With the long weekend fast approaching and so many tempting chocolate treats in the supermarket aisles, Michelle Bridges has revealed the level of workouts required to burn off the kilojoules in Easter indulgences.
According to Michelle, dark chocolate fans may be surprised to learn that while the Dark Chocolate Lindt Bunny contains less sugar than the Milk Chocolate Red Tulip Bunny, it actually contains 100 kilojoules more (per 100 grams) and requires an equivalent total of 369 burpees, 401 squats, or 45 minutes of running to burn off completely.
Meanwhile, a Cadbury Creme Egg requires 124 squats to burn off its 171 calories and the classic supermarket hot cross bun has 715 kilojoules and requires 145 burpees or 20 minutes of running to burn off.
“Gathering with friends and family over Easter is about connecting, socialising, pleasure, fun and community - so much more than the calories your Easter lunch provides," Michelle said.
"I’m always encouraging people to leave the labels behind when it comes to food - no food is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ - food is just food and it can all be enjoyed as long as we maintain a little perspective and strive to include some exercise in our daily lives. When we do this, we really do reap the benefits of what Easter is all about."
Michelle’s top 5 Easter tips
1. Try not to overthink the holiday period, because this can become a roadblock. Try organising some outdoor activities with the kids, like a hike or a bike ride, that don’t revolve around food also help to keep you moving and burning calories.
2. You don’t have to proclaim to family and friends that you’re not eating chocolate or trying to be healthy. Just go about your business, politely decline if you don’t want to indulge and don’t feel a need to justify yourself. A simple “no thanks” will do and watch your willpower grow.
3. The kilojoules in alcohol can quickly add up so make your water a little fancy and stick with that instead! Add a dash of cranberry juice, some lime and mint, slices of lemon or strawberry pieces and enjoy.
4. If chocolate is your thing, then it’s OK to enjoy some and eat it mindfully, but ensure that all your other meals are nourishing, up your veggie intake, load up on nutrients and go easy on the alcohol and limit any processed food during this time.
5. Trying out new recipes, ingredients or even food from other cultures could be a nice way to mix up the traditional sugary carnage and broaden the perspective with new creations.
The fitness expert has also given hot cross buns a makeover with this recipe:
Michelle's Hot Cross Buns
15 SERVES | 30 MIN PREP | 25 MIN COOKING TIME | 182 CAL/SERVE
2 1/4 cups plain flour (340g)
1 cup plain wholemeal flour (160g)
1 tsp ground cinnamon (2g)
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice (1g)
3 tsps dry yeast (9g)
100g raisins
1 1/4 cups low-fat milk (310g)
2 tbsps golden syrup (40g)
40g butter, no added salt
1 cage free egg (50g), lightly whisked
METHOD
1. Combine the flours (reserving 1/4 cup of the plain flour), mixed spice, cinnamon, yeast and raisins in a large bowl.
2. Heat the milk, butter and golden syrup in a small saucepan until the butter melts and the mixture is lukewarm. Remove pan from the heat.
3. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix to a soft dough.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and prove in a warm, draught-free place for 45 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.
5. Preheat oven to 180C (fan-forced). Spray an 18 × 28cm lamington pan with cooking spray.
6. Punch down the dough with your fist and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes or until the dough returns to its original size. Divide the dough into 15 equal portions. Knead each portion into a ball and place close together in the pan. Cover with a damp tea towel and set aside for 20 minutes to prove or until buns rise up and touch each other.
7. Meanwhile, to make the paste, place the reserved flour and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl. Beat until smooth, add a little more water if the paste is too thick. Spoon into a small plastic bag.
8. Brush the tops of the buns with a little egg.
9. Snip a small hole in the corner of the bag and pipe the flour paste to form crosses over the buns. 10 Bake for 25–30 minutes or until the buns are cooked through and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Kilojoules 761 // Protein 5.3g // Fat Total 3.3g // Fat Saturated 1.8g // Carbohydrates 32.1g // Sugars 7.3g // Sodium 18.6mg // Dietary Fibre 2.4g
Click here to get Michelle's free e-book filled with Easter recipes and post-Easter workouts.
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