best take away ideas when calorie counting

[m0therofdragons]

I'm using mfp and on 1200 calories a day. Wednesday I have a day from hell (long interview with tests for a job I really really want). I know I want to have takeaway (Indian or Chinese) as I'm not cooking after that and it's all I can think about looking forward to. We rarely get takeaway so it's a real treat but I don't want to destroy the diet totally. Any suggestions?(chicken something?)

Hi there
Takeaways for me are a definite no no when dieting.
I'm on 1200 cals with MFP too.

I have bought the Hairy Dieters book (the first one) and there are gorgeous 'fakeaways' in there. Tonight we've had Lamb, spinach and potato curry and it only has about 350 cals vs about 850 in a takeaway! Plus rice is prob another 150. Thoroughly recommend the book. We make the full amounts and freeze the rest in portioned boxes (reused takeaway boxes!), so there is no waste and it's in the freezer ready for next time (which was tonight's so I didn't even have to cook!!)
I'm also doing Jillian Michaels 30 day shred. I'm on day 17 and lost 9lbs so far between that and the book :)

Vegetable stir fry
Plain Chow mein
Chicken tikka (no sauce) with salad

Chinese: Some kind of chicken stir fry thing, with half a portion of noodles. Chicken tikka no sauce no rice would be ok too but a bit joyless IMO.
Or if you have a proper pizza place - very thin, log fired oven type of place - then pizza is surprisingly ok providing you stick to veg toppings, not meat or cheese.

Tbf all of these are probably over your limit, but sometimes a takeaway is what you need!

I always think a kebab without the pitta or chips is the healthiest takeaway- just be really stingy with the mayo and you've basically got grilled chicken and nice salad.

It's not so much about the taste, I don't want to cook and dh will be at work until late and is rubbish at cooking anyway. Thanks for the ideas :)

Chicken shashlik is a good choice , with small portion of plain rice

Chicken tikka kebab no pitta, chow mein. Chicken Foo yung, tandoori chicken and salad? Or what about a subway salad box? Fill it with all the veg options and jalepenos?

I go for a chicken shish kebab with a small pitta, extra salad and no sauce (I use low fat dressing at home).

it's all I can think about looking forward to

I'm an emotional eater too. I think you need to find something other than food to look forward to.

Plain chow mein was lowest on points when I was doing weight watchers . I think rogan josh is the lowest calorie curry.

I don't usually look forward to food but I think dinner time symbolises interview is over and I can't imagine I'll be in the mood to cook. I'm not am emotional eater, more someone who picks when bored and eats large portions.

Subway salads are a surprisingly good choice. They're my once a week lunch time treat. Due to the lack of calorific bread I can have grated cheese and mayo on top.

I lost 2 stone on MFP 2 years ago, and didn't worry about the occasional takeaway. Breads are massively fattening, but a tomato-based rather than coconut or cream-based curry with rice isn't going to knacker your diet. Log it, eat it, enjoy it, even if you go over, and get back to strict counting the next day.

Ok, fair enough. Enjoy your takeaway.

Why a takeaway, just get a boxed up salad from the supermarket. Or ready made Salmon & salad/baby potatoes from M&S range. Couldn't be easier & you'll stay on track.

M&S do lush ready meals in the "Balanced for you" range which are under 500 calories I think. There are all sorts, including curries and the ones I've tried are delicious.

Id have chicken tikka or a tomato based chicken/prawn dish with one spoonful of rice.

Do you do any exercise at all? I use MFP to log everything, I don't obsess too much over daily targets but I am always looking at my intake over the last 7 days. I aim for an average of 1200-1300 cals per day, over the course of a week. If I have a few days over my "limit" I do more exercise to balance it. You can burn about 500-600 cals by running for an hour, maybe more if you run fast (I don't!).
If you can fit some decent exercise in over the weekend, I would treat yourself tonight to your takeaway, have what you want, and then minimise the damage by exercising it off tomorrow or Sunday.
Good luck for your interview.

I really struggle with not having takeaways and making my own fakesways at home. I just tend to have what I want and have no calorie soups for breakfast (it's worth it) and lunch. I do this incea week have garlic nan, pilau rice and tikka masala and have continually lost