Well, first of all I think you should congratulate yourself for eating healthily for most of the time. After all this is what is going to have the biggest impact on losing weight in the long-term! But it does seem a shame, if you have got into a regular pattern of eating takeaways after a night out, to undo some of this hard work so easily.

The problem with drinking alcohol (apart from the high calories and the loss of self-control around food it gives us!), is that it shoots our blood sugar up too quickly. This is generally followed by a sudden drop, as insulin is released to bring it back down to safe levels again. This can result in food cravings as your body tries to restore blood glucose balance. This can happen after a holiday too, as we tend to eat and drink different things, at different times, when we are away, which can disrupt blood sugar levels too.

There are a couple of ways to avoid this on a night out. Blood sugar swings can be minimised by eating a meal with both complex carbohydrate and protein before you go out, as these are digested and absorbed slowly. Also, you could try nibbling on healthy, protein snacks while you are out drinking e.g. a few nuts and seeds (as long as you account for them in your food diary), which should have the same effect.

Alternatively, if you know you are going to want to eat a takeaway at the end of the night, why not be prepared? Buy a good quality, healthier alternative from a supermarket, which is low in fat and calories, and have this as your 'treat' when you get in. This would be much better for you and your diet!

We all need to let our hair down occasionally when we are dieting. The secret to success is to do it in an enjoyable way and to minimise the impact it has on your diet overall. With a bit of planning and fore-thought, this can be done and you can still have fun without the guilt. Enjoy!