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
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