|
Below, you'll find extensive information on leading
Atkins Diet Effects Side articles and products to help you on your way
to success.
Watch Your Weight This Halloween
By Tracie Johanson, Thu Dec 8th
For those of us who are looking for quick weight loss, Halloweencan be a scary experience! While just one night of indulgence inHalloween candy might not be enough to break your belt, dippinginto the leftover stockpile for weeks on end will surely derailyour diet or weight loss program. In 1921, in Anoka, MN, the United States enjoyed our firstrecorded instance of a Halloween celebration. Annual candyconsumption has climbed almost unabated since then. According tothe Census Bureau, Americans eat nearly a half-pound of candyeach week for an average of 25 pounds of candy a year. Candy isbig business, with the United States boasting 1,040manufacturing establishments producing chocolate and cocoaproducts in 2001. These establishments employed 45,913 peopleand shipped $12 billion worth of goods that year. Another 616U.S. establishments manufactured non-chocolate confectioneryproducts in 2001. These establishments employed 26,400 peopleand shipped $7 billion worth of goods that year (source:census.gov). The overwhelming popularity of the South Beach Diet, Zone Diet,and has prompted low-carb weight watchers to eatless candy. Overall consumption has actually declined over thelast few years; as recently as 1997 the average annual candyconsumption was a sky-high 27 pounds.
-> The Problem: Most people on a diet plan or weight controlprogram look at candy as little brightly-colored fat bombs. Thatassessment isn't far off the mark, either, with most candypacking little nutritional value and a ton of calories. Some of the more popular Halloween candy has too many caloriesto be included in any healthy diet: * Twizzlers 1 treat sizepkg.= 45 calories * Almond Joy 1 snack size bar = 90 calories *Milk Duds 1 treat size box = 40 calories * Butterfinger 1 snacksize bar = 100 calories * Milky Way 1 snack size bar = 90calories * SweetTarts 1 treat size pkg. = 50 calories * 1Tootsie Pop 1 pop = 60 calories * 1 Tootsie Roll 1 small roll =13 calories Note: Calorie content is based on 1 serving of Halloween 'snack'or 'fun' size packages, not full size servings found in thecandy aisle. While just a few pieces of Halloween candy won't obliterate yourdiet program or weight loss plan, it's the temptation to keephaving 'just one more' that will pack on the pounds. It onlytakes nine small fun-size candy bars to put on a quarter-poundof fat. Besides candy, Halloween threatens many otherhigh-calorie treats like Caramel apples (243 calories), 8-oz.apple cider and a cake donut (319 calories), or a slice ofpumpkin pie (240 calories). -> The Solution: Is it possible to cope with the menace ofHalloween candy without taking all the fun out of the holiday?Absolutely! If you're looking for fast weight loss, and don'twant Halloween to bring your fat loss to a screeching halt,consider these healthy Halloween tips: 1. Walk with your kids while they're trick-or-treating. A165-lb. woman strolling along (walking slowly) for one hour willburn approximately 150 calories (source: caloriesperhour.com). 2. Out of sight, out of mind. When the kids have unloaded theirstash, store it in an airtight container and put it in thecupboard. A bowl full of candy on the counter is an openinvitation to have 'just one', but a stockpile you can't see isless tempting. 3. If you're going to give out candy to trick-or-treaters onHalloween, don't buy it until October 31st. Having a candysupply in the house before Halloween only
entices you to havesome early. 4. If you must buy candy before Halloween, buy a kind you don'tlike. Again, this will reduce the temptation for you to dig in. 5. Hosting a Halloween party? Supply vegetables, healthy dips,and low fat snacking alternatives instead of candy. 6. Set a Halloween candy deadline by which all Halloween candymust be either consumed (by the kids) or it will be thrown away.Saving that candy for weeks, or even months, only keepstemptation in the house. 7. Put more emphasis on dressing up in a great costume, and lesson candy. This is especially true for the kids, who often viewHalloween as a candy free-for-all dream come true. 8. By hosting a party on Halloween night, you can control themenu and have fun with friends at the same time. 9. Focus on Halloween activities other than eating. There arelots of options available, from hayrides to haunted houses tobonfires. 10. Candy has a long shelf life, and there's no reason why youcouldn't put some of it in airtight bags and store it in thefreezer. Allow the kids to take out one bag every two weeksuntil it's gone. This tactic will at least space out thetemptation and minimize candy binge eating. Of course, the absolute best way to avoid weight gain, andperhaps even achieve some easy weight loss, during the Halloweenseason is to bump up the amount of exercise you're getting.There's no better way to lose weight fast than a healthy dietand regular exercise. Make sure the workout you're doing includes both aerobic andresistance training, as it is critical to get both types ofexercise to maximize weight loss. It's also important toexercise for at least thirty minutes, three times per week,which is the most recent recommendation by the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention (source: cdc.gov). A fantastic strategy is to find the best weight loss program foryou now, before Halloween hits. The reason is that the lastthree months of the year are packed with holidays, specialdinners and seasonal treats. Starting with Halloween candy andending with Christmas fudge, many people find that they'repacking on more pounds during this period than they do any othertime of year. Joining a gym is an excellent way to combat Halloween andholiday weight gain. Finding a good gym to join now will notonly help keep off those holiday pounds, but will even make youslimmer by New Years. For more free weight loss information and weight loss tips, goto http://www.letspickupthepace.com/ and click on the 'Articles'link. * Copyright 2005 Pick Up The Pace. Permission is not requiredfor the distribution of Pick Up The Pace articles as long asthey are used in their entirety, are properly credited to PickUp The Pace, and are accompanied by our website link:http://www.letspickupthepace.com/. * The information in this article and on this site is forgeneral reference purposes only and not intended to addressspecific medical conditions. This information is not asubstitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam.Prior to participating in any exercise program or activity, youshould seek the advice of your physician or other qualifiedhealth professional. No information in this article or onhttp://www.letspickupthepace.com/ should be used to diagnose,treat, cure or prevent any medical condition. About the author:Tracie Johanson is the founder of Pick Up The Pace, a 30-minuteexercise studio for women, focusing on fitness, health andnutrition for maximum weight loss. Please visithttp://www.letspickupthepace.com/ for more information.
|
