Yes, it's that time of year again, when goblins and ghosts creep from their lairs! For grown-ups, the scariest part of Halloween has to be the candy onslaught. Whether you love chocolate candies, sour candies, jelly beans, or the seasonal candy corn and mellowcreme pumpkins, there's a sugary treat for every taste bud.
Or, perhaps you're fearing the tasty temptations that leap out from around every corner as we approach the holiday season from October all the way to Easter. Whether you celebrate or not, holiday treats are everywhere, from the grocery store to the workplace, to family gatherings and holiday parties.
So, what can you do to keep up your healthy habits, and stave off those extra holiday pounds? Here's a short-but-sweet list of tips, both from the perspective of a dietitian and a therapist, to help you stay on track during the Halloween season:
Donna's Top Five Tips for Handling Halloween
Skip the early candy shopping. Do you buy candy early for trick-or-treaters because it's on sale...then break into the bag before Halloween arrives? Do it differently this year, and buy shortly before Halloween.
Sure, you might save a dollar or two buying candy early, but consider: How much time will you need to burn off those extra candy calories? How much is your time worth to you? How much do you value your health?
If you have to buy candy early, choose candy you don't like. Or, take advantage of environmental control, and ask a friend to warehouse your candy for you. That'll reduce the likelihood of hearing the candy call to you before Halloween arrives.
Start keeping track. If you're not tracking what you're eating and drinking, consider doing so. Tracking is the most effective way to help you see what's working, and where you can make positive changes.
Keep in mind that you don't have to do weight management perfectly to do it well. If there are particular situations that are challenging, you may want to track just those. For example, you may want to track just candy you eat out of the candy dish at work. You can keep it simple by making a hash mark on a sticky note. Anything you can do to increase eating awareness will help you notice what's happening, so you can do things differently to support your healthy habits goals.
Make a plan to stay active in October. You can shorten the length or intensity of workouts, or choose to engage in lifestyle activity instead of a typical workout, but commit to being person who moves their body through space every day!
Physical activity not only helps you with weight management, it benefits your mind and your mood. So find ways to keep moving--park further away, take the stairs, get up and dance at parties, walk your dog for an extra 15 minutes.
Steer clear of the scarcity mentality. It's easy to think "I won't see mallowcreme pumpkins again until next year...!" or "The only time I have mini chocolate candy bars is during October..." The truth is that if you want candy corn or mallowcreme candy or mini chocolate bars, you can find them online whenever you want them! Don't fall prey to overindulgence just because it's the holiday season...which lasts for 3 months!
Focus on maintaining. If you're working on weight loss, consider changing your focus to weight maintenance through the holiday season. Weight loss is challenging under the best of circumstances; it's downright difficult during the holidays. Maintaining weight, however, is realistic for most people. For more support with weight maintenance through the holiday season, just click here!
I'll be sharing more tips in November and December to help you stay on track with your healthy habits through the holiday season. If you need more support through the holidays to maintain your physical or mental health, I encourage you to find a therapist or dietitian who can help you stay happy and healthy through the holiday season. You deserve to thrive!
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