That darn bunny is making us fat!

It's almost Easter. What began as a solemn celebration of the resurrection of Christ has turned into a chocolate gorge-fest. Many of us started off the New Year with a promise: to be healthier, to be thinner, to eat sensibly...Whatever it may be, you've been working hard at attaining your goal.  Truth be told though, you would not be human if the thought did not cross your mind that you could cheat just this once, succumb to temptation, and fill your face with all those Easter treats.

STOP!

You've worked soooo hard to get to this point. Why ruin it now? Here are some strategies for getting through this holiday without derailing your weight loss efforts:

Rethink your Easter baskets.

There is no reason why your child's basket needs to be filled to the brim with sugar-filled snacks. I am sure you don't want your children to eat that kind of food junk anyway, right? For instance, the average chocolate bunny has 960 calories! We don't "do" the Easter bunny here since we focus more on the reason for the season but I do fill baskets for the kids. Their baskets will have ONE chocolate item and filling the rest of the space will be sidewalk chalk, coloring books, bubbles, sunglasses, and other Spring/Summer items.

Don't lose count.

As you probably know, I love to journal my food. While this isn't something everyone likes to do, this would be one weekend where it would be helpful.  Even if you just stick a piece of paper on your fridge and jot down every time you dip your hand into the M&M's or indulge in a peep or Cadbury Egg, seeing it in written form will keep you accountable to yourself.

Go dark.

While dark chocolate has a similar number of calories to milk chocolate, it's higher in antioxidants. Since it is so rich. a little bit goes a long way. White chocolate has the most calories so avoid that if you can  care.


Less is more. 

Look for high quality chocolate items if you must have your fix. Buying a Sarris Bowtie Bunny Pop instead of a large bag of chocolate eggs from the dollar store will lessen the amount of temptation around the house and taste 10 times better. You can also try dipping strawberries into melted chocolate to combine the need for sweet with something healthy.

Don't forget to move.

Plan your egg hunt for outside (*if the weather cooperates* Side note: I am sooooo over this rain!) and run through the yard as you hide the eggs.  Instead of standing around while the kids find the eggs, get out there and move, darnit! Or hop like a bunny - the kids will LOVE that one. After your meal, when most people are laying around on the couch, watching tv or movies, suggest a walk around your neighborhood. It's a great opportunity to catch up with family while burning some calories. Check out this calculator that turns popular Easter treats into how much walking is needed to burn it off.

Eat healthy alternatives.

When everyone else is snacking on goodies, make sure to have something prepared for yourself. One of my favorite things is to create a plate of fruit, cut up into bite sized pieces. I feel like I am eating so much more than I am and it satisfies my sweet tooth as well.

Now, you are 100% prepared to celebrate this glorious Easter season with your family. Good luck and be sure to check in and let me know how you did. HAPPY EASTER!