The Horrors of Halloween Candy

FRESNO, Calif. -- All those miniature candy bars lining the Halloween candy section of your local store look so harmless. But will the calories from that candy come back to haunt your waistline in the weeks ahead?

Candy in general is a big trigger for overindulgence. Not only that, but our cravings for carbohydrates tend to increase as the weather gets colder. Halloween the perfect storm for calorie overload.

As any true candy-craver knows, trying to pass up Halloween candy completely may only make you want it more. Moderation every day leading up to the holiday, you may be less likely to overdo it when you're nose-to-nose with that big bowl of goodies on Halloween night.

Lower-Calorie Halloween Treats

When you're buying Halloween candy or other treats for your controlled indulgences, keep in mind some choices are better than others. Here are some lower-calorie candy and treat choices that will still satisfy your particular cravings.

CHOOSE: A chewy treat that has is naturally sweet. Try a mini-box of raisins (45 calories, 0 grams fat, 10 grams naturally occurring sugars).

Beyond making smarter choices on the snack aisle, avoiding calorie overload at this time of year:

Don't skip on exercise or outdoor time. Staying active and getting a daily dose of sunlight will help keep your mind and body balanced as the days grow shorter.

Don't munch mindlessly. Remove the Halloween candy from your sight. Keep it in the refrigerator or a hard-to-reach cabinet so you'll be fully aware of what you're doing when you grab a couple of pieces.

Decide ahead of time what your daily treat will be, and how many you'll have. Come up with a concrete number that works for you. Remind yourself that the candy will be there tomorrow if you want more.

Stock up on healthy snacks and sugarless gum. Have plenty of sugarless gum and healthy snacks (like baby carrots, grapes, apple slices) on hand for when you just feel like chewing on something.