Navratri is a time for fasting and feasting during the 9 days. Although this fasting can be a great way to shape up your body and lose some weight, it can actually act opposite and make you gain weight instead.
5 Reasons for Weight Gain During Navratri
- While breaking the fast, many of us tend to overeat leading to weight gain.
- Avoiding healthy alternatives for food.
- Skipping micronutrient-rich foods like fruits and vegetables while fasting.
- Not drinking enough water during fasting.
- Eating more of outside foods instead of home cooked food.
So these are the obvious reasons that might lead us to gain weight even while we are fasting during Navaratri. Therefore it is very important to find out ways to keep our weight controlled and even lose some kgs while offering prayers and fasts during Navratri.
So here are 7 tips by nutritionists for weight loss:
- Include more Vegetables
Vegetables will keep you full during fasting as well as after breaking the fast. You can try vegetable salads as well as veg soups to fill you up.
Check out this pumpkin, spinach and sabudana soup to give you the much-needed strength during Navaratri. - Have small frequent meals
Not eating or starving the entire day will only drop your blood glucose levels and will take away your energy.
So instead, try to have small 3-4 meals to maintain healthy blood glucose levels, throughout the day. - Keep hydrating your body
In addition to water have fluids such as coconut water, lime water, and vegetable juices in order to keep your body hydrated and filled. Otherwise, you will be hungry as well as weak due to fasting. - Keep moving.
Fasting can make you tired and you might want to just rest and laze. But that is one thing you should totally avoid. So along with keeping an eye on your foods, try some easy physical exercises to keep up your spirits and feeling of well being. - Go for healthy snacks
Navratri means fried high carb snacks that are really hard to avoid. Do you feel like having some pakodas and puris? Better not. Instead, you can have saboodana, sweet potatoes, or baked and boiled potatoes. - Cook at home
We all are aware of the restaurant callings during festivals. But that adds as a big contributor to our weight gain. So go for cooking at home this Navratri. This will also help you to keep control over the oil, spices and even, adulterants. - Choose low-fat and low sugar options
Avoid using much ghee, oils and sweeteners in your food. Healthy options provide vital nutrients like protein and amino-acids while keeping fat levels minimal.
