Lions and Tigers and Calories, Oh My!

With Halloween quickly approaching, strolling through Target sipping our pumpkin lattes inevitably leads us to the colorful aisles of costumes, decorations, and ROWS of candy. Along with all the new fragrances of Glade PlugIns in our carts, fall just seems the perfect time to buy an XL bag of mini Snickers, right? It's getting cooler (sweaters), there's excitement in the air (holidays are coming!), and it's on sale (who doesn't love a sale?). Americans actually bought about 600 MILLION POUNDS and spent over 2 BILLION DOLLARS on Halloween candy last year. So before you stock up for yourself, err, the trick-or-treaters, read on for the reasons you may want to steer clear of the aisle all together.

Denial Ain't Just a River in Egypt

There was a time when I relied on my blissful state of self-induced ignorance to get me through the pumpkin muffins and mini-candy bars (those teeny little guys can't be too bad) of the season. But as I was looking up the calories in a Panera Chai Tea Latte (200) I dared to look at the info for the pumpkin muffin that had fulfilled my "fall" flavor craving a time or two. 590 Calories. Needless to say I now steer clear of them, or at least split one for the love of pete, and I learned to move my joy of blissful ignorance to alcohol. ;)

Back away from the candy!

For those of you, who like me, would never buy a regular-sized Snickers (271 cals) but can saw through six or seven minis (426+) without blinking an eye, check out this handy visual from Fit Sugar of what 100 calories looks like for some of your fave treats this Halloween. Yes, it's harder to sit down with a bag of Reeces when you know just one of the cups will nab 100 calories off your daily total. While it is fun to pretend that all those little things here and there surely can't add up to much, it's also a bummer when you all of the sudden can't button your jeans. Before Thanksgiving.

We all know the mini versions don't list the nutritional info on each little package, so be true to yourself and keep the big bag. Enjoy a 100 or 200-cal portion, and tell your kids to hide the rest of the bag from you. In a good spot, in case Mommy goes on a tear through the house in desperation. Remember, next month we celebrate stuffing ourselves to the point of having to nap for 30 minutes to make room for pie, and the next month is FULL of parties, snacks, baking, treats, dinners, and hiding underneath winter clothes! And who wants to struggle through January anyway? You will want to make New Year's resolutions about reading more, volunteering more, or doing something other than losing the 10 pounds you packed on from now until then, I promise.

Temptation Is Not An Excuse

Feeling tempted by the bowls of candy at the office, the kids' treats you signed up to bring to the Halloween party, and the commercial madness in stores with neon lights pointing to chocolate? Take a step back and remind yourself of these things before you splurge every time:

* Being healthy requires dedication and sacrifice. Any sort of goal does, for that matter. People train for marathons, study for exams and work like mad for that promotion; they don't simply get there one day without hard work. The same goes for losing weight or toning your abs or whatever health goal you have your sights set on. Yes it sucks, but there is a limit to the amount of candy-nibbling we can do without stepping backwards, or...forwards, on the scale. You know that saying from Weight Watchers, "Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels." Yep, annoying. And true.

* The hour you spent sweating like a maniac at Fusion was hard, and felt good. Sometimes it truly helps to think back to the morning when you were blasting out star jumps like a champ--is a couple minutes of eating sweets worth negating all that hard work? Turn on the radio to hear a song you normally sweat to, close your eyes, and take yourself back to the studio, dripping in sweat and heart pounding. That you can do without the candy, right? And the next time you're contemplating that cupcake at the school party, imagine how it got there: bought three days ago at the store, left in the car so not to be forgotten, dropped by little brother on the way in, and displayed in the back of the classroom for the kids (and you) to drool over. Save your cals for something more worth the woman you are!

* You have the ability to focus your attention elsewhere. Craving sweets? Have a piece of gum. Just in the mood to put something in your mouth? Grab a cup of tea or coffee, read a book, or go for a walk. Health Magazine suggests, "if you can identify the emotions behind the craving (i.e. boredom, anxiety, etc.), you can try to find ways to fulfill those needs that are more productive than sinking your teeth into a 500-calorie sugar bomb." The next time your co-workers' candy bowl is singing to you like Homer's mermaids, remember this craving will pass and find a distraction. Those mermaids lured sailors in to destroy them!

An Occasional Spurge Does Not a Failure Make

 

Once in a while, you might look down and gasp at the pile of wrappers on your lap. Jot it down in the "whoops" column and move on. "I have this conversation all the time with my clients," says Sadie, the Fusion instructor with twin boys who can almost make you cry. "Just because you have one bad day doesn't mean you've sabotaged your diet and now you're fat. Continuing down that path can lead in that direction though, so just work out a little harder the next day, watch what you eat, and you'll be back on track."

If you really feel the need to eat an entire package of Halloween Oreos, beef up the exercise the next couple days in your workouts but also in the little things that add up, such as taking the stairs, parking at the back of the lot, or alternating squats and crunches each time you feel the urge to splurge. Beating yourself up for the slip up will only lead to guilt, feelings of failure, and a possible "well this week is blown, I'll try again next Monday" attitude on a Tuesday night. Don't do it!

Find Other Activities Besides Eating

 

Yes it's fun to make caramel apples, pumpkin cookies, candy houses, etc. The mom guilt especially kicks in when you see all the things you can make and eat with your kids to celebrate Halloween when all you want to do is sit at Starbucks with your pumpkin latte, alone. BUT, choose a treat or two, then get out and enjoy the rest of what fall has to offer! There are plenty of crafts to satisfy the kids, and the weather is still beautiful enough to read in the park, play football with the kids, or stroll through nature with your coffee rather than through the florescent lights of Target. Take a walk and enjoy the leaves sailing on the wind and crunching under your feet. Visit the pumpkin patch or find your way through a good ol' Kansas corn maze. Spend time relaxing and raking the leaves, then jump in the big pile and throw them in the air like you're in a Norman Rockwell painting. There are so many things to do to satisfy the itch for fall.

 

Enjoy and Destroy

Yes this is the one holiday where kids are allowed to eat insane amounts of candy and run around until way past their bedtime. But many kids (and adults) eat their leftovers for days and weeks after the big night, leading to excess calories, high blood sugar, decreased attention span and cavities. Set a good example for the kids by letting them enjoy the big day, and then getting rid of the excess. Send it with dad to work the next day, hide it from the kids in the trash, or check out this great program, Halloween Candy Buyback. Local dentists buy the leftovers from your kids and send tons of candy to troops overseas--smiles all around.

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Whatever ways you get through the upcoming months of eating, drinking, eating, and drinking, empower yourself with nutritional knowledge, resist temptations as best you can, and give yourself some slack. Everything in moderation. But remember, this beautiful, peaceful season doesn't have to be muddled by our culture of junk food; fall is full of ripening veggies like sweet potatoes, squash, eggplants and brussel sprouts, bursting with fresh flavors and nutrients ready to be made into new recipes. Rustling through the leaves on an evening walk and coming home to a delicious bowl of warm soup (like these recipes) sounds a lot more appealing than eating chocolate until your teeth hurt, right?

Autum Chicken Stew from Eating Well Magazine