The season of festivities is on an all-time high and we have been celebrating a string of festivals back-to-back with much fun and fervour. After marking Navratri, Dussehra, Kojagari Purnima et al, the nation is all set to celebrate Diwali on November 4th, 2021 (Thursday). One of the most popular festivals in India, Diwali is all about lights, friends, family and food. In fact, Diwali and indulgence go hand-in-hand. From laddoos and jalebis to malai kofta and biryani – we literally binge on every lip-smacking dish during this time. As a result, most of us end up gaining some extra kilos by the end of the jamboree. But this year, we have got you covered!

We bring you some expert tips that will not only help you pick your food wisely but also balance out the calorie intake the next day. So, this Diwali, make your indulgence 100 percent guilt-free!

Also Read: Make This Diwali Diabetic-Friendly With These Sugar Free Sweets

Diwali 2021: Here’re 5 Diwali Diet Tips To Stay Fit:

1. Prepare your meal with healthier ingredients:

With more and more people getting health conscious, we can witness the emergence of various recipes that give a healthier spin to the regular calorific dishes. For instance, regular sugar is replaced by coconut sugar or jaggery in dessert recipes and buckwheat or multi-grain wheat is used to prepare different savoury items, instead of maida. Consultant nutritionist Rupali Datta further suggests the inclusion of healthy oil in lieu of butter and skimmed milk instead of heavy cream to prepare the main course for Diwali feast.

2. Choose your sweets wisely:

Diwali seems incomplete without indulging in a variety of sweet treats. While some people prefer avoiding these yummy delights to prevent calorie intake, Macrobiotic nutritionist and Health Coach Shilpa Arora thinks sweets are needed once a while. She suggests, “Prepare your sweets with whole grain flours, seasonal fruits, nuts and seeds, healthy sweeteners et al. This will help you satisfy your sweet cravings without compromising on health.”

3. Plan your meal:

As per Rupali Datta, planning your meal and making wise food choice is of utmost importance. This will help you enjoy your favourite dishes without any worries. She suggests eating some healthy and light meal before hitting any party so that you can avoid munching on calorific snacks and sodas. Instead, you may nibble some nuts and non-fried snacks.

4. Balancing your meal is the key:

There’s no denying the fact that almost all of us end up having heavy meals during the festivities. Hence, Shilpa Arora suggests that one must have a holistic approach to health. “If you have indulged in some heavy calorific meal at a Diwali party, then the next morning, try having a liquid breakfast with a nice fresh green smoothie. Keep yourself well-hydrated so that you flush all the toxins out. And if you have indulged for lunch, then consume a nice and healthy stew or soup for dinner, with a lot of vegetables inside. You can have a bowl of tomato soup with two boiled eggs. That balances out your calorie intake,” she stated.

5. Proper detoxification for overall nourishment:

The importance of detoxification is no secret to the world. It not only flushes out the toxins, but also speeds up the weight loss journey. So a well-planned detox diet pre and post Diwali celebration can help you get back in shape without much struggle. Keeping this in mind, we bring you a 10-day detox diet plan by Rupali Datta that can be of great help. Click here for the detox diet plan.

Follow these 5 simple steps and make your Diwali feast a grand affair.

Happy Diwali 2021, everyone!