Valentine's Day Chocolate

Finding it difficult to avoid chocolate on Valentine's Day? There's no need to avoid it completely — a little dark chocolate is OK starting in Phase 2.

The following are general guidelines for year-round chocolate consumption.

Darker is better. Plain chocolate bars are often labeled with a percentage of cacao (50 percent, 70 percent, etc.). The higher the percentage, the more antioxidants it contains.

Limit milk chocolate consumption. This variety tends to contain a lot of sugar.

Less is more. Don't overdo it when eating chocolate. While it may contain beneficial compounds, it can still be a diet buster. One good way to limit intake is to melt a small amount of chocolate and use it as a fruit dip (Phase 2). The fruit will help fill you up faster. Check the Foods to Enjoy and Avoid list for recommended fruits.
Treat chocolate as a treat. Eating it only on special occasions like Valentine's Day will help ensure that you don't compromise weight-loss efforts.

Stress Overload

Does your nine-to-five seem more like try-to-survive? You're not alone. Jobs are often the biggest sources of stress. What can you do at work to keep you from stress overload that leads to stress overeat? Find your escape hatch at work, or better yet, find several.

Take a less-stress stroll, do a stress-lowering workout at lunch or call a friend or family member for some stress-relieving venting. What are your escape hatches? Remember, a healthy calorie controlled diet in itself can decrease the stress in your life.