Control your food intake
After feasting on all that oil-rich food, the first thing to do is to cut back on anything fried. Try saying no to oil for some days. Reduce the amount of oil you use while making meals, even if it is just to give a tadka to dals or subzis. Have phulkas or rotis without smearing ghee on them and avoid butter with your parathas. Opt to grill, bake or steam your food instead. According to dietician and sports nutritionist Sakina Patrawala, “A Diwali detox plan means a stricter diet than the usual. So, cut down on portion size and reduce the intake of carbohydrates and emphasise on fruits for fibre. An ideal plan would consists of fruits/eggs/milk for breakfast, fruits/green tea for lunch, kurmura/ half vegetable brown bread sandwich with tea/coffee for evening and fruit salad with milk for dinner.”
Include fruits and vegetables in your diet
Fibre is important to get rid of toxins. Whenever you feel hungry in between meals, don’t reach out for snacks. Eat fresh fruits or a green salad instead. Stock up on green vegetables and include them in your daily diet. You can also have fresh fruit juices and vegetable soups for variety.
Get back to exercise
The combination of a high-calorie diet and lack of exercise is dangerous. So, get your body to move. Do simple things like walking short distances, climbing stairs instead of taking the elevator and avoid sitting in one place for too long. Get back to your exercise routine in a planned manner, says Patrawala, “A combination of cardio activity like walking, cycling and swimming works wonders when combined with toning exercises like yoga or stretches. The question of having no time does not arise as you can always air cycle or do crunches at home even as you watch TV,” she adds. Start off with this routine before getting back to your gym schedule.
Go for a post-Diwali spa therapy
Many spas offer post-Diwali treatments to rejuvenate physically and mentally. So, pamper yourself with the variety of detox treatments available. Scrubs, hydrotherapy, foot spa treatment, facials or oil massage, by a trained masseur makes your body feel healthy and special. Not only will it help you relax, it will definitely boost the detox process, reduce stress and help you feel healthy again.
Increase your liquid intake
Drinking lots of water always helps, and more so when you want to clean your system. So, have at least two litres of water daily. In fact, start your day with a glass of warm water. Agarwal adds, “You can have coconut water, which is rich in potassium and low in calories, and cranberry juice, which is rich in anti-oxidants. You can also mix a little bit of orange juice and pomegrante juice with a pinch of sugar and salt and sip on it through the day. To have a vegetable juice that is rich in vitamin C and high on water content, go for a mix of doodhi, cucumber and amla with ginger.” At the same time, avoid calorie-rich drinks like milkshakes, lassis, energy drinks, packaged fruit juices and soft drinks.
Opt for green tea
Green tea is almost like a medicine when it comes to cleansing the system. So, try to incorporate it into your routine, as it will leave you feeling refreshed. Adds Agarwal, “Try to have at least three cups of green tea in a day. Have flavoured green tea, which has herbs and natural flavour to it and avoid sugar since it is nothing but unnecessary fat.”
Cut down on sugar
After consuming so much sweets during the festive week, it’s advisable to go off sugar for some time. In fact, either reduce or completely avoid sugar even when you have your tea or coffee for a week. The sugar present in fruits will compensate it. In fact, natural sugar is always better
than processed sugar. If you still feel like having some dessert, opt for a fresh fruit salad mixed with curd.
Avoiding meals: According to Patrawala, “Never ever skip meals and have large gaps in between since it makes you put on more weight.” Having meals at regular times keeps a check on the quantity and quality of food.
Crash diets: Many just take the route of starving themselves to avoid weight gain, but it is a bad idea if you want to lose all those extra calories. Crash diets will never work. Consult an expert if you are confused about your diet plan.
Denying yourself the food you love: While you stick to a detox plan, don’t completely deprive yourself of the things you like to eat. It will just make you crave more for that food and you will end up making the wrong choice. Reward yourself with a small treat every time you achieve a small milestone towards your goal.
