Candy. Costumes. Drinks. Kids.
Ah, Halloween. I'll let you discern which of the above I absolutely love, and which I absolutely cannot stand (hint: kids). Regardless, it is a time for dressing up and letting loose. Let's talk tips about setting yourself up for a night of fun without totally blowing your diet.
First, there are going to be people who say, "It's just one day. I'm going to (eat/drink) whatever I want". That's all good and dandy, until the next day you don't workout because you feel incredibly hungover and instead opt for getting brunch with pals and watching those made-for-tv scary movies. And then you feel gross for not working out for two days and eating like crap and you just give up and get a tub of Ben and Jerry's and cry that Tom from your friend's warehouse party hasn't called you yet...
You get the picture.
Here's a better idea: enjoy yourself AND stick to a plan. A plan that works for you. A plan that includes a set number of drinks (hey, it might prevent you from getting sloppy all over Tom) and a few munchies, too. Maybe you're Halloween consists of walking the kids around door-to-door and grazing on their candy the whole way - if so, I've got some tips included here for you (and your kids!) too.
#1. When at a Halloween party, don't stand and socialize by the food.
You're talking and most likely not paying attention to how much you're eating. Take away the temptation and move away from the food!
#2. Use a small plate.
Most parties supply some sort of dinnerware if snacks or dinner is involved. Choose the smallest of the plates to eat off of and make your selections. If possible, fill at least 1/2 your plate with veggies from a (fingers crossed) veggie tray, and then look for some sort of protein to help you feel full and satisfied, especially if you're in for a night of drinking.
#3. Be very conscious of your alcohol intake.
Each standard drink (1 light beer, 1 shot of alcohol, 1 glass wine --> not filled to the brim!) is about 100 calories. Tack on an additional 50 or so for mixed drinks not made with diet soda, and higher alcohol percentage beers. Here is my tip for drinking: set a limit before you go to the party and enjoy your drinks up to that limit. Be sure to have a non-alcoholic drink (preferably water, or maybe a diet soda) in between each alcoholic drink to a)slow down your drinking pace and b) help hydrate you. Oh, and 10 drinks is not a limit. I'd stick to under 5 :)
#4. If you know you're going to get the late-night munchies, come prepared.
You're going to laugh at me here, and that's okay. I've seriously done this more than once (my friends can vouch). If you know you're going to be out late drinking, dancing, and doing whatever, bring something you can munch on guilt-free. My go-to's are carrots,sliced cucumbers, and rice cakes. Why? They give you that crunch and are much lower in calories than anything you could ever possibly order at Taco Bell. Sure, you'll look like a fool but who cares? They'll all be too busy admiring how you fit in your super-cute costume to even notice!
#5. Walk with your kids when trick or treating.
Unless you're living in Lima, Ohio, you most likely trick or treat sometime around 6 or 7pm. While you're neighborhood may be safe, it's always good to take extra precaution if you have extremely young kids. If you have a nanny, have her stay home and pass out the candy -- you go and walk with the kids. I can't think of a lot of things more tempting than sitting in your house, by yourself, with a huge bowl of candy.
#6. Don't give out candy.
What did she say? What's wrong with her? No wonder kids these days aren't learning their lesson. We pump them full of sweets and then wonder why they don't want to go play. There will be a Halloween soon that is completely online, and then your kids will just be asking you for candy. Then they'll tweet about how lame the candy choices are at their house. Ugh.
I propose giving out more nutritious-based foods to kids. I'm thinking mini-granola bars, maybe teeny apples (depending on how many children you get at the door), or small individual packs of raisins or nuts.
#7. Incorporate additional exercise into your day.
3 days before, and 3 days after - add in an extra 30 minutes per day. Can't do 30? Do 20. 10. Something! Go for a small walk while talking on the phone. My friends from Columbus will tell you that I only talk to them when I'm on a walk. Why not multi-task?! Take your kids. Or, better yet, play with your kids. Throw the baseball. Play basketball. My mom has quite the pitcher's arm as she acted as my personal ball-machine when I lived at home, throwing me tennis balls all over the court so I could get my conditioning in on off-days.
Practice these tips around Halloween and you won't be busting out of your costume by the end of the night. Remember, keep fueling your body right and keep moving! There is no substitute for hard work and the right diet when maintaining weight loss.
Happy haunting!!
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