Spooktacular Tips to Stay on Track This Halloween

In this article:

• Halloween can provide thrilling spooks, but it also often involves scary food for health.
• To stay on track, aim to be active, plan healthy meals throughout the day, and sleep well the night before.
• Other tips are to plan to enjoy a treat or two, occupy yourself with other activities besides eating during Halloween parties and trick-or-treating, and prepare alternative snacks so you can avoid too much candy.
• Stay safe by avoiding alcohol, following safety tips on the road, wearing visible gear, and being extra cautious if you’re a driver.
• Lark can support your goals and help you stay motivated as you make progress towards your health and weight loss goals with or without GLP-1s by logging food, getting tips for eating healthier, and making small changes that can turn into healthy habits.
  

Halloween isn't just for children. It’s an occasion that some adults look forward to all year for spooky scares, fun costumes, trick-or-treating, and, of course, candy. Since treats are common this time of the year, Halloween can also cause nerves for anyone who has a sweet tooth and who is watching their health or weight. Here are 10 tips to stay on track this Halloween while still having fun.

1. Dips in Mini Pumpkins

Get the party going with dips served in hollowed-out mini pumpkins. Whether homemade or store-bought, hummus and guacamole are full of heart-healthy fats, and salsa is a lower-calorie option. For another Halloween-themed dip recipe, check out our Bell Pepper Jack o’Lanterns.

2. Witch’s Brew

Chunky, broth-based soups can help fill you up without adding many calories. Try one of these spooky ideas.

• Serve witch’s brew, or chunky vegetable soup with low-sodium broth and pureed pumpkin. Add sliced olives for “bubbles.”
• Serve green monster soup, or pureed broccoli, spinach, and pea soup. Use a spoon or toothpick to drizzle yogurt in the shape of a cobweb on top.

Serve any vegetable-packed soup with a low-sodium broth base in a gourd or cauldron to make it spooky. For a main course, add cooked diced chicken or black beans.

3. Your favorite treat

You’re in good company if you like Halloween treats, but you don’t have to be part of the crowd that eats them and regrets them. Instead, treat yourself well!

• Identify your very favorite treat (or two). Chocolates, chewy candy, cupcakes, or crispy rice cereal treats, different people love different items. Pick the best of the best to enjoy in moderation.
• Decide how much you’ll have. A couple of mini chocolates or a fun-sized bag of candies may be a reasonable amount that’s satisfying but not excessive
• Consider when you’ll have it (or them). Will you enjoy your treats after dinner? While trick-or-treating? While handing out candy?
• Plan a strategy for keeping your treat as planned. Will you save the last bite until the end of the night so you’re not tempted to reach for more? Will you have other healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables around so there are lots of options for eating more without going overboard?
• Reduce cravings with healthy blood sugar and hunger levels. Stabilize blood sugar and keep hunger in check with high-fiber, high-protein, nutritious foods for the rest of the day. Physical activity helps, too

If you have a sweet tooth but you want to stay on track, try healthy desserts like poached pears or applesauce cookies.

4. Activity on Halloween Day

Whatever physical activity you can do on Halloween Day will make you feel better in the evening and the next day. Physical activity can offer these benefits.

• Support normal blood sugar regulation, which may be top of mind on this day
• Burn calories, which can be another issue that’s top of mind on Halloween
• Energize you for any evening festivities or activities
• Help you sleep better at night after a day of excitement and possible changes in eating routines

Maintain your usual exercise routine if possible. Any little bit offers benefits, so do what you can to get in a short or long walk, take the stairs, or hit the gym.

5. Non-Edible Options

Halloween is way more than candy and eating. Whether you’re planning to go to a party,

trick-or-treat, or hand out candy, make sure there is plenty to do away from the food table and candy bowl.

Here are some ideas for what you can do at a Halloween party besides eat.

• Decorate the room or yard for Halloween
• Do crafts like adding pipe cleaners and googly eyes to black paper to make spiders, or decorating paper pumpkins, bats, or witches’ hats with stickers, glitter, paint, or markers
• Answer the door and pass out candy

You can also be helpful. Help clean spills, serve food, or replenish supplies. Organize and referee games, or watch children.

6. Active Fun

If you have children or adults gathering before dark, plan some active games. People can lead motions like the characters they’re dressed as. For example, witches can show how to “fly” on their “broomsticks,” and firefighters can show how to “rescue people” from a “burning building.” Hide and Seek and Follow the Leader are other active games everyone can enjoy. Be creative!

Before the party, ask guests to dress in costumes that allow them to move safely. Offer prizes like Halloween-themed objects like stickers or erasers, or raffle tickets for gift baskets.

7. Planning for Tomorrow

In the excitement of Halloween night, remember that there will be a tomorrow. There will still be a scale. You’ll still be making healthy food choices. You’ll look for opportunities to be physically active.

Keeping “tomorrow” in mind can help you keep Halloween in perspective. For example, there will be future opportunities to enjoy friends, food, and fun. There’s no need to go overboard on Halloween because there will be chances in the future to indulge.

Remembering tomorrow can also help you get back on track if Halloween gets out of control. On or before Halloween, plan healthy meals and some activity for November 1st and 2nd so you don’t have to figure it out on those days. You can just follow your plan and be on track.

8. Safety

Safety is an issue on Halloween. The US Department of Transportation reports that more than 50 fatalities occurred on Halloween night in 2012, including half involving drunk drivers.

Here are some tips from the National Highway and Transportation Safety Administration.

• Slow down and let pedestrians cross
• Walk in numbers and look carefully before crossing the street
• Use sidewalks whenever possible
• Wear visible clothing and costumes, and carry a flashlight or glow sticks

Hosts can help by serving plenty of food, having non-alcoholic alternative beverages, and collecting car keys from anyone who is drinking.

If you have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar more carefully if you’re drinking alcohol or if your eating choices are different than your usual pattern. Carry glucagon or a source of sugar in case you get hypoglycemia, and tell people in your party that you have diabetes and what to do if there is an issue.

9. The Value of Leftover Candy

What’s the value of health versus the value of leftover candy or other low-nutrient food that may be in your home after Halloween? Spending $5, $25, or $200 on Halloween candy and treats doesn’t mean that you need to eat them. The money is spent. Don’t harm your health, too!

Most schools, churches, food banks, and non-profit charitable organizations accept leftover Halloween candy. Ask your neighbors if they want any. If your children are allowed to eat some or all of their candy, ask them to hide it from you. They’ll love that suggestion and do a great job keeping their candy away from you.

If you don’t have anywhere to donate or give candy to, throw it away. It’s sad to throw away candy, but it’s better than keeping it around if you think you may eat it and later regret it. If you’re having trouble with the idea of throwing away candy, consider whether you truly want to use your body as a trash receptacle for candy, or whether a trash can is a better choice. Be sure to check local laws on how to dispose of food legally.

10. Sleep for Normalizing Hunger

Good sleep supports normal blood sugar regulation and reduces hunger. It can be harder to get adequate sleep on Halloween for reasons like staying out late, eating a lot of sugary foods, and/or drinking alcohol.

It’s a good idea to get plenty of sleep the night before Halloween. You can also try to limit exciting or scary events too close to bedtime, like watching a scary movie. Instead, save time to wind down and relax. Keep in mind that you’re likely to sleep better if you stop eating too close to bedtime, limit or avoid alcohol, and select mostly nutritious foods throughout the day.

How Lark Can Help

Having a plan for special occasions like Halloween can help you reach your weight and health goals. Lark can help you make positive choices on a daily basis. Your Lark coach is available 24/7 for encouragement, nutrition and physical activity coaching, and habit tracking. Lark can help you make healthy choices and establish habits that fit into your lifestyle so you can lose weight and keep it off with or without GLP-1 medications.

Click here to see if you may be eligible to join Lark today!

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