Diwali sweets will become a part of meals and social gatherings in just a few weeks! But the good news is that there are some simple ways to maintain a healthy body in this season of calorie overload! In the women and weight loss showdown on Audible, Rujuta Diwekar shares insights on staying in shape. In the audio, she questions conventional norms about weight loss and suggests realistic changes in one’s diet and lifestyle that are easy to maintain even during the festive season. Here’s what he said:

Starting the day right can set the tone for the rest of the day. Rujuta recommends eating something within 10-15 minutes of waking up as this keeps energy levels stable throughout the day, which increases the rate of fat burning in the body. “Doing this reduces your chances of overeating later and keeps your blood sugar stable throughout the day,” says Rujuta. Eating every 2 hours can make a person’s body an efficient calorie burner. Reducing portion sizes will be a natural consequence of eating in intervals, which works in favor of a person working towards a fitter body.

Stretch marks, constant struggle to lose weight, love hands, lethargy, insomnia, PMS and rapid aging are undoubtedly anyone’s worst nightmare. These can be traced to one underlying cause – lack of nutrition. Rujuta’s simple steps to combat deficiencies start from eating food within 3 hours of cooking. Additionally, the fewer people the food is prepared for, the better its nutritional value. She says, “Eat your vegetables and fruits whole; Don’t chop them or grind them into juice, and be faithful to your genes: eat what you’ve been eating since you were a kid.” Small changes in the way a person consumes food can make a significant difference to his or her nutrient intake. There may be improvement.

There are also changes in meal times, late night eating and overeating during the festive season. These changes in routine can reduce vitamin B levels which can lead to increased cravings for carbs and sugar and loss of calcium from bones. The lethargy that is felt during the festive season is due to pressure on the digestive system. Vitamin B is not only the most energy-giving vitamin, but also makes it easier for the body to metabolize calories, especially from carbs, which are available in abundance at social gatherings. Adding to this, Rujuta revealed, “The lower the calcium intake, the more likely you are to become obese.” To combat these problems at the root cause, Rujuta recommends including vitamin B supplements and calcium tablets (calcium citrate for easy absorption) in one’s diet.

In the audiobook, Rujuta recommends eating more local and seasonal foods. The longer it takes for food to reach the plate, the more it takes a person away from his fitness goals. Seasonal foods are the best armor against environmental stresses. Rujuta advises, “Chiku from Gholwad, tangerines (oranges) from Nagpur, walnuts from Kashmir, apples from Kinnaur, jackfruits from Konkan, guavas from Pune, grapes from Nashik and bananas from Kerala.” While plums from California and apples from New Zealand are great, Rujuta says the majority of food should be from food grown nearby for better nutrition and a better body.

5. Play the Uno Challenge: A fun way to control your portion sizes!

Rujuta suggests playing Uno – except the cards are replaced with food. Just like one shouts ‘Uno’ with the last card to avoid taking another card from the pack, here the stomach shouts ‘Uno’ to avoid eating more. Staying in tune and being aware of your hunger is the starting point for playing Uno with your stomach. Rujuta says the stomach will say ‘uno’ at different times during different stages of development and the menstrual cycle. Stress levels, eating consistency and genetics are some of the factors that influence ‘Uno’ timing. Rujuta adds, “Women should never, ever (not saying never at the expense of knowing) ‘standardise’ their meal sizes. We’re hormonally alive, and it’s perfectly normal to feel like eating more some days and less on others. The main thing is to stop at the right time.

Get the latest news live on Times Now with breaking news and top headlines from around the world on diet, health and more.