So you’ve been doing a stellar job of avoiding sugar this year…or maybe you haven’t…but baby steps right? Whether sugar is an easy pass up for you, or you’re still struggling with those cravings, Easter can be a difficult time for everyone. With chocolate in every direction you turn, even the most seasoned health nuts can land face first into a bag of crunchie Easter eggs.
But there’s no need to stress. With a few helpful tricks up your sleeve, you can glide through Easter weekend without that sugar hangover that we all know too well!
First of all, relax. If the looming chocolate abundance is stressing you out, and you’re worried you’re going to end up waist deep in a pile of Easter eggs, take a few deep breaths and know that you’ll make it out alive. Repeat to yourself, “I got this”. Because you do! A change in mindset is often overlooked, but it really is the best place to start. Making healthy choices should enhance your life, not create more stress.
This is important – don’t try to “earn a binge”. At special times like this, I see many people try and prepare by starving themselves so they can indulge later. Unfortunately, this is a psychological mentality that promotes binge eating and ultimately sends you into a spiral of disordered eating behaviours. My tips are to go about your day as normal, and have a good breakfast, something that will keep you full and stabilize your energy levels.
“Both low and high-intensity exercise are a brilliant inclusion for anyone managing diabetes.”
I personally find that a little dose of quality saturated fat in the morning is a great way to stop me from craving sweets later, and I have much better control of my appetite. I start almost every morning with a dollop of coconut oil in my coffee. But in the spirit of Easter, I’ll definitely be making my Coconut Hot Chocolate, and I highly suggest you give it a go – and see how you’ll have better control over appetite and cravings throughout the day.
Be prepared. As a nutritionist and chocoholic, I can tell you one thing for sure – eating well does not mean going without chocolate – I eat some form of it every day! Between healthy treat recipes like these No-Bake Matcha Chocolate Bars and Hot Cross Cookies. Spend a bit of time making some healthy low-sugar treats so you don’t feel deprived. Even better…get the kids into the kitchen and involve them in this fun Easter activity!
On the topic of kids, try to remove the focus from eating chocolate to other things – fun long weekend adventures, spending time outdoors, crafts, treasure hunts and more. After your kids have had a few choccies, instead of placing hard and fast rules on chocolate consumption, offer a better alternative…or at least a distraction while you bin the excess junk food!
Lastly and slightly on the contrary, indulge! Mindfully that is. A little of your favourite choccy isn’t going to do any harm, if it’s your favourite. Just make sure to enjoy and savour it, and then move on with your day and make healthy choices as normal. There’s no need to dwell on the fact that you consumed a little sugar.
Finally, focus on the good things like time spent with family and friends!
Happy Easter!
