Let the Games Begin…

As I publish this post, Halloween is just around the corner which can be the kickoff to a season of indulgence. For many of us the amount of temptations we will be confronted with between now and the end of the year is enough to crack the toughest of will powers. 

Let’s take on Halloween first, the opening ceremony to what can be a couple months of sweet (and savory) temptations that come but once a year. Snickers, Milky Way, M&M’s, Twizzlers, Spree, Gummi Bears, Reese Cups, Reese’s Pieces, and the list goes on and on. Please forgive me if I left out one of your favorites. Trick or Treat can be a double whammy as we buy the candy to pass out, and those of us with kids may have all of their candy from making the rounds in the neighborhood coming into the house as well. By the end of the night it may feel as though we’re living in Willy Wonka’s factory. So when buying the goodies to hand out, there are 2 schools of thought—buy the candy you like so you can enjoy the leftovers or buy what you don’t like to reduce the temptation. Oh, and there’s a third one, buy what’s on sale. Regardless of what you do, most of us find ourselves with an abundance of treats and even if we buy what we don’t really like, chances are the kid(s) are bringing home something we do (and what kind of parent would we be if we didn’t go through their candy for ‘safety’). 

You might be asking what can I eat that will do the least ‘damage’? Eat This, Not That put together a list that might offer some guidance if you’re weighing your options in terms of nutritional value. These kinds of lists can certainly come in handy and help us make some educated choices. You might also consider looking beyond the nutritional value (because when we eat candy, are we really eating it for nutritional value?). If you love Reese Cups and instead decide to eat the Jelly Belly’s, does that satisfy you or will you eat 5 packages of Jelly Belly’s and then 6 Reese Cups because no matter how many Jelly Belly’s you eat, the Reese Cups won’t stop calling your name? On the other hand, maybe you decide to have the Reese Cups because you love Reese Cups! Good for you! Now, the important question is how many Reese Cups does it take to satisfy the Reese Cup lover? 

Let’s chat about the speed at which we eat and how it relates to satisfaction, Halloween candy or otherwise. I have learned I feel better all the way around when I slow the pace at which I eat. I enjoy my food more, my stomach doesn’t feel bloated afterwards, and I typically eat far less than when I’m cramming it in like there is a prize for the first to finish. This isn’t to say there aren’t occasions when time is of the essence and savoring every bite just isn’t reasonable. However, committing some time to practice a bit of mindful eating can enhance your eating experience.

It’s become a bit of a buzz term in the world of healthy eating strategies and for some of us may feel a bit ‘woo woo’. Whether you buy into the idea or remain a bit skeptical, I’m sharing this mindful eating exercise and encourage you to give it a go and see what you notice.

So whether you organize your Halloween candy by type and then by color (I see you with your M&M’s and Skittles broken down by color), or you keep it all mixed together in sweet chaos, be thoughtful with your selection. It’s not about saying no to all of it, it’s about how to say yes in a way that avoids deprivation and keeps your mind, body, and soul in a good place. Happy Halloween!