Halloween is an exciting holiday for kids and adults, and it is often the day that kicks off the holiday season! Unfortunately, for many, this holiday brings stress and anxiety due to a common fear of “unhealthy” foods. This stress and fear can cause people to create strict food rules, taking the enjoyment out of the season.

Well here’s a few quick fitness and nutrition tips from your favorite trainer and favorite dietitian:

From Amy:

Just keep moving!   Get a quick workout in before festivities (remember, 5 Minute Workouts and 10 Minute Workouts count!)  and try to keep your regularly scheduled workouts around holiday time.

Make it an active celebration!  Walk instead of driving when trick or treating, dance away at that costume party, play hide and seek or active games with the kiddos.

Remember you do NOT need to “earn the candy” or “work off” those calories.  I loathe seeing those images that tell you exactly how many burpees you need to do to burn off that candy bar.  Enjoy the treats!  No guilt, no punishment, just fun.

From Vivian:

This dietitian is about to tell you something you may not expect: EAT THE CANDY. Yup, you read that right. Nope, that’s not a typo. If you want the candy, eat the candy. If you don’t want the candy, don’t eat the candy. Don’t “force” yourself to not eat the candy because “it’s bad for you”. It can be easy to feel the need to avoid a “treat” especially if there is guilt involved with eating or overindulging that food. But, if you know that nothing is off-limits, moderation can be an easier (and more sustainable) way to achieve goals!

This may seem counterintuitive but keeping the candy as an option tends to take power away from it! Knowing that you are allowed to eat what you want can make food less tempting or forbidden and you are less likely to overindulge with this mindset.

You may still be wondering what you can do to prevent yourself (and your kids, if you have them) from overindulging or the candy from taking center stage.

Don’t skip meals with the mindset that you need to cut calories for later. Skipping meals can throw off your hunger cues and can lead to overeating of the sweets. On Halloween, eat normal, well-balanced meals. With a satisfied stomach, your appetite for sweets will be smaller.

Participate in other Halloween activities besides trick-or-treating. Sweets are a big part of Halloween, but they shouldn’t take the center stage. Picking out a costume, dressing up, carving or painting pumpkins, going to a pumpkin patch, riding on a hayride, watching spooky movies, are all fun activities associated with Halloween.