This festive season, indulge without counting calories.
Fad diets are like those mythological sirens. They tempt you with the promise of slimmer waistlines. After the initial enchantment, you are soon looking for ways to consciously uncouple! Prashant Nair, a Bangalore-based Marketer, gained weight when he moved out of his parents’ house (thanks, junk food). After a few months, he decided to try out the Keto diet. “Sure, I lost some weight, but I couldn’t sustain the fat loss nor the eating plan. Also, the low-carb thing drove me crazy. I was perpetually cranky and unhappy. Plus, all the weight came back once I went off Keto! Now, I’m back on a regular, more balanced eating plan that works for me just fine.”
Dieting often means eliminating some of our favourite foods. Which in-turn will only make you obsess and crave them even more, and screw up by bingeing on cheat days! What if we told you, you could eat everything you wanted and still shed the excess weight? That too without signing up for expensive gym memberships or giving up your guilty pleasures? Man’s Life lists down a few lifestyle tweaks that will help you stay in tip-top shape! Take notes…
Zomato, Swiggy and Uber Eats have made our lives easier. They were heaven-sent, especially during the lockdown, when all our favourite restaurants were shut! Having said that, I also think they’ve made us lazier and a bit heavier! Now that things are crawling back to normalcy—scale back! Try to eat out or order in on weekends and eat homemade meals during the week. Food cooked at restaurants usually packs in more calories and trans fats!
Portion control is perhaps the MOST important step in the eat-everything-and-still-lose-weight plan. A simple way to do this is by using smaller dinnerware. Smaller plates means smaller portions! In addition, you can also use your plate as a guide for portion control by dividing it into sections based on different food groups. Fill—half your plate with raw veggies or salads; a quarter with lean proteins (eggs, chicken, paneer or tofu); and the remaining quarter with complex carbs (whole grains/starchy veggies). NOTE: If you’re someone who works out regularly, consult your nutritionist for your ideal food intake requirements.
Restaurant portions tend to be at least twice the size of a regular one! Prevent overeating by ordering for half a portion and pack the rest for another day’s lunch! Or you could split the meal with your friends or family. It’s best to avoid buffets because we are all just human, and may end up overindulging even when we aren’t that hungry. Also, always ask for sauces and dressing on the side!
Turns out, drinking lots of water throughout the day not only keeps our bodies functioning at optimum levels—but also prevents us from overeating! There’s a simple explanation to this: Thirst occurs when your body needs water. When you don’t supplement that need, your body receives mixed signals on hunger. Dehydration makes you believe you want to eat—when all you need is fluids to quench your thirst. So, ensure you are drinking at least 3-4 litres of water daily to avoid this.
If you’re someone who doesn’t have a very active social life, you could ignore this step. However, if you’re a big party guy, having a small meal at home will keep you from regularly binge eating crap at events. Now you know why you never see celebrities going crazy over hors d’oeuvres while attending big bashes!
An early morning cardio session—be it running, walking or jogging—can give you an instant metabolic boost. Meaning, it can help you burn more calories throughout the day. Besides, it will keep your energy levels, and dare we say, more mindful of your eating habits! You could also amplify this with bodyweight exercises too.
High amounts of sodium can cause a lot of unwanted water retention or bloating. So, while just a handful of salty snacks like chips may not be too damaging, a whole-packet while watching IPL 2021, will definitely hinder your weight-loss journey! Swap out the junk with nuts, healthy snacks like roasted makhana, and fruits like apples that come loaded with fibre, as they keep you feeling full for longer! Refined sugar is a prick. It can lead to a lot of disease and weight gain. Sure, all of us do deserve a treat once in a while, but if you have a serious sweet tooth—consider stocking up on bitter dark chocolate with pure cocoa (at least 80 per cent). Something is better than nothing, right?
Avoid unwarranted consumption of calories in the form of sodas and sugar-loaded drinks, like colas and cocktails. Since this listicle isn’t about dieting or is too restrictive—you get a free pass to drink up one glass during weekends!
As you NOW know, weight loss is not just limited to working out in the gym or eating a fixed number of meals throughout the day. Incorporating the above-mentioned steps into your daily routine will make sure that you will meet your fitness goals not only for the festive season but also all year round!
[All Image Credits: Shutterstock]
Eva Pavithran
Vertical Head - Lifestyle