Food is one of the most primitive and easily accessible comforts we reach for when stressed, hungry, tired or even just bored. It can take a lot of restraint and self-control to know when to eat, what to eat, and, more importantly, when to stop eating.
When Jayson Tang, the executive Chinese chef of one-Michelin star Man Ho Chinese Restaurant at JW Marriott Hotel Hong Kong, began his weight loss journey a year ago, many assumed succumbing to temptations and confections in the kitchen was what led the then 255-pound chef to confront his weight.
“At my heaviest, I actually ate very little,” he shares. There’s no binging on delicacies or pairing fine wines with decadent dishes. Instead, like many chefs, Tang was always too busy to eat.
Not having enough time in a day, however, just didn’t cut it as an excuse anymore when he realised what he needed was to make sure he had more time to spend down the road with loved ones.- at the age of 36, Tang has the metabolic age of a 55-year-old.
The birth of his son a year ago was the loud and clear wake-up call that prompted the father of two to put his health back in order. “I always knew I wanted to grow with my children and not just watch them grow. One of my goals is to be able to take the family surfing when my kids graduate from university.”
Tang knew how vital diet was if he wanted to get back into shape, being a former bodybuilder and certified personal trainer who aspired to be a firefighter. He’s lived through strict meals of steamed broccoli and chicken breast smoothies that gave him almost-instant weight loss and bulking results during the height of his two-year bodybuilding journey. From the start of his weight loss, it was clear that repeating the experience would not be sustainable or even desirable at this stage in his life.
“I’m not so much concerned about my physique now as I am about my health,” he says. “I’ve done the whole chicken breast thing, and I know I can’t do it again long term. I also felt like I didn’t need to go to that extreme because I still want to live and enjoy life.”
His busy schedule meant he would often have no more than a few tasting bites here and there between his breakfast and his midnight supper. “By the time I get off work, I’m so tired and hungry I find myself always craving carb-heavy foods. It’s also hard to find a healthy meal at midnight, so I ended up eating noodles and other junk foods.”
Unlike his bodybuilding days, there’s simply no place for bland foods in the chef’s life now; instead, he devised a simple formula of calories in versus calories out that have helped him shed 55 pounds in just three months.
But consistency remains one of the biggest hurdles for the busy chef. “I have about six meals a day, which adds about 3500 to 4000 calories. Because I'm working a full day, I set my alarm for every two to three hours to remind myself to eat.”
A consistent eating schedule has helped normalise his blood sugar levels, and sudden bounds of hunger pangs are not hitting him.
Half his meals, he says are meal replacements like shakes. Other times, he’ll reach for a piece of fruit or his simple, go-to meal of fish and rice. The one-Michelin star chef taps into his culinary creativity and simple Cantonese cooking techniques like steaming and braising to make spice up his dishes.
Sadly, the only foods he steers clear of are among some of his favourite vices. “I’ll eat anything except organ meat and processed meats; cuttlefish ball is one of my favourite things to eat, and I’ve had to give that up.”
But that’s just a small price to pay for moments like enjoying an ice cream cone with his daughter on a hot summer day out. “I can’t let a restrictive diet be my lifestyle because I still want to live a life I can enjoy with my family.”
Instead of treating these sweet moments as guilt-ridden cheat days, Tang approaches his consumption from a weekly perspective. “With six meals a day, I’m eating 42 meals a week. If I can stick to no processed foods, no organ meats, and no sweets for 35 of these, that’s great.”
Tang is candid in admitting that willpower isn’t the only thing keeping him from indulging. As much as he enjoys his daily cardio sessions plus weight training four days a week for up to 2.5 hours per session, he’d rather spend that time with family.
“When I think about the extra hours I have to put in at the gym, it’s often enough to reign in any desire to slip on my diet plan”, he laughs.
The 1.8-metre chef weighs in at 190 pounds a year into his weight loss. Now, he’s no longer concerned about how much the scale tips from week to week.
Instead, he’s more conscious about his visceral and body fat percentages. His goal is to maintain a healthy metabolic rate without sacrificing the joys of living a full life with his family.
“I feel different, and I look different, and these are all signs that my body is giving me to let me know I'm on the right track.”
Also see: To eat or not to eat– 3 athletes share their take on breakfast
