Ramzan is over and so are the days of strict fasting. India’s celebrity weight-loss surgeon, Dr Muffazal Lakdawala gives you tips on how to confront food and to restrain yourself from bingeing after an extended fast. Read an extract about feasting after fasting from his best-selling book, ‘The Eat-Right Prescription’:
What most of us don’t know or realize is that our stomach is a muscle and has the capacity to expand. When we over-eat, our stomach stretches to accommodate the extra food. Sometimes this could cause the valve between the stomach and oesophagus – food pipe – to loosen, which could result in stomach acid to come back up into the food pipe resulting in acidity or heart burn. It is important to remember that it takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to signal the brain when we are full, and for us to recognise the feeling of fullness. Therefore, it is best to chew food well, savour each bite and eat slowly. This will give you enough time to feel full, and not overeat.
Overindulgence simply means an excess of anything enjoyable, and an overindulgence of food can bring along with it a host of problems, such as bloating; abdominal cramps; excess wind; diarrohea; acidity; and heartburn. These can all be dealt with but the long-term consequences of overeating such as excessive weight gain, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases, all pose grave risks.
These are our top tips to stay healthy even as you rush from a party to a wedding, and then back again:
Never go to a party on an empty stomach; always make sure you have a small snack such as a fruit, or a bowl of soup or salad. This will stop you from binge eating when the appetizers start making the rounds, and make sure you stay away from the buffet, nibbling on the cheeses.
Serve yourself smaller portions at first and allow yourself a second helping only if you are still hungry. Make sure there is some salad on the plate, and more vegetables and grilled meats than anything greasy.
Share dessert, so you get a taste of it, but don’t feel compelled to eat a whole serving.
Too many drinks cause dehydration, headaches, sensitivity to light and noise, and irritability. Choose a good wine, wine spritzer, craft beer or single malt, rather than a sugar-laden cocktail. And as you finish a drink, take a break, and have a couple of glasses of water. (If you are a teetotaller, choose a fresh lime soda, fresh juice or, at worst, a diet soda, rather than overly sweet mocktails.)
Stay motivated and get back on track as soon as the festivities are over. Go back to your normal routine and don’t procrastinate. Go for a run, swim, or to the gym. Even if your social calendar is full, take the stairs, or work in a 30-minute walk or, even, a warm-up. Moving your body makes everything better.
Even if you’ve been very good the previous night with your food and drink choices, keep your meals the next day as fresh, simple and nutritious as possible. Lots of salads, fruit, and dishes such as a khichdi or curd rice; adding in grains such as quinoa helps.
Add in fibre such as Isabgol to your daily routine. It will help detox your body.
After an overindulgence of cold drinks, alcohol and juices, it is best to stick to water to keep hydrated. Water is the best, followed by buttermilk and coconut water. So the day after an event, make sure you’re drinking up.
Just say no, even if you are being forced to eat a dessert or deep-fried items. If you’ve been gifted too many boxes of chocolates or sweets, give them away!
Get your blood-work done and visit your doctor often, especially if you are diabetic..
