Tips to Help Keep the Halloween Treats in Check

This time of year can be hard if you are actively trying to lose or maintain your weight. Halloween treats and gatherings are in abundance and it can be easy to get sucked into a cycle of overindulgence and guilt.

I often read in my client check-in’s:

“I got out of control with the candy after the kids went to bed…” or “we have a 2 parties this weekend and another one next weekend!”

The reality is that we cannot avoid treats and parties all together, but we also cannot choose to indulge in everything. I am not trying to make you feel guilty about Halloween candy, but I do need to be frank about going overboard. We cannot expect to have no boundaries and get the results we want. Our expectations must align with the level of commitment we are willing to exercise.

Here a few tips to help keep your treats in check:

Remember that the exact same candy is available on a year round basis. I am not sure what it is about making candy “fun size” and slapping a scary bat or witch on the wrapper that makes it more tempting, but for some reason it is!
Make serving size baggies of treats that can be logged vs. having an open candy bowl where mindless snacking can get out of control in a hurry.
Log your treat before you eat it to make sure it fits your numbers. Here’s a look at some of the most commonly loved Halloween candy and their macros:

Halloween candy macro cheat sheet #halloweencandy #macrodiet #macros #stayfitmom

Once you’re done with your serving size, drink some water or brush your teeth to get the taste of sugar out of your mouth and decrease the temptation to go back for more. Keep the rest of it out of site and out of mind.
Make sure that you have eaten a healthy meal and are hydrated prior to indulging in your treats!
Put boundaries on how much and how often you are going to allow yourself a treat. Remember that it’s not just about hitting your numbers, but food quality. We wouldn’t allow our kids to binge on candy and expect them to feel good and be healthy, so why is it ok for us? I also think it’s great to set boundaries by example for your family. Why would you let your kids eat lots of junk that you wouldn’t eat yourself?

If you have a bad day or slip up, look at the reasons that led you to overindulge and minimize them to avoid future mishaps!

Having a plan will help you enjoy this Trick or Treat season with good memories instead of guilt!