Halloween is just about here – and especially parents and folks who live in child-heavy areas have the fear of a really frightening post-holiday weight gain.  The problem is that those of us fighting the battle of the bulge might ordinarily avoid having candy in the house but, as October 31 nears, we stock up on treats to give to neighborhood kids and, suddenly, there’s a lot of candy in the house for us to try and resist. Many of us are able to hold off until the big day, but once the trick or treaters have left, we’re faced with a bunch of left over candy. It’s even worse for parents. While we do our best to try and keep the kids’ candy consumption under control, we often find ourselves over-indulging right along with them.

Fortunately, there are a few common sense steps to avoid the dietary equivalent of a zombie apocalypse.

1.     Don’t buy your favorites. If there’s some candy you love so much that you’re extra afraid you won’t be able to control yourself, get something else. You might even consider getting something you actually dislike. If, like some of us, you can’t stand coconut, Mounds Bars will be easy to resist and you won’t have to worry about your house being egged or TP’d for being a Hallo-Scrooge.
2.  Don’t buy a whole lot. A lot of us have an almost irrational fear of running out on Halloween but, really, what’s the worst that can happen? You can always turn the lights out, watch a scary movie with your headphones on, and just pretend you’re not home.
3. Spread the “pain” around. If you’re a parent there’s really no perfect answer as you try to keep everyone’s consumption under control without making your kids hate you forever. So, yes, let the kids take the candy to school (if there’s no rule against it, that is), and you always have the option to bring it into work or a social occasion. Your friends and coworkers might think it’s a mixed blessing, but at least you won’t be the only one tempted.

Even better, if there’s a local charity that can use the candy productively – your nearest Ronald McDonald House might be a good one – give it to them so they can to give it to kids who could really use a treat. Think of how much better that warm feeling of doing something good for people will feel compared to a bunch of extra pounds.

Of course, these kinds of helpful hints can only go so far. Remember that BHP plays host to an outstanding group of weight loss specialists, including weight loss coaches for people struggling with some extra pounds and bariatric surgery options for those with more serious weight problems. Whatever your situation, we’re here to help!