Sunny Health

OK so it’s the 4^th day of Eid Al-Fitr/Hari Raya Aidilfitri. By the time you read this, chances are hearty servings of Rendang, Sambal Goreng, Sayur Lodeh, Ketupat and my biggest weakness (cue drumroll) FRIED CHICKEN WINGS have already found its way into my digestive system (and possibly yours too, yes?). It doesn’t help when I have aunts who are excellent cooks and constantly shoving things onto my plate. (No really, I couldn’t eat another bite, but what’s that Auntie? Chicken wings? Aw, you shouldn’t have.) It’s really hard to resist chowing down on Ketupat (glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in woven banana leaves) best eaten with chunks of Beef or Chicken Rendang (dry curry cooked in sinful amounts of coconut milk)

However being the caring netizen that I am (but mostly because I believe strongly in the benefits of a healthy lifestyle) here are some tips to fight the calories without compromising on the festive spirit.

1. When it comes to crunch time, moderation is the key. I know, I know it’s easier said than done when you’re faced with mountains of delicious food and overzealous aunties but try to eat in limited quantity and don’t overstuff your tummy. Overeating causes acidity imbalance (Eno anyone?) and digestive related issues.
   
   
2. Skip the finger food – generally these are your typical kueh lapis, tapioca chips, pineapple tarts and so forth. (I’ll stick to my chicken wings thank you)
   
   
3. Eat slowly and concentrate on enjoying the flavours of different foods. Eating slowly will help you not to overeat.
   
   
4. Remember to keep drinking lots of water. Ensure you drink lots of water as it not only provides numerous health benefits but also prevents overindulgence on unhealthy foods.
   
   
5. Did you know that you tend to overeat when you’re tired? Exhaustion makes you overeat to restore energy.
   
   
6. If you find it difficult to continue with your normal weight loss over the festive season, at least try to maintain your weight at where it is now and start putting in more effort again as soon as you are back to your normal routine.

With that in mind, I'm not asking you to abandon meat and go vegan for this festive season. Instead, just be mindful of what you eat and things should work out fine. After all I only tend to overwork my arteries during Hari Raya, right?

RIGHT?!