With the biggest festival of the year just around the corner, we all want to look and feel our best. However, after two weeks of indulgence and broken weight-loss promises, how do we achieve this? You’ve likely come across various dos and don’ts for a healthy lifestyle, which can lead to a glowing you, both inside and out. So, let’s embark on a 10-day journey to help you look and feel amazing this festive season with a detox and reboot plan tailored to most of us.
A detox diet typically involves a routine designed to reset your system to how it was before the binge period. The goal here is to flush out all the toxins accumulated recently, helping you feel fresh and invigorated. After all, you not only want to look your best during the bustling holiday season, but you also want to feel energetic as you move from one party to another.
With this in mind, here is a 10-day customized detox plan to help you feel refreshed before Diwali 2024, which will be celebrated on October 31, 2024.
Diwali Detox 2024: 3 Steps To Reboot And Detox Plan Before Diwali
Step 1 – Clean Out The Kitchen
For the next 10 days, it’s time to say goodbye to all those convenience foods and say hello to fresh eats made from real ingredients. That means all those ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook meals are out! You’re also ditching sugar and table salt-yep, they’re going bye-bye, too. Refined cereals, like white flour, are on the no-go list, so keep those away! No white rice or breads, and pasta made from white flour? Forget about it! Processed foods are a no-show, so no jams, bakery goodies like biscuits, cakes, mathri, margarine, or even peanut butter! And don’t even think about reaching for beverages like coffee, tea, alcohol, flavoured drinks, or soft drinks. Time to clear the fridge and get fresh!
Also Read: Post Diwali Detox: 7 Foods That Can Cleanse You from Within
Diwali 2020: Over the next 10 days, eat only fresh food made with fresh ingredients.
Step 2 – Get In The Mood
Sprouted whole grains, sprouted moong and legumes are easily done. All fresh vegetables, including potatoes and fruits, will be part of our diet. Stock up on almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, sesame and flax seeds. Also get used to consuming healthier whole grains like barley, oats, buckwheat, brown rice and other millets. Dried Fruits are also allowed. Sea salt or sendha namak will be a good change as will honey and gur for salt and sugar respectively. Tofu, soy milk, goat cheese and fresh cheese to replace normal paneer and cheese. If you can replace regular dairy milk with fresh milk from an organic farm it would be amazing. Tea and coffee would be replaced by herbal teas/ green tea without milk and sugar.
Also Read: 6 Wonderful Health Benefits of Detox Drinks
Diwali 2020: Stock up on almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, sesame and flax seeds.
Step 3 – Let’s Do This!
I have divided the plan into two weeks. Week 1 is strict, and I encourage you to adhere to it as closely as possible. This week is more challenging but will maximize the benefits of the detox plan. During Week 2, you can gradually reintroduce some of your favourite foods into your diet.
Additionally, I’ve included a 2-day eating plan to help you ease into the 2-week diet. The goal is to avoid shocking your system and to increase your chances of successfully completing the plan. Let’s get started!
Day 1 Eating Plan
Only fruits. Let the body rest and get started on this 10-day detox. Flavour your fruits with sendha namak, roasted and ground cumin and lemon juice for a chaat. Eat as much as you wish.
Day 2 Eating Plan
Start the day with a medium-boiled potato and a tablespoon of butter. Spend the day eating only vegetables cooked with less oil and lots of fresh spices like ginger, garlic and tomatoes. Fresh vegetable juices or soups can also be a meal, just make sure you blend and not sieve.
Now, that we have had a break from normal, let’s eat food for the next two weeks.
The Ultimate Detox Plan For Diwali 20204 | 10-Day Healthy Detox To Help You Sparkle
Week 1: Diwali Detox 2020
Each day you will eat three meals at the same time daily and one snack. The last meal will be over by 9 pm. Each day you will consume 35ml/kg body weight of water. So, if you are 50 kg then you will drink 50*35= 1.750 ml of water or you can round it off to 2 litres. This will be ideally at room temperature and an in-between meal companion. Portion sizes must be kept to moderate. Use minimum amounts of cooking oil. You can use pure ghee and butter too, but avoid the low-fat versions of butter available in the markets.
How to Start Your Day On The Detox | Early Morning Drink For Detox
You will have to stay away from boiled tea and coffee for these 10 days. It may be tough in the beginning but it would really give your body the head start it needs for the rest of the day. There are many options for you here, pick any – start your day with a green tea, any herbal infusion of your choice, fresh lemon water, kacchi haldi water (soaked overnight), tulsi water (2-minute boil), zeera water (soaked overnight) or methi dana water (soaked overnight).
Also Read: How to Detox After The Festivities
Diwali 2020: Start your day with a green tea
Week 1 Breakfast on the Diwali Detox | Breakfast Diet Plan for Diwali 2024
You must eat within 2 hours of getting up. Here are some healthy breakfast options:
- Fresh Old-Fashioned Oats: Cook about 30 grams of oats with soy milk or organic milk, then top with fresh fruits and walnuts. This breakfast is rich in fibre, antioxidants from the fruits, calcium, and protein from the milk.
- Nut and Seed Mix with Fruit and Rye Bread: Mix 45 grams of almonds, seeds, and walnuts with an apple and one slice of 70% rye bread. You can soak the nuts and seeds, make a paste in the morning, and use it as a spread on toast or on the apple. This breakfast provides healthy fats along with proteins, polyphenols, pectin, and fibre.
- Fruit Smoothie with Homemade Yogurt (Dahi): A medium-sized glass of this smoothie can be quite filling. Avoid adding sugar; instead, use a small amount of honey for sweetness. This option is rich in probiotics, fibre, protein, and calcium.
- Ragi Idli with Coconut Chutney: Enjoy two medium-sized ragi idlis with coconut chutney. This gluten-free option is packed with fibre and folates and is easy to digest.
- Buckwheat Cheela with Mint Chutney: This dish provides fibre, iron and beta carotene, and is also rich in Vitamin C.
- Moong Sprouts with Pomegranate: Delight in this protein and antioxidant-rich breakfast that also includes prebiotics and probiotics.
These options are not only nutritious but also delicious!
Also Read: Post-Diwali Detox – 4 Simple Tips to Flush Out All the Junk
Diwali 2020: Drink a fresh fruit smoothie with fresh homemade dahi.
Week 1 Lunch on the Diwali Detox | Lunch Diet Plan For Diwali 2024
Lunch is when our digestion is at its best. The way forward here is to get in as much colour as possible while getting adequate proteins and other nutrients too.
- Quinoa Salad: About 30 gm salad with rocket leaves and cherry tomato and some chhaas to drink along. Use an olive oil and vinegar/lemon dressing.
- Brown rice and rajma with kachumber salad: Very Indian and extremely nourishing. Cook with minimum oil and use lots of tomatoes. Don’t forget the green chillies in your salad.
- Ghiya raita with grilled potato and peanut tikka: Light and easy to eat, you could also do a ghiya, aloo and roasted peanut raita.
- Kuttu/Singhara roti with soy paneer and mint chutney rolls: Nothing like rolls to make the taste buds dance. Lots of fibre, vitamin C, Iron and of course protein and calcium.
- Bell pepper salad: Mix a few yellow and red bell peppers with steamed corn, fresh mozzarella and feta cheese to create a vibrant salad. Dress this up with apple cider vinegar (ACV). How wonderfully colourful and therefore rich in antioxidant polyphenols!
- Buckwheat pasta: Saute vegetables with buckwheat pasta and goat cheese. The Italian job that is healthy to boot!
- Chickpeas with oats atta roti and cucumber salad: Good old undervalued chana, a treasure trove of phosphorus, heart-healthy fibre and proteins.
Also Read: 7-Day Diwali Diet to Shine This Festive Season
Diwali 2020: Lunch is when our digestion is at its best. The way forward here is to get in as much colour as possible.
Week 1 Dinner on the Diwali Detox | Dinner Diet Plan For Diwali 2024
Dinner should be your lightest meal and as early as possible.
- Wholemeal soup with fresh vegetables and lentils: Add your favourite veggies and create a wholesome, hearty meal in a bowl. Do not use store-bought stock cubes to make the soup.
- Dahi chawal with a twist: Dahi and brown rice with a curry patta and rai tadka
- Stir fry veggies with Tofu
- Barley pearls upma with green peas, grilled tomato with herbs and cheese
- Baked potato jackets stuffed with mozzarella cheese and spinach
- Paneer tikka with lots of grilled vegetables
It’s important to practice portion control during dinner as well. You might feel tempted to eat a little extra, but a few days of being strict with yourself will be beneficial. Not only will the urge to overeat at night gradually diminish, but you’ll also feel more refreshed the next morning.
On day 8, I recommend fasting for the day. Stick to fresh juices, diluted lassi, and coconut water. However, if you find yourself very hungry by dinner time, you can choose one of the dinner options from Week 1 and eat it in moderation—ideally at least 2-3 hours before bedtime.
Week 2 Eating Plan For Diwali Detox
This week, you will continue to follow all the rules but start incorporating vegetables and proteins of your choice.
Non-vegetarians can substitute the protein with eggs, chicken breast, or fish. You can now switch from soy milk to regular skimmed milk, and if you prefer, you can use regular paneer instead of soy paneer or tofu.
If you feel like a snack at 5 PM, consider one of these options, but ensure that you limit yourself to 20-30 grams. You’ve worked hard all of last week, so don’t give up now!
Diwali 2024: Follow all the rules but start introducing vegetables and proteins of your choice.
Snack at 5 pm:
- Nuts and seeds
- Fruits
- Bhuna chana
- Murmura
- Fat-free fresh popcorn
- A piece of cheese on a whole-grain cracker
- Half an apple with 15g of mozzarella
Important Tips During The Detox:
- Exercise daily. Work out a 20-30 minute regimen with pranayama, gentle stretching exercises and a warm-up routine. For those of you who do not exercise this will be a good way to start. Those of you who exercise long hours, or tough sessions, could enjoy the gentler routine of stretching and breathing.
- 6 to 7 hours of sleep is another cog in your cycle of rejuvenation, so pack up the tablets, and computers and switch off your phones. Early to bed and early to rise is your goal these 10 days. Get a lot of me time, go for a massage, get a manicure/pedicure, get pampered.
- With a regularized regimen, you will first see the change in your skin, which will look and feel healthy. The hair, with all the nourishment from seeds, vegetables, fruits and fresh ingredients will spring back to life.
- Another thing you need to do is feel what is happening to your body, make a conscious connection and listen to your body’s rhythm. This is just a start, with consistency you can convert this to a healthy lifestyle which is the best SIP for life.
