It’s Halloween…
…and many parents get concerned about the amount of candy their children and perhaps, themselves will consume the day off and days after.
Listen to the video for a more elaborate discussion on each one of these items. In the meantime, here are tips I shared:
♥ Keep the child hydrated before, during, and after (next day included).
♥ Feed the child well before trick or treat. That is, a balanced dinner rich in vegetables, protein, and healthy fats. Avoid any processed foods, sugar, and simple carbs.
♥ Invite the child to focus on having fun, playing with friends, hugging, laughing, running around. It is easier for our brains to remember experiences that are fun and how they made us feel.
♥ The once a year do whatever and eat as much as you want IS NOT the habit, memory, belief, or experience I would recommend. By doing that, we are building patterns and expectations that it’s OK to do whatever in certain circumstances. This fake trick we try to tell ourselves often hunt us during adulthood and can easily become a vicious cycle.
♥ Do not make sugar the forbidden fruit. You might be surprised to hear that from me, a health and insulin resistance coach. The truth is, your child will be exposed to unhealthy sugars no matter what, including at school, unfortunately. Having conversations about the reasons to replace sugars with real foods (fruits for sweets) and what the negative side effects of added sugar in the body are better alternatives.
That said, I made my case: avoid introducing candy, cookies, pastries, and any sugary foods to the child. The idea is, when we educate and live by example, we become the catalyst empowerment and change.
Do you remember ever being told to NOT DO or EAT something—as a child or adult? Have you respected that 100% of the time? Or have you taken risks of doing as much as possible of that ‘thing’ when you had the chance to do so? If you are like me, your answer is the latter.
How To Manage Consumption of Sugar After Halloween
♥ Limit consumption of 1-2 pieces a day for the next five days.
♥ Let the child choose what candy and when they will have it. Giving them the responsibility to manage the situation is a good lesson.
♥ Trade candy for money. Give them the choice of either eating the 1-2 pieces a day or getting a dollar for each one they choose to trade.
♥ Get rid of the extra candy asap. If you and your family do not want all this sugar in your body, I do not recommend giving them away to others. Trash it!
Here is my final thought, talk about this plan with your child before the trick and treat action. They might be more selective and respectful between collecting volume and choosing ‘quality’ — their 1-2 pieces a day they will enjoy.
P.S. Did you see my recipe for covered chocolate strawberries? Yummy and fun! Click HERE to get it NOW.
