Valentine’s Day Survival Tips

Love is in the air, and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! When you think of Valentine’s Day, what comes to mind? A romantic dinner, a box of chocolates, and big bouquet red roses?

This year, think outside the box. Whether you are a couple or a family, there are many ways you can spend this holiday together and even stay on track with your health and fitness goals.

According to the CNN Freedom Project, more than 58 million pounds of chocolate are sold during the week of Valentine’s Day. That is a lot of sugar!  Valentine’s Day is known to be a holiday that is filled with cookies, candies, chocolates and donuts. Your co-workers will be bringing chocolates to work and your kids will bringing home candy back from school. Eating too much sugar is the quickest way to gain weight, and can even make you feel sick. What is the best way to balance your meals but still indulge a little?  Have a plan!

Here are 3 ways to stay healthy and balanced around Valentine’s Day!

1) Choose a high quality dessert. This means, say no to candy. Candy is made up of pure sugar, without any fat or any other nutrients. If you want to indulge in something sweet, choose a high quality dessert that has good fat in it so it can help you balance out your blood sugar. An example is a dark piece of chocolate, or one of DeliverLean’s delicious desserts such as the Lean Bean Brownie with Raspberry Chia Pudding, Raw Acai Lemon Cheesecake, or the Raw Red Velvet Vegan Donuts with Cashew Cream (yum!) This way, you don’t have to feel guilty for eating dessert, because you know you are putting high quality, natural ingredients into your body.

2) Stay active during the week. This is where thinking “outside the box” comes into play. Choose to do something fun with your partner or family. Take a workout or yoga class together, go for a family bike ride, or even spend a day at the beach. You can plan a weekend activity since this year Valentine’s Day falls on a weekday. Keep your body moving and you will feel energized throughout the week.

3) Plan your meals in advance. Don’t wait until lunch or dinner to figure out what you will be eating. If you are hungry and in a time crunch, you will not make the best decision. If you have a well balanced meal, you will have more energy, less sugar cravings, and you’ll feel better about yourself!

Liza M. Scott MS, RD, CISSN

Registered Dietitian

Personal Trainer

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