I love it, so Easter is a good time of year for me.
The problem is if you are trying to lose fat and I mean determined to lose fat, then the temptation around you will be tough at times.
None of us want to be fat or get fat, so our love of chocolate and desire to lose fat are at odds, or……….
Are they?
Read on my choclolatey friend – you are in for a Wonka sized treat!!
We’ve all heard that you should try and eat high % cocoa dark chocolate rather than the sugary alternative. There are indeed health benefits to eating this chocolate:
1 – High antioxidant levels – for endurance athletes involved in highly oxidative activity this is a good thing.
2 – Good amounts of fibre
3 – Helps lower LDL cholesterol (thats the bad one)
So in short, if you’re going to eat a Easter egg, the darker the chocolate the better.
If though you prefer the more sugary stuff the timing of ingestion can make it less worse.
Specifically, eat it after training when the body can tolerate sugar better and will actually help with the recovery process – thats why recovery drinks have carbs in.
The problem with holiday periods is that any well meaning nutrition plan can go off the rails and not just with choc choc.
It’s as if as soon as we start eating the good stuff (which is actually bad), we just can’t get enough of it.
Remember this:
“One bad meal won’t make you fat, just like one good one won’t make you thin.”
Just because you eat a little rubbish doesn’t mean you have to go off the rails completely.
Please don’t ever think this over the next few days:
“I’ll get back to eating well on Tuesday”
The damage will already be done.
LINKS:
Could chocolate milk be the best post workout recovery drink?
Read on:
RECIPE:
Hot Chocolate:
Serves 2
450ml whole milk
70g 70% cocoa chocolate, finely chopped or grated
30g good-quality milk chocolate, finely chopped or grated
75ml single cream
Scant ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1. Warm about 150ml milk in a pan over a medium heat and stir in the chocolate. Continue to stir until the chocolate has melted into the milk, then whisk in the remaining milk and the cream.
2. Continue to heat until the mixture is hot, but not boiling, then add the cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Taste, adjust if necessary, and serve. For a frothy finish, whisk vigorously just before pouring.
Enjoy the break – get some good training in and stay Nutritionally Strong!!
Jamie “90% Cocoa” Leighton