Try not to lose the plot this Easter
Since the age of 10, I have craved chocolate and especially at Easter because eggs are bigger than bars. I know, I’m greedy!
It took me until my 40’s to get a handle on chocolate. By that I mean I switched to dark chocolate 70% +. Imagine, every single day of my life, I have eaten chocolate.
My friend Cara, recalled times when I left hotel rooms abroad, in search of chocolate. This kind of shocked me when she reminded me of many chocolate hunts during our work years and holidays.
Today this arrived by post, a very large Easter egg from my beautiful mother-in-law who is 91, living independently in Kent. I was delighted to get the gift, heart warming. I am going to share it, portion it and enjoy it but not all in one day.
This year I really got into cooking. It was always with clients in mind because if the food is tasty, they are less likely to crave rubbish. This way of thinking came about when I started the Low Carbohydrate programme last year. I remember a moment of bargaining with a client,
‘Joan If I can have roast potatoes for my Sunday dinner, I would choose that over Chocolate’. I replied “Perfect, it is a deal’. And it worked.
In the early days, the same client asked me for a list of my snacks / treat foods. She looked at them and said “But Joan, they are foods, not treats. When I have a treat, I want a chocolate bar or crisps”. I then realised I had begun to see some foods as treats, not just food. This was a seismic shift for me.
The Low Carb plan which takes away all sugar cravings and this kind of bargaining with clients over the last few years, have changed my mindset. After a really tasty meal I feel so well. My taste buds hop for a while after the meal and I don’t bloat or get lethargic. Every year after my Easter egg, I felt sick. I had never mastered ‘portioning’ chocolate (sugar) but this year will be different.
To my client who is getting the egg with the cream eggs inside for Easter but has lost almost 3 stone since September – ” I am promising you that you can come off sugar”. Yes, it is addictive but food is nicer. This year you are going to portion it and master portioning.
My top 5 Tips for the Holiday ahead
- Plan in an exercise session with someone else and don’t let them down. Make it sociable. Take a picnic and flask. Walk in the sunlight of the day for your mind’s health. Plan some weights or mat work for later in the evening to avoid having a drink too early. Commit to it Thursday or Friday when your motivation levels are strong.
- Decide your treats in advance and feel no guilt or fear when you enjoy them. The best time to put in sugary treats is after exercise while the body is burning. I am going to do the dark chocolate mousse again. Its indulgent but low sugar at 6.3g carb and 174kcals.
- Plan ahead for lovely meals. Really tasty ‘special’ meals. I have the leg of lamb ordered from the butchers. My first time doing that in my life! Get dressed up. Sit at the dining table or in a sunny garden. Make it a celebration.
- Avoid staying in elasticated trousers all weekend or loose baggy flowing dresses. Clothes make us waist and belly aware.
- Weigh this Thursday and decide what you want to weigh Tuesday. Don’t lose the plot completely. I know that I can gain 3lbs to 4lbs over a long weekend. Try to think ahead to how you want to feel next Tuesday after Easter.
Don’t lose the Plot
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