Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

If you are so lucky that you have someone who loves you enough to go to a restaurant on Valentine’s Day, then show that person that you love them by taking care of yourself tonight. They don’t want you to overeat just to prove you’re having fun. They want you to be feeling great so that when you go home, you’re not doubled over with a stuffed stomach.

Here’s how I eat healthy when we go to restaurants:

• Order whatever you want: Seriously. Quit trying to tell yourself that you can only have salad or chicken breasts. If you want a steak, order it. If you are dying for some pasta, stop denying yourself.

• Ask for a box with your entree: I try to make it a joke, “If you don’t bring me a box, I’ll eat the WHOLE thing, so I need the box when my food comes.” Valentine’s Day is a busy night, so they might not remember the box. Ask the water person or the guy bussing tables to bring you a box. Don’t get testy at the waiter, but DO get what you need.

• Do your best to estimate the calories: This is the hard part, because you don’t really know what they put into your food that makes it taste so good. I usually calculate the total calories for the ingredients and add 50-100 calories for whatever it is that is making the food so yummy.

• Divide out what you have the calories for: If that’s half of the entree, cut it in half. There have been times when I’ve only eaten a third of my entree because that’s all I had left in my day. It’s okay. Once the rest of the food is hidden in the take home box, it doesn’t matter. It will feel like you have a whole plate of food.

• Don’t take home the box: It’s Valentine’s Day. You don’t need to worry about leftovers on Valentine’s Day. Just “forget” your take home box at your table. They never taste as good reheated as they did that night anyway.

One further note of advice. Avoid garlic, onions or any other strong flavors that might impede the flow of the evening. This night is all about AFTER the Valentine’s dinner. Make sure that’s the special part.