You know that feeling when you walk into the break room at work and there are bowls overflowing with candy and stuff that you have vowed to yourself you wouldn’t eat?
How about when your kids are asking you to buy oversized bags of candy for the trick-or-treaters AND then they come home with even more?!
And then there are the days following the horror show….where there is candy confronting you everywhere; huge piles on the dining room table, empty wrappers found here and there, and the sweet smell of cheap chocolate in the air?
Sigh…oh to be 9 again and not have a care in the world and especially to not even think twice about scarfing down obscene amounts of sweets.
That time of year is upon us. All the candy and treats, and it’s not even November yet!
But there is hope!
IF you really don’t want to indulge in that waist-expanding nonsense (and that is a big IF), you don’t have to. You CAN opt out but you have to want it enough to really take action.
Here are 7 tips for staying away from the candy and the sweets during Halloween time.
- Whatever you do, don’t let yourself get too hungry. Eat ample protein, fat, and fiber at every meal. And remind yourself that you don’t snack normally, why should this time of year be any different.
- If you must buy candy, buy late and not so great. Wait until the day before or the day of to buy your candy for the trick-or-treaters. All the good candy will probably be gone, but that’s exactly what you want. The freeloaders can have their mediocre candy if it means you will eat less of it because it’s not the good stuff.
- Put your mouth on lockdown. Bring your toothbrush to work and brush your teeth after every meal. If you like gum, chew some throughout this period to keep your mouth busy.
- When in doubt, drink it out. Small amounts of water throughout the day will help stop you from falling into the trap of mistaking thirst for hunger or a craving. Bring water with you everywhere you go.
- Think like a zen monk. Do you think zen monks run around mindlessly chewing on milk chocolate filled with hydrogenated fats? Pay attention to what you put in your mouth: Every. Single. Time. This is true always but especially during candy-crazy season.
- Keep it out of your sight. If you know there is some craziness with candy going on in the break room, don’t go in. Avoid it like the plague. When you see wrappers lying around, throw them out immediately (or better yet, make your kids do it). Once Halloween is over, get rid of the extra candy, by any means necessary. And if your kids have a stash, tell them to hide it or the Halloween goblin will steal it. Remember, out of sight, out of mind!
- Okay, you can have one or two pieces, BUT THAT’S IT! This only works and is only allowed if you do not go back for more, by the way. If you do have some candy, please, please, please promise me you will sit down, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, notice the aroma and then chew that candy ever so slowly. This will help prevent bingeing and it will probably make you realize that the candy actually is not that tasty anyway. If you still find it tasty after slowly chewing and really truly paying attention to all the sensations in your mouth, that’s okay because now you have eaten mindfully and you’ll be less likely to go back for more.
So, go forth into the wilderness wearing your weapons and armor. You will be so happy you did. The momentary and fleeting sensation associated with too much candy is just not worth it!
