Your guide to staying on track this Easter

With Easter approaching fast, (How the devil is it March already??) and the shop aisles being jam packed with tempting choccie eggs and hot cross buns, it’s hard not to give in to the temptation of indulging in another holiday, but here are a few tips to keep you on track, happy and healthy over the festive long weekend.

Instead of boozy long lunches and celebrating from Friday to Monday, why not take advantage of the long weekend, reset, recharge and spend time with loved ones so you can dive into the new month feeling energized and refreshed.

Keep moving your body.

Easter is a time to spend with loved ones and friends and family, so make catch-ups active.

Just because you are heading away with family and friends or maybe even staying in and sticking to your budget, there’s no excuse not to keep moving. There are so many different ways you can move your body without having to lift weights in a dingy gym.

If you’re camping on the coast, then set yourself a goal to do a beach run every morning, and track your distance on a fun running app like Strava. That way you can share your results with your friends to keep you motivated. If you’re on holiday in a new town, drop in to the local Pilates and do a couple of casual sessions, its’ always fun to work-out in a new place and you might even learn a new move or make a new friend.

Try something different

COASTare running a "Vinyasa with a view" session- what a perfect way to start your day, stretching your body whilst enjoying the views of the stunning Indian Ocean, why not grab a coffee from the portable coffee van “Kombi” in the Port Beach car park and dive in to the deep blue straight after. You'll feel so good for it; you'll soon want to make it a regular morning tradition.

€10 pp or €7 if COAST MEMBER

31st March

Saturday 8:30am

Link: https://answerkeyresult.com/events/240991783106738/?event_time_id=240991829773400

Do some goal setting and journaling

Personal, financial, professional, health and wellbeing

Whether it be: listen to more podcasts, watch more documentaries, go to yoga twice a week, eat more leafy greens, put away €10 a day to buy your dream home on the beach, marry a TEN, pay off your loan for your JEEP, become Insta-famous, or whatever it is small or big you can make your goals achievable by breaking them down and writing them out. And, with it only being the fourth month of the year, it’s never too late to set New Year’s resolutions if you haven't already. Stick to a handful of goals at a time, so you can properly focus on each one.

Be specific about your goals, positive visualization goes a long way. Make sure they are realistic and achievable and set a date, after all, goals without expiry dates are just dreams.

Also, try this daily:sit for ten minutes and physically write with pen on paper everything you are feeling at that moment, this exercise literally gets everything out of your mind and onto paper and clears room for you to get on with the day. 

Get busy in the kitchen.

It’s all about moderation, right? So of course, go ahead and treat yourself to a few Easter eggs over the break, but don’t over-do it.

Better yet, make your own healthy hot cross buns and skip on the excessive butter, preservatives and wheat flour. I’ve attached a healthy recipe you can make at home, using spelt flour (a healthier, easier to digest, alternative to wheat flour). This way you can have as many as you like, without the guilt. (Recipe attached at bottom)

"HOT TIP OF THE MONTH"

Make your own bulletproof coffee.

Blend a shot of coffee with either unsalted butter or coconut oil and add a few drops of MCT oil. You'll be buzzing all day and your body will thank you later. Try and smash out any overdue work, spring cleaning or exercise before it wears off. 

Trust me; you'll get a lot done. 

What is MCT oil? 

It's a healthy fat usually found in coconut and palm oils which can improve cognitive ability, sports performance, gut and heart health and weight management. You can find it in your local Chemistwarehouse.

 HOT CROSS BUN RECIPE

500g organic spelt flour + 1 tsp extra

1 heaped tablespoon of mixed spice (or add your own spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, clove)

1 teaspoon of dry yeast

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon raw sugar

2 tablespoons of olive oil

zest of 1 orange

350g water or 350g almond milk

1 cup of sultanas and currants

Crosses: 1/4 cup spelt flour water

Sugar glaze: half cup of organic icing sugar 1 tablespoon of mixed spice 2 tablespoons boiling water

1. Mix yeast, sugar and salt along with half of the warm water into the bowl. Whisk until it’s a frothy and set aside.
2. Place flour and mixed spice into a large mixing bowl. Stir in yeast mixture and remaining warm water. Knead into a dough.
3. Add currants and sultanas to the dough. If you’re using egg – add it now too.
4. Tip the dough into an olive oil greased bowl, cover and leave in the fridge overnight. (Alternatively, leave in a warm place for 2 hours).
5. Knead dough again and break up into 12 pieces and shape into little round buns. Place the buns on a lined baking tray and cover with a tea towel. Leave for about 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.
6. In the meantime, make up crosses mixture. Mix spelt flour with enough water to make a paste. Pour into a piping bag ready to draw across buns. (You could also use a plastic bag with a tiny hole.).
7. When buns have risen, pipe crosses (or any other pattern of your choice!) onto the buns.
8. Bake for 12 minutes on 180oc – until light a fluffy – you can turn one bun over and tap the bottom to see if hollow in the middle.
9. Prepare glaze: Combine icing sugar with boiling water, stir until sugar is dissolved.
10. Brush tops with sugar glaze while buns are still hot from the oven.
11. Pop a bunch into a basket and deliver them to your loved ones!

Optional:Try adding some diced granny smith apple for a fruitier apple taste!

https://answerkeyresult.com/body/recipes/spelt-hot-cross-buns-allergy-friendly.html

 (pics via pinterest) 

Sophie Ferguson