5 Things Not To Say Now Easter Sunday Is Over
Easter is second only to Christmas when it comes to indulgence. Perhaps third in the USA, but we don’t have Thanksgiving here. Easter eggs, egg hunts, simnel cake, chocolate nests, and big family meals are commonplace. Because it’s a time when we eat more, we often feel guilty about the number of calories we’ve consumed, Or perhaps we feel like we need to restrict our eating for a while after to make up or atone for it.
This type of thinking is the worst kind of diet culture bs. At its worst, it can lead to an eating disorder, and at best, it sucks the joy from what should be a fun and relaxed holiday. I use this blog to fight for food freedom and body liberation. An Easter egg or two and a big lunch should not push you into diet panic or feelings of hatred or disappointment towards your body.
With that in mind, here are five things not to say now Easter is over.
1) I’ve eaten so much chocolate! I need to hit the gym hard!
Studies show that the average person puts on two pounds of extra weight over Christmas. Christmas is celebrated over a much longer period and involves far greater amounts of fattening foods, alcohol and sweets. If you only put on two pounds over Christmas, what is Easter going to do, really? Practically nothing!
If you enjoy exercise, go for it but do not feel you need to increase the intensity or length of your workouts. Please believe me, you do not need to punish yourself for eating ever.
2) I’ve been so bad!
No!!! To quote one of my favourite memes, you ate some chocolate; you didn’t burn down an orphanage! Here are a few things that are bad to get you started:
Adultery
Animal abuse or neglect
Lying
Cheating on an exam
Stealing
Being emotionally abusive
Racism
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
After reading that list, do you still think chocolate belongs under the “bad” title. Some foods are more nutritious, and some are less so, but all foods have a place in our diet. Food does not have a moral value. Unhealthy food is not “sinful”. It is food, and we need it to live.
3) I’ve made your dinner smaller because you had all that chocolate
If you’re restricting your child’s food based on what they ate earlier, you’re teaching them this is what they need to do. That path leads to disordered eating and an unhealthy relationship with food. How about instead, you allow them to do what all children do instinctively and eat intuitively?
Ask your child how hungry they are before you prepare their meal and give them what they need. Obviously, if they ask for a larger plate and don’t eat everything, do not make them feel guilty about it. Congratulate them for knowing when they’ve had enough.
4) I Can’t Have X, Y or Z; I Ate SO Much Over Easter!
Again, your eating over a four day weekend will not single-handedly put you at risk of type 2 diabetes, pile on loads of weight or negatively impact your body in any way.
If you feel less hungry over the following days or find you’re craving more fruits and vegetables, that is fine. Learn to trust that your body will tell you what it needs and try to listen to it. You do not need to manually course-correct on your own.
5) Are You Sure You Want To Eat That?
Grrrrrr! I can’t tell you how happy it would make me if that phrase disappeared from existence permanently! Let me be very clear, what anyone else eats is none of your business! Yes, I am including your spouse, parent, sibling, cousin, best friend and child in that!
Ladling a steaming helping of guilt onto food does not help anyone and is more likely to lead to bingeing overall. Shaming people about their food choices has been shown over and over again not to improve a person’s diet but actually make it worse. If you’re a parent and you feel offended that I’ve implied that anything to do with your child is none of your business, please listen.
As I explained above, children are intuitive eaters when they’re born. They know what their body needs and how much of it. Only as they grow and rules are placed on what they can eat, when and how much they learn they’re not allowed to trust their bodies. A study in the 1920s allowed a group of toddlers to choose what they wanted to eat at each meal. All the toddlers’ diets were different throughout the study, but they all chose a balanced diet. With no adult intervention whatsoever!
Takeaways
Whatever you have eaten over the last few days, you do not need to feel guilty. No corrective action is necessary, and you will not have damaged your body in the slightest. Continue to enjoy your last day of time off if you have it, and take a much-needed opportunity to relax. Life is busy and stressful enough without feeling guilty about something as natural as enjoying food. You do not need to fix anything; you are perfect as you are 🙂
