How this Fast Diet Lifestyle works: Eat these meals tomorrow, for a calorie total of less than 600. On another day this week, eat the meals from a different post, another day of eating 600 calories or less. Eat sensibly the other days of the week. That’s it. Simple way to lose weight and be healthier. Welcome to darkoweightlosstips who is now Following.

February 14 is the Feast of Saint Valentine. But which one? The priest at Rome — or the bishop of Terni — or the one in northern Africa — which one??? The Catholic Encyclopedia lumps all of them together on February 14. None of them have much to do with love or courting — except for an apocryphal tale of one signing off a note to a girl as “your Valentine.” [The girl was not his girl-friend.] So how did men who’s heads were cut off on February 14 come to be the patron saint of lovers? Chaucer, writing in his 1382 poem ‘The Parlement of Foules’ [that’s ‘fowls’, not ‘fools’,] made up the idea that birds choose their mates on February 14. After that, the pairing of Valentine’s Day with being lovey-dovey was repeated often in French and English literature. And so it is that today we have a “Hallmark Holiday,” complete with tie-ins to greeting cards [145 million sold], candy makers [$27 million], restaurants, flowers, and sales of diamonds. Or, if you prefer, there is always Galantines Day on February 13.

I like to celebrate February 14 by hiding those little, foil-wrapped chocolate hearts where Dear Husband will be surprised to find them: jacket pocket, coffee mug, sock drawer — you get the idea. Sometimes he finds them months later, which adds to the fun. Also, I show my love in heart-shaped foods, as you see at breakfast. Don’t be alarmed by ‘cutting the heart in two’ at dinner. Think of it as one of those pairs of charms shaped like half of a heart, where you have one and your dearest friend [male or female] has the other.

Fruit Hearts: 198 calories  5.6 g fat 2.5 g fiber 13 g protein 26 g carbs 82.6 mg Calcium  NB: These values are for the Fruit Hearts alone and do not include the optional beverages.  PB GF — if using GF bread  This breakfast looks as if it came from the pastry cart, but it fits within our guidelines for Fasting. If you don’t mind doing ‘fiddly food,’ treat someone you love — including yourself! — to a special breakfast. HINT: The recipe is a serving for 1 [one]. Scale up as needed.

1 oz whole-grain bread cut into two hearts, using a 2+” heart-shaped cookie cutter 1 oz Canadian bacon/back bacon OR deli-sliced ham cut into hearts with the same sized cutter 2 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce 2 Tbsp low-fat French Vanilla yogurt 1 Tbsp almond meal fresh fruit of your choosing: fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries or peach slices or blueberries Optional: blackish coffee [53 calories] or blackish tea or mocha cafe au lait [65 calories]  Optional: 5 oz fruit smoothie or berry-yogurt smoothie  [88 calories]

First, stir the yogurt and almond flour until thoroughly combined. It will thicken slightly. Cut the bread into two hearts and the Canadian Bacon into two hearts. HINT: I did this the night before, storing the bread in a plastic bag overnight to prevent them from drying. Gently cook the bacon hearts so that they are warmed through yet retain their pinkness. Lightly toast the bread hearts. Spread the applesauce evenly over each heart. Pipe the yogurt/almond around the edge of each heart, then arrange the fruit in the center. Sip some low-fat cafe au lait this morning and think loving thoughts.

Family Omelette: 286 calories 17 g fat 2 g fiber 17 g protein 10 g carbs 109 mg Calcium  PB GF  Susan Herrmann Loomis serves this for a quick family dinner.  HINT: Serves two [2] For Valentine’s Day, I baked it in a heart-shaped cake pan to share with Dear Husband. Delicious!

3 two-oz eggs 3 slices uncured bacon 2 oz baby sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly 1 Tbsp scallions/chives, minced 2 oz chevre [goat cheese]   per person: 1/2 cup coleslaw

Chop the bacon into ½” strips. In a non-stick pan, cook the bacon and potatoes until they begin to get some color, 3-4 minutes. Drain off some of the fat into a heart-shaped cake pan. Put the cooked bacon and potatoes in the pan in an even layer. Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper and pour over the bacon and potatoes in the pan. Sprinkle with goat cheese and chives. Bake at 375F for 10-15 minutes, when it will be puffed and turning brown. Plate each half and serve with coleslaw. Voila! A meal to show that you care.