3 Ways to Navigate Halloween Treats
This time of year, you are probably seeing a handful of articles talking about the perils of Halloween candy and the importance of staying away from it. While candy isn’t something that should make up a major part of our diet, running away from it can be more difficult than those articles make it seem. Generally, the problem with Halloween candy isn’t the single night of trick or treating. It is the candy bowls that are popping up the entire month of October and will continue to replenish in various forms until the last Christmas cookie has been eaten. Instead of running away in fear of these sweets, try embracing some of them as a part of your routine. I know this might sound crazy but working small doses of festive treats into your routine can help turn the daunting holiday season into an enjoyable seasonal treat you look forward to!
Don’t make it completely off limits- Allow yourself (and your kids) to have a little enjoyment! Making something totally off limits often leads to feeling deprived and having more than you intended later. Instead of trying to avoid it, allow yourself to have a few pieces of candy when it is really sounding tasty. This will make it easier to keep candy consumption in moderation instead of an all or nothing mindset where emotions lead us to overconsumption.
Pair it with a meal or snack- Often, there will be a bowl of candy within arm’s reach and that candy might become our mid-afternoon snack. Instead of letting this happen, try sticking with your regularly scheduled snacks and incorporate a small amount of the candy you are craving. An example would be apple slices with peanut butter topped with a few M&Ms. This will leave you feeling comfortably full, energized, and will avoid the spike and crash in energy that would come with eating candy alone.
Be intentional about the timing of when you choose to eat candy- We utilize quick sugars while we are working out, which is why sports products are often relatively high in sugar. Gummy bears and Swedish fish can be an occasional substitute for your usual in-training snack to keep you going during those longer runs. This is a great way to get those sugars working to support your body’s energy needs rather than breaking into the candy jar as a late-night snack.
This is not a green light to add candy to snacks, workouts, and any time you are feeling like it. This is a green light to say most foods can be incorporated into our lives in moderation without derailing health goals and can actually help us improve our relationship with food.
