By Natalie Roberts, RDN, Proactive Health by Carolinas HealthCare System
It’s hard to believe it’s already fall! Halloween is quickly approaching, and with it comes the temptation of sweet treats. The abundance of candy within reach is hard for anyone to resist, but it’s important to remember that those calorie-laden treats can be a crippling setback to an overall healthy lifestyle.
Check out these easy tips to help you outsmart candy cravings and avoid sugary temptations.
Choose wisely.
Instead of mindlessly snacking on one piece after another, savor a few of your favorite candies and set the others aside. If you have kids, help them sort through their candy. Keep the candy they like and toss out the rest.
Buy candy last minute.
Minimize the number of days that Halloween candy is in the house. If you’ve already bought it, put it in your pantry until right before Halloween. Out of sight, out of mind!
Avoid skipping meals.
Follow a normal eating routine leading up to trick-or-treating so that you're less likely to overindulge and fill up on candy.
Be active.
There’s more to Halloween than just eating candy! Turn trick-or-treating into a fun form of exercise by walking in a safe neighborhood.
Educate yourself.
The more you know, the easier it’ll be to make healthier choices. Have an idea of the calorie content of some of your favorite Halloween candies:
- 1 Fun Size M&M’s: 73 calories
- 1 Fun Size Peanut M&M’s: 90 calories
- 1 Fun Size Skittles: 80 calories
- 1 Fun Size Snickers: 80 calories
- 1 Fun Size Twix: 80 calories
- 1 Fun Size Milky Way: 80 calories
- 1 Fun Size Butterfinger: 85 calories
- 1 Mini York Peppermint Pattie: 60 calories
- 1 small box Nerds: 50 calories
Stick with “fun size.”
Always choose the “fun size” or snack-sized candies. This will satisfy your sweet tooth, while also keeping your portion control in check.
Set boundaries.
Once Halloween is over, set a date to throw out all of the extra candy that has collected in your pantry. And stick to just a couple of pieces of candy each day until then.
Enjoy the holiday.
It’s important to remember that Halloween is only one day. If you choose to indulge, enjoy it and start fresh on November 1!
Proactive Health by Carolinas HealthCare System is a new, subscription-based practice that specializes in delivering a total healthcare experience that is convenient, supportive, caring and personal. The team at Proactive Health works closely with each patient to design a personalized health and wellness plan that addresses each of the practice’s six core health pillars, which include: nutrition, medical, fitness, sleep, mindfulness and social wellness. The various pillars play a significant role in the patient’s journey to overall health and wellness.
In a series of blog posts, the Proactive Health team will be addressing common questions or concerns about each of the pillars to give insight into the importance of each pillar.
