Happy Valentine's Day!

A few quick words to wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow.

In my last blog I talked about making a chocolate fondue at home to create a healthier (and more calming) night of romance with your loved one ... and so it might make you laugh to know that while my husband is most definitely a romantic, a Valentine's Day supporter he is most certainly NOT, so there will be no candle-lit gazing in our home tomorrow night. In fact, I'm almost certain he will be at work until late, so my Valentine's night will most likely kick off with sausages, peas and potatoes with my 2 year old son at the romantic hour of 5pm!

Although this is a blog based on nutrition, I wanted to veer away from food for this post and make a point we so easily forget in this treat-based world. While the grocery and gift stores might delude us into thinking that no 'holiday' is complete without something to tantalize our taste-buds, we should balance this sensory bombardment with the knowledge that not all treats need to be of the culinary order! Defining a treat (which is not food-based) is very individual, and often changes as we move through the chapters of our life. To illustrate this, it is a friend's birthday today and when I asked her whether her boys had spoiled her (she has a husband and 3 sons, one of which is a newborn), she replied with a huge smile and said 'Yes! They let me sleep in this morning'. I remember thinking a lie-in was most definitely a RIGHT, when I was a college student ... and now I completely understand why it is something precious enough to be given to a mother on her birthday!

So you get my point. Should you, like me, be spending the evening of February 14th alone, resist the urge to buy a huge box of chocolates and cry yourself through a romantic comedy DVD ... instead, be your own Valentine. God knows I'm sure you need a bit of self-appreciation, and going to bed on a stomach full of cheap chocolates definitely doesn't help your relationship with yourself ... we've all been there! Instead, take a minute to think about what you would consider a treat, and use this day to enjoy being kind to yourself.

As for me ... I'm all set for a long hot bubble bath and a glossy fashion magazine. Bliss!

Happy Valentine's Day!