How to Manage Weight Loss During Festivals in India: Tips & Tricks

How Does Festival Food Impact Weight?

The food you eat is the source of energy for your body. When you consume more calories than you burn off, your body stores those extra calories in the form of fat. 

Due to a lack of physical activity and consistently high blood sugar levels, this fat builds up over time and you gain weight. You can effectively manage this weight gain by striking a healthy balance between the food you consume and the calories you burn. 

However, during festivals, especially Indian festivals with multiple rich food items prepared with ghee, sugar, honey, butter, etc., it is hard to resist the temptation to overeat, which may eventually throw you off track with your weight loss regime.

Don’t agonise, we have you covered. We want you to enjoy the festival season and leave worrying about weight loss to us. Here are a few tips on how to manage weight loss during festivals in India.

Tips to Manage Festivals and Weight Loss

Here are some ways to manage your weight loss plan during festivals:

Drink Plenty of Water

Water is a calorie-free beverage, which helps you lose weight. Drinking plenty of water during festivals helps to curb your appetite by keeping you full, and prevents you from overindulging in high-calorie delicacies.

Ensure you drink plenty of water before having a meal to prevent overeating. Keep yourself hydrated during fasting by drinking water and other healthy fluids such as coconut water and herbal teas. 

Prepare Food at Home

Food prepared at home is healthier compared to the processed foods that are available in the market. By cooking at home, you can personally monitor the ingredients that go into your dish. You can add ingredients that are low in carbs, and high in fibre, protein, and healthy fats that can positively impact your diet. 

If you want to prepare festival food for weight loss, use skimmed milk to prepare sweets and monitor the amount of sugar and salt to be added. Replace refined sugar with honey, jaggery and artificial sweeteners such as stevia. In this way, you can prepare your own healthy sweets and dishes at home this festival season.

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

Include more veggies and fruits in your diet. They are rich in nutrients and fibre, which can slow down the absorption of sugar into your blood. This can help stabilise blood sugar levels and manage your weight. They also provide the necessary nutrients to nourish your body.

Having more vegetables and fruits before a meal can help curb your appetite and prevent you from overindulging in sweets and other high-calorie food.

Eat in Moderation

During festivals, you may be tempted to feast on more than one sweet or savoury food item at a time. But you should always mind the portion size of the food you consume as it may increase your calorie intake and lead to an increase in your weight. 

If you are fasting, eat low-calorie foods at regular intervals when you can, instead of skipping meals and eating large portions at night. This may lead to unwanted weight gain.

Be Physically Active

Make sure you are not inactive throughout the day. Move around for a while, take a brisk walk for at least 30 minutes, and get involved in fun activities around the house to keep yourself physically active. 

hysically active improves your digestion and helps burn more calories, resulting in weight loss.