Just when you were starting to get into a healthy eating routine... BAM!! Easter 🐣🍫
But the upcoming chocolate/food fest doesn't have to bring your eating habits to a crashing halt! Here are some of my tips to help you have a good time without totally falling off the wagon!
1. Consider Easter as just one day (Easter Sunday itself)
As far as chocolate is concerned, rather than indulging over the entire weekend. This acts as a damage limitation policy, giving you a definite time span within which you can enjoy a treat, knowing that you’ll be back on track and walking off any extra calories come Monday.
2. Be prepared for temptation
1. Consider Easter as just one day (Easter Sunday itself)
As far as chocolate is concerned, rather than indulging over the entire weekend. This acts as a damage limitation policy, giving you a definite time span within which you can enjoy a treat, knowing that you’ll be back on track and walking off any extra calories come Monday.
2. Be prepared for temptation
Plan your responses in advance to those who put temptation in your way over the Easter weekend, threatening to derail your careful plans. Begin by thanking that person for offering you extra treats – this allows you to move smoothly into turning them down with polite phrases such as, ‘I’d love to but I’ve got a treat saved up for later, which I don’t want to spoil,’ or, if they’re persistent, ‘That’s so kind. I’m not hungry right now but I’ll keep it for another time.’ These responses keep you in the driving seat and in control of your own Easter indulgence.
3. Be to the point with your nearest and dearest.
If they usually buy you a traditional chocolate-based treat for Easter, ask if you could have an alternative this year. Perhaps your favorite flowers or something colorful for the garden, a trip out to a local beauty spot, a voucher to try a new hobby or a few pounds to put in the kitty towards something special you’re saving up for.
4. Know the facts
3. Be to the point with your nearest and dearest.
If they usually buy you a traditional chocolate-based treat for Easter, ask if you could have an alternative this year. Perhaps your favorite flowers or something colorful for the garden, a trip out to a local beauty spot, a voucher to try a new hobby or a few pounds to put in the kitty towards something special you’re saving up for.
4. Know the facts
It’s interesting to note that chocolate is low glycemic index (GI), so it won’t send your blood sugar levels soaring, despite what people say. This means that you can enjoy some without spinning out of control with blood sugar peaks and troughs after eating. Remember, though, the reason chocolate is low GI is that the digestion of the sugar it contains is slowed down by large amounts of fat, so you still need to go steady on how much you eat for the sake of your waistline.
If you’re a dark chocolate fan, good news: researchers in Sweden have discovered that a little bit of high percentage cocoa chocolate (70% and over) helps to fill you up, so you’ll eat fewer calories at your next meal. Look for dark chocolate eggs on the shelves. Or you could buy a few mini bars of your favorite dark chocolate and arrange them in a pretty wicker basket decorated with Easter accessories for a homemade treat.
5. Go on, spoil yourself
If you’re a dark chocolate fan, good news: researchers in Sweden have discovered that a little bit of high percentage cocoa chocolate (70% and over) helps to fill you up, so you’ll eat fewer calories at your next meal. Look for dark chocolate eggs on the shelves. Or you could buy a few mini bars of your favorite dark chocolate and arrange them in a pretty wicker basket decorated with Easter accessories for a homemade treat.
5. Go on, spoil yourself
Just because you’re not indulging in a truck-load of sugary snacks over the Easter weekend, it doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself. Cook up your favourite savoury dish or allow yourself some time out with a luxurious bubble bath. An Easter hunt in the garden finding non-food items is usually a great success, along with buying beautiful spring flowers – they last longer than chocolate!
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