The festival of Navratri invokes Devi Maa in our life. Prayers, Fasting, sattvic food and spiritual practices like life’s austerities (tapasya) and penance will help you to get her blessings.
Shardiya Navratri 2021 will be observed after Pitru Paksha gets over i.e., from October 7, 2021, to October 15, 2021.
As Navratri marks the advent of Goddess Durga on Earth, devotees worship and offer prayers along with special food to the nine avatars of Goddess Durga.
The highlight is the nine days fasting which helps in the detoxification of the body. Many women even kickstart their weight loss journey with the fast.
Often specific food is prescribed for the fasting period. The food items are often simple yet rich in basic nutrients of the body. Fasting can help in weight loss if it is followed in specific ways.
Here are a few tips for fasting.
1)Include vegetables in your fasting diet. Vegetables include a lot of nutrients that can rejuvenate the body throughout the fasting period. They are filling and stop you from indulging more often.
2)Decide the rules of the game and follow through. Some decide to have only one meal a day with fruits and milk or lassi. While some have two meals a day. So, if you are trying Intermittent fasting routine during Navratri, try having small meals. Small nutritious meals after frequent intervals can help you lose weight. In this way, you can stay nourished all day even during the fast. And it also helps you lose weight in a sustainable way.
3)Avoid full cream milk, cheese, and such foods that are rich in fats. Instead, choose milk substitutes like almond milk or coconut milk. Or you can opt for low-fat cream. This ensures that no unnecessary fat build-up takes place in the body.
4)Devotees should not consume regular grains like wheat and rice. However, there are alternatives including Kuttu ka Atta (buckwheat flour), Singhare ka Atta (water chestnut flour) or Rajgira ka Atta (amaranth flour) that can be consumed.
5)Devotees follow a strict vegetarian diet during Navratri. Some vegetables like potatoes, sweet potato, arbi, kachalu, suran, semi-ripe pumpkin or raw pumpkin are given preference during Navratri.
6)Devotees can consume milk and dairy products including paneer (cottage cheese), white butter, ghee, malai or recipes prepared with milk and Khoya during fasting. You can even experiment and prepare a fruit chaat and have it with a bowl of yoghurt.
Along with the fasting, keep your daily prayers going on for Maa Durga. Pray for the well being of yourself, your family, your friends and everyone.
If your prayers are sincere and earnest they will be answered.