Halloween Weight Gain--should you Trick or Treat yourself?

All right my little trick or treaters, it’s that time again, the Holiday season. Where statistics show we gain the MOST weight during the year…..ouch. If you couldn’t fit into your Princess Leia costume this year, that’s a shame, you wasted a great outfit!

Halloween is that sneaky holiday that creeps around the corner and attacks with a vengeance! All of the candy disguises itself as cute, bite-size, harmless treats so we can’t resist. One leads to five and next thing you know, you’re sitting there with a belly ache. We become like Hoover’s and inhale everything we wish we could during the rest of the year simply because “it’s the holidays.” It is a very dangerous time for the health-conscious and anyone looking to drop weight.

And yes your trainer has a hard time also. Those damn peeps ---I try to avoid the candy aisle in CVS. If I make eye contact with those nasty little marshmallow ghosts, it’s all over. They call my name!!! Don’t get me wrong. Having a treat is not the end-all. I am a firm believer in moderation. You can enjoy a healthy Halloween and still reach your goals. By following a few simple rules you can avoid that Halloween hangover……

Our neighborhood is not good for trick-or-treat. We’re lucky to see 1 kid. So we don’t have to buy bags of candy, we still buy a small bag just in case, here’s a couple tips to help you through:

1. Buy candy you DON’T like. If you don’t like a specific type of candy, buy it and hand it out to trick-or-treaters. Purchasing candy that is not enticing to you will increase your chances of not over indulging. I thought LeeAnne and I agreed on Butterfingers—not sure if she still sampled one:)
2.  Eat a healthy meal right before the kids start knocking. Having a full satisfied stomach while handing out candy might make it less tempting to dig into the candy bowl.
3. Make sure that you don’t substitute candy for a meal. If you think that eating 10 pieces of candy exempts you from a proper nutritional meal … think again. This kind of eating is a sure way to help you GAIN weight fast.
4.  Don’t keep that extra candy! I used to give extra treats to the kids towards the end of the night if I thought I was going to have too much leftover. Don’t keep it in the house, bring it to work and place it in the kitchen area –just don’t go looking for it!!
5.  Some folks hand out healthy options; passing along some healthy eating habits to trick-or-treaters. Instead of handing out candy, hand out snacks that are healthy. This is a tough one, but there are healthier versions of stuff we love…………
6.  Don’t miss workouts that week ---keep the momentum going. Keep in mind that Halloween is the non-stop train to temptation town, but if you stick with your nutrition and exercise routine plan, you can indulge a little and still stay healthy during the holidays!
7.  Just say NO! This does take willpower, but if you’re training for your High School Reunion you may have to resist. It won’t kill you to say “No”. By saying no, you can rest assured that later on you won’t need to fight to burn that extra weight. When someone offers you candy during the Halloween season, you really don’t have to say “yes” each time it’s offered to you!
8.  If you do decide to have something, don’t feel guilty. But make it count! Find that ONE piece of candy you LOVE and enjoy. Right after, it’s back to steering clear of holiday weight gain through exercise and conscious, healthy food choices.

I am not saying these are exactly healthy holiday treats, but they do contain fewer calories than a lot of their counterparts.

Some health(ier) Halloween treats:
• AbbaZabba, small (12 g) 50 calories and 11 g carb
• Raisinettes (Fun size – about 16 pieces) clock in at 56 calories and 11 g carbs.
• Three Musketeers, Fun size (15 g) – 64 calories and 11 g carb
• Snickers Bars, Fun size (17 g) – 80 calories and 10 g carb
• M&Ms, plain, Fun size (18 g) – 88 calories and 12 g carb

So here we are, the Holiday Season. Everyone loves this time of year and for some of us it’s non-stop until January 2. That’s another blog! Don’t wait until New Year’s to make your resolution. The time is now! So get into your Catwomen costume and ENJOY your Halloween and when it’s over get right back on track. Halloween doesn't have to be scary for your diet. By proper planning, you can make sure you stay on track with your eating and still have a great time. Happy Halloween!!

Keep Training!!