Trick Or Treat Already?!

Mid-to late September marks the advent of commercial retail prep for Halloween. The barrage of candy corn, orange and black-themed wrappers, and bags of your favorite assorted chocolates. It's hard to avoid be pulled in by the novelty of this time of year. Co-workers' desks start to become more attractive and suddenly, you find yourself walking several feet out of your normal route to your cubicle to grab those tootsie rolls sitting on so-and-so's desk. You may begin your own shopping a bit early with the best intentions to keep the bag of candy hidden until the little ghouls come knocking at your door; but really end up sneaking a few handfuls every now and then.

So, how do you avoid the haunting sugar overload? Here are some tips. Please feel free to post your own.

1. If you're craving sweets, have some gum on hand to help keep your sweet tooth at bay. The whitening gum that comes in packets that you pop out chicklet like pieces of gum has that hard outer coating, that's candy-like. Plus, you get the added benefit of brightening your pearly whites!
   
2. Limit your pit stops at candy cubicles; and put a limit on the number of pieces of candy that you grab. So, maybe set a goal of one stop in the afternoon for one piece of candy. If you're having a hard time sticking to your limit, drink some water, hot tea, or coffee. Keep your mouth and hands otherwise occupied. After about 20 minutes check in with yourself and see if your cravings are as strong.
   
3. If you're going for candy, go for hard candy that lasts for awhile. Good choices are Creme Savers, or See's Candies makes lollipops that are ~90 calories, and very rich in flavor.
   
4. Don't buy Halloween candy too far in advance, and don't keep it around long after the holiday. That doesn't mean come November 1 that you eat all of it. Just throw it away. It might be hard to part with the candy, but just think about the temptation you'll resist. Don't think of it as wasting candy, think of it as saving calories!
   
5. Here is a listing of some Halloween treats that are under 100 calories.