 Make a plan to incorporate treats
They're out there, as scary as ever, those ghoulishly large bowls of candy. What's worse, they're calling your name.
Treat time has started and it's not going away for three more months. So what are you going to do about it?
Although it's certainly possible to simply avoid all treats over the next several weeks, it will be hard and there may be consequences. You might feel cranky, deprived and depressed at not being able to participate. There is a middle road, however, between deprivation and total indulgence. You can pick and choose and make it count.
A couple of hundred treat calories per day is something you can work into your plan. Perhaps you can cut back somewhere else? For example, have a cookie for about 100 calories, then drink only water instead of milk, juice or soda. Or have your coffee with no cream. You can decide not to indulge every day, but only two or three times each week. The most important thing is to make those calories count.
Don't eat the candy unless it's really one of your favorites. Personally, I'm not a big fan of Three Musketeers so I'd pass that one by, but I do like M&Ms, so I will sometimes have a few of those if they are around. I do not, however, bring them into my home.
If you decide to have a treat, don't inhale it. Taste it. Eat it slowly and enjoy it. Take note of how enjoyable each bite is. If you start paying attention, you are likely to find that you are satisfied in about four bites. After that, your taste buds get accustomed to the taste and it's not as stimulating.
Make a decision now regarding how much and how often per week you are going to allow for treats. That way, you can look forward to it, plan around it, and enjoy it fully, without guilt.
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