Watching what you eat doesn't mean you have to give up your favourite foods. This handy guide shows you how to tuck in without shame

If Posh and Becks are to be believed (and who are we to argue with the God and Goddess of Gucci?) there's nothing more romantic than a night in front of the telly with a good takeaway. But, there's also nothing more frightening than the calories and fat they pack in.

The good news is that watching your weight doesn’t mean you have to forgo your favourite feast. Here’s a cheat sheet of what’s healthy and what’s not at your local takeaway.

Chinese
Sorry, but it’s goodbye to old favourites such as prawn crackers, spring rolls, aromatic crispy duck, deep fried seaweed and egg fried rice. Instead, try soups such as chicken and sweetcorn or hot and sour which are much kinder to your waistline. Don’t be put off by stir-fries either because they’re a great way of incorporating one or more of your five portions of veg into your diet. Add a bit of soy sauce for extra flavour. If you accompany your dish with plain boiled rice rather than egg fried rice, you’ll be doing even better.

Indian
Hot favourites like poppadums, samosas, onion bhajis, puri, meat korma and pilau rice are unfortunately all off the menu, as they are sky-high in calories and many are deep fat fried. However, you can easily swap them for tasty alternatives. Next time you order why not ask for a tandori dish as a starter and a tomato-based curry, such as rogan josh, instead of cream-based ones like passanda. A delicious vegetarian alternative like muttur paneer (Indian cheese and peas) is also a good choice. Breads such as naan and boiled rice are much healthier than pilau rice, which is heavy on the oil. Don’t forget to ask for a vegetable side dish such as saag (spinach) or bhindi (okra). One final note: with most curries you can cut out loads of fat by tipping away the excess oil that floats on the top of the sauce before serving.

Italian
Who doesn’t love pizza? Sadly this takeaway favourite comes with many nutritional hazards – firstly cheese and secondly eating one slice too many. But actually, pizza is a great ‘complete meal’ – carbs and veggies in one neat package – if you can keep your portions in check. So when you order, ask for half the normal amount of cheese and go for the deep pan option – a thick crust pizza will contain a higher proportion of carbohydrate and a lower proportion of fat than a thin crust one. Compensate by adding extra vegetables or pineapple toppings. As well as getting a delicious treat, you’ll be notching up your five portions of fruit and veg. Picking a healthy pasta dish can also be a challenge with so many calorie-loaded sauces on offer, but pasta isn’t fattening as long as you chose your topping carefully. Say ‘no’ to cream and cheese sauces, eat a reasonable portion and you will be on the right track.

Thai
As with Chinese food, Thai starters such as spring rolls or wan tan are deep-fried. To cut down on the amount of fat and calories you eat, the best alternative is a grilled meat or vegetable satay and, even then, go easy on the peanut dipping sauce. Thai soups and curries all contain coconut milk and are loaded with fat and calories so chose a Thai salad with minimal dressing instead. For your main dish pick a stir-fry with boiled rice.