How not to gain weight on Valentine's Day – or any other holiday

Why is Valentine's Day a diet nightmare?

The Day of Love, like most holidays, is centered on food, food, and more food. According to family lifestyle therapist Amy Hendel, author of Fat Families, Thin Families, women tend to gain weight because they are in the kitchen more, tasting and preparing yummy treats and that the mindless, casual munching all day equals significant unaccounted calories. Hendel adds, "Holidays can be stressful so women tend to turn to food for stressful eating and comfort." Add the easy accessibility to food, from chocolate gifts at the office, special cakes and constantly filled candy bowls and you've got a recipe for diet disaster. To make things worse, stress can raise a woman's cortisol levels, which makes her more susceptible to overeating. In addition, if there are a lot of planning and preparations to be done for the big day, women often ignore the best of health-conscious intentions. "Women will abandon even their entrenched routine exercising," says Hendel, "because [things] need to get done." And as if the ubiquitous Valentine's Day goodies aren't enough, the February holiday is during the winter, when cold weather and less daylight can contribute to carb cravings and the winter condition called seasonal affective disorder or SAD, also termed, according to Hendel, neurovegetative syndrome. (SAD: 6 Tips to beat the winter woes)

Tips to avoid Valentine's Day weight gain

By no means does this mean you should dread the anticipated Day of Love or deprive yourself of the holiday's food and enjoyment. It just means being strategic in sticking to your healthy diet and exercise aims, even if they are temporarily abbreviated. Here are some of Hendel's top holiday health tips — which are applicable all year round, regardless of the holiday in question.

Health tip #1: Walk, walk, walk

On the hunt for the perfect Valentine's Day gift for your mate? Do it on foot. Hendel suggests, "Walk as much as possible — walk to do your errands, park the car further away — just squeeze in moments of brisk activity." (Here are tips to workout without even trying. )

Health tip #2: Tighten up your workouts

Have a big Valentines Day party or romantic dinner planned? "Don't abandon your exercise — just tighten it up," says Hendel. "Do fewer minutes but turn up the intensity." She also recommends simply doing your workouts at home — with fitness DVDs or online fitness videos — so you save travel time to the gym. (Try these three fitness DVDs.)

Health tip #3: Pre-determine your treats

This isn't your first Valentine's Day — you are well aware of the decadent treats before you. Hendel says, "So plan ahead of time what portion-sized treats you will allow yourself and which you won't this year — that pre-planning will add some ‘guilt' if you start breaking the eating rules." For example, eat one single piece of really good chocolate at work — or at home — every day or save your indulging for your actual Valentine's Day dinner date. And eat slowly, savoring every delectable bite you take.

Health tip #4: Take a romantic stroll

You've sumptuously sat through a cocktail, appetizer, dinner and dessert. Help your food digest and burn a few extra calories by going for a hand-in-hand stroll once the bill is paid. If possible, you can always walk to and from your dining destination instead of driving. (Here are some other healthy ways to spend Valentine's Day.)

Health tip #5: Use healthy substitutes

If you are making your Valentine's Day dinner for an at-home rendezvous, Hendel recommends using healthy replacement, or healthy substitute, ingredients. She says, "Try fruit puree instead of butter or oil in cake recipes, and switch out oil and replace it with 100 percent Florida orange juice in marinades or for citrus salad dressing." Additionally, choose leaner cuts of meat, skinless poultry or seafood for your entrée. Best yet, many aphrodisiacs are considered superfoods and are quite inherently healthy. Check out these 30 aphrodisiac foods and plan your romantic menu around them.

Health tip #6: Snack smart

The weeks leading up to Valentine's Day, when the sweet treats start rolling in, make sure you have healthy, balanced snacks on hand and choose them instead. "Get to know some satisfying snacks like air-popped popcorn with flavored sprays, fat free low sugar flavored lattes, diet hot cocoa (made with evaporated skim milk), apples and some dark chocolate or sugar free caramel dipping sauce, baked apples with cinnamon, veggies and bean or hummus dip to name a few," suggests Hendel. (Click for 21 homemade snacks under 100 calories.)

Health tip #7: Journal for your health

You have time to read the news and celebrity gossip, meaning you have time to write down or type up your eating and exercise habits. Hendel recommends journaling what you eat and the exercise you do to hold yourself accountable. Not only will you be less likely to scarf that sixth chocolate truffle, you'll also be less likely to forgo your noon spin class. Read why journaling is the single best way to lose weight.

Health tip #8: Wear fitting clothes

You know that formfitting sweater dress with the chic wide belt? Wear it to work, wear it on your Valentine's Day date, wear it any time you may be faced with the opportunity to over-indulge. "Wear belted clothes that make you aware when you overeat," Hendel advises, "It's literally a physical barrier to overeating (if you don't loosen the belt!)."

Health tip #9: Stay on track even if you slip

"Keep a balanced diet in place and don't allow one day of overeating to justify breaking lose and abandoning healthy eating completely. "One day is not your downfall — it's when you let it evolve into days of overeating that you're in trouble," warns Hendel. That means if you feast on loads of fondue, toasted bread cubes, and an entire bottle of wine on Valentine's Day, don't let that shake your resolve so you continue to eat too much the day after, and the day after, and the day after. Just get back on track with healthy eating and daily exercise.

Health tip #10: Be prepared for emotional eating

Date stand you up? Getting over an ugly divorce? Perhaps this year's Valentine's Day is causing you serious duress — that's no excuse to let it lead to diet destruction. "When you're tempted to eat emotionally, have other options ready, like gum, hot tea or a low cal beverage, or an ongoing hobby," says Hendel. Just think, you'll feel so much better if you go on a 400-calorie hike than sitting on your couch hoarking down 1,000 calories worth of chocolates.

Oops, you've put on the 5 pounds, now what?

Don't distress. Hendel advises to first get rid of the tempting leftovers (bye bye heart-shaped sugar cookies and cordial cherries) and put the above tips back into practice. In addition, Hendel says, "Agree that losing a pound to two pounds a week is the most sensible way to diet and exercise." No extreme dieting or exercising, it only sets you up for burn out, injury and bingeing. Need more motivation? "Buddy up with a friend to help keep each other on track and join a website program that helps you track calories — accountability is a huge help," she adds. Lastly, Hendel suggests that you use healthy meal plans and eat at home — as opposed to restaurants — so you can monitor your eating, portion sizes and calories. Try these 7 diet tips for women to eat healthier at home. 

Here are a few more healthy ways to celebrate Valentine's Day

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Healthy recipe for sizzling sex