Navigating Halloween Candy Without Guilt
Learn why Halloween candy triggers the binge-restrict cycle and how to get through this season without guilt or swinging to extremes on this episode of the Get Sculpted podcast.
Prefer audio? Listen here!
You bought the candy early this year, the way you always do, telling yourself you had it handled. Three days later, half the bag is gone, and you're doing math in your head about fun-size Snickers you swore you'd only have one of. Willpower has less to do with this than volume does. Think about it: the sheer amount of candy sitting in your house, how easy it is to reach, and the story you've been telling yourself about what Halloween candy means since you were the kid sorting through a pillowcase on the living room floor.
Marilynn, Jordanna, and Tijana sit down to talk through why this specific stretch of the calendar, the one that runs from Halloween straight through New Year's, tends to unravel more progress than any other time of year. They dig into where the guilt comes from, what the candy bowl does to your brain when it sits on the counter for weeks, and the five things you can put in place today so this season doesn't turn into the same binge-and-restrict cycle you've lived through before.
Here's what’s covered:
Why Halloween hits differently for women who grew up as the trick-or-treater, and how that early programming still runs in the background decades later
The real reason fun-size candy tricks your brain into eating more than you'd ever eat from a full-size bar
How to set up your environment so the candy isn't staring you down every time you walk through the kitchen
The difference between eating candy intentionally and eating it because it's within arm's reach
A clear-eyed look at what really happens to your results when you treat November 1st like a normal day instead of a reset
This episode is for the woman who bought the Halloween candy with good intentions and is now negotiating with herself in the pantry. It's for the woman who already knows this season sets the tone for how she eats clear through January, and the one who wants a way through Halloween that doesn't involve pushing through or writing the whole month off.
"Eating a piece of candy doesn't mean you ruined everything." Coach Marilynn
A couple of chocolates on October 31st won’t decide your results. What you do with the weeks that follow does. If you want help building a plan for this season instead of waiting for a smoother one, applications are open at getsculpted.ca/contact.
This podcast is brought to you in partnership with Leah Bryant Co.
More about the Get Sculpted Podcast
Welcome to Get Sculpted, the podcast for women who want to gain muscle and lose belly fat, improve their metabolism, and create real results using science-based fat loss strategies and practical coaching.
We go beyond quick fixes and fad diets to give you sustainable fat loss, strength training for weight loss, and fitness tips for women who want results without burning out. You’ll learn how lifting weights supports fat loss, how to train smarter instead of longer, and how to build habits that fit your lifestyle. Think less about guessing, more about clarity, and about progress you can maintain.
Whether you’re getting started or focused on building muscle after 30, this podcast gives women the tools to lose fat, gain muscle, and feel stronger, without relying on endless cardio or restrictive plans. We emphasize fat loss without cardio extremes, so you can train with confidence and consistency.
We’re your hosts, Jordanna, Marilynn, and Tijana, fitness professionals with over 20 years of combined experience and 1,000+ client transformations. With a strong focus on helping women 30 and older, we specialize in strength training, improving metabolism, and weight training for sustainable, realistic weight loss.
We’ll cover questions like:
Can you build muscle and lose belly fat at the same time?
How does strength training support weight loss?
What’s the best way to lose fat without losing muscle?
What’s the best way to lose fat without relying on cardio?
How can lifting weights improve my metabolism?
Why am I not losing weight even though I’m working out and eating healthy?
How can I stop yo-yo dieting for good?
If you’ve been searching for sustainable fat loss, women’s nutrition, and weight training that actually works, you’re in the right place. Join us every week for practical guidance, honest conversations, and tools to sculpt a stronger body and a more confident life.
Connect with us on Instagram at @getsculted.ca
The unedited podcast transcript for this episode of the Get Sculpted podcast follows:
The Candy Control Struggle
Marilynn [00:00:30 - 00:01:12]: [00:00:30] But a couple of days into having it in your house, you've already had 6 fun-size Snickers, a few packs of Rockets here and there, a handful of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and you're just telling yourself, oh, it's all good. [00:00:41] I will buy more before Halloween. [00:00:42] No big deal. [00:00:43] But there is a part of you that feels like you've completely lost control now that the candy is in the house and you're doing more mental gymnastics around the candy than you want to admit. [00:00:55] So, for a lot of women, Halloween isn't really about the candy itself. [00:00:59] And we talked about this when we talked about our holiday episode. [00:01:02] It's not about the turkey, the candy, the food. [00:01:04] It's about the noise that the food, the candy creates in your head, right? [00:01:08] You negotiate, you've got these rules, the guilt, like there's all of these things.
Holiday Alley: The Challenging Season
Marilynn [00:01:13 - 00:01:50]: [00:01:13] And, you know, there's that always that promise, like, I'll just kind of eat this and I'll start over. [00:01:17] But this is the stretch of the year that goes from October all the way to New Year. [00:01:21] I call it Holiday Alley. [00:01:23] And it is the season. [00:01:24] That often derails women's progress more than any other time. [00:01:28] So today's episode is all about talking through this tricky time of year. [00:01:32] We're not going to moralize food, okay? [00:01:34] We're not going to tell you you need to be more disciplined and have more willpower to get through it, and we're not going to swing to the extreme of saying like, just have at it and then figure it out after Halloween's done. [00:01:45] There is a workable middle ground, but for most of us, we don't know what that looks like because we've only ever lived in extremes.
Opening Discussion: Why is Halloween So Hard?
Marilynn [00:01:50 - 00:02:03]: [00:01:50] Before we jump in though, I do want to throw it over to you girls. [00:01:54] Why do you think Halloween is so difficult for women, especially when it comes to their relationship with food? [00:02:00] Like, what is it about Halloween that seems to freak people out so much?
Childhood Nostalgia and Programmed Behaviors
Jordyn [00:02:04 - 00:02:24]: [00:02:04] I think it's actually the fact that like when we were kids, it was such a free time. [00:02:09] Like you went out. [00:02:11] Yeah. [00:02:11] Like that is the programming, right? [00:02:14] You went through 12, 13, 14 years, 15 years if you were lucky of your beginning life where you were the trick-or-treater. [00:02:23] You were the one.Tiana [00:02:25 - 00:02:25]: [00:02:25] Yeah.
Jordyn [00:02:25 - 00:02:34]: [00:02:25] You were the one going around collecting the candy and you were the one then sorting through it. [00:02:31] Like, how exciting was that? [00:02:32] Like, I still have fun doing that with Scarlet.
Marilynn [00:02:34 - 00:02:35]: [00:02:34] Like, I love it.
Jordyn [00:02:35 - 00:02:38]: [00:02:35] Yeah. [00:02:36] And you like go through and be like, nah, garbage. [00:02:38] Nah.
Tiana [00:02:38 - 00:02:39]: [00:02:38] I love dressing up too.
Jordyn [00:02:39 - 00:03:09]: [00:02:39] Trading candy with like my brother, you know? [00:02:41] And I think that that mixed with all these negative connotations that we then layer on top of that. [00:02:48] And then it becomes just this big mess of like, when you're an adult, should I, shouldn't I? [00:02:53] I have to worry about my health. [00:02:54] I have to do this. [00:02:55] I have to do that. [00:02:56] And like, it's not good for me. [00:02:57] And then, you know, but I like it and I want it and it's nostalgic and I don't wanna miss out with my kids. [00:03:02] And I think it really stems from the fact that we were the trick-or-treater and that was a fun time. [00:03:08] That's my belief.
Marilynn [00:03:09 - 00:03:14]: [00:03:09] That's what I would say. [00:03:10] No, I, I love that. [00:03:10] I've never thought of it that way, but that does make sense. [00:03:13] Ti, what do you think?
Orthorexia and Giving Yourself a "Pass"
Tiana [00:03:14 - 00:03:19]: [00:03:14] I agree with that. [00:03:15] I, I think for me, like what comes is When I was very like orthorexic, if you will, and like super strict.Marilynn [00:03:19 - 00:03:19]: [00:03:19] Yeah.
Tiana [00:03:19 - 00:03:45]: [00:03:19] And I would never let these sugary things, but then Halloween, it's like you give yourself the free pass. [00:03:24] So I think that's when the excessive eating, 'cause I can't remember when it happened, but I got to the point where I'm like, I genuinely will see a Halloween bowl and I just not gonna have a piece, right? [00:03:32] Like I could see the candy store. [00:03:33] I don't even, it, it's not even in my peripheral vision. [00:03:36] But back then it was like, oh, this is the time of year when like I'm allowing myself. [00:03:41] And I think that's that's where the problem lies in over-consuming.
Sheer Volume, Fun Size, and the Mind Tricks
Marilynn [00:03:45 - 00:03:55]: [00:03:45] Yeah, I, I think I would agree with you there. [00:03:47] Like, for me, I, I've always thought it's like the sheer volume of candy. [00:03:50] Like, when, when else do you ever— at least at my house, we never have that much candy in the house, if at all.Tiana [00:03:56 - 00:03:57]: [00:03:56] You have great snacks in your house.
Marilynn [00:03:57 - 00:04:37]: [00:03:57] I do have great snacks, but it's also because they're fun size. [00:04:00] So that's something I think that always trips women up as well. [00:04:03] It's like, it's no big deal if I just have like 4 of these little Kit Kats, but it's like, girl, those 4 Kit Kats are like a full Kit Kat bar. [00:04:10] Are the full size. [00:04:11] So I think it's really easy for women to eat a lot without realizing they're doing the damage that they might be doing because it's the volume, it's how small they are, and then it's like, it's there for so long, right? [00:04:24] So we're going to talk about some strategies that you can use, but I just feel like it's more than just one day. [00:04:28] It's like Halloween candy is like the month of October and it's in America. [00:04:32] It's there. [00:04:33] So today, this is what we're diving into, the psychology of Halloween food guilt.
Psychology & Binge-Restrict Cycle
Marilynn [00:04:37 - 00:05:04]: [00:04:37] And that binge-restrict cycle that you might be in, we're going to cover the science of why candy does hit so hard and why your environment matters so much. [00:04:47] And then we're going to tell you about 5 things you can actually do so you're not just surviving and getting through this season. [00:04:53] We want you to thrive and we want you to make progress. [00:04:56] So, Jorde, let's kick it off with you talking to us about like, why does our brain get so loud in October? [00:05:03] Like, what is it about this time of year?
Jordyn's Personal Story & The Food Narrative
Jordyn [00:05:04 - 00:05:44]: [00:05:04] This topic is very near and dear to me because I lived this cycle for decades, and I really struggled with it. [00:05:13] And getting a handle on it and really understanding my relationship with food is what ultimately gave me the freedom around it. [00:05:20] And it's not just like a light switch that goes off and it's like, oh, fixed. [00:05:24] This is time you need to give yourself. [00:05:27] This is a journey. [00:05:28] This is a lot of steps forward and a lot of steps back. [00:05:30] back, and you need to know that it will get better, but you have to give it the time it needs to be on that healing journey, so to speak. [00:05:41] Because ultimately the candy itself isn't the problem.
The Meaning We Place on Candy
Jordyn [00:05:45 - 00:06:25]: [00:05:45] It's the meaning that we've given the candy and the stories that we have associated with it from growing up that is now running in your brain as the main messages. [00:05:57] And those tapes are playing. [00:05:58] Every time Halloween rolls around, I used to literally not be able to buy Halloween candy and have it in my home because I would eat all of it and then go out and buy more to replace it so that nobody knew that I ate all of it. [00:06:12] When I think about this, like it's coming from a very deep and personal place. [00:06:16] Like I can't even believe probably thousands and thousands and thousands of calories of, of little mini chocolate bars, um, have been ingested. [00:06:24] Same here.Marilynn [00:06:25 - 00:06:25]: [00:06:25] Yeah.
Jordyn [00:06:25 - 00:06:37]: [00:06:25] And there is a better way. [00:06:27] There is a more healed approach to it. [00:06:30] I too can look at the candy now. [00:06:32] I can be home and hand out the candy and not even have any and not even think twice about it.
Marilynn [00:06:37 - 00:06:37]: [00:06:37] Yes.
Jordyn [00:06:38 - 00:06:41]: [00:06:38] And I thought those people were like mythical, magical people.
Tiana [00:06:42 - 00:06:44]: [00:06:42] Same. [00:06:42] I thought they were all lying. [00:06:43] I'm like, I know you're thinking about it.
Root Causes of Overeating: Food is "Bad"
Jordyn [00:06:45 - 00:07:16]: [00:06:45] I'm like, they don't really exist, but I'm here to be the proof that they do exist and that can be you too. [00:06:52] And so I'm going to go over a couple of things of why this is happening to you. [00:06:56] And you probably, if this does happen to you, probably already have this awareness. [00:06:59] And so think about it a little bit more. [00:07:01] Where did this come from for you and get to that root cause? [00:07:04] Because it is important. [00:07:05] So the first one is the story that most women learned about Halloween food is that it is bad. [00:07:11] It is bad, is unhealthy. [00:07:13] Even as kids, it's like we're putting a restriction around it.
The Binge & Restrict Cycle
Jordyn [00:07:16 - 00:07:53]: [00:07:16] We're limiting it. [00:07:17] We're like, Go have this free-for-all and then come home. [00:07:20] And then we are going to throw half of it away and bring it to work for the people that are there. [00:07:25] And then you're left with this little bit. [00:07:28] We're conditioning people in the past to say that like the good version of the woman does not eat any of this because she's following her diet. [00:07:36] She's stoic, you know, it's cheating. [00:07:39] And every piece that you eat is like a moral test to If you're rising to that level, if you are that good woman, right? [00:07:47] And you're running that story for so long into adulthood that it's very hard to undo. [00:07:52] That's the first one.
Living the Binge/Restrict Cycle
Jordyn [00:07:54 - 00:08:51]: [00:07:54] The second one is the binge and restrict cycle. [00:07:56] And I have lived this one to a T, you know, right down to it. [00:08:00] And for anybody that does this, like, I see you so wholeheartedly because it was a really shameful and guilt-ridden time in my life, hiding wrappers and Getting rid of the evidence of having eaten that, even in my own place, when I lived by myself, I did that because I didn't— I was ashamed of eating all of that food, right? [00:08:22] From myself. [00:08:22] I didn't wanna remember that I did that the next time I opened up the garbage. [00:08:26] And this really comes down to the restriction cycle. [00:08:30] The more we restrict, the more difficult it'll be when we're around that food, because we haven't given ourselves permission to— Normalize it. [00:08:39] And I think something like exposure therapy can help and it can send you in a really bad direction. [00:08:44] Like I can tell you, I ate so many chocolate almonds that I literally couldn't look at them for years.Jordyn [00:08:52 - 00:08:57]: [00:08:52] And then now I can have like 2 and I'm like, oh, that's not bad. [00:08:56] I can have, you know, 3 or 4.
Marilynn [00:08:57 - 00:08:57]: [00:08:57] Yeah.
Jordyn [00:08:58 - 00:08:59]: [00:08:58] And not really think about it anymore.
Tiana [00:08:59 - 00:09:00]: [00:08:59] Yeah.
Jordyn [00:09:00 - 00:09:05]: [00:09:00] But exposure therapy and making it a normalized part of your world Can help here.
Marilynn [00:09:05 - 00:09:06]: [00:09:05] For sure.
Last Supper Effect and The Fun-Size Trap
Jordyn [00:09:06 - 00:09:14]: [00:09:06] Yeah. [00:09:07] The next one is the Last Supper effect. [00:09:09] So I think Halloween perfectly fits this because it's like one day.Tiana [00:09:14 - 00:09:15]: [00:09:14] Yeah.
Jordyn [00:09:15 - 00:09:20]: [00:09:15] This great, big, exciting, fun day where we go out and get all the candy from strangers.
Marilynn [00:09:20 - 00:09:21]: [00:09:20] Smorgasbord of things.
Jordyn [00:09:21 - 00:09:52]: [00:09:21] Smorgasbord of things. [00:09:22] And it's a bit of that Last Supper effect is the anticipation of, hey, let's go out and have all this fun, but then reality sets in, the hammer drops, and you're restricting again. [00:09:35] That's when the, I'll start Monday, I'll get rid of this, I'll not do this again. [00:09:39] It kind of circles back for you. [00:09:42] And Mair, you, you covered this, but the fun-size trap. [00:09:45] So, you know, 3 or 4 of these things equal the full size of one of them, and we don't realize it.
Alcohol and Mindless Eating
Tiana [00:09:52 - 00:09:57]: [00:09:52] I just came to mind how now people are drinking while they're trick-or-treating with their kids.Jordyn [00:09:57 - 00:09:57]: [00:09:57] Yeah.
Tiana [00:09:57 - 00:09:58]: [00:09:57] That's another thing.
Jordyn [00:09:59 - 00:10:03]: [00:09:59] Sorry, I was getting carried away. [00:09:59] 100%. [00:09:59] And when you're drinking, your, your inhibitions come down.
Marilynn [00:10:03 - 00:10:04]: [00:10:03] Exactly.
Jordyn [00:10:04 - 00:10:05]: [00:10:04] You snack on those and you forget.
Tiana [00:10:06 - 00:10:13]: [00:10:06] And then it's the drinking calories, 'cause I'm thinking that's another thing that people just don't clock, just how many calories they're racking up from.
Jordyn [00:10:13 - 00:10:14]: [00:10:13] Exactly.
Marilynn [00:10:14 - 00:10:19]: [00:10:14] So you're telling me those tumblers are not warm coffee or tea?
Jordyn [00:10:19 - 00:10:20]: [00:10:19] For some, no.
Tiana [00:10:20 - 00:10:22]: [00:10:20] I'm like, how does this—
Jordyn [00:10:22 - 00:10:24]: [00:10:22] It's not just tea, it's a hot toddy.
Tiana [00:10:24 - 00:10:27]: [00:10:24] As if Halloween wasn't, uh, Yeah.
Marilynn [00:10:27 - 00:10:46]: [00:10:27] But that's the thing though, right? [00:10:28] Like the fun size gets me because I, again, no judgment, but I have watched people mindlessly just like boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. [00:10:35] And then it's like, there's 20 wrappers and I'm thinking these are the same people in another context would be like, I would never go and eat like 5 KitKat bars in a row, but I'm like, you just did. [00:10:46] Yeah.
Jordyn [00:10:46 - 00:10:46]: [00:10:46] You just did.
Tiana [00:10:47 - 00:10:52]: [00:10:47] Yeah. [00:10:47] Or they're like, I'm so full from this, this meal plan, but it's like, but, but it's because it's so easy.
Marilynn [00:10:52 - 00:10:58]: [00:10:52] Like, that's the thing. [00:10:52] We're not faulting you. [00:10:53] It's, it's, it is so easy because they're Small. [00:10:56] You can pop 'em in in one bite, boom, they're gone.
Breaking Down the Cycle: Psychology of Candy Consumption
Jordyn [00:10:58 - 00:11:28]: [00:10:58] Exactly. [00:10:59] And so like all this to say, once you understand where your tapes are playing, where they're coming from, why they're playing, what you're doing to yourself in those moments, you'll understand the psychology of it. [00:11:12] And then you'll be able to break down in the moment how to reroute yourself into a healthier next step. [00:11:20] So Ti, would you walk us through why your brain can't just have one? [00:11:26] Like, what is going on here?Marilynn [00:11:28 - 00:11:29]: [00:11:28] Yes.
Food Science & Addictive Engineering
Tiana [00:11:29 - 00:11:32]: [00:11:29] What's the, the brand that has that slogan? [00:11:31] Is it chips? [00:11:32] Ruffles? [00:11:32] Lay's?Jordyn [00:11:33 - 00:11:36]: [00:11:33] Yes. [00:11:33] You can't just have one. [00:11:35] Bet you just can't eat one.
Tiana [00:11:36 - 00:11:36]: [00:11:36] Yeah.
Marilynn [00:11:36 - 00:11:38]: [00:11:36] Yeah. [00:11:37] Bet you can't have just one.
Tiana [00:11:38 - 00:11:41]: [00:11:38] Yeah. [00:11:39] See, the, the marketing is good.
Marilynn [00:11:41 - 00:11:42]: [00:11:41] I was going to say the marketing is there.
Tiana [00:11:43 - 00:11:44]: [00:11:43] Or Pringles. [00:11:43] Once you pop, you can't stop.
Jordyn [00:11:45 - 00:11:45]: [00:11:45] That's good. [00:11:45] Yeah.
Tiana [00:11:46 - 00:11:49]: [00:11:46] But it's actually, it's actually a thing. [00:11:49] These companies—
Marilynn [00:11:50 - 00:11:50]: [00:11:50] It is a thing.
The Availability of Highly Palatable Foods
Tiana [00:11:51 - 00:12:39]: [00:11:51] Here's the reality. [00:11:52] The world is making this harder because everyone always talks about like, oh, you know, in the 1960s or whatever, like people say, this is a sidebar rant, but they're like, oh, people are eating organic and that's why they're not gaining fat. [00:12:03] And I'm like, not really, because over time, more and more of these highly palatable foods are becoming available. [00:12:09] People are moving less, they're sitting all day. [00:12:11] And anyway, these foods are engineered to make them addictive, literally. [00:12:15] So, we want to talk about what happens when you eat this, because as At the end of the day, like when you're, you know, downing a few of these bars and you're getting in 200, 300 more calories, imagine if you had 300 calories of chicken and broccoli and rice, you'd be like, wow, I'm good for a few hours. [00:12:30] But what happens is when you're just eating pure sugar, that's gonna spike your blood sugar and then your insulin crashes. [00:12:34] And then, you know, this is why you're gonna be, you're gonna be hungry again, 'cause your brain craves that dopamine.
Why Sugar/Fat Combinations Are Unstoppable
Tiana [00:12:39 - 00:13:18]: [00:12:39] It's like, oh, okay, more, more, more. [00:12:42] And then it's a lot harder to resist when it's right in front of you. [00:12:45] And I mean, I don't need to even explain the science of that to tell you like, When you have a bowl of something readily available in the lobby of offices at your work and everybody's eating it and you're talking to someone, and when you're skipping meals too, that's when it's just a recipe for disaster. [00:13:00] Because I know I've had periods for sure where I also overate and then I'd also be like, well, I can't go have lunch now because I just ate so many of these. [00:13:07] And it's just backwards. [00:13:08] But your brain is wired to be that way because when you have this combination too, this is the thing. [00:13:15] First of all, it's not sugar that makes people fat. [00:13:18] Okay.Tiana [00:13:18 - 00:13:46]: [00:13:18] It's calories. [00:13:20] So there, it's easy to overeat, number one. [00:13:22] And it's funny because I remember as a kid, even like I was overweight and you know, the candy, I don't know if it still says this, but it says fat-free on the front. [00:13:29] I think, oh, it's fat-free. [00:13:31] It's not going to make me fat, but it's like, it's high calorie. [00:13:35] It's, that's what makes, but when you combine high sugar with high fat, like in chocolate, I love chocolate. [00:13:41] So like, you know, it's a combination that's like milk chocolate, right? [00:13:44] And I mean, dark chocolate's high fat too, but.
Marilynn [00:13:46 - 00:13:46]: [00:13:46] Yeah.
Tiana [00:13:46 - 00:13:50]: [00:13:46] It's very low in sugar. [00:13:47] But anyway, all that to say, the flavor makes it unstoppable to eat.
Food Engineering and the Unfair Advantage
Marilynn [00:13:50 - 00:13:51]: [00:13:50] So easy.Jordyn [00:13:51 - 00:14:19]: [00:13:51] Yep. [00:13:51] There's scientists now that are food scientists that are hired by these companies to alter the engineering of the foods to make them even more delicious and more palatable. [00:14:03] And that's an unfair advantage that they have when you're just you trying to have just one and they literally made your taste buds go on fire and That's right. [00:14:15] Your brain be like, no, more, more, more. [00:14:18] It's an uphill battle for some.
Environment Beats Willpower
Marilynn [00:14:19 - 00:14:20]: [00:14:19] It is very much so.Tiana [00:14:20 - 00:14:40]: [00:14:20] Well, that's why, like, you know, you got to set yourself up for success. [00:14:23] And that's what I want to say, right? [00:14:24] Because if I put out a veggie tray in front of you, you're probably going to eat, hopefully you'll eat some, a good bit, right? [00:14:31] There's no such thing as really overeating that. [00:14:32] And also, like, if you ate a whole, well, when I was in prep before, I remember eating a whole head of broccoli and I was very bloated and probably farted all night long.
Marilynn [00:14:40 - 00:14:44]: [00:14:40] I was going to say very gassy. [00:14:43] Very gassy.
Tiana [00:14:44 - 00:15:11]: [00:14:44] But most normal people don't do that. [00:14:45] So, you know, but eating a whole candy bowl is like, you won't even think twice. [00:14:49] That's why you got to set yourself up for that situation because that's what I always tell people when I have clients that are like, oh my gosh, I overate. [00:14:55] And I'm like, well, first of all, props for telling me because a lot of people won't. [00:14:58] It's not like a shameful secret. [00:15:00] You want to use it as intel. [00:15:01] That's what I always say. [00:15:02] Whenever I overate, I look at that not as like, you failure, why would you do that? [00:15:06] Why would you eat like, you know, a whole bag of candy? [00:15:08] I'd be like, Observing like, man, I was really hungry.
Tiana [00:15:11 - 00:15:39]: [00:15:11] I missed a meal. [00:15:12] And here is this bowl of candy unwrapped. [00:15:15] Like next time I really gotta make sure that, you know, if I'm finding myself snacky, I'm gonna step away and eat something proper, for example, right? [00:15:22] Because environment is always gonna beat willpower. [00:15:24] So, you know, this is where, I'm not judging anybody, but here's the thing. [00:15:28] Don't buy a lot of that stuff, like in general, right? [00:15:31] Like Costco's putting out Halloween candy in August. [00:15:34] No, you're not going to buy it in August. [00:15:36] Don't do it. [00:15:36] And also like, just don't buy a big thing in general.
Buying and Storing Candy Strategically
Tiana [00:15:39 - 00:16:03]: [00:15:39] Like my kids, I will get them on occasion, like Fruit Roll-Ups and things like, not often though, not as a regular thing, but like, you know, when they see it at Costco, I'm like, I'm not going to buy that because I have 2 kids. [00:15:49] I don't have 10 kids. [00:15:50] What's going to happen? [00:15:50] I tell them, I'm like, if that's at home, we're all going to want one all the time because we have a massive box of it. [00:15:55] So like, just don't buy it. [00:15:56] First of all, buy what you need. [00:15:58] You don't need it so early. [00:15:59] Like I never understood. [00:16:00] You know, I know this is kind of unpopular, but I get it.Tiana [00:16:03 - 00:16:30]: [00:16:03] The, the good candy sells out or whatever, but I would rather just get whatever that 3-pack that everybody's getting now, the Smarties and the KitKat and the whatever else, the Coffee Crisp, cuz it's not free. [00:16:13] I'm like, I don't need to be the most exciting person on the block. [00:16:17] Like, I don't want that candy in my house. [00:16:18] So don't buy your candy early. [00:16:20] And also when it's there, don't put out a bowl of it. [00:16:23] Don't ever do that because even when the Halloween candy's done, we don't deny the kids, but We're all going to want to eat it when the bowl is just readily available.
Marilynn [00:16:30 - 00:16:31]: [00:16:30] Sitting there. [00:16:30] Yeah.
Tiana [00:16:31 - 00:16:39]: [00:16:31] Yeah. [00:16:31] So, you know, you put it in a cupboard and it's like, okay, I got to like go on my stepping stool and get some. [00:16:36] And, you know, you're not going to be just mindlessly eating it.
Strategies: Living in Harmony With Food
Marilynn [00:16:42 - 00:17:18]: [00:16:42] No, I mean, I think that's what it is, right? [00:16:44] The way I describe it to clients is like, I want everyone to live in harmony with food, but you also have to see like where you're at. [00:16:50] So if that, if having that candy in a bowl in plain sight is a trigger for you, then it's not about restriction. [00:16:57] It's about strategy. [00:16:58] That's why putting it in the cupboard way up high where it's not as accessible or moving it to another— I had one client who put it in her garage. [00:17:05] Like there are different things you can do until, like George, you said, you go on that journey and you get to that point where you have healed your relationship and you can have it there. [00:17:14] But it is with everything, setting your environment up for success. [00:17:18] Yeah.Jordyn [00:17:18 - 00:18:07]: [00:17:18] I would love to add, like, it's a spectrum. [00:17:20] So maybe this year, if you're on the journey, maybe this year you don't actually buy your Halloween candy till the day of Halloween. [00:17:27] 3 hours before you're going to put out the bowl and be the one distributing it because you don't have the skillset yet to navigate that and you want to avoid what's happened in previous years. [00:17:37] Maybe the next time you're able to buy it a couple days in advance and you put it in your garage like your client did, Mare, or you keep it in the bag and you put it somewhere else so then you set a reminder to go and get it. [00:17:49] Or I have even had my husband put it somewhere else so that I'm not the one that put it away. [00:17:54] You know, like there's a lot of different tactics. [00:17:56] And then as you heal your relationship with food, you can then have it more out if you need to, but your goals, your identity shifts to the point where that is not who you are anymore.
Why Buy Early? & Marketing Tactics
Marilynn [00:18:07 - 00:18:07]: [00:18:07] Yeah.Tiana [00:18:07 - 00:18:12]: [00:18:07] I want to genuinely ask this because as we're talking about it, I'm like, I never understood buying it so early. [00:18:11] Like, why do people do that?
Marilynn [00:18:13 - 00:18:31]: [00:18:13] I think it's a combination of it's on the shelves earlier and earlier. [00:18:15] Like, I swear to God, I feel like it's on the shelves. [00:18:18] No, no, but I'm saying it's in your face. [00:18:20] So, So that's what I'm saying. [00:18:21] Like when people are on this journey and maybe they aren't in that place where the willpower is there or whatever you want to label it as, they haven't healed that relationship. [00:18:28] Seeing it is the trigger. [00:18:29] So it's like, oh, it's August. [00:18:30] It's there.
Marilynn [00:18:31 - 00:18:34]: [00:18:31] Perfect. [00:18:31] I'm going to grab it. [00:18:32] Right? [00:18:33] Like it's, it's readily available.
Tiana [00:18:35 - 00:18:35]: [00:18:35] Do you think?
Jordyn [00:18:35 - 00:18:37]: [00:18:35] No, they think they're going to put it away.
Marilynn [00:18:37 - 00:18:38]: [00:18:37] Like I might have bought it.
Tiana [00:18:38 - 00:18:39]: [00:18:38] Don't do that.
Jordyn [00:18:39 - 00:18:58]: [00:18:39] I wasn't buying it to eat it myself. [00:18:40] I was buying it to put away and be like, oh, the good stuff is here. [00:18:43] It's just getting out. [00:18:45] Um, maybe it's even on sale already or whatever, I don't know. [00:18:49] And I think the marketing around it is just so strong now that people are pulled in there. [00:18:55] These companies are excellent at their strategies, their marketing.
Creative Solutions: Candy Alternatives & Grab Bags
Marilynn [00:18:58 - 00:19:11]: [00:18:58] But I will say one thing that I saw done many times and actually more and more in the neighborhood that my sister takes my nieces trick-or-treating is, um, a lot of parents are opting to do like little grab bags now, almost like mini loot bags, like nothing crazy and extravagant.Tiana [00:19:11 - 00:19:12]: [00:19:11] Oh, they're so good with that.
Marilynn [00:19:12 - 00:19:25]: [00:19:12] They'll go to the dollar store. [00:19:13] It'll be like a little bag with like a pencil, a sticker, whatever. [00:19:16] So I just think that's super strategic for many reasons. [00:19:19] It's not in your house and you're also not contributing to the candy pile. [00:19:22] So that could be an idea, right? [00:19:24] That could be an idea for you.
The 5 Moves for Success
Tiana [00:19:26 - 00:19:32]: [00:19:26] Yeah, actually, I would love if you told us some tips here, Mara, like the 5 moves that are actually going to help us move in the right direction.Marilynn [00:19:33 - 00:19:42]: [00:19:33] Yes. [00:19:33] Yes. [00:19:34] So I think like, you know, it was like when we did our episode about like classes, we're never telling you it's like one or the other, right? [00:19:40] We're never saying like, don't do this. [00:19:41] You must do this. [00:19:42] So.
Tiana [00:19:42 - 00:19:42]: [00:19:42] Mm-hmm.
Setting Up Environment & Mindset Shifts
Marilynn [00:19:43 - 00:20:12]: [00:19:43] We're not saying you cannot have candy. [00:19:45] We're not saying that you have to avoid it indefinitely, but you also don't have to binge on a box to yourself, right? [00:19:52] There's always, always a middle ground. [00:19:55] And so that's why we've got kind of 5 mindset shifts that we want you to, to think of. [00:20:00] So first is like, set up your environment. [00:20:03] So we've talked about this. [00:20:04] If you wanna remove the distraction, then like remove it because then it won't be there. [00:20:09] So Buy the candy as late as possible. [00:20:11] That was a great suggestion.Marilynn [00:20:13 - 00:20:16]: [00:20:13] Like the day of or day before at the most. [00:20:15] That's what we, that's what we do.
Tiana [00:20:16 - 00:20:17]: [00:20:16] Yeah, exactly.
Marilynn [00:20:17 - 00:20:28]: [00:20:17] Um, order it. [00:20:19] Or order it. [00:20:19] Exactly. [00:20:20] If you have to buy it earlier because you're just super busy and you're like, nope, I, I do need to have it, that's fine. [00:20:25] But maybe buy something you don't personally love.
Tiana [00:20:28 - 00:20:29]: [00:20:28] Yeah. [00:20:28] That's a good trick.
Marilynn [00:20:29 - 00:20:54]: [00:20:29] I mean, like if you don't wanna have it, then you're not gonna have it, right? [00:20:34] The other thing we've touched on is put it out of sight. [00:20:37] Don't keep it on the counter in a bowl. [00:20:38] Don't keep it there. [00:20:40] Make it somewhere where it's a little bit more difficult to access. [00:20:43] And then this is a big one. [00:20:45] Within like 24 to 48 hours, get rid of the leftovers. [00:20:48] Like, don't let them just sit there and let it go until now, like November and December. [00:20:53] You can donate them.
Marilynn [00:20:54 - 00:20:57]: [00:20:54] You can send them to work with like your partner, whatever.
Tiana [00:20:57 - 00:20:57]: [00:20:57] Good tip.
Marilynn [00:20:57 - 00:21:22]: [00:20:57] What we used to do at the school I taught at was we would actually put a note out to all the parents and say, listen, Whatever Halloween candy you want to get rid of, bring it to school. [00:21:07] And then one of the teachers would gather it from all the students in the school and we'd bring it to, uh, like a food bank. [00:21:12] Oh, wow. [00:21:13] And they would give it out to people who were accessing food banks around the holidays. [00:21:17] So like there, there are places to put your candy that doesn't have to stay in your immediate environment.
Tiana [00:21:22 - 00:21:24]: [00:21:22] I thought you were gonna say there's places to put your candy other than your mouth.
Five Mindset Shifts
Marilynn [00:21:25 - 00:22:00]: [00:21:25] Well, that too, but, but there is set your environment up for success. [00:21:30] Um, the second one is, and we've touched on this too, don't approach candy hungry. [00:21:34] Okay. [00:21:35] So if you're physically hungry, then of course that candy that's already tempting is going to be like 10 times more tempting. [00:21:42] So keep your normal meals. [00:21:43] Don't like skip meals all day on the 31st because you're like, oh, I'm going to have that candy later on. [00:21:48] Like you want business to be usual, right? [00:21:51] And if you're going to reach for it, you want to pause and ask yourself, am I hungry or am I literally having it just because it's sitting here? [00:21:57] staring me in the face. [00:21:58] So if you're hungry, eat your food.Marilynn [00:22:01 - 00:22:11]: [00:22:01] Then if you decide you want the candy, it will be a lot more intentional. [00:22:05] And I would say more times than not, if you've eaten real substantial meals, the pull is not going to be as strong.
Tiana [00:22:11 - 00:22:18]: [00:22:11] No. [00:22:12] And you tell your kids that, right? [00:22:13] Like, I'm thinking that's exactly what I tell my kids. [00:22:15] I'm like, well, we're not going to go have 10 candies now because you haven't eaten lunch.
Marilynn [00:22:18 - 00:22:18]: [00:22:18] Yes.
Tiana [00:22:19 - 00:22:20]: [00:22:19] Yes. [00:22:19] Tell yourself that.
Marilynn [00:22:20 - 00:22:50]: [00:22:20] Exactly. [00:22:21] And this is actually the third one, which is if you're going to have it, have it intentionally. [00:22:25] Eat it with intention. [00:22:25] Pick 1, 2 favorites, sit down, enjoy it, taste it, savor it. [00:22:31] Having 1 or 2 pieces intentionally is actually going to satisfy you more than like the 20 pieces you have mindlessly just standing on the counter. [00:22:38] In fact, that's actually how your brain registers satisfaction. [00:22:42] Like how many times, if this has ever happened to you, like where you've honestly like hoofed down so much food and you're like, I didn't even taste that. [00:22:48] Like I actually don't even know what that tasted like.
Jordyn [00:22:50 - 00:22:50]: [00:22:50] Yes.
Tiana [00:22:51 - 00:22:51]: [00:22:51] Right?
Marilynn [00:22:51 - 00:23:17]: [00:22:51] So let your brain register the deliciousness of that chocolate you love or that candy you love. [00:22:57] Your brain is not going to recognize it if you're just like throwing it down your throat. [00:23:02] It's going to keep wanting more. [00:23:03] So that's the third one is have it intentionally if you're going to have it. [00:23:06] The fourth is handle your kids' candy haul with a clear rule. [00:23:11] So again, the candy is theirs. [00:23:13] It's not your grazing bowl. [00:23:15] If you want it, we've already said eat it intentionally and be done.
Marilynn [00:23:18 - 00:23:24]: [00:23:18] Because mindless grazing for weeks is where a lot of damage is done. [00:23:22] It's not necessarily that one Halloween night. [00:23:24] It's like—
Jordyn [00:23:25 - 00:23:25]: [00:23:25] All the days after.
Marilynn [00:23:26 - 00:23:46]: [00:23:26] Days that follow. [00:23:27] And the last one is no matter how Halloween goes this year, treat November 1st like a regular day. [00:23:33] Just get back to your regular routine. [00:23:36] Do not fast. [00:23:37] Do not cleanse. [00:23:39] Do not do extra cardio. [00:23:40] Do not punish yourself. [00:23:42] Just get back to your routine because that's the best way to recover from indulgence.
Marilynn [00:23:46 - 00:23:49]: [00:23:46] Otherwise you get stuck. [00:23:47] Stuck in that binge and restrict cycle.
Tracking, Strategy, and Working Treats In
Tiana [00:23:50 - 00:24:04]: [00:23:50] I would say that I would add in here, like, if you're a client, like, part of what we do is tracking food for this reason, because it gives you good intel. [00:23:58] I absolutely would track my food and give myself a little something something. [00:24:02] Like, I pretty much work it in or work it in.Jordyn [00:24:05 - 00:24:05]: [00:24:05] Exactly.
Tiana [00:24:05 - 00:24:06]: [00:24:05] Greek yogurt topping.
Marilynn [00:24:06 - 00:24:13]: [00:24:06] That's a good point. [00:24:07] Yeah. [00:24:07] You can use it strategically as well. [00:24:08] That's an excellent point. [00:24:09] Like, for those of you who have Ninja Creamis, it's actually a good time.
Tiana [00:24:13 - 00:24:14]: [00:24:13] It's like a little blurry.
Marilynn [00:24:14 - 00:24:45]: [00:24:14] Some of those things, right? [00:24:15] But you have to be strategic about it. [00:24:17] Otherwise, it's back into that cycle for you. [00:24:20] So, here's what we want to leave you with. [00:24:22] Halloween is not the moment where your progress either, like, lives or dies. [00:24:26] It's a couple weeks in October where there is going to be more sugar in the house if, if you let it, but that's it. [00:24:32] Your body composition, your health, your progress, none of those come down to whether you have had a couple of chocolates on Halloween. [00:24:40] What decides your results is what you are doing consistently. [00:24:43] This is why you have to work on these patterns and these shifts.
Final Thoughts: Progress Over Perfection
Marilynn [00:24:45 - 00:24:56]: [00:24:45] All right, we see women all the time in our community who navigate these seasons without losing themselves. [00:24:51] And let me tell you, they're not unicorns, right? [00:24:54] At least I don't work with any unicorns. [00:24:55] Girls, you?Jordyn [00:24:56 - 00:24:56]: [00:24:56] No.
Marilynn [00:24:56 - 00:25:19]: [00:24:56] Right? [00:24:56] They don't have more willpower. [00:24:57] They're not more disciplined. [00:24:58] They don't have it, you know, figured out. [00:25:00] It's just they don't spend the time negotiating with candy and with chocolate. [00:25:04] They aren't living in all-or-nothing extremes, and they have set up their environment in a way that works for them. [00:25:11] So that's why we say, like, the candy itself is not the problem. [00:25:14] It's that story. [00:25:15] It's the, you know, I'm, I'm good if I restrict and don't have it.
Marilynn [00:25:19 - 00:25:26]: [00:25:19] I'm bad if I have the candy. [00:25:21] And you don't, you don't have to feel that way anymore, right? [00:25:24] Eating a piece of candy doesn't mean you ruined everything.
Jordyn [00:25:27 - 00:25:27]: [00:25:27] Yeah.
Marilynn [00:25:27 - 00:26:16]: [00:25:27] It just doesn't, right? [00:25:28] So let's, let's kind of do away with that mental energy because that's costing you more than a piece of candy ever will. [00:25:34] So if you want to have some candy this Halloween, have it, but sit down, taste it, savor it, enjoy it, and then go about the rest of your day. [00:25:41] And then the next day, November 1st, it's normal, business as usual. [00:25:45] So if you're listening and you are feeling nervous though, you're still feeling a little bit anxious about Halloween and, you know, that after Halloween it's just going to turn into grazing and all of that, then, you know, this is the cycle that we help clients break, right? [00:25:59] We build a plan that doesn't actually require you to earn your way back or restrict food. [00:26:04] So our applications are open at getsculpted.ca/contact, and we would love to hear from you. [00:26:09] So thank you. [00:26:11] Thank you for listening to today's episode. [00:26:13] And, uh, we're so excited to chat with you again in the next one.