EASTER SURVIVAL TIPS!

Easter signals yet another time of overeating and indulgence, I mean you just have to have hot cross buns right!

And what would Easter be without CHOCOLATE!

Well let's look at some figures: 1 Hot Cross bun with fruit No Butter = 84g total 245 cals.

With 5g 1 Tsp Butter = 36 cal total 281 cals.

1 Hot Cross Bun Chocolate No Butter = 80g total 287 cals.

With Butter 5g 1 Tsp = 36 cals total 323cals. 2 Hot Cross bun with fruit No Butter = 168g total 490 cals.

With Butter 10g Tsp =72 cals total 562 cals.

2 Hot Cross Bun Chocolate No Butter =160g total 573 cals.

With Butter 10g Tsp = 72 cal total 645 cals. * Having two hot cross buns is equal to having a meal, so if you can have them as a meal then do so, without butter and enjoy. But if you know you can't, then MAKE A CHOICE NOT to have them. And now the bunny, a Cadbury's Milk Chocolate Hollow Bunny 80g, will give you 560 kj or 131 calories per 25g serve of bunny a 25g serve is approximately 1/3 of a bunny. Once again this is a meal and if you know you can eat just the bunny then knock yourself out.

Easter is yet another occasion to spend time with family, friends and a time we can assess who of our family and friends are our best support. So take notice, see which of your family and friends provide that support about your food choices, and nurture your relationships with them. Spend less time with those who don't support you and try to sabotage your choices, they may not be happy or healthy in themselves.

With Easter celebrations, there is a focus on food and it can present quite a challenge for those of us who are choosing to make lifestyle changes for health and longevity. We often feel we have placed ourselves in a state of denial because we CAN'T have this or CAN'T have that. You need to change the way you think about these foods, and see them for what they are: energy dense foods with little or no nutrient value. Oh but I hear you say, Chocolate has lots of antioxidants in it, doesn't it? Yes, dark chocolate does but you only need a 2 x 2 cm piece to get the nutrient content you need from it and it has to be 80% dark chocolate or higher, the really bitter stuff, which few people actually enjoy. And if you love the white stuff, like my daughter, well I am sorry to say it's just fat, sugar and emulsifiers virtually NO NUTRIENT in it at all. Remember that you can have whatever you want to eat, don't allow limited thinking to convince you that you are missing out, instead say in your head "I am choosing not to eat the traditional Easter foods because I choose to eat nutrient dense foods instead."

Use the same tips from Christmas to survive the temptation to over-indulge

REMEMBER it is, 1 day and make it 1 day! Leftovers are not an excuse to keep overeating.

At these times of celebration, you need to remember to TAKE THE FOCUS OFF FOOD, make it about family/self. It's a mantra I live by and encourage you to do to. On this occasion, I am going to ask you to make the focus YOU! Traditionally Easter is a time of rebirth, not that I am religious, I just like the symbolism of the celebration. So I apply this symbolism to this occasion. Here are some tips for this Easter to make it about YOU!

Do something new for YOU, start creative visualization, sit somewhere quiet and see yourself as the person YOU want to be in totality mind, body and soul. The mind does not know the difference between a thought and reality if you think it you'll be it!

Be someone, that will make YOU happy! No one can make you happy if you are not already happy in yourself!

Do a who am I document for yourself, on a piece of paper write down a short sentence about who you believe you are as a person, the write down a list of your positives and negatives. Once you have done this then turn each of those negatives into a positive. Find the yin in the yang, you need both to be complete and something that may seem to be a negative trait is still part of who you are and how you are.

Reconnect with your gym, running or walking programs. Reboot your food choices, if you have slipped into old habits.

Reaffirm your lifestyle changes write them down make a contract with yourself to achieve one change each month.

Ask for a facial or massage gift voucher instead of chocolate. BE VOCAL, in letting people know you are choosing not to have chocolate. We buy PJ's for Easter, just in time for the cooler weather, with bunny's on them of course.