The man they call Sirant

A funny thing happened on the way to Hong Kong....

Well, no, not really.

Actually been rather tame around here these days. Having some nerd moments. I was finally upset enough with Windows XP and decided to go Linux again full time. Been awhile so I have been sitting here getting my nerd on making it all work the way I want. Other than that work is getting busier and my job is taking a big twist. I am a teacher, yet now, for the first time here, I have to create a budget for last year and a proposed budget for next. Add to that a couple new classes of some geniuses who will require some sophisticated lessons, and I am a busy guy.

Of course that hasn't stopped my weight loss efforts. And this week will be no exception. Next week is a 1 week government holiday. May 1-7. China does holidays differently than back home though. Those 7 days off are actually only 5, since 2 include a weekend. And actually the holiday is only 3 days, so to make it a full week, we are required to work the weekend before the holiday to make up the 2 extra days. So this is going to be a 8 day straight , 8 hour a day week at work. Followed by 7 days off.

Oy....

But, in fact I like the idea. I am essentially my own boss, so I will make sure I still have time to relax a little ;) But there is one bonus. Lately I have been doing 5 days a week of 100% controlled diet and regular exercise, then weekends I mix it up with a free day and different exercises. Its amazing how the scale jumps on a Monday after the "free day" This week it jumped up to 264! from 255 the Friday before. But yet again, by today it has not only come the rest of the way down, but 2 pounds lighter once again! And considering it is only Wednesday, I think this will easily be a 3 pound week. Anyhow, this weekend, I will be working, therefore eating 2100 calories each day, walking at lunch and running home. I am curious to see how the scale reacts this week to not having a day off. Loss as normal? More? less? We shall see...

In any event I know I am going to have lost a grand total of 10 pounds for the month!

If that is in fact the case then I will drop down to only needing 1.8 pounds per week to hit my 100kg (220lb) goal on my birthday. That is going to be some event, let me tell you. For now I have my goal set on the next 4-5 weeks, after which i will treat myself to some fresh new clothes. The clothes at home and bumming around I don't mind so much, the work clothes though.... Oy again.

Anyhow, more of the wild and crazy adventures of sirant to come.

On with the show!

sirant
 
Hi Sirant.

Wanted to let you know that I've enjoyed this read. I've been living in Guangzhou for about a year now and love it. I do find trying to watch your diet while in China to be an interesting proposition. My yogurt low fat? Who knows? It's labelled in French, German, and Chinese! My protein intake? Who knows? I've decided eggs and oatmeal are my major sources. If you have learned any tricks along the way about managing calories while here, please share!

Your weight loss is motivational, as is your writing. Keep going! Keep writing! The notes with you and Tom make it all a bit easier.
 
Hi Sirant, so good to hear from you again.

If it weren't for PhotoShop and all the stuff for work, I'd switch to Linux in a minute. I once published an article for Oracle Magazine on installing Oracle 8 on a Linux box -- those were in the days when that was a hair raising adventure.

Here I was, thinking I was doing pretty good losing 5 pounds in one month, and I read in your journal how you're going to lose 10 pounds this month. Geez, no fair. I attribute this to your ready supply of high quality incense there in China, which the scale gods certainly appreciate. They must think I'm pretty pathetic with my Costco 700 pack, after smelling the real stuff from you. And as for burnt offerings to GOM (god of metabolism, for the unwashed heathen), well, you've got me beat hands down in that department, too.

Still, I'm doing my best to keep up with you. And even if you do lose a lot more than I do, I'm always glad to see another tale from you.

That doesn't sound like much of a holiday week to me!
 
Ok, calories in China....

Hi Sirant.

Wanted to let you know that I've enjoyed this read. I've been living in Guangzhou for about a year now and love it. I do find trying to watch your diet while in China to be an interesting proposition. My yogurt low fat? Who knows? It's labelled in French, German, and Chinese! My protein intake? Who knows? I've decided eggs and oatmeal are my major sources. If you have learned any tricks along the way about managing calories while here, please share!

Your weight loss is motivational, as is your writing. Keep going! Keep writing! The notes with you and Tom make it all a bit easier.

First tip: AAAAARRRRGGGGGGGGH!

I mean, it ain't easy. Lord only knows how the restaurants salt, sugar and oil their food. This being a country which loves visible fats in all its forms. I am only getting to my goal by eating food I prepare myself 5 days a week. Thank god I love my Crockpot!

As for calorie counting, well, if I find the link again I will post it, but do a search for a Singaporean calorie counter. I found some good ones that had lots of real Chinese food listed. Much better than relying on local ones. I find I can add up my own meals very easily in the online fitday.com

Speaking of Guangzhou, thats the first place I ever went to a 5 star sauna.... That was some kind of serious service. With an Ice Room to die for. I really should go back again sometime for a sauna weekend. Don't worry Tom, your invited!

Other than that, I eat nasty bad foods (that taste so good) on weekends and don't sweat the calories. Luckily so far so good.

Nice to meet a neighbor here. Long way from home. :)

sirant
 
The incense is actually from Thailand..... Could that be the secret?

I mean, I did start losing the weight and kick the plateau shortly after returning from Thailand with this very nice incense which I burn a lot..... hmmmmm I smell my next "Burn Incense, Burn Fat" online mega million idea!!

Once again Tom you have through and now I will be rich. In yer face kevin Trudeau!!!

As for photoshop buddy, two words.... Dual Boot! These new linux installs are just too easy. Not like back in the day, configuring every frickin device in your computer by hand to get that 486DX66 hummin.... Well, it tried to hum anyways...

As for the weight..... I dunno. I am secretly (though not anymore actually) trying something I heard on biggest loser Australia. When they talked to Adro after he won the show and the bucks, they asked him what he felt made the difference on the outside. He said running everyday and diet, above all else. Of course he continued with full body exercises and the like, but he said running made it happen faster than when he didn't run. So now I run home from work everyday. I change out of the tie and monkey suit in my office, pop on the runners, shorts and teeshirt, strap on the backpack and its 6km into the sunset. Plus this whole crazy day off thing. Seriously having an impact I think, because it has worked perfectly. I plateaued big time after the first 20 pounds, and thought I might after the last 20, but I blew right past it. If that does turn out to be the secret combo for real, I will definitely write that book... ;)

Sirant's Beer, Ice Cream and Running Diet!

Cha-Ching!!!!!

Your doing great too Tom. Your dedication to detail amazes me and by the time you are done you will be a weight loss machine and would likely be an excellent coach for others out there for both food and exercise. My methodology is primitive in comparison, but if it works and ain't killing me, cant be all that bad. :)

sirant
 
Your doing great too Tom. Your dedication to detail amazes me and by the time you are done you will be a weight loss machine and would likely be an excellent coach for others out there for both food and exercise. My methodology is primitive in comparison, but if it works and ain't killing me, cant be all that bad.

Gee, whom do you think people would rather go with -- my count-every-calorie-work-your-butt-off-in-the-gym program, or your "Sirant's Beer, Ice Cream, and Running Diet, and lose 10 pounds a Month" Program.

I believe you've got a lock on the first million, my friend.
 
Fair enough

Gee, whom do you think people would rather go with -- my count-every-calorie-work-your-butt-off-in-the-gym program, or your "Sirant's Beer, Ice Cream, and Running Diet, and lose 10 pounds a Month" Program.

I believe you've got a lock on the first million, my friend.

The flight and the sauna are on me... After the first million of course.. ;)

sirant
 
Come on now.... Really???

Damn....

Not sure how or why, but I am starting to hit biggest loser type weight loses. Not 15-20 pounds a week like some of them, but much more than I hoped or expected. Maybe my body is just ready to shed that extra weight.

I hopped on the scale this morning and it showed 251.8..... Not sure how thats even possible since it was 253 yesterday.... But hey, I am not going to complain! All I can say is I love fitday and I on top of the world! I am thinking if things keep going so well I may hit 250 by the end of the month, which would be a great way to start that 7 day holiday. There will be a few beers drunk on that Monday night I can tell you!!! Though even though the holiday is coming up, I may relax on the exercise and slow the running down during that time, I think I will try to still follow the eating plan and just have a day off at the beginning of the week and one near the end. I mean, why stop everything now that it is working so well? Maybe since the family will all be home together I will get them eating some yummy salads and stews too.

Couldnt hurt anyways.

Gotta say, 45 pounds on the ticker sure looks good. Almost as good as it feels....

sirant
 
You're makin' me pretty jealous there, friend. Really, congratulations - you deserve all the success you can get.
 
well done on all this loss sirant! thats fab .. keep it up :)
and dont worry tomo your time will come .. you are doing so great anyway :D
yayy for both of you's
x
 
Must be Alien Abduction!!!!

Seriously.

Those little green suckers must be coming down in their spaceships and harvesting fat to feed the minions back on their homeworld. I can't think of an other reason why I am doing so well for the first time in my life losing weight. I was sooooo thrilled and happy yesterday to jump on the scale and see 251lbs, yet another 2 pound loss and hitting 10 pounds for the month of April. Imagine my shock to hop on today and see 249!!!! I havent weighed that little in over 20 years!!! Seriously!!! I was tempted to call in sick to work and run around China the whole day screaming my fool head off! Tears of joy are sitting in my eyes as we speak!!! I just can't believe it! That makes April a 12 pound month, and last week a 5 pound week!! Thats a biggest loser type number!!! 5 pounds in one week..... I counted my limbs and appendages already(some I havent seen without bending over or in a mirror in a loooong time), all accounted for. Gotta be aliens, gotta be..... Bless there green little hearts!!!!

Heres what I did differently this week. Taebo 1X instead of 2, weights 1X instead of 2, yoga 1X instead of 2... But still ran home everyday (even in the pouring rain) and walked every noon. As for food. I dropped my calories about 150 calories a day this week by cutting off the yummy little steamed veggie rolls I usually eat in the morning on the way to work as an experiment. Thats it. I still have been eating the same exact diet I have been the rest of the month, last weekend I still had my free day (to the extreme) and last night even I sat with a buddy and drank a couple cans of beer on a non-free day...

So what is going on? Not that I am going to complain, but WOW! 5 freekin pounds!!!! That puts me one week (or less) away from hitting the big 50! I remember always hearing about people losing 50 pounds and thinking how awesome that would be, now its me!!

Keep going everyone! Find that magic formula that works. For me it is a combination of running 5-6 times a week, eating 2000-2200 calories a day during the week and pre-preparing all my lunches and dinners for the week on sunday night. I love my crockpot! Then a free day on saturday. Thats it!

I am sorry if anyone reading this feels a little bad because I am going on about it so much, but I cant help it. If I don't let this out I really will blow a mental gasket and streak naked out of the building screaming and laughing like a maniac!

And I am not even at my goal yet!! What will happen then? Is it possible for your head to explode from unbridled enthusiasm and energy? Could I rupture something vital from smiling and jumping around like a madman? Am I putting myself in serious danger because I feel so insanely great?

Well, August 1st, my birthday, will be the judge of that. And by god, if I do rupture something because of absolute joy, I will go down smiling! At this current rate of weight loss I will be at my goal on my birthday or before... Going to be the best damn birthday of my entire life!

WLF, you people rock my world! With your support and guidance I am doing everything I never thought I was capable of. Everyone here I consider my closest and most important friends and anytime you need to borrow a cup of motivation or a teaspoon full of joy, you just let me know. I will never be able to repay the help so many of you like Leigh, Steve, Tom, wishes and sooooooo man others have given me. I couldnt begin to list the names of all the people who diaries, questions and advice motivated me and pushed me in the right direction.

Even now, 29 pounds away from my final goal, I feel like the happiest person alive. When come Aug 1st, I will be happier than all the dogs, chickens, oragutans, dolphins and even the dead people put together too!!! Nothing can stop me now!

In your face orangutans!!!

sirant

(p.s. sorry if I seem a little crazy today, but I really am...)
 
LOL, Sirant I am so happy for you! I love that enthusiasm -- I can hear you shouting all the way from China.

I feel that now I can finally tell you that actually I was burning all that incense and making all those burnt offerings to GOM in your name, not mine. No need to thank me though; I'm just that kind of guy.

Your success is awesome, my friend. Congratulations!
 
I wish!!!!

Sirant my man, you should go on circuit motivating people -you da man!

I have so much positive energy inside me I would gladly do a circuit to help people get a hold of that same energy! I have no idea how I would do such a thing, but I sure would. But this is nothing. if you want to see what I am going to be like come August 1st, have a look at this video.....

Go Steve!!

I am not kidding, and as I promised in a prior post, I will make a movie and put it on youtube myself so you can all share my madness!!! Only I will be wearing much less clothing....

sirant
 
Worn Down.....

Ugh.....

Day 6 of an 8 day straight week. I am feeling run down not having a day off this week and still working my butt off. Ran the whole week but today my body is telling me to take a rest, so I think I will sauna after work tonight. Nice thing about 7 different jaccuzzi tubs, there will always be one with a nozzle in just the right spot... No beer tonight though, I never drink on worknights, so my off day is really off for now. However, I am going for a yummy and in my estimation, very "fat" friendly lunch. That being hot pot.

For those that dont know, hot pot is a special Chinese meal where essentially a large steaming cauldron of broth (spicy in my case) is placed on a burner in the middle of the table. Then you order from a huge list of yummy ingredients and cook them all right there yourself. This means no frying, no extra salt or sugar, no oils or fats.... We usually get a couple plates of yummy Chinese spinach Kong Qing Cai, some ultra thin sliced lamb, some beef meatballs, cabbage and these awesome little noodels, that are made from beans and veggies instead of rice or flour. All in all it is a great little low-carb, high protein lunch that tastes fantastic and is cheap and easy. Normally most Chinese people only eat hot pot in the winter time, but luckily in the food fair near work they have a specialty shop. The Chinese are funny that way. Certain foods or styles of cooking are only done at special times of the year. I suppose its the same as how most people I know back home pretty much only eat turkey at thanksgiving and christmas.

Watched the biggest lose australia finale last night. Was great to see how much of a change many of them made. Once again some made life altering transformations and others simply didnt have the same drive when they left the house. I take great pride in the fact that even without professional training, specially prepared diets and medical supervision, I kicked butt over a lot of the competitors in the same time frame. No money for me though. :) Saw something else interestng too recently. For this version of Aussies BL, 10,000 overweight australians applied. For last years America's BL, more than 1500 people showed up in each city they went to. So far this year, USA BL had a casting call in Boston, 80 people showed up.... 80!!!! Is Boston the thinnest city in America? I find it hard to believe more people wouldnt come. What an opportunity. I suppose it isnt for everyone, but man oh man, being on tv, potential celebrity status, and a controlled weight loss environment.... I would do it in a heartbeat. No hesitation at all. Had I know it would be like that I might even have considered looking for a seat sale and going down for the interview myself.... Ah well.

Anyhow, today is definitely a blah day. I am going to consider it a day off, though not going to go hardcore on the beer or food. Today will be a rest day from the heavy exercise, maybe just some yoga tonight to stretch out these very hard worked leggies of mine.

sirant
 
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