Zhou Zhijia, the boss of a Chinese restaurant, says 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 head 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, increasing fat gain and increasing 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% and 80% less oil than a traditional deep-fryer.

"Try some of the claypot offerings (usually stewed or braised items) and steamed dishes. Even lamb hot pot, or roasted duck but without the crispy skin," Wang said.

Fats also play a major role in the ideal bodybuilding diet. Dietary fats help us absorb important fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin E, D, and A. The survey showed that fats also slow the absorption of carbohydrates into the bloodstream which keeps blood sugar levels from spiking. Besides, many hormones in the body that are important to an active lifestyle, including testosterone, are dependent on fats for optimal production and function.

"Braised beef brisket with tomato is a good choice and boiled fresh fish or steamed fish head 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, increasing fat gain and increasing hunger.