Surviving Easter Celebrations!

No one wants to feel deprived or miss out at special times of the year such as Easter. We can’t always control the types of food available during celebrations but, with a little preparation, we can try to make healthier choices and watch our portions to avoid weight gain. Allow yourself to have the occasional chocolate egg BUT with some boundaries.

When healthier choices are not available (and often they’re not around holidays!) watching your portions is a great way to avoid overindulgence. You may be tempted by some foods such as Easter eggs or hot cross buns; sharing larger portions or opting for smaller portions would be ideal to avoid overeating. For example an Easter Egg weighing 100g has around 500 calories and 30g of fat while 4 mini eggs can be around 140 calories with 8g of fat. Dark chocolate is a healthier alternative than white or milk chocolate; it has less sugar, less calories and more health benefits such as antioxidants but watching your portion size is still important (it’s still chocolate!).

• Break/ crush the egg into smaller pieces.
• Don’t eat whilst distracted e.g. watching TV, driving or talking to others.
• Eat slowly and savour your food. Pay attention to the sensory experience: texture, taste, smell etc. Not only will this increase enjoyment of the food but it will help you control your portions. Remember it takes 15-20 mins for your brain to register satisfaction.
• Limit the days you splurge by keeping Easter indulgences to one weekend only. Do not stock up on Easter eggs and hot cross buns too early and ensure to only buy a small amount to avoid nibbling on leftovers for the rest of the week. It is better not to keep chocolates/ eggs in the house….
• Instead of chocolate, ask family and friends to exchange non-food gifts. Think of alternate gifts such as flowers, voucher for a massage or haircut/ manicure , a fresh fruit basket or even a book. These will still stimulate the senses but not rock the calorie boat….
• Be more active to compensate for extra calories consumed.
• Return to healthy eating and activity after the Easter weekend. A few indulgences will not set you back too much, it should not be a reason to let go of your weight loss goals but rather it is how quickly you return to healthy living that will ensure success.

Some helpful thoughts to get you through Easter:

“I can enjoy the taste of chocolate without feelings of guilt or feeling like I have ruined my diet”

“If I eat mindfully I can know when my body has had enough”

“I can enjoy small tastings!”

“It is okay to say no when offered chocolate in social gatherings”

“If people give me chocolate I can always pass it on to others as a gift”