and finally...(again)

Well, everything I wanted to say on my final blog I've already said over the course of the last 90 days - the ups, the downs and the un-mentionables.  Only thing that remains to be said is a BIG thank you to all for your enthusiasm and encouragement.

Patrick, your no-nonsense, common sense approach has been great and things came together nicely at the end like you said they would all along - well played! 

Also a special mention to 'super-sets can be fun!' Ricky for giving advice and a much-needed push at times when things got really tough.

Congrats to all you guys who completed and good luck to the whole crew following closely behind!

All the best, M

and finally...

Final photos up at last!  More blogging to follow....

Have an shapely day 90 all!

What's in store for tomorrow...?

About to embark on day 89's workout - and it's a toughie by the looks of it.  The mind wonders with sme trepidation as to what day 90's workout holds...but it will be followed by trip to the beach with fellow day 90 PCPers and vast amounts of booze! Good luck all!

Sweat, tears...and now blood

Had a minor accident doing the pistol squasts yesterday - fell over and sraped the skin off my knuckles.  Looks like I've been in a fight, which in a sense I supposed I have...

Getting up early and doing all my PCP in the mornings during this last week - and 8 min abs and yoga or swimming or racket sports in the evening when energy levels allow for it.  Off for a swim now.  Toodle pip!

The final burst

Woke up this morning with a renewed sense of determination to push hard this last week, super-sets and all. Let's go!

Cats & dogs

It's raining hard in HK limiting outdoor activity only to the truly hardcore (I'm not one of them) so I hit the gym for today's PCP, followed up by some yoga and fast-paced veggie chopping.  Hard to believe that this time next week will be final blog time...have an excellent final week all day 80ers out there!

Homework

Just back from another early start on the Peak. 

Did the PCP exercises at the top and as a result my legs are grumpy,

my shoulders have thrown a strop, and my abs are not talking to me 

after making them do v-sits again. They'll get over it.
 
On this week's assignment from Patrick's email (checking out a gym), 

I actually went to the gym last weekend as I fancied a change of scenery. 
 
If I'd hoped to see a lot of unfit people there clearly I'd chosen the 

wrong gym - maybe it's only fit people who go on the weekend?
 
It struck me however, that a lot of people continue to rely on personal 

trainers. Nothing wrong with having a personal trainer per se, but it 

seems to me that what they teach is all stuff that we can do ourselves. 

It's become abundantly clear that without getting the diet right we won't 

see any meaningful results - in my experience, personal trainers don't 

put sufficient emphasis on diet. If people use trainers because they provide 

motivation (which used to be my reason) then I find PCP works better (

and cheaper!). 

Can't see myself going back to a trainer. 

We have the tools, knowledge and motivation now.

Early start

Think I see a few rays of sun out there, so I'm gonna head up to the Peak avec PCP gear for an early morning workout with the OAPs of HK.  Have a good day all.

Went for a dip

in the pool this morning and did lengths followed by 8 min abs.  Ricky, I reckon that allows me a cheeky beer for your bday tonight.

Have a strong week y'all.

Stop counting

Why is that even when doing 8 min abs I'm still counting the reps? Think it's thoroughly ingrained now.  Is it just me?

Was going to go on my first junk trip of the summer season today (for the non-HKers out there, it's basically a day out on a boat centred on heavy drinking - bit of a HK institution).  Was all set for going thinking I'll take it easy on the drinking (who am I kidding), but changed my mind last minute and put in a proper PCP day.  Quite chuffed with myself.  The fact that the weather's crap helped also.

Just back from yoga and it seems it was a little to early to test the hamstring, which is now feeling rather tight.  Oh well, live and learn.

Am I turning pro?

Pulled my hamstring last night playing tennis :-( 

Went to the doc this morning to get some anti-inflammatories.  He checked my hamstring and asked, based on how well defined/developed they are, if I was a pro tennis player! Now there's a ringing PCP endorsement if ever I heard one!  Ha ha.

Was told to rest the leg for a minimum of 4 days i.e. no jumprope , running, leg strength exercises....  Ok to swim though, so will be hitting the pool for the next few days.

2 posts on the blog?

Not that I want to get competitive or anything about this (perish the thought) but as I type this blog I already have one on the board - will I get 2 postings or do they consolidate?  About to find out.  PCP, swim and yoga today - let's go!

Wasting away or hollowing out still?

Got on the scales again today and I've dropped more weight - now 10kgs since the beginning - well 9.5kgs but I put that down to a poorly timed post-lunch weigh-in.  Surely I can't drop much more?  That stubborn visceral stuff is still hanging around like an unwanted guest who refuses to leave, so I guess there is a bit more to go.

Had an excellent week PCP-wise and put in a big hike today (the dreaded twins).  In Vic park tomorrow with Ricky so no doubt that'll be another 'to the letter' effort...

Got a possible work trip to KL this week so will have to plan carefully - don't wanna leave anything to chance with 20 days to go...

So anyone up for the pub tonight?

Plugging away

Happy to report that I've put in a textbook PCP week thus far (minus the blogging - a combination of spending too much time tapping on a keyboard during work hours at the moment and a dodgy laptop at home) and more of the same planned for the wkend.  Hope all are doing well.

A quickie

Laptop at home on the blink again so having to blog from the gym (might have a workout too while I'm here).  Strayed somewhat from the PCP path this weekend while away with some mates in Phuket.

Went with my PCP workout equipment and all the best intentions, but alas the temptation of some beers at sunset and then some was too great.  Got on the scales when I got home and my fears were confirmed.  Back in the groove now though and determined to see this through!

Just checking in

So I didn't manage to get up early, but slipped out of the office at lunchtime and went through a thoroughly satisfying (and painful) PCP set at the gym.  Bumped into my old personal trainer who was wondering why I've stopped seeing him. Two reasons:

1) There's really no need - there is motivation and guidance aplenty from PCP
2) He charges HKD 800 a pop

Loving the fact that protein (in the non-egg white form) is back on the dinner menu.  Wasn't looking forward to dinner much before then.  There is something about a bit of meat that just completes a meal for me. More please!

Tough going

Think I might have overdone it slightly at the weekend cramming in squash, tennis, yoga, swimming and of course PCP with added 8 mins of you-know-what.  Started today's exercises, but just didn't have anything left.  I know that that's the time I really need to push and thus maximise the benefit of the exercises, but I was spent.  Gonna have an early night, get up early and hit the gym first thing with hopefully renewed energy.  Definitely not one of my best PCP days - onwards and upwards!

I've got your back...

...or so said the PCP-sceptic who's in town for while (you know who you are...), which was comforting given that Ricky, who usually puts me through my PCP-paces at weekends, is out of town for a while.  Turns out wiping the floor of the squash court with said sceptic was indeed comforting! 

Definitely feeling the positive impact of the project when doing sports - no longer gasping for breath and looking for the exit a short while in.  Makes a nice change.

'This will never hurt you'

the man in lycra says... well, maybe not injure me, but 8 min abs after kung fu and sit-ups does hurt.  A lot.

Nevertheless I like the way the exercises a structured allowing more focus on a given muscle group on a given day.  Still finding the shoulder days the toughest.  Easter gonna be all about PCP (when isn't?).

Magic mushrooms

Went on a veg chopping binge tonight as the new diet has a 'all you can eat' veg for lunch deal.  Found these suspicious looking shrooms:

Should I dry them out for a few weeks and make a nice shake or just steam and hope for the best?

Had a good PCP day ending with an hour's worth of tabletennis (when in China...) down the local sports centre - had quite a few onlookers as they don't get many tabletennis-playing gweilos round these parts. Shoulder exercises today were tough but got there in the end... and as for the v-sits...

Hollowed out

Weighed in at 78.5 kgs for the weekly pic - that's down from 86 kgs in week 1.  I knew I had some excess fat, but 7.5kgs?!  Feels great to the lose the excess and I have a little spring in my step after coming off the scales, so I decided to do the 8mins abs for good measure...let's go gang!

Extracurricular activities

of the PCP-compliant kind of course...  Did lengths in the 50m pool in Victoria Park (highly recommended for any HK-based PCPers out there), followed by PCP with taskmaster Ricky, followed by tennis and yoga.  I'm spent. It's Saturday night, but even if I fancied going out there's no chance of mustering the energy.  Instead, I'm blogging and steaming veg.  Must dash, or the bell peppers will over-cook.  Oh yeah...

Morning Glory

Well, the Jekyll and Hyde scenario continues to play out - exhausted yesterday, killing it today.  Looking forward to the day I'm consistently killing it... Did my first morning peak walk today - glorious start to the day.  There'll be more of that for sure.  Halfway guys - keep it up!

Weak

Up at 6am ready to rock today's exercises only to find that I inexplicably am completely sapped of any strength - could barely get through one set of reps let alone 4 on all the  exercises....  Just typing thsi blog seems to take a herculian effort.  Is this one of those downwards cycles and i'll return shortly with renewed strength and vigour...?  Let's hope so!

Business as usual

Back in HK and plodding along the PCP path.  Got a couple of yoga studios to try out this week which should complement the exercises nicely.  Gonna take my training gear up to the peak tonight for hilltop workout.  Other than that not much to report -oh, apart from a double yoke in this morning's egg - what a treat!

Mentalist

Lying awake (again) at 5am and the mind wandered onto some of the mental or psychological aspects of the PCP. Ok so I only did one psychology semester at uni, but for the most part it seemed like common sense - at times disguised by psychobabble.

One of the things I like about PCP is that it's based on common sense with clear and rational reasons for doing what we do and eating (or not eating) what we eat, leading to tangible results, and relatively quickly. This is crucial when eating/doing this things we don't like (more eggwhites anyone? and would you like a few more floorjumps to go with that?).

Anyway, back to the mental side.  While I don't doubt that achieving the physical improvements we're seeking is largely driven by diet, the mental aspect of this whole program is huge. One of my main reasons for entering into it was to test myself mentallly.

The PCP is a welcome mental distraction from work and helps put things in perspective i.e. wellbeing comes first.  That said, the program has boosted my effectiveness at work as I find my energy levels increase (I believe that's what they call a win-win...)

There have been the occassional transgressions of 'the rules' (a glass of red here, a bit too much olive oil there, a skipped exercise etc.) invariably followed by remorse.  Turning this it into something positive by telling myself to re-double my efforts and then acting on it rather than saying that the occassional trangressions won't do any harm is a mental challenge and significant benefit of the PCP (assuming the test is passed of course).

If this makes no sense, blame insomnia...

Holiday snaps

The little turd-like thingys in the middle snap are tofu with homemade PCP-conformant condiment...

Lengths

Loving the fact that my cardio is improving.  Where before I used to do 10 or so lenghts of freestyle in the pool before capitulating, I now put in a seemingly endless number of lengths and stop due to boredom, not lack of fitness.

Not being able to get properly stuck into the awesome thai food is a test indeed.  That said, the food they churn out here (apart from the absence of meat) is straight out of the PCP dieting manual:  Steamed veg (lots of colours), egg white omelets with bean sprout salad, kale with garlic and sesame seeds etc etc - you get the idea. Looking forward to seeing what tomorrow's new menus bring...

Pink eggs anyone?

Found these bad boys while out searching for eggs of which there is a shortage due to the recent floods here.  Decided against pink and just got some regular ones from the resort restaurant (3 days in and the Thai staff still giggle over the raw egg request).

Having a good time with the exercises, feeling pretty healthy & relaxed, but still not sleeping well for some reason (hence the blog update at 5:30am Thailand time).

Hope all are well.

A tree branch

I've found to be a pretty effective substitute for a pull-up bar .  Got a fairly full-on daily routine going: PCP regime, yoga (3 times), swimming, massage...beats the hell out of working though!  It feels a little odd to be on 'holiday' and not have a few beers, cocktails etc. but the resort is strictly booze-free.

Ventured into town last night and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to sink a few cold ones, but settled for a wheatgrass juice - not quite as satisfying but hey...better stick that on this week's thread for any tips.

Good weekend y'all

RAW BABY!

Yes,  I've decided that this is the way to go on the egg whites having experimented this morning (I scrambled the yoke with veg).  Think this was after being part appalled, part inspired by 'captain crunch' on you tube (check Patrick's email this morning) - is it too late to change my inspiration person?

Keeping my fingers crossed that they've re-opened Samui airport having closed it yesterday owing to the floods.

Have a ab-ulous day gang (geddit?)!

Took my medicine...

in the shape of eggs whites last night.  Added a large dollop of chili and chives, but it was still deeply unpleasant.  Oh well.  Off to Koh Samui tomorrow for 10 days of hardcore PCP action and a spot of yoga - will bring scales, exercise kit etc.  Been told to expect yoga snobs looking down their noses at people doing 'regular' training - should be a laugh! 

Oreo cookies

Lost count of how many so that's this week's indulgence spent...

Been struggling to find the time for all PCP activities this week so took today off work and caught up.  Finding that trying out different places to exercise works well - took my resistance bands and push-up bars up to the peak today.  Utterly exhausted so had to get a cab back down...

HK Sevens is on this weekend and any PCPers who've done that will know that all of HK goes on a massive drinking binge for 3 days - think I'll have to lock myself up in the flat for the duration...

I will I will will

conquer that pull-up bar! Acting on Patrick's advice, I've been attempting a pull-up every time I pass under it.  Well, almost.  Managed 2 today which is tangible progress - who knows, I might be in two figures one day...

Feeling a bit leaner, but the handles are gonna take some effort, so plough on I shall...

Unimpressed

So I installed the pull-up bar last night. resisted the temptation to have a go, thinking 'I'll kill it in the mornng'.  Grand total pull-ups this morning = 1.  Deeply unimpressive.  This is my new nemesis.

Got a nice little routine going now - get up, exercise. eat, work, eat, work, eat, exercise, TV, bed.  Rock n roll...

Up at 6 this morning - owing to insomnia, not a deliberate move - and onto the roof for  full run-through of today's chores, watching the sun come up over victoria harbour and canto-pop blaring in my ears, which is slightly more agonising than the jumps.  Might have missed a jump or 50, but still pretty pleased with myself.  Breakfast skills improving as well - some chives with the scrambled eggs and the body of a tomato squeezed onto the veg for a bit of moisture did wonders...

Have a good day all.

Wot, less grub?

Well the new diets are in and I get to eat less :-(  Was kinda enjoying stuffing my face...

Have now got a helper to do my lunch and dinner during the week and it's awesome.  More time on my hands and the stuff she cooks is much tastier than the bland stuff I was churning out, while still sticking rigidly to the rules.

Felt better this Monday morning than I can recall ever feeling on a Monday....yay!

Back in the game

Been offline for a few hellish days, but back online and thought I'd blog before the laptop packs it in again.

Had a shocker yesterday - fatigued, sore, unable to concentrate.  All good again today.  Just when you think you've figured this thing out, something odd happens... 

Doing some PCP bonding this weekend.   A brisk stroll to the peak with fellow PCPer Matt tonight and tomorrow the daily exercises in the park with PCPer Ricky.  Keeping it in the family.

Have a good weekend all.

A baby cucumber is not a courgette

or a zuccini for that matter.  Was having a bit of trouble makinig myself understood down the local market, but it's all good now.  I have bigger problems in that my laptop at home is on the blink, so i'm now blogging from the pantry at the office.  Must get that fixed.

Still at  the experimental stage with my new steamer - have discovered that pasta does not lend itself to steaming but i'm flying on the veggies.  PCP breakfast setting me up beautifully for the day....

How do you say banana in cantonese?

Off to the market to stock up on fruit & veg for the week...
Oh, and I bravely put up my week 1 photo on flickr (the auto-timer on the cam has a mind of it's own...).  Much room for improvement so i'd better stick with it!

'Last supper' tonight (or should that be 'death row meal'...) - Steak & chips I reckon (half of course)

Twin Peaks

Or two peaks of seemingly infinite steps to get over to Stanley Beach.  Anyway that's now over and done with and I found a health-conscious eatery called 'Eat Right' and had something yellow full of chick-peas. Gonna have a lie down after all that effort.  Arsenal is playing tonight - might have to have half a beer for that one...

jeeeez

Well they told day 4 was a struggle and so it was.  Woke up feeling dizzy (that can't be good right?) and was starving all day.  Just done my exercises for the day and i'm thoroughly spent.  On the upside, it's the weekend - off to the shops to pick up my last bits of PCP gear tomorrow and then i'm ready to roll.  This thing become all consuming very quickly doesn't it!

Rocky balboa

Been on my roof skipping like a nutter (thanks for the Rocky Balboa tip Matt - inspirational - been humming the theme tune all day).  Wasn't too bad a day PCP-wise, but now a bowl of soup awaits for supper - oh joy.  Approaching the first booze-free weekend in living memory with some trepidation - first BIG test.  Have packed it full of outdoors activities like hiking in order to avoid temptation.  Be strong out there...

Day 2

And I thought eating half would be tough - hadn't reckoned with the skipping!  Took about half an hour to do yesterday's sets - any tips gratefully received...

Here we go...

Day 1 - good luck all!