Healthy Eating Diet plan for Navratri 2020

Festival Season is around the corner. The auspicious 9 days are first one to knock our doors. As we delve into numerous things, from religious activities and pujas to social interactions and fasting. We must take care of our health.

Best way is to preplan your Navratri diet to maintain your body shape or to achieve weight loss.

If you are wondering how to do that, Just Follow these simple tips:

Eat every 2-3 hours.

Have small 3-4 meals and maintain energy throughout the day. Eating frequently will also help you to maintain blood glucose level in the body. You can include small meals in the form of green tea /lemon water/buttermilk or Nuts / coconut slices etc.

Choose Healthy grains:

It is the great time to go gluten free and lose weight in the process. But choose grains that are high in protein like Quinoa and amaranth as they will give you the required fiber and satiety. Other grains that you can use are Sabudana, Samak Chawal, Kuttu (buckwheat), Singhara flour.

Use Natural Sweeteners:

Sweets are major part of Indian festivals, you can easily go overboard with sweets during this time. Also, during Navratri fasting we indulge in sweets like barfi or kheers. Avoid using refined sugar and switch to jaggery and honey to satisfy your sweet buds.

Hydration is important:

Drink plenty of water in between, to maintain body’s PH. It will keep acidity and headache at bay. You can have liquid in the form fruit infused water or lassi or Coconut water or lemon water or soups.

Choose low fat Dairy products:

If you are trying to lose weight, it’s important that you indulge in low fat milk and milk products. I would highly recommend that you make paneer or curd at home and from low fat dairy. As during fast we end up using milk in different forms in our meals.

Choose snacking option wisely:

Steer Away from store-bought falhari chips or Packets which says ‘diet fast snacks’
. As they are loaded with unhealthy oil and sugar. Instead Choose healthy option like trail mix of nuts or sweet potato chaat or Makhana Chaat. You can have homemade barfi’s or laddos for snacks.

Cooking Methods:

Its not only what you eat that matters, also how you cook plays great role in keeping you healthy. So it’s important that you avoid deep frying and use methods like Grilling, Boiling, Sautéing and Roasting in your cooking. For example, you can have boiled potato raita or roasted sweet potato instead of deep frying them. In case of pooris, prefer having rotis or chillas.

Exercise:

Don’t make fasting your excuse for not working out. If you are eating right, you should feel energetic to workout. If you want, you can indulge lighter activities like walk or jogging for at least 30 minutes. Don’t be lazy and get going.

Fasting during festivals is a way to detoxify both mind and body, while experiencing the spiritual divinity within. If followed properly fasting can give mental clarity and preserve overall health.

Sample Diet Plan

• Early morning: Lemon water / Zeera Water
• Pre Breakfast: 1 Fruit with few nuts
• Breakfast: Ghiya or Potato Raita / Fruit Smoothie /Falhari Dhokla
• Mid-Morning: Coconut water / Lassi / Infused Water
• Lunch: Makhana Kheer / Quinoa Salad / Amaranth Upma
• Evening Tea: Green Tea with 1-2 Coconut slices / Roasted Peanuts
• Pre-dinner: Ghiya /pumpkin soup
• Dinner: Kuttu/ Singhara Flour Roti with paneer or Pumpkin sabji or Sabudana Khichadi or Samak Chawal Khichadi with curd

Click here for weight loss program.