10 Tricks To Beat The Halloween Treats

I sure like my sweets, and this is the time of year when all the sugary temptation begins. It all starts with Halloween, but not to worry I have 10 Tricks To Beat The Halloween Treats for you!

My worse nightmare that’s not induced by watching a horror film is gaining weight from too many tempting treats. While I have the best intentions to eat one or two of those bit-sized candies, I somehow end up scarfing down a lot more. Sound familiar? The good news is I’ve learned a few tricks to beating the treats and avoiding unnecessary pounds!

10 Tricks To Beat The Halloween Treats

Buy Candy You Don’t Like

For trick-or-treating, parties, office potlucks or events for the kiddos, buy candy you don’t like or would never eat. This is such a simple trick and I wish I had figured it out sooner rather than later. If you don’t like the candy, then there’s no temptation to eat it.

Give Healthy Alternatives To Trick-Or-Treaters

Packets of gum, granola bars or apples are great healthy alternatives to giving away candy to trick-or-treaters. It not only removes the temptation for yourself, but also makes the world a healthier place too.

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Eat Whole Foods

Sugar cravings are often an indication of real food hunger. Before you dive into the candy jar, ask yourself “am I that hungry that I would eat rice & chicken, apple with nut butter or veggies & hummus right now?” If you’re not hungry enough for any of those things, then you’re not “hungry” for candy.

Eat Dark Chocolate

Eating dark chocolate will satisfy sugar cravings without leaving you begging for more. Dark chocolate also has quite a few health benefits. It’s believed those benefits are derived from their antioxidant flavonoids which have been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack and improve circulation. However, this isn’t a license to go crazy and eat pounds of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate should be consumed in moderation. Rule of thumb is two squares.

Keep The Wrappers

How many times has diving into the candy bowl left you wondering how many you really ate? Was it 3, 7 or 12? As you eat candy, keep the wrappers out in front of you instead of throwing them away. This is a helpful visual for stopping yourself in those out of control moments.

Chew Gum

Chewing sugar-free gum is a great way to curb appetite and satisfy a sugar craving. Gum also distracts your mind for a really long time and by the time you’re done, you will have moved on.

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Drink Lemon Water

Sugar cravings or hunger in general can be a sign that you’re thirsty so before reaching your hand into the candy jar, drink 8 ounces of water then gauge your need for sugar. Adding lemon or any citrus to your water can reduce the desire to eat sugar plus lemon has a number of other health benefits such as reducing bloating and inflammation, aiding in weight loss, promoting healthy skin and boosting energy.

Go For A Walk

Before you have the candy, go for a walk. Walking has many health benefits. Along with aiding weight loss and being a great low impact cardiovascular workout, it can also help curb hunger. Unlike high intensity activities, walking suppresses hunger instead of intensifying it. Another reason why it is so great for weight loss.

Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind

For some, out of sight out of mind can be enough to remove the temptation. Instead of leaving Halloween candy out in the open, hide it in a drawer, cupboard or in the back of the pantry where you will forget about it until the big day comes.

Remove Temptation

Get rid of the temptation by giving away your trick-or-treat candy. Give it to a neighbor, a friend, bring to work and give to your co-workers or give to a local food pantry for those less fortunate. Be sure to check they will take it. When all else fails, put it in the trash like Miranda in Sex In The City did. Just be sure not to go back for it. 😉

What are your tricks for not eating ALL the candy?

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About Megan

Megan is a certified nutrition practitioner, author, freelance food photographer and fitness instructor living in Phoenix, Arizona. On her blog, Skinny Fitalicious she shares EASY, gluten free recipes for weight loss. Follow Megan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates.