| |
 |
| How to lose weight | |
Dining out with Dietitan in a Cha Chaan Teng |
 Doris Lau, a registered dietitian, reminds us to follow the 'Food Pyramid' guides as we pick our food. The 'Food Pyramid' recommends that one's diet should start with plenty of whole grain products, which is followed by fruit and vegetables, meat and dairy products in descending order. People should, at the same time, minimize their daily consumption on oil, salt and sugar.
Making wrong food choices while eating out is one of the reasons why some people become overweight, Doris said. It is important to have a balanced diet and perform regular exercises to maintain our health. The "EatSmart@restaurant. hk" Campaign is also a good guide for us to identify the healthy dishes which best suit our dietary needs.
Undesirable Food Choice Leading to Overweight
| Case 1 | | A male in his 20s, had a weight of over 250 lbs and a BMI over 40.
Reasons for overweight: He used to work in a fast food chain and ate a lot of processed food products.
How to lose weight: He decreased the intake of high-fat and sugary food and performed regular walking exercise. Initial reduction of 10 lbs during first month follow up. |
| Case 2 | | A female in her 40s, had a weight of 140 lbs. BMI about 23.
Reasons for overweight: She worked in the Mainland and had to eat in the company canteen five days a week. She also lacked exercise.
How to lose weight: She controlled the portion of each meal, consumed plenty of healthy snacks and played ball games. She finally cut her weight by 15 lbs in 3 to 4 months. |
Eating Well While Eating out
Chinese style tea restaurants also offer healthy choices of food. Doris suggests us to choose food items that are steamed, grilled, stewed and/or try to avoid dishes that are stir-fried or deep-fried.
Learn to Say No
Lastly, Doris reminds us not to be shy to indicate our preference when eating out with family and friends. Try to demonstrate the ways of healthy eating habit to them! Say no to fatty and salty food!
| | |
