Tips for a Healthy Halloween – EverBeautiful by Melody Lesser

Halloween is around the corner. Store shelves are stocked with delectable sweets and it’s getting more and more difficult to resist temptation. (At least it is for me!) Halloween is one of my favorite holidays of the year (Valentine’s Day is another. Interesting how both of my favorite holidays center around candy.) I’ve had to learn how to treat the holiday without being tricked into going up a pants size. This is how I cope:

I buy candy at the last possible moment. The sooner I buy it, the sooner I dig into it. So, if I can, I try to buy it on the day of Halloween. Either that, or I’ll ask my husband to pick it up and hide it until the first trick or treater rings my doorbell.

I buy candy I don’t like. (I don’t mean to stiff the kids with cheap, unappealing candy. There are plenty of chocolate bars that don’t appeal to me. Ok, there are two. And those are the ones I buy.)

I give the leftover candy away at the end of the night. I’m really generous with the last trick or treaters and whatever’s left over, I give to a neighbor’s kid.

It’s easy for me to resist the bowls of candy on the desks of business associates, my manicurist, the front desk at the gym (yes, even my gym tries to tempt me with candy). But, if I do succumb, I don’t beat myself up. Halloween comes once a year and, while I like to get into the spirit of the holiday with spooky decorations and costumes, no one’s in charge of me but me. I can have candy any day of the year, if I want it. I no longer think of Halloween as an excuse to pig out. Knowing that I can have any sweets whenever I want them – and not just on this special holiday – helps me to resist them.

Need more tips to resist Halloween temptation? Following, some tips for having a healthier Halloween from Paul Kriegler, Life Time – The Healthy Way of Life Company.

Ditch the break room: Coworkers are infamous this time of year for bringing in treats to share during or even after the holiday (so they don’t eat them at home). Don’t fall for those temptations of freebies and instead, try to encourage more walking trips during your break times. If you like to share, bring in some seasonal apples and heat up some almond butter with cinnamon for a nice dip.
Procrastinate: If you are planning to give out candy on Halloween night, don’t buy that candy until the day or two before the event. Rest assured, the grocery stores will have plenty leading up the day – you might even get it on sale – but it will also help you avoid eating or snacking on it yourself.
Trick or treat with your kids: Halloween creates the opportunity to get in exercise and more steps. Make a goal of how many houses you’ll visit and make sure everyone is wearing comfortable exercise shoes. Halloween might actually be one of the few holidays that encourages movement.
Skip the fun-sized: Skip the fun-sized candy bars and choose individual servings of trail mix made with nuts, raisins or dried fruit, pretzels and a sprinkling of chocolate pieces for a protein-packed snack that will help you nix the munchies without leaving you feeling deprived
Check the ingredients: Life Time has just introduced a new app for your phone. The Healthy Pantry App helps spot artificial ingredients and common allergens in many packaged foods and beverages by simply scanning a food item’s barcode to see specific information about its ingredients. It’s as easy as red, yellow and green. Practice scanning Halloween treats with your kids to help them identify healthier Halloween options.
Be a healthy party planner: Don’t use the excuse that Halloween gatherings take your focus off your healthy way of eating. Take charge of your Halloween plans and delegate who brings what dish. Volunteer to steer the menu options toward more whole foods and fewer processed carbohydrates. Plan on bringing one of the main dishes to ensure everyone (including you) has a healthy, filling food option.
Don’t drag out the holidays … it’s a long season: Halloween is one day; have fun and indulge a bit, but get right back into habits the next meal or day. Don’t justify an entire weekend of indulging only to be spooked by the scale or tight pants and low energy next week.

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