Whether you have children that are preparing for the big night of trick-or-treating, or you’re just stocking your pantry with candy to hand out to neighborhood kids on Halloween, this is definitely the season of small, bite-size candies. It’s tempting to have all of that candy laying around the house, and easy to convince yourself that just one small piece every now and then won’t hurt.
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But, maybe it’s scarier than that. Maybe just a few bites of Halloween candy can derail all the great progress you’re making at FitClub. How afraid should you be of Halloween candy?
The tiny bite-size snacks this time of year are deceiving. They look so small and guilt-free, but the calorie count may be shocking.
Bite-size chocolate candy bars can pack between 60 and 110 calories each. To burn off just one piece of bite-size chocolate candy, you need to add another 7 minutes to your run, 9 minutes of jumping jacks, or 10 minutes on the rowing machine.
If you’re one of the people that indulge in candy corn this time of year, you need to add a 35-minute brisk walk to your day to burn off 20 pieces of candy corn.
Staying away from the chocolate but indulging in sticky, gummy candy? Adding 16 minutes to your run will burn off the small trick-or-treat sized bags of gummies.
If you’re already living a healthy lifestyle, you can probably find the time to add a few extra minutes to your workout regimen after Halloween to burn off a piece of candy. The really scary part of Halloween, though, is that for most of us, it’s almost impossible to eat just one piece. The amount of candy left over in households after Halloween can frighten even the most disciplined person.
Stay ahead of your temptations by fueling up with a healthy dinner before heading out with trick-or-treaters or setting up your own trick-or-treat candy bowl. Fueling yourself ahead of time with a healthy mix of lean protein and vegetables will keep hunger from driving you toward that candy bowl or your child’s goodies.
If you need to indulge on Halloween when the trick-or-treating is through, try to keep it to just one piece of your favorite Halloween treat. Setting reasonable limits for yourself and kids after a night of trick-or-treating will help you avoid Halloween weight gain and keep your kids from the inevitable sugar crash. If you find that you have trouble limiting yourself to just one piece, find ways to get the candy out of the house. Consider donating candy to a local food pantry or checking out the sugar buy-back programs some dentist offices consider.
The other holidays are right around the corner and present their own unique health challenges. In the meantime, remember Halloween is just one day. Don’t let a week’s worth of candy derail the effort you’ve made all year long!
