To stay slim, eat like Thais

In this month of resolutions, you might as well apply some Thai wisdom to finally get that smaller waistline.

Bangkok is touted as the “Land of Smiles,” but if you have shopped for clothes in the bustling city, you’ll agree that it’s also the land of small waistlines.

Try and observe how slim Thai women are (even the men). They are not only petite but have noticeably smaller waistlines. Try buying clothes in Thailand. If you are normally a medium, you might have to buy a large because their sizes are a tad smaller, especially if it is for the local market.

Someone commented that the average Thai woman’s size is between an American size zero and four! I am not sure how true that is but that confirms what I have observed in the 30 years I have been traveling to this city. An American size six is even considered extra large at times, so it could be frustrating for those with fuller figures.

Smaller frames could have a shopping problem as well since small and extra small sizes run out fast. My daughter said that shopping for a clothing brand is easier in Manila because you compete with fewer skinnier people.

So maybe we can take a few tips on how Thai women eat and what they eat to lose weight and stay slim.

But how can you do it in such a foodie city like Bangkok? There are food stalls on every corner, food courts in every mall and too many restaurants. It seems like Thai people are eating all the time. So how do they do it? I asked around and got these answers:

• Thai women eat often but in small portions. If you check the portion servings in street stalls where most locals get their meals and snacks, you will notice that the servings are rather small. Some say that this practice of eating often — but in small portions — speeds up the metabolism.

• Everything is shared with family or friends. Thai women eat with others. The practice is to get a variety of foods but to share them, family-style.

• Meat is a garnish, not a main dish. Most local dishes like stews and stir-fry only include a small portion of meat accompanied by bigger portions of vegetables — all enjoyed with white rice or noodles.

• A cup of hot green tea after meals. Thai women drink green tea which is proven to aid in weight loss aside from its popular antioxidant properties.

• A lot of water before and between meals. It’s easy to get dehydrated walking the humid streets of Bangkok. Drinking lots of water not only quenches the thirst but also removes any “fake” hunger. Notice how restaurants immediately provide tables with pitchers of water? It’s part of welcoming the guests.

• Spice up everything. Thai people’s tolerance for spicy food is legendary. I have a friend from the US who thought he could take spicy food and when asked at a Thai restaurant what level of spiciness he wanted on a scale of 1 to 10, he boldly said “10,” but he still couldn’t finish the dish when it arrived. However, spicy food improves the body’s ability to burn calories.

• Eat fresh. The distinct flavors of Thai cuisine come from tamarind, lemongrass, galangal root (part of the ginger family), chili, kaffir lime, pandan, cilantro, basil and Thai lime, to name a few. But more than anything, the bursting flavors come from very fresh ingredients.

• Snack on fruits. Don’t you just love those fruit stalls or the lovely small trays of cut fruits in the grocery? Did you also notice that fruits always come with a small sachet of a mixture of salt, sugar and red pepper flakes? Guavas, pears, mangoes (both ripe and green), papayas, bananas, as well as seasonal fruits abound.

• Love desserts with coconut. Thai desserts are not very sweet, they come in small servings, and they always have coconut. Coconut, based on recent studies, is very weight-loss friendly. Most Thai dishes use coconut milk or coconut cream as well.

• Love traditional food. It is observed that Thai people in general are not very fond of Western fast food. The cost of local food is much more affordable to most locals and there are more options to chose from. Western food is considered food of the affluent. Interestingly though, the rich believe they have better and healthier choices.

• Walk it off. Many buildings, hotels and malls are connected by walkways. The trains have linked districts, making living in a bustling city known for its traffic congestion bearable. That means a lot of walking which, of course, helps burn off whatever snacks or meals were taken during the day.

In this month of resolutions, you might want to apply some Thai wisdom to finally get that smaller waistline.

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Post me a note at mylene@goldsgym.com.ph or mylenedayrit@gmail.com.