How to Eat Healthy During the Festive Season

The festive season brings with it a lot of love, laughter, family time and most importantly, food! No one ever celebrates with an empty plate and so a festival is synonymous with feasting. However, even at such a time, you cannot ignore your health. So, how to eat healthy during the festive season? Is there really a way to do so? You would be happy to know that there indeed is. Read on to know more.

Don’t skip your breakfast

Festivities usually start at a later time in the day, so most of the time you can choose your own breakfast. Do not make the mistake of skipping this meal thinking about the heavy feasting lying ahead. It is very important to have a healthy breakfast as that regulates your stomach acid and helps you throughout the day. Eat a breakfast that is as healthy as possible. Include fresh fruits, oats, and sprouts. Try avoiding unnecessary fats and carbohydrates. Eat as much as you need, but do not overeat. This will keep you light and fresh.

Drink plenty of fluids

And by fluids, we do not mean the ones that make you tipsy! You may be having a lot of that with your family and friends during the festive season, but to balance out the effects, drink a lot of water. Your body loses a lot of electrolytes when your regular food habits are disturbed. And since that happens during the festive season, keep drinking water, fresh fruit juice, lemonade and other such drinks to replenish your body. The extra fluid will also help you digest the rich and spicy food that you may be sampling throughout the day.

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Have a snack before you leave home

It is extremely difficult to refuse a plate full of delicious sweets when you are hungry. To counter this, have a healthy meal before you leave home. If you are full, you will be less likely to binge. So when that plate is offered to you, you will be satisfied with taking just one small piece out of it.

Scan the buffet

If you are invited to a lavish party that has a buffet spread, take some time to scan the dishes on offer. Do this before you grab your plate and stand in the line to get served. Look for the healthier food options. You will surely be able to find some healthy food in the buffet. Mentally prepare yourself beforehand and when you go to get the food, you will be able to arrange your food in a healthier manner.

Opt for smaller portions

You may be very tempted to try all the dishes in front of you. Also, refusing to eat what your host cooked may be a rude thing to do on a festive day. So have everything if you must, but take smaller portions. Serve yourself a small portion of rice and compensate with a larger bowl of lentils. This will make your host happy and satisfy your cravings too.

Cut down on the sweets

Sweets are a grand part of every celebration. So, it really is up to you to curb your sugar intake if you want to eat healthy this festive season. Do not keep binging on sweets. If, however, your sweet tooth is out of control, try getting hold of healthier options such as fruit custards or frozen yogurt. You can even inform your host beforehand (if possible) and get some sweets made with artificial sweeteners.

Find a nutritionist

Consulting a nutritionist is actually a good idea if you are really serious about your health. And with Urban Company, you easily find a nutritionist near you without burning a hole in your pocket. The nutritionist may not be able to stop you from eating unhealthy food items during the festive season but she can guide you on how to balance it all. You can also get tips on what to eat immediately before and after the festival to maintain your health and stay fit.

Cook smart

If you are the one in charge of the food, cook smart and look towards preparing a healthier feast. There are many ways in which you can cook traditional dishes, but with less fat and in a more nutritious manner. For instance, you can grill the proteins instead of deep frying them, while keeping the spices intact. This will not take away from the deliciousness, but will surely make you as well as your guests feast in a much healthier fashion.

In a nutshell

It is not a completely impossible task to eat healthy during the festive season. The key here is to balance. You need to balance your food intake and eat healthy when you can. Also try to get in some exercise in the day. Exercising will help burn away the excess fat and calories that go into your body during the festive season. So, keep these tips in mind and enjoy a delicious festive season!

[Also Read: 10 Heathy Food Habits To Follow When Eating Out]