Whether it's Easter or any other holiday season for that matter, commercialism has ruled that eating chocolate (and lots of it!) is a necessity. I remember a couple of years ago, and after adding up all the chocolates that my kids had been given from school, seasonal fairs, friends, and family - there was enough to last us through until Christmas! As grateful as we were for people wanting to give it to us, half of it went in the bin. The problem these days is that since we have everything in abundance - food, sweets, alcohol - the occasional treat has somehow turned into a dragged out marathon with the occasional sprint.
Yes, chocolate is available all year round, but the trouble seems to come when there’s too much chocolate, as is the case at this time of year, which leads to too much temptation, eating too much in one go, then feeling miserable because you over indulged. The worst parts of a binge are the feelings of guilt and failure that you feel afterwards. Let’s accept that Easter will mean chocolate indulgence on one level or another but here’s how to make the best of it.
1. Try to discourage family and friends from buying chocolate for you. This puts you back in control of how much you have.
2. Ideally, you’ll want to choose the darker chocolate eggs or chocolate selection. The higher the percentage of cocoa, the less room there is for sugar. Aim for over 70%.
Quality is important. Darker eggs from higher quality suppliers, like Green & Black’s, have less sugar, so won’t throw out your blood sugar as much.
3. Don’t to eat too much in one go with the intention of getting ‘rid’ of the chocolate sooner. Eating a whole egg will lead to an energy crash later on, not to mention, for many, feelings of disappointment in yourself that you ’gave in’ or ‘failed’ with your diet. It’s healthier all around, both for your body and mindset so have a small amount of chocolate more regularly and try to cancel out the sugar rush by eating a small handful of nuts at the same time (protein slows the speed at which sugar enters the bloodstream).
4. Save Easter eggs for pudding. Eating chocolate on an empty stomach spikes blood sugar levels. Have yours after a protein and veg-based meal. Plan so you can make the right choices. Don’t give yourself the excuse that there was nothing else to eat. Ensure you have plenty of your usual healthy foods to hand. Make sure your decision to eat chocolate is a conscious one. “Some chocolate would be nice, but I choose not to have one right now". Don't take orders from an Easter egg. Choosing puts you back in control. Remember, the responsibility is yours. You are the one who puts food in your mouth, even if it sometimes feels as though it is out of your control, it never is. If the Easter egg (and everything that goes with it) genuinely plays a big part in your family’s tradition, consider doing something a bit different this year. Click here for some great alternatives to the traditional Easter egg hunt.
Consider that even the healthiest people overindulge. But they don’t beat themselves up about it!
They just go back to eating normally.
5. Even after an Easter indulgence, you can still rescue the situation and stop it turning into a binge, sabotaging all your good work. Say: "It's done, it's in the past and I choose to move on". Easter is ONE DAY, that’s all. Don’t be on the rollercoaster for the rest of the month. The point is that you need to enjoy the chocolate by eating consciously. Don’t forget that small amounts of the best quality, dark chocolate has the following benefits: anti ageing, reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke, is packed with antioxidants and important minerals like iron, potassium, zinc, and selenium. Chocolate also contains phenylethylamine; the same chemical your brain creates when you’re falling in love …
On that note, I'm sending you lost of love this holiday season ...
Jennifer xx
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