Easter Eating: How To Enjoy The Holiday Without Sacrificing Your Goals
It's almost Easter. A time to spend with family & friends. A time to forget social media and be present in the moment. It's also a time where chocolate is EVERYWHERE and if you are attempting to live a healthier life a holiday like this could send you spiraling out of control (I'm especially talking to my binge eaters - holidays use to trigger binge sessions in me every time).
Remember that you create your environment for yourself and your family. You always have a choice of what you are eating and what you are not eating. Even though Jeff & I don't have kids of our own we still have very important kids in our lives that we purchase gifts for this Easter holiday (and every other holiday). Of course, there is some chocolate and candy but we also included other non-food related items as well. Some examples of other items to purchase for kids include: stuffed animals, skipping ropes, spring clothes, small toys, crayons/markers, colouring books, socks, bubbles, etc). No one says you have to fill kids baskets with candy/chocolate. That's a choice! :)
Below are my top 10 tips for you to stay on top of your goals during Easter weekend.
1. Wake up to a Breakfast of Champions. Seriously, this is a simple step in your day. Don't wake up to start eating chocolate right away (even on Easter day). If you start the day out with chocolate I guarantee you will be snacking on it all day.
2. Drink water. Staying hydrated will help keep you on track. The last thing you want is to feel sluggish from not drinking enough water.
3. Eat plenty of veggies (and protein and while you are at it grab the complex carbs). Make some extra veggie dishes and fill your plate with nutrient dense foods to keep you full longer. Having a small snack/meal before Easter dinner will help you not over eat.
4. Servings sizes. Remind yourself of proper serving sizes. There's no need to go crazy. Listen more to your biological hunger rather than your taste hunger.
5. Don't skip your scheduled workouts. All of us can spare 30 minutes from our day. Don't let Easter be your excuse for not working out. Your body doesn't know it's Easter. That's your mind giving you an "out" to not workout.
6. Don't bulk buy (avoid the sales). And don't buy treats weeks before the holiday (you know you will just eat it and have to go out for more). When you think about it Easter treats are just chocolate and sugar which are available all year round. The only thing I suggest picking up are things like mini eggs (even though these are available year round now). Easter isn't Easter without mini eggs, in my opinion. Thankfully, they come in single serve packages...do whatever you can to avoid the huge family package.
7. Enjoy the treats (for dessert). Save the chocolate, cookies, other treats for AFTER your Easter meal. No need to snack on it for days straight.
8. Be honest with yourself. Ask yourself if you are actually even enjoying the food you are eating or if you are eating just because it's in front of you? Always check in with your taste buds to ensure you're still enjoying the food just as much as you did on your first bite.
9. Give into your cravings. Going into Easter telling yourself that you will not have any chocolate/dessert/candy is a recipe for disaster. I am truly about balance and never eliminating any food from your nutrition. As soon as you start limiting the foods you eat you start having unhealthy relationships with food and once you dig yourself that hole it's a tough to train yourself to have a healthy relationship with food. It's called BALANCE. No need to eat the whole tray of cookie or the whole bag of mini eggs but have a portion and satisfy your craving.
10. Keep your eye on the prize. Constantly reminding yourself of your goals will help you through Easter weekend. Think about how happy you will be come Tuesday morning and how much happier you will be that you don't feel the need to do any kind of crazy food restrictions. BTW if you do end up falling off the wagon during the weekend I don't recommend any crazy diets for the following week. Instead just brush it off and continue on as you had before Easter weekend.
If you are in need of some healthier recipe ideas click here. Please note that SOME of the recipes listed under "Holiday & Special Occasions" are exactly that - not your typical every day healthy recipe but instead are traditional recipes to satisfy your taste buds.
