Tricks to Avoid Halloween Candy

This just in: Candy will still be available after Halloween! Here are tips to help you avoid being "tricked" by candy and to let you indulge in a treat that won't wreak havoc on your good habits.

1. Give the treat of healthier snacks.
The grocery shelves are crammed with 100-calorie snack packs that are healthier options than candy. Snacks like pretzels, roasted nuts and baked chips and crackers are better options than some candies, and if you indulge in a pack, too, you can do it guilt-free.

2. Recognize your intent.
"Sometimes it's not the candy we want at all; we are just craving a particular feeling, like comfort or excitement," said Pam Wood, a Weight Watchers meeting leader in Austin, Texas. "We need to ask ourselves, 'What is it that I really want to satisfy: the craving for the candy or the craving to feel fabulous?'" If it's the latter, she advises that you say "no" to the candy and determine the best way to satisfy your true desires. If it is candy, go ahead and have a small piece to satisfy the craving.

3. Out of sight, out of mind.
Halloween lasts for just one day, and when the holiday is over, the candy should be relegated to its proper place in the nutritional scheme of things. Donate your kids' leftovers to a local shelter, or put the candy on the top shelf of a hard-to-reach cabinet so it can be enjoyed in the right amount, at the right time.

4. Distract yourself.
Feeling an overwhelming urge to tear into the candy you've stockpiled for trick-or-treaters? Do something. Anything! Go for a walk around the block, read 10 pages of a really good book, drink a glass of water, and if you're truly hungry, eat real food: A crisp apple with peanut butter is sweet, nutty and packs a nutritional punch.

5. Give yourself a treat, but indulge in the best.
An occasional treat can help you stay on track with your fitness and nutrition goals, and holidays are a natural time to celebrate. If you decide that now is the time for a special treat, Wood advises you choose carefully. "You deserve the best. Savor the treat that you've selected, and think about how great it is to be fit and still indulge in the best of the best -- and then get on with your life," she says.

If you decide you want to indulge in a Halloween treat, you might want to check out this recap of the best and worst Halloween candy, and if you don't want to give in, here are more tips for crushing your cravings.