Valentine’s Day is meant for lovers to express their mutual feelings for each other. Typical of sweet desserts and intimate meals with lots of romance, February 14th is celebrated by couples worldwide. In fact, one of the busiest nights in the hotel industry that sees most, if not all, restaurants fully reserved for romantic dinners, is this lovers’ day.
With all the food and love in the air, you can easily eat more than your body needs. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. It takes a good plan and a few good tips to kickoff your Valentine’s Day and end it without adding excess fats to your body weight.
Here are a few Mediplan Diet tips for a healthy Valentine’s Day as you celebrate it with your loved one.
9 Healthy Dieting Tips for the Coming Valentine’s Day
1. Modify Your Meals
Whether you’re celebrating this coming lovers’ day in a classic resort, world-class hotel or a good restaurant in your neighborhood, modify your meals as much as you can to ensure you eat healthy. Ask your waiter or waitress to replace the French fries with vegetables or eliminate the sauce from your meal.
Order food free from oil, salt or even butter to help minimize the amount of calories you’ll consume. Opt for baked or grilled foods instead of braised or fried ones, respectively.
2. Keep Off the Bread Basket
Bread is full of calories. If you must have some, pick a roll and ask the waiter to take the rest away or simply keep of the bread basket. Visiting a Mexican restaurant? Keep of the fries or chips as they are rich in fats and calories hence not good for your health.
Just like bread, if you must eat chips, have a handful and keep off the rest for the entire night out. When it comes to calorie-rich foods, it’s all about eating in small portions.
3. Kickoff Your Night Out Light and Healthy
Some soup or light salad should do for your appetizer. Kick start your dinner by eating unsweetened salad to fill you up before the main course. Sharing an entrée with your spouse is also a plus. Instead of consuming all the calories yourself, split it up.
4. Keep Off the Toppings and Dressings
Dressings and food toppings can have a high amount of calories you wouldn’t want to add to your system. Avoid grated cheese, buttery croutons, dollop dressings rich in fats and bacon usually used to top up salads.
Similarly, keep off baked potatoes, burgers and other entrees with such toppings.
5. Control Your Portions
The key to minimizing your calorie-intake and succeeding weight gain is all about eating in portions. Although food portions served in restaurants might seem small, they’re usually larger than the amount required by your body.
Eat half of every food served for your dinner and bring the rest home for your pet cat or dog. Ask the waiter to pack it for you in a doggie bag, if possible. Take charge of your portions to keep up with your routine diet plans for weight loss.
6. Eat Foods with Red Coloring
Red-colored fruits are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, proteins and fiber. These foods are rich in nutrients needed by your body. Order for meals packed with cherries, red bell peppers, red beans, radicchio, red onions, strawberries, tomatoes, red onions, etc.
They’re also rich in iron for more red blood cells production in your body. Antioxidants help fight free radicals in your body hence minimize your chance of developing cancer. The fiber found in red foods is rich in healthy cholesterols and you need proteins to grow and develop.
A glass of wine on this night or day, followed by a daily dose of about 4 ounces of wine come with many benefits. For instance, wine reduces the risk of developing blood clots, ensuring that your cardiovascular health is intact. It also helps minimize cancer risks, among other great benefits.
Pass the sugar-rich cocktail and toast to a glass of wine with your spouse. Having a fruit salad rich in red fruits can also come in handy with all these health benefits.
7. Replace Chocolates with Fruits
Although chocolates are typical of Valentine’s Day, making for the gifts mainly shared by couples, they’re rich in calories. Eat baked dessert with low calories or order a fruit basket for your spouse instead of chocolates. This comes in handy more so if you’re on healthy diet plans to lose weight.
If you must buy chocolates, opt for the sugar-free brands of chocolates or candy to gift your lover. These are available in pharmacies, supermarkets or grocery stores. A healthy cookbook, a gift certificate for a day at a local spa, a bouquet of flowers or even personal exercise training sessions are great alternatives to chocolates when seeking what to gift your spouse.
8. Moderation
Since Valentine’s Day comes only once in a year, you’re allowed to indulge yourself, but in moderation. Don’t completely deprive your sweet tooth. This is a time to make merry, have lots of fun, enjoy great food and laugh your heart out. Spoiling your tooth with a piece of cake, bar of chocolate or just two truffles is acceptable.
With moderation when it comes to consuming calorie-rich foods, you can’t add weight easily. Therefore, don’t beat yourself over eating a bar of chocolate on this day; there’s no room for guilt either. When taken in small amounts, studies have found that chocolates can be good for your heart.
They’re also known to improve body immunity and it’s what you need to feel good about yourself, at least for that day.
9. Home Made Food
Simply cook a healthy meal and enjoy it with your spouse at home. It’s a good idea to prepare the meal together and bond before the big night ahead. The internet is full of simple yet healthy recipes you might want to prepare on this day.
Other than eating a healthy meal, you’ll also save the money you’d have spent in a restaurant. Watch a romantic movie together as you enjoy your home-made meal. Finish it off with a healthy dessert; a short strawberry cake with calorie-free sweetener is a great option.
All in all, it takes more than the best diet plan to have a great Valentine’s Day without the worry of adding some weight. Prepare in advance to avoid last-minute rushes. With these great tips, plan for a healthy lovers’ day like no other.
Contact Mediplan Diet today to help you create a healthy diet plan for weight loss.
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