Jonathan's Candy Dish
and my Halloween candy philosophy

My candy dish shown here will make you think twice before mindlessly grabbing a handful of Almond M&Ms. I got it from an artist at a street market in Australia. He called it the “discipline box.”

Tomorrow is Halloween and you know what that means – lots of candy all around you in every direction. My philosophy about Halloween candy may shock you a bit, but it is consistent with what I know about how your body works.

Your body builds itself from your habits.

This simple statement is my way of communicating the idea that what you do on a daily basis has far more impact than what you do occasionally. This might as well serve as one of the foundational concepts in health and fitness.

You are better off enjoying several (okay, maybe a few more than several) pieces of candy one night than you are having a few pieces of candy every day after lunch. You know the people who say they “have to have something sweet after a meal.” This is because they have something sweet after a meal. Their brain begins to expect it and so they get a craving.

If you don’t consume candy on a regular basis, it’s okay to relax the rules occasionally. If your body is accustomed to healthy foods for most of your meals, and you consistently exercise, it will recognize the unusually large intake of candy as an anomaly and will not retain much of it.

Remember, your body builds itself from your habits. What you do on a daily basis has far more impact on what you do once in a while.

(Note: This is not to be taken as the green light to eat as much candy as you can on Halloween night.) Have some of something you like that you normally don’t eat and feel good in the knowledge that you give your body what it needs most of the time so it will handle it fine.

• 1/2 cup pumpkin (fresh or canned)
• 3/4 cup cooked oatmeal
• 1/4 cup unsalted pecans
• 2 tbsp low-fat, low-sugar vanilla yogurt
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 tsp ground flaxseed
• 1 tsp cinnamon (on top after blending)
• 3-4 ice cubes

Add everything but the cinnamon to a blender and puree until smooth. Add the cinnamon to the top and serve.

2 servings