Caramel apples, “fun-size” treats and candy corn make Halloween a tricky time for even the most ardent dieter. Giving into a little temptation is perfectly normal – so let’s not get down about it – let’s find ways to overcome the sugar rush of Halloween and refocus our mind and our metabolism on getting healthy and fit.
Here’s how:
Hydrate!
Drinking plenty of water in the days following your Halloween treat is a great trick to flush your system and help you feel energized.
Break the Cycle.
Eating sweets tends to inspire cravings for more sweets so it’s important to avoid allowing one day of fun to become a week of snacking you’ll truly regret. Break the cycle by reaching for fresh fruit or sugar-free chewing gum when your craving kicks in.
Enjoy a Good Night’s Sleep.
Whether dancing the night away at a costume party or chaperoning young ghosts, goblins, and heroes around the neighborhood, there’s a good chance that Halloween cut into your normal sleep routine. Try to make it a point to recover a few hours of rest to help improve your mood and metabolism.
Create a delicious, detoxifying menu.
Counter your intake of processed sugars with a day of clean eating. Start the day with a fresh fruit smoothie, crunch on a crisp and cool salad for lunch and wrap up the day with Guy Fieri’s ginger carrot soup. You’ll find his recipe at the end of this blog post.
Get moving!
When all else fails – the surest trick to combat high-calorie treats is exercise. Give your metabolism a boost toward processing those sugary snacks with an energetic jog around the block. The crisp autumn air will feel refreshing and the activity will burn away those fun-size calories.
Delicious Detoxifying Ginger Carrot Soup
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped sweet onion
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger
2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium russet potato, peeled and chopped
6 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 1/3 cups plain low-fat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
Freshly ground pepper
DIRECTIONS
- Combine the olive oil and onion in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, 10 minutes, until just starting to caramelize.
- Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes, being careful not to burn the mixture. Stir in the carrots, potato, and the chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the carrots and potato are very tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Keep warm.
- Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan over high heat, lightly toast the pine nuts. Set aside to cool.
- In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, honey, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
- Puree the soup with an immersion blender until very smooth (or puree in a regular blender in batches). Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and serve with a dollop of the yogurt mixture and some pine nuts.
Makes 8 servings.
