EAT SMART THIS FESTIVE SEASON

Embrace your inner glutton without fear of gaining weight, by choosing right

We’re deep into the festive season that brings along house parties. And what comes with that? Plates full of delicious food. The very thought of that makes the mouth water, but then you also sense a fear — that of putting on more kilos than you lost with all that strict diet and exercise regime.

We bring you just the advice you need to resist the temptation of sweet and fried dishes, and still eat out with your friends and family, but the healthy way.

Nutritionists Kavita Devgan and Tripti Tandon help us put together this comprehensive guide.

THE ART OF EATING AT A PARTY

Pre-party starvation: The worst thing you could do is going to a party with an empty stomach. It will make you a binge-eater who devours everything served to him or her. One tends to make poor food choices

when extremely hungry. So, opt for a healthy snack such as an apple 20-30 minutes before you reach the party. Serotonin level tends to drop when you are empty stomach. Hence, you start to feel anxious and stressed when you go without eating for a longer period of time. That’s how binge eating starts.

Scan the menu: The key to smart food selection is to patiently scan the menu. Carefully look at it and plan what you are going to eat, how much you are going to eat and how you are going to pace yourself while eating. These steps are important to consider because they prevent you from overeating and your plate from overflowing with food.

Alcohol strategy:

When it comes to alcohol consumption, have a strategy in mind. The first rule is that you don’t mix your drinks. If you have made a choice of going for beer, then stick to it. Alternate your drink with a glass of water to keep

yourself hydrated. Most importantly, go slow with your drink and don’t drink on an empty stomach.

Pick light food: Go for steamed, grilled, and sautéed meat and fish and avoid fried finger snacks. Also, say no to heavy dips. They are loaded with calories. You can also go for salads, but avoid ones that are over-sauced. Go for those that have lighter dressings.

Fruity desserts: Desserts are irresistible and are the ideal way to finish your course. Fruit-based desserts such as fruit yoghurt sorbets are light on the stomach and are a wiser choice than syrup-soaked rasgullas and fried desserts such as jalebis.

Don’t hover around food:

If you are finished with your meals, then don’t roam around the dinner area because you will end up overeating. Divert your attention by engaging in a conversation with your friends and family. At the same time, make sure that you eat well at the party, so that you don’t feel hungry when you reach home. So, remember to eat in moderation, pace your meal and enjoy it thoroughly.

A FEW DIET MISTAKES TO AVOID DURING THE FESTIVE SEASON

Using white sugar and white flour: Instead of white sugar, opt for brown sugar or jaggery when making sweets at home. White sugar contains traces of sulphur which enters during the refining process. This is the reason why making mithai and sweets with white sugar can be unhealthy. Also avoid sweets made of white flour. Go for sweets made up of wheat flour or milk and jaggery-based sweets such as paneer ki mithai.

Avoid reusing oil: The biggest mistake that sweet shops make is that they tend to reuse the oil while frying sweets. Once the oil is used then it shouldn’t be reused, as it is unhealthy. Reusing the oil leads to creation of free radicals which harm the body by clogging the arteries, causing acidity and heartburn. While going to buy fresh sweets one should be careful that sweets are not fried in reused oil. Also,

it goes without saying that fried sweets are unhealthy. Opt for baked or steamed options such as dhokla and khandvi.

Skipping fruits: Want to satisfy your appetite this season without getting an upset stomach? Make sure you have your daily dose of fruits. The fibre in the fruits will ensure that your digestive system functions properly. Maida and sugar in the sweets can make you constipated and leave you feeling full. Not eating at all at a gathering: Another mistake we tend to make is to completely stay away from food at a party. The problem here is that we end up burning a lot of calories by dancing and moving around all day, and an empty stomach in such a situation can lead to fatigue and low immunity. Not having enough water: Sipping cold drinks during festive gatherings would make you dehydrated and increase your calorie intake. Drinking water regularly is a must as it helps to detox. Sipping on coconut water while engaging in hearty laughs and conversations is a good choice to keep yourself hydrated and healthy during the festive season. Eating too much by taking a little of

everything: The opposite of skipping meals is eating anything that appeals to your taste buds. Even if you’re taking small portions of multiple dishes, it can add up to more than you should consume in one go. Overeating can lead to a high cholesterol level, high blood pressure and sugar, and puts a strain on your liver. So, make sure you are eating in small portions within a gap of minimum three hours, not all at once.

EAT IN MODERATION, PACE YOUR MEAL AND ENJOY IT. IF YOU ARE FINISHED WITH YOUR MEAL, THEN DON’T ROAM AROUND THE DINNER AREA BECAUSE YOU WILL END UP OVEREATING

PHOTOS: ISTOCK Go for steamed, grilled, and sautéed meat and fish and avoid fried finger snacks. You can also go for salads, but avoid ones that are oversauced