A Nutritionist's Guide to Navigating Easter
So, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to provide you with some guidance to cut through a lot of the nonsense that makes its way onto the internet at this time of year…
First things first, you do NOT have to “work off” your chocolate eggs. Seriously, please don’t fall for this diet / fitness culture nonsense. Enjoy the egg/s, without the guilt, shame or judgement.
As a Holistic Nutritionist and Food Freedom Coach, my ethos grounded in ‘eat real food, majority of the time’. So, you know I’m a huge advocate for real foods or products made out of real foods. I love providing you with healthy swaps and the healthiest options for guidance, BUT I’m not about demonising foods* or encouraging restriction. That’s why it’s eat real food, MAJORITY of the time (not necessarily all the time).
*Even if I do have a bit of a vendetta against vegetable oils… Like anything, don’t feel guilty when you have it / eat a product that contains it, but don’t I recommend making it staple ingredient if optimal health is your goal…
Ultimately, there are no bad foods, only bad habits. (I go deeply into this concept in my signature Nutrition program The Real Food Way and help you decondition yourself from labelling foods as good and bad while eating for optimal health). So while I don’t recommend getting into the habit of eating Easter eggs every day, enjoying them at this time of year can be perfectly healthy.
Health is a lifestyle and food is one part of it. On this front, I recommend filling yourself up on real foods, so that you can meet your regular nutritional needs and prevent overeating. But you also get to enjoy the chocolates and sweets guilt, judgement and shame free.
Alongside this, keep going with your other healthy habits. The core 5 that I recommend are: eating real foods majority of the time, hydrating with filtered water, moving your body every day, getting between 7-9 hours of quality sleep and regulating your nervous system. Just because it’s Easter doesn’t mean we have to shift our entire lifestyle. Remember there is no wagon to fall off.
Another beneficial thing to do can be to set loving boundaries with friends and family where they’re needed. If people are giving you unsolicited advice around food or making remarks about what you choose to eat, or worse, your weight, this is your invitation to tell them that’s not okay.
So, to summarise…
A Nutritionist’s Guide to Navigating Easter:
Focus on filling yourself up with real foods.
Enjoy the chocolate and desserts, without the guilt, judgement or shame.
Know that you never have to “work off” your chocolate eggs.
Decondition yourself from labelling foods as “good” or “bad”.
Stay hydrated and keep going with your other healthy habits (health is a lifestyle after all).
Set loving boundaries with family and friends where needed (no unsolicited remarks about what you’re choosing to eat or advice around around food allowed).
Have fun!
About
With over 5 years of experience in the nutrition and natural health industry, I’ve seen time and time again that health doesn’t have to be hard or complicated. It’s all about coming back to the basics, focusing on eating real foods, building healthy habits and getting our mindset right.
