It’s a long weekend. Hurray! Maybe you have a big Easter dinner planned, complete with chocolate eggs. If you have waistline and wellness goals that seem to be in contradiction with Easter dinner, here’s a 3-step plan to support you. With a little prep, outside the kitchen, you can enjoy the day and prevent any feelings of deprivation.
- Clarify what you want the holiday to look like.
If you don’t want to over-consume, what would be your ideal behavior? Here are some ideas to get you started. Choose what works for you.
Try the 80/20 rule. That means you enjoy chocolate and wine, but it doesn’t exceed 20% of your intake, or whatever the magic number is for you. Maybe you budget your consumption on the days before and after Easter to allow a little more indulgence Easter Sunday. Make sure you’re not starving when it comes time for the feast.
You could focus on family and relationships, or active listening instead of food. Slow, mindful eating could also be useful. How about eating only what you love? Try eating only until you’re satisfied (versus stuffed). If you’re the cook, choose a healthy menu. What other strategies are possible for you?
- Visualize the plan. Visualizing is just practicing in your mind. When the event comes the challenges are easier because you’ve practiced. So, once you have a clear plan you just close your eyes and run the tape. Do it as often as you need to in order to feel confident. Imagine the event with all the details you can muster.
- Enact and enjoy the plan. It’s show time! Any stress or anxiety about overdoing it should be diminished or gone – because you’ve done this successfully before (in your mind). Just enjoy the day like you imagined it.
Now take a bow.
If you’re reading this after the fact and you blew it, fear not. IT’S NEVER OVER.
Even if it was a train wreck of food, booze and bunnies – just bounce back. Now!
Don’t ever think, “It’s no use. I might as well just keep eating.” That’s just all or nothing, stinking thinking. And it’s not true. Just brush yourself off as soon as you can and keep going.
The bunnies in my yard never give up. They return to their favorite carved-out resting places no matter how much I try and discourage them. That’s resilience.