Have a Healthy Halloween!

We used to run a nutrition challenge every year before the holidays, and it was always crucial we got it in before Halloween or we could squeeze a 21 day sprint challenge in before Thanksgiving.

In retrospect, I'm not sure what good those challenges really did for us because it was so easy to rebound on Halloween and/or especially during the week of Thanksgiving.

Now-a-days I will talk nutrition with anyone, but I wonder if our thoughts and energies might be better spent on other things.  

What do I mean?

Well, most of us will agree that food today is an addiction.  Candies, cookies, cakes, ice cream, chips, dips, alcohol, etc. are all on the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and they are addictive.  

So what do we do?

I propose we look at what the holidays are about.  What is the meaning of Halloween?  Not necessarily the historical meaning behind it, but rather what does it mean to you?  

Is it all just about the candy and consuming and spending??  

I would bet there is a bit more to it.  

For me it is make believe, costumes and dress up for the kids, a neighborhood walk, seeing some pretty amazing and sometimes really scary decorations, time to laugh and giggle and be silly with family and neighborhood friends, a time to scare one another, to tell ghost stories, and essentially it is about  making memories.

When we live our lives, then we are making memories.  If you don't have kids coming to your door or little ones to walk down the street, then it might be a time to remenisce or make new grown up memories with friends or family at the movies or a pumpkin patch.

Seems like a fun alternative to celebrating Halloween that only requires a shift in our focus.

Then, maybe we don't have to think about how many calories we are endulging in or what we will and will not limit ourselves to tonight but rather what memories will we make. 

We have made some of the treats in this link too (just in case you would like to try and have something healthy to go with those memories).

Healthy Halloween,

Dr Asa

 mainstchirorowlett.com