That serving of beef rendang at your next Hari Raya open house trip might contain over 600 calorie counts, minus the rice. And considering the average individual's weight of 70 kilogrammes, one way to burn it off is to jog for at least an hour.

Let's consider the trend of an average Bruneian on a typical day of the festive season: Three open house invitations and considering that an individual savours a mammoth spread of dishes in all three, this could already add up to more calorie counts. Imagine the amount of workout they need to burn it off! Of course, it is normal to not have any second thoughts on your food intake, especially in this time of celebration, but one should be wary of one's health.

The last thing on your mind would probably be a visit to the hospital during Raya. Overindulging during the festive season presents a number of health risks including high blood pressure, constipation, piles and dehydration to name a few, a spokesperson from the Health Promotion Centre (HPC), Ministry of Health (MoH) said.

Guilty? This is the time when many begin regretting the amount of food taken. The festive season is not an excuse to overindulge and should not be a time when you make up for all the food you did not have during the fasting month. You should remember all the good you did to your body during Ramadhan and keep it up.

The HPC shared a few tips to enjoy a guilt-free Hari Raya. "Always remember to eat in moderation, in a balanced way and remember variety is the spice of life. Eat a little of everything and count your calories," said Shahiran Sheriffuddin bin Shahrani Muhammad, Health Facilities Officer at the HPC.

Most, if not all of us, will be visiting open houses for Raya, so here are some tips outlined by the HPC:

Plan what you will be eating before visiting open houses.

If you know a particular place's signature dish that you love, go there for your dinner or lunch (breakfast would look way too eager). This could be your "treat house", where you have your main meal, but remember to always eat moderately and in small portions.

You have a right to refuse food that is high in fat, sugar and salt content. This is more important if your family has a history of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

"So don't feel guilty. Politely refuse and tap the side of the plate offered gently with your right hand in the Bruneian tradition of 'menjangkau'. Hopefully your host will serve healthy alternatives next year," the HPC added.

It is smart to have a light healthy snack before leaving home. Line your tummy with nutritious fruit and salads that will fill you up a bit, making you less tempted to overindulge later. Individuals diagnosed with gastric problems should also avoid fatty sour food and fizzy drinks.

A sunnah by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) also states that we should chew our food longer before swallowing to allow better digestion. This is to signal your body to prepare enzymes in your stomach and intestines. It stands as another miracle of Islam that this is a sunnah that we only understood recently with modern science. Wait 20 minutes between eating a serving. This is so that your body registers the food entering your stomach. There is usually a delay in the sensation of fullness and this can lead to overeating. By delaying your body registers the food entering correctly and you will be less tempted to over-eat. Spend the time talking to your host and doing what Raya is really about - strengthening relationships.

Hosts of open houses should also be more thoughtful by serving healthy and nutritious meals to their guests. The HPC suggests the preparation of food that is light, well-balanced and full of variety. It is also smart to substitute other fatty ingredients with those of lower fat without compromising the taste.

"If possible, always prepare food that is high in taste, low fat, low sugar and low salt. If you have a 'ketupat' theme, choose low-fat accompaniments like rendang that uses low fat milk instead of coconut milk (coconut milk can contain 48 per cent fat)."

For drinks, avoid the fizz. Always have some mineral/bottled water at hand for your guests. We all need eight glasses of water a day. Homemade fresh fruit juices or smoothies with low fat milk are also great alternatives. The sugar may be slightly higher than the recommended 6gm/100mL, but they are not empty calories as they have a lot of vitamins and anti-oxidants.

For desserts, choose fresh fruit or dried fruit. Help your guests get their daily fruit intake in.

To make your open house stand out in a healthy way, serve fresh fruit or salads or dried fruit in your living room. Replace some of your empty calorie cakes with food that's really nutritious and tasty. Try serving some fresh nuts (not fried or roasted) as an alternative to cakes and biscuits. Food preparation should be hygienic to avoid any health complications for guests.

Remember that Raya is about relationships and having a fun time talking to your guests. The food is to help that along, maybe as a conversation piece. It's not the other way round. Make the most of your Hari Raya the healthy way.

ABOVE: Table indicates the approximate calorie counts for some typical dishes served at Hari Raya open houses