We just bid farewell to Diwali this year. New year is around the corner too and soon its going to be raining parties again. While you may be checking on your diet to fit into that tiny black dress and party hard, you certainly would not want the night to turn out to be the “spoiler” of all the efforts you have made so far.
Find below few tips that you may follow to eat right at a party and ensure that you do not spend the next day only repenting or curing the hangover. In short, here’s how you can have the cake and eat it too!
1. Eat at home before you leave- In my line of work, I often see my clients skipping their lunch for an impending evening party. Not only should you avoid skipping your meals during the day, but also ensure you eat before leaving. Eating a small snack of nuts, cheese toast or a wholesome meal of dal rice, roti sabzi at home beforehand will mean you’re arriving at the party satisfied already, not starving. The buffet usually has so many food and drink options that if you go in hungry, you’re doomed.
2. Drinking wise- Eat good fats like cheese, paneer, peanuts, olives etc. or fried starters along with your drinks. Having food in the stomach will help slow the processing of alcohol and will also help to form a thin lining in the stomach to digest the alcohol easily and prevent you from having a bad hangover the next day.
3. Stay hydrated and take it slow- To pace yourself, have no more than one standard drink per hour, with water as “drink spacers” between your alcoholic drinks. Note that for every person, no matter his size, it takes about 1 hour for the liver to completely digest one standard drink. Sipping on your drink slow and staying well hydrated, keeps the liver from being overloaded; it enables a person to maintain a safe blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and achieve the social relaxation effect that most people desire.
4. Eat before you sleep- Make sure you do eat your dinner and not hit the sack empty stomach. Pick any two items for your main meal from the laid on spread. Stay away from dips, sauces, chips, munchies etc and choose more wholesome options like biryani raita, roti-paneer sabzi, pulao-curd etc. Eat dessert, if you wish, 45 mins to 1 hour after your main meal.
5. Be mindful- Concentrate on your meal while you are eating it. Focus on chewing your food well and enjoying the taste, aroma and texture of each item. Research shows that multitasking during mealtime (whether at home or at a party) can make you pop mindless calories into your mouth. Of course, dinner-party conversation is only natural and important too, but it will be a good idea to set your food down until you are finished chatting so you are more aware of what you are taking in.
6. Starting right the next day- Start your day with glass of water boiled with 1-2 strands of saffron (kesar). Drink it on an empty stomach while still warm. Follow it with a banana and a teaspoon of gulkand (rose petal jam) This will help cleanse or detox your system, and prevent or cure headaches or hangovers if any.
7. Up your fluid intake- Since alcohol consumption causes dehydration, one tends to get dry mouth, tiredness, headache, dizziness, light headedness etc. the next day. Do consume fluids like sugarcane juice, coconut water, kokum sherbet liberally throughout the next day to ensure you are rehydrated well.
Stay happy and healthy.
Happy Partying!
Unsure about the right diet for you? Are you torn between what you’d love to eat and what you hear is unhealthy for you? Sign up for a one-on-one nutrition & diet consultation with leading Mumbai dietitian Munmun Ganeriwal