“Worried about weight gain during Diwali? Discover 7 effective tips to balance fun and fitness, enjoy mindful eating, choose healthier alternatives, and stay active without compromising on festive treats.”
Most of us wait for Diwali for sweets, rich meals and other happy times with family and friends. Yet, despite sensational food in every celebration, it is very easy to gain some extra kilos during this time. The fears of weight gain are common but if one enjoys the festivities by taking a watch over one’s eating habits and some fitness activities, then overall health will not suffer.
In this article, we will see how effective tips can help a person not gain weight during Diwali and manage health for those indulging in guilt-free celebrations.
- Mindful Eating: Savour Every Bite
The slogan of Diwali is that the delectable sweets and high-calorie snacks. This usually makes overeating easy. Careful eating is one among the best options that help in maintaining healthy balance. Be careful about when you feel hungry and when you feel full and eat slowly, appreciating every bite. In this way, you know when you are full, so over-eating will not be possible.
Instead of mindless consumption of sweets, eat small amounts and enjoy the flavors. A research study in Diabetes Spectrum shows how thoughtful eating helps with portion management and aids the digestion process.
- Healthy Alternatives
While sweets go along with Diwali, one needn’t indulge in the leftovers of sugary sweets. Instead, help oneself to fruits, nuts, and home-baked sweets made from natural sweeteners. For example, don’t deep fry those snack items and opt for the roasted or baked ones that are low on calories but rich in flavor.
Healthy sweet options include:
Dates and nuts ladoos instead of sugar ladened ones
Ragi or oats-based sweets
Avoid fried snacks and opt for baked mathri
Replace soda, or fizzy drinks, with water, herbal tea, or flavored water to drop calories but not fluids.
- Be Active: Stay Active
Diwali celebrations make people sit for longer hours than usual, but one cannot afford to let that happen. Even a simple, small activity can maintain weight within the boundaries of being healthy. Whether it is taking a brisk walk after a meal or dancing at any wedding or doing some simple yoga in the morning, staying active burns out those extra calories.
In Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, one can get the following: failure to reserve some minute to regular time for workouts during hectic periods may result in gaining weight, then eventually lowering metabolism.
- Pay Attention to Portion Sizes
Portion control is a big management tool in working with weight, and of course, Diwali time has delicious dishes all around. Using small plates will help your mind feel full with lesser food. Paying attention to the quantities you are consuming can keep the treats within limits.
- Drink plenty of fluids
We mistake thirst for hunger; at times, this makes bad the excuse for unnecessary snacking. The proper drinking of water at intervals during the day stifles the cravings and prevents overeating. You will remember that you are sufficiently hydrated if you take the water bottle along to the Diwali parties. Researchers in Frontiers in Nutrition have also discovered that this results in the regulation of appetite and an increase in metabolism.
- Do Not Skip Meals
Skipping meals, even before a Diwali party, will catch up with you at the party when you feel hungry. Chances are that you’ll then end up bingeing over there just because of hunger. A balanced meal ahead with fibers and proteins in it will save you from binge-eating later.
Or you could have light and healthy food, such as a salad or a bowl of soup, which should be enough to keep you refreshed and less likely to over-indulge in the unhealthy consumables available within the confines of the event.
- Stress Control
Overeating is the result of getting stress about holding, shopping, or preparing for Diwali. You could reduce the possibility of devouring more calories than you need to if you keep stress under control. Try deep breathing, meditation, or even a short walk to maintain your calm and clear head.
You can eliminate stress by being social with others, as well as engaging in group activities, which results in a better ambiance in celebrations.
- Healthy Sweet Recipes for Diwali
And for all the calorie counters, try these healthier versions at home. These should get you started for sure:
– Almond and jaggery barfi
– Coconut ladoo with natural sweeteners
– Roasted sesame and peanut chikki are some examples from above. These ones are just as luscious but full of what your body needs.
Final Thoughts Balance Fun with Fitness
Diwali literally means having the best time with your loved ones. However, if there’s one thing to watch out for regarding the festival, it has to be food. And if sweets and snacks aren’t the way forward, here are some hints to help you achieve a healthy balance without turning into a non-foodie for Diwali. So, eat mindfully, keep up the activity level, and then choose healthily. That way, you can celebrate without missing your fitness goals.
So, on this Diwali, have fun in celebrations; eat all the sweets that you can, but by all means not forgetting to care about health too. In a way, the festival is the balance of these also.
