With October 31st right around the corner, calorie-laden chocolate bars and sugary sweets are out in full force. Everyone knows that Halloween candy calories add up quickly, but it can be a real challenge to avoid Halloween candy when it’s everywhere you look. Luckily, there are plenty of simple, yet effective strategies you can use to trick yourself into staying on track with your weight goals.
- Get Candy You Don’t Like. When it’s time to stock up on candy at the grocery store, most of us will instinctively reach for the candy that we enjoy the most. Buy your least favorite candy instead. It’s the easiest way to remove the temptation of snacking on sweets at home.
- Buy Less, Give More. With grocery stores offering deals and discounts on candy this time of year, it’s hard not to stock up. When you find yourself in the candy aisle, buy the bare minimum you think you’ll need for Halloween, and dole out generous portions of candy when the trick-or-treaters come to your door. This helps you avoid having leftover candy lingering in the house after Halloween.
- Chew Sugarless Gum. Some studies have shown that chewing can not only help relieve stress, it can also satisfy a craving for sweets. Next time you feel an overwhelming urge to eat candy, just chew low-calorie gum until your sweet tooth is satisfied.
- Give Away the Leftovers. Bring whatever is left of your Halloween candy haul to work, and keep it far away from your desk or workstation. Alternatively, you can donate leftover candy to a number of different charities, or search for a Halloween candy buyback located near you. Buybacks are typically held at dentist offices with the goal of removing excess Halloween candy from kids, but lots of local businesses have jumped on board with the program, too.
- Buy Candy the Day Before Halloween. Normally, waiting until the last minute to shop for seasonal items is a bad idea. In the case of Halloween, however, procrastination is your best friend. If you minimize the number of days that candy is sitting around your house, you don’t have to worry about snacking on it for weeks leading up to Halloween night.
- Choose High-Cocoa Chocolate (For Yourself). If you have to buy chocolate, opt for dark chocolate with 70–85 percent cocoa. It contains less sugar when compared to milk chocolate, and it’s a good source of important minerals like magnesium, zinc, and iron. Kids may not enjoy the taste of it, but if you’re going to allow yourself some candy this Halloween, it may as well be a healthy variety.
- Store Candy Out-Of-Reach. The more conveniently located the candy, the higher your consumption will be. Put it on the highest shelf in the kitchen, or in a place where you have to go up or down a staircase to get to it. If you have to go up a flight of stairs or break out a step stool to reach your stash of candy, you are far less likely to binge on it.
- Count the Empty Wrappers. Don’t throw the wrapper away immediately after eating a piece of candy. Keep each wrapper in front of you and let them accumulate, so you can see exactly how much you’re eating. This encourages moderation, making you far more likely to pace yourself and avoid mindless overeating.
- Substitute Candy with a Sweet Beverage. If your sweet tooth must be satisfied, sip a cup of light hot chocolate, fruity kombucha, or a mug of apple cider. You might be surprised how well it works to stave off sugar cravings!
Still feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of maintaining your weight through the holidays? Right Weight Center offers a variety of personalized programs that are designed to help you reach your goals in a supportive, physician-directed setting. We offer fat-burning boosters and four different weight loss plans to help you lose or maintain your weight.
We also offer free weight loss consultations from one of our board-certified staff. Give us a call at 301-345-7885! You can also walk-in during our office hours.
