While social distancing could change the way festivals are being celebrated this year, one thing remains constant: the delicious food. From gulab jamuns to sundal, there is a whole mouthwatering spread that is prepared during Diwali. But how can one indulge without going overboard during the festive season? During her live chat on Godrej L’Affaire’s Instagram handle, the nutritionist shared some easy hacks to eat healthy and prevent bingeing during the festive season. Here were her top tips:

Be prepared

According to Kejal, people end up overeating during the festivals because they lose control. An easy way to prevent this is to prepare in advance and make the festive goodies at home. When we cook at home, we tend to use the freshest ingredients and are aware of the quantities being used in the recipe.

Smart swaps

Swap your yummy with healthier ones. For instance, Kejal suggests having sandesh instead of sugary rasgullas, if you’re fond of paneer-based sweets. Or swap fried chakli with multigrain herb crackers.

Think healthy

Indulging in festive fare becomes easier on the conscience when you incorporate healthier ingredients and cooking techniques in the recipes. Kejal’s top recommendations include wholegrain flours, pumpkin seeds and natural sweeteners. An easy recipe that she shared during her talk: grind dates, nuts, peanut butter and grated chocolate. Make small balls out of the mixture and enjoy these healthier laddus. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 10 days. The nutritionist also suggests using baking or stir-frying as cooking techniques instead of frying.

Include probiotics in your diet

Keep your gut happy by adding dosa, dhokla, kombucha, kanji, kefir and simple homemade pickles to your meals. These probiotics help with digestion and have a positive effect on your gut microbiome. Kejal also recommends managing your stress levels to keep your body and tummy healthy.

Getting on track post celebrations

Managing your meals after the festivals is also an important aspect of staying healthy. Kejal believes that people don’t need to follow any crash diet. However, she has a couple of recommendations to gently cleanse the body, including drinking warm lime water with honey every morning and increasing consumption of greens and fibre-rich foods. She also suggests having a light meals and avoiding carbs, gluten, caffeine, sugar and alcohol. Staying hydrated is also important, according to her, and one should consume at least three litres of water every day. Other tips include having a smoothie of apple, beetroot, carrot, orange and mint and opting for green tea, which will load your body with antioxidants.

The festive season might be filled with temptations, but you can still smartly indulge in delicious goodies and have fun by following Kejal’s easy hacks.

Are there any tips you have to battle the Diwali binge? Share them with us in the comments section below.