I’m a chocolate ho lover. Really. It’s my absolute FAVORITE kind of food sweets. I’ve had to learn how to manage my love for chocolate as I could easily eat large quantities of it daily if it didn’t love to hang out on my stomach just as much. So, with Valentine’s Day here and chocolate EVERYWHERE I’ve come up with four ways to handle the candy temptation and stay on track with Project Me:

Go DARK. If you’re going to eat chocolate you might as well gets something out of it. Studies show that dark chocolate is high in antioxidants which are great for the immune system. Got to love those studies. Ahem. Go for 70 percent cocoa or higher to reap the best benefits.

Enjoy SOME. Don’t deprive yourself. If you don’t let yourself have a little bit you’re more likely to over indulge later. Allow yourself a reasonable amount and it eat it guilt FREE.

BAG it up. So your Valentine went crazy and bought you boxes of goodies, don’t leave it out just sitting there tempting you to eat it all, instead, divide it up into small serving sizes, put it in sandwich baggies, and put it in the pantry. Freezing some is also a good way to avoid over eating and you’ll have an appropriate portion size next time that craving hits.

Give some AWAY. Take it to work. Send it to school with the kids. Share it with your friends at tennis practice, at your church meeting, or wherever you may go. You could even re-gift it if it’s not open – gasp! Out of sight in this case means out of mouth.

Enjoy, but not too much, and Happy Candy Valentine’s Day.

Winks & Smiles,