Halloween In Moderation

I’ve always thought of October as “the beginning of the spiral.” I give so much effort to working out and improving my body during the summer months, only to enter the “Halloween Candy and Thanksgiving Meal” time of the year, when I start eating my way backward over my progress. And that’s only talking about the next two months; I’m not even thinking about Christmas and New Year’s celebration food yet.

To be clear: the holidays are wonderful and a reason to celebrate, but my yearly lesson is moderation. I’m not talking about diets and deficits – there’s no need for that version of misery – but instead about self-control. And Halloween is our first stop.

Some of these suggestions might sound lame, but you can’t expect much more from a “Halloween in moderation” article, can you? What’s lame to you might be useful to someone else, so stick with me:

1. Fill up first. Halloween season means we’ll have temptation [figuratively, I hope] flying at us from all sides. If you’re going to a party or gathering that’ll be a continuation of those temptations, fill up your tummy with a healthy meal first so, in theory, you won’t have “room” for the sweet stuff. This is a good first step. Call it an “attempt.” Noted: It’s okay to indulge a piece or two, but try not to overdo it.

2. Just don’t buy it. This is a funny one because it feels obvious, but it’s still somehow tricky. If you specifically don’t want to indulge in something, steer clear at the grocery store; don’t even give yourself the chance to fall short of your goal. That’s a general rule but, this month and when it comes to candy for trick-or-treaters, try buying candy you don’t like. I, as example, don’t like chocolate. So, I buy chocolate It ends up in everyone’s favor: kids love it, and I’m not tempted by it. At the end of the night, I’ll either give the remaining candy to the last kid (it’s their problem now!) or throw it in the trash can. For you, that might mean yours is the Milk Dud or Tootsie Roll House, but at least you’ll have no temptation to eat your leftover inventory. Right, does anyone actually like those?
3. Try a candy alternative. What’s more fun than trick-or-treating for a bag of pretzels or a “spooky” temporary tattoo when you’re expecting a chocolate bar? Answer: anything, almost anything. But, I assure you, kids are getting enough candy on Halloween night anyway. It’s okay to mix up your offerings a bit, especially if it’s in the name of you not having leftover candy to eat, and over-eat. You’re probably more creative than a bag of pretzels, but you see what I’m getting at.
4. Don’t be afraid to throw it away. Most of the fun of Halloween is in the traditions and occasion anyway, so don’t feel bad if you “waste” your candy collection. Last year, my house got literally zero trick-or-treaters, despite our being fully prepared for a rush of kids. We had those dang chocolate bars in our pantry well into the month of March, I think because neither of us wanted to throw them away unopened. But you’ve gotta just do it. You’re not doing yourself or anyone else any favors by hanging onto highly processed and high-sugar chocolate bars for months afterward. Or, if you took my advice, mini bags of stale pretzels.