Enjoying easter with a sleeve

Easter with a sleeve can be a little scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are my top tips to enjoying yourself at Easter without any guilt or anguish (who needs that?!).

1. Don’t beat yourself up

Easter is a time that is meant to be spent with family and enjoying a long weekend. Yes, there is usually a bit of extra food around, and yes, there is often a lot of chocolate around, but do you need to stress about it? No! Just relax – enjoy yourself and if you eat a little more than usual, it’s not the end of the world. Easter with a sleeve is all about keeping on trying to listen to your body and do what makes you feel good (see my next tip).

2. Check with your tummy

Say to yourself, “I can have it if I want it, but do I really feel like it?” Often if you actually ask yourself this question your body will tell you that it doesn’t really want that chocolate egg. If you do want that egg? No problems! Just eat it mindfully and really enjoy it, so you feel satisfied with a smaller portion and don’t feel guilty afterwards – you asked yourself and you listened.

3. Remember quality over quantity

If you find yourself at a brunch, lunch or dinner, just remember the general rules for eating with a sleeve: aim for ½ protein and ½ vegies, and eat slowly and mindfully. You can still try a little of everything, but serve yourself on a small plate so you’re not tempted to eat more than you need. You can see more of my tips on eating out with a sleeve here.

4. Keep drinking

Not alcohol, but water… (…almost had you!). A long weekend means being out of routine for a few days and for some of people it means forgetting to drink enough. When you’re dehydrated it’s easy to mistake thirst for hunger. So, if you feel like you’re constantly grazing over the long weekend, make sure you’ve been drinking enough water. Have a big drink then wait 20 minutes and reassess if you’re still hungry.

5. Get out and enjoy the long weekend

A few extra days off work are the perfect opportunity to get out and about with the family. Take the kids out on their bikes, go for a walk around the park or hit the beach for a swim or a walk. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you enjoy it! If you’re worried about extra meals with the family (or extra decadent meals), perhaps try to make some of your family catch ups active ones.

Finally – don’t count calories… You’ll only drive yourself mad. Counting calories is one of the best ways to make yourself feel guilty or anxious. It’s best to stay away from it as much as you can. You can read more about why I don’t like calorie counting here.

I’d love to hear your tips for the Easter long weekend. Comment below!