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Ladoo, halwa, gulab jamun, and kaju katli…food items that dreams are made of. But is it ok to indulge in or even think of these guilty pleasures while on a weight loss journey? Yes, you can. Read on to find out the best weight loss diet plan for this festive season. Here’s how you can have a blast this festive season while keeping your health and weight in check.
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Why Is it Important to Maintain an Ideal Weight?
Carrying excess body weight can detrimentally affect every system in your body. It can increase the risk of chronic conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and stroke. Those who maintain an ideal body weight tend to be healthier and have a better quality of life.
Though nowadays more individuals are turning towards a healthy lifestyle, it is often not easy to maintain a diet or workout regime regularly, especially with disruptions in your normal routine during occasions such as festivals.
You do not need to worry about your weight loss regime going awry or missing out on all the festive fun your family and friends plan to have. Here’s how you can enjoy this festival season while keeping your weight in control.
Tips to Watch Your Weight During Festivals
Prepare Healthier Versions of Sweets and Savouries
During festivals, you can still enjoy your favourite snacks and desserts by making healthier versions of them. Use less oil for snacks and make sure to limit the use of refined sugar while preparing sweets.
For sweet food items, replace refined sugar with lesser quantities of honey or jaggery, use naturally sweetening agents like fruits, or opt for artificial sweeteners.
While cooking, try baking, roasting, or air-frying instead of deep frying. Also, avoid refined/processed flours and opt for more whole grains such as millets and oats.
Avoid Liquid Calories
Liquid calories are sneaky, something that you need to be cautious about. During festivities, you often tend to consume high-calorie beverages in the form of fruit juices, aerated drinks, and alcohol.
To keep a check on your calories you can go for fruit juices without added sugar, herbal teas, coconut water, or plain drinking water.
Control Your Portion Size
Come festivals and you are ready to try all those dishes you don’t allow yourself to enjoy in your everyday life. But heavy feasting can turn out to be problematic while you are trying to keep a check on your weight. It can add to your calorie and carbohydrate intake.
Therefore, make sure you control your portion size and eat rich foods in moderation.
Have More Water
Having more water can not only keep you hydrated but can also make you full. Having a glass of water before your meals will help you eat less and will also aid in digestion.
Having water is the best way to quench your thirst as it is low in calories unlike other sugary or alcoholic beverages.
Manage Stress
Fulfilling all the chores during festivals can get tiring and stressful. You may also end up eating more than usual when under stress. It is important to set aside 10 to 20 minutes for self-care in between your busy schedule.
You can prctise techniques such as deep breathing or meditation to relax. Get enough sleep, at least 7 hours every day. Even lack of sleep can cause you to feel more hungry, and consequently, overeat.
A weight loss diet in the festive season? Is that possible? Yes, it is. You may think that the festive season and a healthy diet plan for weight loss cannot go hand in hand. But they can. We’ll show you how.
A Healthy Festival Diet Plan for Weight Loss
Here’s a simple diet plan that can help you deal with binge-eating during the festivals and stimulate weight loss:
Breakfast Options
- ½ cup oats + skimmed milk + 5 soaked almonds
- 1 cup poha + buttermilk + 2 walnuts
- Besan dhokla (5 pcs) + buttermilk + 5 cashews
Mid-Morning Snack Options
- ½ cup curd + 1 medium-sized seasonal fruit
- ½ cup sauteed paneer
- 2 til ladoos
Lunch Options
- 4 idlis + sambhar + mint chutney + 1 bowl salad
- 1 cup cooked brown rice + dal (1 bowl) + low-fat curd + 1 bowl salad
- 2 veg stuffed parathas + curd + 1 bowl salad
Evening Snack Options
- 1 cup tea/coffee (no sugar) + puffed rice chaat
- 1 bowl roasted makhana
- ½ cup ragi sheera
Dinner Options
- 2 oats cheela with mint chutney
- 1 cup sauteed veggies + 1 bowl daliya khichdi
- 1 bowl vegetable pasta (1/2 cup pasta and 1 cup veggies in tomato-based sauce)
What Foods to Avoid During Festivals for Weight Loss?
While trying to lose weight, make sure you avoid certain foods even while enjoying the festivals. Try to avoid foods that are high in sugar and unhealthy fats. These foods are usually low in nutrients and high in calories. Therefore, they can lead to weight gain.
Avoid deep-fried, excessively sugary, and processed foods such as cakes, pastries, biscuits, chips, etc. You can choose foods that have good nutritional value and are low in calories. This will help you keep a check on your body weight during the festive season.
Don’t Have Time To Read?
- Maintaining an ideal body weight can have multiple benefits including the prevention of chronic medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
- Even those who regularly keep a check on their diet and workouts tend to go off track during special occasions such as festivals.
- Some tips to avoid weight gain during festivals include preparing healthier versions of sweets and savouries, avoiding liquid calories, controlling portion sizes, having more water, and reducing stress.
- Try to avoid foods that are high in sugar and unhealthy fats. These foods usually are low in nutrients and high in calories.
- Use the Phable Care App to consult India’s leading nutritionists and dieticians to get real-time remote care from the comfort of your home. Check out our store to order healthy treats, weighing scales, fitness bands, and more! We also have a Weight Management Program which provides 360º care. Start your weight management journey with Phable.
Friendly Asked Questions
While preparing your festival feast you can go for healthier versions of your favourite dishes by opting for less oil for cooking savouries and using less amount of refined sugar in your desserts. Also, avoid refined/processed carbs and opt for more fibre-rich and whole-grain foods. This can cut down on your calories and help you manage your weight.
You can limit yourself to one sweet treat a day. Also, try to prepare your sweets at home with healthier ingredients. You can go for ingredients that are rich in fibre and proteins such as moong dal or til while preparing your sweets. Replacing refined sugar with artificial sweeteners is another way to cut the calorie count in your sweets.
Festive seasons can be hectic and it is hard to follow your regular fitness routine. For losing that post-festival weight, you can follow certain measures. Stick to foods that are low in calories and more nutritious. Keep an eye on your portion sizes and stay active throughout the day. Also, replace sugary and alcoholic beverages with water or fresh fruit juices to lower your calorie intake. Keeping these tips in mind will help you frame a weight loss diet plan for the festive season and after that as well.