Healthy Living
Six Tricks to Fool Your Halloween Temptations
Although there’s nothing wrong with enjoying some Halloween candy, it can be difficult to resist when you feel surrounded by it. These six tips will help empower you while creating some distance between you, the candy stash and your cravings to make indulging in a few Halloween treats more enjoyable.
1. Question Yourself – Is it worth it? It’s incredibly easy to eat food because it’s sitting in front of you, even when you’re not overly fond of it. If you absolutely love milk chocolate but aren’t a big fan of jellybeans pay attention to your candy preference. Or selectively choose the type of chocolate bar you like over others and hold out for that specific chocolate bar you prefer.
2. Mindfully Choose When to Snack. Eating while distracted often results in overindulgence, for the simple reason that you aren’t paying attention to the quality or quantity of the food being consumed. This is very easy to do with snack foods like chips and candy. Sample one of your favorite Halloween candies but intentionally do so, so you can truly enjoy the full sensual experience of something sweet, salty or sour. Avoid eating in front of the TV or computer so you can savor it without distraction.
3. Don’t Seek Out the Candy Stash When Hungry. As you likely know, going grocery shopping on an empty stomach is an ill-advised decision. So is snacking on Halloween candy when you’re experiencing peak hunger levels! When you’re hungry and blood sugar levels have dropped, it’s natural that your body will crave sweets. They seem like the best option for quickly and efficiently raising your glucose levels. Instead grab some fruit and yogurt or cottage cheese, and your blood sugar levels will be restored and will also remain elevated for a longer time which is more beneficial than eating Halloween candy.
4. Eat Something Healthy with Your Candy. It seems counterintuitive, but eating Halloween treats along with a healthy snack does a great job in terms of preventing overindulgences in junk food. Try a complementary food that contains a combination of protein and fat, like nuts or hard cheese (both pair well with chocolate.) Or, try eating a satiating salad or a ZeroPoint® soup about half an hour before enjoying something sweet from the candy bowl to help fill you up.
5. Check Your Mood. Sugar cravings can be reactionary to hormone changes, specifically leptin and serotonin, which can cause you to seek out treats and sweets when your mood is low (a.k.a. comfort eating.) If you find yourself craving sugar as a stress response, it may be beneficial to record these events, triggers, and feelings to better understand and identify eating habits and patterns.
6. Indulge When It’s Enjoyable. Halloween only comes once a year, and these fun-sized treats are a big part of the trick or treating tradition. Although their small size can make it tempting to overindulge, they’re also key for portion-controlled desserts or snacks. Thanks to the flexibility of our Points® Budget system fitting Halloween treats into your plan is easy so you can smartly enjoy a guilt-free indulgence!
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