Next week begins the season when many people put their successful New Year’s Resolutions on hold (if they made it this far). With the stores filled with sweets to pass out to the little ghouls and goblins, it’s very easy to snag an extra bag of Milky Ways for yourself. In addition to preventing yourself from adding those frightening pounds in one week, this year in particular, we want to keep from getting sick while still having fun with our children. Follow these tips to stay fit and healthy whether you’re passing out candy or trying to snag you’re kid’s stash when they’re not looking.

1. Pass Out ALL The Candy

You may have bought a bigger bag this year hoping that there be a few pieces left when the night was through. If you haven’t bought your candy yet, great! The longer you wait to buy it, the less chance you’ll have of opening it early and indulging in a nightly sweet treat. Whether you bought a big or small bag of treats to pass out to the costumed crew, plan on passing out all the candy by the end of the night. You can start by passing out one piece to each person and then as the night continues, two pieces, three pieces, etc. There’s no rule that says that you have to have enough candy for all the youngsters, so if you run out early, that’s fine as long as you don’t hold out on a couple for yourself.

This year, to prevent the spread of germs and viruses, it’s important that we find ways to reduce the amount of contact between all the people coming to you. Rather than putting a bowl out with candy where so many little hands will be digging through the pile, set out on a table several pieces of candy in individual baking cups for the kids to take so you don’t have to be so close to them. You could also come up with creative ideas of passing out candy, like I did, by building a catapult to dispense mini Snickers bars.

2. March it Out

While you’re waiting for the children to get their candy, there’s no need to just hang tight and not move. March in place or perform some squats so you’re working your muscles before driving the little ones to their next spot. Go the extra mile and perform lunges as your kids walk next to you. This will ensure that you’re socially distanced from people and you won’t walk faster than your little squad.

Bring your ear buds with you and listen to my Podcast episode, “Walk It Out” to keep you moving that night. Click here to download the episode.

3. Divide and Conquer

When the night is through and all the candy has been collected. Come up with a plan to distribute the sweets to your children and yourself so no one ends up eating the whole stash in one night. “Out of sight, out of mind” is a great moto to remember when deciding where to put the stash. Having a system such as, after everyone goes for a walk before dinner, each person can have one or two pieces for dessert. Hold yourself and each other accountable to the rules. Make it a goal to have the candy last until Thanksgiving and you’ll be sure to keep your waistline under control before the fall feast.

Remember to wash your hands after the night of fun festivities. As an added precaution, you can take a cleaning wipe and wipe down the wrappers before storing the payload.

Halloween doesn’t have to be cancelled this year, but finding ways to stay safe through the night will keep everyone healthy throughout the holiday season. Finding ways to stay on track of your fitness goals will be paramount if you don’t wan to start your New Year’s Resolution all over again in 2021.