How to survive Pesach
Pesach is looking very different from the last 2 years as life is going back to normal post covid restrictions. We will be eating with our families and friends again and some of you lucky ones will be travelling abroad to exotic locations!
So, how can you enjoy it without derailing so much from your diet?
Here are our top tips:
1. Avoid relying on ready-made food
and try to cook your own as much as possible – the more you cook, the more you know what and how much you are eating!
2. Try and stick to one large meal a day
and one or two smaller ones with a few small snacks in between if you need them. Don’t get to that large meal completely starving or you’ll end up stuffing your face!
3. Keep drinking – no, not wine.
Of course, have those 4 cups on seder, but try and stick to plenty of water the rest of the time and drink a large glass before you sit down to eat and continue sipping throughout the meal. Herbal teas might come in handy too when trying to ride a sweet craving.
4. Watch out for Matzah!
Don’t keep it in plain sight as it’s easy to continue picking from it. Decide how much you are going to have and then put it away. Wholegrain might be a better option as you’ll need a little less to feel full given its higher fibre content, and will keep your digestive system moving too!
5. If you enjoy dried fruit during Pesach, be cautious.
Because the water content has reduced, it is way more calorific if compared to the same weight of fresh fruit. So, pick a couple of pieces and then hide the rest away!
6. A great option for Chol Hamoed is a good old omelette.
We like to mix one egg with plenty of egg whites (low calorie and very high protein so it will be very filling). You can cook some vegetables and add the egg mixture, or cook the eggs then top them with vegetables and make a roll or close as you would a tortilla wrap.
7. If you decide you are going to bake, try and bake something that you can pre-portion,
like small muffins, cupcakes, biscuit or meringues. That way it’s easier to stick to an actual portion instead of continuing to cut really thin cake slices fooling yourself that you won’t end up eating lots of it.
8. Move!
Take the opportunity to go for a long walk each day, discover all the nearby parks and paths, play with your kids in the garden… being active will make you burn extra calories and will also help you stay in a good mood!
As Pesach is looking so different from last year, let’s try and celebrate without turning food into a worry and have a very happy Passover!
If you do over indulge and want to get back into shape for the Summer we will be starting a new aceTRANSFORM Intake on 2nd May 2022, sign up here: https://ace-lifestyle.com/acetransform. Just get in touch to find out more!
