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Happy day before Halloween, all my fellow Halloween-celebrators out there!
Have I mentioned that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays? Mostly because I love candy, costumes, and giving children candy.
I particularly like giving the kids candy because that means it’s no longer in my house, tempting me with its sweet sugary goodness. I have a huge sweet tooth (it takes up my whole face), and if I know there is candy in the house, I will eat it all. Candy, cookies, brownies – you name it, I’ll eat it.
Conveniently, I decided I desperately needed to lose some weight – yes, right before the holidays. Actually, it was my pants that told me I needed to lose weight. It was either lose weight, or buy new pants. Since losing weight (for me) means eating less and exercising more, this means I would either pay nothing (eating less is free, and I already pay for the gym) or pay around $200 for several new work pants and a new pair of jeans. Ummmm… yeah, that was a no-brainer.
My point is: Halloween candy and trying to eat less are competing forces. Since I want to enjoy the holiday while keeping a balanced diet, I had to find a way to eat some candy while still saying true to my new healthy diet. Since I count calories to lose weight (not as hard as you’d think: MyFitnessPal is surprisingly accurate!), I thought I’d share with you some of my favorite candies, how many calories they are, and how you can balance them out with exercising.
Yes, I know this isn’t a typical finance post. However, calories are like a bank: if you have 1500 in the bank (that you must spend, more or less) and have 200 candy-calories subtracted from that bank, now you only have 1300 to spend. However, if you run for a mile (side hustle) and gain 100, you add that to your bank and now have 1400 calories to spend. Following along? Just indulge me on this post 🙂
Choose Your Candy Calories Wisely
Here are three delicious candies, how many calories they are, and three exercises to burn them off. I used the average calories burned for a 150 pound person. I also picked activities that are free or at least frugal. Enjoy (with less guilt)!
Snickers – for two fun size pieces of Snickers, you will need to burn off 160 calories. Burn off 171 calories by playing darts (wall or lawn)!
Skittles – for one bag of Skittles, it will cost you 250 calories. Take the kids (if you can find any/use your own) trick-or-treating! One hour of leisurely walking will burn 239 calories – almost all of those Skittles. (And yes, that’s a picture of a cat, not people trick-or-treating. You could try to take your cat trick-or-treating!) 🙂
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures – if you want to have a crazy night and eat 10 mini peanut butter cups, you’ll be down 440 calories. Go all out and play kickball with some friends to burn 477 calories – your mini peanut butter cups and more!
How do you handle Halloween candy calories? What’s your favorite candy? Are you trick-or-treating, taking someone t-o-t’ing, or hosting a party?
Will says
I know it’s kind of hard-core but I’ve given up candy completely as of a few months ago. Well, that’s a lie. I’ll eat some if I’ve not had it before. I like trying everything. So if I go to a friend’s house and he’s passing around a crazy Chinese candy bar he bought, I’ll try a piece for sure. Otherwise, count me out of the American candy addiction. My abs have never been more apparent! 🙂
Oh, but my fav. candy bar in the past has been a Zero bar. Try it if you haven’t had one!!! 😀
Melissa says
What?! That’s the best idea ever!! I love trying candy from other places, but it’s funny… a lot of our grocery stores carry Mexican candy, so of course I’m buying it all and trying it. The grocery stores are sabotaging me! 🙂 I wish I had your will power in the candy department!
Also, never tried a Zero bar. I’ll be on the lookout! 🙂
Jessica says
Reese’s cups sound great right around now. I still need to shave off a good 5 pounds so I’m going to pass on indulging this Halloween. I need to look sharp for those Christmas photos. 🙂 I’m not insanely picky when it comes to candy if there’s chocolate and almonds then it’s my style!
Melissa says
That’s the spirit! Looking good for Christmas photos – and thank you for reminding me! I hope you’ve been able to avoid the Reese’s so far 🙂
Erin @ Journey to Saving says
I’ve really been trying to eat less candy. I have a major sweet tooth as well and I just need to keep ignoring it. I’ve given in to some chocolate, but that’s it. Though I was craving skittles earlier… We haven’t purchased any candy for Halloween at all, and it’s going to stay that way. No temptation!!
Melissa says
That’s the best answer… if you don’t have it, you can’t eat it 😉 I’m worried for Monday, when all the parents bring in leftover candy from their kids’ Halloween bags. I’m going to have to avoid the break room!
Amanda @ My Life, I Guess says
I handle this by keeping the Halloween candy in the trunk of my car 🙂
I’m a big candy person, but I also need to lose some weight too. (I had to give in and buy bigger pants… boo.) The holiday’s are the worst for it!
I’ll be going with my in-laws and nieces trick or treating tomorrow. It’s been YEARS since I’ve gone!
Melissa says
Trunk of your car is an awesome idea! The holidays ARE the worst for having to buy new clothes. Although I guess you could just ask for new clothes during the holidays… but that defeats the purpose! 🙂 Hey, you’ll get some walking in while trick-or-treating – you can have some candy! 🙂
Maria says
I bought two boxes of chocolate to give away last week….
I only have a handful left for tomorrow, I’ll need to go buy some more.
No. Self. Control!
Melissa says
Haha I know that feeling soooo well! Do you have a hiding place you can keep it in and not touch? Or can you keep it somewhere else (work, friend/parent/relative’s house)? Seriously, I’ve done some of those things to keep myself from eating candy!
Kayla @ Shoeaholicnomore says
I was faced with the same decision going into fall – lose some weight or buy bigger pants… I chose to do a Paleo challenge to help lose some weight so my pants would fit again.
Melissa says
There you go! That’s being frugal 😉
Katharine @ Katharine Writes says
I used this exact logic to explain to my husband why I was suddenly working out every day. He went with the “But you look fine!” line of logic. I went with the “But buying new pants is expensive!” argument. Because it is. So even though this time of year just makes me want to eat ALL the candy, and hibernate ALL day long because it’s cold, I’m getting those workouts in. Because pants are expensive. =)
Melissa says
Haha, the ‘you look fine’ logic is so dangerous! Thank goodness for pants to remind us where we really stand… I’m glad I’m not the only braving the cold and avoiding (some) candy to keep those pants fitting! Motivation buddy! 🙂