Can’t stand the sight of another Easter egg?

Too many hot cross buns making you feel bloated and lethargic? You’re not alone.

But don’t feel bad if you have overindulged this Easter.

There are plenty of ways you can work the weight off and Easter only come around once a year.

The good news, too, is that enjoying the celebrations with some delicious food will not undo your overall nutrition.

Alison Patterson, advanced sport dietitian of Sports Dietitians Australia, said keeping check on your eating over Easter can actually make it more challenging to eat well.

“The more we restrict ourselves, the more we think about that food, leaves us more likely to overeat when we do,” she told The New Daily.

“Rather than limiting yourself to a certain number of hot cross buns or Easter eggs, tune into your body’s cues to recognise when you really feel like it – instead of eating it just because it’s there.”

When to take action after Easter

If you have experienced some weight gain this month, the good news is you don’t need to start detoxing, dieting or doing any form of drastic exercise.

Ms Patterson warns against depriving yourself of foods or applying a guilt or punishment type of response after Easter.

Instead, when it comes to your diet, try to refocus on healthy eating patterns as soon as you feel able.

This should include a variety of foods from the five main food groups and drinking plenty of water every day.

When it comes to your exercise regime, the key is to take it slowly.

Start with low-impact workouts such as morning walks, and build up gradually to more intense and regular training such as running or cycling.

Morning walks are a great way to get fit. Photo: Getty

How much exercise do you need to be healthy?

Adults should do between 150 to 300 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity, each week, according to Australia’s Physical Activity & Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines.

This amount of exercise will help improve your blood pressure, cholesterol, heart health, and muscle and bone strength.

And it is a great way to shed the kilos – particularly if you have over-indulged on chocolate.

Three easy ways to start working off your Easter excess

Morning walks

Enjoy the autumn weather and start out with a morning walk three days this week.

Take a pair of headphones and your smartphone with you and the time will fly by.

Next week, try to head out four times, and lift the tempo of your walk so that it feels like you are getting a moderate workout from your effort.

Riding to work

Cycling to and from work is a great way to factor in some exercise, particularly if you are time-poor.

Most workplaces have showers for you to cool down afterwards and if they don’t, try giving yourself some time before starting work to bring your body temperature down.

Lunchtime social sports 

There’s no doubt others in your workplace or neighbourhood are feeling the same way after an Easter of indulgence.

Meeting up for a low-impact, social game of netball, basketball, soccer or touch football can be a great way to lose weight.