How to Stay Healthy During the Festive Season

We all love the festive season as it brings a pump of joy to all of us. But what it also brings is a lot of sweet and savoury meals that are not good for your health. Let’s explore some healthy food tips and hacks that can help you stay healthy during the festive season. 

Tips to Stay Healthy During the Festive Season

The festive season is upon us, and we couldn’t be happier. Kids are getting holidays, families have planned special gatherings, and there is much to be thankful for. Enjoying sweet and savoury delights day in and day out without a break is an essential part of the holiday season. With many major festivals in line, it’s typically hard to resist your cravings and stay healthy at this time of the year. However, as much as it’s important to participate in these celebrations, you must keep your health in check. 

And so, in this blog, we will uncover some healthy food tips along with some tips for a healthy lifestyle.

Healthy and Tasty Festive Foods

Sattu Laddu: So the first one on our healthy tips list is switching to sattu laddu. Calcium and other minerals and vitamins, including iron, which promote healthy blood circulation and can lessen inflammation, are abundant in Sattu. Additionally, it strengthens hair and enhances skin quality. You can also include sattu paratha in your daily diet for the same benefits.

Method:
Soak the barley for at least four hours
Cook the barley into a paste
Add spring onion
Season with salt and pepper and boil again
Add chopped veggies 

Chatpati Chutney: Having items like green capsicum, ginger, tamarind, and onion as the main ingredients, this chutney is not only delicious but healthy as well. This recipe is loaded with vitamin C, vitamin D, and antioxidants, which help absorb iron more efficiently, strengthen your bones, and lower your blood sugar levels. Alternatively, you can also try our handpicked tomato chutney or garlic chutney to complement your food. 

Method:
Steam the capsicum, ginger, onion, and tamarind juice
Add some salt and green chilli
Blend all of it into a fine paste

Sprouts Dahi Vada: Next up in the healthy body tips is including Sprouts Dahi Vada in the festive menu. Sprouts impart the goodness of phosphorus, magnesium, and vitamin K to this recipe, making it good for the heart. On the other hand, yoghurt’s probiotics enhance the quality of the gut microbiota. Here’s one more dahi vada recipe that will quickly become your kids’ favourite. 

Method:
Soak urad dal and grind it into a fine paste
Form the batter into little vadas
Steam the sprout-stuffed vada
Sprinkle your favourite toppings and enjoy

Healthy Eating Tips

Keep Your Body Moving: One of the most effective healthy tips is getting enough exercise. So this festive season, try to remain active. Rather than just sitting around watching TV with your family, get everyone outside to go for a stroll, kick around a football, play old-school outdoor games,or maybe even try your hand at galli cricket with the kids! This will help you lose the necessary calories every day to keep you in shape and in festive mood. 

Avoid Drinking Too Much Alcohol: Since several vitamins have a direct or indirect role in the breakdown of alcohol, drinking alcohol can quickly deplete your supply of these nutrients. Try keeping your distance from alcohol whenever possible, and make sure you get your B vitamin sources every day. Additionally, supplementing with a B vitamin complex under medical supervision can replenish these critically needed nutrients and save you from many ailments. 

Don’t Go to a Party Hungry: Do not arrive at a party hungry. Eat a quick snack before you go, preferably one with a little fat in it, like a few almonds, some salmon, avocado, or a cooked egg. These quick meals will fill you up, which means you won't be tempted to overindulge in high-fat nibbles and sweets at the party. Additionally, since water keeps you hydrated and fills you up, try drinking more of it at the party. 

Practice healthy cooking: Another one of the healthy diet tips is to practise healthy cooking during this season. Consider either switching to healthier meals or turning your favourite festive dishes into their healthier variants using healthy cooking. For example, add jaggery to the kheer for sweetness, and choose fruit salad in place of ras malai. Add plenty of veggies to your festive snacks and try healthier cooking techniques like grilling and baking rather than frying the food. Over time, these small adjustments will have a great effect on your health. 

Take Smaller Servings: The majority of people typically overeat at festivals. It's common to disregard caution when you're celebrating. It might also be challenging for you to totally abstain from sweets and savoury foods at family get-togethers. In this scenario, one of the best healthy tips in the festive season is to reduce your intake of fried and spicy meals and watch your portion sizes. 

Wrapping Up

In India, the festival season is a time to gather with family and friends to rejoice. However, it inevitably transforms into a feast of sweets, munchies, snacks, and other delightful temptations. Even people who maintain a healthy lifestyle end up gaining a couple of pounds over the holiday season; the overweight can gain up to five pounds or more, according to studies.

So how do you stay on track with your health and fitness during these months? Incorporating healthy alternatives to festive foods into your diet is one of the most effective healthy food tips that you will receive. However, tips for nutrition alone are not enough. Following the above mentioned stomach health tips may help you stay in shape this festive season.