The healthy lifestyle gets easier when you start cooking from home and become adjusted to the foods you can eat and those that you should no longer have. The pounds melt away and you just feel better overall. While it does get easier, there are times when it is a bit of a struggle, such as when holidays roll around. These tips will help you get through Halloween and still remain on a healthy diet.

From Halloween to New Years, there are a lot of temptations—from candy to pastries to parties and celebrations. You’d have to be super human to resist all that’s coming your way over the next few months.

So let’s get started with what’s right around the corner …

HALLOWEEN

I’ve put together a few tips to help you from getting tricked into eating treats you really don’t want.

• Go to a Halloween Event. Instead of trick-or-treating with the kids on Halloween night, consider going to an event. There might be a family-friendly Halloween party you can go to that will have approved snacks, or you can go to your church or another place nearby with more activities and less emphasis on all the candy and sweets. The ‘trick’ here is to celebrate Halloween in a way that is fun for everyone but doesn’t rely so much on just the candy.

• Don’t Buy Candy You Like. When it comes to handing out candy, this can often be your downfall. You are staying home on Halloween, carving pumpkins, watching scary movies, and probably handing out candy to the neighborhood kids. Most parents won’t let their kids have homemade treats since it is too dangerous, so you really can only give either small toys (which get pricey) or candy. If you decide on packaged candy, choose candy you know kids enjoy, but that isn’t your favorite. This really decreases the risk of you being tempted by it.

• Eat a Healthy Meal Before the Halloween Event. While many Halloween parties do have fruits and veggies or other food options you can enjoy while on your diet, there is no guarantee. So that you don’t eat chips and dip just because there isn’t anything else and you’re starving, eat before you leave the house. Have a healthy Halloween meal before heading out, then you will be much less inclined to have a non-healthy appetizer due to being hungry.

• Get Rid of Candy Immediately After Halloween. If you have candy in the house from Halloween, whether from handing it out to kids in the neighborhood or from your kids’ trick-or-treat bags, get rid of it after Halloween is over. Have your kids create treat bags to give to their teachers at school as a thank-you, or bring it to your work and leave it in the break room for others to enjoy.