During Diwali, an abundance of sweets, rich treats and fatty foods will be on offer. If you’re trying to maintain a healthy weight during this time and beyond, it can be tricky knowing how to avoid the sweeter treats and still enjoy the festival. You don’t want to appear as though you’re not taking part, but you also don’t want to gain those extra pounds that will be difficult to lose afterwards. The good news is that it is possible to combine the two and still have a great time with your loved ones – here are a few tips to help you avoid piling on the pounds during Diwali.
Eat in moderation
It may seem like an obvious way to begin, but it’s easier said than done when there are treats and sinful foods everywhere you look. During the festivities you are bound to eat more fried foods, sweeter snacks and other fatty goods which could cost you when you step on the scales. The best way to enjoy yourself and not do too much damage on the weight plan is to keep your consumption of such foods to a minimum. Eat one or two rather than an entire plateful so that you don’t gain too many calories each day.
Don’t avoid exercise
If you are going to indulge, you need to balance it out with plenty of exercise to burn off those extra few treats you enjoyed. It may seem like that last thing you’ll want to do when you’re celebrating, but making the effort to hit the gym will help you in the long run. You can enjoy that indulgent meal guilt-free if you know that you’ll be burning it off the next day. It will also keep you motivated to run an extra mile or work out for an extra half an hour.
Use low fat ingredients where possible
Where you can, try to make your food with low fat ingredients such as skimmed milk and non-fat dairy products, and use natural sugars such as honey, jaggery and dates rather than refined sugar. Diet sweets and ice creams are readily available in the supermarkets now, but this simply means that they’ve been made with substitutes instead of the real deal. So don’t be tempted to go overboard simply because it has the word ‘diet’ attached to it.
Opt for dried fruits over deep fried
If you have the option of deep fried goods and dried fruit, opt for the latter. It may not be as tasty, but it will offer you a health boost and won’t cost you when it comes to weigh-in time. Most snacks and sweets are made with refined sugars and flour, which means they hold very little nutritional value, whereas dried fruit is packed with nutrients and natural fibre.
Drink plenty of water before snacking
If you want to avoid overeating, you should drink some water before you begin eating. We often mistake thirst for being hungry, and as such we overeat. If you drink beforehand, you will lower your cravings and eat less overall. By the same token, slow down the pace that you eat. It will stop you eating more than you need, as you’ll be giving your brain time to realise when it’s eaten enough.
Avoid second helpings
On the theme of overeating, don’t be tempted to go for a second helping as this will simply double the amount of fat and calories you consume unnecessarily. Be firm with yourself and stop when you’ve eaten enough, rather than eating everything on your plate out of habit.
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