So, it’s that time of year again when we tend to overeat during the holidays. Halloween has passed, and I can only hope that most of you have been able to keep your hands out of the leftover bowls of candy that tend to pop up around the office.

The truth is, the reason those bowls of candy exist is so the people “sharing” their leftovers don’t eat it all themselves. I know we hate to be wasteful, but leftover Halloween candy should just be thrown away or possibly donated to a food pantry. What did that bag of candy cost anyway? Did you ever take the time to consider why it’s so cheap? Well, it isn’t because it’s made from quality ingredients; that’s for sure.

Halloween is the gateway to the slow decline of our health and the inflation of our waistline. Your best offense this holiday season is a good defense. Tell yourself that you’re going to make healthier choices. By avoiding the candy, cakes and cookies, chances are you’ll make it to the New Year a few pounds lighter and feel a whole lot better about yourself.

The fact is, every gym in the nation depends on your overindulgence. They simply prey upon and capitalize on your weakness and bad decisions. New Year’s resolutions are a scam; they just don’t work.

Make a promise to yourself now! Don’t eat the garbage and you won’t feel like garbage. Once you start, it’s almost impossible to stop. These items are addicting and the more you eat, the more you want. You know how it works … you start with one or two pieces of candy a day, then before you know it, you’re hitting the candy bowl three or four times before lunch. When the candy runs out, Thanksgiving is here to save you with all of the goodies it can offer. After that, it’s the holiday parties, followed by Christmas and Hanukkah, and finally, New Year’s Eve.

It begins with candy, then morphs into pies, cakes and cookies—and somewhere in between is the alcohol. All of these are nutrient-poor, blood sugar-spiking carbohydrates. All of those extra carbohydrates cause inflammation, raise our cholesterol and triglycerides, and create excess body fat.

Decide today that this year it will be different. Establish a good strategy now, before it’s too late. If you do, you’ll thank yourself for not having that extra slice of Thanksgiving pie.

If you must indulge, go for quality. Try a piece or two of good quality dark chocolate and stick to homemade desserts over store-bought cookies, cakes and pies. As for alcohol, have some seltzer or sparkling water with a slice of lemon or lime in between each glass of wine or cocktail. It will drastically reduce the amount of sugar and calories you consume.

Best of luck and here’s to a happy and healthy holiday season!

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