Fitness Friday: Easter edition

FORT MYERS, Fla.- Set Yourself Up for Success. The most important thing for anyone trying to stick to a diet over Easter is to know yourself.

Are you the type of person who could break off a piece of chocolate, enjoy the taste and happily move on? Or are you the type of person who once the first bite is taken, the only evidence it ever existed are tiny pieces of foil and wrapper paper?

Most fit into the latter category. Be realistic about resisting Easter treats. Don’t deprive yourself, but act in moderation. It’s okay to have a nibble here and there but keep in mind that just one large chocolate bunny or Easter egg could amount to a WHOLE DAY’S intake of food. You wouldn’t sit down to a 2nd breakfast, 2nd lunch, 2nd dinner and 2nd dessert.
WATER and FIBER.

Like we talked about last week, water and fiber rich foods can help you feel full longer. Start with a healthy breakfast, and before you dive into the Easter basket full of candy, munch on veggie sticks or salad. I also LOVE the left over dyed hard boiled eggs. The fiber will fill you up, so you are less inclined to overindulge in the bad stuff. And while it’s tempting to inhale five or six candies in one sitting, slow down and thoroughly savor each bite.

CHOC-OHOLICS. The biggest Easter diet de-railer is Chocolate, it is high in sugar and fat and low in essential nutrients. A diet that is high in sugar can lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Unlike other foods, when we consume sugar it does not tell our body you’ve had had enough to eat, hence why over indulgence is a big risk.
Calorie Control. Be aware of how many calories a Chocolate Easter egg contains. If you are going to eat it, understand what it takes to burn it off. It’s hard to equate candy to how much exercise you would need to do to offset the calorie intake, but to burn off 1 M&M you would have to walk the length of a football field. 1… not 1 bag. For just a little chocolate bunny you’ll spend at least an hour of solid exercise to burn off. You can’t out-exercise a bad diet!

Do the Bunny Hop. Holidays aren’t an excuse not to exercise, you should still try and be physically active every day, including Easter. When you’ve exercised, your more likely to make better food choices and less likely to over indulge. A great workout tip is to add some plyometrics exercises that focus on fast, explosive movements, like jumping which are awesome for getting your heart rate up and burning calories. Find a step and perform 10 sets of stepping up and down for 45 seconds and resting 15 seconds. To really challenge yourself try hoping like a bunny in place, or on and off the step. You’ll work your legs and your backside!

ALTERNATIVE Easter Suggestion: Bubbles. These soapy suds delight everyone, young and old. Your children will have as much fun chasing them as they have hunting for those elusive Easter eggs. Share something sweet with a loved one, don’t sabotage their diet and hand them a basket of candy. I’m not saying give up on the Easter bunny altogether, just act in moderation.