It takes more than an expensive bunch of skincare to get that perfect skin. Glowing and clear skin, more often than not, comes with nourishment from within. And we are well aware of that. But in a world surrounded by temptations, it’s easy to cheat on your diet – almost every day.
You go out and probably cross your favorite pani puri stall – and bam! before you know it, you already have had a plate of it with sookha in the end – that’s the best part, right?. Umm! No. And that’s not it. Pastries, processed foods, coffee, sugary beverages (hello office world) are so readily available, at events, social gatherings, etc. – it’s hard to escape them.
Let’s make smart choices and gear up for these temptations and make a smooth transition to improve your overall dietary habits. Here are 8 quick changes that you can make to your diet to improve your skin, lose that excess weight and foster overall wellness.
Fill half of your plate with vegetables and salad
You will never feel good about your diet if you keep eating pizza or burgers or any other easy processed food as your lunch each day. It’s time to make some major changes to one of the most important meals of the day.
If you are working, carry a lunch box with you or subscribe to tiffin services that offer healthy meals. Make sure that you eat all the vegetables and salads that come with it. And oh! Do tell your mom about all the vegetables you are savoring, she would be really happy about it.
Always carry something healthy with you
There are higher chances of giving in to your cravings when you are hungry. Always carry a box packed with healthy food like roasted makhana, trail mix, dry fruits etc. when you are going out. If you leave home hungry, there are higher chances that you would find yourself on that pani puri stall.
Don’t start your day with tea/coffee
We know it’s probably the toughest one to adhere to. But having tea or coffee in the morning, dehydrates you and prevents absorption of important vitamins and minerals. That’s not good for your bridal goals.
You should start your day with something nutritious like soaked almonds, raisins, fresh fruit like watermelon and berries or proper breakfast items like poha, upma or oatmeal. The good news is you can your cup of joe just 10-15 minutes after having these items. We made it a little easier, didn’t we?
Replace your restaurant orders to healthier options
Weddings are full of meetings and get-togethers whether it’s with your friends or with your wedding vendors. Here are some of the common orders and their healthier alternatives,
Cold coffee with ice-cream/ chocolate syrup -> plain cold coffee or hot coffee with less sugar
Sodas -> Fresh Juices
Pizzas & Burgers -> Salads or plain roti/ rice with daal
No dessert replacements. Sorry, not sorry.
Pro tip: Research beforehand about the restaurants that serve healthy meals. Schedule your get-togethers and meetings there. It’s harder to fight the craving when you are at a Pizza Hut.
Add more pulses to your diet
You have heard it from your mom and grandmom and you will hear it from us, have a bowl of daal with your meal – both lunch and dinner. We mean it and we have reasons. Pulses are full of health benefits – they are rich in protein, iron and folate – important for hair growth and healthy skin and they are loaded with fibre – that aids weight loss and clears out toxins.
Replace your meat with fatty fish
Fatty fish is full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids – good fats – instead of saturated fat found in other meat products. Replace red meat with fatty fish in your servings. Fish is also loaded with protein, Vitamin B-12, iron and magnesium. It also reduces inflammation in the body, which is great for anyone who has frequent acne flare ups. You should have fish twice or thrice a week.
Satisfy your sugar cravings with fresh fruit
Sugar cravings are the worst and not giving in to them is super important. Sugar and refined grains are one of the major reasons for weight gain, hair thinning and skin issues. It destroys collagen and causes premature wrinkles. We understand that cutting sugar completely from your diet can be difficult. But you have to start replacing it.
Whenever you have sugar cravings, have a fruit like berries, banana or pomegranate. They will definitely cut down your cravings and are great for your pre-bridal routine.
Eat more nuts and seeds
This is the easiest of them all. Because who doesn’t like to chew on some nuts and seeds. Just have a handful of nuts daily. Make sure they aren’t salted or caramelized. It’s okay to roast them and add just a little salt. Nuts and seeds are rich in healthy fats – which means they provide moisture to the skin from the inside and prevent dryness and delays aging.
Drink More Water
Water is that magical drink that beats all the other beauty drinks without even trying. It helps in flushing toxins out of your body and feeds your cells to increase hydration Women should drink at least 2 liters of water every day. Keep in mind, that’s just the minimum water requirement. Ideally, you need 3-4 litres of water everyday. You will need more if you sweat a lot, have rigorous exercise routine or it’s hot and humid outside. So, drink up girls!
Switch from refined grains to whole grains
Ditch your white bread, pizza and pasta for whole breads and whole-wheat pasta. Have roti made of whole wheat and add some more kinds of flours too like jau, chana etc. If it’s winters, relish rotis made of bajra and makka. Just mix and match ladies and soon, you will love that simple ghar ka khana more than any other temptations outside.
We promised you quick-fixes and we delivered them. Making these small changes will sure up your diet game. Soon, these changes will become so natural that you wouldn’t even have to think about them. And that’s the best part of it all!
