This year Navratri starts from March 22. Here is a free Navratri diet plan to be followed during this auspicious festival celebrating Devi Durga. People also observe fasts as a mark of showing their devotion for the goddess. While some observe the fasts for all nine days, some keep them in jodas (couple) – first two or the last two. Apart from religious reasons, there is a strong scientific logic linked to these fasts.

During such a period, your immunity tends to be low and your body is more prone to sickness in these intervals. By fasting or following a light and clean diet you can help fortify yourself from within. 

Intermittent fasting during Navratri and following a healthy and gluten-free diet offers many other health benefits. It boosts immunity, detoxifies the body, rejuvenates the digestive system, and improves heart health, metabolism and organ function as well.

Nutritionist Tanvi offers this free navratri diet plan to help everyone who wants to fast this Navratri either for religious purpose or for spiritual purpose.

The following navratri diet plan is not aimed for weight loss but for cellular & spiritual purification.

You can also join our weight loss program by clicking here.

Happy Fasting!

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We have 3 Macronutrients, Let’s talk about these in detail:- 

1. CARBOHYDRATES– They are the main source of energy for our body and are commonly known as carbs.
   
   1g of carbs provide us with 4kcal energy.
   They are further divided into two categories- Simple carbs which are easily and quickly absorbed by our body and Complex carbs which take more time to be digested and absorbed.
   Simple carbs include foods like fruits, milk, candy and sugar.
   Complex carbs include foods like oats, sweet potatoes, brown rice and mostly foods with more fibre.
   Carbohydrates help us fuel our brain, kidneys, heart muscles, digestion etc.
   The Daily Dietary Allowance for carbs is around 45-65% calories. It means that in a 2000 calorie diet, 1000-1200 calories should come from CARBS.

2. FATS– They are the second main source of energy for our body.
   
   1g of fats provide us with 9Kcal of energy.
   Fats are used for energy and are also stored as body fat. Fats are further divided into Saturated and Unsaturated fats.
   Saturated fats are solid at room temperature and are commonly known to raise the bad cholesterol, LDL; eg red meat, butter, ghee.
   Unsaturated Fats are liquid at room temperature and are predominantly derived from plant and plant sources; eg, olive oil, nuts, avocados etc.
   Fats strengthen the immune system, protect our liver and also promote healthy bones.
   The Daily Dietary Allowance for fats is around 20-35 % calories. It means that in a 2000 calorie diet, 300-400 calories should come from FATS.

3. PROTEIN- They are commonly known as the building block of our body.
   
   1g of proteins provide us with 4Kcal of energy.
   Protein sources include eggs, low fat dairy, chicken, soybean etc. Proteins can be further classified as amino acids. We have 9 essential amino acids (EAA) which our body cannot produce naturally and 11 non essential amino acids which our body can produce naturally when needed.
   They provide structure and growth to the body. Protein also help in cell repair, muscle development and in various catalysing reactions.
   The Daily Dietary Allowance for proteins is around 10-35% calories. It means that in a 2000 calorie diet, 300-400 calories should come from PROTEINS.
   Also, it is recommended for an adult to eat 0.8-2.0g of proteins per body weight (kg) daily, depending on the level of physical activity. 
   Read more about protein requirements.

You cannot achieve your fitness goals by eliminating any particular food group. You need to consume all the three macronutrients and need to work on changing your lifestyle and adopting healthy eating habits. 

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What is Nutrition? Why is it important? Why do we need a Nutritionist?

Wikipedia says, “Nutrition is the science that interprets the nutrients and other substances in food in relation to maintenance, growth, reproduction, health and disease of an organism. It includes ingestion, absorption, assimilation, biosynthesis, catabolism and excretion.”

And WHO says, ” Nutrition is a critical part of health and development. Better nutrition is related to improved infant, child and maternal health, stronger immune systems, safer pregnancy and childbirth, lower risk of non-communicable diseases (such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease), and longevity.”

In simpler words, NUTRITION is related to the NUTRIENTS (some healthy substances) present in our food and their absorption by our body. Nutrition is important for our growth and development. It also includes the process of selection of foods that we consume and how we consume. Nutrients provide NOURISHMENT.

Nutrition is important because if people do not have the right balance of nutrients in their diet, they have an increased risk of developing many health diseases like diabetes, coronary heart diseases (CDH), hypertension, cancers and various other deficiencies.

Our Nutrients are broadly divided into two categories-

1. MACRO NUTRIENTS- Carbohydrates, Proteins and Fats.
2. MICRO NUTRIENTS- Vitamins, Minerals, Fibre, Water etc.

Broadly talking about

CARBOHYDRATES:

Carbohydrates are the best sources of Instant Energy. It includes Fibre, Sugar (simple carbs) and Unprocessed Starch (complex carbs).
1g of Carbs give us 4 calories.

Proteins:

Proteins are the building blocks of our body. They are of two types- DISPENSABLE AMINO ACIDS (DAA) or INDISPENSABLE AMINO ACIDS (IAA). We have a total of 22 amino acids.
1g of Proteins give us 4 calories.

Fats:

After carbs, Fats are the largest and the cleanest source of energy. They help in reducing mood swings and cravings. We have Saturated and Unsaturated fats.
1g of Fats give us 9 calories.

Vitamins:

We have around 13 vital Vitamins broadly classified as Fat-Soluble and Water-Soluble Vitamins. We have Vitamin A,B,C,D,E,K.

Minerals:

Another important substance that our body needs to function. They are divided into two categories- Macro Minerals (needed in large quantities) and Trace Minerals (need in small quantities). We have various minerals like, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Sodium, Copper, Chromium, Iron etc.

Water:

Water as you must know, 70% of our bodies are made up of water (hence, the daily weight fluctuations). A human body can survive without food for 50 days, but without water, it can only survive for 5 days. It’s often recommended to consume 1litre/20kgs of body weight everyday.

Now to answer the last question:

Who is a Nutritionist? Why do we need a Nutritionist?

A Nutritionist or Nutrition Consultant is someone who has studied about nutrition through self-study or formal education, but they do not meet the requirements to use the titles RD (Registered Dietician) or RDN. Nutritionists often work in the food industry and in food science and technology.

A Nutrionist can also help the clients develop better eating habits, achieve their weight-loss and fitness goals and ultimately maintain healthy and fulfilling lifestyle changes.

Nutritionists primarily work with individual clients. As an expert in food and nutrition, Nutritionists advise people how to live a more healthy lifestyle and achieve health-related goals. 

I promise, this journey is going to be very exciting and full of foods you love.

SUMMARY

NUTRITION IS A PART OF OUR WELL BEING AND IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. IF YOU WANT TO LEAD A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, YOU DEFINITELY NEED A NUTRITION CONSULTANT TO ACTIVELY PLAN YOUR MEALS AND WORKOUTS.

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