Images

7 fitness tips to curb your binge-eating now that Eid's over

7 fitness tips to curb your binge-eating now that Eid's over

Satisfy the cravings ─ but go easy on the biryani!
Updated 03 Jul, 2017

Ramazan ended and you've already unleashed your inner beast on that Eid dinner ─ drizzling that cold, minty raita on top of the steaming orange-gold biryani, gulping down a big sip of chilled 7 Up, followed by the milky relish of savaiyan ─ the Eid binge can be just so difficult to resist!

But now that you have devoured all the roasted goodness, the golden-brown chicken qorma paired with sweet bites of sheermal, its definitely time to resume the fitness regime. And even after Eid, its difficult to avoid the very occasional dawat here and there.

We spoke to nutritionists and physical trainers to share insight on how to help you rewire yourself and get back into your health act. Here are 7 tips to eat clean post-Eid.

1) Food swapping

Certified nutritionist and head trainer at Spartan Fitness, Bilal Munir says that instead of reaching out for the fizzy drinks or the heavily sweetened beverages at gatherings, try going for a fresh juice (if available).

Find alternatives to sweetened drinks
Find alternatives to sweetened drinks

Otherwise, he recommends mixing lemon, mint and water with honey as a sweetener instead of white sugar as it's packed with nutritional benefits unlike its counterpart.

2) Portion control

If there was, for example, a hot, steaming tray of home-cooked biryani in front of you, the likelihood of you staying true to your healthy meal plan were probably slim. However, you can always have things you like in moderation, suggests Munir.

Portion control is key; fight the urge to go for that second and third helping!
Portion control is key; fight the urge to go for that second and third helping!

"If you are craving chocolates, you can opt to have a small block from a dark chocolate bar everyday," the fitness guru says.

He also suggested having a portion of rice in moderate amounts is not as bad as people make it out to be.

3) Don't fall for fads

Munir also says that banning a type of food from your diet forever is not a sensible thing to do. "The biggest misconception people have is that in order to stay fit you need to stop having carbohydrates permanently," he said.

"But that is completely not true." Munir said.

You don't want to cut your body off from carbs completely
You don't want to cut your body off from carbs completely

"There's a way to go about it which is called carb-cutting, but cutting things off permanently is unnatural to the body."

Munir says that calorie-counting is another popular method of losing weight but it doesn't take into account the nutritional value of the food you're eating (basically, saying a calorie of sugar is not equal in effects as to one calorie of protein).

4) Balance it out

Rameesha Shahid, fitness instructor at K7 Fitness and Kickboxing Academy, suggests that if you have dawat coming up where you're likely to binge, focus on having a healthy breakfast and lunch ahead of it to balance it out.

Have a salad full of leafy greens and protein to keep yourself full
Have a salad full of leafy greens and protein to keep yourself full

Working out the next day can also help you not linger over the cheat meal from before; keeping you motivated and helping you stay on track.

5) Ease into your workout

Aniqah Sheikh, fitness instructor at Health Act, suggests that instead of diving into an intense workout session after the Eid binge and then experiencing a burn-out, "Ease yourself into it, and then get back to your usual routine."

Don't go too fast too soon -- baby steps ftw!
Don't go too fast too soon -- baby steps ftw!

Sheikh says that doing the opposite will put unnecessarily load on your body and won't be a good start to a sustainable regime.

6) Manage your water intake

Don't gulp down a huge amount of water after a large lunch or dinner. "That will prove to be very heavy for your digestive system," says Munir.

Just like you space out your meals, you should also space out your water intake.
Just like you space out your meals, you should also space out your water intake.

Rather, have a glass of water 20-30 minutes before a meal to help you manage your appetite and avoid the bloated-feeling.

7) Develop a post-Eid meal plan

Finally, instead of following a "diet plan", focus on making a "meal plan that is sustainable", one which is according to your body type and fitness requirements. Incorporate things that you like to have ─ be it burgers or pastas ─ but make sure you have the healthier variety, for instance, an open faced burger or whole wheat pasta.

The greens, salads and fresh fruits will have to be factored in a major way but you can always try new recipes using natural ingredients.

Getting organized really helps
Getting organized really helps

Here's hoping these tips can help you in some way. Remember, every unhealthy calorie counts. Good luck to your future dawat endeavors!

Comments

Hammad Ahmed Jul 01, 2017 12:41pm
Thanks. Indeed helpful.
Recommend (0)
Anwar Qureshi Jul 01, 2017 12:53pm
These are only tips and in effect it does not work well towards weight reduction. During the holy month of Ramadan at Sehri and Iftar fried items were imminent with our meals as provided by our Company; no other way out; have to take it what is given. This resulted in weight gain though I was going to gym every evening which kept myself in little bit check but again I got 2kg weight PLUS. Now post-Ramadan I am struggling a lot to shed it away. Its not that EASY.
Recommend (0)
Imran Jul 01, 2017 01:26pm
Portion control, exercise,interm fasting & fresh food..this worked in 1900,2000,2017 and always...to loose weight and stay fit...
Recommend (0)
Saqib ghumman Jul 01, 2017 10:34pm
So eat less and work hard with reduction in computer will help....
Recommend (0)
Alba Jul 01, 2017 11:05pm
Eat less fats and sugars than you are eating now. Especially complex sugar. Get more exercise than you are getting now. That is all it takes to lose weight or not to gain weight. Of course people should not binge. They should eat a balanced diet and use their will power, at least some of the time.
Recommend (0)
At your service Jul 02, 2017 04:31am
@Anwar Qureshi .Please walk more,eat 3/4 of your appetite.Avoid hot masala, oily food,prefer juices, be active, no day time sleeps,don't worry for the sake of worrying. All will be well.
Recommend (0)
SAM Jul 02, 2017 05:15am
One should practice the same fasting schedule all 12 months, for great health.
Recommend (0)
Shafaqat Ali Jul 02, 2017 10:41am
@Anwar Qureshi A bowl of mixed fruits is best at Iftar. Go for your normal evening meal after that. Avoiding fried stuff is very much possible
Recommend (0)
Majda Jul 02, 2017 04:03pm
Great tips! Will give my best in shaa Allaah!
Recommend (0)
nbc Jul 04, 2017 10:54am
I believe it is possible, learn to control yourself. the most difficult part is to control yourself when tempting food is in front of you! But if you have a goal in mind, nothing is more satisfying than having healthy food options. Find tasty options like spicy channa chaat, different kinds of salads, bbq items etc. also cutting down on fizzy drinks, sweet food, portion control with moderate level of exercise and lots of green tea solves more than half the problem. tried and tested :)
Recommend (0)