Eat healthy when you party

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Eat healthy when you party

We give you simple tricks to help you keep your weight in check

By Deepshikha Agarwal

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Published: Thu 16 Jan 2020, 11:00 PM

Last updated: Fri 17 Jan 2020, 1:00 AM

It is often difficult to say no to parties. During such times, try mindful eating. So, what does  this mean? Although food is and always form an integral part of parties, try and focus more on meeting family and friends. Moderation should be the key when it comes to food.
Instead of letting your weight issues haunt you, use simple tricks to minimise the damage.

Choose smaller plates: It’s very easy to overeat especially when one is with friends. The best way to overcome this is to control portion sizes. Use smaller plates and don’t fill it up in heaps. People who tend to eat large portions often end up gaining weight due to overeating. Remember, your fork is not a shovel. So eat slowly and enjoy every morsel. Chewing slowly is good for digestion and self-realisation. Give time for your brain to identify when you are full.

Eat healthy foods first: Eat foods that are healthy and low in calories first so that when it comes to high calorie favourites — sweets or junk food — you won’t be so hungry. For example, grab a bowl of salad, soup or oatmeal before leaving for the dinner party where you know the table will be filled with high calorie dishes.

Drink up: It’s easy to forget about water when you have a wide spread of delicacies and you have to catch up with your friends and family. Always drink two glasses of water before you head for the party. One can also keep drinking a glass of water or sparkling water in between, too.

Weigh yourself regularly: Stepping on the scale will help you keep a check on your weight before it’s too late. Accordingly, you can decide to take action before there is a significant weight gain. Remember, you need to weigh at the same time, every time.
Smart cooking: Modify recipes if you know you had a bad day in terms of calories. For example, opt for baking, grilling or sautéing instead of frying. Use jaggery instead of white sugar. Flavour dishes with Greek yoghurt instead of sour cream, cheese and mayo. Add a twist to your drinks with freshly squeezed lime, mint or basil instead of sugar syrup.

Read food labels: It would be boring at times but very helpful to plan your day. Remember, there are countless alternatives that you can pick up and still enjoy the meal.

Identify your activity: If you like running, then run. Find the activity that works best for you, the one you can do regularly throughout the week. Don’t pick a routine that you don’t like or that you won’t want to do, as you certainly won’t stick with it for long. Don’t go by the saying ‘No gain no pain’; you don’t have to be harsh on yourself every time.
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READER’S QUERY
Is garlic really good for health?
 
Garlic is a well-known spice with a strong  flavour. It contains allicin which is responsible for its characteristic flavour. Garlic can be used to treat various digestive disorders and is known for its antibacterial properties against gram positive and gram negative bacteria.

The extracts of garlic can lower cholesterol levels and prevent heart diseases. It decreases the LDL or bad cholesterol and helps increase the HDL or good cholesterol. Therefore, I would advise you to have one clove of garlic every morning with a glass of lukewarm water. It is also an antifungal agent and helps reduce the fat content in the blood (helps in blood thinning) and thus reduce blood pressure.
Cooking procedures like frying or boiling do not alter any property of garlic. One can have garlic in any form. It can be used in many recipes like salads, rasam, pickle, chutney, pulses and various non-vegetarian dishes, or can be eaten raw in the morning.
Have a nutrition query? Write to deepshikhadietician@gmail.com.


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