EASTER GUIDELINES Remember what Easter is really about. Regardless or your religious beliefs, ask yourself “Why are we all munching ourselves silly on Easter Bunnies?” Easter is a time to acknowledge something, but that something is not how many Easter Eggs you received this year! Focus on what’s important to you. What‟s more important – indulging in chocolate just because of the time of year, or reaching your weight loss goals? If you are a person who has a strong faith, concentrate on your beliefs over this time to motivate you and guide you in the right direction. If you don‟t have strong beliefs, channel your focus into the people who are important to you and enjoying time with them. Never buy Easter Eggs or Hot Cross Buns prior to Easter. Even though Easter products are in shops the week after Christmas, Easter treats are for Easter only. Don‟t buy into the commercial hype. Set yourself a treat allowance. For example, allow yourself one Hot Cross Bun and one medium sized chocolate egg if you want a little treat. Know the kilojoules. One 65g Hot Cross Bun or a single 35g chocolate Easter Egg is equal to about 700 kJ. You‟ll need to complete 15 minutes of brisk walking/running on the treadmill to burn that off. Collect decorative eggs instead. Tell your family and friends you have decided to collect decorative Easter Eggs instead this year – the ones you can‟t eat. Ask them to purchase these instead of chocolate eggs. Continue to exercise over the Easter period. There really are no excuses for not exercising over the Easter period. If you have time off work, take the opportunity to go walking, hiking, have a hit of tennis, play with your children, jump on a trampoline, or kick a soccer ball (mums can do this too!!) Get to your local Fernwood when we‟re open. Just keep moving!!! Get creative with your Easter Egg hunts. Hide one or two major eggs for the children, but instead of using little hunting eggs, hide some of those cute yellow chickens (available at supermarkets and craft stores) for your kids to find. Attach a note with an Easter-related activity to them, like „hop on one foot‟ or „munch like a rabbit‟ etc. It‟s heaps of fun and keeps everyone active, plus it creates some great memories to capture on video too!! Aim for weight maintenance not weight loss. Sometimes the pressures we place on ourselves can feed feelings of failure and deprivation. Be realistic and have a small treat if you choose to. Let go of guilt and forgive your little hic-cups so you can enjoy your Easter break. Learn to say „NO, THANK YOU.’ Take control of the choices you make. Remember, everyone is responsible for their own responses. If your mother in law is offended because you said no to an Easter Egg, that‟s not your problem, it‟s your partner‟s! Make sure you provide yourself with healthy alternatives. Ensure any chocolate leftovers are given away, put out of your reach and vision, and not eaten after the Easter holiday. Avoid solid chocolate eggs and bunnies. You may think you‟re making a more sensible choice by choosing three or four little solid eggs, but because they‟re solid all the way through, they have a much higher kilojoule density. A hollow egg or bunny is a better choice. The same applies for Smartie Eggs, Crunchie Eggs and the like. Limit your purchase to one packet of Hot Cross Buns. Or to just enough for you to cater for one per person. Don‟t purchase more than is needed. You‟ll end up eating more because they are there. Buy lots of beautiful fresh fruit. Have a platter or chopped fresh fruit available in the fridge to cater for sweet cravings when they strike. Treat yourself with non-edible treats. Buy a fragrant candle, a new pair of earrings, or a great book you‟ve been meaning to read. Soak in a bath, give yourself a pedicure, request a massage, spend time in the garden just pottering around…. do whatever you love doing. Enjoying something pleasurable doesn‟t always have to affect your waistline. Investigate low kilojoule hot chocolate drinks. Have a browse through this section of your local supermarket to have something on hand when chocolate cravings strike. The best rule of thumb is everything in moderation. Eating without awareness is the biggest contributing factor to expanding waistlines over Easter, so remember to make each choice this Easter a conscious one, and whatever you do – keep moving
Posted on: Mon, 14 Apr 2014 03:12:29 +0000
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