5 things you probably did wrong while fasting this Navratri

Navratri, in our country, is full of festivities and celebrations. But it is also a festival where many of us keep fasts. Except, fasting during navratri means gorging potato and sabudana in all forms, and relishing pooris and chaats. 

Fasting these days is akin to feasting–and not at all like how fasts used to be before. So, let’s find out what fasting actually means and what we’ve been doing  wrong:

1. Overindulging in food

Fasting means taking a break from food and eating a complete meal only once a day. But most people who fast nowadays tend to overeat during that meal or end up eating something or the other the whole day.

Eating once a day does not mean that you have to fill up your plate with large portions of everything. Rather, it means consuming small portions of food so that your body gets enough nutrients to keep you going throughout the day.

2. Eating fried food and namkeen

One of the major benefits of fasting is that it detoxifies your body, cuts out unwanted calories, and improves digestion. Most people eat fried food while breaking their fast that ultimately results in extra calories and problems like acidity and/or indigestion.

A healthy way to break your fast is to eat a healthy meal containing fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables like bottle gourd and pumpkin, rather than binging on fried snacks and namkeens.

3. Consuming extra sugary items

While fasting, people usually consume extra sugar in the form of sweets, beverages like lassi, and desserts like kheer and halwa. Sugar doesn’t have any nutritional value and it also harms the body.

You can switch to healthier options like fresh fruit smoothies or juices without adding extra sugar. They will help the body gain the required nutrients as well as maintain the fluid level.

4. Not meditating

Meditation during fasting works wonders for our body. It invokes eternal bliss and happiness, and also helps us attain self-discipline and a positive attitude of controlling our desires.

5. Starving

Some people keep strict fasts, i.e. without having food or water the whole day. They starve themselves, which is also very wrong as this may cause health issues. If you have just recovered from any illness or disease, it is advisable to avoid strict fasting. Even if you want to keep a fast, avoid starving and take a handful of nuts and fruits at regular intervals.