The most exciting time of the year has already begun. And while the whole world gets ready for the fun and frolic, for most of us, the fear of putting on weight and, thus getting side-tracked from fitness goals, also starts to creep in.
At the same time, who wants to hear the word ‘diet’ during this time of the year? No one! So, how can one find the middle ground?
Here are some festive eating dos and don’ts.
Do:
• Practice portion control
Take a little of all you want and leave the rest for tomorrow.
• Make it from scratch
Made with fresh ingredients and lots of love, a cake made at home digests differently than a cake bought from a shop. You also have the advantage of playing around with healthier ingredients like natural sugar over refined sugar, better quality oil or fat over refined oils and trans fats, cacao over cocoa, and several others.
• Adopt circadian fasting
You can enjoy it all and still fast according to the circadian rhythm, the most natural and doable way to give your body a break—simple 12-hour fasting from sunset to sunrise. If finishing your meal close to sunset feels too early (because most parties begin late), maybe extend your fast the next day and only break it when you experience true hunger. If you wake up feeling heavy and bloated, it means your body could not complete its detoxification process and is still in elimination mode. This happens when we eat late night meals. In such cases, honour your appetite and do not stuff yourself with breakfast. Instead, continue fasting until your real hunger kicks in. Drink plain water during the fast, and break the fast with lemon water and fresh whole fruits.
• Add some physical activity
Make sure you are not sedentary. You do not have to go to the gym, but stay active and move at the least. You could also include a four-minute workout called Tabata, a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) that needs no equipment. If you cannot do Tabata, because it requires a certain fitness level, then aim for 10,000 steps a day, do a couple of Surya Namaskars, or try bodyweight exercises. If you have celebrations planned in the evening, try to be active during the day and plan a morning workout. Workouts do not have to be for an hour; they could even be for 15 minutes, 20 minutes, or 30 minutes.
• Add Vajrasana meals
Best performed right after meals, Vajrasana is a simple yoga pose that assists digestion by directing blood circulation towards the digestive system. It also helps to alleviate acidity, bloating, and flatulence. Sit in this pose for two-three minutes post meals. Avoid if you have a knee injury.
• Get the flow right
Eat what you want but in a particular order. The order is:
1. Raw salads
2. Cooked veggies
3. Protein and fats
4. Carbs, grains, or starches
Eating in this order ensures that your gut is lined with fibre from the salad and vegetables before you eat your carbohydrates. This way the glucose dump and spike aren’t as drastic, which favours metabolic health, weight loss goals, energy levels, and digestion.
Don’t:
• Overeat
Eating a little of whatever you want will not affect your weight, but overeating and gluttony certainly will. Your body does not know what to do with excess food, even if it’s salad. Excess is stored as energy, which is mainly in the form of fat.
• Feel guilt
Instead of cursing yourself for eating dessert, switch the energy into a positive one by practising this affirmation. Repeat it a couple of times and let it register in your subconscious:
“I have prepared myself for this festive season. I am going to eat in moderation and thoroughly enjoy it. My body knows how to digest it well.”
It is the time for celebration and joy! So, enjoy what you eat, practice gratitude, and do not have any guilt.
• Be strict with yourself
When we try to fight temptation, it leads to psychological deprivation, which builds up over time. Then we let ourselves go entirely and binge. Instead, enjoy a little bit of everything.
• Eat late at night
Your body is just not designed to digest meals at night. All it cares about is survival, and it will do anything to help you survive. So, enjoy yourself, but do it smartly. Make your gatherings more about bonding with your loved ones and less about feasting.
Luke Coutinho practices in the space of Holistic Nutrition—Integrative & LifestyleMedicine and is the founder of You Care-All about You by Luke Coutinho
From HT Brunch, October 22, 2022
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