An active and supportive social network is as important for physical health as it is for your emotional well-being. And if you can convince your friend to split the chocolate mousse before you share the grilled fish, you’re more than halfway home to a healthier, happier body.

Get your metabolism up and revving before you venture into the festive season. Alka Bhardwaj Ahuja leads you through the drill of keeping fit even as you indulge.

With much of Asia still sloshing its way out of the monsoon and putting away its umbrellas and waterproof make-up, what’s to celebrate, you ask? Well, in a word, everything. If you’re tuned into your environment, you should be feeling as refreshed and rejuvenated as Ma Earth after a good downpour. Then, of course, there’s the feasting that’s customary at this time of year – Ganesh Chaturthi with its mandatory modaks, Dusshera with its glitz of goodies and gold and, of course, Diwali with everything on!

And if, like me, you’re firmly ensconced in hurricane season, you celebrate having been spared a direct hit by Dennis or Edna or whichever alphabetic menace we’ve reached in our hurricane watch by now. Selfish? Maybe. Human nature? Most definitely. But whatever your reasons for wanting to kick your heels up, let us not forget to celebrate that which has sweated with you through summer, got all wet, windy and overlooked in the rains and is, even as you read this, waiting for a well-deserved feast. Yes, it’s time to thank your body for being there for you and give it the attention it needs before you take on the coming season.

Starting from the inside out is still the best way of taking care of things and your stomach is the ideal place to begin. The digestive fire (or Agni) is naturally low in hot weather, which extends well into late October, so appetites generally aren’t the sharpest this time of year. Respect your metabolic state by not overeating and over-indulging now so that you’re all geared to transform into a gustatory gourmet in the weeks to come. Drinking lots of liquids – water and unsweetened green tea for choice – is one way of helping your digestion get ready for the festivities ahead. Other easy ways of kick-starting your engine and stoking your digestive fire to full flame:

l eat smaller meals. Share an entrée or dessert with a friend to cut calories while still satisfying your taste buds.

l Don’t drink iced beverages with your meals – that’s literally like throwing a bucket of cold water to douse a small coal fire. If you must drink at mealtime, sip on a glass of warm water or hot herbal tea. (This is easier said than done here in America, where everyone drinks ice with just a few drops of beverage added to flavour it. And ordering a hot tea with my meal often takes considerable staying power as the servers automatically assume you mean ‘iced’ tea and will try forever to get you to say it right!)

l Drink ginger tea. What can I say? Your daadi had it down pat. Eat your meals sitting down, in a pleasant environment and in good company, not in front of the TV.

l Break your fast. Yes, the jury is sticking by its verdict: people who eat a good breakfast tend to have a higher metabolic rate through the day, so do yourself a favour – go for that wholewheat toast, upma or cereal, instead of starving till noon.

l Make lunch your biggest meal of the day. The afternoon, 1 p.m. to be precise, is the time that pitta is at its peak, and that’s when your digestive fire is burning brightest. Stands to reason, then, that whatever you eat, gets digested best at this hour

l Eat dinner before 8 p.m.

l Don’t avoid the bar completely. Be exotic, say no to alcohol and ask for a teaspoon of angostura bitters in a glass of sparkling water. The reason? This cocktail ingredient that’s essentially a tincture of the herb gentian goes a long way in boosting a sluggish digestion.

l Cut out dairy products that come pre-mixed with sugar, a slow but sure recipe for messing up your metabolism. Say no to ice cream, mithais and commercially flavoured yoghurts for the nonce – a quick digestive boost and a bonus weight loss that never hurt anyone.
l Eat your dessert before your meal as sweet tastes get digested first in the stomach and, let’s face it, desserts do tend to get a bit...um, sweet.

If most of the above tips read like a prescription to grab your best friend and head to your favourite restaurant for lunch, that’s no coincidence. An active and supportive social network is as important for physical health as it is for your emotional well-being. And if you can convince her to split the chocolate mousse before you share the grilled fish, you’re more than halfway home to a healthier, happier body. As long as you choose sensibly (the restaurant and your meal, that is; the friend, we assume, you’ve already vetted carefully), eating out need not be the Public Enemy No 1 it’s often portrayed as by diet gurus. More likely than not you’re going to come away with a bellyful of laughs and good food and a body that rewards your efforts by carrying you through the late nights ahead with that proverbial spring in the step.

Now that you’ve taken the first steps towards ‘feting’ your innards, chances are you’re already feeling a little lighter and ready to focus on the outside. Going for a daily walk or run is far more inviting now that there are no puddles to skip over and communing with nature always brings its own rewards. A calmer, fresher beginning to each day, the always uplifting sight of yet another brilliant sunrise, the inimitable radiance of gulmohar flowers decorating the sidewalks.... Or, for the more materialistic like me, the main attraction of morning excursions at this time of the year is to pick the season’s last avocados and mangoes that litter suburban Miami’s pavements – a thrill that far exceeds the quality of the fruit I bring home!

On the other hand, if you, like most people, need the regimen of a fitness studio, then make sure you’re headed there preferably at the same time each day. Not only does your body need the discipline of a regular interval, but organising your other activities around gym time means you’re less likely to have to skip a class to make time for your pedicure. Include weight training at least twice a week, as one of the benefits of pumping iron is an increased rate of metabolism that stays high even while you’re resting. Choose this time to add a new element to your workout – a resistance routine, a kick-boxing class or belly dancing for beginners. The pay-off here? Showing off your fit and flashy bod while you wow them with slinky moves on the dance floor.

A word, though, to the impetuous. If it’s the last option – belly-dancing – you choose (I did), pay attention to the part where the instructor tells you what shoes to wear when you step out of the studio and into the real world (I didn’t). Spiky stilettos do nothing for your shimmy and as for that jiggle-like-a-jell-O shake, you’d better be lucky (I was) and land on a passing waiter (I did) as your slippery ’eels carry you off the table…. I think I’ll take the power Kathak class next time!

Miami-based columnist, Alka Bhardwaj Ahuja, is a
much-relocated mother of two, who has written extensively for a gamut of magazines, newspapers and even television.
She brings a fresh perspective to the age-old quest for perfect beauty and health.