Lose Weight AND Eat Halloween Candy!

Have you walked into the grocery store lately, or Walmart, or Target, or one of the big drugstore chains?
Every year it seems like every store devotes more shelf space for Halloween candy! You can't miss the displays and for candy-lovers trying to lose weight it's pretty frightening!

Every year it seems like every store devotes more shelf space for Halloween candy! You can’t miss the displays and for candy-lovers trying to lose weight it’s pretty frightening!

If you have you probably have seen bigger, fuller, more Halloween candy displays than you’ve ever seen in your life!

It’s a total candyrama!
"HELP ME! I CAN'T ESCAPE THE CANDY AISLE WITHOUT BUYING TOO MUCH CANDY AND EATING IT ALL!"

“HELP ME! I CAN’T ESCAPE THE CANDY AISLES! THEY ARE EVERYWHERE AND I’M NOT ABLE TO RESIST!”

What does that mean to total, out-of-control candy lovers? It means you could be in for a whole lot of out-of-control candy eating, a whole lot of guilt, maybe more candy-eating and probably followed by a severe self-beat up session.

You can stay on track and eat some Halloween candy too. When you are in control of your candy, you're ready to take on bigger weight loss challenges successfully! Don't run and hide, empower yourself by learning how to indulge without over-indulging!

You can stay on track and eat some Halloween candy too. When you are in control of your candy, you’re ready to take on bigger weight loss challenges successfully! Don’t run and hide, empower yourself by learning how to indulge without over-indulging!

When the episode is over you aren’t stronger. You’re mad at yourself and fearing the next “eating holiday” that happens to be coming up fast – Thanksgiving! That pretty  much predicts that Thanksgiving isn’t going to go well either. If Halloween and Thanksgiving are busts, the holiday season isn’t looking very slenderizing either. Chances are you’ll end up as another holiday weight gain statistic.

You can face your Halloween candy fears and be victorious.

You can decide how much candy you want to have and how to fit it into your weight loss food plan and make it happen without losing control. The reality is you “don’t lose control,” you “give away your control.” Change your mindset. You’re not a victim. You’re a victor!

A victory puts you in a good position for future victories. Think of Halloween candy as training for a marathon. Thanksgiving will be another training session, and your training is progressive. Start slow (with Halloween) and build up your skills (with Thanksgiving) and stamina!

  1. Fear not the candy. It tastes good and it’s okay to enjoy a few pieces!
  2. Don’t eat it when you’re hungry or pick it up and put it into your mouth just because it’s there.
  3. Be selective. Choose when you will indulge, preferably for a sweet, little dessert treat after a good meal.
  4. Pick carefully and eat it slowly so that you get maximum enjoyment from it.
  5. Change your self-talk. Don’t say to yourself, “I never should have had the first piece because now I can’t stop,” or “I knew I was addicted to candy and I have to finish this bag because I’ve lost control.” Do say (and say it as though you mean it, because you really do mean it, “I ate enough to satisfy me. I’ve had all I want!”
  6. Have some alternate activities planned if you think you might not be able to resist eating more candy. Toothbrushing, brisk walk, putting the candy wayyyyy out of sight and reach, dancing, singing, etc.
  7. Feel the strength, power, and control you are building from eating a little candy within the context of your weight loss plan!
Jackie Conn

About Jackie Conn

Jackie Conn is married and has four grown daughters and four grandchildren. She is a Weight Watchers success story. She's a weight loss expert with 25 years of experience guiding women and men to their weight-related goals. Her articles on weight management have been published in health, family and women's magazines. She has been a regular guest on Channel 5 WABI news, FOX network morning program Good Day Maine and 207 on WCSH.