Gear up for a post-Diwali detox

The biggest festival of the year is over and we are all feeling a little lethargic, thanks to bingeing on Diwali faral.
After all, who doesn’t like to celebrate with sweets even if it means gobbling sinful delights all week long. While the crispy chaklis and sumptuous besan laddoos did taste heavenly, they’ve only added to the post-celebration flab. In order to get back into shape the only way is to detoxify your system.But don’t just starve yourself as it will do you more harm than good. Pune Times gives you tips to help detoxify your bodies the right way.
Cut back on sugar and fried foods
This one is an obvious way to help your digestive system recover from the effects of fried and sweet food you’ve consumed during the festival. "Avoid refined flour, bakery goods, fried food and sugar completely in order to help your digestive system recover," said Geeta Desai, city-based dietician.
Exercise is a must
While detoxifying your body is the first step towards a healthier you, moderate amount of exercise routine can get you back on track. Take your dog for a walk in the park or bring out the yoga mat and perform 25 suryasanas. "You could also join a zumba class as it helps burn 500 - 800 calories per hour," said Priyanka Bhawalkar, city-based dietician and zumba instructor.
Avoid crash diets
Experts always discourage crash diets or starving. It won’t be of any help while you are trying to jump-start the detoxification if you fall for the myths surrounding crash diets. "All the fad diets and juices might cause acidity, fatigue or giddiness. Also, starving and avoiding proper meals will result in bingeing and muscle loss and seriously hamper the metabolic rate of one’s body, which will in turn aid fat gain," said Geeta. Instead, she recommended healthy food made from whole grains and an increase in the intake of vegetables and fruits. "There is no need to go on strict detox or juice diets, just ensure that you eat simple, home-cooked meals using less oil. Don’t skip meals. Eat balanced meals at the right time and avoid late dinners," she informed.
Drink lots of water
Detoxification by its definition, means flushing out the toxins, and to flush them out we need to drink plenty of water. Priyanka said, "Drinking three litres of water will help in removing the toxins from the body." But avoid drinking packaged fruit juices and aerated drinks as they contain a lot of sugar and will hamper your detoxification process. "Always go for lukewarm water after a heavy meal as it will help in digesting the meal properly," Priyanka added. "You can also have coconut water instead of plain water. Add a few drops of lemon or amla to the lukewarm water before drinking it every morning as these two things act as good cleansers," said Geeta.