eggcellent chocolate - minus the guilt

easter is about time with family, delicious food, and chocolate - oh so much chocolate!

it also involves stress with organising family lunches, holidays and kids, and over-indulging, which can manifest in fatigue, headaches, poor sleep and weight gain.

team nuut has gathered some eggcellent tips for taking care of yourself this easter, allowing you to eat the chocolate but still stay on track with your health and wellness goals.

high in sugar and carbohydrates, easter eggs contain few nutrients and are sky-high in calories. while the packaging often states calories, its 'per serving', not per egg, and a 'serving' quantity is 25g, which is less than a standard chocolate bar. sugar and oil content can also vary, and different fillings like caramel and marshmallow ramp up the calories and change the fat/sugar balance.

look for easter eggs made using high-quality chocolate. the higher percentage of cocoa - the better the quality egg. nutritionally, small hollow eggs made from quality dark chocolate (greater than 65 per cent cocoa solids) are the best option. remember, savour, don't scoff your eggs; enjoy every mouthful and eat slowly. you'll be more likely to stop eating when you feel full.

cinnamon rolls, french toast, pancakes and chocolate - oh my!

for breakfast, choose eggs -not the chocolate variety! free-range eggs are packed with protein and amino acids, that are super good for you and make you feel fuller for longer. or whip up a chocolate nuut with energising oats, ice and plant-based milk. between all those easter eggs, you will feel happy knowing you have fuelled your body with a third of your daily nutritional requirements, plus it will keep you hopping until lunch.

hopping burns 10 calories/minute - maybe the easter bunny is onto something? including calorie-torching moves over the long weekend is a simple way to burn off your easter chocolate. think of physical activity as a pro-health boost to help compensate for the inevitable weekend indulgences. when a 45- or 60-minute workout isn't on the cards, pencil in a quick 15- or 20-minute sweat. you'll still reap the benefits and it will keep you consistent, making it easier to get back on track.

easter can see us consuming higher levels of sugar, alcohol and salty foods than usual, so try and find balance by taking care of your stomach. probiotic-rich foods like yoghurt, sauerkraut, miso and tempeh and prebiotic-dense foods like oats, apples, bananas, blueberries and dandelion all calm gut inflammation which means better digestion and less bloating and discomfort.

drinking and eating heavy foods can leave you feeling fatigued. ensure that you are drinking lots of water over the break; it helps flush out toxins and facilitates the body's energetic processes, which is an energy boost in itself.

if you have overindulged, don't feel a sense of failure. keep your movement levels up – even 30 minutes of walking can make a difference. we all fall off the wellness bandwagon now and then - accept it happened, forgive yourself, draw a line and keep hopping.