the celebrations. One neither wants to be snobbish nor a spoilt sport by declining every time offered those “loaded-with-calories” and sinfully delicious stuff. 

Sharing some simple tips to avoid accumulating those extra #pounds during the festival season: 

1. Watch your  portion size 

The small portion size of fried snacks, sweets, and other fatty preparations will help in keeping weight under control. Avoid second helpings Howsoever tempted you are, be firm and put your plate down after you are through with your first helping. 

2. Eat slow 

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

3. Use low-fat ingredients – 

While preparing sweets at home, try using low-fat (skimmed) milk and other dairy products. – Rather than refined sugar, switch to artificial sweetener or if possible, substitute with natural sugar like honey, jaggery, and dates. 

4. Use whole wheat flour instead of refined flour for making sweets and snacks. 

Choice of sweets Prefer sweets like laddoos (suji, coconut, etc), Kheer, Gajar (Carrot), or Doodhi (bottle gourd) halwa. They are nutrient-dense and have fewer calories than fried sweets like Gulab jamun, Jalebi, Bundi items, etc. 

5. Try to have sweets and high-calorie foods in the first half of the day. 

6. Dry fruits over deep fried 

If there is a choice between dry fruits and sweets, opt for dry fruits. Even if dry fruits are equally high in calories, they are not empty calories. Most of the snacks and sweets are made of refined flour, which holds very less nutritive value. 

7. Drink water before snacking 

To bring in the feeling of fullness, drink water before snacking. This will definitely bring down your craving and will make you eat less. Gulp a few sips of hot water after having sweets for better digestion.

8. No carbonated drinks. Try to avoid carbonated drinks as they add unnecessary empty calories, which will be very difficult to burn later on. 

9. Exercise regularly 

Continue with a regular exercise routine, and motivate yourself to run an extra mile, if you are lusting for sweets. 

10. 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, neighbors, and people in the area or those who are less fortunate.

Have a great festive season !!!!

Written by :  Nutrionist Tanya Sahni

Author’s bio:

I am a nutritionist by profession and co-owner of a chain of wellness centres under the name of Health Zone in Lucknow. It’s been 16 years in the wellness industry. I am a postgraduate in Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics. 

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