Diwali is a five-day festival of lights celebrated by Hindu, Jain, and Sikh families, each with their own traditions, nuances, and regional specialties. And no Diwali celebration is complete without lights, loved ones and, of course, delicious food. Diwali is centered around feasts, snacks, and sweets, but it does not have to derail your progress with Calibrate. We’ve got some tips to help support you as you navigate the food pillar during this festive time. Let’s dig in:
During your celebrations:
- Snack smart. Whether you’re hosting or attending a Diwali celebration, plan to have a healthy protein-packed snack beforehand, so you don’t find yourself making less than ideal food choices out of hunger. It can be as simple as veggies and hummus, fruit and almond butter, or even a homemade nut-heavy chivda or a sugar-free yogurt lassi.
- Start with sabzi or dal. Fill your belly with fiber-rich vegetables or lentils first instead of digging into the deep-fried pakoras or potato-filled raj kachori. Eating fast-digesting carbohydrates on an empty stomach will flood your body with glucose, causing an overproduction of insulin that leads to weight gain and energy loss. No thanks!
- Fill your plate once. Add a mixture of foods to give your body a variety of protein, fiber, and healthy fats, and stick to just that. Once you’re done, wait about 20 minutes to allow your stomach to signal to your brain whether or not you are full. If you’re truly still physically hungry (Is your stomach still rumbling?), go back for a small second helping.
- Choose milk-based over deep-fried desserts. Diwali is synonymous with sweets. If given the option, go for a homemade protein-rich dessert like shrikhand or kheer versus heavier chiroti, jalebi, or gulab jamun. Add fruits or nuts wherever you can for extra protein and fiber.
- Seek out green ingredients. For more protein, opt for chickpea flour-based besan laddus, or mysore pak over rava laddus. Pass over the chocolate barfi in favor of nut-based pista barfi and kaju katli. Grab a spoon of antioxidant-rich gajar (carrot) halwa instead of semolina flour-based sooj halwa. Or, try a bulgar or other whole-grain based payasam versus the typical rice.
- BYO sweets with a twist. Experiment with some new recipes that replace refined sugar with dates, fruit, or cinnamon, like these sugar-free anjeer barfi made from figs, dates, and nuts, or these sugar-free laddu made with dates, walnuts, and coffee.
- Follow “mostly good.” Allow yourself to celebrate Diwali with the traditional foods you love. Remember: At Calibrate, nothing is entirely off limits. Just return to your normal the next day. Consistency is way more important than perfection.
- Stretch your legs. Recruit family and friends to take a short walk after your meal. If the weather isn’t cooperating, try a creative activity that gets you out of your chair, like making rangoli or diyas.
- Take time to reflect. Diwali is about new beginnings. Consider using this time to also think about your food goal: What has been your biggest blocker on your food journey thus far? What have you learned? How can you continue to grow?
- Give yourself grace. If you’re hosting, show yourself some kindness. Cooking a big meal with lots of people can be stressful: Know your boundaries and set yourself up for success by planning and prepping what you can ahead of time. And don’t be mad at yourself for tasting while you cook—someone’s got to!
The temptation of lingering mithai:
- Sharing is caring: If you’re hosting, keep little cookie boxes by the door so people can pack a box of mithai on their way out. Goody bags are a great way to not only share the love, but to clear temptation out of the house too.
- Savor the sweet. If you’ve been cutting back on your sweets during your Metabolic Reset thus far, your taste buds (and habits) may have changed since Diwali last year, and mithai may now seem too sweet. Listen to your body instead of overindulging on something just because it’s what you expect yourself to do.
- Out of sight, out of mind. It’s easy to grab a mithai or two from the box on the counter every time you pass through the kitchen. Avoid this mindless routine by moving the boxes to a new location, even someplace silly like the coat closet. This way, your family can still enjoy as many mithai as they want, but you’re disengaging the trigger (seeing the boxes) to curtail your own overconsumption.
- Practice mindful eating. If you decide to grab a sweet, turn off the TV and set down your phone, plate one, and sit down so you can enjoy every bite.
Thank you to Spoonful founder Deepa Krishnan for her input.