How to Indulge Without Overdoing It

Hear that? Must be the box of chocolates calling, convincing you that "just one more" won't hurt. Of course, a little bit of the darkest chocolate you can find can be good -- it can help keep your arteries springy, your blood pressure low, and your cholesterol where it should be. But more than that can spike your blood sugar and your waist size.

So what's your best strategy for managing the whole box your sweetie gave you for Valentine's Day . . . or even just the other half of the 2-ounce chocolate bar? Eat more. We mean more good food. At lunch and dinner, fill up on salads, vegetables, and other nutrient-dense, belly-filling foods, so you feel satisfied, but not stuffed -- and not wow-I-really-didn't-eat-a-thing ravenous -- when the meal is over.

Then, choose the time you'll have your chocolate treat, and limit yourself to just one. Get a knife, cut the chocolate into very small slices or chunks, and have no more than one slice per 15 minutes. You'll be surprised at how long the flavor lasts in between bites (and really, why eat more if the flavor is still around?).

If that's not keeping you away from the rest of the box, just walk away and burn off the treat before you have it. A 20-minute walk should burn off a 100-calorie chocolate (if you weigh 150 pounds and walk at 3.5 miles per hour). You may not even want it when you get back: One study of chocoholics found that walking made cravings vanish.