One of our kid’s favorite books is Jerry Seinfeld’s “Halloween”. In it, he writes:
“So, the first time you hear the concept of Halloween when you’re a kid, your brain can’t even process the idea. You’re like, “What is this? What did you say? Someone’s giving out candy? Who’s giving out candy? EVERYONE WE KNOW is just GIVING OUT candy?”
Hahaaaha. It is a bit of a bizarre concept, right? …equally every kid’s dream and every adult’s (if you’re like me) nemesis. Don’t get me wrong, I like a sweet treat here and there, for sure. But to have bowls of it in my house and children who beg for it the second they’re awake – not always super fun.
We have enough battles to fight, don’t we?
So, if you’re on the health and fitness train and don’t want to be completely derailed this Halloween, here are a few tips to keep in mind.
1. Consider handing these out instead:
Lol. Just kidding. That’s funny, though, right?! :)) Thanks to our fun member, Jodi, for sending this meme spoof.
2. If you have kids, you likely set a daily limit. Do the same for yourself(and keep in mind things like a King Size candy bar are far more than 1 serving).
3. Pick how long you want to keep the candy around. 2 days? 2 weeks? You decide…then throw the rest out. Really, IT’S NOT WASTING FOOD. Candy is a food-like substance and not nourishing in any way. In the U.S, it’s been said we’re “overfed and undernourished.” I realize many people donate their extra candy and while this comes with good intentions, I think it just feeds our malnutrition problem. Just dump it.
4. If you’ve been trying to get off the sugar wagon for awhile and are following some of the suggestions we wrote in THIS ARTICLE, you may find that commercial candy is waaaaaay too sweet, off-putting with unhealthy filler ingredients, or simply not near as satisfying as you hoped it would be. Instead of reaching for more to get that satisfaction, snag a piece of dark chocolate instead. You’ll get the sweet fix with antioxidants to boot (and a faster signal to the brain of ‘satisfied’).
5. If you do choose to have some candy, eat it post-workout (within 30 minutes is best, but for sure within 2 hours). Your body will be better revved to use the sugar for muscle fuel and energy – although don’t be fooled – a major surplus of any nutrient at any time will be stored as fat.
6. Out of sight; out of mind: Google did a study in 2006 called “Project M & M” that resulted in their staff eating 3.1 MILLION fewer calories worth of M & M’s. All they did was put the candy in opaque jars instead of clear glass ones.Lol. Moral of the story: Put things that tempt you completely out of your home/work, at least out of sight or in dark containers. Read about the study here!
7. Increase your fruit, vegetable, and berry intake. Next time you overdo it on sugar, pay attention to how achy glands, congestion or a sore throat creeps in shortly after. Too much sugar ‘numbs’ insulin’s desire to carry that sugar into your cells, leading to fat tissue gain, an unbalanced immune system and even disease like diabetes. On the flip side, eating 7-13 servings every single day of a variety of colors of fruits, vegetables, and berries has been shown to balance the immune system. Take that, sugarpie! If you think 7-13 servings every single day is a lot, you’re not alone. It’s why we are intentional to eat “grow food” with each meal and also take 30 ground up fruits, vegetables, and berries in capsules. Super simple / Super effective.
How about you? Have you found tips that help you manage the Halloween candy overload? Email us here: and we’ll post them on our Facebook page so everyone can benefit.
Have a SPOOKTACULAR evening!
Jess + Team Valeo