How To Survive Diwali While Getting Healthy
In all it’s fun and excitement, Diwali can definitely be a scary ordeal for people who are trying to get healthy and eat better. Somehow there is food everywhere! I love how through this week long celebration, we end up catching up with all our loved ones. But, when every loved one comes with a plate of freshly made ladoos, that can put in a tricky spot. If this sounds like you, read on! I’ve listed down my tricks.
Stay Hydrated – with excessive alcohol, erratic sleep schedule and over consumption of fried foods, your body goes into a semi-dehydrated state. This leads to tiredness, dark circles, indigestion and headaches. Just make sure you drink 12-14 glasses of water. If you are drinking alcohol, then add 2 glasses per drink you consume.
Keep You Gut Happy – acidity and nausea are a common phenomenon during this period. This is mainly due to erratic meal timings and because you eat out a lot. If you keep your gut happy, you will keep all this discomfort at bay. Just make sure you consume the following foods daily:
– 1 cup of homemade curd
– 2 portions of low GI fruits
– 3 portions of vegetables
– 1 coconut water
Stay Active – if you are used to working out everyday, you end up getting body aches and discomfort on days when you do not work out. Just do a 15 minute HIIT or Yoga routine. Make sure you stretch your legs, back and core. This will help you be more agile and energetic.
Be Mindful While Eating – with all the treats around you, I will not ask you to not eat anything at all. But what truly does get tough, is stopping at one ladoo or one puri. Right? So what you should do is practice mindfulness while eating. This means that you are a little more present and focused while eating. Use all your senses – smell your food, hear the crunch, observe the texture, spend a second observing how it looks. By being more mindful while eating two things happen –
1. You enjoy the dish a lot more. Sometimes we end up eating more out of sheer boredom or mindlessness.
2. You will know when to stop. You will feel full and satiated earlier.
Eating Out – there are going to be certain meals that you will have no control over. Now, one such random meal can be managed by your body. But, if you can see that there are going to be multiple such outings, then you need to manage them better. Here’s what you do:Eat very little carbohydrate rich foods through the day. This is mainly roti, breads, potato, rice, sweets.Have 50% of your protein and vegetables before leaving. Eat very slowly, chew eat morsel 30-35 times. Start your meal with some vegetables. Fill up your stomach on this and then eat a little bit of everything else. The key is to taste everything, and enjoy the tasting, but not to make it your life’s mission to eat till you drop!Have a glass of warm water with 2 drops of lime in it.Sit in Vajrasana for 10 minutes post the meal.Stay away from sugary, fizzy drinks.
Alcohol – With so many poker parties, alcohol intake tends go up as well. While the alcohol may not be something you reduce, you can definitely manage your mixers. Stick to water. Don’t add any juices, fizzy drinks or even plain carbonated water. Just water!!
I know all this sounds like a lot to do, so try and do whatever is convenient. The key is to be aware of what you are eating, how much you are eating and to be active. These tips will make sure you stay on track, while you enjoy the festival of lights.