Festive season is on and with the customary visits to family, friends, neighbours’ home, we also come ‘face-to-face’ with the mouth watering sweets. The kitchen remains stuffed with colourful boxes full of mithais and every sort of food is cooked by mums which makes us tempt even more. You fail the test of self-control and just open your mouth to whatever comes offered to you. Your Inner voice is constantly begging NO! But all you can see and feel and sense and smell is that tempting, utterly, butterly delicious food and the ‘finger licking good’ chocolates. But this festive season outsmart with a few shortcuts:

1. Sugar, not fat

If i simply say ‘don’t have sweets!’, I know with 100% surity that follow rate will be 0%. Now here’s a suggestion. Not all sweets are equal. Imagine that gulab jamun-a sugary fried ball and then imagine rasgulla - a sugary dessert. Now what’s the point here is that instead of opting for sweets that are loaded with sugar and fat too, opt for only those sugar made alternatives. Say, having custard, jellies, rasgulla, chikkis, dark chocolate etc. is much better than having jalebis and gulab jamuns. Also prefer to have them once or twice a week.

2. Low fat is not low calorie too

Now another thing comes is “ I will have a low fat dessert”. What are you thinking? It will be zero calorie? Stop thinking that every product that claims to be low fat or zero fat is low in calories too. When we say sweet, it means a sweet because it is sweet. Don’t overthink it to be the healthiest option over all other available.

3. Yes to dry fruit

Sitting in your relatives house, the tray comes to serve you full of dry fruits, ladoos, burfis etc. What would you pick? Leaving the cashews, go for picking dry fruits. Having a handful of nuts daily is healthy as well as recommended. Nuts contain the essential fats our body needs. So, choosing nuts is far better than those extra sweety calories.

4. Welcome guests with homemades mithais

Anyone coming to your home should be welcomed with home cooked desserts. Cook your own sweet using less ghee or oil and using dates, jaggery and honey to sweeten it up. Instead of using condensed milk, you can go for malai. Small efforts can go a long way to health. Also you don’t need to eat all the gifts. Donate and sweeten someone else’s life.

5. Don’t skip physical activity

We usually miss this, but step up the workouts this month. Taking out an hour for yourself should not be a great deal. Also, it you can’t visit the gym, do a few exercises at home. Choose morning walk or opt yoga for relaxation.

6. Stay hydrated-let water be thy best friend

Have 2-3 litres water daily. Keep yourself hydrated to flush away the toxins of your body. It prevents unnecessary cravings and snacking. You can consume lemon water, coconut water, lassi etc. Do Not have empty liquid calories as alcohol. You can occasionally opt for red wine, but it’s a no for beer.

7. Eight hours for yourself is a must

Amidst all these celebrations, don't forget to give yourself eight hours. Don’t underestimate the power of a good sleep, when it comes to weight loss.

8. Party green

Ditching meat this festive season, and choosing vegan protein will do wonders. Plant protein is good for health especially when in comes to lifestyle diseases such as heart ailments, high blood pressure etc.

9. Bless your food

Gratitude has been the buzzword of late. Hold on to this precious emotion.  Be thankful of all the abundance and offer a grateful prayer for the food.

10. Get boosted drinks

Welcome this festival season with antioxidant rich welcoming drinks too your guests too. Go crimson with the power of beets or gold with the magic of turmeric. Detox and rejuvenate the body with a green smoothie, lemon ginger ale, mint lemon drink etc. Give your morning a healthy kick start.

11. Healthy breakfast is a must

Give your body a morning boost with a detox drink, followed by a healthy fiber-rich and protein loaded breakfast. It decides the energy level for the entire day. Also, this will not let you nibble here and there.

12. Balance what you eat

Mostly the imbalance occurs by eating snacks and sweets at evening time. So if you know that evening is going to be a hard affair for your gut, balance it by eating fewer calories in the lunch time.

13. Avoid eating late at night

Don’t eat too late at night. Meals are usually served late at parties. So if you know it will be a late dinner, eat a light healthy small meal before going to the party and reduce the portion size while dining in the party.

14. Friendly tip for family/friends

It’s the time to complement the traditional Indian sweets, high in sugar and fat with dried fruits and nuts. The mithais shelf life is small. So it becomes compulsion to complete the box soon. But the dried fruits have a longer shelf life and one can enjoy them for a longer time.

15. Avoid sweets with that ‘silvery-coating’

Avoid those sweets with silver-coating as these are often adulterated with aluminium. Aluminium is a hazardous metal and can accumulate in our body tissue and brain.

The final word

Enjoy the festival season with your family by taking care of your health with these few handy tips.