Frightful Fall Calorie Counts

The High Calorie Count in Pumpkin Drinks, Scones and Pies are Scary and Spooky! Here’s How to Fight It Off and Stick to Your Weight Loss Goals

This time of year can be one of the best times of year—there’s the fall festivals, the family gatherings, and oh yeah, the constant test of will power when it comes to food. Pumpkin lattes are at every Starbucks, pumpkin scones are available at every grocery store (just open and eat!) and pumpkin flavored cookies, cheesecake and ice-cream are everywhere. Don’t give in—or at least not often if you want to keep your figure, and continue to strive for an even fitter one. Here’s some tips for the next few months so you can face the decadent desserts head on, and resist the urge to cave.

Keep It Smooth, Not Crunchy

No matter what time of the year it is, the texture of the foods you eat matter—and not just based on preference, but on your metabolism, too! When you stick to smooth textured foods (as opposed to crunchy, for example), you’ll actually consume less calories. Why? A study done by the Journal of Consumer Research shows that people who chew crunchy foods eat more, with the assumption that they’re burning calories with each bite. Stick to creamy foods, as long as you still monitor your portion size and frequency.

Make Your Pumpkin Latte a Treat, Not a Daily Thing

Whether it’s October or March, the trick to really, truly and ultimately keeping your physique under control (and all that progress you’ve made this year!) is by moderating how much you eat, and how often you indulge. As they say, it’s not what, but how much you eat, so go slow. Don’t impulse buy pumpkin sugar cookies at the store, when you’re already treating yourself to a pumpkin scone from your neighborhood coffee shop every Friday morning.

In addition, before indulging in a bite of a high calorie food, remind yourself of what it is. Is it worth it? For example, if you’re worked hard to take high intensity cardio classes all week and eliminate processed foods from your diet, is a second helping of pumpkin ice cream worth the hard work you’ve done? By taking a moment to think—before you bite, swallow or slurp—you’ll stay on top of your progress, and limit the indulgence.

Opt For the Pricey Dinner

Now, this little trick may not be something that you can do every time you eat out, but if you eat out sparingly (which is always a good idea when you’re trying to manage your weight and control what and how much you eat), it can be a satisfying way to minimize those decadent, can’t-miss-out-on entrée choices. According to a study done by Cornell University, higher priced food causes a greater satisfaction with the food you eat—which causes a higher rate of happiness. Meaning? You won’t be as likely to snack later on, or still ‘feel hungry.’  No matter what your cravings may be this holiday season, apply these tips to your eating routine and you’ll no longer be a victim of holiday food temptation again.