How to enjoy Easter this year
| It’s that time of year again when chocolate Easter eggs are in abundance and food offers for the Easter long weekend celebrations are everywhere, but fear not! You absolutely can enjoy Easter with your loved ones and not fear binging and ruining your health.Here are my best tips how to navigate the Easter weekend ahead: Remind yourself of your worth It’s one day and one day will not ruin your progress. You deserve to enjoy some treats and all the celebrations. If you slip up and eat some more, it’s worse to punish yourself the next day. Just move on and take it as a day you had a bit more food. Don’t label yourself as “unworthy” or “undisciplined” Stick to your usual routine Aim to follow your usual routine as much as possible over the Easter period, especially with regard to mealtimes. This will minimise your potential to become overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, drift into negative thought cycles and potentially make chaotic food choices. Since it’s the holiday weekend, tell yourself it’s OK to eat some foods I usually don’t eat daily. Be OK with that decision and make that decision come from a place of “want” not from a place of ” fear” or “excitement to binge” Dealing with unwanted questions and opinions If you get questions like:” I thought you were dieting, why are you eating sweets?” first of all remind them that you are not dieting, just paying attention to what you crave as you are healing your relationship with food. Second, explain to them that part of healing is eating all the foods you want and being mindful about t. Third…well if you don’t want, you don’t have to explain yourself at all. You can also choose to say:” It makes me feel bad when you ask me questions like that as I am in the process of healing” Dealing with food anxiety If you find anxiety and negativity creeping in, minimise these with two minutes of deep breathing, try ti have a walk, remind yourself that this is a process. You are not doing anything wrong. Have an Easter egg if you want one! If you want and Easter egg, have it. It’s not a crime and you shouldn’t feel guilty! Give yourself the permission to have it and move on. Try not to restrict your food over the Easter weekend, otherwise you will just crave what you haven’t allowed yourself to have and, in turn, you will probably eat more of this food, or any food, than you normally would have done or would have liked to do. Happy Easter for all of you celebrating it! |