Hong Kong people lead a fast-paced and busy life, resulting in a large number of "eat-out people." "Eat-out people" refers to those who frequently eat out or rely on eating out. They may be unable to cook at home due to busy work schedules, lack of time, or other reasons, thus relying on eating out for most of their daily meals and other dietary needs.
While eating out is convenient and time-saving, it offers no control over the cooking methods, ingredients, and portion sizes of food, thus posing some health risks, such as weight gain and cardiovascular disease. Here are some suggestions to help control weight and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease:
Choose healthy restaurants: For example, choose restaurants that offer vegetable salads, grilled or steamed meats, and low-salt, low-oil healthy options, and avoid fast food or fried food establishments.
Pre-meal supplements: There are many pre-meal supplements available now, such as leptin , which naturally suppress appetite by sending satiety signals to the brain, using the body's stored fat to provide energy and carry out energy metabolism, and also making it less likely for food to be converted into fat.
Control food portions: Food portions when eating out are usually larger than those at home, so try to control the portion sizes, such as packing some food to take away or sharing a dish with friends.
Pay attention to how food is cooked: Avoid fried or sautéed foods, as they usually contain high levels of oil and calories; instead, choose baked, steamed, or boiled foods, as these cooking methods reduce the amount of oil added.
Control your salt intake: Excessive salt intake is closely related to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease; you may ask restaurants to reduce the amount of salt and seasonings added, or choose dishes that do not contain too much salt.
Choose more vegetables and fruits: Vegetables and fruits are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, and are an important part of a healthy diet; choose dishes that contain vegetables and fruits, or use them to garnish your meals to increase your intake.
Control the sugar content of beverages: Avoid choosing high-sugar drinks, such as soda and fruit juice; drink more water and tea, or choose low-sugar or sugar-free beverages.
Besides the precautions to take when dining out, there are other important healthy lifestyle habits, such as developing a regular exercise routine, reducing stress, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol intake. These can all help maintain a healthy weight and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. If needed, it is recommended to consult a doctor or nutritionist for more specific advice.
