5 reasons to indulge this Easter

Need valid excuses to have a bit of what you fancy this long weekend? No need to fight the temptation with WHL’s 5 reasons to indulge this Easter.

If the sight of supermarket shelves glittering with foil-covered chocolate eggs is filling you with dread, here are five reasons to indulge this Easter. Lindt Bunny, anyone?

1. Creme Eggs are seasonal

When time is limited, we have to savour every moment. There are only a few precious weeks to enjoy the wonders of the Creme Egg, Mini Eggs and MaltEaster Bunnies because before long they will vanish from our lives for yet another year. So without any scientific back-up, we’re going to put this out there: ‘A little bit of what you fancy does you good.’ Not our words, actually – Grandma’s. But we couldn’t agree more: we train hard and spend our lives clean-eating, so we deserve a little treat. Listen to Grandma! #grandmasrule

2. Chocolate can be healthy

And if what you fancy happens to be dark chocolate, then you’re in luck: the people in white coats are giving you the go-ahead. A small (yes, OK…) amount of dark chocolate can help reduce blood pressure and improve cognitive function. Its flavonoids help fight insulin resistance, and it’s low-GI so it won’t cause spikes in blood-sugar levels. Dark chocolate can also help slow the signs of ageing and has been shown to harden tooth enamel, too. Yes, yes, just a small piece… we heard you.

3. You’ve done your time

Some incredible beings demonstrate superhuman willpower to resist their Most Wanted for Lent, so come Easter these guys deserve to make up for lost time. Grandma was never one for supporting 40 days of doing penance, but she would certainly be there for everyone in full-on binge mode when it ended on Holy Saturday – this year, that’s 4 April. She had no excuse, but if you’ve given up treats for Lent, we’d say you are more than justified to indulge.

4. A cheat day is a good day

If at Easter we find ourselves checking in to Hotel Chocolat, we can celebrate the fact that cheat days are the not only good for the soul but also for our metabolism. A cheat day boosts metabolism by increasing levels of the hormone leptin. When we diet, our leptin levels drop, causing hunger signals to our brain – the body then goes into survival mode and clings on to fat, thinking it’s going to need it. A cheat day can ‘reset’ these hormone levels (we know!). So, who fancies face-planting into a pile of Easter eggs? No, only joking. But if you do see us buried in chocolate, we’re clinging on to the science.

5. It makes us happy

Far more importantly than the mountain of chocolate, Easter is fabulous because it gives us a life-affirming break from the daily grind. It’s a time we can rejoice in warmer weather, brighter spring days and a super duper long weekend to spend precious time with our families. Sometimes we put so much energy into devoting our lives to health and fitness, we lose touch with the other pleasures in life. So, at Easter, indulge in whatever makes you happy. Live a little, love a lot.