SAN DIEGO, Oct. 18, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Halloween season can tempt even the healthiest of families to abandon their nutritious habits and overindulge in sweet treats. It's estimated that the average American eats 1.2 pounds of candy every Halloween; that's the equivalent of 33 fun-size chocolate bars! That kind of overindulgence can haunt you or a family member for months if you are trying to manage weight, improve cholesterol or generally improve your family's health.
Fortunately, there are ways to have a healthier Halloween without sacrificing the fun! Healthyroads, the population health management subsidiary of American Specialty Health Inc., offers 10 tips to help families stay on the road to good health this Halloween.
- Explain your goals. Before Halloween, explain your candy guidelines to your kids and your reasoning for them. Remind them that eating some sweets is okay, but only as a very limited part of a balanced and nutritious diet.
- Postpone buying Halloween candy until a few days before Halloween. That way, there's less time for it to sit around the house and tempt you or your kids.
- Buy "fun-size" candies or low-calorie/low-fat treats. Look for those that have only around 100 calories or less per piece.
- Pass out candy that isn't your personal favorite. You're less likely to overindulge in sweets you don't like.
- Send your kids trick-or-treating with a full tummy. They will be less tempted to snack on their goodies along the way.
- Give your children smaller trick-or-treat bags. They won't feel the need to collect as much candy if their bag or bucket fills up faster.
- Store the candy out of sight. Once your children have decided which candies they want to keep, let them pick a few special pieces to eat right away, then stash the rest out of sight and out of their reach.
- Encourage healthy foods first. When your children ask for their candy, tell them they must have something healthy first, like a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts. They may feel full afterwards and forget about their sweet tooth.
- Skip the candy altogether and pass out fun alternatives. Try handing out temporary tattoos, glow sticks, bubbles, crayons or plastic jewelry.
- Be a healthy role model. One of the best ways to limit your child's sugar intake is to be a healthy role model. Substitute healthy snacks for treats, and your kids will likely be inclined to follow in your footsteps.
Halloween is a day focused on sweet treats, but it's important to maintain control over your family's health. Follow these tips to make sure your Halloween choices don't haunt your family through winter!
About Healthyroads
Healthyroads, Inc., a subsidiary of national health services company American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH), offers a wide range of population health solutions, including: award-winning telephone-based lifestyle and health coaching programs, member engagement promotion programs, program management, health risk assessment, biometric screenings, claims analytics, risk stratification, outreach, incentive management programs, competitive group challenges, worksite wellness programs and/or an integrated online wellness portal, Healthyroads.com. Healthyroads offers these programs to more than 5.5 million members nationally.
About American Specialty Health (ASH)
American Specialty Health Incorporated (ASH) is a national health services organization that provides fitness and exercise programs, population health solutions and specialty health care programs for health plans, insurance carriers, employer groups and trust funds. Headquartered in San Diego, with offices in Dallas and Indianapolis, ASH has more than 900 employees and administers services for more than 31 million members. Additional products offered through ASH and its subsidiaries include Silver&Fit®, ExerciseRewardsTM and others. For more information about ASH, visit www.ASHCompanies.com or call 800-848-3555. Follow us on Twitter at @ASHCompanies or @Healthyroads and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/Healthyroads or at http://www.facebook.com/SilverandFit .
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