Before you go

• Look at the menu ahead of time and pick your meal while you’re not hungry.
• Pre-log it in MyFitnessPal, then fit the rest of your day around it.
• Keep your earlier meals high in protein and lower in calories, so there’s room for the meal out.

When you order

• Pick a protein you like as the base of the meal (chicken, steak, fish, tofu).
• Ask for sauces and dressings on the side, and add what you want.
• Grilled, baked or steamed usually means fewer calories than fried or creamy, for the same amount of food.
• Drinks count too. A sugar-free soft drink or sparkling water saves calories for the food.

Afterwards

Log it as well as you can and move on. One meal out doesn’t undo your week. Get straight back to your plan at the next meal.

Open the Takeaway Finder

• Decide ahead what matters to you. If it’s the cake or the cocktails, have them and enjoy them. Go lighter on the things you don’t care as much about.
• Keep protein up through the day. It helps you feel full and keeps your progress going.
• Don’t “save up” by skipping meals. Arriving starving usually means eating more than you planned. Have your usual protein-rich meals beforehand.
• Track what you can. A rough estimate is far better than nothing, and it keeps you aware.
• Holidays: aim to stay around maintenance rather than perfect. Keep moving, enjoy local food, and pick back up when you’re home.
• The next day is a normal day. No making up for it, no punishing workouts. Just your usual plan.

If you’re not sure how to handle a big event, message your coach before it. That’s exactly what we’re here for.

• Regular yoghurt → high-protein yoghurt (YoPRO, Chobani or similar)
• Cream cheese or sour cream in sauces → cottage cheese blended smooth or Greek yoghurt
• Regular pasta → protein pasta (such as Vetta Smart Protein)
• Some of your whole eggs → liquid egg whites, for more protein for the calories
• Regular mince → extra lean mince, or half mince and half lentils
• Crackers and chips → protein chips, rice cakes with cottage cheese, or edamame
• Regular milk in oats or smoothies → high-protein milk, or add a scoop of protein powder

Struggling to hit your protein? Build each meal around a protein first, then add the rest. The Meal Plan Builder does this for you.

• Use the recipe barcode. Every recipe page has a barcode you can scan or copy into MyFitnessPal. It logs the whole serve in one go.
• Weigh things raw unless the entry says cooked. Rice, pasta and meat change weight a lot when they’re cooked.
• Batch recipes: once it’s cooked, divide it into the number of serves the recipe says, so each container matches the macros.
• Oils, sauces and spreads are the easiest calories to miss. Measure them with a spoon or the scales.
• Pre-log your day the night before or in the morning. It’s quicker, and you can see if anything needs changing before you eat it.
• Close enough is good enough. Being consistent most days matters far more than being perfect.

• One day doesn’t define your progress. What you do most days does.
• Don’t try to make up for it by skipping meals or cutting right back the next day. That often leads to another big day.
• Get back to normal at the next meal, not next Monday.
• Look for the reason, without judging yourself: too hungry, too busy, nothing ready? A meal prep day or a saved plan can fix most of these.
• Tell your coach. They can help you plan around whatever keeps coming up.

• Every plan lands within 30 calories of your target, even after you swap meals or add options.
• Add up to 3 options per meal and swipe between them, so one plan covers the whole week.
• Lock a meal with the padlock to keep it when you shuffle the rest.
• Foods I don’t eat: list them once and they’ll stay out of your plans.
• Start cooking on any recipe for one step at a time, with timers.
• Save your plan to keep its shopping list, then tick items off in the shop.
• Reminders on Home can nudge you on your planning and prep days.

Open the Meal Plan Builder