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Maintaining a Healthy Lifestyle During Diwali: Balancing Tradition and Well-Being

Diwali, the festival of lights, is a joyous and vibrant celebration for many. It’s a time for family gatherings, exchanging gifts, and indulging in an array of delicious sweets and snacks. However, for those committed to a healthy lifestyle, Diwali can present some challenges. The good news is that with some thoughtful planning and a mindful approach, it’s entirely possible to enjoy the festivities while still maintaining your health and well-being goals.

Set Realistic Goals

Before diving into Diwali celebrations, set realistic goals for yourself. Instead of striving for perfection, aim for moderation and balance. Understand that Diwali is a time for enjoyment and occasional indulgence, and that’s perfectly okay. Your goals should be achievable and in alignment with your overall health and fitness journey.

Educate Yourself on Nutrition

Knowledge is a powerful tool when it comes to making informed choices. Learn about the nutritional content of common festive foods and sweets. This understanding will help you practice portion control and make healthier choices during Diwali. For example, be aware that certain sweets are high in sugar and calories, while others may have healthier ingredients.

Plan and Track Your Meals

Planning your meals in advance, especially before attending Diwali gatherings, can be a game-changer. Having a balanced meal before heading to a celebration can help prevent overindulgence. Consider keeping a food diary to stay mindful of your food choices, ensuring you don’t go overboard during the festive season.

Explore Healthy Alternatives

The good news is that you can enjoy Diwali treats without feeling guilty. Many traditional sweets and snacks have healthier alternatives. For instance, you can make sweets with less sugar, healthier fats, and more nutritious ingredients. You’ll be amazed at how delicious and satisfying these healthier options can be.

Stay Active

Physical activity is an essential part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Even during the festive season, it’s important to continue with your exercise routine. You can even make it fun and festive. Consider activities like dancing to Diwali music, taking family walks, or participating in Diwali-themed fitness events.

Manage Stress

Diwali can be stressful for many due to various commitments and responsibilities. Stress management is vital for both your mental and physical well-being. Explore stress-reduction techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness to help you stay calm and centered.

Seek Support

Share your health and fitness goals with friends and family who share similar aspirations. Having a support system in place can be a significant motivator. You can lean on each other for guidance and encouragement during the festive season.

Practice Mindful Eating

Mindful eating involves savoring each bite, eating slowly, and listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues. By paying attention to what your body is telling you, you can avoid overindulging and make healthier food choices.

Reward Yourself

Consider implementing a rewards system for achieving your health and fitness goals during Diwali. Treat yourself to non-food rewards when you meet your targets. This positive reinforcement can be an excellent motivator.

Stay Accountable

Accountability is key to staying on track. Schedule regular check-ins with a fitness professional or a friend who shares your goals—having someone to report your progress to can help you remain committed to your objectives.

Think Long Term

Lastly, remember that your health and fitness journey is not limited to the festive season. Embrace the long-term benefits of a healthy lifestyle, as they contribute to your overall well-being and quality of life.

Diwali is a time to celebrate and enjoy with your loved ones. With the right approach, you can have a fantastic time while staying true to your health and fitness goals. This Diwali, celebrate the festival of lights while also celebrating your commitment to a healthier and happier you, wishing you a joyous and prosperous Diwali!

We hope you have a great Diwali, and these tips help you celebrate a happier, healthier, and guilt-free one. If these tips are beneficial to you, please let us know in the comments below. For more on healthy living, check out Healthy Reads or get additional tips directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing to Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health. Images shown are for representation purposes only and may not depict the exact recommendations or outcomes.

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Indulge and yet stay in shape

Sounds surprising that you can indulge and yet stay in shape? It feels almost impossible? Believe me, it’s possible to achieve, only of course if you have the will to do so. No, we are not going to tell you to skip eating sweets and savouries altogether and indulge in salads alone. Festivals and family functions would not be half as much fun if they were devoid of those yummy goodies- sweets, snack platters, dry fruits and so on.

There is absolutely no need to feel deprived and skip them altogether. All you need to do is change your cooking habits and recipes a tad bit to make stuff that is low in fat, calories, salt and even sugar.

Here are a few simple tips that will help you eat the food you want and you won’t feel guilty binging on:

  • Use the god’s favourite sweetening agent- jaggery – to make sweets. Gurpaare (Shakkarpaare with a coating of jaggery) is one of the sweet snacks you can make easily. Gurkeladdoo is another option- mix any dal (pulses)  with jaggery to make these yummy laddoos.
  • Use sugar-free along with skimmed milk to prepare delicious sweets such as Phirni, kalakand, Kheer, various Bengali sweets, Carrot halwa, Sooji halwa etc. The rest of the recipes remain the same; just use less oil and no sugar.
  • When guests come, don’t serve only sweets but, also serve some homemade chatpate snacks such as BhelPuri, Chaklis, MethiMathris, etc. Make it a point to add some pulses, spinach, chopped mint leaves and coriander to your snacks to give them the required nutritional value.
  • Get innovative with snacks. Who says you have to stick to the routine menu? Dare to do something different and instead of serving cutlets and chips each time, serve roasted Masala Papad, Dahi puri with sprout filling, Sprout Chaat, MoongDaal Chaat with onions, coriander, tomatoes and tamarind chutney and so on.
  • Make dry fruits and nuts a regular item in your menu for guests as well as for yourself but of course eat these in moderation. Consume them in their natural form instead of frying them or adding extra salt or sugar to them.
  • While making snacks that need to be made with maize flour (Maida), mix in some high fibre flour such as bajra or ragi or soy flour.
  • Roast the salted snacks in the oven with just a few drops of olive oil so that they do not stick to the baking dish, instead of frying them.
  • Again, grill kebabs and bake cutlets in the oven or even the microwave instead of frying them.
  • Some guests may even like a portion of garlic bread with cutlets instead of binging on heavy sweets. Do go ahead and ask them. And if they do want it, just peel and crush some garlic pods quickly and add them in butter melted in the microwave and spread on the bread slices evenly. Now grill in the oven for a minute or two and your garlic bread is ready to serve.
  • For sweets such as Rabdi and Phirni, use condensed milk for a richer taste instead of adding fattening and full of calories khoya or mava. 

Embracing a healthier approach to festive indulgence opens the door to guilt-free enjoyment. By making simple tweaks to your recipes and embracing nutritious alternatives, you can savor the flavors of celebration without compromising your well-being. So go ahead, delight in the festivities, create your health-conscious culinary masterpieces, and keep discovering more about mindful eating through our Healthy Reads. For Personalised guidance and expert coaching, consider subscribing to GOQii here and embark on a journey to a healthier you!

Go on… indulge!

#BeTheForce 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health. Images shown are for representation purposes only and may not depict the exact recommendations or outcomes.

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Tips To Eat Smart During Diwali & Avoid Weight Gain

Eat Healthy During DiwaliWith the long Diwali holidays ahead of us, there are sure to be outings, guests visit and dinner parties among other celebrations. More often than not, we end up indulging in sweets and other sinful foods and then feel guilty, which in turn makes us look for easy and quick ways to shed off those extra kilos. But, the unfortunate part is that we end up resorting to all the wrong ways of shedding that extra weight which again has a YO-YO effect. But don’t worry! We got a few health tips that will help you eat smart during Diwali!

Tips To Eat Smart During Diwali 

  • If you plan to go out, don’t go on an empty stomach. Eat a small snack before you head out. Choose snacks like boiled corn, mix veggie salad, a fruit bowl, sprouts, veggie soup, yogurt with crushed nuts, whole wheat bread sandwich, etc. This will keep you full and prevent binging/overeating when you are out.
  • If one meal goes for a toss, make sure the rest of the meals are absolutely on track. For instance, if you have a dinner party, make sure your meals through the day such as breakfast, lunch and mid meals are balanced and healthier.
  • Sip water frequently throughout the day. It will keep you hydrated and will also satiate false hunger.
  • Pick healthier desserts. Choose dry fruits, fruits, kheer, phirni, shrikhand (you can make it using hung curd), dark chocolates, til or peanut chikkis, dink laddoos (gum arabic), etc. over any other sugar-loaded sweets. Sweets made out of jaggery or organic honey are good to go. Remember, we need to take care of the portions too.
  • Choose baked food items over deep fried ones.
  • Compensate: It’s true that saying “NO” when you are offered sweets by your loved ones, especially during this festive season, is going to be difficult. Don’t worry! Pick one, eat it mindfully and enjoy the eating experience. Now you know what to do next. Compensate for your extra caloric intake in your following meals. More fibre (salads, veggies), good amount of proteins and lesser carbs.
  • Go easy on the alcohol. It’s a major dehydrator and contains empty calories. Choose red wine over any other hard drinks. Sangria would be the best option here (cut fruits in red wine).
  • Be a health-conscious host. Serve snacks like dhokla, masala peanuts, unsalted nuts and dry fruits, sprout-chaat, fruit salad, idlis, baked chaklis, etc. Avoid serving soft drinks or artificial juices. Lemon water, jal jeera, flavoured milk, spiced buttermilk, fresh fruit juices, etc. would be some better options here.
  • Firecrackers are going to pollute the air. The pollutants (free radicals) have an easy access to our body as we breathe. Neutralize the free radicals by consuming adequate antioxidants through colourful fruits, berries and vegetables.
  • Last but not the least, don’t forget to work out! Workouts would kick your body’s metabolism in high gear, helping you burn calories faster. It’s best to get your workout done before going out for a party. The spiked metabolism would help you burn better when you eat at a party.

We hope you have a great Diwali and these tips help you celebrate a happier, healthier and guilt-free one! If these tips help, do let us know in the comments below.

For more on healthy living, check out Healthy Reads or get some more tips directly from a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

#BeTheForce 

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health. Images shown are for representation purposes only and may not depict the exact recommendations or outcomes.

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Healthy Diwali Recipe: Anjeer Ki Kheer

anjeer ki kheerBefore I begin with this amazing liquid sweet recipe, did you check out my healthy Diwali recipe on Dates Roll with Seeds? If not, do check and try it out. In this recipe, we’ll be preparing Anjeer (Figs) ki Kheer. If you like kheer, you will most definitely love this recipe. It is quick to prepare, rich in flavor and full of nourishment!

Let’s get started!

What You Will Need:

  • Almonds (Soaked and Peeled) – 10
  • Cashews (Soaked) – 10
  • Figs (Soaked) – 12
  • Almonds (Finely Chopped) – 5
  • Pistachios (Finely Chopped) – 5
  • Walnuts (Finely Chopped) – 5
  • Figs (Finely Chopped) – 2
  • Milk – 500ml
  • Saffron – 10-15 threads soaked in milk
  • Ghee – 2 tbsp
  • Jaggery Sugar / Coconut Sugar/ Jaggery – 2 tbsp

How to Prepare:

  1. Soak the nuts for 3-4 hours.
  2. After removing the soaked water, make a dry coarse paste of soaked almonds and cashews using a mixer. Remove it in a bowl.
  3. Now, add the soaked figs along with 2 tbsp. of water and make a fine paste using a mixer, remove it in a bowl.
  4. In a pan, heat 2 tbsp. ghee and add the coarse paste of almonds and cashews. Sauté it on low flame for 4-5 mins until the color has changed and it becomes aromatic.
  5. Now it is time to add the figs paste to the pan. Sauté it continuously for the next 3-4 minutes.
  6. Once done, add 500ml of milk and allow it to boil on medium flame for 5-6 minutes and add 2 tbsp. of jaggery sugar or jaggery to it.
  7. Also add the saffron and chopped almonds, pistachio, walnuts and figs in the kheer.
  8. Give it a boil and your Anjeer ki Kheer is ready to be served.

Highlights of the Anjeer Ki Kheer Recipe

  • Despite being a low calorie dessert, it still satisfies the sweet tooth.
  • Figs are a great source of antioxidants, calcium, iron, magnesium and copper.
  • This recipe is nutritious for pregnant women and children especially.

We hope you enjoy this Anjeer ki Kheer recipe just as much as we enjoyed writing it for you!

For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach directly by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here.

Stay Healthy and #BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health. Images shown are for representation purposes only and may not depict the exact recommendations or outcomes.

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