In my experience of being a diet & nutrition consultant for the last 15 years, I have a strong conviction that diet pattern followed during Navratras is very effective and can make you lose weight faster. And yes,’Fasting does not mean “Say No to Food”. So start fasting and consider the following diet tips to lose your excessive weight and attain the divine grace of your worshipped God.
It becomes more important if you’re fasting, to take care of the nutrients and fluid intakes to gain energy, feel energetic and stay healthy. These simple healthy foods will not only go with your fasting rituals but also help to keep you to lose weight and help you to enjoy the festival to the fullest.
Go ‘Sattvic’
The Sattvic diet means very simple, pure and light meal that helps you to achieve the purity of body and mind. Sattvic diet is very effective in losing weight too. Sattvic diet mainly comprises of fruits, milk and veggies. It helps in both cleansing and detoxifying the body. So, sticking to Sattvic diet is a great idea! Follow Sattvic diet at least during Navratri and see the positive effects on your body.Fruits such as bananas, apples, oranges and guavas as they will keep your energy levelsand morale high during fast. Have dairy products such as milk, paneer, curd and lassi in order to fulfil your protein needs. Consuming nuts like almonds, peanuts, walnuts and figs(anjeer) is also a great idea.
Relish different flours, cereals and legumes and reap health benefits
Kuttu atta or buckwheat flour is power packed with high fibre that helps to detoxify body and helps to keep hunger pangs at bay thus, making us crave less while fasting. It is also rich in proteins, B-complex vitamins and minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, iron, copper and manganese.Buckwheat reduces the risk of diabetes by lowering glucose, optimizes blood pressure, cholesterol and reduce hemorrhage caused by high blood pressure.2. Sabudana is an excellent source of carbohydrates which uplifts the much-needed energy during fasts and gives a soothing effect to the body and is easy to digest.It is low in fat and low in protein, it can be used with other ingredients, such as milk and dals, for making kheer, payasam or vegetables and peanuts for making sabu dana khichdi.3. Samak/Sama Chawal can be a perfect replacer for rice as it tastes almost similar to broken brown rice when cooked, so it is also called sanwa rice. It provides energy, contains a high amount of fibre, B-complex vitamins and important minerals like iron, zinc and magnesium. It is also said to be rich in phytochemicals which help in lowering cholesterol.4.Makhana is a very popular food during the fasting, as it is packed with antioxidants and acts as an anti-ageing food by preventing white hair, wrinkles and premature ageing. It is very rich in fibre so helps you to avoid constipation, helps the body to flush out the waste and excess water and prevents the accumulation of toxins. These nuts are high in magnesium and potassium which certainly help in controlling high blood pressure but low in saturated fats as well as. It helps in relieving arthritis-numbness and joint pains. Makhana is too good to quench thirst during fast.5. Pulses are excellent source of protein and fibre and is a significant source of vitamins and minerals.
Let’s go nuts these Navratras
Dry fruits are store house to gain energy with very little quantity. Almonds, pistachio, cashew nuts and kishmish are commonly eaten during fasts. These dry fruits are most used to flavour desserts like halwas or payasams, preparing various dishes for Navratri.
The Most Nutritious Fruits And Vegetables
A bowl of fresh fruits and boiled vegetables provides you with fullness and satiety and supports your fasting regime.Vegetables like bottle gourd, potato, pumpkin, colocasia, yam, sweet potato, cucumber, tomato, carrot, raw papaya and spinach are vegetables which help to keep up energy during Navratri.
Low-fat dairy products
Dairy products are considered undoubtedly holy during Navratra fasts. But if aiming for weight loss, you can definitely consume natural products such as skimmed milk, curd, paneer, butter milk.
Spice up your fast
Sendha namak (rock salt)is consumed during Navratras, being low in Sodium, it helps to reduce water retention and blood pressure . Other flavours like that of tamarind, cumin seeds, green cardamom, cloves, black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon and green chilli can add flavour to your food. Also lemon, coriander leaves, curry leaves, ginger etc can also be consumed during Navratras/fasting season.
With reduced physical activity & less time to exercise these days, gaining weight is becoming inevitable lifestyle problem. It does not need to be mentioned how being overweight makes us prone to a gamut of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis and many more. How about some simple foods from your kitchen which can help you burn fat? We bring to you below the 5 such foods which you should try to consume if you want to lose the extra flab.
CINNAMON
Cinnamon can give a boost to metabolism by 20%. If you are consuming more food than required, your body gets excess sugar, the liver will converts this sugar into fatty acids or fat. Cinnamon helps to break down sugar for absorption into the body as energy and fastens up the sugar metabolism which may result in less fatty acids production for body to store. Cinnamon can also help stabilize blood-sugar levels.
Cinnamon can be added to smoothies, yogurt, sprinkled on breakfast cereals or in coffee for added sweetness without many additional calories.
EGGS
An egg provides about 85 calories but is a power house protein, zinc, iron and vitamins A, D, E and B12. Eggs help you stay full for longtime and keep up the metabolism high as compared to cereals. An omelet, or a vegetable sandwich topped with hard-boiled egg and scrambled egg are all great options to start your day with a sumptuous breakfast.
MUSTARD SEEDS(Sarson/Rye)
Please do understand that eating mustard will not make you achieve your weight loss goals, but adding mustard to a diet that is already full of healthy, low calorie and low fat foods can give your metabolism an extra fat burning boost. Just one teaspoon of mustard seeds can help you to burn 20-25% more calories almost instantly,
Also, it has to be kept in mind that spicy foods can cause or aggravate some conditions as acid reflux, GERD, gastritis or ulcers. Please consult your doctor before consuming spicy mustard if you have any of these conditions.
GINGER
Ginger, one of the most used flavorsome root contains acids that stimulate gastric enzymes that can boost your metabolism significantly .Ginger has appetite suppressant properties , so is ideal for weight watchers or for those in whom food cravings make all the dieting efforts fail. Ginger has also cholesterol lowering properties.
TOMATOES
One medium sized tomato has only about 20-30 calories but is a store house of nutrients, like Iron, Magnesium, Beta-carotene, Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Vitamin K, B Vitamins, Lycopene, and Phosphorus.Tomatoes are one of the best foods to give quantity to a meal, provide fullness and satiety afterwards.
Sunday ho ya Monday roz khao Anday – the jingle rhymes well and has a great message. As an egg a day provides you with all the necessary nutrition required for the day. Treat yourself with an omelet for the breakfast or gulp a boiled one. Choice is yours.
Eggs as a matter of fact are one of the prehistoric foods prevalent and rocking till date. Our savior has been saving against going hungry in late nights, early mornings, over hostel boring food or during exam times. Besides saving you from that hunger it contains much nutrition than any other food alone. So let’s get started on knowing our little friend here.
Egg White and Yolk
An egg has mainly two parts commonly known as egg white and egg yolk. Egg white is believed to be more nutritious than the yolk. Unlike yolk which is high in fats (lipids), egg white contains almost no fat and carbohydrate content is less than 1%. Egg white also has medicinal value for it is used to make vaccines such as for influenza etc.
Nutritional Value
A whole hard boiled chicken egg has Energy- 155 kcal, carbohydrates- 1.12g, fat- 10.6, protein-12.6g and also has appropriate nutritional elements such as vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, Iron, potassium, zinc etc. it means if had an egg or two in the day you are all power packed for the day that doesn’t mean you skip meals.
You can try many recipes with eggs but try the healthy ones for instant while making an omelet keep it a little raw do not overcook. Add a raw egg to your after workout smoothie and you are all charged up.
The Other Side
Besides all the nutritional and tasty facts, if consumed in excess, there are some ill-effects on health.
Heart Attack
Consuming more than required eggs can lead to a high risk of cardiovascular attack. It is seen that consuming eggs continuously every day increases the blood levels of metabolite which in turn promotes atheroslerosis, trimethylamine-N-oxide and leads to high risk of heart attack.
Diabetes
Also believed to play a role in Type 2 Diabetes it also increases fat and cholesterol level in our body.
Contamination
Just consuming the egg does not ensure your good health as you should check with your vendor all the details regarding the preservation process, how they reach your door finally. They may be stored in unhygienic conditions which leaves them contaminated thus is good for nothing. So be alert.
Allergy
Also some people may face some allergy as there may be contamination in the eggs. So be careful with that little bomb haha!!!!
Don’t worry it’s perfectly fine to have eggs after intervals and do have complete knowledge of how they arrive in your plate. Eat healthy Grow healthy!!!!!!
Chickpeas commonly known as ‘CHANA’ in India are available and cooked as daily meal which sometimes can become boring. Add some taste to your CHANAs with these mouth smacking dishes.
NutritionalFacts
One cup of raw chickpeas gives you 50% of daily potassium need, 21% of calcium, 2% of vitamin A, 13% of vitamin C , 69% of iron, 2% of sodium, 55% vitamin B-6, and 57% of magnesium. Also chickpeas are rich in vitamin K, phosphorous, zinc, choline, selenium and copper.
One cup cooked chickpeas contains 269 Calories, 15 g protein, 45 g carbohydrate; 4 g of fat, ZERO… yes… ZERO cholesterol. The amazing health benefits of consuming chickpeas is easily visible as the studies show that type 1 diabetics have low blood glucose level and type 2 diabetics have improved blood sugar, lipids.
Iron, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin K and manganese present in chickpeas all contribute in building and maintaining bone structure and strength. Not only this, chickpeas also play a great role in controlling the cholesterol level and are good for your heart. People who are on weight loss diet, you got your friend in that bowl full of chickpeas. So, enjoy the dishes and stay healthy.
1. Chickpea Soup
All you health conscious people out there, soup up with a blend of fresh veggies and chickpeas. Very healthy for people suffering from diabetes, high cholesterol and also helpful in weight loss.
2. Chana Madra
Straight from the land of gods ‘Himachal Pradesh’, comes a simple but really delicious dish. All you have to do is to cook chickpeas in moderate amount pure ghee and yogurt. This curry will only leave you wanting some more.
3. Bean Chaat
Yet health conscious people must be wondering how to enjoy the taste of chickpeas without going tasteless. Here is a solution, boil or steam kidney and green beans. Blend them with boiled chickpeas. Add salt and chaat masala. Enjoy your home made healthy chaat.
4. Spicy and Roasted chickpeas
Roast a bowl of chickpeas with some spices and little olive oil in a microwave. This leaves the natural goodness of chickpeas intact so you can enjoy this delicious recipe without compromising with your health.
5. Ragda
This mouthwatering dish from ‘Maharashtra’ will leave you speechless. Served with potato tikkis teamed with chickpeas curry wins everyone’s heart. Go ahead, try your tikki in a different way
6. Kushari
This Egyptian dish will please one and all. This is a blend of rice, macaroni, lentils and chickpeas cooked in a jiffy which creates a magical delicacy. Go Egyptian with your chickpeas.
7. Chickpeas Salad
Add up some beetroot, kidney beans and some fruits with crunchy chickpeas to create your own tasty delicacy. Add some spices as per your liking. If you are a foodie, go on experiment.
8. Spinach and Chickpeas Daal
This Maharashtrian dish is rich in Iron, Zinc, Fiber and Folic acid. It boosts the health value as well as it tastes great. Try this dish and impress your guests with your culinary skills.
9. Pindi Chole
A dry chickpea dish will leave you speechless. This is a famous form of chickpea dish where the chickpeas are prepared dry coated with yummy gravy and tea leaves are used to give it a unique flavor.
10. Masala Chana
Just the right amount of lemon juice green chillies, raw mangoes or mango pickle, tomato and onion salad mixed with masala chana makes a delicious and nutritious snack. Rich in carbohydrates is a great way to lose weight. This afternoon snack helps you maintain that perfect figure especially recommended for ladies after pregnancy who is striving to get their figure back in shape.
So go ahead people create your own nutritious and delicious recipes with the chickpeas… our very own little CHANNA!!!!!
One regular biscuit, not a diet biscuit, contains 73 calories, 2.6 grams of simple sugars, considerable 3.2 grams of fat and high sodium content gives you about 150 calories!!
If you are a Marie biscuit fan, you must know that here are 150 calories in 6 biscuits serving of Marie Biscuits.
If you are conscious enough to have only oats biscuits, because you want the healthiest for you, this piece of information is for you… 3 pieces of the regular oats biscuits have about 120 calories, 5g fat, 3g fiber, and nearly 2g protein.
And here is the information I have gathered about your favourite biscuits…
Brand Name
Fats.
Carbohydrates.
Proteins
Britannia Marie Gold
250.58g
4.16g
0.5g
Sunfeast Marie Light
220.6g
3.81g
0.42g
Britannia Nutri choice
813.5g
11g
1.4g
McVities Digestive
713.1g
10.3g
1.1g
Hide n Seek
301.1g
4.5g
0.4g
Milano Choco-chip cookies
874.3g
11g.
0.8g
Cream Filled- Bourbon
673.1g
9.2g
0.7g
Wheat Rusk
431g
8g
1g
Glucose Biscuits- ParleG or Tiger
220.6g
3.6g
1.25g
Monaco Salted
150.68g
1.95g
0.21g
Points to consider when you are on a weight loss diet:
If you are on a weight loss regimen, I strongly advise you to replace these biscuits, even the diet ones with any source of protein like egg whites, unsalted nuts, tofu or paneer.
This is not to be ignored that the diet foods are low calorie or low fat but can’t be NO CALORIE. Still, if you want to have the diet biscuits, the best way is ‘REPLACEMENT not SUPPLEMENTATION’.
Try to ascertain the daily calorie requirement and then decide if you can really afford to have additional diet biscuits.
Read the nutritional label of biscuit very carefully and if it says that the biscuit is low fat, you must know that low fat means at least 3g of fat is still present in 100g and mainly the calories come from carbs which can be disastrous for your weight loss.
Now, you have to decide whether your can afford these many calories as your favourite tea partners or will have to replace these with unsalted nuts or other protein foods.
“Pallavi Madam is a great dietician,from the past 1 month i am with her & really enjoying my diet.She keeps a balance of what i like & what i have to eat in order to reduce, she’s like a friend more than a mentor. 😁😋”
Ritu Kashyap For Weight Loss* Treatment
★★★★★
“Dr Pallavi is my savior….its just been three weeks, and am already feeling the difference in my health, confidence and general well being…kudos to her…and my heartfelt thanks… love her..she is sooooo helpful and supportive and a positive person to be around.”
