Over Indulging at Easter

The Easter long weekend typically sees an increase in consumption of sugary foods, the biggest culprit chocolate eggs, and a decrease in exercise. While it is ok to enjoy easter eggs and hot cross buns, over consumption of such foods can lead to unhealthy weight gain and can put you at risk of developing chronic health conditions. Moderation is the key.

Here are some tips to help with maintaining a healthy lifestyle while in holiday mode:

Set exercise goals – plan a 30minute walk for each day over the long weekend and treat this as you would any other appointment. Exercise not only burns calories but it helps to reduce blood sugar levels, keeps us energetic and can curb the chocolate cravings.

Limit yourself – avoiding chocolate is unrealistic for most people but to avoid overindulging limit yourself by setting aside a small amount of Easter eggs for the day. 1 serving of small diary milk chocolate eggs (just 3 eggs) contains 3 teaspoons of sugar and 566kj which is 15% of our average daily energy intake.

Plan meals ahead – with most supermarkets closed on the public holidays plan some healthier meals ahead so there is less temptation to order in takeaway with extra calories. Its also a good idea to stock up on some healthy snacks to reach for rather than the cheeky treats.

Substitute! The darker the chocolate the more antioxidants and less sugar in comparison the milk chocolate. Dark chocolate also contains more fibre and iron. Higher percentage cocoa often has a stronger taste due to less sugar which may mean you’ll be more inclined to eat less.

Have a safe and happy long weekend and remember to keep active!