Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching, and we all know what that means. Boxes full of chocolates from your special someone that make your pants feel a little tighter or binge eating with your friends while watching sappy romance movies like The Vow and The Notebook. Here are my tips on how to avoid the extra weight that comes with this romantic time of year.
Valentine’s Day can either be all about you and your significant other, or it can be about watching everyone else and their significant others. Either way, don’t let the temptation of the mountains of chocolate or ice cream get in the way of your fitness goal. So what if you get a box of chocolates? You can still eat it – just do so in moderation. Don’t sit there and eat the chocolates all at once. Have a few, and then save the rest for later. While they may be tempting, especially if you’re new to the whole fitness scene, your waistline definitely won’t appreciate it afterwards.
Want to sit and pig out with friends for a movie night? That’s totally fine, but there are healthier alternatives than a bucket full of Heavenly Hash and sweets upon sweets. Substitute the ice cream for some low-fat (or no-fat!) frozen yogurt and have some fruit with a sweet dip (and no, I don’t mean chocolate) to replace the candies. You can have fun with eating, just be sure to pay attention to what you’re actually putting into your body.
Want an even better solution? Ditch the movie night altogether! Go out and try something new together, like exploring somewhere you haven’t been around town before, trying new activities like hot yoga, or even hitting the gym! Even if what you’re doing isn’t the most physical activity, being out and moving around is better than sitting on your bed all night!
Now, romantic dinners and late night movies are fun ways to spend this love-filled holiday, but why not switch it up a bit? Instead of sitting around the house with your significant other or going out to eat why not cook a nice healthy meal (or see what they have in your meal hall) and have a candle-lit dinner. You can follow it up with a romantic walk in a park, or visiting place that is special for you two.
While you may think that those few extra chocolates or that one bowl of ice cream won’t do much to your fitness plan, it can. Treating yourself once and a while is great. The danger is when you get the attitude that it’s not going to do anything; then a treat becomes a regular thing and progress doesn’t happen.
Think before you eat this Valentine’s Day and try and get out of the house! I know that I’ll be celebrating Valentine’s Day a day early with my friends at the skating rink. What will you be doing to change old habits?