Trying to lose weight, build muscle or just become healthier shouldn’t be a restrictive chore. You don’t have to be living off chicken, rice and broccoli to see results. You can more than easily stimulate those taste buds by eating your favourite food now and again. Here is our flamin’ guide on making sure that takeaway is a TREAT and not a cheat.
The first thing to always keep in mind when making a decision that could affect your fitness journey is your goal. Your fitness goal is 100% personal to you, meaning that you also set its importance. If your fitness goal of reaching 12% body fat is the most crucial thing in your life, then saying no to a takeaway won’t seem that hard. However, most people’s fitness goals aren’t as extreme.
If you’re trying to lose weight or lean out, yes a calorie deficit is needed, but so is happiness! If something isn’t enjoyable, it isn’t sustainable. If you want to reach your goal, moderation and consistency is the key. It’s not an ALL or NOTHING approach. You should balance your fitness goal into your life. So if you want that damn pizza, bloody have it! You will not ruin your overall plan.
As we have stated many times before, fitness is just one aspect of your life. You don’t live, eat and breathe fitness. You have friends, family, a job, hobbies and responsibilities. These should not be sacrificed to lose 1/2 a stone or hit a new PB in the gym. If getting a takeaway is a social event, don’t be the scrooge. Life is meant to be enjoyed. We’re not saying that getting that cheeky Chinese every other day will not affect your fitness journey, but the occasional takeout is intended to be enjoyed. So bloody enjoy it!
So now you’ve realised that ordering a takeaway can easily slot into your fitness schedule without any long-lasting effects. Let’s have a look at how to eat one mindfully.
We all know where we are and where we want to be in terms of our goals. You know if your weight loss phases aren’t going to plan or your ‘health kick’ has turned into a three week ‘cheat day’. So be honest with yourself. You know that to reach a fitness goal, nutrition needs to be mainly under control, will having this takeaway take you out of control? There should be no negative associations with getting a curry or a kebab.
If you know that whatever you’re going to order from the local chippy is a Mammoth meal, eat mindfully around it. Eat a light breakfast and lunch to make sure you’re not operating just for the sake of it. Not only will you save on calorie consumption, but you’ll also appreciate it so much more if you’re that tad more hungry. But after the takeaway is finished, there is no need to ‘make up’ for it by starving yourself. Eat again when you usually would or when you are hungry.
Another aspect of mindful eating is portion sizes. Every takeaway seems to have a very generous view of ‘serves one’ (not that we’re complaining). Just because that the dish you ordered serves one, doesn’t mean you need to inhale every single crumb of it. Eat until you are full and satisfied. Save the rest for later, takeaway two nights in a row, YES PLEASE. There is no need to put yourself in a coma because this is your ‘cheat day’. The takeaway is a treat which I’m sure you’ll be able to have soon again, listen to your body!
Getting a takeaway usually is a bit of a special occasion for most of us. We’ve all felt the heartbreak of our mum’s saying that there’s pizza in the freezer. So on the occasions that you do order a takeout, enjoy it. There is no point ordering the salad as a healthy option if this isn’t going to satisfy you. Get the dish that you’re craving. Because suppressing cravings is just going to lead to a binge later on down the line.
You are much more likely to stay on track with your fitness goal if you’re adding in your favourite treats regularly. Extreme approaches lead to extreme disappointment. There is no reason why you couldn’t get a greasy burger once a week and stay on track to your fitness goals. If having that burger means that you don’t feel the need to fall off track with your nutrition the rest of the time. We’re not suggesting you do this, for the financial reason alone, but you can easily do it. It’s all about enjoying things in moderation.
During this crazy time, no one is at their happiest. We can’t socialise, some of us can’t work, and we’re stuck at home. I know many people have been finding joy in things they perhaps once overlooked, such as food. So enjoy yourself. If that Friday night takeaway is the highlight of your lockdown week, then make it a goodun. Now is not the time to be hard on ourselves. We need to be kind and find joy in what we can.
To summarise, that takeaway is a tactful treat on anyone’s fitness journey. You need to make sure that slightly swaying from your fitness goal will not send you into a spiral of disaster. Try to eat mindfully, you know when you’re full, you know what you want, you know your body better than anyone. But most of all, tuck in and savour every bite. Get that serotonin flowing!
Leave a comment