Day 90: Set me free

all done

Well here we are folks, Day 90 and we’re free… congratulations to all of you! You have all been incredibly inspirational.... and motivating to this day and beyond. Tonight, I'll raise a glass (or three, just kidding!) to each and every one of you. (Heather, Molly, Richard, Aki, George, Geordie, Nick, Dottie, Scott, Andy, Juan, David and Helen, especially, I can't thank you guys enough for all your kind comments and encouragement. It really made a difference).

To the second PCP tier on our heels... keep it going strong.... You are all doing great, past half way and the finish will be sweet! And for those about to rock the PCP, good luck and hang on tight!

Freedom! Yes! I sure feel free in terms of mobility. My body finally moves with ease. I feel taller! It’s also awesome to be liberated from all the fitness traps I set for myself in the past, the obsessions, fad food regimens, exercise crazes, DVDs. Even grocery shopping is easier – just hit the produce, dairy, seafood, grains, coffee, tea – that’s all we'll ever need... and want again. Today I feel I am on a new path, as many of you have said, it's the beginning, not the end.

And just this morning I unwrapped a carton of books from our publisher... My first book (with my sweet love John), Everyday Eden is about to be released. So exciting! Now the real work begins, promoting it, etc. and it feels so good to be in shape for this!

Patrick, coach, master, sensei… my heart is bursting with gratitude. You’ve cut us loose today, but we’ve got the map my friend! You and Chen (thank you too Chen) have given each of us nothing less than a blueprint for a better body, mind and spirit -- dare I say, for a better life. What an incredible gift! I promise to do my best to pass it on, in every way that I can, through my life and work... and through my attitude.

Finally, I just want to say I remember, way back at the very beginning questioning if I could afford the PCP program. I wasn't sure if I could afford the time, the cost and the commitment… basically deep down, I wondered if it would be worth it.

Today, if you are out there and you are wondering about this too, all I can say to you is what Patrick said to me.

“You’re worth it!”

All good wishes, I believe in you.

Chris

before/after

before/after

Day 90: I'll be back

PS: "Milk is for babies. When you grow up you have to drink beer."  Arnold Schwarzenegger

Day 89: Babe Ruthless

Well the supersets lived up to their ruthless reputation. Having read the upchucking comments prior I decided to do the workout pre-breakfast (was not willing to sacrifice my beloved PCP breakfast for anything, not even Day 89). I jumped, then picked out the biggest banana and ate that instead. Ready to kill the sets!

And they were tough. Physically, I could not complete all the shoulder sets without resorting to little tiny micro moves at the end. BURNING. But the real challenge was mental (always the case with me). Push, push, push mentally to get to my physical limits. My inside voice was a bitch.

After the arms/shoulders sets my body actually started shaking and I think (okay I know) I was crying. I don't cry, ever. This was/is mortifying. I basically self combusted in a heap for a few seconds. Strangely, this felt more physical than mental. WTF?

And then I did the abs...

Anyhow, no need to call the funny farm. I'm over it now (ready for breakfast!!!) but that was a very weird experience.

So thanks Patrick, I think.

xx

Day 88: auspicious day

Woke up feeling really strong today. Jumps flowed, easy peasy. Even the workout was nice and even. I felt a breakthrough on the incline pull-ups. Not easy, but less of a struggle pushing to maximum reps. I felt the heat in my biceps and a lasting burn in my shoulders. I hesitate to say I felt "pumped" after the workout (will likely never use that word again without blushing) but I did feel strangely triumphant. And I thought my abs would be ruined today but they rallied... planks were a much more honest failure (kept blackberry face down).

I would like to remember the ease, flow and strength of today's workout.

Because tomorrow looks like a humdinger... of course I looked.

Keep calm.

xx

Day 87: Three sleeps

Three sleeps and it's Miller time PCP peeps! Looking sharp out there........ love reading the blogs and comments on the superFsets. The workout totally crushed me today. Afterwards I had a yogurt-egg-white-frozen-blackberry smoothie which I contemplated pouring over my shoulders rather than drinking. Had to have a nap in the afternoon and double the coffee intake (which is an awful lot of coffee). Now it is nearly bedtime and the coffee is kicking in. GREAT.

Went to the "real" gym tonight as prescribed. Saw the buff boys peacocking (good one Geordie) all tattoos and testosterone, combined with what seemed like a copious quantity of Gucci Pour Homme II (which I happen to like). I hopped on the treadmill and proceeded to frustrate myself trying to work the touch screen for my "amazing 20-minute high/low interval fat-burning training session" which I clipped off the internet. I hope I burned some fat because it sure was BORING. During "cooldown" I tried showing off and doing some long quad stretches but I got way too close to the back edge of the treadmill and nearly came flying off.

Then I re-did my abs from this morning's workout (ouch), trying to fail better at side crunches. Finally used a medicine ball to add a bit of weight. That seemed to help. I was hoping someone might notice and comment on the quality of my V-sits, but I don't think anyone really looked at me until I attached the medicine ball to my head. I also had a slight wardrobe malfunction at that point. Enough said.

The gym is noisy and stinky and I am paranoid about catching germs, so I am very grateful to now have a workout routine I can do independently. Also I found myself fretting about my outfit when I went there, something I hadn't thought about for oh, 87 days... No one was doing any better or worse than me as far as I am concerned. We are all doing the best that we can. But the machines are oppressive and dumb. I was choked that there was no simple chin-up bar, for example....

I had hoped to go to the big city to the gym with the vibrating plate machines and bum wraps you just stand on/in while they "work you out" but I will have to save that experience for another time. They give you a free spray tan afterwards.... tempting.

Be good to yourselves.

Big hugs...
C

Day 86: walking the plank

Okay, I actually like the supersets. Very efficient. Except for the abs. I cheated on the planks. So FB. The numbers don't lie: 2:18; 2:15; 2:10; 2:20: 2:05. I was doing one leggers on some. 2 minutes is how long the LCD timer stays lit on my blackberry. After that I just kind of get bored/give up. I know, that's not failure. I can't seem to "let go" on the planks. Totally failed each time on the V-sits sets though, much easier to tell when your body simply will not go up. Will have to work on my mental blocks re: plank. Watch for road rash on my face next time.

Also had a mini meltdown last night over my snack. It is now making me feel freaky right before bed and the amount just seems ridiculous (whole egg, carbs!, glass of milk, small grapefruit). Had a chit-chat with Master P and it seems I can't really get out of it. So I am going to try and get my grams in earlier so I have a decent amount of time before snack and bed. I am leaning towards a few hours, rather than my usual 30 min. It's weird to be fretting about this so late in the game, but there it is.

It's been 15 minutes since workout and now I am thrashed.

COFFEE.

Keep it going everybody!

PS: Evening update... it's 8pm and I've had my snack grams, sans carbs. But now, after today's brutal workout, I have to admit I am a little hungrier than usual... wouldn't you know it? And so, with P's comment below it's up to me I guess (as it will be completely in just a few days). Got to figure things out without obsessing. Yes, I think that is the lesson here.... 

Gratitude and goodnight. xx

Day 85: bun head

Finally got some new pictures up today.... too shattered after workout to comb my hair, sorry. Tried to do a Molly shot (abs!) but no one does it like Molly : )... and my abs are still wrapped up in a blanket.... oh well! What can you do? Take care peeps! Rock it 'till the finish..... You can do it!

Big hugs!

Day 84: ready or not

Oh lordy those new workouts look PFH to me... Especially given I am totally exhausted today, supposedly our day "off"... Today was a new challenge on the food front as well. I had to excuse myself from an impossibly long boardroom meeting with a hardboiled egg in my pocket because there was no proper snack action going on (unless you count iced pastries and coffee). This was an introductory meeting with new clients from Beijing, so unsure of how the egg white/yolk sacrifice would be perceived, I went to the ladies and proceeded to smash, peel and eat the egg at the makeup counter in private. But there was no garbage can (cloth towels only with a little laundry hamper) so I snuck into a stall to flush "the evidence." But the shells wouldn't go down! Too light maybe.... Funny to wonder what the next person would think. Better not to wonder actually... because as I was leaving, a member of the Beijing team was going in! Just my luck.

During the meeting (6 hours!) I noticed that I was the only one sitting up straight.

Well, it's 7:45pm and I think I will go to bed.

Have a good weekend............ and good luck team.

xo

Day 82: thanks for that

I've been trying to go a bit easier on myself these last few days. Not physically (still kicking ass in the workouts, no mercy!) but mentally. Professionally things have been intense and my workload is off the charts. I can barely hold it all together. But I always go above and beyond. In fact, today I showed up 24 hours early for an appointment (I am known for my punctuality, but that was a first). Instead of being totally mortified, I just laughed it off, "It's these bloody workouts, my trainer... he's an animal!".

Also, I have been thanking my body which just this morning cracked off two proper pull-ups with a kung-fu sit-up at the top. "Dude, you're really pulling through for me. I am sorry for calling you scrawny. You're actually a tough little sucker." 

And I have been taking the occasional big breath, just for the breath's sake. It sure beats sucking my stomach in.

I guess what I am saying is that the tougher this gets, the softer my edges are becoming.

And despite my outward attempts at humour, I really needed to lighten up a bit. Looking forward to ending on a high note and taking time to celebrate. It's a little early to pop the cork, I realize. But I am getting ready...

Cheering you on!

Day 81: A funny thing happened on...

... the way to the fridge.

I realized I was really looking forward to eating my whole allotment of food! And trust me, it's a lot!

Up until now, since last diet change, I had been totally fretting about the increases. I used to run around on so little but then I would crash so hard. I had a saying, "I'm so hungry I could eat my arm...." And now I realize my body probably was, for all intents and purposes, eating my arm (and storing fat to combat my bad habits).

But after just a few days of this all-day buffet business, my body has adjusted. The engine is running higher. My mind is sharp. I am hitting all my grams and I feel great. (Aside from being a washed-out workout wreck, but that's par for the course as I understand it from readng my comrades' blogs.)

I am learning a lot about the power of my mind, metabolism and this amazing body machine.

Grateful to have "gone for it" and trusted the diet... sorry for doubting you, even for a moment PCP!

Let's get ready for the final push...... you are all doing GREAT!

And finally, a magazine assignment I could eat afterwards. It's about time...

Day 80: Next time skip the calamari

Indulgence was last night at a Greek restaurant in a small town (sadly, not in Greece!). The first thing I noticed was the smell. Too much! Feta, brine, lamb. Turn down the smells please!

I was feeling so thrashed that I nearly ordered a coffee, but then decided to have wine. House choices came in colours: I chose white. Two glasses. Nice. (Was hoping for a cheap buzz, but that didn't happen. So, I can still hold my alcohol. Hmmm.)

First course, calamari for the table. It looked crispy and tasty. Everyone loaded up their side plates. First bite I knew this was a mistake. It tasted so oily. I swear I can still taste it. Main course was chicken souvlaki (two big skewers), greek salad, rice and potato plus pita and tzatziki. Everything was so salty! I didn't eat the feta or the olives, gave one skewer of chicken away. Otherwise, it was okay. I liked the pita best and the cucumbers. The company at the table was fun and it was nice to just order whatever, although not much on the menu appealed to me...

Weird thing, I had kind of a reaction on the roof of my mouth later. Like little blisters. They went away but it was odd.

Oh, yeah dessert was awesome. Home made angel food cake with yogurt and fresh fruit. Score!

I came home and ate an egg white and drank three glasses of water.

Day 79: So you think you can jump?

Grateful for Patrick's tips on sustaining a longer jumping practice. I have been trying to do two sets clean (clear of mind and trips) and then having a bit of fun on the last set, learning some tricks. The third set is my reward for getting through the first two! My tricks are not fancy but consist of a few cross-overs, jumping jacks, can-can step, boxer double-step and ski-mogul. As much as I like the quality of my Nike speed rope (I had destroyed three cheap ropes prior) it kills me that the Nike "rope" which is plastic, is still coiled so tightly (even after all these jumps). It makes the tricks difficult. I've tried stretching it, hanging it, pleading with it. So I am going to put it in the oven later (low heat) and see if I can break its springy spirit once and for all. Don't worry, I have a back-up rope in case this gets ugly.

Okay, you've got to see these moves... Floyd Mayweather Jr. I think I've finally found my fitness goal/calling. I really, really want to jump like that! So far, I can keep up to him to the 20-second mark of the video... haha. And, look at his face. Totally zoned out. Kickass!

Day 77: resistance is futile

At first I was really ticked off when I read the new diets. "Hey, I said: no more food dude!" But there it was, plain as day on my BB: more grams of protein and carbs; plus added banana. I have been feeling a huge amount of resistance to the eating part of PCP lately. I am not sure what my problem is or where the feeling comes from exactly. Fear rings a bell. Maybe it is because I am busting out of my skinny jeans. I wouldn't mind "baby got back" if my stomach was flat. You see what I am dealing with here? It's not very deep.

Then I came upon a thin elder man in a T-shirt in the pouring rain in downtown Vancouver holding out his hand. It was lunch time and I was damp and cold even in a winter coat. I gave him some change and stopped to chat for a minute (I don't do this, ever). Take care sir, I said. You too dear and thank you dear, he said.

It was a good reminder to keep my "problem" in perspective. I have been following this program to a T and value it more and more every day. So if the PCP wants me to stuff my face to the finish, well then that's exactly I'm going to do. With gratitude.

Let's eat, friends.

xx

Day 76: small is big

Some small changes worth noting:

My overall mobility has improved immensely. I even drive better (I can move my neck and shoulders and check my blind spots more easily). And although I have not been doing much stretching, my flexibility is awesome. In between crunch sets I can rest flat on my back and stretch my arms to rest flat on the floor, way over my head. I can forward fold. Touch my toes! I feel like Gumby.

My torso is filling out like a tree (although I am visualizing a surfboard).

I used to feel like a messed-up marionette puppet (one with all the strings tangled up). Now those strings have come untangled, aligned and tightened up. My body seems to self-correct its posture. One year of pilates 3X/week and I never even came close to this.

This is big.

But it's not all sunshine and roses in my head. I feel really bloated and stuffed. The one time I feel great is first thing in the morning/until after breakfast.... the rest of the day is an eating/snacking marathon... hoping my diet gets cut tomorrow. I am definitely gaining weight/getting bigger. I am not sure how I feel about that. Actually I feel like skipping meals and snacks but so far have been good, taking my medicine.

Day 75: not enough zzzz

Last night I made the mistake of opening a late-breaking email, then staying up half the night to work on a moving target project. I say yes way too recklessly. Not good. Got about 3 hours sleep in the end. Not good at all! Energy-wise I felt stoked when I woke up though and still zippy this afternoon. (Seems I like adrenalin almost as much as endorphins). However, the all-nighter crash is usually on a 36-hour delay. I will feel like crap tomorrow. This is a step backwards (obviously). Dipping my toe in my old ways... testing the post-PCP waters. Wasting perfectly good muscle-growing time!

Got to put the boots to the workout now... workout, jumps, 8MA... bring on tomorrow please. I will try to get it right.

xx

Day 74: Salud

Read Patrick's funny indulgence email on my BB exactly five hours prior to wine festival tasting party number two. Hmmmn, should I just go for it tonight and spend my 1000 calories on a barrel of rose and a motherload of tapas? Nah. I decided five hours lead time was not nearly enough foreplay. I mean, half the point/fun of the indulgence is in the anticipation leading up to it right? Consequently the party was over for me before it got started. I had a splash of rose in my glass as my cover. I ate some potato frittata (one inch square) which was fine. I watched people elbow their way up to the tables, intent of tasting every bloody bottle in the room as fast as possible. I contemplated changing careers.

Then I came back to my hotel to plot the strategy...

Stay tuned for Operation Indulgence.

I can't wait!

PS: Had to wear flats tonight because my legs were SHOT.

Day 73: skin deep

I hope no one bumps into me at the party tonight because everything hurts, including my skin! I am visualizing that this new found pain is a war between my muscles and sub-whatchamacallit fat. Go muscles! I was bummed this morning because I could barely do a single proper pull-up, let alone two. However, the incline pull-ups were less of a struggle. Go figure. The jumps have captivated me again as I am determined to jump like a boxer and "dance like a butterfly" Ali-style.... you know, those cool single-footed hops. I tried them at the beginning and I couldn't do them at all. Today, I could do them, plus a few crossovers. Kickass! I think these small "miracles" keep you going when things get tough...

Wishing you all small miracles too.

Go on now, you can do it.

xx

UPDATE: Party one, now over and done. Had two prawns (plain) and one glass of bubbly (just for show, left undrunk... and that's a big bloody miracle let me tell you). I bet I was the only chick at the party packing a hardboiled egg in her purse... yeah, I'm cool.

Day 72: this is HARD

Okay, I can tell this week is going to be KILLER... The workouts are so hard! Yet failure is teaching me I've got more in me than I realized... Two big wine events to attend tomorrow and Tuesday nights, but I'm not worried about indulging this time as it is not likely I will have the strength to hold a wine glass. In fact, I can barely type this...

Hang in there gang!

xx

Day 70: the good life

As we get closer to day 90, I am taking mental snapshots of everything. Like how much is 110 grams of salmon to visualizing a perfect v-sit. I want to tattoo PCP into my psyche. I am not feeling stressed about day 90, more excited actually. The experiment will continue for sure and for reals. I liken it to the difference between learning a new language at home, then going to live in that country. I am really looking forward to taking up residency in PCP-land, hopefully permanently. Having said that, it will also be nice to bust out a bit more frequently...

My dad is a character and we share a working studio together. Today as he was leaving he handed me a chilled bottle of white wine. "I know you're not drinking," he said. "But this is a really, really good bottle of wine. You can save it for later."

"Thanks," I said. "Thanks for chilling it dad!"

I think he misses his fun-loving daughter... I miss her too. But hopefully come day 90, this new girl can raise a glass even higher (and resist drinking the whole bottle)!

Have a nice weekend everybody...

Kick it!

xo

Day 69: Never mind the bollocks...

I can do two real pullups! Hurrah!

(This monumental development has officially catapulted me out of my funk.) Cracked out the rest of the workout in a fine mood. New photos are up on schedule. Thanks for the push.

Feeling on, like Donkey Kong!

Three weeks to go....

Let's kick it people!

Day 68: Jump snap

I totally want that string-less jump-snap device now.... I could do that at the coffee shop, in the ferry lineup, at the "fitness" centre, etc. Some chick complained about me jumping rope in the gymnasium at the fitness centre. Said the rope was marking the floor. What do you think this floor is for? I said (there are jump ropes hanging on the wall). She went to the trainer on duty and when that didn't get her anywhere, she waltzed off to the head office. Then later, I saw her checking the sign-in sheet (for my name?) This only makes me want to jump there again tomorrow...

My arms are very sore today. And I am apprehensive about taking new photos this week. I might skip it as I don't anticipate much change. That's not to say I am not working hard. I am working hard. Feeling groovy. Oh yeah, a friend noticed I have really good posture lately. I had a dream that I was taller. And it feels like someone else's ass is in my pants. This might be a good thing, the jury is still out.

For a laugh, try jumping in the plies first position (think Black Swan).

I am drinking too much coffee, obviously.

Keep the peace.

Day 67: Feeling lucky again

First of all, warm shouts to all the PCP peeps hot on our heels. I have been enjoying your blogs and enthusiasm and only wish there were more hours in the day to write proper comments. Keep it going strong you guys 'cause it only gets better (evil laugh). Seriously, you're all doing great and I can't wait to watch you finish a la peak.

Yesterday was all about stress for me. Lots of stuff going on, most of it good, if only I remind myself to view it that way. And so back to the grindstone... up early this am, jumps done. I tried Aki, Richard and Molly's full-throttle technique on the jumping (15 mins straight). Holy crap, I didn't think I could do that. Turns out I can! Plus the uninterrupted rhythm let my head chill out a little. So thanks for the tip...

For some reason I will likely regret tomorrow, I found the exercise sets a little laid back today (except shoulder bloody raises) so I pushed out extra sets, plus to failure on the last sets. GRRRR dirty deeds.

I made a new drink to cheer me up. I call it: Monkey on my back.

One banana, one egg white, 100ml yogurt, 100ml milk, 1 HEAPING teaspoon instant coffee, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, cinnamon. Whip it with a blender until thick. Lap it. Love it. (Sorry if the instant coffee offends connoisseurs, I have no shame when it comes to caffeine.)

xo

Day 66: suck it up

Hard day today. Slept in. Slug! Feels like such a downer when I don't get an early start. I am fixated on doing everything to the letter now that we are down to the finish. And that means jumping right after I get up and before eating. But the truth is I can barely stand to look at my jump rope these days. Loathe it actually. My PCP-love-thermometer is very hot and cold lately. Today, grim was in the house. Still a pitch-perfect PCP day in the end, except for the attitude.

Why can't it always be positive?

Some days are just so hard.

Day 65: fools and failures

Um, if we have to keep going to failure on these sets my posts are going to get shorter. Arms are no longer fully functional. Face has rug burn. Will be going to hell for cursing...

Tried making an egg white dessert/snack based on the classic British Fruit Fool recipe which calls for eggs, whipping cream, sugar and berries. PCP version calls for egg white, fruit and yogurt. I call this:

Fruit snack on a cloud
To make: Whip one egg white until thick and soft peaks form (those little hand-held coffee milk frothers are great to do one egg white, or use a teeny whisk and your newly built arms for fast wrist action). Using a spoon, carefully fold in 200 ml plain yogurt (Greek yogurt if you've got it) plus 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Place this "cloud" in your serving dish and swirl in 150g diced and crushed fruit. Sneaks may add a lick of maple syrup... just saying.

Eat slowly and pretend it is whipping cream.

xo

Day 63: PCP for pain relief

A PCP observation of the non-aesthetic variety:

I used to take a lot of ibuprofen for headaches, achy joints, wrist/shoulder/neck problems, wineovers (not quite a hangover, but certainly close) and lady issues. I am guessing maybe 30-40, 200mg tablets (at least), over a typical 30-day time frame. Excessive, I know. I popped them like candy.

But today I realized I can only recall taking one or two (total!) since starting the PCP. It is a huge differential. The headaches are gone, my body and joints feel juicy (in a good way) and even my wrists and shoulder are not troubling me. Wineovers are history, naturally. Lady issues/PMS PCP benefits warrant a whole other post (be warned gentlemen).

PCP for pain relief. Loving it.

Have a nice weekend!

Day 62: TGIF

The last workout of the week and it is deceptively killer as per usual. Looking forward to tomorrow: jumping only. New pix are up. Will not be entering a bodybuilding contest this spring after all. Hah! I am feeling just fine about that and things in body general. Can still pinch an inch on my belly, spare tank! Been stressing about the news to the point of holding my breath. Not good. But oddly, I just realized that the "pillow" a friend gifted me months ago is actually a Zazen cushion (I think?). Strange how the universe provides sometimes while kicking my butt. Sending love to Japan. Be well and stay strong everyone.

Day 61: Back on track

After my totally deviant behaviour last night I tossed and turned, worried about reconciling my prePCP working life with postPCP goals. The challenge of balance. I woke up with no ill effects other than being a bit thirsty. I was going to cut out my breakfast today to make up for yesterday, but thought that might not be such a good idea after all. So I jumped and 8MA on empty. Then coffee and pre-workout carbs. Waited. Worked out. Killer biceps sets. Hate them. Plank was not doing it for me (sorry!). Last time I did 2min ones; this time I tried 2/5 sets with one leg, one arm. Felt the burn easily in 60 sec. Good. I finished starving. Waited, then had my PCP breakfast after all. It's over now but I am still in love with it: poached salmon, quinoa, fresh cut organic veg, steamed squash. So tasty. I needed that.

Loved Patrick's email re: Zen. I seem to recall contacting him at least three times prior to getting any hard details on PCP. I remember wondering why he wasn't trying to "sell" me.... Hmmm. Now I see. I don't really talk up what I do, but my partner does. It can be mortifying. He has tried to pimp me out at parties. The conversation goes like this: "You look like you workout. Chris can do XX push-ups. Seriously. Want to have a contest with her?" He also tells people I am in secret service training (or training to be a ninja). He likes spy shows.

I am more curious about Zen now. This is such a rich program. I am grateful.

Thinking of Japan, confused by media.

Take care everyone.

xx

Day: 60 My bad

Okay, you might recall I decided to split my indulgence and had already enjoyed a beer last Saturday, marked indulgence #2a. Tonight was the "official" indulgence, a media launch/restaurant opening in Vancouver. This would be indulgence #2b.

And indulge I did. (Beer? What beer?) Herewith, the list:

One glass white wine (crudely, I didn't even look to see what it was... but it was very, very, nice and the owners of the restaurant apparently have a family estate winery in Piemonte, Italy, Geordie).
One spoonful/slice each of several antipasti: eggplant, fungi, bocconcini, tomato, crostini, ham (looking for protein, not much happening). I am avoidng the cheese and cured meat tray as I fear it will kill me.
Two large slices of rosemary flatbread (fantastic).
Three tiny slices of pizza, mostly bread (stunning).

By now I've eaten a lot of starchy carbs and very little protein, and I am hungry enough to eat my right arm. I figure that I shouldn't eat any more bread, so I decide to have another glass of wine (yeah, good choice Einstein). Surprisingly, the wine is not very filling.

Oh look, here comes dessert.

One slice chocolate pizza (unbelievably minuscule and so delicious)
One scoopfull tiramisu (have to try, it's my job)
One quarter serving creme caramel (don't want to offend pastry chef, standing nearby)
Another slice of chocolate pizza (it's flatbread stuffed with Nuttela and it's warm for god's sake)
One strawberry (for cleansing purposes)

Time to go. I walked eight blocks in the rain to the organic market for proper PCP breakfast supplies (no longer trust myself to eat in cafe in the morning).

Back at the hotel, my jump rope is mocking me. It's 10pm and I am still starving. I have a slight headache, but nothing major. The food was really delicious but has done nothing to satiate me. I prefer my PCP meals.

Upon reflection, it was that second glass of wine that was my undoing. But I can't say that I regret the chocolate pizza... Obviously I am going to have to figure out how to be a food/wine writer/photog and still live the PCP. This is the lingering shadow currently hanging over me... On the way home I had to pick up a solid single origin 70% dark chocolate Easter bunny to photograph for an article tomorrow. He too is mocking me.

The hotel gym opens at 5am. My headache is actually getting worse.

But I am ready for day 61.

Not near perfect, but learning...

Big hugs,
C

The road to 90: I believe in you

Okay team, this is it! 30 days to go. 30 workouts to shred. Lots of time to finish strong! This last week has been hard. So much going on, around the globe, in my heart, in my head. But PCP can only make us more prepared for any challenge, mental, spiritual or physical, right? I am so convinced of this and grateful for the chance to prove it... And so, for the next 30 days especially I promise to keep my head down and my heart open, to work it to the max and finally get to the peak. Are you with me? There's a little sticky note on the corner of my computer that says: I BELIEVE IN YOU. I put it there, day one and would like to put it out there to all of you.

Let's go team!

PS: This morning I cracked out the workout in 40 minutes, in disbelief and exhausted (jumps earlier), thanks to Patrick's email push... Prior I had been dilly dallying, checking my blackberry, my hair (hah!), etc. Those days are over baby. When it comes to the last 30 workouts, I am going hardcore.

PPS: Those extra leg sets I added on Sat have me walking like a cowboy...

xx

Indulgence #2 Hockey Night in Canada

I had a beer last night with my man while watching Vancouver Canucks versus Calgary hockey. Hate hockey, love beer. We chose Sapporo. The beer was nice. But one was enough (for me!). I drank some water afterwards. Still I felt a bit dehydrated this morning. A good reminder, as I don't like feeling that way. This is just a prelude to my planned indulgence on Tuesday, a restaurant opening. When I found out the event was not a sit-down but a casual grazing (tasting), I decided to split the indulgence and enjoy a beer with my sweetheart this weekend...because life is short.

Rock on.

Day 57: Affinity

Been feeling strange the last few days, not wanting to "blog it out", given the circumstances overseas. Last thing the blogoverse needs is my petty complaint about too many eggs... So, first thing is first: shouts out to all the PCP peeps in Japan. I understand you are all okay and that is a HUGE relief. My heart is breaking for all those affected... And Patrick, you are a rockstar for not missing a beat.

Thank goodness this is a new week for our group, because the end of last week was looking ugly for me. I completely fell out of love with jumping and it became such a slog. But I did it anyway. I felt stuffed and bloated, but I ate anyway. Day 55 workout was brutal. I feel the need to have more to show muscle-wise (I don't know why, because I feel great actually, so WTF is my problem?). I am pushing the sets to tears and frankly, that's not much fun. Plus, I fear my head is going to pop right off if I push it any harder.

We got the diets and I got more protein............ ugh and I was still hoping for the apple dinner drink. I don't think it's going to happen for me, is it? And yet, I have to admit I think Patrick and Chen are onto something. I believe I could have become really scrawny working out this hard without trough-feeding. This has happened to me in the past and the bonerack thing, it's not pretty.

Also the last few days I've had the weirdest sensation. It's as though I am wearing tight clothing all over my body, but especially on my midriff (like a girdle or something). But I am wearing almost exclusively loose clothing. My body feels like it is zipping up and expanding under my skin. Am I turning into an alien?

It's freakishly odd.

Day 57 and all is good again. Extra sets of lunges, pistols and bunny hops. Why not?

The PCP crush is back on... I am determined to finish strong.

Sending warm thoughts overseas to the extended PCP family....

Keep it strong, safe and united team!

xo

Day 55: Strike a pose

This week has been pretty hard. Killer workouts notwithstanding, life is creeping in. An unexpected house guest put me slightly off my game, mood- and schedule-wise. I realized how obsessed I am getting with my food. As is: "Touch my yogurt and die." Also feeling as though my sleep tank is full. I haven't slept as much this week, not that I haven't tried. Mind just spins as I take inventory of my body: is this sore, is that sore?

And in case it is not already painfully obvious, I am a 3am list maker. What can I say? It relaxes me.

Top 10 things I don’t miss on the PCP

1. That totally gross feeling after eating French fries.

2. Waking up at three am in a nauseating wine spin.

3. Feeling guilty for buying crap at the grocery store.

4. Feeling guiltier for eating it.

5. Salt.

6. Cornflakes.

7. Pardon me, my-blood-sugar-is-crashing snits.

8. Peanut butter.

9. Cream.

10. The name of my last fitness class: “booty-camp”.

Top 10 things I miss on the PCP

1. Champagne.

2. Pulling all-nighters.

3. Crunchy granola bars.

4. Friday night beers with my man.

5. Parmesan cheese.

6. 70% dark chocolate with dried cherries.

7. Unrestricted Sunday suppers.

8. Peanut M&Ms.

9. Biscuits for tea.

10. Sleeping in on Saturdays

New photos are up.... I think I need a macro lens to capture the rip! But I feel great in general, strong and lean. No complaints. Hoping that last layer of skinny fatness will still burn off my belly... Oh and two different people on two separate occasions said the same strange thing to me this week: "You look great, like a model." (go ahead and laugh cause it cracked me up too). Otherwise, no one has really noticed anything different about me. In mulling those comments over, I think it was less about the way I look and more about stance and attitude. I have to admit I have been dressing and acting rather "sassy" lately.

Just feeling groovy is all... grateful for that!

Rock on!

Day 53: Lunch monkey, surfing

Lunch has become the monkey on my back...... Here's how my days are currently going down: I get up at 6am and jump. Then eat pre-workout carbs; then workout; then eat after workout egg white and yogurt, then cuppa, then deep breath: here comes breakfast. After breaky I start getting mentally ready for snack: fruit and a whole egg... Now it is nearly lunch time and the thought makes me want to hurl.

And so, I have to step it up at lunch to have any sort of enthusiasm for eating again. 

Pasta, shrimp, steamed peas, beets, parsnips, squash, scallions. A bit of plain yogurt for sauce. It was pretty good...

Been thinking about surfing lately so watched Surf Wise documentary, the story of the Paskowitz family, last night. Quite a rich film in the context of PCP... (I had no idea). Here is a quote from Dorian, family patriarch:

"I try to be as healthy as possible. There is the key…. Health, more than the mere absence of disease, is the presence of a superior state of well being – a pizazz – a vitality that has to be worked for each and every day of your life.

You cannot get it in a bottle, or from Dr. Phil. It’s got to be gotten from diet and exercise, and rest and recreation, and attitudes of mind, working all together, every day of your life."

And here is the trailer in case you are interested...

Have a great day!

xx

Day 51 breakfast, concerns, breakthroughs

Breakfast:

I've been enjoying seeing what others are eating so thought I should get with the program and post something. Here's breakfast, my favourite meal of the day: poached salmon and avocado on sourdough barley toast with roasted yam "jam", steamed Swiss chard, brocoflower, and raw red pepper. Delish.

Concerns:

After breakfast, I have to say, eating 7 more times becomes a bit of a chore. It feels constant. I used to only eat when I was hungry. Ravenous actually (which led to all kinds of assaults on my system). Now I am trying not to interpret AMAYW veg to as ALAIW (as little as I want) because I know veg are so important. For a change this weekend I (took out a second mortgage) bought some organic turkey breast.... it is tasty but so filling at my grams and makes me sleepy. I think I will switch back to seafood. I don't mean to complain, I love the food in general. It's just that I feel so great when I wake up in the morning on empty. By the time I go to bed I feel like a beached whale.

Since I have been sleeping so much more these last two weeks of PCP my muscles are not as sore, even though the workouts are getting harder. I am wondering if the muscles are recovering, or if I should be pushing it more during the sets. I am near or at failure by the last sets of everything. But in the past I've felt so much more "wasted" the next day when I worked out hard. But then again, I never used to sleep. So I am not sure what is going on.

My abs feel like they might be starting to pop out, barrel-like. This could just be egg-methane but I am trying to suck them back in!

Breakthroughs:

I am so happy to be getting stronger. Today, out of the blue I was able to do the chest dips. Now, I didn't got down as far as I'd like to, but I could hardly do any before without my toes on the ground. Today I did all the sets with toes up. Just like that. Holy crap. I did the happy dance.

And, I did a pull-up. A proper one! Actually, I've been doing them all weekend. Just one at a time, mind you...  but hey, they're all mine.

Okay, jeesh, that's enough of me! Time to snack...............

Have a great day/week everyone.

Work it hard! You can do it!

(HUGS if you need 'em).

Bring on the weekend

Observations at the end of week seven:

There is an alien v-shape occurring on my abdomen.

Becoming skinny strong is pretty bloody empowering.

A decent tall Americano is worth half a pot of drip coffee.

Ten minutes of skipping releases a sweet spot in my mind.

This exact same feeling used to take three glasses of wine.

Currently I have more energy/ideas than I know what to do with.

This is a tenuous place for me and I can’t explain why. There's a little

Charlie Sheen in all of us don’t you think so – I hope so, oh I hope not.

Occasionally I catch myself mentally singing, dancing, high fiving.

I fear I am becoming superficial, when I want to go deeper.

Boasting about planks and push ups and such.

Considering stuffing my sports top.

Some people don’t have peace.

Never mind what they eat.

And yet, new callings

Have occurred to me

Vegetable-pusher

Stunt woman

Sugar Ninja

Warrior.

It's all

good.

Peace.

xo

Day 48: the beat goes on

Another busy day, what else. Hail, thunder, lightening, rainbows. whitecaps: nice. Glad I got up early and got the workout in.... think I did 8 min too, but honestly cannot remember. I will have to consult my notes later. I make notes on all the sets in code: E for easy, H for hard, K for killer: plus assorted adjectives: F is self explanatory, P for pretty. So, today the squats were PE and the one arm curls FH. I am working on 80 second planks now which are PH.

New pics are up. Honestly I am trying to look different. Maybe a new outfit next week... yeah, either that or I am going blond. Actually, it's okay, I feel terrific and I am getting stronger. I can do 60 freaking push-ups, that's cool. Still feel I have a layer of flubber over my abdomen, an observation steeped in vanity. But I want it gone.

PCP feels like a part of me now, non-negotiable. I like it. It's good.

We're all getting stronger and smarter...

This is so hard but awesome at the same time.

Keep it up peeps.

Day 47: storm warning

Slept in again. WTF!? Was all calm about it until I heard "windstorm warning" and then had to rush around and into the city before they shut down our ferry. So, skipped only this morning instead of the full workout. And I had a lot more energy throughout the day. I got home at 8:30pm, did the workout plus 8-mins in under 50 minutes. Had so much more energy through the workout, really ripped it up. Ate dinner a bit late though (after workout) and now my only problem is, it is nearly midnight and I am SUPERCHARGED and hungry for my snack. I fear I am not scheduling my food properly............ but i am doing my best.

Keep it going everybody.... you can do it!

Day 46: beat

As much as I want to write a cheery post for the newcomers (hey, welcome everybody!) I am feeling totally thrashed today. Despite crashing at 10pm last night, I could not drag myself out of bed before 6:30am this morning for the skipping bit. The timed sets rock though and skipping in general has become quite meditative. I have been picking mantras to skip to. Halfway through skipping my stomach usually starts to rumble. I tell my body to switch to the spare tank (the one around my middle). Hah. 

Call me crazy. I love pistol squats. Maybe because I can do them, unlike the chest dips, which I completely suck at. I think I might be structurally compromised or something. And the increase in push up reps very nearly brought me to tears... hello face plant.

Eating has become a full-time job. By the end of the day I am a stuffed pig. Next morning, hungry again. Where does it go? This is a huge mystery to me.

I need an intravenous drip of coffee, or something. My butt is killing me.

All this hard work is gonna pay off right?

You bet it is.

Keep it going everybody!

Day 45: halfway

Are we halfway to our destination, or halfway home?

On day 45, I feel as though the PCP is going to stay with me. As though I am heading home, to where I am supposed to be. To meet a healthier, calmer, more productive (in the best way) kind of me. Not feeling anxious about the last half. Bring it on. Feeling TONS of gratitude this morning for the program (while totally shattered by the workouts... jello legs, f-bombs and all). My inside voice is getting absolutely foul, how's yours? If you need practice, this is a funny swearing clip from the King's Speech. Reminds me of my pistol squat sets. I am not going to embed this because it may be a little much for some. Click and play at your own risk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJvGE7Vvd4M

Thanks for all your comments and kind wishes.

Big hugs.

busted

Roller coaster weekend. Started with a cork popping on Friday at my mom's 70th birthday bash. I had a half glass of champagne as I was making a toast (I know, a sip would have sufficed...). But, I was good at the fancy restaurant, ordering grilled halibut and steamed veg. Failed again later when mom offered me a small piece of cake, "You can have cake on my birthday can't you?" And I did. It was delish... all organic ingredients, filled with blueberries (had been frozen) from our garden, olive oil for fat, salt free, sweetened with agave and fresh cream... (How do I know? because I made it. My mom is a gourmet healthy eater and she appreciates these things).

But still, I ate cake.

The next afternoon, I met my folks and an ambulance at the hospital as my dad was having severe chest pains. Turns out he is fine, thank goodness. But there is nothing like spending seven hours in an ER waiting room on a Saturday night to make you appreciate your relative good wits and good health.

It's a small town so think one part psych ward, one part drunk tank and one part triage centre and you get the picture. There were sick and miserable people strewn all over the place.

But the thing that really struck me is how generally overweight and unhealthy most people looked. It's one thing to be heavy or a heavy drinker and to go about your daily business, but quite another to be like that and also be badly injured or very sick.

It puts you and your caregivers at such a disadvantage.

It heightened my resolve to commit to the PCP.

Sans cheating.

Keep it going everybody!

All in good time

Funny how I almost didn't do this program because I didn't want to "bulk up"... now I am happy to see any evidence of muscle development! New photos are up. Changes are subtle to say the least, but I do feel good and strong... so no complaints. One of Molly's posts got me noticing my side saddle baggage (although I am not brave enough to post a close up : ), so I will have to work on whittling that down some, along with my mini-muffin top... or maybe I will just clench the glutes and suck it up next time. HA HA HA.

Looking forward to Day 42 tomorrow as in Bon Jovi ... update: Van Halen (oooooooooooops)...

Go ahead and JUMP!

(and only jump).

and she was...



Shooting Irish cream whiskey for an afternoon deadline... now I ask you: is that cruel or what? And for the record, I did not... (Because I've got a date with a ripped man in a uni-tard later).

Stay strong.

Monday flannels

Okay finally I understand why the gym jocks wear athletic gear ALL the time. It's the only thing that feels remotely comfortable on a tired, sore body. I am pushing it as hard as I can this week to make good use of my gift of protein...  I have always worked out on an empty stomach (cuppa not withstanding), but now I am doing the skipping only on empty, then I eat a bit, wait a bit, then do the strength sets. Then I eat my breakfast, ravenous. And I wait for snack. My body feels like a food furnace.

Everything is pretty cool with the exercises. I thought I had the pistols nailed until I watched the video of the guy doing them without the chair. That chair is my friend man, don't take it away. V-sits I've got down; I am rocking minute planks but need to push them more... Creeps are aptly named but bearable. Floor jumps too. All the rubber bandy sets are going up in terms of band power... so this is good.... And I still fully and completely suck at chest dips. But my chest (such that it is) is killing me ... funny how this makes me happy.

Mood is good.... feeling groovy. Feeling grateful actually. For this body that is working and this opportunity. And for all you PCPers.... you are all so interesting and inspiring....

Keep on keeping on.... !

the view at the end of week five

Observations coming home...

My body feels different. It’s less spongy.

I am more grounded physically, like a tree.

My posture is better when I sit at my computer.

I am drinking way less coffee but enjoying it much more.

I look forward to my meals but I am no longer hungry all the time.

Giving up wine has been much easier than I thought it would be.

Lots of stuff at the grocery store doesn’t seem like food anymore.

Fruits and vegetables taste really bright and sweet when eaten on their own.

I work out harder at home by myself, making funny faces and noises.

When I get enough sleep my body seems to knit itself back together overnight. 

I feel stronger and no longer care so much about whether I look stronger.

My mood is much calmer and kinder when not fueled by sugary treats.

I have never eaten so much protein in my life; hoping this is my missing link.

I am getting more from PCP than a better body or new fitness regime

I still worry that I am too skinny some days; too flabby other days.

Comparing myself to others in terms of progress is getting me down.

I am trying to trust the program completely and just go with the flow.

To be honest I still really covet that egg white dinner shake.

I am a bit overwhelmed by my diet to eat more and more.

The cute barista made a heart on my skinny latte tonight.

I am taking that as a compliment…

Ready to rock week six!

Awesome work everybody... bon weekend!

like night and day

Yesterday I blew it, hadn’t had enough sleep (5 hrs) and I work up sore and grumpy and still feeling behind on my deadlines… i.e. dangerous snack times. I didn’t feel I had time to workout in the morning so that got delayed until I filed my stories. By mid morning I was starving so I ate breakfast and snack close together, then I wanted to really snack the rest of the day… cheated by carving some carbs from lunch meal so I could eat a handful of corn chips (healthy corn chips, mind you, but who am I kidding?)

Then I could hardly get through all my lunch later in the afternoon, nearly wanted to hurl! Finally did my workout and did not enjoy it at all, was tired and sore and GRUMPY. Plus stomach ache. Drank some instant coffee and threw some cocoa in it, ran off to shoot another assignment. Stomach now killing me. Got home, filed those shots then collapsed in a heap until 8pm at which point I rustled up some supper grudgingly and at 9pm decided I would just call it a day and go to bed. Came back out and ate my snack first, after snapping at my one-true-love for eating the last of the yogurt.

Today I woke up after a full night’s sleep (8 hrs), raring to go, not sore, not grumpy, with just as many demands facing me but a much better attitude. Knocked off the workout by 7am (still a bit frustrated over the chest dips, but really no big-e, I’ll get there I think). Looking forward to doing 8-minute abs, when I next take a break.

I am starting to realize that I have probably been sleep deprived my entire freelance career which is around five years now. This may also explain why even though I used to workout hard and workout regularly I never felt (or looked) especially fit. Yesterday was very familiar. So often I felt stressed like that in the past: tired, sore, hungry and grumpy. I’d use snacks and even more workouts to get slight energy/endorphin lifts, but it was mostly short lived.

Poor body, I’ve been literally and figuratively wasting it.

Now that I am more aware of the benefits and committed to feeding, resting and tending my body more mindfully, I can’t wait to see how I feel at the end of PCP and beyond.

Keep the faith team!

have a heart!

Happy Valentine's Day my PCP sweets! Hope you are feeling the love today... What I won't be eating: chocolate. What I will be eating: fruit salad. What is even stranger: I don't actually crave the chocolate... (at least not right at this moment, let's be realistic). But regardless, this is a breakthrough of epic proportions... Got to love that!

Up at 5:30am after 8 hours sleep (my first real 8 on PCP; likely worth it but boy it sure cuts into my night owl activities!). Did what looked like easy workout day 31 and it was killa on my arms... making typing difficult. Rocked the planks tho' can do those till the cows come home (sorry I am former "beach body bootcamp" plank runner up! go ahead and laugh at the "beach body" bit)... then did 8-min abs: and "it is fun!" too funny but great little workout. Devoured my breakfast: toast egg, avocado, red pepper, cucumber and now I am super charged counting down the minutes to my morning egg white fruit snack. Yes, a total geekshow.

Have a great day team! Way to go for showing your body, mind and soul some real love on the PCP!

xo

loving it?!

Okay, those new chest dips are little fockers aren’t they?! First my folding IKEA bistro chairs were hardly up for the task then my wrists began to wail in protest. Right – one down, 15 more to go…. you have got to be kidding me. As a distraction I jerry rigged a new contraption with my push up bars and kitchen table, spaced next to a sideboard of equal height. I am using the push up bars on the table tops and dipping in between. I was able to do four of the wimpiest sets of three. Feeling bummed, I did a few sets of elbows-in push-ups (hate those too) to compensate... Bring on the next session of chest dips! I want to be ready.

Otherwise I love the harder workouts. Prior to this I think I may have been coasting a little bit on some of the sets. Now I am committed to make every final set end in cloud of profanities… my inside voice is certainly up for this. Patrick’s tips are helpful. I am making little corrections to things like push ups, which I have been doing wrong for years. Grateful for this!

But I have to admit, I was feeling put out by not getting the egg white/fruit/milk dinner on Friday’s diet (oh woe is me) but then I thought, “Hey lady, smoke ‘em while you’ve got ‘em!” So I will enjoy my veg and protein at dinner this week. The food overall is great and timed perfectly; I am on the level and never hungry in between, although lunch is a long haul… I am mostly eating pre-steamed or raw mixed veg; salmon, cod or prawns + eggs for protein; quinoa, brown rice and a bit of sprouted bread for carbs; mixed fresh fruit salad… and my milk with coffee and tea. Nice.

Ah yes, the indulgence, I did that, but first: a pull up update. I thought I had cracked one off on Friday night on my way out the door, and I did, to some degree, but realized later I was wearing my platform shoes. So I was three inches higher than usual; a bit of a cheat. Anyway I want to start by hanging, feet off the floor. After the workout today I could barely just hang there…

Anyhow, for the indulgence, I decided that I would stick to my no-sugar for 90 days resolve and rather than a sweet treat I would have a glass of wine (or two!) as I have been missing my wine quite a bit. I chose a light white and enjoyed it chilled with some baked cod, new potatoes and asparagus. It was delightful. Thankfully we had guests and they drained the rest of the bottle, otherwise it would have been very dangerous times indeed my friends.

Good luck with the exercises this week (and 8-minute abs…)!

bring on week 5

The workout was hard today after two yesterday... double katanas are killer. I am pushing it... and feeling great but kind of envious of those seeing dramatic changes already (you are all doing amazing!) as I don't really notice anything in my Week 4 photos... but then again, frankly I am not really sure what I am after. I do feel stronger. Maybe I should go and try a pull up...?

My photos remind me of the first time I went surfing. They sized me up at the rental shop and then gave me a boy's wetsuit... I was 29yrs old. And it fit perfectly!

Bring on week 5.

pondering

When I read Patrick's email a few days ago about how almost everyone gets sick at some point during the PCP I thought: Not me! But yesterday I woke up feeling very gross, hot and shaky and I will spare you the other details. I had worked out and eaten late the night before, dinner was veg and chicken grabbed from a supermarket salad/bar deli. Let's just say I had my doubts about that salad bar.

So, Tuesday was a total PCP write off. I was in full survival mode just to make it from the city back to home. I am sad to say I didn't eat much except for a forced piece of bread, tea and a banana. I got home at 3pm, thought about skipping (uggh) but instead went to bed and slept until this morning.

I am so glad I caved and got some rest because I feel fine now. I was able to skip this morning and do yesterday's workout, plus today's workout (minus the skipping). Probably shouldn't have doubled up I guess, but I really didn't want to miss any of the exercises! I am at 7/8 of one proper pull up. I am kicking the planks and V-sits, as we used to do a lot of them in bootcamp.

As for telling people about the PCP I have bombed almost every time I try. I hate the scrutiny when I am eating and hearing people say how skinny I am already and blah blah blah. One person wagged her finger at me and said "You better not lose ANY weight" as though she would arrest me if I did. The best approach I've had is to say I am "in training" but then in training for what? For a healthy life? Also, explaining that I'm trying to be strong rather than skinny seems to work too. Thankfully my lovely parents are super supportive and my sweet man is a former elite runner so he gets it.

As for clothes, I tried some new ones on in the city, not because I need them, just because I am a woman. I still look like a stick insect for the most part, but I did notice that my shoulders are filling out a bit, so that is progress in a t-shirt.

I hope everyone is feeling strong and taking great care... I am so impressed by everyone's progress, what a great group... I feel lucky to be part of this. Be well!

one day at a time

Busy times but I am just keeping my head above water schedule wise. Happy to say I've managed to stick to the meals and workouts pretty diligently... although it still feels like I am stuffing my face while everyone else has been cut back... feeling a bit weirded out by that. Averaging 7 hours sleep (will try for 8) except for last night which was a total failure. I have really been pushing the workouts, hence my body is thrashed today. Go figure, not enough rest...

I am not sure if I look any different but I do feel much stronger and I feel like dancing ALL the time. Along Aki's theme, I had my hair cut tonight, in my case to improve my skipping... (my ponytail was too heavy and bugging me). When I explained the situation to the salon owner she politely asked if I was a boxer! Hardcore or what!?

Funny, I was SO looking forward to the indulgences, but now I am kind of dreading it, wondering if I can be trusted... Slippery slope that chocolate sauce.

Take care, be well, go get 'em!

fun times... food times

The workouts are good. My rope is getting shorter as it keeps breaking and I am tying it off (time to return it, obviously). I can do 3/4 of one pull up. Long way to go, geesh.

The food situation is good. The simplest things taste so nice. Although I am a LOT hungrier now. And I get a little freaky (like grumpy/high) in the afternoon, after the pure fruit snack. Bit of a sugar rush maybe. The fruit snacks I have with egg white or milk are totally different. Level. Interesting to actually be aware of these things.

Because my work involves food + wine (sigh) I get invited to a lot of fun foodie/chef events which I have been turning down so far. I mean it's one thing to spit out your wine at a tasting (that's cool), quite another to spit out your food. However, on Tuesday in Vancouver, Fairmont Hotels is releasing a new "special + wellness diets" menu: meaning heart healthy, vegan, raw and gluten-free foods, so I've decided to go to this event as I am curious. I wonder if there will be anything PCP friendly? We'll see...

Funny juxtaposition of assignments to file yesterday. One was an article on Parisian-style macarons (the most succulent cookies ever invented possibly).... mercy:

And the other was a piece on having weekly organic produce delivered to your home... thank goodness for that!

What luck to get all of those fruits and veg delivered to my house. Actually there were two boxes. And everything in there I could eat!

Now, I have to admit I am feeling anxious about the new diets (what will change I wonder?) and excited to see the week's workouts. Do you look ahead? I immediately go to the last day to see how many jumps!

Have a lovely weekend everybody!

 

I feel it now

Okay, I was definitely not feeling the love this morning.... tired, sore, stressed, up a 5am and it is bloody freezing too. But I pushed through the workout ate a great breakfast (what a revelation eating after workout is... in the past I would just ride a jet stream of coffee until noon and then basically eat anything in my vicinity). Anyhow, I feel level and ready for the day now. So thank you very much PCP. Good day everyone!

real food comming soon

Well I found this sign in the window of a restaurant space and I thought it was funny at the time, hilarious now.

I think grocery shopping is so much easier/faster when you primarily visit the produce, seafood, bakery and dairy. 90 percent of the store is off limits/irrelevant. How liberating!

Speaking of food, this big guy is my BFF, Cliff. He was in a real funk when his share of the 1/2 meals ended, week two. But he is back on his game today, enjoying my discarded hard boiled egg yolks each day during snack.

We almost lost Cliff in November (he's an old dude, 15 or so) to a nasty lung infection. We took him home from the vet's and tried to think of something he might like to eat, so we boiled a chicken with some barley, brown rice, carrots, celery, potatoes and green beans, mushed it up and fed it to him with a syringe. Low and behold he bounced back! He has been eating this "soup" ever since and seems much healthier and happier. As I was making his food today it occurred to me that it is very PCP friendly. No salt either. Hmmm, I might have some for dinner. 

The workouts are going great and I am getting more sleep! 7 hours is genius. But I am a bit ticked off at the pull-ups. I can do a few real chin-ups with the hand position reversed but cannot even imagine doing a proper pull up... And my skipping rope broke today. Hardcore or what?! I am finding the abs a bit too... um, easy... so I've added my old ab routine at the end. I am sure I will regret this or drop it at some point.

The last few photoshoots I have done I have noticed how much easier it is to haul my camera equipment, tripods, ladders around by myself. This is awesome!

But the weekend was a challenge with several social outings which resulted in me not eating enough or cheating (as in puff pastry) because I was unprepared and let's face it: WEAK in the company of caramelized onion, dried fig and feta pizza... (on puff pastry).

But I hope everyone is grooving on the sweet goodness of those fruit snacks...

sweet weekend

I did make it through my deadline and "snack attack" last night, but just barely. Somewhere in the wee hours I ate a tiny bit of my breakfast food just to shut my mind up. The bigger cheat was only getting a few hours sleep. Chocolate bar is still intact although I may have to wrap it with duct tape going forward.

Some funny reactions to the new diet Patrick sent. One: I got more snackage added... um, an egg white (not exactly what I had in mind last night). Note to self... careful what you wish for. Also, a friend looked at my food grams and proclaimed, "He's trying to beef you up." Hmmm, I have to admit, the thought has occurred to me.

Had another crazy start this morning but got going even earlier to prep some food and skip. Love it. Up to sets of 250 occasionally. Not always. Sometimes I get to five.

Had boiled egg, sprouted bread, steamed yam and spinach for breakfast. Pear and cinnamon for snack. Lunch was a tuna panini... not the sashimi I had requested (panini sounds like sashimi apparently). I took the cheese off, ate the sandwich with cucumber on the side but felt gross after. Too heavy, mayo and not enough veg. Next time I will not be so polite. To "make up" for getting the sushi wrong, the caterer brought me three chocolate chip cookies as "a surprise" with my coffee. I considered licking them, but gave them away instead.

When I asked for skim milk, another acquaintance said, "Skim? You should be drinking cream by the glass..." I have to say, being relatively slim does not net much sympathy on a "diet". I have started to call it this my chemistry project instead. I have one skinny-fat friend and she gets it. We both want to be lean and mean (strong). I also want to be badass.

Tonight I am finally at my last destination of the day, a retreat on the edge of Porpoise Bay inlet in the Village of Sechelt, BC. on a travel assignment. Along with lugging my camera equipment, laptop, scale, workout gear etc. I packed in all my own food. I will be having steamed prawns, brown rice, spinach and cucumber with potatoes for dinner. Chopped cherries and blueberries with a bit of yogurt later for snack. Lucky! Then I am going to sit in that steamy hot tub and go to bed.

It's official. I am really going to try and get my sleep situation in order. Surrender and follow the "rules".

Happy weekend everyone. Happy eating.

hit me with your best shot

I am having difficulty sticking to the snacking schedule. I mean I am sticking to it, but I am not liking it at all today. I wish I had written yesterday, when I was IN LOVE with my sweet, succulent fruit cup at 3pm. I carried it all the way from a cafe in downtown Vancouver to the ferry terminal (on the bus) feeling very smug and health-nutty. I ate it slowly during the ferry trip, while seemingly everyone else ate french fries. I thought, "Those poor, dear souls, they just don't know what they're missing."

Today is the opposite. This afternoon I opened the fridge and thought: "I don't want a f-ing fruit snack."

So what's the diff? Today I am really behind and facing insane deadlines, so it is prime snack time. Plus, I don't have a nice fruit salad all prepped and ready for me, just plain apples and pears. Besides, I prefer crunchy things and chocolate when I am freaking out about deadlines. Luckily I cleared the cupboards of those temptations save a 99% dark chocolate bar (for serious emergencies only).

I fear I have a lot to do tonight and not nearly enough snackage to get me through it... Plus, I am anxious about upcoming diet allotments.... What if there are less snacks! I have to go back to the city tomorrow and I have no food prepared.... a dangerous situation to be sure.... yes, anxiety driven snacking. My nemesis.

Eeeks. Okay, deep breath. I am thinking... success at the PCP is maybe similar to me trying to be more successful at meeting my deadlines. For both I need ample:

Preparation
Commitment
Focus and...
Coffee!



(and just a few more snacks please)... xx C