Maxi-mum indulgence on cheat days for Maxi Lim

This wide-eyed local actor may be on a journey to become fitter, but that won't stop him from indulging occasionally.

The Ah Boys To Men star has shed about 12kg since he started on his weight-loss programme.

Maxi Lim, 29, sat down with The New Paper at Bushi Cafe last Friday, a newly opened anime-themed cafe at Bugis+ for lunch.

Seated in a modern Japanese dining area with our shoes off, his eager eyes scanned the menu, and he ordered the Ninja Omu Rice, Beef Creamy, Pasta de Curry and a side of fried prawns.

Lim told TNP: "I usually eat rice on my cheat days. I am Chinese, so I really do miss it. I would sometimes take half a bowl of rice on the weekends.

"I really love sweet stuff too, the super sweet and sinful ones. It has been so long since I had Starbucks."

Once the food arrived, he wasted no time digging in, savouring every bite.

"Japanese food is one of my favourite cuisines, and I think Japanese curry is interesting as it is different from what we normally eat, such as Indian curry or Chinese curry.

"Japanese curry has a thicker gravy, and it has a homely and comforting feel."

Lim has been busy shooting television shows and movies, the latest being The Noose on Channel 5.

He plays about 10 different characters on the comedy show, which was daunting initially.

"I have to do a lot of homework because sometimes I am not given a lot of time to rehearse and creating different characters is difficult," he said.

Lim will also be starring in an upcoming Chinese New Year comedy directed by Jack Neo, called Take 2, where he plays an ex-convict turned teacher. It opens here on Jan 26.

What do you think of cheat days?

I have cheated many times. I was in Kuala Lumpur for a shoot for more than a week, and the food there was so delicious.

At first, I was able to control, but after a while, I was like, "Just eat lah!" It is important to cheat because if you don't, the body gets used to the clean diet, and the weight loss will be slower.

Do you find it hard to control your diet?

It is difficult sometimes. If I want to eat the unhealthy stuff, I make sure I eat in moderation. So when I take sweetened stuff like latte, I'll ask for no sugar.

When I eat a lot of fried stuff, I'll choose not to eat the rice and try to take more vegetables.

What do you eat to keep fit and healthy?

I take a lot of sliced fish soup and eat eggs, especially half-boiled ones. I'll order extra fish, drain the soup away, and then just consume the fish. It is boring stuff as I just want to get the nutrients into my system quickly.

I also cook eggs and chicken breast at home. I realised that they are cheap and healthy options.