Egg-sellent Tips For A Healthy Easter
Easter can be a very joyful and exciting time, but it can also be easy to overindulge in some foods like hot cross buns and all the yummy chocolate Easter eggs!
So here at Love Your Health HQ, we have come up with 8 Top Tips to maintaining your healthy habits over Easter.
Stock up on fresh produce
Start stocking up on fresh produce now so that when many of the shops are closed over the Easter long weekend, you won’t be inclined to reach just for the chocolate or take-away meals to keep you full and satiated. Stock your fridge with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, try to snack on some fruit instead every now and then, and make a warm nourishing soup or a fresh salad to keep your diet balanced over the Easter break.
Make sure you also have plenty of healthy snack alternatives available during Easter so you aren’t always inclined to reach for the choccies. This includes fresh fruit and vegetables, bliss balls, activated nuts, dried fruits, and crackers and dips. See our blog ’Love Your Health With Our 10 Favourite Healthy Snacks’ for some healthy snack ideas this Easter that isn’t just chocolate because let’s be honest, variety is key and too much of anything (yes, even chocolate) can become tiresome.
Maintain an exercise routine
This Easter long weekend you may want to have that extra sleep in or you may be going away with friends or family, so this means a ‘pause’ on your usual exercise routine and this is okay! But exercising and moving your body at Easter (or at any time of the year) shouldn’t be about burning anything off that you’ve eaten or to earn food, but instead it should be about feeling good, taking care of your temple and making movement fun and enjoyable. Why not plan exercise with a loved one or get active with the family by going for a beach walk or doing an at home workout that the whole family can do (think HIIT cardio or a fun hip-hop dance workout), get the family together and plot out an Easter egg hunt adventure in your backyard, or even try a new exercise activity such as boxing, kayaking, dance class, surf lesson, yoga, or Pilates?
Choose healthier chocolate
No one wants a chocolate free Easter, so chocolate lovers rejoice because Easter can be healthy and there are healthier alternatives! Try and opt for chocolate that uses organic ingredients and is high in cacao - the darker the chocolate, the better (70% or higher). A good quality dark chocolate contains cocoa flavanols and natural antioxidants which helps with circulation and can have a benefit to heart health. Dark chocolate is also quite rich, so a smaller portion can provide satisfaction compared to milk or white chocolate. Also try and choose chocolate that uses natural sugars and sweeteners instead of processed refined sugar, instead look for ingredients such as coconut nectar, maple syrup, stevia, monk fruit sweetener, brown rice syrup or coconut blossom sugar.
We have three favourite dark chocolate favourites in store which we've listed below.
Loving Earth Raw Organic Chocolate - This delicious chocolate tastes of coffee, savoury anise and dark toffee. It is made with just two ingredients; 72% Raw Amazonico Criollo Cacao Beans and 28% Evaporated Coconut Nectar.
Alter Eco Dark Chocolate Sea Salt - Every bite is the perfect balance of salty and darkly sweet, confirming there's nothing better than when the two come together.
Loving Earth Organic Crunchy Mint Dark Chocolate - This delicious minty chocolate has tasting notes of mint, herbs, dates and sage. Made with single origin Direct Trade Certified Organic Cacao from Peru and sweetened with Organic Agave Syrup.
Create healthy options
Why not get creative this Easter and create healthy options of your Easter favourites that are great tasting alternatives so you don’t feel like you are missing out? You can dip fruits like strawberries or bananas into melted chocolate, create your own healthy Easter eggs or treats, or even make your own hot cross buns from scratch using organic and natural ingredients without the sugar, fillers, preservatives, or added palm oil and canola oil which are all unfortunately found in many of the hot cross buns on the supermarket shelves. Experiment with flavours and ingredients, for example swap white flour for a gluten free flour like buckwheat flour or a gluten free flour blend in our online store.
Start the day right
Start the day with a nutritious and healthy breakfast that’s packed full of fibre, vitamins and minerals before getting stuck into the Easter treats. If you skip breakfast in the morning, you are more likely to graze on sweets and snacks during the day, and skipping breakfast while reaching for the chocolate eggs straight away can cause havoc on your blood sugar levels throughout the day. I provide some healthy breakfast ideas in our other blog ‘A Morning Ritual To Create A Balanced And Healthy Life’. Make sure you also eat mindfully and slowly by taking a few deep breaths before eating your meal and chewing your food well.
Don't deprive yourself, but set a limit
Let’s be honest, for most people completely avoiding all chocolate over Easter is probably unrealistic. There was a time when I didn’t have any chocolate at Easter twice, it was during this time I was training for fitness competitions, but looking back I was utterly miserable while all my friends and family treated themselves to chocolates. This would then lead to binge eating later on and feeling a lot of guilt and shame with thoughts arising like “I shouldn’t have eaten that”. If I only knew that I didn’t have to deprive myself and instead set a limit with how much chocolate I consumed (it’s called balance and flexibility). Plus, that there were other healthier chocolate options available.
Stay hydrated
Stay hydrated and drink plenty of water over the Easter break. We all know how important staying hydrated is for our health, but drinking water can also help curb sugar cravings. Sometimes when we feel hungry or have certain cravings or hunger signals, often all our body wants is a nice big glass of filtered water. If you don’t want to drink just plain water, try opting for coconut water, a herbal tea, or adding lemon, lime or mint to your water.
Slow down and incorporate self-care
With work and family commitments to balance, most of us think a mini holiday Easter break may mean catching up on errands and chores. But make sure you are also purposefully taking the time for self-care and downtime too. Make self-care a priority this Easter so that you cup can be full for not only yourself but your loved ones. See our blog ’10 Ways To Fall In Love With Yourself And Practice Self-Care’ for some self-care and relaxation practices this Easter.
Click HERE to shop our massive online chocolate range.
Have a safe and Happy Easter from the Love your Health team!
Are you looking for healthy Easter options? Check out our other two recent blogs - 12 Easter Basket Goodies Ideas and Our Top 10 Picks For Easter (And Gluten Free!)
