STAY HEALTHY while you feast on laddoos

IANS

WHAT’s a Diwali party without snacks while you play cards? Diwali is a time for fun and feasting but also a time to gain weight whether you like it or not. But make sure your guests get to binge on something healthy, suggest experts.

Healthy snacking is in, so add a twist to your party plans with the following tips.

Alcohol

When we consume alcohol, the body burns this off before food, so any food you eat while you are drinking or afterwards will most likely be stored as fat. Eat something healthy before drinking. This will prevent you from snacking on deep fried food while drinking.

Control portions

Keep small servings on your plate. Doing so will ensure that you have something to eat, and

Nutty affair

High in vitamin E, nuts make for a perfect party snack. Spoil yourself by roasting a few scoops of different nuts, tossed in salt. Add sea salt to the mix to have an extra boost of flavour. at the same time control your portion size.

Fruits for fitness

Slice and dice some seasonal fruits into a bowl and dance your way to nutrition-filled shenanigans. Add a few drops of lemon and/ or red paprika to sizzle things up.

Healthy platter

Stick to a healthy platter of food when you are eating at home. Keep your fridge full of fresh vegetables and fruits. Snack on them instead. This way, you will have given yourself a proper diet before indulging in festive food. The healthy food intake at home will also be able to balance out your festive treats.

Drink more water

Water keeps the system well hydrated. It will help prevent any water retention. Keeps blood pressure in check. Helps shed extra calories. Focus on drinking 10-12 glasses of clean water daily. Don’t let your system and skin suffer. Don’t wait for thirst to strike. Keep hydrating yourself at short intervals. Moreover, it will help you stay full and energised during the rush of preparation.

Stay active

Be productive, stay active. Celebrations are no excuse not to remain physically active. Burn those extra calories every day.

Don’t give up on sweets

It would be a crime to cut out the sweets entirely during this season. So, choose the healthier options and watch your portion size. Go for dried fruit, phirni, kheer, dark chocolate and date mithai instead of other sugar-loaded sweets.

Dessert to devour

Blend you favourite yoghurt with some almond or coconut milk, a frozen banana and a tablespoon of honey. Pour the mixture into popsicle moulds, freeze for few hours, and voila! Use blueberries or raspberries instead of bananas to try different flavours. This appealing dessert, high in nutritional value, is sure to win you praises.

Rainbow chips platter

Add zing to your party with an assortment of colourful, baked vegetable chips made from blue potato, sweet potato and parsnip, and see the colours do their magic. The visually appealing chip platter is high in taste and healthier. Don’t forget to mix things up with dips on the side.

Ditch your regular soda

Ditch your regular line-up of cold drinks/sodas and drink fresh fruit juices, which will invigorate your taste buds, for sure. They not only add flavours to the table but are also high in nourishment value. Add mint or lemon to the juices to take the taste level a notch higher.

Never go out hungry

When you go visiting people, make sure you eat something at home before you leave. This will keep you half-full, and during visits it will discourage you from eating too much.

Remain focused

This will ensure that you do not miss your workouts. Constantly remind yourself that the pleasure of eating fats and sweets is temporary whereas the pleasure of fitness and good health lasts forever. Respect your body by nurturing it, not abusing it with excess alcohol or fried snacks.