Is sugar spooking you this Halloween?
Yes, it’s that time of year and, particularly if you have a young family at home, this can inevitably mean sweets or chocolates in the house. If the thought of all that sugar around is filling you with absolute dread, this blog is for you. Here’s how not to get spooked…
You could try to turn a blind eye to all the sweets and chocolate - but if you have a sweet tooth, then let’s get real. Have you ever tried really hard to resist sugar or any other food for that matter, and then found it has more control over you?
Instead, can you try to let go of the rules and - if you have the desire or craving - allow yourself the freedom to enjoy a few Halloween goodies?
I’m not trying to pull a fast one - we all understand that volumes of sugar is not good for our health, but labelling foods as off-limits or bad is counter-productive and can lead to over-eating the very food we’re trying to avoid.
What’s more, stressing about food can raise your stress levels and cortisol levels. And if we find ourselves in a binge-restrict cycle this may be deeply unhealthy for both our minds and bodies.
Part of developing a sustainable healthy relationship with food is giving yourself permission to have what you crave and enjoy from time to time, even when that food is not physically nourishing. to eat it guilt-free and then move on.
If you have a history of dieting or restrictive eating and are scared you may not be able to stop at one, can you treat this situation as a light experiment to help you get more attuned to eating in a more flexible, intuitive way?
My favourite tips are:
Be sure to eat well-balanced meals during the day so you’re not at the mercy of your hunger. Not eating enough generally is an often overlooked but key piece of the equation when it comes over-eating or emotional eating.
Aim to savour the sweet treats you do consume. When we really commit to eating slowly and mindfully, our experience of eating is very different and we may mind a small piece can go a very long way.
Trust that your body holds the wisdom to know when you’ve eaten enough. Like eating mindfully, there is no doubt this one can take a lot of practice, but when you learn to listen your body, you can rely on it to communicate appropriate amounts of food.
Treat yourself kindly and compassionately whatever this Halloween might bring up for you.
Halloween is no doubt going to be a little different to usual this year, but I hope you get in the spirit of things and creep it real… enjoy.
Next steps
Do you struggle in your relationship to food and would you benefit a fresh approach to eating that puts your mind-body health and wellbeing first? Please check out my Reconnect programme here.
