Enjoy Diwali Without Derailing Your Health

Diwali is here and half the fun is the food, the house smells of ghee and cardamom, boxes of mithai come trickling in at the door and every home has a plate waiting for you, none of us should be thinking about it while the festival is on.

But all of us have experienced the week after with the feeling of tiredness and a little bit of self loathing so here are a few simple tips for you that let you enjoy everything while feeling healthy when the lights are put away.

Please, don't skip meals to 'save up'

It's a tempting prospect to eat next to nothing all day so that you can really go to town at the feast in the evening but it's rarely a good plan. By dinner time you'll be ravenous and wolfing down food, not really tasting any of it and then feeling uncomfortably full. Eat your usual breakfast and lunch and you'll be sitting down to the festive food feeling calm and relaxed and able to taste each wonderful bite.

Eat the sweets and really enjoy them

Pick out the ones you really want. Maybe it's besan laddoo your mother makes or kaju katli, gulab jamun, jalebi, soan papdi, rasgulla, whatever your family's specialty is. Sit down and take a real bite and savor each morsel. One slow eaten treat is infinitely better than three quickly devoured bites and no guilt, please! Sweets are part of this festival and have been for ages.

A few more things for the plate

Diwali tables are not just all sweets. There's chakli, namak pare, mathri, samosa, kachori, dahi bhalla, chaat, paneer tikka and so much more. Have all of it happily! If you feel like putting a few things next to it, there are a number of easy options that go really well with the festive spread. A fruit chaat, roasted makhana, roasted chana, a bowl of mixed dry fruits and nuts, sprouts chaat, dahi or raita, a simple salad, nariyal pani or chaas. They're not a replacement for anything but they do add variety to your plate and are really easy to have out for your guests.

Keep some simple home food in the mix

Not every day is a festival day. Make a few simple plain things on the quiet days in between the festival days like dal chawal, khichdi with a spoon of ghee, roti with a simple sabzi or curd rice. These things happen naturally when you're not working at it and your body really likes them.

Water, a walk, and some sleep

Heavier eating is better with lots of water so have a glass nearby and sip throughout the day. Chaas, nariyal pani and jeera water all count as well. Ten minutes walking around the block after a big meal or a stroll with your family in the evening is all it takes. No need for a workout.

Sleep is the thing we forget. With the cleaning, cooking, shopping, and visiting, the nights get really short. When you can, go to bed a little earlier. It's all easier when you've had enough rest and your body feels good.

A few simple things to remember

• Eat your usual breakfast and lunch, even on the party days.

• Pick the sweets you really like and enjoy every bite.

• Keep some fruit, makhana, roasted chana or nuts next to the sweets box.

• Sip water, chaas or nariyal pani throughout the day.

• Take a ten minute walk after a big meal if you can.

• Make dal chawal or khichdi on a quiet day.

• Go to bed early if the day permits.

It's only a festival day

A few days of eating like this won't hurt your health. What we do most of the time has far more effect than what we do during Diwali. Enjoy the diyas, the company, the fun and the food. It's a celebration and we shouldn't be measuring every bite.