Feast without feeling guilty

Feast without feeling guilty

Worried about how to maintain your  figure this wedding season? You will  forget your woes after following Naini Setalvad’s tips; so go ahead and have a good time!  

It’s the season of baubles and bubbly, of sparkle  and sanctity, of dance and delicacies, of weaves  and weddings!  

I am sure you’re excited about the celebration that  accompanies weddings, but with all the delicious  food around, are you scared that you will compro mise your health? Worry not! I will show you how  to stay fit and still devour all the mouth-watering  food: 

Cancel the crash diet: I can’t emphasise enough  how often people make the grave mistake of crash  dieting before a wedding. They think that if they  compensate by starving themselves before, they  can gorge at the wedding. But the body doesn’t  work that way. Starving yourself makes your hun 

ger hormones go into a tizzy. When you do begin  to eat, the deprived body will keep wanting to eat  more and more as the hunger feedback mechanism  is broken. You will end up sick to the stomach and  unable to enjoy the event. 

Starving yourself while on a crash diet is dangerous 

Hydrate: In the midst of hair, make-up, dress ing up for the event, one often forgets to drink  water, resulting in your being parched at the end  of the day. Like me, if you too will be dancing all  night, you may end up dehydrated and mistake  it for hunger. It is best to keep sipping on water throughout the day.

Hydrate often during the day to not feel parched later on add whenever you can, to make up for the loss  of electrolytes. Get a head start by drinking a cou ple of glasses first thing in the morning when you  wake up. 

Don’t forget the veggies: I have a simple rule  for all my clients. 50 per cent of any meal should  be made up of vegetables. Nowadays, most  

wedding buffets  include an assortment of salads and stir-fries. It  is best to start  your meal with  a good portion of  these vegetables.  If a vegetable soup is  available, that too can be  included. These vegetables will k e e p  you satiated without adding on calories. The boost  of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants will keep  your skin glowing. 

Skip the starters: One of the biggest mistakes  most people make is going overboard on starters.  However tiny they may seem, they actually do a  

lot of harm. I suggest you ditch the fried, cal orie-dense starters and opt for the main course  directly. If you must have starters, try to go for  the barbecued vegetables or roasted nuts. 

Savour selectively: Nowadays, weddings have  elaborate menus consisting of multiple cui sines. Many people get excited and try to savour  everything laid out before them. This usually re sults in an excess of grain consumption. I would  suggest you stick to one grain (i.e., roti, rice, or  dosa). Accompany it with vegetables, a protein  like a dal or a tandoori grilled chicken, and a  pickle to make a complete meal. 

Don’t overdo the dessert: No, I am not asking  you to give up on dessert completely, but do bear  in mind that processed sugar can result in weight  gain or an acne flare-up. My first choice would  be fresh seasonal fruits that  

are usually available. (In  

the mango season, one  

really doesn’t have  

an excuse to skip  

out on the fruit.)  

Otherwise, opt for a  

tiny portion of kheer  

or phirni. Avoid fried  

and creamy desserts. Re 

member, moderation is key. 

Avoid alcohol: I believe that weddings are an  event of utmost sanctity, and to maintain its  purity, alcohol should not be entertained. Not  only does it add empty calories to your diet,  but it is also responsible for your post-binge  hangovers. Instead of dealing with dehydra 

tion and post-drinking exhaustion, simply  ditch the alcohol and keep your spirits high. 

Burn the dance floor: What is more fun than  grooving to music with your friends and fam ily? Dance the night away without any inhibi tions. Dance is one of  

my favourite forms of  

exercise that does not  

feel like exercise at  

all. Make sure there  

is at least a half-hour  

gap between your  

meal and dancing as  

you might get stom 

ach stitches. It is also  

very important to hy 

drate at this point.

Food 43 

Recipe 

Pineapple Cucumber Salad 

Ingredients  

1 cup chopped pineapple in cubes 1 cup chopped cucumber in cubes  6 cherry tomatoes cut into halves  1 cup iceberg lettuce torn into shreds  1/4th cup chopped basil (tulsi) 1 tbsp lemon juice  

Rock salt to taste  

Pepper to taste 

Method 

1. To make the dressing, add lemon juice, rock  salt, and pepper, and mix well.  

2. Mix the pineapple, cucumber, tomatoes,  lettuce, and basil well. 

3. Add the dressing to the above mixture be fore serving. 

4. Serve cold. 

Naini Setalvad is a nutritionist, specialising in lifestyle and immunity disorders. Her foundation, Health For You, throws light  on healthy food habits. Contact her at