takeaway food

i am a huge takeaway fiend and i want to try cut them out - do you have any sugeestions?

its not a hunger thing - i just i think i might actually be addicted to them as sad as that sounds

i have tried to make homemade versions but they just dont seem to taste the same

any advice would be great

Replies

  • If you really love takeaways I'd say don't force yourself to give them up, or at least completely. If you have a cheat day or meal in your diet then I'd say pick that day to have a takeaway, and if you want to get off them completely just buy less than what you'd normally have so if for example you ordered pizza and usually have sides and desserts with it then I'd say slowly start geting rid of those and also choosing the healthier options.

    I had the same thing happen with me with Indian takeout, I use to get a large starter of something like onion bhaji, then my main of a big curry, large fried rice, naan bread and finished it off usually with an ice cream

    What I did was start to order less each time, so every time I ordered I just got one less item each time, once I'd made it to just curry and rice I started choosing the 'healthier' options of something like plain rice and a less creamy curry and eventually I found that I just didn't really feel the need for takeouts anymore or they don't tempt me so much

    But you can always have a cheat meal, one cheat isn't going to destroy your diet if it's only a rare occasion and you stick to your goals for the majority of the time!

    Hope this has helped in some way :)
  • thisisme13
    thisisme13 Posts: 150
    I allow myself one meal a week to eat out. I will not cut it out all together however I will only allow it once a week. Not only does this help the waistline, it also helps the bank account.
  • tammyvarley77
    tammyvarley77 Posts: 17 Member
    Soon every where cafes restaurants take aways av to give calories for all foods so will be Able to pick lower and be shocked into not wanting higher one
  • johnnylufc
    johnnylufc Posts: 39 Member
    i would say the day or days you going to have them burn more cals that day to cover them
  • Soon every where cafes restaurants take aways av to give calories for all foods so will be Able to pick lower and be shocked into not wanting higher one

    i think they should have this now as i think this would definately help me and really bring it home what i am choosing to eat
  • sarski77
    sarski77 Posts: 79
    What kind of takeaway food do you like?

    I was in that situation when it came to curries... Then I switched to supermarket-bought curries and then said "enough is enough" and started making my own. So it's curry on the menu once a week, then kind of chinese-type stir fry with noodles another day... All made from scratch and within calorie target!
  • i like chinese and indian food - currys mostly

    do you have any recipes?
  • sarski77
    sarski77 Posts: 79
    I know what you mean about them not tasting quite the same but if you're not great at cooking them you could always get ready-made sauces.

    They're not the healthiest option but at least you can control portions and, to a point, fat amounts much better!
  • sarski77
    sarski77 Posts: 79
    i like chinese and indian food - currys mostly

    do you have any recipes?

    This is something I tried a few weeks back - http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1993658/homestyle-chicken-curry I reduced the amount of oil and got rid of the sugar altogether and it was really yummy.

    If you like lentils, I cannot recommend this recipe enough http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/chefs/gordon-ramsay/rajasthani-red-lentil-curry-recipe It's seriously fool-proof, tastes amazing and you can cook a big batch and freeze them!

    I'm not so good with chinese recipes unfortunately! I normally buy ready-made sauces but cook the rest from scratch.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    we call it takeout.
  • haymancm
    haymancm Posts: 280 Member
    Eating out or takeouts, just cost more money. Making it yourself @ home would save a lot of money in your health & pocketbook.
  • youareorange
    youareorange Posts: 74 Member
    Use a takeaway meal as a reward to yourself. Stick to your goals for the week and at the end of it, you can use a takeaway meal as something to look forward to. I know you said cooking at home doesn't taste the same, perhaps looking around for different recipes and variations to achieve the same, but healthier product. I know the Tesca Reno book has some good recipes. I know that Chinese takeaway is loaded with preservatives and fat, there are definitely low-fat alternatives like using low-sodium soy sauce. Maybe there is a healthier curry mix at your local supermarket?

    Also, a trick I like to use when eating out or wanting something that would mess up my macros for the day is to ask myself why do I truly want it - do I want the preservatives, sodium, fat, and other unknown ingredients to go into my body?

    It's definitely tough, you can do it!
  • mjm9003
    mjm9003 Posts: 30 Member
    I allow myself one meal a week to eat out. I will not cut it out all together however I will only allow it once a week. Not only does this help the waistline, it also helps the bank account.

    This. I'm putting the money I'm saving from not getting all that takeout for my prize (tablet or e-reader).
  • jennfranklin
    jennfranklin Posts: 434 Member
    I totally understand an addiction to take out food. It is good! But it is not always the best choice for obvious reasons. I do occasionally eat out, more than I should at times. Maybe we should cut down to once a week or twice a month.. It would help our pocketbooks as well as our body! :)_
  • Thanks everyone

    Will deffo look at those websites
  • SkyFerret
    SkyFerret Posts: 53 Member
    i would say the day or days you going to have them burn more cals that day to cover them

    Yes, this! My husband and I have been doing this since the advent of our diets and we're both meeting with noticeable success. It's okay to have a nice takeaway once in a while, just plan ahead and don't go overboard.