I think most women I know, whether they struggle with weight or not, will be pretty damn glad when the mountainous bags of Halloween candy disappears “poof” from the shelves of everywhere in the next few days.
Most of us are easily tempted by sugar (or corn syrup.. which is typically the main ingredient in commercially made candy anyways) .. Being bombarded on the big holidays with even more of it can be a challenge.
Still I often wonder.. Is it really the candy we want (or whatever it is that haunts you) or are we craving the memories and the old feelings of times gone by?
Are we craving our innocence? Our youth? The sweetness of those experiences when we had much less on our plates,.. so to speak?
I think so.
With strong food cravings I often feel that it’s the associations of wanting to recapture a certain feeling.. as if eating the tootsie roll (my most recent craving- even though I also was very aware that they aren’t particularly chocolate-y.. more corn syrup-y) would swap out this moment in time for one that seems simpler, sweeter, more fun.
We love those tiny parties in our mouth. We long for a little break from the action, the over-stimulation, and the endless noise in our active minds. At some point our brains made a connection that certain foods brought momentary changes to our chemistry.. and those will often be the foods that you turn to when stressed, or emotionally off-center.
And candy hasn’t changed much… most of the brands that were around when we were younger are still around. It’s easy to feel triggered when you see the familiar labels and brands.
Nobody is going to mistake that kind of candy for health food. It’s not meant to be. Don’t create a big battle over it…Don’t aim for perfect, it’s a setup for a binge. Eat some candy if you are inclined, not secretly as that also will add the shame that trigggers binges, and be done with it.
Halloween, at least in the States, and especially if you have young kids at home, is part of the landscape. It’s ok to eat some candy… and instead of cursing yourself when you do it, bless yourself, bless your body, and move on.
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Helen says
Love the article Lisa!
Too many people do beat themselves up about this sort of thing, but like you say it’s everything in moderation, bless it and move on!
Thank you for such a lovely positive message 🙂
Lisa says
Thanks Helen..It’s so individual.. as in my last post not everyone can be moderate.. but still, we need to bless it and move on as peacefully as possible! xox Lisa
Chrisite says
Love this connection Lisa. I know that food was a very big part of experiencing my grandparents. Halloween reminds me of crunching through the leaves and knocking on my grandma’s door and being welcomed into her living room and offered apples and popcorn balls.
Lisa says
Christie.. I can hear/smell the crunching leaves.. such sensual memories for you that even I can experience them.. beautiful. do you make the popcorn balls as an adult? Love, Lisa
Michelle says
I think you’re spot on with the observation that when we have these cravings, we’re going after an emotional want, not really a physical one. It’s all about nostalgia. I also love your advice about not beating yourself up – just let it be an isolated incident instead of turning it into a big deal.
Lisa says
Hi Michelle..those sweet things are SO nostalgic.. we want all of the comfort and memories that go with it sometimes.. not always but I think around holidays and things that tie in to childhood.. more so. Love to you.. Lisa
Julie Geigle says
I always wait until the last minute to buy Halloween candy because otherwise we sit around and eat half of it. This year I was craving Reese’s Peanut Butter cups. I have no idea why, it certainly wasn’t even as good when I ate it as I imagined it would be, a little disappointing even. I wonder if it’s the “sin” of eating candy that makes it so appealing so I really like your idea of not making it forbidden but allowing yourself to have what you’d like and move on. ♥
Lisa says
Julie.. laughing at candy as sin.. and it’s true. Funny how candy can become this forbidden thing.. am rereading Women Who Run With The Wolves.. and thinking about our wild natures.. and how we feed them/don’t feed them.. and instead settle for other things. Love to you- lisa
Jacqueline Fairbrass says
Yes! We have to give ourselves permission to trust ourselves with food.
I focus on eating the candy and really enjoy it. Once I started that I found myself eating less.
Great article Lisa. I will be sharing. xox
Lisa says
Jacqueline.. that’s great when you can find that place.. to not go unconscious and disconnect whether with candy or anything else..if you focus on anything mindfully, it will usually be more pleasurable.. delicious. xox Lisa
Jessica says
Love this! Two things:
1. I only buy candy that I don’t like, so that I won’t be tempted to binge. I pick and choose later of the stuff that I DO like from my kids’ Halloween haul!
2. I totally agree that cravings often seek to recapture a feeling. So, to capitalize on this, I’ll often have the candy and make it a particular point to *notice* the feelings that come up, both physical and emotional. When I tune in to how all that sugary stuff really makes me feel, it’s a great reminder of what this stuff actually does inside your body. Sometimes (not always!) that helps me make a healthier choice next time.
Lisa says
Jessica… I used to do that too.. buy the candy I liked the least.. now that we are out in the country and the kids in town can only trick or treat in the center of town, I don’t have to buy any.. But yes, as Jacqueline was saying the mindfulness is so useful and so much more sensual and pleasurable.. but also can shore up the other feelings like this isn’t all that great.. I can remember once eating some very processed thing and tasting the chemicals in it.. and how not-delicious it was.. so many things taste like that to me now.. I only want the really good stuff. Which isn’t to say that there aren’t times that I don’t get pulled into nostalgic or knee-jerk moments too.. I am not a perfect eater.. but we need to not aim to be perfect.. it’s a setup.
Love to you.. lisa
Leah Shapiro- Life Activator says
As I read this I can see the bowl of leftover Halloween candy-snickers bars- and they do trigger me.
They remind me of when I had my paper route. I was 13 and used to take my paper route money and buy snickers bars and Suzy Q’s. I ate them before I got home because I was always nagged about not eating candy and such because I was too fat.
Buying those snickers bars was my act of rebellion….I felt powerful! I even had a very specific way I would eat them.
Now I find I’m attracted to eating them, then I have one and I get a headache.
Lisa says
Leah..love the image of you with the paper route.. so sweet. And yes those old feelings die hard.. Detangling those battles and realizing that they are completely internalized at this point isn’t always easy.. the truth is we can have any damn thing we want.. and then figuring that out.. what feels best.. what DO we really want and how do we really want to FEEL and negotiating it all is tricky.. and it’s honestly a moment by moment venture.. In each moment you make the choice that feels intuitive and right. and then move on. I still love snickers.. something about them…xox lisa PS.. are you sensitive to peanuts? I bet you are…