October starts the month of one sugar-laden celebration after another. Halloween candy is followed by pies at Thanksgiving followed by Christmas cookies and eggnog. Just as you turn the calendar to a new year, there is Valentine’s Day staring you in the face.
In between all these celebrations, you may need to squeeze in a couple of birthday cakes and donuts at the office.
Weight loss and weight management can be a real struggle this season. What can you do to be intentional during this season of sweets?
No Leftovers
If you are the one purchasing the candy or sweets for your family, eliminate them or cut back to a reasonable amount. Think about how much each person should really have in a serving and only buy that much. It is not a benefit to anyone to plan to have leftovers of sweets.
Donate Extra Halloween Candy
Thought you would have 100 trick or treaters and only had 27? What will you do with the leftover candy? There are many charities out there that accept candy for troops overseas. Look one up in your area before Trick or Treat night so that you have a plan already for the excess of candy. If there isn’t one in your area, try a local food bank. If all else fails, you could simply throw it away.
Review Your Holiday Menu
Sugar doesn’t just appear on the dessert table. Ever see how much brown sugar is in a recipe for sweet potato casserole? Or do those sweet potatoes really need marshmallows on top? Fat can also be in excess on the holiday table. Choose vegetables that aren’t slathered in cheese sauce. Cut back on the butter in your stuffing recipe.
Remember the real joy of each celebration is the memories made together, not in how much sugar is consumed. A little dessert is fine in moderation and to be enjoyed guilt-free!
If you are ready to conquer sugar leading to weight gain this holiday season, let us here at Dr. Scotts be on your team cheering you along. Together we can come up with a plan to resist the sweets, so that you can remain healthy and even lose weight during these holiday seasons.
