How will your diet cope with Valentine's day?

Hi guys, just wondered if you had any plans for meals on Valentine's day and if you have planned in advance, or will just go with the flow?

My husband is taking me away for the weekend and knows not to buy chocolates etc and that normally I am very vigilant about what I eat and drink, but I thought just this once I will try to be flexible about the syns from Monday to Thursday so that I can enjoy a nice meal and drink on Friday and Saturday. I'm hoping it will be ok, as usually if I have a drink I can't stop eating! (Please hide the dessert menu).

So I am looking forward to it, but it's hard being extra good this side of the week. How are you guys feeling about it all? Does it worry you at all or will you just go with the day and deal with damage limitation afterwards? Do you think your other half will buy you treats or possibly surprise you with an unexpected night out. Or do you think diet is still on no matter what!!
 
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Luckily we've NEVER done Valentines Day - to me its always been a thing for when you were young and you sent a card to someone but didnt put your name in! Its been massively blown up now and everything gets dearer on the day

My husband said last night "every days valentines day when you're married to me" - yeah right!!! Though I do get flowers throughout the year. He knows better than to buy me chocolates. I will scour my million sw books and cook something nice. So just a normal friday night

Hope you have a lovely weekend away - where are you going? Or is it a surprise?
 
We were going out for a posh meal but we have decided to change our plans as it was so expensive. It was £41 per person for the set menu and then when you add on drinks and taxi's it would have cost is over £100!!! For valentines day!!!? Not worth it I don't think.

I'm more for token gestures so we only spend about £10 on something small and now we are going to have an Indian instead. I'll save a few syns up this week where I can and go for plain boiled rice and a dhansak of some sort for about 6.5 syns. Sag aloo is our usual side dish of choice so I'll work out some syns for that as well.

I'll still be over my limit I think by the time you factor in poppadums (4 syns) and wine but I'm planning to be more relaxed on the day anyway. I've chosen something relatively good syn wise for my main when what I really want is a chicken tikka masala so i won't worry too much.

No chocs in my house (although part of me really wants some lol).
 
This will be the first Valentines Day I've spent with my boyfriend. In fact, it'll be the first Valentines Day I've ever spent with anyone. So I'm really looking forward to it!

My boyfriend is lovely, and he knows how much sticking to Slimming World means to me. He gave me the choice of where we are going to eat on Friday night:

- Nando's (we've been together a few times before so he knows it's SW friendly);
- Akbhar Dynasty, an Indian restaurant (I usually have one with my remaining Syns on weigh night, so again he knows it can be SW friendly) or;
- Uno Momento, an Italian restaurant (I have been with family before and mentioned how nice it was. He also really wanted to try it).

I chose Uno Momento, the Italian restaurant. Mainly because I know deep down Warren wants to try it. But also because we go to Nando's quite regularly, and I also have Indian regularly. Italian will be a nice change, plus I know it can still be done pretty SW friendly!

I've already looked at the menu and decided what I'm going to have! I'm going to make Friday a Green day, and to start I will have the mozzarella and tomato starter. I'll use both my HExA's for the mozzarella and ask for it to be served without oil / balsamic glaze. For main I am going to have penne arabbiata. Pasta in a spicy tomato sauce. Yum! Will ask again if they can do it without oil and will have it without parmesan. Going to allow my full days Syns just in case any oil does slip in there and to account for the fresh pasta they will use (rather than dried stuff which would be free).

Won't have a dessert but will keep my HExB's for a few yummy HiFi's when we get home. We're going to get a film to watch and have a cosy night. Can't wait! :)
 
I'll be having the afternoon/evening off SW, naughty but nice ;)

We can't afford to go out for dinner and in any case I'm not sure a romantic dinner would be suitable given that we'll be accompanied by our 2 month old son lol. So we're going for tea and cake in the afternoon and cooking something nice that we both fancy in the evening, be it on or off plan. Probably nachos with all the trimmings. Then back on it on Saturday. The main thing is making sure that whatever treats I have on Friday are finished on Friday so there will be no leftovers!
 
Valentines day has always been celebrated by me and my partner and its then extra celebrated by my family as its also my birthday.

Big fat meal for me at a grill restaurant friday, then drinks and takeaway at a friends house Saturday. The weekend after im going to newcastle to see sarah millican so will struggle that weekend so ive put my family celebrations on hold until march to spread it out haha xxx
 
I try to make sensible choices, but will allow something as a treat. The treat might be a drink, a nice dessert or a main course which looks particularly tempting, but is high in calories. I would prefer to do damage limitation afterwards - the worse that's going to happen is that it will delay target by a week or two. but I think that's a price worth paying.

I'm finding (as someone hovering around target), that SW is for life. A major change in my thinking when I started SW this time around was that I'd allow myself to go 'off plan' sometimes - whether for one meal, a day or a whole holiday - and that it would not mean that I'd blown it. All I have to do, is be prepared to get properly back on plan at the first opportunity. This, for me, means planning my eats and having the ingredients in, ready, so that I have no excuse. It has now become second nature.

It's important to have a life, and sometimes you have to sacrifice SW principles to some extent to enjoy it. Have what you enjoy - and you might even find that things you used to enjoy are no longer the 'treat' that they used to be! - and get back on plan. But most importantly - enjoy without feeling guilty; it's a very special, occasional treat and it does not mean the end of your weight loss.
 
If I know I'm going out for dinner I manage it by only eating superfree for breakfast and lunch. Something like Fruit for breakfast and a homemade veg soup for lunch, and allocate a full day (or two days worth) of syns on it. Depending on what I ate.

When I go out for dinner, I try to make a reasonably sensible choice, ie not something deep fried or full of cream, but I don't stress about it too much.

Meals out are a treat. A nice experience. I'm not going to ruin the experience by ordering a salad with no dressing :)
 
I'm single but will have to be just as careful as I'm was an emotional eater and could easily relapse! I don't actually like the fuss of valentines day and wouldn't really celebrate it if I did have a partner but I'm finding shopping difficult at the moment as there are HUGE boxes of chocolates everywhere!!
 
I try to make sensible choices, but will allow something as a treat. The treat might be a drink, a nice dessert or a main course which looks particularly tempting, but is high in calories. I would prefer to do damage limitation afterwards - the worse that's going to happen is that it will delay target by a week or two. but I think that's a price worth paying. I'm finding (as someone hovering around target), that SW is for life. A major change in my thinking when I started SW this time around was that I'd allow myself to go 'off plan' sometimes - whether for one meal, a day or a whole holiday - and that it would not mean that I'd blown it. All I have to do, is be prepared to get properly back on plan at the first opportunity. This, for me, means planning my eats and having the ingredients in, ready, so that I have no excuse. It has now become second nature. It's important to have a life, and sometimes you have to sacrifice SW principles to some extent to enjoy it. Have what you enjoy - and you might even find that things you used to enjoy are no longer the 'treat' that they used to be! - and get back on plan. But most importantly - enjoy without feeling guilty; it's a very special, occasional treat and it does not mean the end of your weight loss.

Completely agree. I aim to eat like 'normal' people do, so that means an occasional treat and then back to my usual way of eating. I want to be able to do this when I reach target so getting in practice now :)
 
Luckily we've NEVER done Valentines Day - to me its always been a thing for when you were young and you sent a card to someone but didnt put your name in! Its been massively blown up now and everything gets dearer on the day

My husband said last night "every days valentines day when you're married to me" - yeah right!!! Though I do get flowers throughout the year. He knows better than to buy me chocolates. I will scour my million sw books and cook something nice. So just a normal friday night

Hope you have a lovely weekend away - where are you going? Or is it a surprise?

To be totally honest I think everything is far too commercialised these day's. We never buy each other expensive gifts or go out much as restaurants over inflate the price of meals when it falls on a particular bank holiday or some other events. We are second time arounders. We behave like we've been married for about 50 years and bicker over everything, but we go everywhere together and do everything together as we are totally inseparable. It's very out of character for us to do something specific on Valentine's day (we may buy each other a funny card and he might cook me a steak) but this year we have decided to go away for the weekend. Nothing fancy, staying where Lenny Henry guarantees a good nights sleep and eating at the local Brewers Fayre. Probably do some sightseeing (if the weather holds out) and go and have a nosey around Stonehenge. I was going to stay very strict about the diet but then thought what the hell, live a little and have a treat. :)
 
We were going out for a posh meal but we have decided to change our plans as it was so expensive. It was £41 per person for the set menu and then when you add on drinks and taxi's it would have cost is over £100!!! For valentines day!!!? Not worth it I don't think.

I'm more for token gestures so we only spend about £10 on something small and now we are going to have an Indian instead. I'll save a few syns up this week where I can and go for plain boiled rice and a dhansak of some sort for about 6.5 syns. Sag aloo is our usual side dish of choice so I'll work out some syns for that as well.

I'll still be over my limit I think by the time you factor in poppadums (4 syns) and wine but I'm planning to be more relaxed on the day anyway. I've chosen something relatively good syn wise for my main when what I really want is a chicken tikka masala so i won't worry too much.

No chocs in my house (although part of me really wants some lol).

Really would love some curry but too scared of the syns. I must look into this more closely and find something mild that will satisfy my craving. Tried to make a SW one with muller coconut yogurt but didn't taste too good. Hope you have a nice night.
 
This will be the first Valentines Day I've spent with my boyfriend. In fact, it'll be the first Valentines Day I've ever spent with anyone. So I'm really looking forward to it!

My boyfriend is lovely, and he knows how much sticking to Slimming World means to me. He gave me the choice of where we are going to eat on Friday night:

- Nando's (we've been together a few times before so he knows it's SW friendly);
- Akbhar Dynasty, an Indian restaurant (I usually have one with my remaining Syns on weigh night, so again he knows it can be SW friendly) or;
- Uno Momento, an Italian restaurant (I have been with family before and mentioned how nice it was. He also really wanted to try it).

I chose Uno Momento, the Italian restaurant. Mainly because I know deep down Warren wants to try it. But also because we go to Nando's quite regularly, and I also have Indian regularly. Italian will be a nice change, plus I know it can still be done pretty SW friendly!

I've already looked at the menu and decided what I'm going to have! I'm going to make Friday a Green day, and to start I will have the mozzarella and tomato starter. I'll use both my HExA's for the mozzarella and ask for it to be served without oil / balsamic glaze. For main I am going to have penne arabbiata. Pasta in a spicy tomato sauce. Yum! Will ask again if they can do it without oil and will have it without parmesan. Going to allow my full days Syns just in case any oil does slip in there and to account for the fresh pasta they will use (rather than dried stuff which would be free).

Won't have a dessert but will keep my HExB's for a few yummy HiFi's when we get home. We're going to get a film to watch and have a cosy night. Can't wait! :)

Wow, sounds like you are going to have a great night. You are very organised and I must admit to checking out the menu to see what I can order before I even get there. You boyfriend sounds very supportive. You have a good one there. Have a lovely time x
 
I'll be having the afternoon/evening off SW, naughty but nice ;)

We can't afford to go out for dinner and in any case I'm not sure a romantic dinner would be suitable given that we'll be accompanied by our 2 month old son lol. So we're going for tea and cake in the afternoon

I think it can be whatever you want it to be. Taking your baby son out for the afternoon and having tea and cakes sounds perfect to me! Enjoy x
 
Valentines day has always been celebrated by me and my partner and its then extra celebrated by my family as its also my birthday.

Big fat meal for me at a grill restaurant friday, then drinks and takeaway at a friends house Saturday. The weekend after im going to newcastle to see sarah millican so will struggle that weekend so ive put my family celebrations on hold until march to spread it out haha xxx

I hope you have a fabulous time and :birthday:
 
I try to make sensible choices, but will allow something as a treat. The treat might be a drink, a nice dessert or a main course which looks particularly tempting, but is high in calories. I would prefer to do damage limitation afterwards - the worse that's going to happen is that it will delay target by a week or two. but I think that's a price worth paying.

I'm finding (as someone hovering around target), that SW is for life. A major change in my thinking when I started SW this time around was that I'd allow myself to go 'off plan' sometimes - whether for one meal, a day or a whole holiday - and that it would not mean that I'd blown it. All I have to do, is be prepared to get properly back on plan at the first opportunity. This, for me, means planning my eats and having the ingredients in, ready, so that I have no excuse. It has now become second nature.

It's important to have a life, and sometimes you have to sacrifice SW principles to some extent to enjoy it. Have what you enjoy - and you might even find that things you used to enjoy are no longer the 'treat' that they used to be! - and get back on plan. But most importantly - enjoy without feeling guilty; it's a very special, occasional treat and it does not mean the end of your weight loss.

You are so right Patty. It really isn't worth being so rigid and inflexible all the time and I think it does you good to have the odd treat as long as you don't totally fall of the wagon. And I also agree the plan really is for life. We are all guilty of losing weight and then going back to eating the way we did and putting weight back on. I have tried numerous diets but I think I have found a plan in SW that I can stick with. :)
 
If I know I'm going out for dinner I manage it by only eating superfree for breakfast and lunch. Something like Fruit for breakfast and a homemade veg soup for lunch, and allocate a full day (or two days worth) of syns on it. Depending on what I ate.

When I go out for dinner, I try to make a reasonably sensible choice, ie not something deep fried or full of cream, but I don't stress about it too much.

Meals out are a treat. A nice experience. I'm not going to ruin the experience by ordering a salad with no dressing :)

Agree with you on this. Initially, I was stressing over the menu, but I have thought this is silly, go away and enjoy it but be sensible, just avoid the cheesy stuff and desserts.
 
I'm single but will have to be just as careful as I'm was an emotional eater and could easily relapse! I don't actually like the fuss of valentines day and wouldn't really celebrate it if I did have a partner but I'm finding shopping difficult at the moment as there are HUGE boxes of chocolates everywhere!!

Well it wouldn't be so bad but they put the damn stuff out on 1 January along with the Easter eggs!!
 
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