Halloween Horror Nights

Halloween unofficially marks the beginning of the holiday feasting season.  For anyone trying to watch his or her weight, the scariest part of Halloween is not ghosts and goblins but the ever-abundant Halloween candy (at least for me it is).  Sugar and mostly empty calories is what you get in candy, and the truth is that most of us don’t exercise enough to warrant those extra calories.

Those cute little fun-size candy bars seem harmless - and they are, if you can limit how many you eat.  That's easier said than done.  All it takes is an additional 100 calories a day or the equivalent of one snack-sized chocolate bar and most of us will experience weight gain before we even know it (insert scream now).  When your cabinets are loaded with candy and the kids come home with bags full of even more treats, it's hard to resist.  Many people try to decrease the temptation at home by bringing their extra candy into work, hoping to feel less guilty if they see their co-workers indulging.

Don’t get sucked into the "see food diet" mentality that makes you want to eat the candy simply because you see it and not because you are hungry.  We eat more foods if they're visible because it causes us to think about it more, and every time you see the candy bowl you have to decide whether you want a piece of candy or not.  Simply thinking of food can make you hungry, so when you see or smell something associated with food, like the shiny foil-wrapped Kisses, it can actually make you salivate.

But there are ways to keep your hands out of the candy jar so you can avoid packing on some extra pounds even before the holiday season starts.  Here are some quick tips to help you avoid the temptation of Halloween goodies, at home and at the office:

1.) Buy candy you don't love - if you don't like it, you won't eat it.
2.) Out of sight, out of mind - if you can't see it, you're less likely to eat it.
3.) Chew gum - if you satisfy your taste buds with sugar-free gum,you won't want something else.                    
4.) Replace the candy with better choices - how about fruit, nuts & granola?
5.) Count the empty wrappers - hold yourself accountable.

If you try to implement these tips you'll have a better chance of staying on track and also feel better about your choices.  Besides, the last time I snuck into the Halloween candy bag in my pantry, I heard the theme from "Friday the 13th" in there - chh, chh, chh, haa, haa, haa!  Happy Halloween everyone!