Halloween candy is everywhere. If you have kids in your home, the amount of candy around you may double or triple by Halloween night, and that’s not counting the bowl that made its way into your office — for guests, of course. This is only the beginning of candy season: we see you, Christmas and Valentine’s Day. How do you make sure you’re not mindlessly filling up on all the extra sweet treats?

Samantha Harden, associate professor and exercise specialist in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Tech, encourages us to enjoy the flavors of the season while remaining mindful and prioritizing movement.

What is mindfulness?

“At its core, mindfulness means being present: able to direct your attention and observe, or as we say in a lot of yoga practices, ‘notice what you notice,’” Harden said.

Harden recommends ways to self-regulate, or “tune in to you.” You can press your feet to the ground to come to the present moment, take a big breath in and out in stressful situations, and find a quiet place to focus on your breath and engage in “sense withdrawal.”

“Closing your eyes or gently cupping your ears can help you to really tune in,” Harden said.

It is important to know that being mindful does not necessarily mean you will feel pleasant, and it is not easy.

“You might realize you are angry or hungry,” Harden said. “These are associated as ‘negative’ states, but they’re just signals. Essentially, being mindful is being present with what is, not fighting or judging it.”

Harden said this can be especially challenging for those with mental illness, so check in with your health care provider.

How can mindfulness help us around holiday food?

Harden said a healthy lifestyle happens among and with the ebbs and flows of holidays, birthdays, retirements, promotions, weddings, and other events throughout the year. The challenge, she said, is the internal narrative that is directed by societal expectations or personal goals. This is where mindfulness is important.

“Be present. Enjoy every bite. Slow down. Hear the crinkle, smell the candy. Replay the joy of your own kiddo or the kids in the neighborhood. Seal in the moment and the joy,” Harden said.

It also is important to consider how you store candy because where candy appears is an environmental cue. “Out of sight, out of mind” helps, but Harden said not to hide a stash of candy.

“It might make it feel tantalizing to ‘sneak’ hidden candy, so find a happy medium, balance,” Harden said.

Harden added that if you are on a weight management journey, always remember a new moment starts right away. Avoid the “What the heck” phenomenon.

“People often say, ‘I ate poorly for breakfast, so what the heck, I’ll keep indulging,’” Harden said. “A new moment starts right now.”

How important is exercise?

Movement is important every day. Harden said every movement counts and simple things add up:

  • Dance around your kitchen.
  • Park farther from the door at the grocery store.
  • Sign up for that Thanksgiving 5K, even if you aren’t ready to finish it.

“You don’t have to run it all — you don’t even have to finish — but you might find a crisp morning of moving and smiling with family, friends, and strangers brings more memories and delight than you would think,” said Harden.

Choose your words carefully

Many people categorize things like food as good or bad, healthy or unhealthy, and movement as under productive or lazy. Harden encourages individuals and families to consider defining things together to determine what makes you feel your best when it comes to dietary patterns and practices and movement.

“Ask little ones, ‘When do you feel most at rest?’ or ‘How can I help you navigate this emotion,’ or ‘Can we take one after school activity off your plate, just for this semester and see how we feel?’ and adults are just older kids, so check in with yourself. What amount of food, exercise, and weight makes you feel optimal so you can feel good in your body and be of service to others,” Harden said.

“Food is medicine, nourishment to the body, and deeply personal and cultural. A shared family recipe done right the year after the matriarch who created it passed away? Priceless,” said Harden.

Consider removing phrases like “I’m being so naughty by eating this” or “You have to exercise to earn your treat.” Harden said that brains can build new connections, so replace those phrases with positive ones:

  • “What a treat, what a joy.”
  • “I love the person who made this.”
  • “I did such a good job with this recipe.”

Harden offered this advice for navigating mindfulness around food and movement: “Enjoy food made with love. Love this body that carries you through life.”

About Harden

Samantha Harden is a behavioral psychologist, dissemination and implementation scientist, and 500-hour registered yoga teacher. She shares her expertise on a podcast — “Higher Vibrations in Higher Education” — and has over 120 peer-reviewed journal articles.

Schedule an interview

To secure a live or recorded interview, contact Margaret Ashburn in the media relations office at mkashburn@vt.edu or 540-529-0814.

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