Today is National Candy Day. You might have candy in the house from Halloween. We say you should celebrate National Candy Day in an unusual way: throw it in the garbage. It can be so hard to kick candy. But for those of us concerned about weight or blood sugar, sometimes it’s best to get it out of the house completely.
Maybe you’re one of those lucky people who are excellent at rationing yourself to one piece a day. Maybe you thought ahead and bought things that were gentle on blood sugar in case you had some leftover. If you aren’t one of those people: just get rid of it! With all the holidays approaching fast, it’s so hard to keep a handle on our health. That’s why we want to start now. Get rid of the candy and get healthy before the holidays so you can stay on track.
If you have been eating more sugar and carbs recently, you may be feeling “hungover” and unwell as your body tries to process the food you aren’t used to. Getting back on a healthy diet can make you feel much better, but it can be a little work as your body can crave sugar like a drug. One way to help the process is to drink plenty of water; it can help your digestive tract get back to normal if you have been having any problems eating more sugar than you’re used to. Another is to focus on foods that fill you up, like fiber and protein. Not only can that stop you from feeling hungry, but it can also help you know whether you’re feeling hungry or just craving carbs. That can give you a mental reminder to avoid them.
Some folks might suggest the best way to get healthy is to go cold turkey and snap into three meals a day. We disagree. Three meals a day is a great goal, but if you’ve been snacking a lot, cutting out snacks will make you miserable and more likely to eat things you want to avoid. Instead, go for great snacks — high fiber fruits and healthy nuts. And, adding spice to your snacks can make you feel like you ate more and satiate your brain when you aren’t hungry but are looking for pleasure.
We really like the suggestion of Bethany Doerfler, RD, LDN, and a clinical research dietician at Northwestern Medicine. “For most people,” she said, “I recommend cleaning up one meal at a time and then progressing onto the next meal the following day.”
We think people can ease into it and find their rhythm before Thanksgiving, that way. Then, the holidays should be easier to navigate, you’ll have a stronger foundation. The first step is easy: get the Halloween candy out of the house!
