Can we talk about how triggering Halloween candy can be?
One little snickers turns into four. Four might turn into 10. When the candy is bite-sized, it's make it even harder to control ourselves. It's not just me, right?
Here are four of my best mindset shifts to enjoy a little candy without it creating food drama.
1 Recognize that the candy isn't going anywhere.
Our thoughts on Halloween are usually thoughts like “it's one day out of the year where we can have candy!” Well, it's not. Candy is always available. Maybe the Reese's isn't pumpkin shaped, but the candy is always there. This comes from a mindset of constant restriction. When we can remind ourselves that candy is always available, it takes out the emotional energy spent thinking about candy. We don't have to eat it all in one day because there will always be more to enjoy!
2 Watch your self-talk.
When you're trying to lose weight, eating candy is usually paired with a heaping dose of guilt. Feeling guilty doesn't motivate us. It can also easily lead to “might as well” thinking. And “might as well” thinking leads to “screw it” eating. Instead, keep your self-talk neutral without emotion. “I ate three Butterfingers and two Twix." Just state the facts and move on with your day.
3 Remind yourself that there is no such thing as “good food" and “bad food".
Food is just food. There is nothing inherently wrong with candy and it is okay to enjoy foods that don't align with our health goals sometimes! When we label food as good or bad, by extension we are labeling ourselves as good or bad. That label is not true and it's not helpful because feeling like we're bad can lead to more “screw it” eating. So stop thinking that you're doing something bad if you eat some Halloween candy.
4 Forgive yourself.
If you overeat candy, you don't need to punish yourself with eating less or exercising more the next day. Just let it go. Talk to yourself with some kindness instead of giving yourself a beat down.
I hope that these little tips help you create a healthier mindset around this holiday trigger!
And let's face it, Halloween is the beginning of the “sugar season”. There are going to be more treats around for the rest of the year, so we need to have a healthy mindset around it so we don't just throw in the towel for the rest of 2024 and start our health journey over January 1st.
If you need support during the holiday season, reach out. I've got a SSS: Holiday edition ready to launch so watch my social media for that or shot me an email at amynighbert@gmail.com. It's going to be a self-paced mini-course all about managing the holidays without sabotage! I can't wait to share it with you!
Want to work 1:1 through the rest of the year? I can help you make some mindset shifts so that you are thriving through the holidays! Set up a hour session HERE.
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