Feeding the fitness frenzy

"There is a common saying that carbohydrates are the culprits of all chronic diseases, but that depends on the types of carbohydrates. Not all carbs are bad for you.

"For example, there is a rich variety of cereals in China which are very healthy carbohydrate sources, with a large portion of dietary fiber. They reduce toxin absorption, lower blood sugar, increase feelings of satiety and promote gastrointestinal motility."

Wang added that China has some foods that are high in carbohydrates such as roujiamo, or Chinese-style hamburgers.

"Healthy eating depends on the food itself, and it should not be designated according to different dietary habits in Western and Eastern countries. The basic rule to avoid misdirection is that healthy eating should not go against the basic human needs," he said.

Zhou Zhijia, a Chinese restauranteur, said in his daily diet he opts for fresh instead of fried foods, forgoing fried rice and opting for steamed vegetable dumplings or steamed brown rice.

"Braised beef brisket with tomato is a good choice and boiled fresh fish or steamed fish heads can also provide quality protein with low saltiness," Zhou said.

Some people go vegetarian with their Chinese meals just to try to keep the calorie count down, but the absence of protein could set you up for a sharp blood-sugar spike, encouraging fat gain and increased hunger.

Wang Xuan, CEO of a company called Dream Muscle School, said that as long as balanced meals are provided and fat content is kept low, fitness gurus can still enjoy Chinese food.

She recommended an appliance called an Air Fryer, which can fry foods like potato chips, chicken, fish, and steak while using between 70 percent and 80 percent less oil than a traditional deep fryer.