Week 1: 10-2-10 Challenge

THE TRICK TO TREATS

Forget the haunted house; the spookiest Halloween specter is the candy. Talk about scary: Halloween is a hard time to stay on a weight loss and exercise plan. What can you do when those 5-pound bags of candy go on sale at the grocery store, or when your kids have laid out their loot on the living room floor? Here are some easy ways to tackle the scariest Halloween candy scenarios.

1) Resist the sales: A big Halloween challenge is not falling for the coupon in the paper. A 5-pound bag of Snickers on sale is still a 5-pound bag of Snickers.

2) Buy late: The closer to Halloween you buy the candy, the better off you are. In fact, never- ever open the bag before the first trick-or-treater comes. That way you'll have less total temptation time to cope with those pesky little temptations.

3) Buy candy you don't like: If it's coconut that doesn't interest you, buy mounds and almond joy bars. Sometimes you feel like a nut....and....sometimes you don't.

4) Make up a game plan: If you decide to go for the mini Reese's that the kids will love you for start giving out more as the night wears on, so there's less left over. If there are still remainders, get them out of the house. Give the candy away to a food charity.

5) Go out on a full stomach: If you have to walk your kids around to trick-or-treat, make lunch your big meal of the day, so you're not walking around hungry with bags full of candy. Carry a thermos of something hot to sip on, or chew gum throughout the night. It’ll help kill your urge to put candy in your mouth.

6) Come up with a candy strategy: When the candy's at home, work with your kids to decide what to do with it. Have them pick their favorite pieces: If they're young, encourage them to leave the rest out for "The Great Pumpkin." And if they're too big to believe, encourage them to save the rest for lunches and parties.

7) Freeze it: Put any left-over favorite candy in the freezer. If you get weak and find yourself digging into the kids stash, they will be rock solid and it will take time to get through even one.

8) Ditch the sense of occasion: Remind yourself that you can buy yourself candy any time of the year. There's no need to load up on fun-size bars on October 31 when you can enjoy them whenever your heart desires. Your an adult after all!

9) Keep things in perspective: Eating a little bit of candy on Halloween doesn't make a person overweight — it's constant overeating that can pile on the pounds. So don't assume you can't enjoy even a single treat, especially since deprivation is a dieting tactic that often backfires.

10) Try some slimming treats: Halloween means candy wherever you look, and it can be hard denying yourself outright. For those who like to have a candy bowl nearby, we've searched the shelves for candy that was a better choice but still gave a bang for the buck. Miniatures are a great deal in terms of portion control, while chewy candies turn out to be a big mouthful bargain and hard candies and lollipops score high for long-lasting satisfaction.

Don't trick yourself into believing that these SMALL treats won't add up to BIG calories if they are not consumed in a responsible manor.

Excerpts from article by: Melissa Sperl and Leslie Fink, RD