1. Buy only candy that you don't like, therefore you will not be tempted to eat some.
2. Wait until the last minute to buy your Halloween candy.
Make
How about those Halloween parties—are you prepared to stay on a Program while attending the party? Let's look at a few ways that can help you do just that.
1.Bring a healthy snack, so you have something to eat that keeps you on Program. How easy is that? Plus, I will bet you that there are others at that party that need that healthy snack to stay on their Program too. By bringing your healthy snack you are back in the drivers seat and in control of what goes into your mouth.
2.Don't leave home without your large water bottle. Chug, chug, chug away! Drinking water will keep you full and away from the snack table. The added bonus is that water is great for you! Having a bottle of water in your hands will also keep that hand from taking easy-to-grab food.
3.Make sure you eat before you go. By doing this you are guaranteed not to be hungry at the party and will be doing a lot less nibbling while there. I know the last thing I want to do, when my stomach is screaming it's full, is to eat more food.
4. Choose fruit over candy and snacks, when available. Most parties have some healthy choices. Try to focus on them instead of the candy and snacks. I know, easier said than done! When you go towards the sweets say to yourself, "Do I like it enough to wear it?" I'll bet your answer is no!
5. Volunteer to help while there. Take pictures, clean up, make sure they all have their food, or even run the Halloween contest. If you are too busy to eat... well, problem solved.
6. Try to focus on your family and friends. This is a chance to catch up with some of your friends and family. Use it. Anybody who knows me, knows I love to talk and visit. When you are busy talking and visiting with your friends eating is out of the question. Think of how much 'catching up' you can do by staying away from the buffet table.
7.Sit far, far away from the food table. There is no need to sit there and punish yourself, drooling over the food you desperately want but can't have because you know it's a red-light food. You won't stop at just one. So, sit far, far away from those temptations.
How many of you work at an office? I'll bet that most of you have seen, or walk by, candy on your fellow employee's desk. Not fun, is it? Why not politely ask that person to put the candy in the desk or somewhere else out of sight? Of course, you will have the ones who won't oblige you. What do you do then? You could ask them to please put the candy in a colored container with a solid lid so you don't see the actual candy or hear it calling your name. (If you explain why, it might help. Sometimes, when a coworker understands that this is a real struggle for you, cooperation is easier to get.) It is a known fact that we will eat more of the candy when it's visible because the visibility makes us think about it more. Every time you see the candy dish you have to make a decision whether you are going to eat any or not.
If you do start nibbling on those fun size candies please try and keep the wrappers where you can see them. They will be a reminder of how much you've consumed and just how quickly the calories are adding up. Scary, if you think about how fast you can get 4-6 pieces of candy consumed. So, be accountable. Visuals really are a wonderful way to scare you back on Program!
Try to take a short walk on your break. You will get some fresh air, which will invigorate you and help you over those mid-morning and mid-afternoon slumps where you ‘think’ you are hungry. We have discussed a few ways to celebrate Halloween successfully on Program. I do hope that you will try and make it your most successful Halloween ever! Until next time…