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Halloween is almost here and it’s time for the Halloween fitness tips to keep all those hard-earned gains made at the gym. Costumes, trick-or-treaters and free candy galore! What’s not to love, right?!? Well, that constant bombardment of chocolate and goodies may not be a good thing for those of us trying to lean down. Don’t let the abundance of sweets spook you off your diet. Approach these festivities armed with tactics to fend off the Halloween candy coma.
10 Fitness Tips You Must Follow This Halloween
- Wait until last minute to buy candy – who says you must get candy a week in advance? Minimize the number of days the candy is in your house beforehand so you don’t have it laying around for a long time, increasing the temptation to dig in.
- Don’t purchase your favourite candy to give to trick-or-treaters – choose a treat you can easily resist to have in your house. If you like chocolate, get lollipops; enjoy chewy gummies? Get crunchy chips.
- Hit up the local bulk food store – why buy a giant bag of Halloween candy and have leftovers you will be tempted to finish? Buy just the right amount based on previous year at the bulk food store, saving your waistline and wallet.
- Out of sight, out of mind – once you buy the candy, store it in a place you don’t often see frequently until someone rings on your doorbell. Don’t keep the candy sitting out as you’ll be more likely to grab a piece here and there whether you are or aren’t truly craving sweets. With leftovers, if you’re tempted by an in-house candy stash, take it to work or give it to friends/family so other people can enjoy it.
- Think before you chew – you are sitting at home watching TV and a craving for candy strikes you. Before you give in, ask yourself, am I hungry, am I thirsty or am I simply emotional? Resisting emotional cravings is hard when candy is readily available, but try to identify what you are feeling and do a different activity to calm that particular feeling. Still craving? Try making yourself a healthy snack. This fitness tip really applies to any situation, not only Halloween.
- Keep track of your intake – given that Halloween candy is fun, bite sized pieces they often go down very quickly and before realizing it you can be 10 pieces in. It’s easy to keep going back for “just one more” fun-sized candy bar, but those calories add up fast. Keep track of how many you are eating by either writing it in a visible place, logging it in a food diary or app, or keeping all your finished wrappers in one place you can see.
- Savour one piece at a day – Completely restricting yourself of candy can actually set you up for an all-out binge. Indulge your sweet tooth, but make it planned. Decide what time of day you most want the sweet stuff, and save your special treat for that time. Then sit back and slowly savour the taste sensation.
- Focus on maintaining your regular diet – dramatically cutting calories from regular foods to allow yourself more room for candies or to make up for one too many never did anyone any good. Instead, eat filling meals high in protein and fiber, and drink plenty of water. Fuelling your body properly will leave you less likely to have cravings or hunger pangs set in when you are exposed to candy.
- Treat trick or treating like a workout – walking around with your kids burns calories! Make it a race to up the intensity, do some extra loops around the block to check out other people’s costumes. Make being active fun!
- Don’t feel guilty! Forgiving yourself is the best fitness tip. Everybody loves candy. If you have a piece, just enjoy it and then let it go. Getting frustrated with yourself will only start a downward trend that will spike your cortisol stress hormone and make you hold belly fat. Take a deep breath and enjoy the holidays!
About the Author: Ana Plenter
Ana Plenter is a an Award Winning Personal Trainer, Fitness Competitor & Competition Coach and the Founder of Build My Body Beautiful & Body Beautiful Fitness
