You may think of Halloween as a time to indulge in candy and pumpkin-flavored treats, but believe it or not, it is possible to get a workout out of this sweets-obsessed holiday! If you weren’t already planning on it, tell your son or daughter that they can have the night off, and get your steps in by trick-or-treating with your grandkids.
Make It a Workout
Not all approaches to trick-or-treating are equally beneficial. For example, if your grandchildren live in a neighborhood that’s more spread out and you have to drive from one house to the next, you can’t count the activity as a workout. Instead, drive to an area where walking the entire route is more feasible. Remember, walking counts as a moderate aerobic activity, so the longer you spend trick-or-treating, the more time you can deduct from your recommended 150 minutes of exercise.
In fact, after two hours of trick-or-treating at just 2.5 miles per hour, a 65-year-old of average height and weight will have burned anywhere from 626 (female) to 674 (male) calories! Considering that your grandkids’ excitement will probably force you to walk faster than that, you’ll definitely feel the workout at the end of the night.
Before heading out this Halloween, be sure to wear comfortable shoes and stay safe. Stick to well-lit streets, don’t let the kids stray from the sidewalk, and use flashlights and reflective clothing if necessary.
Don’t Go Candy-Crazy
Binging on your grandchildren’s Halloween candy can easily render all those burned calories worthless — and make for some pretty angry kids. That being said, it is Halloween, so enjoying a treat or two is understandable. To do so without jeopardizing your oral health, avoid sticky candy, which can leave behind a sticky substance that keeps deteriorating your enamel long after the candy is gone. Tootsie Rolls, Dots, Laffy Taffy, and similar candies are major culprits of tooth decay, so if you see them in your grandkids’ treat bags, look away. Healthier options include sugarless candies, candy bars with nuts, and dark chocolate, which may even help fight tooth decay.
For more ways to get moving this fall season, check out these fun and active harvest events.
