Here’s my most important tip: don’t buy your Halloween candy until October 30th. If you stock up in advance, you’re almost guaranteed to sneak a piece (or ten) here and there. To minimize temptation, pick up varieties that you don’t personally love. If you’re a chocoholic, buy lollypops, Skittles, or Sweetarts to hand out at your house.
Try to follow these additional tips as well...
- Start the day with an invigorating cardio workout — at least 45 minutes of brisk walking, jogging, or aerobics. Exercising will allow you a little wiggle room for extra candy calories and put you in the right mindset to make healthy choices throughout the day.
- Move on to a protein-rich breakfast, such as an egg white omelet stuffed with mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes. Starting the day with a filling, protein-heavy meal helps you control your appetite later in the day, so you’re less likely to go off the deep end…and land in a pit of Halloween candy!
- Have a fiber-rich dinner BEFORE you open up the candy bags for trick-or-treaters. My recommendation is a hearty bowl of turkey-bean chili and a giant tossed salad on the side. You’ll feel STUFFED with healthy calories so you won’t be as likely to go overboard with the treats.
- If you have young kids, volunteer to be the parent who takes the group out trick-or-treating. You’ll burn calories traipsing all over the neighborhood and avoid the lure of the candy bowl.
- Plan your sugary splurges in advance. Make it really specific—maybe you decide to have 3 fun-size chocolate bars or 2 peanut butter cups (or whatever candies you love most). If you have a plan, you’re more likely to stay in control. And definitely wait to enjoy your candy until AFTER dinner. You’ll have it to look forward to all day, and that anticipation can help keep you on the straight and narrow. This way, you don’t open up the flood gates early on and find yourself popping piece after piece of chocolate all day long.
- Enjoy other aspects of the holiday besides the candy hoarding. Rent a couple of scary movies and watch them with family or friends. My son Cole, a huge fan of horror flicks, recommends The Shining and Autopsy. He also loves watching Misery. (That movie freaks me out. I had the chance to meet Kathy Bates a few weeks ago at NBC, and I actually told her that!)
- If you wind up with leftover candy in the house, get rid of it the very next day. Bring it to the office, gift wrap small bags for the postman, garbage crew, or donate the whole stash to a senior center, homeless center, or charity for distribution at special occasions.
