October 18: It’s finally that time of the year! The festival season is outside knocking on our doors and we cannot wait to welcome it with open arms. They bring with them, immense happiness, nostalgia, and of course, food. We cannot possibly disassociate festivals from food; there is a certain emotional connection between them.
There are lots of parties to attend, so many guests at home, family gatherings, not to forget every family’s traditional sweets and dishes. It is very difficult to stick to your diet plan these days and I think you should not even try to. This is the one time when you should let yourselves loose; leave the logic behind and just blend into the aura of celebrations.
But there is one thing that usually hovers on our minds all the time and does not let us fully enjoy- Guilt. We take extra serving-guilt. We take a tempting bite of that seasonal sweet-guilt. We have an extra glass of wine – there comes the guilt again. I understand why. But you need to know that a few weeks of celebrations will not ruin your whole year of hard work. If you are dedicated enough, you will settle down into your healthy routine within no time.
But don’t worry. You can have the best of both worlds. Here are a few tips and tricks by Simrat Kathuria from Diet Experts to balance it all out and enjoy this festive season without any guilt.
-
Eat before stepping out:
Our parents and grandparents have always followed this rule and advised us the same. Unfortunately we are too cool in our minds to follow it. But this is one of the best tips to follow if you want to avoid over-eating and over-indulging in unhealthy food. Having a light but healthy meal before leaving for a party is the best way to keep the portions under control. Your cravings are minimized and so you enjoy your favorite food in moderation. The best part of this scenario is that your energy is intact throughout the party even though you eat in moderation and you don’t come back home sulking in guilt.
-
Be good during the day:
If you know you have to attend a Diwali party in the evening, then you must keep a check on yourself during the day. Don’t ruin the whole system- eat your fruits, drink enough water, and eat sufficient protein. It is easier to come back to routine from a few festive ‘meals’ than coming back from a few festive ‘days’.
-
Choose your beverage wisely:
What you drink is equally important to what you eat. Your choice of drink will result in the amount of bloating you have the next morning. Try and take your hard drinks with water; you can add mint leaves for the flavor if you want. Avoid the sugary add-ons if you want to enjoy your dessert guilt-free.
-
Dessert of the day:
There are going to be multiple Diwali parties for you. Try not to eat everything at every party but 1-2 things at one party. Choose the meal/dessert that you are craving on that particular day and relish that. You can have a Son Papdi one day and a Gulab Jamun at the next party. This way you can try out all the festive food. Leaving the dessert altogether may result in regret and you may tend to overeat next time. We don’t want that, do we?
-
Nutritional replacement:
House parties are the best kind of parties according to Diet Experts. If you ever host one, know that it is the best time to set an example that parties can be fun and healthy. You can experiment with recipes and make sure that they are tasty but add some nutritional value to your meals as well. You can try replacing the fattening ingredient with a nutritional one.
-
Keep your focus on the celebration:
The best way to distract from food is by focusing more on having a good time with your friends and family. Instead of cribbing over what to eat and what to avoid, you just look at this party as an opportunity to connect with your loved ones. Always remember- eating is not enjoying. It might sound like simple advice but it works like magic.
-
Don’t stress:
So even if you overeat at a party, please don’t stress over it. It is going to do more harm than good. You don’t want to invite acne to your next party too, do you? Just be confident and enjoy this time. But remember to come back to your healthy routine as soon as possible before it becomes a pattern.
