VIRGINIA BEACH - It's nearly trick-or-treat time and that's candy time for children.
It's the beginning of the holiday overeating season, too.
Stephanie McSweeney says her sweet tooth used to get the best of her.
"I always have a chocolate crisis at Halloween. This year, I was a little more aware of what I was putting into my body," she admits.
Along with working out more, she says her treats aren't chocolate.
"I bought things that I don't like," she states.
She lets her kids pick their favorites and then finds creative uses for the rest, like using them for a science project.
"(We) see which one melts faster in the microwave and then it's such a mess, they're not going to eat it," she says.
Registered dietitian and professional trainer Jim White says parents can help their children beat the sugar rush. He advises giving them smaller trick-or-treat bags when they go out , have healthy snacks waiting when they get home and don't let them eat everything at once.
"Ration their candy off throughout the week, maybe one or two pieces with a healthy meal would be better choice than letting them eat as much as they want," he recommends.
White says you'd need to walk half a mile to compensate for eating two Hersey kisses
You'll spend 10 minutes on a bike to melt away the effects of two pieces of caramel.
Would you walk a mile for candy corn? You should -- if you eat 20 pieces of the Halloween standard.
White says the pounds will last longer than the candy does.
"In nine small, fun-size candy bars, you can gain up to a quarter pound of body fat," he notes.
Of course, the key to any treat is moderation.
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