This is probably the first Easter ever that I haven’t eaten chocolate and marks the realisation that I’ve had a dramatic shift in my own approach to food and nutrition.

For most of my adult life, and for a fair part of my teen life, food has been a pleasure activity. Dessert was relished, and food in general was something I looked forward to.

Eating for Nutrition

I’m not entirely sure how my mind has shifted toward food being about food and nutrition, but I am consistently changing my food decisions based on better nutritional value. I love that my thinking has shifted! I look at my nutrition data, and I choose food on the basis of what I still need for the day.

Mindful Eating

Similarly another big shift has been from concentrated mindful eating. Here’s what I’ve picked up on mindful eating:

• eating slowly and thinking about the flavours and textures
• putting down my fork between mouthfuls
• timing my meal at 15 minutes
• stopping when I feel full
• reducing my portion sizes
• using a smaller plate
• not eating things I don’t like

Chocolate is OK

Seriously, don’t hate me, but I don’t really love chocolate. Yeah I know, everyone loves chocolate. I don’t. If I eat chocolate, it has to be *perfect*. Perfect chocolate is semi-dark, spiced, about 25C and eaten with a cup of tea. So a Green’s Maya Gold for instance would be nice with a cup of black tea. But it’d just be nice. I don’t love it, and I don’t need to have it.

So this Easter, I just skipped the chocolate. I invited a few friends over and we ate loads of yummy things like ajo blanco, chicken and chorizo paella, fajitas and hot smoked salmon. But no chocolate.

Thank you Easter Bunny for being kind this year and hopping past my house.