Avoiding
the Easter weight trap
The
Easter buns and chocolate eggs have been visible since January and with Easter
just a week away, the lure of sweet treats may be becoming just too hard to
bear. If though, you are hoping to survive the long holiday weekend without
gaining a couple of kg to match, you do need to take control immediately.
First
of all, try, try, try to not indulge until it is actually Easter which means
that that bag of tiny eggs you have in your desk drawer needs to go into the
rubbish, right now! Considering that a that a single, small milk chocolate
bunny has the equivalent number of calories that it would take an hour of
treadmill running to burn off, the little bunny may suddenly seem far less
attractive.
Unfortunately
those little eggs are not much better either with just three mini Easter eggs
containing more than 500kJ and let’s be honest, who can stop at three?
Generally speaking, once we open a packet, we eat the packet. The same can be
said for Easter buns – a traditional small Easter bun contains just 600kJ
compared to the mega chocolate chip varieties that now inundate our stores
which contain more than 1000kJ, and that is without the butter. More
importantly, trying to hold off these tempting treats until Good Friday is an
even better idea.
Where
possible, look for portion controlled treats – small individual eggs rather
than an entire bag of minis and a packet of buns to share rather than just to
keep at home. Remember when it comes to food, especially sweet foods, if they
are there you will want to eat them so the fewer Easter treats you keep at
home, the better. Finally but perhaps more importantly, go for quality over
quantity. Enjoy a social Easter feast with plenty of good food and a small
amount of good quality chocolate, and use the extra holiday days to embrace
your training program to make sure that you survive Easter without a couple of
extra kg to boot.
Still
looking for chocolate? Once you translate your Easter calories into workout
unit the treats may no longer seem so appealing.
Eggs
Selection kJ Fat Exercise units
200g Easter Bunny 3740kJ 50g
fat 2 hrs of running
2 Caramello Eggs 500kJ 6 g fat 15 min rowing
1
Crème Egg 718kJ
6g fat 45 min fast walking
100g Deluex Bunny 2270J
33g
fat 2 cycle classes
3 mini eggs 560kJ
7.5g
fat 15 min skipping
Small hot cross bun (no butter) 600kJ 2 g fat 30min swimming
Large hot cross bun with butter 1200kJ 10g
fat 30 minutes jogging
Choc chip hot cross bun 1100kJ 9g fat 1 Zumba class
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