Halloween Health

Adults can't eat candy like kids can. That's just the way it is! Kids can consume candy bar after candy bar, while we eat one Milky Way and start to feel the side effects.

What can we do, as adults, to enjoy Halloween without going crazy? (because I liked this one too...)

Here are some tips to stay on track for Halloween:

1. Watch your drinking. Halloween translates to "party" in my generation, which means lots of opportunities to drink your calories. Even if you demonstrate self-restraint in the candy bowl, drinking 3 beers at a party can do just as much damage to your diet. What's worse, submitting your body to alcohol stops the fat-burning process in your body. Your liver can only do one thing at a time, and if it is processing the alcohol you just consumed, it cannot burn fat. Therefore, your physical goals are put on hold twofold. (hey, that rhymed!)

2. Eat chocolate! Yes, I said it. You can eat sweet treats without going insane. Portion control is key: go for one small "snack sized" bar over a full-size bar. Go for "healthier" candy options, too (check out this article from Reader's Digest that informs you of the 6 worst Halloween candies on the market).

3. Eat fruit before candy. If you want a candy apple, just eat the apple first. Go into your house and eat fruit before you eat the candy. This will curb your sweet tooth and fill you up (with the fiber from an apple, for example) before going crazy on the candy.

4. Make your own sweet treats! If you want to eat something on Halloween that's delicious, make your own candy! Most of the candies on the market today have so many preservatives and saturated fats. You can avoid it by making your own things on which to munch while giving out candy on your porch. For example, check out this chocolate-covered banana pieces recipe from my Gluten Free Advocate blog. 

Keep Halloween healthy in your book this year, and have a great night!