Just a day left for the most awaited festival of every married woman, when she observes fast and prays for a long, happy and prosperous life of her husband- Karwa Chauth. This fast begins with the sunrise and ends when the moon spreads its rays on earth. This festival is not just a tradition or a ritual, but it’s the faith of an Indian woman that keeps their husband in a healthy spirit. The woman adorns herself in beautiful clothes and apply henna on their hands.

An important ritual of this festival is waking up early in the morning before sunrise to eat sargi- a meal prepared by their mother-in-laws. After the sunrise, the ladies observe fast with no food and no water the whole day till moon rises.

Here are a few tips to ensure easy and healthy fasting:

1. Have a ‘fruitful’ sargi

Include a lot of fruits in the sargi meal as fruits are loaded with fiber, which will keep you full and provide enough energy for the entire day. Have a bowlful of fruit salad with papaya, pomegranate, pineapple, apple, banana, berries etc.

2. Keep oily foods at bay

Don't overdo yourself with oily foods early in the morning such as paranthas and pakoras. Instead of keeping you full, they make you altogether more dizzy and lethargic. Be a bit conscious and have multigrain chapatis with vegetable and some protein source essentially (may be paneer or tofu or lassi).

3. Tea or coffee : neither of these being healthy options

Tea or coffee are known as natural diuretics that is they induce urine and cause dehydration in the body. If after sargi, you tend to have tea or coffee, it leads to dehydration the entire day. Give a kick start to your metabolism early morning with amla juice or green juice. You can also have lassi, fruit juice or milk.

4. Mithais aggravate the sugar cravings

This is a tradition followed to have mithais in the sargi. But no one says to eat a plateful of them. Have a piece and if you have a sweet tooth, opt for healthier options such as seviyan  or bananas. Eating too much sugar may lead to hunger pangs later in the day and having sugar makes us crave for more sugar. You can have figs, dates or apricots instead.

5. Nut munching is very beneficial

Have a handful of nuts such as almonds, walnuts and pistachios early morning as they will provide you with protein and essential fats and also keep you full for a longer time.

6. Rest is essential too

After having your sargi, rest for a while. Don't exert yourself too much on this day. Also once you feel light weight, practice some yoga asanas to keep dizziness at bay.

The final word

Stay healthy, stay fit.

Happy Karwa Chauth 2018!