If Easter is something you have struggled with in the past, because of fear, guilt or strict compliance to a ‘healthy diet’ I want to encourage you to take some of these tips on board. I want you to have the BEST Easter possible, and I know that these tips will help you to have it. We can get so caught up on the little things, the chocolate, the hot cross buns, the over eating and inevitable guilt. Easter is so much more than that, it’s connection, it’s family, it’s tradition. Don’t forget about what’s important and don’t let guilt or fear get in the way of having a great day!
1. Let Go of Guilt.
I think this is the first step to having a healthier Easter simply because if your mind is not in the right place then you’re setting yourself up for failure. I’ve seen a few blog posts floating around explaining how you can ‘burn off’ the Easter chocolate, or how long it’ll take to exercise the calories away – This mentality is absolute crap (don’t mind the language), I want you to get this thought and throw it in the bin. You should NEVER feel guilt about eating food, and letting these thoughts in only fosters a negative relationship with food which can have devastating effects. Eat chocolate and hot cross buns if you feel like it, and just enjoy it!
2. Make more ‘nutrient dense’ choices.
A lot of people are quick to label foods as healthy and not healthy, for me, healthy simply means there are more nutrients available to our bodies. Foods are not good or bad, and it’s extremely important to remember this around times such as Easter. Sure you can eat the normal everyday cadbury eggs but if you can make food choices that are more nutrient dense, yet still satisfy your cravings, then why not do it?! I’m talking raw chocolate instead of milk chocolate, home made hot cross buns instead of store bought.. Not only will they be better for you, but it means you can get creative in the kitchen! You could even get the family involved (a pretty cute tradition you could start if I do say so myself).
3. Listen to Your Body!
I cannot stress this enough, your body is your greatest asset. It is constantly telling you things you just have to listen. Are you feeling a little heavy, sluggish, lethargic? Go for a walk and get your digestion going. Do you actually WANT to eat more food, or are you really full and eating out of obligation? For me, that’s a massive one. And another one for me is just continuing to eat chocolate etc the days/weeks after Easter, so sometimes it’s just easier for me to chuck it out – I know I’m just eating it because it’s there and not because I want it! So just tune into your body and give it what it needs!