It’s almost Valentine’s Day and I have to confess that this is my absolute favorite holiday. I think I like the simplicty of it. Not a lot of decorations, although we do decorate more than some people.
Not too much planning and coordination of schedules needed either. The only thing required is some chocolate and some love. And with seven kids and one hubby we’ve got a lot of love around here. And some chocolate too.
In my obese days I started buying candy for Valentines Day soon after Christmas. After all it was ON SALE and they might not put it on sale again before Valentine’s Day – right? Wrong. I would buy several bags of candy with the half-hearted thought of saving it until Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, the bags were ripped open and the candy consumed long before Valentine’s Day rolled around. Then I’d repeat the same exercise knowing full well that I was going to eat all that candy by myself. And I did. And I felt guilty. And I ate some more candy.
Now we still do some candy for Valentine’s Day but instead of eating and eating and eating it before the actual day we just buy candy right before the day and then it’s gone! And unlike my obese years, I don’t eat the kids candy! I know they appreciate that.
Here are some candy statistics you might find interesting:
- Dove Milk Chocolate Promises or wrapped squares (8 g) – 42 calories and 6 g carb
- Hershey Kisses – 26 calories and 8 g carb each kiss
- Hershey Kisses with Almonds – 23 calories and 2 g carb each kiss
- Hershey Kisses filled with Caramel – 21 calories and 3 g carb each kiss
- Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars – Fun size (14 g) – 67 calories and 8 g carb
- Hershey’s Miniature Bars (mixed) – average of 42 calories and 5 g carb each bar
- M&Ms, plain, Fun size (18 g) – 88 calories and 12 g carb
- M&Ms, peanut
- Fun size (18 g) – 93 calories and 11 g carb
- 1/4 cup candy – 220 calories and 24 g carb
- Miniature Bars (Milky Way, Snickers, Twix, 3 Muskateers) – average 38 calories and 5 g carb each bar
- Mr. Goodbar Snack size (17 g) – 90 calories and 9 grams carb
- Nestle’s Crunch Bars Fun size (10 g) 50 calories and 7 grams carb
Tootsie Rolls
- Small bar – 50 calories and 10 g carb
- Midgee – 23 calories and 7 g carb
- Mini-Midgees – 11 calories and 2 g carb
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- Miniature (about 9 grams each) – 44 calories and 5 g carb per cup
- Snack size (17 g) – 88 calories and 10 g carb
- Snack size (21 g) – 100 calories and 12 g carb
- White, Snack size (21 g) – 100 calories and 11 g carb
Assorted Candy Bars
- 100 Grand Bars Fun size (11 g) – 50 calories and 8 g carb
- Almond Joy Snack size (15 g) – 80 calories and 10g carb
- Baby Ruth Bar, Fun size (18 g each) – 85 calories and 13 g carb
- Butterfinger Bar, Fun size (18 g each) – 85 calories 14 g carb
- Butterfinger Crisp Bar, Snack size (20 g) – 100 calories and 13 g carb
- Kit Kat, Fun size (14 g) – 73 calories and 9 g carb
- Milky Way bar, Fun size (17 g) – 75 calories and 12 g carb
- Mounds bars, Snack size (17 g) – 83 calories and 9 g carb
- Snickers Bars, Fun size (17 g) – 80 calories and 10 g carb
So the point of all that information isn’t to tell you NOT to eat your Valentine’s Day candy, but like everything else to be aware of your choices because those calories add up really quickly. My favorite chocolate candy is Dove. I do like the dark okay, but I am still a milk chocolate fan. I don’t believe in depriving myself of what I love, but I do believe in moderating my choices very carefully!!
What about you? Can you just have a little bit of candy and be satisfied, or are you like I was, an all or nothing kind of person? Diane
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Im in between!
and used to indulge without boundaries when they were merely available for easter!
I ADORE PEEPS
Now they make the peeps for every holiday which initially tripped me up.
a lot.
But now Im back to moderation
Miz´s last blog ..Dontcha… (guest post)
I am running away from candy. Any form of sugar is dangerous for me. However, since starting the ‘blog diet’ and having the support system in place, it has been possible to moderate. It doesn’t mean that it isn’t still difficult.
It is.
I know I can do it now though. They say it takes thirty days to establish a new habit. It’s been 40-something. The scale is moving. I’m hoping that will be motive enough
JourneyBeyondSurvival´s last blog ..Scheduling
Ack! Just reading that list was making my stomach twist. I do NOT like traditional candy crappage. Maybe a few Peanut Butter Cups every blue moon. But the moon has not been blue in months.
Yum Yucky´s last blog ..Tasting! Special K Chocolatey Pretzel Bar
Here candy is not forbidden, but it MUST follow certain rules- it must be dark chocolate and contain a minimum of 70 percent cacao , and then you can only have one piece of it per day. Milk chocolate is junk nutritionally , but dark chocolate containing at least 70 percent is an antioxidant , and works in your body like a vitamin. So we buy good quality dark chocolate , and limit the consumption to one piece per person per day. It lasts a long time and I don’t feel bad about spending 3 dollars or so on the bars. And as a result none of us are even remotely tempted by any other kind of candy.
Diane´s last blog ..Life can get interesting, but the alternative is not so great
Most of the time I cannot handle moderation. I will not be having any candy for Valentine’s Day:( Someday, maybe, but not yet.
WaistingTime´s last blog ..Don’t Hate Me Because I’m…
I’m an all or nothing kind of girl! If there’s chocolate in the house…it’s not in the house for long so I cannot bring it home!
Happy Valentine’s Day, Diane!
Joanna Sutter´s last blog ..Brownie Points
Very informative! Let me add “miniature Nerds,” 50 calories per box, because I may have had three boxes yesterday. Not saying I did, mind you. Just a possibility.
Larkspur´s last blog ..Turn Up the Flash Gordon Noise and Put More Science Stuff Around
Yes, I can have just a bit and feel OK with that.
I would like to stress that chocolate–in moderation and of high quality–can be part of a healthy diet. I don’t think any of the products you listed would qualify as high-quality in my book. (No offence to you Diane. I know you’re just the messenger!)
NewMe´s last blog ..Heart Bill of Health!
I have found that less is more to me now. When I get a craving for candy, we usually buy one bar and split it now. Before? I’d eat one of those giant ones by myself! Or a bag – It will last us forever now, before, it was open in the car on the way home and was gone before the next day.
I used to not like Valentine’s Day much…only marginally after getting married…until our second one together. That is when, at 2:04 am, our son was born. Now, I LOVE Valentine’s Day! God sure has a sense of humor : )
Pam´s last blog ..Weigh In
I could have a little at one point as long as the rest of the bag leaves the house right away, lol!
Jenn @ Watch My Butt Shrink!´s last blog ..The South Beach Diet: Phase I – Complete!
Hubby usually buys me flowers for Valentine’s Day and I have to confess, I appreciate it much more than candy. Because it falls on a Sunday this year, we are planning a drive along the coast and hopefully lunch somewhere.
Hanlie´s last blog ..Getting healthy
A well-informed consumer is?
Hmmm, now fun size doesn’t really seem fun at all…
I can have a little bit of candy and be satisfied now.
‘Drea´s last blog ..She Was All About The Tough Love
Ahhh Reeses cups…I cannot resist thee…
Robin´s last blog ..Looking Back
I used to buy candy saying it was for my students but eating a bunch for myself.
Now if I’m going to eat it we get high quality stuff from a local chocolatier since it tastes so rich and I only need a bit.
Cynthia (It All Changes)´s last blog ..Dear Cynthia,
Ok…so my favorite Valentine’s Day candy is the Reese’s Peanut Butter Hearts!! OMG! They do them for all the major holidays. Super yummi. I usually buy like 2 single ones and then I’m good! I used to be like you and just eat until I couldn’t eat anymore. Thank goodness those days are over. I love myself and my body and put good things in it now. But I do love to have something sweet every now in then!
Jen
Candy is not my trigger fortunately. I’m still avoiding bread though!
AndrewENZ´s last blog ..Mad dogs and Englishmen
You missed Hershey’s Nuggets!
Milk chocolate: 50 calories
Dark chocolate with almonds: 45 calories
1-3 a day keeps me sane. I enjoyed 5 or 6 tiny bites for each one, and just suck the chocolate, usually eyes shut, until it’s entirely melted on my tongue/roof of mouth.
mmMMMMMMMmmmmmm
Sunny´s last blog ..Avoiding Office Land Mine This Morning
Candy, especially chocolate, is one of those things…one of those ONLY things I can eat a small amount of and be satisfied since it’s soooooo SWEET.
My favorite? Dove, as well.
I love chocolate and have trained myself to have one or two blocks of dark chocolate…
Valentines I know I wont be getting chocolate – my man knows this journey is far to important to me.
Marcelle´s last blog ..THANK YOU Steffi
Mmmm White Reese’s Peanut Butter cups have to be my favorite! I too like the simplicity of Valentine’s Day. I have told my husband not to get me any candy this year. I just don’t have self-control yet when it comes to candy and sugar-related things.
~Kellie
The Chubby Girl Diaries´s last blog ..Still fighting the good fight
All about choices & moderation, isn’t it Diane!!! Me, I will choose my weekend cookie treat over all the candy!!!
I hear you are on stage during the Dr. Oz show & get up with him.. you lucky devil!!!! Will be recording it Tuesday!!!!
Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..Teeth Update; Pomegranates & Health
I am learning to be satisfied with small amounts. I find allowing myself a small bit keeps me from going into deprivation mode and eating the entire bag.
Dark chocolate is my favorite, but lately anything chocolate with nuts is hitting the spot. Must be the fat+salt+sugar combination.
We packaged up little baby food jars with painted lids filled with cinnamon hearts for the teachers. Just something for their desks to have a few when they want.
Leah´s last blog ..Steve’s Dad
oh candy season. I have a favorite candy for each holiday and I would eat and eat and eat….I am doing much better throwing away half eaten bags and not eating any in the first place (conversation hearts are my favorite valentine’s day candy, I haven’t had a single heart) I’m hoping I can keep avoiding the candy aisle until they are gone…
Mackattack (Beth)´s last blog ..dbar-dessert bar
Candy isn’t my weakness. I have the Itos Disease. Fritos, Doritos and Cheetos. And no, I can’t just have a little. But I’m on the “I only have to lose 5 pounds” diet. And it’s working for me.
It’s easy for me to resist the Cheetos ’cause I only have 2 pounds to go. Then I decide if I want to go back on the diet or not.
Debbie Lattuga´s last blog ..Heart Rate Monitor Training | Calculate Maximum Resting Heart Rates
I can moderate pretty well with candy – I feel sick after eating too much. My limit is generally ONE fun size something or a truffle or a few kisses (we keep a lot of kisses around all year as it’s the best little 25 calorie bite of chocolate…).
Now chips? That’s another story…
I am an ALL or nothing kind of gal.
Your buying V-day candy early and eating it all reminds me of me buying Halloween candy early! And having to buy it again and again. I now buy the kids each ONE item (They don’t need it either!) And nothing for me! As for Halloween…I now know better and I buy candy the day of! And not too early in the day either!
Have a great weekend!
One important thing to remember is quality. Eating Hershey’s, which now contains vegetable oil instead of cocoa butter, is way different than eating an organic super dark chocolate.
BODA weight loss
I think it’s interesting, becuase in Oz…it’s so NOT big. It’s kinda nice actually. In fact, I wouldn’t even know that it was V-day really unless someone reminded me.
So, I guess it just doesn’t hit me. I know, though, that if I was in America I would have a harder time turning away from it all.
This..is one reason I love having an ocean in between everything
And how many calories in the one pound bag of peanut M&Ms? Kidding.
Isn’t it amazing how we can rationalize our actions when we really get off track? I do the same with whatever tempting things are in the house – it would be a sin to throw away perfectly good “food”. Maybe if I just didn’t have it in the house in the first place….
Gigi´s last blog ..Cake & Advil – Contraindications That Matter
I guess I am lucky – I never was a big candy eater, and I actually didn’t really care that much for chocolate until I had lived here in Belgium for a few years, when I ended up developing a taste for it – well, who wouldn’t, here in Belgium??? But I can totally relate to having certain things in the house for an upcoming event and then having to re-buy the items because they got eaten up beforehand!! Things like chips, nuts, crackers…
Amy´s last blog ..I’m on board!
“I don’t need no stinkin’ candy!”
Okay, I admit that the white chocolate Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups are a thing of beauty that I found only ONE time and haven’t been able to locate since. Pardon me while I cry a little for the absense of that particular yumminess.
266´s last blog ..Weigh-In For Week 27
I have learned to be very happy with just a little bit of dark chocolate. It’s really about savoring the moment… The funny thing is that I didn’t like sweets and chocolate until my early 30s but then unfortunately went a bit overboard for a while…
Happy Valentine’s Day!
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