Walking and Health

Tuesday before the traditional Lent season on a Christian calendar is always a celebration of excess as Mardi Gras takes place in the French Quarters of New Orleans and other major cities throughout the world including Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  “Mardis Gras” is French for Fat Tuesday and the Carnival is the three days prior to Ash Wednesday.   Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent.  Lent is the 46 days and 46 nights that lead up to the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. 

Growing up in a Catholic family, we used to go out and purchase extra goodies for the Tuesday leading up to Lent.  In the Catholic religion it is a tradition to give up something you enjoy during the Lent season as a sacrifice and a remembrance to the 40 days that Jesus was roaming the desert. You can give up, for example, cookies or your favorite candy bar, or french fries, or pizza, or soda.  You can also add to your routine by reading a bible scripture every day, or volunteering at the library, or doing something good for somebody that you normally wouldn’t think about doing.  In our family each of us would at least give up something that we enjoyed.  Most of us gave up sweets entirely.  No donuts, no cookies, no candies, no soda, no cakes, no brownies, we did a ban on all sweets.  As a child this was no easy task.   On Fat Tuesday we would usually bake some brownies and buy a few candies and split them up, then go to sleep feeling full of chocolates and sweets.

It’s ok to celebrate, that’s the fun part of life.  As always, do things in moderation.  Go out and celebrate Mardi Gras, or a birthday, or a special event, just do so in moderation.  Fat Tuesday doesn’t have to mean fat you. Where you once would stuff your plate and overdo it, now just trim your eating down.  You’ll feel better about yourself and you won’t have to work so hard to get yourself back to the number you want if you’re watching your weight. 

Check back soon.  My pledge to God to lose 40 pounds in 46 days this Lenten season.  How am I going to do it safe and smart. 

The Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s and any other winter holiday you may celebrate during this time (since my son’s birthday right in their) are now beyond us.  The New Year’s resolutions are either up and going or have slowed down and are almost forgotten. 

If you started a weight loss and exercise program, don’t let the Valentine’s Day romantic dinner spoil all your hard work.  If you are on a diet, work around the Valentine’s Day meal and have a light breakfast and a light lunch, then enjoy your evening.  If you get chocolates from your sweetie, indulge in a one or two then share them with family and friends and even co-workers.  If you feel like you can’t handle the chocolate, kindly ask your sweetheart to not get you chocolates this year and explain that you would rather have something that won’t interfere with your weight plan. 

Other items for that special day that say, I love you:

• A fun night out taking a walk on the beach or somewhere romantic.
• A night out of shopping while the kids are away.
• Stay at home and rent a good movie to set the mood.
• Enjoy a Saturday family fun night of crafts and simple snacks.
• Stay up late and play cards or bingo with friends and other couples.
• Surprise your Valentine with a small piece of jewelry with his/her favorite hobby.
• Order flowers from local shop and hand deliver them that evening.
• Make your own Valentine;s Day card and tell him/her exactly how you feel in your own words.
• Create a personal Valentine’s Day card with a hand made IOU such as a Free Car Wash or a Free Hug.
• Write “I Love You” in Lip Stick on the mirror.
• Slip a single red rose into his or her shoe so he/she will see it in the morning.
• Get red “Post Its” and write single line love thoughts on about twenty of them and put them in places where your sweetie is going to be surprised all day long.
• Write a good old fashion love letter and spray your cologne or perfume on it.  Seal it and place it in his or her briefcase or lunch bag.

The list could go on and on and you get the message here, that Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to involve eating out and falling off your weight loss program.  Valentine’s Day also doesn’t have to shoot an arrow through your wallet.  Keep it fun and keep it simple.  Most of the fun things to do are free.  If you have kids and just need to get away, ask for help from family or friends.  If not, just make a great evening of it and enjoy the moment.  Let the kids see your love for each other and surprise them with fun things, too.