Whether it's Easter eggs or Hot Cross buns, there’s certainly a lot of delicious food to be had at Easter time. However, sometimes in an effort to lose weight or follow a certain set of 'food rules', it is these favourite foods that we may try to restrict, cut out or ban from our diet.  

So let’s find out how we can remove the guilt this Easter and truly enjoy all the delicious foods this time of year has to offer……

With Easter just around the corner, many may be wondering how to cope with all the tempting and delicious foods that often coincide with this special celebration. Eating is a pleasurable and satisfying experience - at least it should be! However, so often it can be a source of guilt, especially for those that are trying to watch their weight or stick to a set of strict 'food rules'.

And this is what makes ‘dieting’ so hard! 

What is the dieting cycle?

When we are deprived of our favourite foods, we tend to crave them even more than usual.  When we reach a breaking point and give in to the craving, we typically do so with such gusto that we overeat and feel as if we are undoing all of our hard work. And even worse, when we do eat these foods, we may eat them so fast that we don’t enjoy them and instead of feeling satisfied afterward, we are overcome with guilt. Often these feelings of guilt or shame leads to further deprivation, which in-turn leads to further bingeing and so on. This unfortunately can end up resulting in the what is commonly referred to as the 'dieting cycle'.

Why diets don’t work

The reason diets don’t work is because they encourage all-or-nothing thinking’ meaning, when a person breaks a diet rule, they are left with a sense of failure. They are then more likely to continue eating in an over-indulgent way to cope with the feelings of guilt and shame they are experiencing.

So, the big question is: How do we eat our favourite foods this Easter while avoiding the guilt? The answer is, by allowing these foods in moderation and adopting a skill called mindful eating.

What is mindful eating?

Mindful eating is all about savouring and enjoying your favourite foods. It helps us understand why and how we are eating. The process involves being ‘present’ in the preparation and eating of food. It encourages curiosity and satisfaction around food without judgement, as well as utilising all senses to experience every mouthful, while acknowledging our body’s internal hunger and fullness cues.

When we allow ourselves to eat without restriction, while tuning into our hunger cues, and are mindful of why and how we are eating, then we often eat less than we might in a distracted state. The more we listen to our body’s internal cues and drivers, the better we become at choosing nourishing and satisfying food.

How to practice mindful eating this Easter

1. Get yourself one of your favourite Easter foods whether it be a decadent Easter egg or Hot Cross bun.

2. Find a quite place to sit down, preferably at a table, away from distraction and devices.

3. Look at the food. What is the texture like? Look at the edges. Turn the food around and view it from all angles.

4. Smell the food. Really suck up the smell. How would you describe the aroma?

5. Bite off a small piece. Don’t chew it straight away- notice how it feels in your mouth. Leave it on your tongue for a bit. Ok, so now you can chew it. Is it crunchy and rough or soft and smooth? Now notice the flavours. How many flavours can you taste? Which are strongest?

6. Listen. What is the sound of you chewing your favourite food? This sound should be associated with enjoyment.

7. Swallow the food. As you swallow notice the movement of the muscles in the throat. Most importantly- notice that as you swallow the taste dramatically decreases. This is why we must savour food before swallowing.

8. Finish the food. SLOWLY. Break between mouthfuls. Truly enjoy it.

By tuning in to the eating experience, many people find that they are feeling satisfied after only eating a few bites, as opposed to binging on the ‘forbidden’ food. Have a think about your favourite foods- you may have possibly tried (and failed) to cut these out before. Now you need to change your mindset. Instead of banning or restricting these foods, allow yourself to have these foods whenever you desire them. With time you will notice that the cravings subside, the guilt disappears and the binging ceases. 

4 tips to help you have a guilt-free Easter

1. Don’t deprive yourself.

   If you’re craving some creamy chocolate, then go ahead and enjoy it. Give yourself to eat chocolate whenever you feel the urge, and when you do so eat mindfully. Sit down, away from distraction. Take three deep breaths before you eat and chew your food well. While you’re eating, stop to savour the taste, temperature and texture of your food. Tuning into your senses is a simple way to practise mindful eating and it also helps us to eat with joy.

   
   
   

2. Head to the dark side.

   Choose the dark chocolate version. In general, it contains less sugar than milk and white chocolate and more flavanols (antioxidants) - the higher the cocoa percentage, the better.

   
   
   

3. Enjoy sharing food with family and friends.

   Easter is a perfect time to gather loved ones together to share a nutritious meal. Include plenty of fresh seasonal produce, from a wide variety of colours and perhaps even start your own family food tradition. Eating together can enhance the pleasure that is gained from the eating experience and also be a good opportunity to role model healthy eating habits to children and teens.

4. Keep perspective.

   It’s what you eat overall that counts. Remember Easter is only one weekend out of 52. It is a special occasion that should be enjoyed, not feared. No one single food (Easter egg or other!), meal or day of eating is going to make you ‘bad’ or ‘unhealthy’.

Happy Easter!

At ABC Nutrition we don't believe in banning any foods, Easter eggs and hot cross buns included. All foods can be included in a healthy eating pattern. It's just we need more of some and less of others. So go forth, enjoy and savour every delicious mouthful of your hot cross buns and Easter eggs this Easter.