Halloween used to be one of the toughest times of the year for me. Not because I don't love the costumes, decorations, or seeing my kids excited about trick-or-treating, but because of what happened after they dumped their candy-filled buckets on the floor. If you’ve ever found yourself surrounded by empty wrappers, feeling sick and mad at yourself for losing control, you’re not alone.
For years, this night marked the beginning of a cycle: I'd binge on candy, feel awful about myself, and decide to just “start fresh in January.” That mindset trapped me in a pattern that made me feel powerless—not just on Halloween, but throughout the entire holiday season. The good news? I’m out of that cycle now, and today, I want to share how I reclaimed my power around food and how you can, too.
Recognizing the Emotional Triggers Behind Eating
Stress, overwhelm, boredom, frustration—these emotions used to send me straight to food. Back then, Halloween candy wasn’t just candy; it was comfort, distraction, and even relief. But here’s the thing: emotional eating isn’t about being weak or lacking control. It’s our brain’s way of searching for a positive feeling—something that soothes us when we’re uncomfortable.
Many of us think we need food to access that positive emotion, whether it’s calm, joy, or satisfaction. But what if you didn’t? What if you could bring up those feelings without the food?
Reclaiming Control: Practicing the Pause
One of the most powerful tools I’ve learned is what I call practicing the pause. When you feel the urge to reach for that candy (or whatever your go-to food is), instead of reacting automatically, take a moment to pause and ask yourself:
Am I really hungry?
What am I thinking or feeling right now?
What do I hope this food will do for me?
Will eating this help in the way I want it to?
These questions aren’t meant to shame you—they’re here to spark curiosity and compassion. That curiosity is key because when you approach your eating habits without judgment, you create space to understand what's driving them.
An Exercise to Shift Your Mindset Around Food
Here’s a little exercise you can try:
Close your eyes and think about your favorite treat. Maybe it’s chocolate, chips, pizza—whatever food tends to pull you in.
Now, imagine you’ve just finished eating it. What is the feeling you experience? For some, it might be satisfaction, calm, or comfort. For others, it might feel like relief or joy.
Sit with that feeling for a moment. Notice how it feels in your body. Is there a texture, color, or sensation that comes to mind?
Now here’s the powerful part: You just accessed that positive feeling without eating the food. This shows you that the emotions you seek aren’t tied to the food itself—you already have the ability to experience them on your own.
Food is Not the Enemy—Judgment Is
The goal isn’t to give up candy forever or become “perfect” around food. It’s about shifting your focus from controlling food to understanding your relationship with it. When we eat emotionally, we’re often looking for a solution to something deeper. But by exploring those urges with compassion instead of shame, we reclaim our power.
The toxic weight-loss culture makes it seem like external solutions—diets, pills, surgery—are the answer to everything. While these options might change your body, they don’t heal your relationship with food. That part is an inside job, and it’s where real empowerment begins.
Choosing Your Own “Hard”
Breaking free from emotional eating isn’t easy, but neither is staying stuck in the cycle of shame and frustration. Both paths are hard, so the real question is: Which hard do you choose? Do you stay on the rollercoaster of feeling out of control, or do you choose the path where you are in the driver’s seat, exploring your relationship with food on your own terms?
For me, the turning point came in 2013, and it’s been a long, imperfect journey ever since. I still have days when food feels like a struggle, and I’m working through my own challenges with weight. But I would choose this path a million times over because it’s brought me closer to myself—closer to the version of me that I had lost for so long.
Practical Tips for Handling Halloween Candy
If you’re worried about Halloween candy pulling you in, know that you have options:
Get rid of the candy: It’s okay to throw it out or donate it to a dentist’s buyback program.
Set boundaries: Allow yourself a few favorite treats, but stop when it no longer feels good.
Practice self-compassion: If you overindulge, remind yourself that you’re human. One day or one bag of candy doesn’t define you.
And if you catch yourself thinking, “I don’t want to waste food by throwing it away,” here’s something to consider: If you wouldn’t throw it in the trash, why throw it in your body?
The Path to Freedom
The work of reclaiming your power around food is an ongoing journey, not a quick fix. It’s about learning to trust yourself again, practicing curiosity, and showing yourself the same compassion you’d offer a friend. And when you approach food from a place of love and empowerment, it no longer has power over you.
Whether your goal is to eat more mindfully, feel comfortable in your skin, or work toward weight loss, the key is choosing a path that aligns with who you are and where you want to go. You’ve already taken the first step by being here. The next step? Keep going.
If you’re ready to dive deeper, listen to the latest episode of my podcast, Fat2Fierce®: The Confidence Chronicles, where I share more about breaking free from holiday food traps and finding peace with Halloween candy.
Remember, you’re not alone in this. Whether it’s Halloween candy or any other food challenge, you have the power to navigate it with confidence and compassion—and that, my friend, is the ultimate win.
xo,
Amy English, Fat2Fierce® Empowering women to take back their power with food and find peace with their bodies.
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