Easter Survival tips: i know we are early but we all need a little motivation over the Easter period not to undo all the hard work we put in at the gym - Happy reading

Congratulations Voyage Members you are all doing so well and we are seeing some amazing results.

Easter is fast approaching and now IS NOT the time to undo all your hard work!

How do you get through Easter without overindulging and putting those kilos back on?

Here are some tips that will hopefully guide you through this very indulgent time:

·         It is important that you choose the choice of chocolate wisely. On average a bar of dark chocolate contains 50 - 60 calories less than a bar of milk chocolate. As well as being higher in antioxidants, the more intense flavour should satisfy your taste buds more easily, meaning you won't have to eat as much.

·         Beware of constantly nibbling at chocolate eggs - you'll find it's all too easy to polish off the whole bag! Instead, only take a few eggs and place the rest of the bag out-of-reach. Or better still; why not share the rest around with your family and friends?

·         Easter can be fun and healthy. Be sure to get some fresh seafood for Good Friday, simply grill some fish for the family and do a salad or veggies to go with it. Put a squeeze of lemon juice and some cracked pepper over the fish and you have a tasty and healthy meal.

·         Bring back the power to you and don’t let chocolate rule you any longer. With a little planning now and some willpower you can sail through Easter without the post Easter guilt. Decide right now how much chocolate you are going to have at Easter and then stick to it. Just remember the more sweet food you eat the more you may crave. If you really want to be strong over the long weekend then tell your spouse, friends and children that under no circumstances they are to give you any chocolate eggs (theirs included), even if you beg, cry, yell or bribe. If are given a box of chocolates then only open it when you have company, take a couple of your favorites then share the box around.

·         The other treat over Easter we all enjoy is hot cross buns. They have around 2-5g of fat, but when you add the thick layer of butter you increase the fat count considerably. Both chocolate and buns need to be eaten in moderation.

 

However if you do over indulge the best thing you can do is to get back on track as soon as possible. Remember you are the one that will put the chocolates in your mouth so take control, be responsible and above all don’t let this Easter be the undoing of your hard work in the gym.

For those days when you can’t get into the gym, try the following circuit…

Skipping

Squats

Push ups

Lunges

Dips

Step ups (coffee table or chair)

Crunches

Do each exercise for 2 minutes and repeat circuit four times

Good luck over the Easter break, enjoy spending time with your families and we look forward to continuing the challenge with you after Easter….If you really need a workout over the Easter Break you can always use your 24hr access card to come down the gym at your convenience- Happy Training and Happy Easter

The Voyage Team