Be careful while binging,detox right after: experts

Ganesh Chaturthi is here and modaks, ladoos, fried savouries and other delicacies will flood your homes. While indulging in the festive spirit is important, consume carefully and remember to detox later, say experts.

Navigating through a festival the healthy way can be tricky but is not impossible. It is important due to the virus scare; when people have limited movement and are worried about immunity levels.

Priyanka Rohatgi, nutrition consultant, observes that most people have been stocking convenience food at home, which is harmful. She says, “Mindful eating is a must and portion control is the need of the hour. But if you have indulged, then it is important to detox, by replacing meals with evening salads, soups, fruits and buttermilk.”

After binging, indulge in some high intensity interval training, which in 15 minutes can boost metabolism and keep one toned, she adds.

Stay hydrated and exercise consistently to get back on the healthy track

No festival is complete without sweets. “During the festivities, look at steamed and healthier versions of sweets. Steamed nuts and jaggery modak, nuts and seeds with dates ladoos, whole wheat, chana jaggery pooranpoli with less fat, are some options to look at,” says Priyanka.

Sweets can include fruits or dry fruits like raisins or dates, and dairy products which are healthy and wholesome. Ladoos made out of dates are tasty alternatives.

Ranjani Raman, a dietician suggests that making them out of whole cereals is healthier. “Use ragi or millets, or make a broken wheat kheer. Replace sugar with natural sweeteners like jaggery, dates, raisins and honey,” she adds.

Detox water: a miracle

Detox water or infused water is a simple solution to keeping one hydrated, while making water more interesting. Saritha HP, a dietitian and lifestyle consultant says, “Hydration is a must. Water infused with fruits, herbs or vegetables, not only adds flavour to it, but has drastically less calories compared to a juice.”

Simply chop and add any fruit or vegetable to your water: cucumber, lemon, strawberries, cherries, watermelon, and herbs.

She details, “Some popular combinations are: cucumber and mint, lemon and ginger, watermelon and mint, orange and lemon, strawberry and basil, and apple and cinnamon, which taste great and bring their own goodness.”

Have the water every day, and especially after indulging in a high-calorie diet, she adds. “Drinking this water before a meal, will make you eat in a controlled manner.”

Stretch and exercise

Overexerting and indulging in more hours of exercise will not always help. “Even if you do not exercise more, make sure you do some intensive workouts and steadily increase the pace in the week ahead after indulgence,” says Saritha.

Overexercising could result in injuries or burning out, which could make one stay away from exercising the next day.

“Consistency is the key. If you need to burn the extra calories out, remember that fasting the next day entirely or running for kilometres at one go is not the solution,” she says.

A brisk walk for 30 to 45 minutes or intensive workout for 20 minutes is enough, but should be done regularly, she adds.

Do not starve

It is impossible to stay away from delicious food on such days. What is possible, is to stay away from deep fried food and preferring grilled choices, avoiding processed delights, says Ranjani.

She says, “During a festival, even if you have a full meal, have smaller portions of everything. Avoid maida-based, highly salted and refined foods. Try and incorporate more proteins like sprouts, paneer etc.”

Saritha says, “Detox doesn’t mean weight loss, it is a cleaning process, which will help one get back on track. One has to exercise well, eat well, meditate and stay healthy.”