Curb the Halloween Candy Cravings

Halloween tends to be the front entrance to two months of holiday binging. Go down the foyer, and you enter Thanksgiving gluttony. New Years Day is the back door and exit.

Many adults have been unable to resist the temptation of sneaking mini-sized candy bars now and again, and again, and again throughout the days leading up to October 31 st , which enable more “cheat” days until the new year comes around.

Adopt a few of the following lifestyle tips and you will find that you will be able to curb those Halloween candy cravings:

1. Drink plenty of water. When a person’s body is dehydrated, thirst is sometimes interpreted as a sugar craving. Stay well hydrated to curb the appetite for both sweet and savory.

2. Add more protein to your diet. A diet that is heavy in carbohydrate consumption—more than 60 percent—leads to more sugar hankerings. Have an egg with breakfast, skinless grilled chicken or garbanzo or kidney beans and roasted beets on a salad for lunch, and six ounces of a meat protein (soy for vegans) with a plate full of fresh vegetables for dinner. Protein sustains the body longer, preventing most mid-day sugar munchies.

3. Avoid soda or other sugary beverages and foods. Sweet beverages, especially those that are artificially sweetened, trigger the desire to have more sugar.

4. Exercise regularly. Exercise, particularly cardiovascular exercise, helps repress urges to consume chocolate. It also makes exercisers more resistant to temptation in the presence of chocolate and other candy.

These four tips are good habits to adopt in daily life to help you stay on track with your personal fitness and wellness goals, throughout the year.