Summer has officially come to an end, and although fall in Arkansas is an awesome time get out and enjoy the weather, the days will get shorter and the weather will get colder, which means outdoor activities will become limited.

With less daylight and colder temperatures, people will typically stay indoors, which means more eating due to boredom or to deal with the winter blues.  This certainly seems to be the trend.  To make matters even more difficult, it’s rapidly approaching holiday season which seems to sabotage any effort to keep yourself lean.  One of the first thoughts is Thanksgiving and the holiday season, but in truth, Halloween is the official start of the holiday weight-gain season and, as a result, many people find themselves packing on the pounds before they even realize it!

Studies have estimated that Americans consume around 26 pounds of candy per year and it’s believed that a large portion of the candy is consumed around Halloween.

That is a lot of candy to consume in a short amount of time! And it only starts with Halloween!

The eats and treats last from fall to winter, moving from candy corn and gummy worms to snowman-shaped marshmallows and Christmas tree-shaped chocolates. I know, I know, my mouth is watering too!

Many rationalize this by thinking we will only gain one to three pounds during the holiday season, rather than five to 10 pounds. Too often, though, people never lose the pound or two they gain, and the trend continues every year. Ten years later, they are 20 pounds heavier!

The key is to control what goes into your body.  Instead of consuming processed sugar and fat-laden treats like there is no tomorrow, replace them with homemade goodies.  You can involve your children and show them that there are delicious alternatives to the typical junk they eat every holiday season.  It also allows for some family bonding.

Look for our new Halloween Survival Guide & Cookbook coming this month that contains recipes so delicious and sweet you will not believe how much better they are for you! Hint: Nutty Chocolaty Frozen Bananas, Guilt-Free Pumpkin Pie, and the Creamy Pumpkin Smoothie!