Honestly, I’m not that into Halloween.

I KNOW. SHOOT ME.

Don’t get me wrong, I love to dress up. In general, I don’t think many things are a whole lot more fun than putting on a costume and consuming alcohol. But the creepy decor? I don’t get it. Also orange is my least favorite color.

But we’re not here to talk about that. We’re here to talk about candy binges and sugar crashes. Something I know a thing or two about.

Now, I’m not terribly concerned about a Halloween party where you eat a cupcake and a few handfuls of candy corn or you dig into your kids’ stash after they go to bed on trick-or-treat night. But I AM concerned about the fistfuls of candy that I hear clients consuming for weeks on end after the holiday because of leftover candy and parties galore.

Halloween parties are the unofficial holiday season kick-off and if you’re not intentional about habits and what you’re putting in your mouth moving into the end of the year, you may find yourself feeling like a pile of garbage with several extra pounds by January 1, so let’s just nip that in the bud right now.

Oh!

And I’m not just talking about YOU and the inflammation, weight gain, and sugar crashes that come along with a traditional Halloween. Your kiddos are also (probably) filling their little mouths with sugar, chemicals, and artificial colors and flavors. YIKES.

I’m not gonna sugarcoat this (lol pun actually not intended but let’s go with it) – more than ⅓ of kids in the  US are obese. As of 2016, it was estimated that almost 20% of kids aged 12-18 were prediabetic. 20%. Read that again.

So, yeah. Halloween is only once a year, but this is important. Now, let’s talk solutions.

Here are my 5 Hacks for a healthier Halloween.

1. Get outside! Focus on the fun, outdoor activities that the Halloween season brings. Teach your kids that Halloween isn’t about candy. It’s about getting to the pumpkin patch, apple orchard, haunted houses, corn mazes – whatever you’re into. Make THIS the exciting thing about the season, not 3908235 mini candy bars.

2. Feed yourself and/or your kids before heading out. I don’t care if this is you on the way to a party or your kids on the way out to trick-or-treat, load yourselves up with a PHFF dinner, first. You’ll both be WAY less likely to stuff your faces with candy if your blood sugar is balanced and you’re feeling full and satisfied.

3. Pick a couple of non-negotiables. If you die for candy corn, don’t deprive yourself. Go into a candy-filled situation knowing which treats are your favorite, know you’ll have a reasonable portion of each, and let yourself have it. You’re already walking in on a full stomach and balanced blood sugar, so you won’t be tempted to keep mowing down sugar.

4. Freeze your candy! This is my favorite trick because a) frozen candy is delicious and b) it’s WAY harder to eat. You’ll likely be much more satisfied with a frozen piece of a Skor bar than a non-frozen piece, trust me.

5. Trash your candy. I’m not usually this extreme, but seriously, after picking out some of your favorites – there’s no reason to keep a giant bag of shitty candy in your pantry. You don’t need it, your kids don’t need it. And this isn’t about deprivation, it’s about keeping your body clear of the extra sugar and chemicals and nasties.

Now. Don’t stress, enjoy the weather, throw on your favorite chunky sweater, sprinkle some pumpkin spice in your coffee, have a Butterfinger, and move on. And have a happy Halloween!

OH, ALSO. Have you grabbed my 5 “Healthy Habits” to Break to Lose Weight”? No? You should def get it.