Tips to Stay Healthy During Halloween!
“At this point, my blood type is pumpkin spice!!”
The days are getting cooler and leaves are falling, but perhaps the best telltale sign that autumn is here is one we are all too familiar with: the scent of pumpkin spice! Of course, if there is pumpkin around, caramel and whipped cream usually accompany it. Don’t be bamboozled into thinking that pumpkin-flavored items somehow make them healthier options.
What can we do to help us focus on our goals to stay healthy when all of these products are literally shoved in our faces? The media plays a big role in influencing our purchasing decisions, and being aware of this can help us combat these unhealthy temptations. We can barely walk a block without seeing a handful of advertisements trying to lure us with pumpkin-enhanced treats. Know how they play their game so you won’t be played.
Have a Plan
Plan the Perfect Halloween Night Dinner
Have a tasty, balanced meal for dinner on Halloween, urges Rebecca Puhl, PhD, psychologist and researcher at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University.
Soup and salad both help you feel full on fewer calories. She suggests choosing a dinner that is high in fiber, and includes some lean protein and a bit of fat, so it will take some time to digest. Refined carbohydrates move through the digestive system quickly, so you're likely to feel hungry again sooner.
Her ideal Halloween night dinner? "Roasted or baked skinless chicken breast, a plate of vegetables, and some fruit salad," says Barbara Rolls, PhD, a researcher at Penn State University and author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan.
Don't Get Too Hungry
"It's much harder to resist candy when you're hungry," says Puhl.
If you skip a meal on Halloween day and let yourself get overly hungry, you'll be more vulnerable to candy temptation. When temptation abounds, it's especially important to remember to eat when you are hungry and stop when you are comfortable.
Eating more protein before Halloween night will reduce your cravings for sugary and sweet items. Try sipping on a protein drink or eating some hard-boiled eggs before Halloween night and stay full to avoid the sugar crave to stay healthy during Halloween.
Avoid Boredom
People often end up munching mindlessly when they're bored. So keep busy Halloween night by making plans with family, friends, or neighbors.
What about those people who have a hard time stopping at just a few fun-size candy bars?
Ellyn Satter, RD, MS, LCSW, author of Your Child's Weight: Helping Without Harming believes this vulnerability to overeating results from people restricting themselves. The only way to break the cycle of deprivation and overeating, she says, is to:
Stop depriving yourself.
Eat three meals a day (meals you truly enjoy).
Stop eating when you are comfortable, knowing that you'll have another enjoyable meal when you're hungry again.
Embrace Other Halloween Activities
Going Trick or Treating with your grandkids can be healthy (walking is a great exercise!), but don’t forget other activities this fall. Try going on a haunted hike, visit a local pumpkin farm, or go for a walk on a breezy day – it doesn’t have to be just about food to stay healthy during Halloween! There’s nothing like being outside on a windy day with a scarf around your neck, cozy Uggs on your feet, and a nice hot pumpkin latte (with almond milk, of course) in your hand. Even though it’s nice to treat yourself once in a while, we can’t forget about exercise! If you’re the type that likes to go outdoors, don’t let unpredictable weather stop you! Find exercises that can be done either indoors or outdoors. Anything that gets you moving is a step in the right direction!
Inventive Tips
1. Buy Candy You're Not Crazy About For example, if you're a chocolate lover, give away Skittles or Twizzlers.
2. Give Out Nonfood 'Treats' Another option is to offer trick-or-treaters small toys, stickers, pencils, erasers -- even shiny quarters -- instead of candy. Do your own experiment this Halloween: Let kids in your neighborhood choose between toys, money, or candy and see which is most popular.
3. Make the Candy You Do Eat Last Longer
Put a handful of your favorite candy bars in your freezer so that when you do enjoy a piece or two, it will last longer and you'll have the chance to truly savor the flavor. It takes twice as long to eat a frozen candy bar as one at room temperature.
4. Sip a Warm Beverage
Keep your hands and mouth busy while you hand out treats on Halloween night by sipping hot tea, decaf coffee, apple cider, or light hot cocoa. There's something about a warm drink that satisfies.
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https://www.trainingcor.com/healthy-during-halloween/ COR was founded by Dr. John Mullen, renowned physical therapist, strength coach, and performance enhancement specialist, who has worked with organizations such as Stanford, Purdue, and many other elite colleges.
https://www.business2community.com/health-wellness/halloween-health-fitness-tips-01050184 Justin Shrimp is a kickboxing expert and an internet enthusiast.
By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
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