What Does 51-Year-Old Chuando Eat To Look Like He's 31?

“Ideally, I’d wake up and have berries. After going to the gym, I’d have my protein shakes and six to eight eggs with two slices of bread. I’d do my work for about two hours, then hit the gym again, after which I’d have chicken breast and some carbs in the form of a small serving of brown rice or veggies. This is also when I might have something sweet like durians. At night I’ll eat chicken breast meat or fish soup without any carbs. I don’t really diet, but I watch what I eat. Today I woke up late and didn’t have time for breakfast, so I had some cashew nuts before my meeting. I had nothing to eat till lunch break. I had sushi — sashimi, unagi and teriyaki chicken. Quite healthy lah, but not that healthy."

“I’m quite boring ’cos I always eat the same things, like fish soup and chicken breast. I tapow my lunch from food courts around Orchard Road. Whatever stall that has fish soup, chicken breast…Doesn't matter if it tastes good as long as the food is fresh. But I do marinate chicken in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and throw it inside a toaster oven, though I don’t consider that cooking. No salt. Maybe some dark soy sauce [for flavour].”

According to Chuando, your body gets used to #eatingclean. “Whenever I get a craving for char kway teow and eat it, I’d feel like throwing up after a few mouthfuls. My body is saying, ‘This is too oily.’” Oh, and here is how he makes eating hotpot virtuous...ish. "You just need to choose a light broth," he shares. "I always order fish, beancurd and veggies. Just try not to drink the soup ’cos it’s full of MSG."

“When I was still modelling and dined out with my friends, I used to dip my food in a bowl of hot water to rinse off the sauce before I consume it. I still do that now, sometimes. My friends said, “You’re crazy!” But I told them, “No choice what. I cannot stop you from [picking a restaurant that serves] unhealthy food.” It’s not difficult for me ’cos I’ve been doing this for so many years. I was a swimmer in my teens, and I was always into health and bodybuilding. I love going to the gym. It’s a good habit that will stick with me for the rest of my life — I will lift till I cannot lift (laughs).”

My cheat days don’t come very often. I cheat with ice-cream and durians. Very fattening! (Guffaws) So I try to eat them during the day. Most people eat durians at night, but that’s very bad. Durians contain sugar that turns to fat if you go to sleep right after eating it.”

“I have ice-cream about once a month,” says Chuando. “A pint of Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice-cream that I split into three servings. Sometimes when I have no food at home, I finish the whole pint. Impromptu cheat day! I also love tempura. Fried stuff is so good, but it’s so bad. But the temptation is there. We are just human (laughs). .I eat McDonald’s takeout on photoshoots too, when we don’t have that many food options. It won’t kill me to eat fast food once in a while.”

Unless he’s “on holiday or feeling very relaxed”, Chuando usually avoids coffee and tea. When he does relent, he orders a “cappuccino, skinny”. So you have to choose whether you want a lit selfie or #foodporn snaps on your Instagram, okay?

Even if you really, really like beer. Take it from Chuando: “I grew to like wine, but I don’t really drink it ’cos alcohol ages your skin. If you’re trying to cleanse your body by eating clean, don’t put the toxins back in by drinking and smoking. The last time I went to a club was over 10 years ago. It’s so rowdy. The energy there is just not for me.”