October 31st kicks off the “Season of Giving.” The giving of extra inches to our waistlines and pounds on the scale.
It starts with Halloween, quickly followed by the ultimate culprit, Christmas! It’s unfortunate that the most wonderful time of the year, to some, has become a time of fear and focus on restricting, or the opposite, overindulging and having feelings of guilt from doing so. It’s meant to be a time of celebration, connection, and festivities.
We believe that this can, in fact, be the happiest time of year, full of celebration, good food, and joy, all while maintaining a healthy balanced lifestyle.
We are going to start by giving a few tips on how to appropriately manage Halloween and all the extra temptations that go along with it!
1. Wait it out – If you plan to give out Halloween candy, wait until the last day to buy your goodies. We can almost guarantee that the shelves will still be full of candy on the morning of October 31st, and this way, you’ll avoid the temptation of diving into it days before the kids come to collect it
2. Make it easy – One way to avoid the constant temptation of “just one more” candy is to buy the candy that doesn’t really appeal to you. You’re much less likely to overdo it on candy that isn’t overly appetizing to you.
3. Have a plan – Like we said, we still want people to be able to enjoy this time of year, and not feel completely deprived. So, we encourage our nutrition members to have a plan ahead of time, and stick to it. That plan can and should include a treat that makes you feel satisfied and content. For example, perhaps on the night of October 31st, instead of digging into boxed candy that has likely been on store shelves for longer then we’d like to know, plan to make yourself a delicious meal with quality ingredients, and finish it off with a treat of substance, that is actually satisfying and delicious.
BONUS TIP
It’s okay to throw away – “I just can’t bring myself to throw away left over candy.” But, why? You know that it is not good for you (or your kids). You know that loads of left over candy will only make you feel physically unwell, and test your ability to avoid the temptation day after day. We give you permission. Or, even better, only buy a little bit in the first place. If you happen to run out before the kids stop coming, I am sure they will find plenty more down the street.
Interested in getting some more help with keeping your nutrition on track during this season? Come chat with us. We’d love to support you, keep you accountable, and guide you to your healthiest self in 2021.