Ignore The Influencers....You Can Still Have a Takeaway!

For many people who are looking to lose body fat the wheels come off at weekend, they do so well Monday to Friday afternoon, then go absolutely crazy until they reach Sunday night and the guilt kicks in. I’m here to tell you that you can still enjoy a takeaway and lose weight.

And I’m going to give you some simple tips on how you can do this.

Yes it’s true the hard work can be undone when it gets to the weekend. If you’re not careful, it’s fairly easy to eat your daily calorie allowance in a single Chinese takeaway. However, you have a few options when it comes to having a takeaway.

Option 1 - You have whatever you want and write that day off and get back on track the next day. And do extra steps.

With this option, you must understand that it stops after the takeaway night, and you get back focused on your goal of weight loss. If you’re the type of person who doesn’t feel in control at this point and you feel you would go off the rails, then I’d avoid this option. However, I wouldn’t give up on this option in the future, once you feel more in control of your habits surrounding nutrition.

Option 2 - On the day you know you are having a takeaway, you eat much smaller meals or even skip a meal in preparation for the takeaway. And do extra steps.

This is normally my go to option, I make sure I do extra steps during the day, I will probably skip breakfast and even have a lighter lunch in preparation.

Option 3 - Be clever with your choice, don’t have a starter and measure your portion. And do extra steps.

A few more tips on this option. One thing we can’t control is how it’s prepared/cooked and normally it’s with a crazy amount of fats and oils so let’s ignore that. You do however, have control over your food choice - so where you may normally have a meat feast pizza you may opt for a lighter option, maybe a margarita or veg supreme and go for the thinner crust. With an Indian meal you may control the amount you actually put on your plate, weigh the rice, don’t have as much curry sauce and just pick the pieces of meat out for example.

These are just a few ideas that may help you to still enjoy a takeaway and not feel guilty about it.

Now personally I’m an option 1 or 2 kind of guy, if I’m having a takeaway, then I’m having a takeaway! And even when trying to lose fat, that’s fine.

What you must come to terms with is this: it’s one meal.

That doesn’t mean you then think ‘ah fuck it i’ve had a takeaway I might as well go crazy and eat loads for the next 3 days, I’ll start again on Monday’(everyone’s said that before). That’s the wrong attitude to have and you’ll find yourself stuck in this vicious cycle.

So it’s time to snap out of it, understand that takeaways are probably not the ‘best’ choice for fat loss, but are still acceptable if you plan around them or write them off as one day.

Also, notice that on all three options, I advise you to do some extra daily activity (this is my non-negotiable). If you can gain an extra 3-5,000 steps on the day you have the takeaway, then it’s going to soften the blow.

One more thing to mention, if you are taking option 1 and you tend to have a takeaway every weekend, then you may need to spend some time looking at your overall calorie intake over the week. It’s realistic to still lose body fat however you will need to ensure that you are in a calorie deficit by the end of the week and that this single meal isn’t just tipping you over the edge each week.

Remember you’re in control of your choices. I know this can be hard sometimes, as partners may want a takeaway or you have a night with your mates, and you get the pizzas in. But remember your 3 options, remember it’s one day, and remember to stop punishing yourself for having fun with family and friends.

You can still lose fat and live your life.