If your house is anything like mine you will have been inundated with chocolate over Easter. It’s really hard to teach my kids about moderation when it looks like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory in here! I don’t deny my kids sweets and chocolates but I do try and help them understand that they are a treat and not to overindulge.
One of the best ways to do this is to try and model that behaviour myself. I’ll be honest though, I’ve been known to steal the odd treat out of the boy’s cupboard because deprivation isn’t a tactic that works very well! It helps that I know a few ways to do this that can limit the damage:
- If you are going to eat something sweet do it after a meal. Your dentist will agree with this for your dental health but it’s also better for the way your body deals with sugar as you have less blood sugar spikes during the day.
- Try not snack on things in the evening. We often do this due to boredom but if you can time restrict your food to during the day your body will have a longer break overnight and this helps your body regulate your blood sugar levels better.
- I also try and ask myself the question “Am I actually hungry?” when I open the cupboard in the kitchen. If I am I will eat something but if not I will go and do something else to deal with the boredom. I’m no saint so don’t always manage this but with practice I manage it more often than not these days.
I actually find Easter a really good time to improve my health. I’m not very inspired to make changes at New Year when it’s cold and dark but with the weather improving at this time of year it’s a great time to refocus on looking after myself and trying new habits. One of the ways that I’m trying to improve my health just now is to say “No” to situations that cause me stress. Just like shutting the kitchen cupboard when I’m not hungry this is a skill that takes practice. With all new skills please be gentle with yourself, you won’t always get it right but if you try again every day you will start to see improvements.
I hope you have had a lovely long weekend with your friends and family, perhaps you could also think of one new habit to improve your health?