Let’s be real – most of us love chocolate. For some reason it tastes even better when it’s moulded into fun shapes and wrapped in colourful paper. If you’ve been with WeightWatchers® then you’ll know that you can enjoy all the foods you love with the WW program. Easter chocolates are no exception! Here are 5 tips to help you make the most of the Easter break whilst sticking to the Program.
1. Quality over quantity
Buy smaller, individually wrapped Easter eggs and work out how many you will enjoy before you dive in. If you’re going to spend the Points, make it worthwhile! Stick to higher quality chocolate. Often a smaller amount of dark chocolate will satisfy you more than the cheaper chocolate.
2. Lean on your ZeroPoint foods
To help manage hunger, have a light snack before heading off to Easter celebrations. At the party, choose the options that you want to spend Points on, then add lots of veggies to your plate. Even better, bring a healthy dish made from ZeroPoint foods so you have a go-to option on the table.
3. Add more activity to your day
The great thing about the Easter break is that you have more time to get active. Go for an early morning walk or arrange an Easter egg hunt for the kids at the local park. It's also a great time for family bike rides while adding Points to your Budget.
4. Enjoy alcohol responsibly
Nominate yourself as designated driver, it’s a great way to ensure you don’t drink more alcohol than planned at the Easter BBQ or dinner. This way you can enjoy a glass of wine or two and stick to non-alcoholic drinks.
5. Give away leftover chocolates
If you have chocolate falling out of the pantry after Easter, keep it in the freezer so you're less likely to nibble on it. Better still, don't feel bad about giving it away.
Low-Points WW Easter recipes
How to eat mindfully this Easter
From Lindt bunnies to chocolate bilbies and the mini eggs that come home from the kids’ Easter egg hunts, chocolate and Easter seem to go hand-in-hand these days. Add in the freshly baked hot cross buns and staying on track towards your weight loss goals while you navigate Easter might seem like ‘mission impossible’. But trust us, it’s doable on WW as nothing is off limits!
One strategy that can help is adopting a more mindful approach to food, which means paying attention to what you eat and how you eat it, and making a conscious effort to really enjoy and savour the foods you choose. “So much of the time we eat a huge array of foods without realising they have even passed our lips,” says dietitian Katrina Mills. “But eating consciously gives you power over your food choices, and often means you give more thought to what you eat and how it will impact on your body.”
Try these ideas to practise mindfulness as you enjoy the festivities over the Easter break.
1. Rate your hunger level
Rate your hunger before you tuck in. “Ask yourself if you're body or head hungry,” suggests Mills. If it’s head hungry – which means you just fancy eating something, rather than being genuinely hungry – think twice.
2. Portion chocolate before you eat it
Slow down and try eating your chocolate from a plate or bowl. “This really helps to increase your awareness about when and how you're eating, rather than mindlessly consuming chocolate just because it’s there,” says Mills.
3. Don't see chocolate as a 'naughty' food
Think of chocolate as a neutral food, rather than as something that's special or irresistible. “If you’ve been denying yourself chocolate in the lead-up to Easter, your brain can rebel against that restriction and then it becomes a highly desirable food,” Mills says. “Remind yourself that chocolate will still be there tomorrow. Easter is just one day of the year.”
4. Sit while you eat
No more standing and eating. Promise yourself you’ll sit to eat, rather than eating chocolate — or any food — on the run. Turn off the television and Facebook to focus fully on your meal. “Sit, savour, enjoy the experience,” says Mills. “Check in with yourself before you take a second bite and ask yourself if you are hungry and really want another mouthful.”
5. Take note of what you eat
Tracking what you eat in your WW app can be the most powerful tool on your path to improved eating habits. “Keep a journal about your experiences with food. As your self-awareness grows, the more you will reflect and be honest with yourself,” says Mills.
6. Be kind to yourself
Being mindful also means showing compassion towards others and yourself. When you do polish off a bag of mini-eggs just because they were in the pantry, don’t beat yourself up. Practise self-kindness and compassion—and then commit to getting back on track straight.