10 Tips to Lose Weight and Eat Healthy while fasting during Navratri
The Hindu festival of Navratra celebrated with full devotion and happiness for nine days purifies the whole environment. It is celebrated with gusto in different regions of the country. On the festive occasion of Navratra, fast is observed by people for seven or eight days. Fasting has various advantages for our body.
Few people also plan to lose weight during Navratras while being religiously inclined.
Here I bring for you a few tips which would make your Navratra Fasts healthier and also would make you shed a few kilos :
Avoid all fried foods like chips, deep fried cutlets, pooris,etc even if you are taking one meal a day.
Keep yourself hydrated with lots of water, carrot-tomato juice, nimbu paani, green tea, tea,buttermilk , skim milk,coconut water , etc
Keep eating small portions of fruits or other permitted food items to keep your metabolic rate up.
Do not under-eat or keep hungry for long. Also do not over-eat in a single meal.
Avoid sugar laden sweets and desserts. Instead prepare fruit smoothies in curd, fruit chaat, etc for that sweet cravings.
You can include Bananas,Boiled potatoes, saboodana ( Sago ),samak ke chawal ( sanwa millet ),kuttoo ( buckwheat ),singhade ka atta ( water chestnut flour ), etc in your meals which would not only provide the necessary energy but also many micronutrients.
Keep doing your normal physical activity and do not just keep lying down thinking that you are Fasting and need to avoid physical activity.
Avoid over indulgence in heavy meals and fried foods after late night Garbas or Dandiya. Have a mini meal before leaving home to attend Garba or Dandiya Parties .
Sendha Namak is also Sodium Chloride chemically as is your Common Iodised Salt, so its use also has to be limited if you have been advised so.
Extra precautions must be taken by people prone to health risks while observing fasts. These include people suffering from diabetes, hypertension, anemia, and those who have recently underwent some kind of surgery. Individuals with chronic health problems related to kidneys, heart, liver or lungs must observe fasting only after consent from their doctors. Pregnant and lactating women must also be cautious.
WISHING EVERYONE A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NAVRATRI
Dr.Shalini Singhal
