Navratri’s lights dim, but the festival season isn’t over. Diwali waits just a few days ahead. These in-between days are your chance to calibrate your food habits. Think of them as the rehearsal before the grand performance – filled with colours, culture and yummy yummy food.
Before we dive into understanding the art and aesthetics of food and satiety, let’s remember these tips for starters:
Start with soup or salad: high water volume, low calories.
Pause at the “8/10 full” point, not 10/10.
Use smaller plates. Research shows they cut food intake.
Train yourself to notice the first sigh – that’s when satiety signals kick in.
The colours
Vibrant meals don’t just look festive, they fill you up smarter. Build plates like rangoli:
½ plate = non-starchy veg (beans, carrots, gourds, spinach).
¼ plate = protein (paneer, pulses, lean meat).
¼ plate = smart carbs (millets, brown rice, phulkas).
Add raw salad before sweets; fiber blunts sugar spikes.
Aim for “5 colours per meal” – a trick to balance micronutrients.
The texture
Texture slows you down. Use it to avoid post-meal fog:
Snack on roasted chana, makhana, or soy nuts instead of fried chips.
Add cucumber, radish, or carrot sticks to meals for natural crunch.
Replace papad with lightly spiced sprouts for chew + protein.
Sprinkle seeds (pumpkin, flax, sesame) over sabzis.
Switch from refined khakra to multigrain or lentil-based versions.
The negative space
White space makes art elegant; gaps on your plate do the same:
Leave one-fifth of your plate empty – portion control without “dieting.”
If hosting, use 9-inch plates instead of 12-inch.
Don’t pile – layer foods separately; the eye sees abundance even in less.
Resist second helpings for at least 10 minutes.
Keep desserts plated individually, not served in bowls to refill endlessly.
The slow brushstroke
Eating pace can make or break satiety:
Chew each bite at least 20 times.
Put the fork down while talking.
Use your non-dominant hand – it slows eating.
Sync eating speed with the slowest eater at the table.
The masterstroke
Your “masterstroke moment” is when you rise from the table light, energized, not foggy. A few hacks:
Stop before dessert feels like “too much.”
Use fruits as palate cleansers before mithai.
Schedule post-meal walks (10–15 min lowers sugar).
Sleep at consistent times. Late-night feasting delays hunger cues.
Don’t undo discipline now – the buffer weeks before Diwali are for practicing the balance before the final showdown.
As the big festivals are just around the corner, we are piloting something new this year – a holiday 1:1 cohort program. It is designed for those who struggle to maintain a good relationship with food during the festive season, but still want to take care of their health, lose weight, or get stronger.
If you are interested, book a free consultation call with me or just help spread the word. That would also be very helpful.
Have a happy and healthy festive time! ✌️
