Whilst Sudirman and Siti Nurhaliza are playing in the background, the aroma of freshly made rendang and ketupat fills the air. Amidst laughter and chatter, people from all walks of life and religion gather, to savor the companionship of one another and the delicacies that come with the festive season.
Being the food-loving nation that we are, you can imagine how difficult it is for those trying to maintain a healthy diet and even more so for those with chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes. These sinfully delicious food, rich in calories, tempt you into “festive” mood. Consequently, inducing us to overindulge and put on some extra kg’s of weight. Below, I list a number of ways that you can keep your weight in check this Raya!
Don’t Attend Open Houses Hungry
I’ve had friends do this. Under the impression that this would help them with their calorie control, my friends would deliberately skip a meal or two just because they were attending an open house later in the day.
An act of compensation for the food they were about to devour. Little did they know that hunger drives overeating. Malaysian Dietitians’ Association advises to eat high fibre snacks and drink plain water before attending an open house.
Indulge In Conversation
While scrumptious steamed rice dumplings may steal the show, I hope that does not deter you from enjoying the companionship and conversations that take place in open house events. It takes approximately 20 minutes for your body to know that it’s full, so chew slowly and chat away.
Savor Small Portions
In this case, using a small plate would be ideal. Small plates limit the amount of food you place on your plate. Additionally smaller portions of food just mean that you get to savor those high-calorie delicacies in “safe” amounts.
Know Your Triggers
What drives you to eat ? Is it the fragrant concoction of curries and sweets or is it the mere sight of these colourful delicacies that has your mouth watering for more? Know your triggers and keep a distance from them. If you’re a dessert person, consider budgeting your calories. Conversely, perhaps high-calorie drinks are your Achilles heel- you might want to space it with water or fruit infused water in between.
Stay Active
I cannot begin to stress how important this is. I think most of us, myself included, go into this “holiday” mode and forget all about our physical well-being. While the weather can be quite unpredictable, one can hit the gym or do simple exercises at the comfort of their own home.
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by Yashwini Ravindranath
Born & raised in Malaysia, Yashwini earned her M.D. studying in Moscow's Russian National Research Medical University. With an affiliation towards research, all things coffee and the startup ecosystem, she now contributes articles to GetDocSays View all articles by Yashwini Ravindranath.
