From unhealthy eating habits to binge drinking, here are some common mistakes that can ruin your New Year’s diet plan.
Christmas and New Year are highly anticipated festivals and events, and people prefer to eat a variety of delicious dishes during the festive season. Unhealthy habits during the holiday season can affect fitness goals. One tends to initiate diet and weight loss regimens but cannot stick to them during the holidays. From unhealthy eating habits to binge drinking, Aman Puri, founder of Steadfast Nutrition, revealed some common mistakes that can ruin your New Year’s diet plan.
The 6 biggest mistakes that can ruin your 2023 diet plan:
Unhealthy eating habits: We tend to consume junk and unhealthy food during Christmas and New Years, adding fat and empty calories to our diet. Instead, opt for steamed or stir-fried vegetables or salads as alternatives to French fries and other fried foods. Vegetables are low in calories and high in vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and fiber that keep us full. So fill half your plate with vegetables and salads for healthy snacks. Eat nutrient-dense foods when you’re not partying to maintain a balanced diet. Avoid skipping breakfast to eat more at lunch and dinner. Skipping breakfast leads to overeating, resulting in bloating, gas, heartburn, and weight gain. It is customary to trade sweets during the festive season, including cakes, tarts, muffins, candies, and desserts, with colleagues, friends, and neighbors. Most are high in trans fats, refined sugars, and refined flour and cause weight gain. Opt for healthier options such as homemade desserts made from dates, figs, oats or wheat flour instead of refined flour.
Inadequate hydration: Staying hydrated is necessary to maintain good health. Drinking enough water during the holiday season detoxifies the body and helps eliminate unnecessary and harmful substances through sweat, urine and feces. Replace soft drinks with coconut water or lemon water to avoid dehydration and adding empty calories to your diet. During the festive season, we eat high-fat foods (pizza, hamburger, French fries, momos, cakes, muffins) and drink alcohol, which produce toxins that can negatively affect our health. Choose healthy detox drinks like cucumber mint water, ginger mint or mint lemon and vegetable juices after a party to flush out toxins from the body. They strengthen the immune system, rejuvenate the skin and improve mental health.
Excess alcohol: Alcohol is high in empty calories. Limit alcohol consumption during parties; avoid cocktails as they are high in calories and cause dehydration. Choose wines over beer, but drink these on the limit. Drink water or juice with alcohol to limit your consumption.
Irregular exercise routine: It is a mistake to postpone exercise during the festive season. Be particular about your exercise routine even in the midst of a hectic schedule. If you’re attending a party, reschedule your workout instead of skipping it entirely, which can lead to weight gain.
Inadequate sleep: Parties and late-night gatherings can affect sleep during the new year. A disturbed sleep pattern can also cause us to eat unhealthy midnight snacks, which affects our digestive health and leads to weight gain. Leave parties early and get 7-8 hours of sleep to avoid unnecessary binges.
Travel: We tend to eat packaged and processed foods instead of a nutritious diet during the holidays. Instead of just eating burgers and pizza, pack nutrient-dense snacks like protein bars, nuts, toasted snacks, and fruit to avoid unhealthy snacking.
