Do You Know Where Your Children's Candy Is?

Have you staked claim to your children's Halloween candy score? Are you doing it "for their own good?"

Did you buy only candy you hate so you won't eat it? Or did you buy your favorites and secretly hope no one comes to the door to take it away?

Did you buy an extra bag..."just in case"...and did you already eat it?

Heck, did you buy your "Halloween" candy back in September and have to replenish the supply two or three times already.

I've been there, done that...well, except for the kids...I don't have kids so I couldn't even use them as an excuse for having candy on hand!

This year is different. I won't be in town for Halloween, so I didn't buy any candy for trick-or-treaters. Let's face it...we don't really have many in our neighborhood...maybe 3 last year...so what's the point.

However, I did buy candy for me. Not because it is Halloween...because I wanted some. I bought a really good dark chocolate coated treat. And I let myself eat it all.

You know what? I still have some left!

By giving myself permission to 1) buy it, 2) buy something I really like and 3) to actually eat it, all the "naughtiness" is gone! So I had a couple bites and really enjoyed it and put the rest away.

Will I eat the rest...oh, I'm sure I will...but the point isn't that I don't or won't eat chocolate...it is that I CAN and still be healthy.

This change in mindset has been the key to my weight loss success. I have declared that no food is off-limits, thereby taking away the power of the food to suck me down the sugar abyss. It no longer calls my name. Oh, I hear a whisper now and then, but like any "normal, thin person" (words I NEVER thought I would be able to say in reference to myself) I can enjoy some of my favorites now and then...without being a slave to it! Hurray!

You can choose to continue raiding your kid's stash...you can mete out their treats while you secretly eat your favorites...and you can feel bad about all that...or you can decide, like I did that you are going to give yourself permission to enjoy whatever foods you want...

Nope, this isn't a trick. The real treat is that you CAN have weight loss success...and enjoy your favorite foods--and still look your kids' in the eye!

Putting On Weight Like a Hibernating Bear?

It is natural for us to put on a few extra pounds every winter...and if you are one of the lucky ones who drops it every spring then there isn't a lot to worry about. After all, a couple of pounds won't hurt your health much and just might help keep you a bit warmer.

However, if you are like me and the weight only seems to move automatically in one direction, that is ON, then you have to really be aware of what is happening. Otherwise every year you just get a bit fatter and fatter. And because "a couple of pounds" is easy to ignore, it is quite possible to let the weight creep up to an unhealthy level in a few years.

If you aren't going into hibernation then there is no need to pack on extra pounds...so what can we do about it? I used to think it was inevitable that I gained **ahem** a "few" pounds every winter. I had to work on changing that thought process. With a new mindset I have been able to conquer that demon on my way to weight loss success!

The best thing is to start being aware NOW before the really cold weather sets in and the holidays are upon us. Make a plan today so that you are ready to tackle all the tricks and treats that are heading our weigh...er, way.

Because temperatures are warmer we tend to want to eat more to keep our body's furnace going. Rather than eating MORE, eat smaller amounts but MORE OFTEN. By eating 5 or 6 small meals every day you actually burn more calories than if you eat the same amount of food in 3 (or fewer) sittings.

It is especially important that we eat breakfast in the cooler months so that we get those furnaces started in the morning. Then with our mini-meals we keep the furnace stoked all day long.

Foods that are high in fat and sugar are readily available this time of year, but they are not giving us the nutrients we need to keep our bodies healthy and they pack in a lot of calories.

Being conscious about our eating will allow us to enjoy a special treat once in a while but keep us on track to eat mostly healthy foods. When you do partake in a treat, whether it be the Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pie or Christmas cookies, give yourself permission to have a serving. Put it on a plate or in a bowl. And then really pay attention to the food and enjoy the flavors and textures.

For more holiday eating tips, refer to past posts about planning for the holidays and losing weight during the holidays (see the blog labels in the right hand column as a reference.)

Feeling Good and Grateful

I am just feeling so good!

I'll confess that I'm not thrilled with how early it is getting dark these days, but other than that life is pretty darned good!

Walking in the morning is more enjoyable when it isn't dark and it has gotten a few degrees warmer. Maybe that helps balance out the dark afternoons (Hey--4pm is still afternoon and it is getting dark here by then!)

This time of year can be a challenge for me--or has been historically. Since I started the Mars Venus Wellness Solution 13 months ago I have been through an entire year. SO, I expect that this late fall/winter will not be the issue for me that it has been in some years past.

I am shocked and amazed at how different I am about food. I literally still have HALF A BAG OF HALLOWEEN CANDY in the house! It is not "calling my name" at all! I am so happy. It means that the rest of the household does not have to suffer just because I don't have control--because NOW I DO!!!!

Was Halloween a Trick or Treat?

We have kids in the neighborhood this year. Only a couple. So we wanted to have a little candy for them--we asked if they were going trick or treating. They said yes, so we bought one bag. One small bag.

We also asked that they come by early so we would be sure to give them their treats and then shut down for the night.

One neighborhood kid came by and (separately) a complete stranger. We were generous in our giving and we still have 1/2 a bag left. And I didn't have a single piece. Hooray! And it is the next day and I honestly don't want any. This is amazing!

So for me, Halloween was a treat. I stayed in and watched a movie. Had a quiet night. My neighbor got her candy and I got to support her in having fun. And I don't have a house full of candy.

If I lived in my old neighborhood, where there are lots of kids, I would have bought more candy and given more away...but this was really nice.

Halloween to Christmas Candy Land Mine

Mid-September used to be a time of year I simultaneously loved and dreaded. Halloween candy starts making its way out in the stores. I saw Christmas decorations in one store already.

It is official--we will be surrounded by chocolates and treats for at least the next 3 months. Then there is a short break while everyone makes New Year's resolutions to lose weight, followed by Valentine's Day candy.

This was the time of year when I could justify having candy in the house. For the trick-or-treater. Never mind that they wouldn't be at my door for another 6 weeks! If it is in the stores, they must be coming.

6 weeks of Halloween candy, followed by pumpkin bread, pie and cookies, followed by Christmas cookies and candy...it was a mine field all right!

I finally realized that the only person who was eating the candy was me. Surprise! And the truth was, I didn't enjoy it. Oh a couple of pieces maybe, but not the sackfuls I consumed. I didn't even get to have the guilty pleasure out of it--just the guilt!

I no longer buy vast amounts of candy for Halloween. Where I live now we get maybe two kids coming by all night. Not that that would stop me. When I lived in the the forest with virtually no neighbors, I still bought the trick-or-treaters candy.

Now, rather than the cheap kid candy, I now let myself have a piece or two of really good dark chocolate. That gives me a sense of indulgence and doesn't send me into a sugar spin. I can let myself have this treat pretty often and so I'm not feeling like I'm missing out, and I also get to keep dropping weight. Now that's a Christmas combo I can cheer about!