Eat it.

If you know me well, you knew that would be my answer. Now, hear me out. I feel like every ounce of our beings are conditioned to NOT eat Halloween candy. From the minute the candy hits the shelves in late summer, we’re trying to resist every temptation to buy it, eat it and enjoy it. There are a million tactics online to help you NOT eat the candy. And in the interest of full disclosure, last night I was sitting in my living room trying to come up with suggestions to help you and me with leftover candy. I said things like, “make an advent calendar!”  And my husband rolled his eyes. I suggested making a trail mix with all the M&Ms to balance out the calories and add nutrients to the candy. Again, he rolled his eyes. I said, “bring it to the office,” but reminded myself I work there.

I too, felt unsettled with all of my suggestions.  They felt like a cop out, what I SHOULD be saying. He actually said to me, your readers deserve more from you. And you do. That’s why I truly think the best thing we can all do with our leftover Halloween candy this year is eat it. Not in one sitting of course. But there is nothing wrong with leaving your Halloween candy in the cute bowl in your house and having 1 piece a day. Maybe even having 2 pieces. We have to remind ourselves that we don’t gain weight because we eat 1 fun sized Snickers bar. We gain weight because we eat 10 fun sized Snickers bars.

I also used to think I was created with only two settings, severe restricting and excessive  consuming. I’d either eat Greek yogurt, a kale salad and grilled chicken or 9 muffins, 6 slices of pizza, 13 cookies and a bowl of leftover Halloween Candy.

The ALL or NOTHING mentality has done more damage than 1 mini bag of M&Ms ever will. I have spent my whole life restricting. ESPECIALLY around the holidays. And let’s be serious the Holiday season is Halloween through New Year’s Day. It’s counter-intuitive but when we release the weight of needing to restrict, we’re lighter.

We have to spend the whole holiday season talking to ourselves. Figuring out if we’re eating Halloween candy because it’s our 1 or 2 pieces a day and we’re really enjoying it or if we’re eating it because we’re numbing our emotions.  And here’s another thing, if I am allowing myself to keep my Halloween candy, then I’m going to make sure I’m enjoying it. I don’t have time for Smarties & DumDums when what I really want is a Snickers & Peanut Butter Cups. Don’t eat around what you really love in an attempt to save calories, it never works. We’re unsatisfied. I personally plan to pick out all the candy I love that’s leftover from trick-or-treaters and throw it in the freezer. Dessert time!

There is so much joy in holidays like Halloween. Just seeing the candy hit the shelves brings a sense of happiness and nostalgia. Relish in that love for the holiday, not in the hate for what you ate.