Let’s Lose Weight
Together Part 4 (LLWT-4)
Apologies are expected. I write after about 2 months while on the quest to
complete a series of articles titled – Lets Loose Weight Together. The delay is
unnatural and uncalled for at the same time. But as you read on, you would know
the circumstances were such that I was completely zoned out.
As an update to my weight goals, I am 3 kgs lighter than since I started. Now
another 3 kgs to go but it would need to wait till next year. I contracted
dengue earlier this month, and after a 4 day visit to the hospital and many
more days of rest at home, I am very happy in my skin as of now. I have
continued eating clean as mentioned at the start of the LLWT series. But this
article is aimed at something else entirely. I started writing it in October,
to chronicle how to maintain weight during festive season where festive eating
is at its height. For all who have not read the earlier posts, I strongly suggest you read and start to slowly incorporate your diet in the sketch I mentioned below. This is the right time for you to start so that the Christmas season
with all its buttery goodness leaves a great taste on your palette but no
calories on your tummy.
Throughout the Pujo and Diwali season, I possessed high metabolism rate which
helped me burn out my cheat luxury effortlessly. This past season, I gorged on
everything deep fried, sweet and alcoholic. But still was able to meet you at
more or less the same weight as before. I am writing this article today, so
that everyone feeling guilty of Diwali gorging can take a few leaves out of
this tip jar, and better equip themselves for the coming Christmas- New Year
season.
Eating is life for me, so letting go by a day without food is a wastage I
can’t really imagine. But at the same time, being fit and healthy ensures that
we can eat on our favorite cheat food till time immemorial. My goal is to not
get an hourglass figure, but to attain a healthy weight in ratio to my height.
By BMI calculation I am in the upper healthy range, and another reduction of 3
kgs will ensure I fall in the right weight to height category. When I started
this series of article, I didn’t think I would carry on for so many weeks. But
life is such, especially for an entrepreneur. We face delays in every aspect,
and learn to live with it for future.
So here are some tips and tricks that I used to get past the post Diwali
leftover weeks, with flying colors.
- Dinners become the most important meals in the festive season. During Durga Pujo, a lot of my friends visited us at pandals to gorge on these yummy Bengali street food. Diwali celebratory parties with innocent card games and yum food were always served for dinners. So eating healthy for dinner is a bit far-fetched at that time. But we can overcome this by going to a party with a full tummy. This way you gorge less of those deep fried starters or farsaan. I have made a habit of having a cream cracker biscuits and/or roasted channa with tea in the evening. These low calorie snacks fill u up for a long time and hence you actually just taste and move on to the next dish effortlessly.
- Another thing I do most
often is to have a cup of vegetable soup before going out to eat. This
helps fill me up with nutritious fibers which is good for my body. I
always make a batch of vegetable soup by just boiling a collection of
vegetable in a pressure cooker with salt and pepper and blend it to fine
puree. I add some aromatic herbs at times to make it interesting to the
palette.
- I start each day with a
big bowl of freshly cut fruits. This helps in detoxifying my body
immensely. The heavy dose of fibers right in the morning cleanses last
night’s filth effortlessly, and creates a path for a better nutritious day
ahead.
To be honest, I eat very healthy, but I drink
very filthy. So if you are anything like me, then these next tips would help
you even better. It did to me, and being honest about this helped me curb my
drinking from almost alternate days to once or twice a week only, that too
alternate weeks at times. And that my friends, I feel is a triumph of a sort.
- Make it a rule to never
indulge in fried snack while drinking. This helps a lot. Alcohol makes you
hungry. The best way forward is to enjoy a drink along with your dinner,
or have a drink after the dinner. This helps in getting rid of the intense
craving to reach for the bag of chips or other naughty snacks.
- Roasted chana is a tasteless protein based
snack. But it is one of the healthiest things to have with a peg of
whiskey. Mix it with some salsa and it becomes a Mexican appetizer. Mix it
with kuchumber salad, and it
becomes an Indian salad. Stick to salads like these that appeal to our
taste buds more than anything. A lettuce or sprout salad may not look or
feel appetizing with your favorite drink.
- Try to limit intake of
sugary additive to your drinks. It affects the body most. Sugar and
alcohol react together to make a concoction of intoxication that really is
not good for a human body. Try tonic water with your drinks, but the best
is still to go clean with ice and water. Another great substitute is to
have flavored water mixed with 30 ml of vodka or gin. Flavored water is
nothing but water that is kept in a glass jar overnight with cut fruits
and herbs of choice. If you have an orange in the water, then it sweetens
the drink greatly. So find a mix that suits you and stick with it for this
festive season.
- I know no one is going
to like this one, but really a glass of water needs to go in your body for
every peg of drink you take. I have a tip for you on this one. So in a
party drink a glass of water before you start drinking. Obviously you are
not going to stop at just one drink when it’s your friend’s farewell. So
after 2 drinks, drink another glass of water. Do the math, u got 1 glass
of water for each drink, and you enjoyed the drinks like u r supposed to
as well.
- Lastly, be prepared
that there would be 2 days that you would not be able to exercise. And there
would be those days that the table is full of pies and tarts of every
sort. Guilt should not be a part of any celebration. Live that day
responsibly, work a bit hard the other day by pushing for extra 10 minutes
of exercise. Trust me, it works.
I hope these are of some help to you. If you read this far, then do put in
a comment to let me know how your season went. I am always more than happy to
hear from you guys!
And before I leave, here is a sneak peak of all the holiday baking that should land up on your table this month. i would be sharing 1 recipe each week to pull you through your holiday entertaining with flying colours. Cheers!
 |
| HOME-MADE WW BUN WITH PORK AND CHICKEN PATTY, SERVED WITH ARUGULA SALAD. |
 |
| GARDEN FRESH ZUCCHINI STIR FRIED AND SERVED ALONG BALSAMIC GLAZED ONIONS |
 |
| CRISPY POTATOES WITH GARDEN THYME |
 |
| HOT CROSS BUNS STUFFED WITH MOMS GUAVA JELLY |
