Article by the Drummond Education Team
Halloween is the holiday for pumpkin carving, fancy dress, spooky decorations, haunted houses, and of course, candy – lots & lots of candy! But for anyone with health or weight concerns, Halloween isn’t always all fun and games. For some, it feels like the ultimate test of willpower, where temptation lurks around every single corner. And, the fear of “losing control” can be constant and all consuming.
Broaden your focus
There really is a lot more to Halloween than just the candy. However, when we are stuck in a place of food and weight worries it can be hard to see beyond it. So, try to expand your focus to notice and appreciate everything else that this holiday has to offer – like the aforementioned carving pumpkins, spooky decorations, fun costumes, and haunted houses. Think, what else do you, (or the kids), enjoy about Halloween? Most likely candy is but a single item on a long list. When you can step back and see the big picture, you begin to notice that candy is just one little bit. That helps to keep the candy in perspective, preventing it from gaining the undue power it gets when it becomes our focus.
Give yourself permission to eat a little candy!
Giving ourselves permission to eat candy on Halloween (and any other day of the year) is important because again, it helps to strip the candy of its power. As soon as we tell ourselves we aren’t allowed to have it, its appeal becomes so much greater. Combine that heightened appeal with the excessive quantity sitting in the trick or treat bucket in front of us, and it’s not hard to predict the outcome of that scenario. Bottom line: permission helps to end the power struggle with food and allows you to take charge of your food decisions.
Pause first
Before you start tearing open candy wrappers, take a moment to pause and ask, without judgment, “do I really want this?” Repeat before each new piece of candy. It’s so easy for eating to become automatic, especially in the presence of so many tasty little delights. It’s easy to mindlessly have a piece here and there as we wait for trick-or-treaters to arrive at the door, without even realising it….
Quieting those self-critical thoughts:
“If I have just one piece I know I will eat the whole bag.”
“I can’t believe you are eating that. Do you know how much sugar is in that?”
“Well, I already blew it so I might as well finish the bag so it’s out of the house and won’t tempt me again.”
“I need to make sure I get as much as I can now because tomorrow I am going back on my diet and who knows when I’ll be able to eat candy again!”
Sounds familiar?
First, just notice these thoughts. Then, practice interrupting the thought and engaging a healthier, more supportive voice. This technique can be helpful for redirecting your thoughts, which can ultimately help to redirect your actions!
Happy Halloween!
Source: fit woman.com