by CASSIE MCINTYRE
CTFashionMag.com
For many of us fall festivity season is the best season of all, especially with the arrival of Halloween.
We get to dress up in fun costumes and bring our kids door to door for trick-or-treating.
Also don’t forget fall fair season was in peak week a few weekends ago.
Now what happens for those of us who are trying to keep our nutrition on track or want to get it back on track? It can be a scary thought knowing you might have given in to the ”sugar monster” this season but here are some useful tips to regain your nutritional sanity:
Buy candy at the last possible minute. When you don’t have candy and treats close by, it’s easier for those of us with a sweet tooth to avoid the temptation. You won’t be snacking on those Kit Kats or Butterfingers if you don’t have them. Don’t fret about buying your candy last minute either, many stores are open on Halloween and for easier check out you could go to a CVS or a Walgreens. Their candy is usually on super sale Halloween day.
Don’t buy too much candy. It’s easy to go overboard in places like BJ’s Wholesale Club, Sam’s, or even Walmart when the price is so good for the 5 pound bag of treats. Try to estimate how much candy you’ll need for the trick-or-treaters this year so you won’t have leftovers. If you end up with leftover candy every year maybe toss a few extra pieces into those kiddos plastic pumpkins. They’ll be happy you were in the giving mood.
For those of us who cannot help themselves, buy candy you don’t like. If you buy the Halloween candies that are your least favorite you’ll be less tempted to eat them. For example, I saw Goldfish crackers in Halloween themed snack packs this year and those are my weakness. Needless to say, I won’t be buying those and will probably be giving out a mix of pretzels with Reese’s cups. Also, if you buy healthy treats or the healthier options, you won’t be so stressed out about binging on all the sugar. Look for Halloween treats like pretzels, popcorn, and graham crackers that are colorfully decorated with pumpkins or ghosts. One of my favorite brands, Annie’s, makes a Halloween-themed “bunny graham” snack pack. They may be a little pricier to buy vs. Hershey’s products but they are filled with whole grains and less sugar.
Lastly, workout the morning of Halloween! Now that fair season is at a slow end it’s time to get back into the gym. If there was ever a day to not skip your workout Halloween is it. Start your day off right with a cardio session of at least 30 minutes. That’s at least 30 minutes of walking, jogging, or HIIT cardio. If you can’t make it to the gym or don’t have a gym membership, the season is off to a good start and it’s still plenty nice outside to go for a walk. It would be a nice change of scene to soak in that fall foliage and really appreciate that brisk autumn air. Remember, nobody’s perfect so if you complete your workout in the morning and have a few pieces of candy that night its okay. You’ll have a little room for the extra sugar you’re eating that day anyway.
Overall, it’s not the end of the world if you end up eating more candy than you planned. Tell yourself it’s “OK” and tomorrow is a new day. Remember to eat your normal meals for Halloween day, opt for high fiber foods and drink plenty of water. A full stomach will help you be less tempted to eat sugar at the end of the night. Enjoy your trick-or-treating and remember to stay safe and healthy this Halloween.
Happy Haunting!
Cassie McIntyre is a NASM certified personal trainer, a yoga instructor, nutritional coach, and works at LA Fitness.
