In my book, Goodbye Fatness, Hello Gorgeous!, I dedicated a chapter about how to handle the candy holidays. And one of the major candy holidays is coming up – Valentine’s Day! This is also the time for flower gifts, which is of course agreeable to those who are trying to maintain healthy eating throughout the year. However, there are more “disrupters” that break the consistency. Don’t forget the chocolates, dining out, work parties, family parties, children parties, friends’ parties. Then there are temptations in the supermarket and fine bakeries. The heart-shaped cookies and cakes lure us. The chocolate covered “somethings” are in full view, and we try to convince ourselves it is a good kind of healthy, especially those chocolate-covered strawberries.
Now that I mentioned most of the temptations, let’s work on how to avoid or at least indulge just a little without the ton of guilt and weight being added on! Everyone is different, but if you can, ask your love, friend, or family member who always gifts food for this holiday, to avoid food gifts for Valentine’s Day. Make it sound like they are doing you a favor; tell them it would be too tempting to have goodies in your presence. Otherwise, it sounds like you are criticizing the gifts. If you can be so open with certain people, ask them to take that money and spend it on a gift card instead. Again, everyone is different so you have to present it in just the right way.
If you do receive candy, show gratitude, but spread the love to someone else. I sometimes put my boxes of candy in the teacher’s lounge at my son’s school so they can enjoy. You could also put out a box of candy in a store you are working at or in the office. Shelters and soup kitchens may enjoy a sealed box of candy, but call in advance to check.
If dining out, try to choose a restaurant that offers healthy choices. Most menus are online nowadays, so browse through them, select an entrée ahead of time, and stick with it when you get there. My book tells you what are great selections, so do check out the dining out chapter. Make sure you skip the appetizers and enjoy a healthy entrée and dessert. Make sure the dessert is small or even split a large dessert.
Parties can be tricky. It all depends on the kind of party that is being held. Some have buffet style, some have a small selection of desserts. Regardless, skip the appetizers and go right to the main course and dessert. If it is a buffet, limit yourself to one plate – no seconds, thirds, and so on. If you want salad, that must be on the same dinner plate. Drizzle dressing and do not put a heaping ladle full on. Choose main courses that are not fried and are without cream sauces. When it comes to dessert, have one. The old me used to have a sampling of MANY! Since you are limited to one dessert, choose wisely. You won’t miss the extra calories and fat, believe me. Sometimes at these parties we are so social that we don’t truly get to savor the food anyway. Therefore, less is best!
I can go on with more tips but hopefully the few I gave here will help you have a healthier Valentine’s Day!