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Don’t Break Your Diet This Valentine’s Day: 5 Easy Ways To Survive This Season Of Love

Posted by on Feb 6, 2014 in Diet It UP, Eating Out, Nutrition Lists | 0 comments

Image: Manju’s Eating Delights

Single or taken, Valentine’s Day can be a tricky holiday for everyone — especially when it comes to your diet.

Besides having to deal with what many think is a Hallmark holiday, it’s difficult to dodge the constant flow of candy and chocolate that always seem to be around. Whether you’ve got a hot date with your significant other, or you’re trying to avoid a platter of Godiva chocolate covered strawberries at the office, we’ve got 5 high-powered tips that will allow anyone to survive this season of love.

 

Tip #1: Plan Your Dinner Date Carefully

Let’s say you’re one of the lucky few that has an awesome date set up for Valentine’s Day. Congrats! There’s no need to feel anxious over the dinner and whether it will derail you from your eating plan.

For starters, use your diet as a reason to splurge. By all means, go to a more expensive restaurant. Why? Because I guarantee that the food you purchase where it’s 50 dollars a head is going to be much better than a place where it’s 20 dollars a head. In general, a more upscale restaurant will have fresher ingredients and use fewer artificial preservatives; not to mention your meal will taste better.

This isn’t to say that fancier restaurants are healthy by any means. Instead, if you’re going to eat out, always opt to eat at a better restaurant with higher quality food than a sub-par chain restaurant fraught with fat, sugar, and GMOs.

When you get to the restaurant, think about balance. If you really want wine and chocolate cake, that’s fine! Just remember to balance out that choice with the other foods you eat. That might mean skipping the appetizer and ordering a leaner entrée of protein and vegetables. Don’t feel like you’re depriving yourself — it’s one night, you can totally eat the food you want without breaking your diet.

 

Tip #2: Consider Staying In

What if a dinner at a 5 star restaurant is out of your budget? Consider staying in and making a delicious dinner with your date.

It might appear to be more work, but remember that you have a partner to help you chop, dice, and cook. Go ahead and take the time to make that gluten-free chocolate soufflé you’ve always wanted, or that delicious salmon with saffron sauce. Valentine’s Day is only one day a year. Making an extra effort to prepare a delicious and healthy meal will be well worth the work.

 

Tips #3: Plan an Active Valentine’s Day Date

Keep in mind that Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean that you need to be wined and dined at a nice restaurant. Although that’s the traditional thing to do, try switching it up with a more active date.

If the weather is nice, try hiking or another outdoor activity. If you live in a big city, check out the local museums and see if there’s a new exhibit you’d like to see that involves a ton of walking. In other words, don’t settle for the classic VD date if it doesn’t suit your active and healthy lifestyle. Think outside of the box and do something you and your partner will love.

Plus, if your date is health and/or diet conscious, they’ll likely appreciate the thoughtfulness.

 

Tip #4: Make Your Own Healthy Treats

If you work at an office, chances are your work environment will have loads of candy on hand. It probably seems like every coworker has a dish of candy on their desk, begging you to take just one bite. It’s obviously hard to resist treat after treat — try making your own.

There are plenty of websites that offer healthier versions of your favorite Valentine’s Day candies and treats. Start with Pinterest, and then try other lesser-known sites like Food Gawker and Taste Spotting. These sites offer thousands of healthy recipes you can make instead of eating high-sugar candies that will only sabotage your efforts.

 

Tip #5: Ask For a Non-Food Valentine’s Day Gift

If you’re doing a gift exchange with your significant other, or even your friends, make a request for something non-food related.

This could be flowers, a gift certificate for a fancy massage, or even a card. Love knows no price or material possession, and you don’t need to always show your love with food or fancy treats. Asking for a gift that doesn’t involve food or candy is a great way to avoid unwanted Valentine’s Day treats that may derail you from your healthy eating plan and workouts.

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Follow these tips to enjoy a healthier, happier Valentine’s Day. No longer will you fear the candy, chocolate, or lavish dinner. With your arsenal of little tricks, you can put the anxiety aside and truly enjoy this season of love.

Taji Mortazavi

Contributing Author at LeanItUP
Taji Mortazavi is the founder of We're Talking About Food. Devoted to democratizing health, Taji believes that anyone CAN live a healthy lifestyle regardless of medical condition, career, budget or other secondary factors.

Besides contributing to Lean it UP, Taji has been published for her health and fitness advice in journals like Thought Catalog. Taji has been supported by numerous health and fitness companies such as Navitas Naturals, Glutino, and Holystic Hut. Support Taji by visiting her site and finding her on Facebook and Twitter.

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