Summer was full of athletic activities that defined your waist and toned your thighs.
Fresh fruits and veggies were plentiful and easy to serve alongside grilled seafood. Now comes the challenging part of the year. Halloween is the first in a series of celebrations that can mess with all your good work in the diet and exercise department. With a little self-control, candy management strategies, and maybe an extra mile or two, you can indulge without going overboard.
Here are a few tips to get through Halloween with a smile on your face and no dimples on your butt:
- Open the bags of candy on Halloween night, not before.
- Enjoy homemade, healthy chili and salad on Halloween during the prime trick-or-treat hours.
- Let your kids keep a reasonable amount of candy for the next few days (say 20 pieces).
- Allow yourself a stipend of candy, maybe one or two pieces a day for a week.
- Donate the excess candy to your local church or school for distribution at senior centers or to military personnel.
- Savor your candy while you sit in your favorite chair and read a good book.
- Before you rip open that wrapper, check out the calories for some of the more popular candy options. Note the exercise needed to burn off those decadent chocolates. Consider a healthy alternative before reaching for another scary treat.
Candy Calories Burn it off Healthy alternative
2 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups 220 20 min run (9 min pace) 25 baby carrots, 2 T ranch dressing
1 Snickers Fun Size 80 10 min moderate swim 2 whole-wheat crackers, 1 slice deli turkey
9 Hershey’s Kisses 200 40 min brisk walk 1 apple, 1 T natural peanut butter
1 Peanut M&Ms Fun Size 90 28 min raking leaves 1 cup steamed broccoli, 2 T Parmesan
20 Candy Corn pieces
150 25 min bike ride 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 t honey
