How can you ‘survive’ Easter without piling on the pounds and feeling rung out and sluggish due to chocolate binging?

Chocolate is available all year around so the trouble here is having an increase of chocolate in the house and the inevitable Easter family meals with loved ones. Temptation leads to eating too much chocolate in one go, which creates blood sugar imbalances. Creating spikes in blood sugar leads to even bigger crashes in which your body will crave sugar and high carbohydrate foods to lift the blood sugars again. Feeling miserable and the inevitable guilt, which comes with a chocolate binge.  Sound familiar? If so, lets fix that and get you back in control this Easter.

Your 7 Step Plan to staying in control this Easter:

1. Try to discourage friends and family from buying chocolate for you. This allows you to be in control of how much chocolate is available over the Easter break.
2. Just because it has been bought for you, doesn’t mean you have to eat it. One previous client of mine choose to regift her eggs to a local hospital for the nurses to enjoy in between patients. Another client re-gifted eggs to a local home for the elderly. Staying in control and doing a good deed all in one.
3. If you do want to join in on the festivities over Easter then choose your chocolate wisely. Dark chocolate is actually good for you, loaded with nutrients that can positively affect your health. Made from the seed of the cocoa tree, it is one of the best sources of antioxidants on the planet. Aim for over 70 % cocoa as less room for sugar. Quality is also important with suppliers such as Green & Blacks having less sugar so wont throw out your blood sugar as with other suppliers.
4. Don’t go down the ‘if I eat it all in one go’ route. This is a classic ‘binge’ mentality and will lead to a sugar crash and depleted energy, which usually creates you wanting more. It’s healthier all round, both for your body and mindset to have small amounts of chocolate. Have a handful of nuts at the same time to reduce the sugar spike as protein slows the speed at which sugar enters the bloodstream.
5. Make sure your decision to eat chocolate is a conscious one; don’t take orders from a chocolate egg. By reviewing how you feel and ensuring that you have made the decision rather than a thoughtless act. This puts you back in the driving seat.
6. When planning your Easter meal or itinerary, by prepared!. Blood sugar balancing is key to ensure that you don’t feel hungry and succumb to chocolate at this time of year. When attending Easter parties, taking a dish, which is high in protein and veggies, is a great way of ensuring that there is something healthy and nutritious available and will stop you reaching for high-refined carbohydrate choices.
7. Get back on track quickly once the Easter weekend has passed. Even the healthiest people over indulge- but they don’t beat themselves up afterwards. They go straight back to eating normally without a second thought… how freeing!. Remember the occasional bit of chocolate, slice of cake or increased portion at meal times is not going to make much of a difference, but a huge mountain of chocolate will. Easter is one day, that’s all. Enjoy it, don’t beat yourself up over it but move on to healthier choices the next week. Your waistline will thank you for it.

If you feel you need more of a personal touch via one to one support, please contact me on 07894 111 433 or email info@debbiegallimore.com