Four options to consider along with possible outcomes.
Option 1: Eat it.
Option 2: Don't eat it.
There is NO right or wrong way to be with Halloween candy. I’m not advocating for one way or another. It can be helpful to know how your choices may impact how you feel about yourself and your relationship with food.
If you've been restricting, believe you have a food or sugar addiction or are worried you'll be out of control around the candy if you just have one piece, then I get how you may not believe it can be this simple.
So, let's break it down.
Option 1: Eat it.
You can eat the Halloween candy while telling yourself you shouldn't be eating it and feel really guilty about it.
Possible outcomes:
You may not enjoy eating the candy.
If you’re telling yourself, “I can eat this today, but I can't eat this tomorrow” you’ll likely eat more today knowing you have to restrict tomorrow.
As a result of feeling guilty, you may trigger a restriction response which means you’ll try to limit your food intake and increase your exercise. This will likely set you up for a future binge or drive you to overeat.
You may feel like you’re a failure.
Another way to eat it.
You can eat the Halloween candy with full permission to eat the candy you like and enjoy it.
Possible outcomes:
Eating mindfully means you'll be noticing the taste of what you're eating. You may even pay attention to how your body feels when you eat it and afterward.
This will be interesting information for you to know what candy you like and what you don't like.
You’ll enjoy the candy and can practice tuning into your body to know when it’s time for you to stop eating because you’re satisfied and don’t want any more.
Option 2: Don’t Eat It.
You may want Halloween candy but choose not to eat it. If you're choosing not to because you're afraid to start eating it, you don't want to eat bad, sugary foods, or you just want to be good, you may feel deprived and like you're missing out.
Possible outcomes:
You may choose to eat other foods to replace the Halloween candy.
You may notice you eat a lot of that food and still don't feel satiated or content.
You may still want Halloween candy and eventually choose to eat it. (See Option 1).
Another way to not eat it.
You may choose to not eat Halloween candy because you know you can have candy anytime you'd like. It's not novel or special to you.
Possible outcomes:
You've checked in with your body and you're just not interested in Halloween candy right now.
You’ve reaffirmed the trust you have in your body to guide you to eat joyfully.
You give yourself full permission to eat Halloween candy anytime for any reason.