Are his fatty man-meals leaving you with a less than ladylike muffin top?

Blitz that bulge with your bloke

By Fiona Hunter, 04/04/2010

You're deeply in love and can't bear to do anything without your man. You go to the cinema with him, you watch TV with him and you eat with him. In fact, you eat just as much as him. So, is it any surprise that women gain an average 4lb in the first year of living with their man*? Those super-sized portions are enough to leave any girl busting out of her skinny jeans. And we bet his waistline isn't exactly waisting away either! But with a few he'll-never-know food swaps, you can both munch your fave meals and stay friends with the scales.

Man meal: Takeaway curry

Calorie count: 800 cals, 40g fat

Fat girl slim: Sorry girls, give anything containing a rich sauce a wide berth. Kormas and dhansaks, for example, have around 700 cals and 35g fat per serving. Instead try grilled or baked dishes - dopiaza, jalfrezi and sag all contain around 400 cals and 25g fat. Vegetable or fish curries are healthier choices, and choose a chapati (111 cals, 0.5g fat) rather than a naan bread (456 cals, 12g fat) to save a whopping 345 cals and 11.5g fat.

You save: 400 cals, 20g fat

Man meal: Sunday roast

Calorie count: 850 cals, 29g fat

Fat girl slim: Nothing beats sitting down to a mouth-watering traditional roast lunch, but Sunday can be slimday! Choose lean beef, ditch any excess fat from the roasting tin and use the juices to make the gravy - you'll save around 75 cals and 6g fat. When you're preparing your roasties, keep them large - the bigger the spud, the less surface area there is to absorb fat. Then toss them in olive oil before cooking, rather than pouring the oil all over the spuds in the baking tray. And yes, it's tough, but limit yourself to one small Yorkshire pud (40 cals, 1.5g fat). Instead, fill your plate with at least two types of vegetables. You can get creative, for example try roasting carrots with honey and orange. And make sure you steam green veg rather than boil to keep the flavour and nutrients.

You save: 200 cals, 10g fat

Man meal: Bangers and mash

Calorie count: 800 cals, 50g fat

Fat girl slim: Sausages on your plate doesn't have to equal sausages for legs. Oh no. Supermarkets are heaving with reduced-fat varieties these days, and choosing a lighter option can save you about 120 cals and 14g fat per sausage. You should grill them instead of frying, and make mash less fattening by swapping butter and cream for 1tsp of half-fat butter and a dash of skimmed milk. If you're worried about the mash tasting bland, add a handful of chopped fresh herbs.

You save: 300 cals, 30g fat

Man meal: Chinese takeaway

Calorie count: 800 cals, 40g fat

Fat girl slim: Although the Chinese diet is generally healthy, takeaway versions tend to be fatty with lots of salt, which can lead to high blood pressure. So instead of just ordering your usual No 301 sweet and sour pork balls, take a closer look at the menu. Sweet and sour dishes can contain the equivalent of up to 8tsp of sugar, so opt for slimline stir-fried chicken, pork or fish. Choose steamed rice (214 cals, 2g fat) rather than egg-fried rice (500 cals, 13g fat) and you'll save a massive 286 cals. Ordering the chicken noodle soup (75 cals, 1.5g fat) instead of deep-fried starters like prawn crackers (214 cals, 12g fat per 40g) and spring rolls (131 cals, 6g each) will also help. OK, you can eat the fortune cookie, if you must!

You save: 400 cals, 20g fat

Man meal: Kebab

Calorie count: 749 cals, 49g fat

Fat girl slim: They're not just a tasty nibble for late-night revellers - surprisingly kebabs can be one of the healthiest fast-food choices, because they come with a hefty dose of salad. Choose a chicken shish rather than a doner kebab as you'll get chunks of lean chicken cooked on a skewer rather than processed pieces of fatty indeterminate meat. Ordering wholemeal pitta instead of white will mean you get extra fibre, which will fill you up, and make sure you ask for salad a-plenty. But go easy on the dressings, as they'll only add more fat and salt. Then tuck in and enjoy!

You save: 345 cals, 30g fat

Man meal: Fry up

Calorie count: 750 cals, 50g fat

Fat girl slim: They don't call it the "999 breakfast" for nothing, so give the traditional heart attack on a plate a healthy makeover. Go for lean back bacon rather than streaky and grill your meat instead of frying it to save 50 cals. Poach your egg and you'll save another 40 cals compared to fried. If you're a beans fan, Heinz WeightWatchers will save even more calories, but your fella won't taste the difference! Finally, ditch the fried bread (184 cals, 12g fat per slice) in favour of wholemeal toast with low-fat spread (100 cals, 2g fat). We promise it'll still have the same healing effect on your hangover!

You save: 300 cals, 30g fat

Man meal: Fish and chips

Calorie count: 850 cals, 47g fat

Fat girl slim: Don't despair - just because everything in the chippy is deep fried, it doesn't mean you have to forfeit a feast. Eat the fish but ditch the batter and you'll save around 350 cals and a whopping 30g fat. Ask for a small portion of chips (c'mon, you can do it!) and instead fill your plate with mushy peas - they're full of fibre and a large serving contains just 80 cals.

If you're cooking at home, choose fish in breadcrumbs rather than batter and oven bake rather than fry to save 123 cals and 12g fat. Low-fat oven chips will save you another 100 cals and 5g fat compared to deep-frying - and they won't make your hair and clothes smell like a truckers' caff, either.

You save: 400 cals, 35g fat