Tricks to Help You Limit Treats
What exactly does candy have to do with what Halloween is supposed to celebrate? I know; eating candy and trying to stay healthy is quite scary. Booo! Not to worry, logging your calories on Halloween will be a breeze. Whether you plan to avoid candy all together, have a bite or two, or go all out, here’s a list of tricks to keep you from eating too many treats.
Pick Your Poison
I hate going on record about how to eat something that has so little nutritional value, but the truth is many of you will succumb to the candy tactics of the day. So instead of acting like the day isn’t coming, plan ahead. Use Calorie Count’s Candy Browser to determine which treat you will have. Stick to eating one or two treats and if possible, go for the sample size rather than the full size.
Give More Tricks than Treats
If you’re not going trick-or- treating with kids and are planning to answer your door, buy bags of small Halloween-themed toys like fake spiders, stickers, or stampers to give out in handfuls as opposed to candy. If you must, buy one bag of candy to mix in with the other fun-filled items. Keeping the candy separate may tempt you way too much.
Don’t Overcompensate
Some people think exercising more will compensate for overeating on Halloween, but don’t fall into this trap. Stick to your regular exercise routine and don’t overcompensate after indulging on Halloween. The takeaway is that your diet and exercise is a lifestyle. Eating Halloween candy is an anomaly and should not affect your daily routine.
For a Limited Time Only
If you’re going trick-or-treating with kids, limit your trip to a set time so you don’t allow their buckets to get too full. If the Halloween party you’re attending provides a goodie bag, eat what you want at the party and leave the bag there. Throw out kids’ candy the next day. Chances are you and the kids will eat more candy the night of Halloween than you should. Don’t give them or yourself a reason to do that two days in a row.
Not all About the Sweets
Getting dressed in a costume is not the only way to celebrate Halloween. Cook a healthy Halloween meal with lots of protein and fiber. Make it festive with Halloween recipes and decorate with Halloween-themed place settings and invite friends over. Adding games and sharing scary stories will round out the night and shorten the time you think about candy. To keep your mind occupied, do arts and crafts. Decorating mini-pumpkins or getting a Halloween-themed coloring book are a few examples.
Bring Your Own Treat
The kiddies have little pumpkin pails of candy, but what’s in your pail? If you’re going to be out for more than an hour, bring your own healthy treats. A bottle of water is a must, but also bring a piece of fruit or two, a bag of nuts, or any small snack that will keep you satisfied so that you don’t end up eating whatever other people have to offer, which on Halloween night is going to be anything but healthy.
Your thoughts…
How do you plan to shun the Halloween candy run?
Comments
Good tips here...I'll definately check out the candy browser. But honestly, there's no way that I can limit myself and do it successfully on Halloween, haha. Just one night.
We used to let our kids eat as much of it as they wanted for a day or two and then I would throw it all away. I figured let them celebrate it, but don't let it linger around the house. Now they are grown and there are no trick or treaters in our neighborhood. If I had young children I might consider throwing a party for them where the treats could be monitored ... maybe combine that with some limited "trick or treating"
I think kids (& parents) will eat as much as they can in the "limited time only" if they know the rest will be thrown out. Don't over indulge, moderate...
The trick for me to avoid those Halloween treats is to have a healthy treat everyday! I have a Chocolate Shakeology smoothie everyday after I workout. This has been key to my 100 lb weight loss success as I have not had any unhealthy sweats in the past 15 months. What I have found so surprising is that I don't even miss them and the reason for that is I have a chocolate smoothie everyday that tastes better than a Wendy's frostie!
Perhaps you would be so kind as to share what you put in your chocolate smoothie? I'm interested in trying substitutions for the unhealthy stuff!
Original Post by: coachtodThe trick for me to avoid those Halloween treats is to have a healthy treat everyday! I have a Chocolate Shakeology smoothie everyday after I workout. This has been key to my 100 lb weight loss success as I have not had any unhealthy sweats in the past 15 months. What I have found so surprising is that I don't even miss them and the reason for that is I have a chocolate smoothie everyday that tastes better than a Wendy's frostie!
Sorry, but I didn't manage to target you in my comment... could you share the ingredients you put into your smoothie? I'm looking for new ideas!
Original Post by: jamama3The Devil is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Research the origin of Halloween and let that motivate you to shun anything in connection with it.
This is not a religious forum. If you don't like Halloween that's your business, don't try to spoil everyone else's fun.
Original Post by: mweheOriginal Post by: jamama3The Devil is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Research the origin of Halloween and let that motivate you to shun anything in connection with it.
This is not a religious forum. If you don't like Halloween that's your business, don't try to spoil everyone else's fun.
I agree with the right to say that here. It's a discussion on Halloween, and if that's her view on Halloween then by all means thank you for your opinion. I am happy the kids enjoy Halloween and it doesn't carry nearly any of that devil meaning to them in any way. So, I won't be recommending anyone cut it out entirely, but she can't spoil my fun unless I let it, and I don't want to squash anyone's right to speak.
Original Post by: jamama3The Devil is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Research the origin of Halloween and let that motivate you to shun anything in connection with it.
Research the origin of Halloween yourself. It originates from the 6th-century Celtic tradition of Samhain, a festival to close the harvest. Observers believed that the spirits of loved ones who had passed were closest to the mortal world during this time and honored them with feasts, bonfires, and offerings. It was later merged with the Catholic All-Saints Day (Hallowmas) during the attempt to convert rural pagans to the Roman religion. There is nothing devilish about the origin of Halloween - but since early Christians feared death and the dead, the cultural connotations have obviously been considerably altered.
Theological discussions aside, I don't observe Halloween and am doing my best to stay out of parties, candy-buying, and other pitfalls. Thanks for the candy browser though, in case I get sucked in...
I can't believe they recommend to "throw out" candy! Seriously? I find that quite selfish.
Give what you don't want away, many people have nothing.
LOL at throw away the kids candy. Written by someone who probably has never tried to do this, or has clueless kids. Kids are smarter than you think.
Also looks like the crazy christians and health nuts have something in common thinking Halloween is evil. Hilarious...
Original Post by: mweheOriginal Post by: jamama3The Devil is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Research the origin of Halloween and let that motivate you to shun anything in connection with it.
This is not a religious forum. If you don't like Halloween that's your business, don't try to spoil everyone else's fun.
booya! my thoughts exactly!
I usually don't try to limit myself on holidays. I eat healthy and exercise a little bit extra the day before, then let myself enjoy the main even with as much guilt-free relish as possible. Having the freedom to celebrate like everyone else definitely helps keep me from feeling deprived.
That being said, being vegan limits my candy intake anyway, so what splurges I do enjoy are sugary candies like Bottle Caps that make my teeth hurt if I eat more than a few :)
Original Post by: jamama3The Devil is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Research the origin of Halloween and let that motivate you to shun anything in connection with it.
I read that you will go to hell if you don't celebrate Halloween. I'm just saying.
As for the topic of the thread, I can't trust myself to have "just a couple" pieces of candy. So, I either plan to have none or plan to go all out.
Okay, first off, this article seems like it is punishing kids for mommy's inability to control her impulse to dive into the candy bowl. When I was a kid, I pigged out on candy on Halloween and until my bag was empty! I loved it. And I sure as hell resented the adults who tried to cheat me out of candy with cheap-o plastic toys and (gag) cheese popcorn. Besides, the plastic toys can be a choking hazard when the kid brings his/her bag home and the 2-year-old at home gets into it. I was never fat as a kid. I played soccer and danced and ran all around the playground at school. One week of candy didn't change that.
But I've observed people who just can't seem to avoid eating candy if it's available. Their solution seems to be to remove the candy from their home. Yes, I'm sure that works, but only until you find yourself in a situation where it's available to you again and then you binge. I suppose it's easier to blame the candy's existence than it is to target the root of why mommy likes to binge on sugar. Me, I'm a fat adult, but I admit that it's because of a) a hard 2 years of stress and severe insomnia, and b) I like french fries and bacon and a hard cocktail or two on the weekend. Am I going to never let my kids eat french fries? No. Why should they be denied just because I'm a grease-binging hog? Not their fault. As long as they're not binge-eating I see nothing wrong with letting them eat junk now and then.
Also, I don't see ANY reason why one shouldn't overcompensate on Halloween. Why not? Why not use those rare holidays as a personal fitness challenge to push yourself beyond your regular routine? Even if you don't keep it up, it did your body good. (This is assuming you are healthy enough to make it through, say, 2 hours of cardio insteady of a usual 90.) I always exercise a lot Thanksgiving morning, and I love it--that way I'm full of endorphins when I have to go deal with family for an evening.
I would always let my kids keep their Halloween candy, and I always ended up throwing about half of it away to make room for Christmas candy. I taught my kids that a little bit of junk was an acceptable part of an overall healthy diet and now they are grown and healthy weight. They both love to cook and create many healthy dishes of their own. Neither of them is big on sweets--they still throw away Halloween candy and birthday cake.
Original Post by: ostromkurtOriginal Post by: jamama3The Devil is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Research the origin of Halloween and let that motivate you to shun anything in connection with it.
I read that you will go to hell if you don't celebrate Halloween. I'm just saying.
As for the topic of the thread, I can't trust myself to have "just a couple" pieces of candy. So, I either plan to have none or plan to go all out.
"I read that you will go to hell if you don't celebrate Halloween. I'm just saying."
LIKES :)
I agree with many of you. I do let my kids eat all of their candy until they run out, it's not something they do all the time and I'm the one with the weight problem. I do limit the number of pieces they have in one day to avoid getting sick.
jesskilgannonThank you for your comment. My kids love to dress up wether it's Halloween or not and the talks of the devil never came up. They've never missed wearing a costume for Halloween and now I have something to say to those who think it's develish.
Original Post by: jamama3The Devil is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Research the origin of Halloween and let that motivate you to shun anything in connection with it.
Amen!! Seriously!! Temptation is temptation and it ALL has the same source... we've all heard it... resist the devil (and all of his temptations!) and he will flee... and hey, I don't know about actually BURNING calories, but this kind of resistance (when done correctly!) will definitely help you to avoid LOTS of calories!! : )
Choose to be blessed!! : )
Agree with the reactions to "throw out the candy the day after" -- obviously written by someone with no kids or who can't remembe what it's like to be a kid. . . . actually, I seem to recall a similar suggestion last year, with identical responses. ;)
anyway. Moderation iand balance are the key. In grade school, after Halloween I'd pick out a single treat I wanted in my lunch and that made the candy last well into November. If I budget for it, why should I feel guilty if I choose to have a fun-sized candy every freakin' day if I choose?
But I understand there are people who cannot "just have one" because it will trigger a binge. I'm like that with certain candies. So my way of getting around it is to buy "good" candy that I hate (anything with coconut and anything with nuts) so I know I won't eat it. then I bring the leftovers to work the next day.
Original Post by: jamama3The Devil is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Research the origin of Halloween and let that motivate you to shun anything in connection with it.
There is a story in the Bible about a man that removed the evil from his house and left it empty. It then became filled with worse than before. The moral, replacement is key. We have a harvest themed candy night at our Church around Halloween and it's a blast. Why kids with no alternative? A suprising number of adults come in costume too. Anyway, replacement works with snacking too. I have found tons of healthy snacks including cut up an apple and drizzle with a bit of lofat caramel and a few walnuts. Easy, filling and delish! There are chicken sausages on the market, healthy buns, come on, this is do-able. It just takes some planning and caring about yourself. You deserve to have fun and be healthy too.
My other trick is a mind game. In early September I promise myself some kind of Halloween treat, a small one, if I don't eat any candy until then. Time goes by so fast in my life, it's pretty painless. Then when the time comes, my body is used to no candy so it really doesn't make me feel so great. I am going for no dessert until Thanksgiving starting today. Yikes, is it really only 3 weeks away?
This is late for this Halloween, but is an option to think about for next year. For several years now I have gotten cans of soda, usually diet orange, for the trick or treaters. If I have leftovers, it is not so irresistable as the chocolate and the kids love it. I imagine they're thirsty after running around all night.
I let my daughter pick out 10 pieces of her trick-or-treat candy to keep in the pantry for when she wants a special treat. Then, we "sold" the rest to the dentist's office. They paid out $1 per pound of candy (up to 5 pounds) and gave my daughter a new toothbrush that lights up. They were sending the candy overseas to the troops. She was happy with this solution and I didn't have to keep all the candy in my house!
I just recently heard about 'sending leftover candy to the Troops... I think that is an amazing idea!!
AND for dentists offices to send it just re-inforces the no candy message that the kids get from the dentist... It's a win/win, I would say!!
FYI... when I was a Financial Manager a dentist office... I was AMAZED at the amount of candy that was in the drawers in that office... many... MANY times more than any other office I've worked in before or since!! Unbelievable amounts... hey... on second thought... I wonder if those women are actually gonna SEND it to the Troops... things that make ya go... hmmmmm... ; )
The Devil has nothing to do with Halloween. In fact the Devil is a Christian 'Fallen angel', and has nothing to do with Paganism or the origin of Halloween.
Also I don't think the candy should be thrown away, there are plenty of places you can donate unwanted candy. Why go Trick-or-treating at all if you are just going to throw away all of the candy your kids worked for?
And if you are open-minded I invite you to read some of my blog posts:
If you'd like to learn a little about the oragin of Halloween I have a blog post about it here http://katsbookofshadows.blogspot.com/2011/11/origins-of-hal loween.html
and a blog post about Samhain here http://katsbookofshadows.blogspot.com/2011/11/samhain.html
If you want to give a healthier treat to trick-or-treaters, you can give out bags of pretzels or baked chips instead of candy. Or get a few bags of those cheap toys from party stores, and give those out instead (spider rings, finger puppets, pencils, erasers, mini coloring books, crayons, stencils, etc.)
When I was a kid I always liked getting those things instead of candy because they seemed more special instead of the same Reese's peanut butter cups and Snickers I always had a ton of.
Original Post by: mewlkittenThe Devil has nothing to do with Halloween. In fact the Devil is a Christian 'Fallen angel', and has nothing to do with Paganism or the origin of Halloween.
Also I don't think the candy should be thrown away, there are plenty of places you can donate unwanted candy. Why go Trick-or-treating at all if you are just going to throw away all of the candy your kids worked for?
And if you are open-minded I invite you to read some of my blog posts:
If you'd like to learn a little about the oragin of Halloween I have a blog post about it here http://katsbookofshadows.blogspot.com/2011/11/origins-of-hal loween.html
and a blog post about Samhain here http://katsbookofshadows.blogspot.com/2011/11/samhain.html
You may be right technically but most people would consider dead spirits walking around on earth as demonic at least. Being a believer, if my relatives that have passed over came back from Heaven I would feel horrified for them as they are in an amaziing place now. If shunning the gruesome aspects of Halloween helps someone stay away from candy, more power to them. By the way, nice blog :)
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The Devil is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Research the origin of Halloween and let that motivate you to shun anything in connection with it.