Festive well-being: Here's how you can keep your diet in check this season

The festive season is in full fervour. During this time, the country comes to life, with people dressing up, cleaning and decorating their homes, and of course, preparing a variety of sweets and snacks. What started with Ganesh Chaturthi, progressed to Navratri and will culminate in the grandest of all—Diwali.

Then there is Christmas and New Year too that people enjoy celebrating. It’s obvious then that there will be plenty of indulgences. From laddoos and barfis to chaklis and chivda, festive food is sinful but worth it! But it’s important to keep balanced. Here are ways in which you can do things differently and enjoy every bit of the upcoming celebrations: 
 
Indulge, but in small portions
One of the worst things you could do is to have platefuls of anything, whether sweet or savoury. Don’t let yourself get too hungry as this results in overeating and eating fast. 

Go nuts 
Adding nuts like walnuts to your meals will keep you fuller for longer. This means you will not feel the urge to binge eat. Remember, walnuts are the only tree nuts with an excellent source of the essential omega-3 ALA (2.5g/28g) and also offer protein (4g/28g) and fibre (2g/28g). You can even add them to sweets and desserts. 

Drink lots of water
Sometimes, thirst is often misunderstood as hunger. Make sure you have enough of it throughout the day. Don’t try to have it all at once though. In addition to water, include other healthy beverage options too such as fresh lime and lassi. Avoid aerated drinks. 

Eat slowly
When you focus on what’s on your plate, you get optimal satisfaction from every bite, thereby avoiding the chance of overeating.

Don’t eat out of containers
Whether it’s freshly made chaklis or a box of delicious Mysore Pak, don’t keep the whole box in front of you. You don’t realise how much you’ve consumed until you’re uncomfortably full.
The author is Founder and CEO, NmamiLife