1) To begin with, follow a rule to keep yourself hydrated with fluids like coconut water, buttermilk, green tea, lemon water and lots of plain water. The more fluids you take, the more toxins you flush out of your body.
2) Do not starve. Eat small and frequent meals at regular intervals to keep energy and enthusiasm levels reasonably high for the forthcoming festivals.
3) Always maintain a one hour gap between the consumption of green tea and fruits for appropriate nutrient absorption.
4) Consume double toned milk to maintain calories while keeping the quality protein and its benefits, intact. (Use the same milk to make curd, buttermilk etc.).
5) Pair up high fibre-rich vegetables like capsicum, cabbage, tomatoes and spinach with food rich in carbohydrates like potato and sago.
6) Be creative in choosing gluten free ingredients like kuttu flour, chestnut flour, amaranth flour sabudana and arrowroot. These can be used in the form of chapatti, cheela, pancakes, muffins etc. Samak rice is easy to digest especially while on fast.
7) When craving for a sweet, opt for dates, fresh seasonal fruits, raita, fresh fruit juice. Add honey or jaggery to sweeten the meal.
Here is a 'Navratri special diet chart' which can be followed in order to observe a healthy fast, without any side effects. This diet will also help in losing weight.
Early Morning: 1 cup green tea + 5 almonds/walnuts
Breakfast: Boiled sweet potato / kutu cheela with stuffed paneer / 1 banana with cinnamon milk.
Mid Morning: Coconut water with any fruit (papaya, guava, apple, pomegranate)
Lunch: Sabudana khichdi – curd / samak rice – curd / chestnut flour chapatti – raita.
Evening: 1 cup tea with roasted phool makhana/ baked chips.
Dinner: Kuttu atta chapatti/amaranth daliya/grilled paneer with capsicum and tomato with mint chutney.
Post dinner: 1 cup green tea.