How to Enjoy A Guilt Free Easter | Balance

Easter is an amazing time of the year, I mean, who doesn't love receiving a lovely big chocolate egg!?

It's that brilliant period just after the cold weather is saying it's goodbyes, you get a gracious few days of holidays and Summer is just around the corner.

Not only that, but people are buying and sharing an abundance of delicious eggs and it's the perfect time to rest, relax and spend some invaluable time with friends, family and other loved ones.

Easter is also a time however, when many people will unfortunately restrict themselves from having those wonderful chocolate eggs and even feel guilty about enjoying these foods...

The Media And Food Guilt

It's no surprise that many of us feel like we've done something "wrong" for having and enjoying an easter egg.

Many media outlets publish perverse articles around "limiting damage" and choosing "guilt free" options - as if we'd caused ourselves harm or done something bad, wrong or even illegal for simply enjoying a bit of chocolate.

How many of these looks familiar?

We are continually bombarded with this kind of guilt fuelled food rhetoric every single day. The same media outlets which will report on "healthier" lifestyles are the same which publish potentially harmful articles and graphics like these. It's not a wonder then why so many of us feel so confused, guilty and anxious around certain foods.

What's worse is that friends and family will also often be conned into this drivel and begin to echo it around the home and in conversation.

While we may not be able to escape the wave of nutrition related nonsense that is spoken or published at this time of the year, there are certainly things we can do to better enjoy our easter and work towards a guilt free holiday... here are 4 techniques to enjoy your egg guilt free!

Plan to Include the Foods in your Diet

One way to achieve a balanced diet is to include indulgences as part of your normal diet, instead of having them replace your normal healthy meal or snack, it is ideal if you can enjoy a bit of easter chocolate after your usual piece of fruit for an afternoon snack as an example.

This way you are not absolutely starving when you get to the chocolate, and are more likely to take your time to enjoy it, and feel satisfied after a smaller amount. otherwise, if starving you might find yourself overeating and experiencing those feelings of guilt as well as self-critical talk.

Eat More Mindfully

It can be really tricky to take some time out of the busyness of everyday life to truly eat mindfully with no distractions. If you do find this time however, you will notice just how much of a difference it makes.

Only then are you able to tune in to your natural hunger and satiety cues, and eat until satisfied as opposed to eating mindlessly beyond fullness.

This is also where the most enjoyment comes from eating, so you typically find that you end up eating smaller amounts, as you are in tune with your body and able to stop eating when you feel satisfied.

We are all guilty of doing it, but try to focus on just eating during a meal or snack – no Instagram scrolling! Focus on the taste, texture, sights and sounds instead!

Share it...

This isn't to say that you necessarily have to share your egg (although you may want to if that helps you feel more comfortable) but, if you do experience anxiety and or stress around eating chocolate it may be worth sharing the experience!

Seek out a friend or family member who can join you in enjoying your egg, allowing you to focus on the eating experience itself and also being a source of relief and comfort for any negative thoughts which follow. having an empathetic, compassionate and understanding support system can be so, so important in improving your relationship with food and self...

Be the Tortoise, not the Hare... (Easter Pun Intended)

Take your time...

One of the common behaviours associated with having more indulgent foods in the house is to eat them all in one go and be rid of them.

I'd recommend that you personally do the opposite of this and look for ways to incorporate the foods in a controlled manner within your routine and in a portioned amount you feel comfortable with.

Of course, you absolutely can have your entire egg in one sitting if you'd like but please don't see this as a resolution to your easter egg related anxieties.

It may only lead to further feelings of guilt and self-critical talk if you overeat beyond what you're comfortable with. Plan it in and focus on enjoying your Easter Egg over panic eating it because you're worried of having that amount of chocolate in the house.

Concluding remarks

Easter is a time to enjoy family, friends, and of course, some delicious food. This year, try out one of our tips for enjoying your chocolate egg without any food guilt. From mindful eating to savoring one of the best meals of the year, we’ve got you covered.

So, relax, and enjoy your Easter egg hunt – and the rest of your meal – without any worries!

How will you be enjoying your Easter feast this year? Will you be choosing to embrace the experience this year and avoiding the nutri-nonsense?

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