How to Detox Post Diwali?

If you ushered in the festival of lights with traditional good cheer, then sweets and fried savouries must have been a staple part of your diet for weeks. Tips to recover from the excesses that come naturally during the special season

Diwali is the perfect time of year to indulge. As friends and family rejoice together and sweets and snacks are lavishly distributed, it can also mean that high calorie temptation is always close at hand. Especially so, if you are fighting the battle of the bulge, making a tremendous effort to keep your weight, cholesterol and diabetes in check. Not surprisingly, this season can offer the most dangerous pitfalls for good health.

Since it is almost impossible to deprive oneself in the midst of all celebrations and joy, (not to mention the variety of sweetmeats doing the rounds), for most of us, a post Diwali detox would be in order! What you eat over the next couple of weeks can undo the toll taken by the festive season on your system.

Is it necessary to detoxify?

Detoxification means flushing out the bad and letting the good in. For instance, what do you when you are hung-over after too much alcohol? Lots of water and maybe lemon juice – it’s how you detoxify your body to flush the alcohol out. Is it necessary? To get rid of that headache, yes. Similarly, the avalanche of fried food and sweetmeats that you are feeding your body (which it is clearly not used to digesting) clogs your system. It needs a break and hence the need for detox. It’s not only a way of flushing out the toxins but also to compensate for all the binging during the festive season.

Lesser portions, frequent meals: Cut back on the size of your portions and try eating 5-6 times rather than 3 times a day. Addchaas in between meals when you feel hungry and eat fruits.

Reduce sugar intake: This is easier said than done because we tend to drink tea or coffee at least twice a day and prefer sweet lassi tochaas. Soft drinks are another vice so make a conscious effort to avoid these. Post Diwali, your body is dealing with excess sugar so try to give it as much plain fluids as you can. Water is a great detox option and a glass of warm water in the morning as soon as you get up can work wonders.

If you are wondering how you can avoid the sugar from fruits, remember that natural sugar is always better than processed sugar.

Say no to oil: Cut back the amount of oil in your dals and vegetables. Don’t use butter or ghee on your rotis for some time. Instead of frying, try baked or grilled dishes.

Eat fresh: Consume lots of green leafy vegetables, have green salad; the more you eat fresh the faster your body detoxifies. Steer clear of red meat.

Exercise: The last few days of high calorie diet and lack of exercise must have taken a toll on your body – give it some movement. Walk or climb your office stairs; move around as much as you can.

Pamper yourself: Forget the food bit for the moment; all the reunions with relatives, meeting with friends, late night parties with families is bound to leave you tired once the festivities are over.  Before the daily routine of work begins it would be a good idea to visit a good spa. Many offer post-Diwali treatments that’ll leave you feeling refreshed physically as well as mentally. Conventional detox treatments include body masks, dry scrubs, hydrotherapy and of course, chocolate scrubs, foot spa treatment and facials. You can opt for a spa session at home as well but there’s nothing quite like getting pampered by an expert.

How not to detox

Those enthusiastic about detoxifying their systems sometimes go all out and do things they should not do. These practices are not only useless but can have a worse effect on your body.

Starving yourself: Just because you have binged or overeaten a tad doesn’t mean you have to starve your body in order to lose all those extra calories. Crash diets are a strict no-no. If you need a better idea of what you need to eat, consult a dietician.

Skipping meals:  So you think, ‘Instead of eating less, I’ll just skip lunch entirely’. Don’t. Skipping meals is the worst idea possible and you won’t lose weight this way.

Depriving yourself of everything you love:  Yes, you are trying to stick to a detox plan. But don’t deprive yourself of the things you relish. If you do, you crave more and the more you crave the more you’ll slip. Allow yourself one odd scoop of ice cream but don’t go overboard.

Make detox easy

It’s very difficult to go on a detox plan right after a week filled with delicious sweetmeats and traditional snacks. To make it easy, try detoxifying during Diwali. Keep a tab on how much you eat in a day and if you’ve eaten too many sweets, go easy on meals.

The most important thing, although slightly difficult, is to maintain your exercise routine. Even if you can spare 30 minutes a day for a brisk walk it will do your body a lot of good. Promise yourself a fruit at least once a day because fibres can help detoxify well. Drink a lot of water 15 minutes before a meal so that you eat lesser. Try to curb the sweets to day time because it gives your body a chance at burning some calories.

The easier you go on your body before and during Diwali, the better your chances of recovering after it.

Detoxifying after a festival needn’t be a punishment! And why should it be? Treat yourself to all the goodies out there but to a limit. After all, you want to be snack-ready for the next festival!