There are quite a few times of the year that involve a ton of candy, sweets, treats & sugar. There’s Halloween, Thanksgiving, the December holiday season, Valentine’s Day & Easter. Not to mention anniversaries, picnics, weddings & more sprinkled throughout the year. Treats are tough to avoid.
You’ve probably noticed how grocery stores entice you to buy treats. As soon as you walk in the door, you’re greeted with changing candy colors of each season & bright “sale” tags enticing you to purchase a gigantic bag of chocolate. Or three. For only $12 at that! To purchase or not to purchase is the big question at hand.
I won’t be telling you what to do in either direction, but I can ask you some questions to help with your decision to purchase or not purchase tempting treats:
1) What’s the occasion? Is it a holiday in which all of your other family members will also be purchasing sugar-filled treats? Will be an overabundance for someone to have to consume later because the guilt of throwing away food is great than the awful feeling after eating too much sugar?
2) Is the purchase for your pleasure? If so, that’s fine! But is it something you really like or just something you are purchasing because the price is low? Is it one of those mixed bags where you only like one item in it but then the other candies will be in plain sight enticing you to consume them anyway?
3) Can you bring something else to the table? Both literally & figuratively. Are you able to bring a veggie or fruit tray? Or little trinkets to give to the kiddos instead of candy? Can you bring a game to play instead of food to eat?
4) What is your relationship like with sweets? Do you beat yourself up after eating sweets? If so, then could you consider avoiding this purchase to avoid enhancing an already negative relationship with food? Or are you able to enjoy one piece of candy, cake or chocolate & leave it at that? Do you have a “shut off valve” when it comes to treats or does one piece open the floodgates to eating all of the treats?
So many questions I know. If your decision is to purchase something you don’t want to personally overconsume then try using this strategy: Distract, distance, decide. Buy the candy or treat but distract yourself when it’s out of the bag. Drink a glass of water, tea or coffee, go for a walk or clean something then on to the next step. Distance. Get out of the kitchen or area where the tempting treats reside. After drinking some water or finding something else to distract your mind off sugar, decide. Decide if you really want that item & if you do, then eat it. If you are just bored or eating something because everyone else is, then maybe you choose to not eat that item. But if you do, don’t get upset.
If you get nothing else from this article read the next sentence out loud: “One piece of candy will not ruin my health just like one salad won’t fix everything.” A healthy lifestyle & healthy eating is about what you do the majority of the time. Make the best decisions you can as often as possible & you’re on the right track.
Have a wonderful April, friends!
Moxie Nutrition & Fitness 