It’s not a crime to eat that piece of chocolate cake but remember to walk for those extra 30 minutes.
Happy eating.
Some tips on eating dessert:
- Count your carbs for the day and leave some room for dessert(on some days)
- Have desserts as a snack rather than right after the meal
- Increase your physical activity on the day you have given in to your craving
- Choose no sugar desserts wisely as they too contain carbohydrates and fats in huge amounts
- Check your blood sugar levels regularly.
Yogurt cinnamon rolled oats and a few nuts can make a quick parfait.
Frozen fruit such as watermelon muskmelon can be substituted for sugary popsicles in this summer heat.
In summers melons of different kind can be made into a salad with mint honey and lemon as dressing.
Fruit is a great substitution as they are naturally sweet. You can make a low fat fruit bowl by dressing it up with yogurt honey and vanilla extract to mimic fruits with ice-cream.
Unsweetened cocoa powder with a sprinkling of cinnamon can be made into a hot chocolate. The only sugar you will be consuming is the natural sugar from the milk and the cinnamon enhances the sweet taste.
Cheat: Though it's not a great word but it won't do any harm. It's NOT going to kill you if you eat half a slice of cake or apple pie once in awhile. Yes they are not the ideal food but they are not poison either. Cheat quietly on you strict diet but in doing so don’t cheat yourself. A bite here and there is fine, but also don’t fool yourself by saying that I never eat unhealthy and always finish the potato fries.
Cut the cable: Ok so you go for your brisk walk, try and eat healthy all day, sacrificing your favourite foods but are not seeing much of a difference. The reason could be that you are sitting in front of your TV almost all day. Television viewing dulls your mind and body functions and really drags your metabolism down. Limit your screen time. And try n get a mild mini workout between every ad commercial. 15 ab crunches, 20 jumping jacks or 30 inverted cycling every ten minutes never did any harm. Make your television work for you.
Set realistic goals: We all have had those moments when we say, “Starting 1st of next month I am going to turn my life around. I am going to stick to salads and work out for an hour in the gym every-day. I am determined to lose 5-7 kgs this month.”
Well, if you set yourself up for this there is a huge chance that you might not be able to succeed. Start small and end big. Think of one task at a time. For example, I am going to walk for 30 minutes everyday and cut down on added sugar in my food. Doing this much will show results and motivate you for the extra 30 mins of workout. Healthy lifestyle is – A lifestyle! Won't work as a quick fix.
Habits: Let's go back to the basics. If you want to make something that is good for you a habit, then keep at it. Even if you fail to continue in the middle, get back to it. Don't give up. If you want to make morning walk a habit then just keep doing it. Even if you fail for 2 days in the middle just get up and go on the third day. It take around two to three months for any habit formation. Anything challenging our willpower is all the more tough. But the key is perseverance.
Turmeric - One of the cheapest spices available in India, turmeric is supposed to have antiseptic and medicinal properties. Having turmeric with honey is said to enhance the metabolic system and liver problems. And with a proper liver the complexion also becomes better and better.
Ghee - In today’s time Ghee and health don’t mix. With everyone trying to look skinny, mention of ghee makes you question everything! You just might be wrong on that. Ghee is supposed to be rich in antioxidants and the fats in ghee helps in the absorption of healthy fats from other foods. Antioxidants reverse the aging process giving you a healthy youthful glow. Making it an age-old superfood!
Black rice - Black rice is rare and very nutritious. Black rice has high amount of vitamin E that strengthens the immune system and guards the cells against free radical damage. Rich in antioxidants, it is a boon for all age related diseases. It is the number one choice of carbohydrate in Manipur and the nutty taste of black rice is fragrant and delicious.
Mustard oil- Huge varieties of oils are present in the market these days. Everyone has some unique benefit, but the oil from mustard seeds is one of the healthiest edible oil. There are two key reasons to switch to mustard oil. One is that it holds all the essential vitamins that a body calls for, and the other is that it has low level of saturated fat that doesn’t allow cholesterol level to increase. No extra efforts; just put 3-4 spoons of mustard oil while
cooking.
Fenugreek - Methi or Fenugreek is your sure shot way to be safe from side effects of diabetes and get rid of dandruff. Again, it is highly recommended for reducing cholesterol levels. From controlling acne scars to reduce hair fall, fenugreek is a widely available spice. So, make sure your kitchen has a handful of them.
Amla - Amla is a proven miracle food since decades. Its results cannot be overruled. This Indian superfood is high in antioxidants and therefore, amplifies the immune power. Being the best source of Vitamin C, amla rewards you with lustrous hair and great skin. Amla is also recognized for its anti-ageing property. Two amlas a day are sufficient to keep you fit.
Plan beforehand: With so much technology on our hands, we can gain access to the menu of the place you are going to be eating at beforehand. Make sure it is the kind of place you want to visit. Check the menu, pick out the healthiest of option before hand and then stick to it. Order first so that you don’t change your mind later.
Share: If you really are craving a particular dessert, order it! After a couple of spoons please share it with rest of the table so that you are able to cut your calories in half.
Eat a meal before you step out: When you are hungry or your sugar is a little low, your good decision making powers diminish. So make sure you eat a filling snack like moong salad with yogurt OR an egg salad sandwich before you head out. This way you will be full when you are ordering and would make smarter choices with portion control.
Swap starches for veggies: When ordering for yourself you can switch your rice or potato meal with stir fried veggies or a small salad. Add some grilled protein and your meal is ready. Look for terms like grilled, tandoori, sautéed, stir fried, pan grilled rather than deep fried, white sauce, butter and cream.
Control weekend binges: When you are clocking in really long hours at work through the week, you would really like to let your hair down over the weekend. So any sort of self control goes out of the window. These kind of alcohol or food binges throw you back 10 steps and undo all the hard work that you have been doing to eat healthy all week. Please do have fun but don’t equate fun with the amount of alcohol or unhealthy food that you
have.
Stay Away from packaged foods - Anything that is ready to eat from a packet has been processed such a great deal that it remains no where close to its natural form. Your body will not recognize it as food. Try and minimize that.
Cut out artificial sugar - there is enough sugar in the foods that we consume. There is absolutely no need for the added kinds. We do add to satisfy our taste buds. If you can train yourself to enjoy the natural sugars in food, it will be great for your body in the long run.
Limit alcohol - Alcohol just tends to dehydrate your system and has been linked to certain cancers. You don’t have to completely give up but limit to one glass, whenever you choose to indulge
Once a week to fill your stomach with fresh fruits and vegetables. This increases the fibre in your body and helps in flushing out the toxins. Oranges, bananas, avocados, apple, muskmelon, carrots are some examples of what you can munch on to keep full and feel great.
Drink water - there is a reason why 70 percent of your body is made up of water. Please try and maintain that. You can add lemon to it for better taste and better digestion.
In all faiths the concept of fasting exists which is based on scientific reasoning. It is meant to push you towards more natural, easily digestible things. Thus, giving your digestive system a break!
A process or period of time in which one abstains from or rids the body of toxic or unhealthy substances.
Just a word of caution, tea or other forms of caffeine suppress hunger, so try not to have tea in place of your meal times. So, whether it's masala chai or earl grey or green tea...everything in moderation is perfect!
Extremely hot tea over a period time can irritate the stomach and oesophageal lining. But if that is something you can’t live without..having hot tea is not the end of the world.
Roadside chai contains copious amounts of sugar and milk, The tea leaves are boiled many times...thus losing all nutritive value and increasing the tannin content.
Adding Ginger to your tea, might help with any stomach problem. Also calm your throat and head colds specially in this changing weather. Cardamom also has good anti -congestion properties. Cardamom tea fights free radicals and increases circulation to the skin
Boiling your tea leaves for too long. If you boil tea leaves for too long, tea polyphenyles and essential oil start oxidizing thus reducing the nutritive value. Adding too much sugar in each cup - it adds up! Sugar is bad for your skin and waistline.
Try making Paneer at home. Left over water is pure Whey protein. Use it to knead flour, or to make daal or soups.
Do not wash the vegetables after peeling or chopping. This will wash out all the water soluble vitamins.
Whenever vegetables or dal is cooked in water, many nutrients are left back in the water. So do not throw it away. Instead use it when making some gravies or soups.
Marinate your meats on your own. You will have better control on the ingredients that you choose to add. A mix of oil, citrus and herbs is a perfect option.
Add veggies like tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach to your eggs to make it a more wholesome meal.
Cut down the cheese on your Pizza by adding a splash of olive oil, infused with garlic and herbs. It will add more flavour and cut the calories.
Add volume to your sandwich by piling on low-calorie veggies instead of more meat. You’ll feel like you are eating just as much but you’ll be consuming fewer calories.
Try making noodles/spaghetti out of zucchini, cucumber, carrots. It reduces your carbohydrate intake and makes a healthy meal that is under 500 calories.
Puree vegetables and hide them smartly in dishes to increase fiber content. Carrot and bell peppers in arrabiata sauce, Broccoli in Pesto , Pumpkin in a baked dish, Bottle Gourd (lauki) In your paneer makhani.
A few splashes of a good, heart-healthy canola or olive-oil based dressings can do wonders to that bed of greens.
Switch your creamy salad dressings with yogurt. Add garlic, chillies, coriander and mixed herbs for added flavour.
Toss in broccoli or green beans with boiling pasta during the last two minutes of cooking. It will cut the carbohydrate content and increase the fiber of your pasta dish.
Use Vegetable, canola or olive oil instead of butter as much as possible. Tablespoon for tablespoon, butter has seven times more saturated fat than oil. Experiment with your favourite recipe by replacing at least half of the butter with oil.
Eat protein and fiber in every meal and snack. It will help you feel fuller longer and maintain a more stable blood sugar level, which translates to less fatigue and fewer food cravings.
Steam, Grill, Bake , Sauté your vegetables rather than boiling them in too much water. They tend to lose their nutritional value in water.
Include more stir-fry recipes in your diet. Stir-fried vegetables are cooked quickly to retain their crunch (and associated nutrients).
Almonds are bursting with vitamin E, an antioxidant that enhances the immune system, and also contain B vitamins to help keep your body on track when it's under stress. Try adding some chopped almonds to salads and pasta dishes.
Have green chillies in your diet. Having just one meal that contains capsaicin - the heat in chillies - reduces the hunger causing hormone ghrelin but also raises your appetite suppressing hormone.
Add vinegar, olive oil, garlic, mixed herbs in your dishes to reduce the amount of added salt
When you have to brown or cook vegetables, put vegetables in a hot pan and then add the oil. It reduces the absorption of oil and lends good colour to the vegetables