Halloween is a favorite holiday for children, families, and yes, adults, too. Unfortunately it is also a holiday characterized by, well, treats (and less about tricks), and for some, it marks the beginning of the holiday weight gain period. You can still enjoy your favorite Halloween treats without doing damaging your diet by following some easy diet tricks.
Make Room in Your Diet for Treats
If you know you will indulge in Halloween treats, prepare for it. Reduce your sugar and empty calorie intake from other foods, such as sodas and desserts the week of Halloween. Avoid high-calorie traps like large caramel pumpkin lattes. They aren't calorie free. You can still enjoy a coffee at your favorite coffee house. Choose a small skim latte and sprinkle on a bit of cinnamon and/or nutmeg. On Halloween day, eat smaller meals. Up your vegetable intake and keep simple carbohydrate foods (like white rolls) to a minimum. Keep your mouth busy so that you are not constantly noshing on candy by sucking on hard candy or gum (sugar-free is best) while passing out candy. Sip on hot apple cider, spiced tea (unsweetened) or sugar-free hot cocoa. This will nix the empty-tummy feeling.
Choose the Best Treats and Lose the Rest
If you're going to consume treats, only the best will do. Don't waste it on candy you aren't crazy about; by the same token, do not buy and keep your favorite candy in the house. You will end up eating quite a bit of it. And be honest with yourself, you will eat the whole candy bar, whether it is fun-size or full-size.
Choose bite-sized when available, which are less than half the size of a fun-sized bar, so two or three won't do too much damage. Select candy that takes a while to eat, like lollipops or hard candies. Buy value packs of sugarless gum. Take advantage of the portion-control craze and hand out 100-calorie snack packs (look for fun Halloween designs). Leftovers can be enjoyed without guilt. Go dark when it comes to chocolate (Dove and Hershey offer small, dark chocolates). Plain, dark chocolate is still the best choice, lower in butter-fat and higher in antioxidants with a rich flavor. Try freezing your favorite bite-sized chocolate candy or dried fruit (tastes like small caramels when frozen). They last longer as they melt in your mouth.
Other Helpful Tips
Keep a diet journal to write down all of the foods you consume (and amounts) daily. Having to write down every morsel (and view it in black and white) takes the edge off your appetite. If the candies are at work, keep them out of reach and out of view. According to Brian Wansick, author of "Mindless Eating," those who leave the wrappers out after consuming candy (evidence of how many you've eaten) tend to eat fewer overall. Having a visual reminder of how much you've eaten keeps you honest and encourages you to consume less. In addition, more variety, in type of candy, color and flavor, equals more eating. When we are presented with more, we eat more, so limit the variety.
References
- Nutrition Reviews; Clinical Benefit and Preservation of Flavonols in Dark Chocolate Manufacturing; A. McShea, E. Ramiro-Puig, S.B. Munro, et al.; Nov. 2008
- Mindless Eating; Brian Wansink, PhD.; 2006
- Obesity; Package Unit Size and Amount of food: Do Both Influence Intake?; H.A. Raynor and R.R. Wing; Sep. 2007
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