Day 92: End Title

Well, this is it—my final post to this blog, which has been a part of my life for three full months. What can I say—it has been an incredible journey!

I know the question on everyone's mind is: "Did E manage to survive Halloween or was the temptation so great that he succumb to the delectable heavenly sweetness of sugar and carbs to the point where they had to roll him home like the Blueberry Girl from Willy Wonka?"

Actually, it wasn't as bad as I was worried I might be. Yeah, I had some of the bad non-PCP food, but not a lot of it. My body knew when to stop with the junk and dive right into the veggies! I even had a small sip of wine, and that was enough for me.

I managed to take a full couple days off away from the PCP, but I felt very antsy during that time. Amazing how rested and relaxed one can feel after doing exercises!! Yeah, there's not going to be much sitting still for me anymore! Thank goodness!

Okay, okay. I know this is the moment that everyone has been waiting for—the obligatory pants shot! Well, here they are: two of my most favorite pants now rendered obsolete by the shrinking waistline. Gotta love it!

There's still a ways to go before I get into peak condition, but at least the foundation has been laid. Heck, right now I'm happy to be a few sizes smaller than I started. The abs and pecks will come eventually, but I'm up for the challenge!

Unfortunately, it's time for our paths to diverge and this chapter of my journey to close. Oh, I'll still be lurking around here to watch the last 2009 group of PCPers complete this adventure. Hey, I'll probably still make a comment or two (or five), but this will be it for a regular post in this forum. However, you can still get your dose of E on my brand new blog as my story continues Beyond The Peak.

To Anshuman, Mike, and Jessica—we crossed the finish line! It was a privilege to be your friend and part of your team for the past 90 days. Now it feels as though summer camp is over and it's time for us to go home. Keep rockin' the PCP guys!

Of course, I can't totally sign off without giving big kudos to Patrick and Chen for this program. Yeah, at times it was tough and exhausting, and there were moments that I thought Patrick was completely off his rocker with some of those exercises, but it was well worth it. The support and care and—dare I say—love that you have put into this program really shows. It has been an honor and great pleasure working with you!!

So this is it. The last moment to impart some bit of wisdom to all future PCPers. There's no easy way to sum everything up into just a few short words. So my suggestion is that you go and read all the blogs of the past PCP participants. Each person brought their own unique story to this program and bravely bared themselves to the world. Share each worry, each tear, each frustration, each laugh, and each victory. This is a living tapestry that only gets richer with each person who passes this way, and it become all the more beautiful with each tale.

Of course, you know I can't end this without one final song:

That's a wrap! Roll credits!

—E

Day 91: Epilogue

Today is all wrong. That just seems to be the best way to describe it. No jumps. No strength exercises. No measuring the food. No portion allotments. Nothing.

Although I was loathe to do so, I took a break from the PCP lifestyle due to much encouragement for the contrary. I guess the best way to think of is as another experiment in indulgences.

I hate it.

Last night I didn't pack my PCP lunch and snacks because there was going to be an all you can eat food fest (aka "Halloween Party") at work. That gave me quite a bit of extra time in the evening.

Normally I play with my j-rope in the morning. Not today. I had lots of free time to do—well—nothing. I felt very lost and drifting. I still had my PCP breakfast. I just couldn't take a break from the program for the whole day.

The "buffet table" at work was loaded with cakes, cookies, donuts, creamy-jello something, crab rangoons, full fat cheese, crackers, apple cider, and a tray of finger veggies. Pizza and wings was delivered for lunch.

So, what have I snacked on so far?

—Some swiss and munster cheese (about 7 pieces).
—One cracker.
—Two donut holes (a plain and a powdered).
—One mini-glazed donut.
—Two bites of a sugar donut. (The greasy flavor just got to me.)
—One mini-packet of peanut M&Ms.
—Three Halloween Oreos.
—Two squares of cheese pizza.
—Two cups of apple cider.
—One sliver of chocolate cake.
—A boatload of carrots, celery, and broccoli.

Right now my body is really upset with me. I can feel those non-PCP foods in my chest and my stomach and my arms and everywhere. They feel like sludge in my system. I'm sluggish and sleepy. I can't get the greasy, sugary, cloying feeling out of my mouth. I wish I had my veggies, yogurt, and eggs.

Unfortunately, there's another party to attend tonight. I'm suppose to take a break from the PCP Life for a day or two. I'm not sure that's going to happen. I can feel the PCP Life wanting to reassert itself and I don't know if I'm strong enough to prevent it from happening. I may need to succumb to it's siren song before long. I don't have that much willpower.

I guess this is perfect for Halloween. This is probably the most horrifying thing I've experienced in a long time!

Day 90: What's The Time? Zero Hour!

Sorry about that. Had to indulge my "superhero" fantasy. Making it all the way to Day 90 really has made me feel like those cartoon idols I worshiped as a kid. I feel so much better than the average person!

Amazingly enough, the next couple of days will be the challenge to my new found super skills—immediately coming off the PCP and being tossed directly into not one, not two, but THREE Halloween parties which will be totally loaded with all the non-PCP friendly foods you could think of. Yeah. This is going to be like the ultimate test.

Stay tuned, for this is not the end!

Day 89: Harder Faster Better Stronger [T-Minus 1]

I did it! I survived the super-set! Or maybe I should call it the super-duper-set! It's time for some silliness!!

I present to you a couple of videos with what could be a PCP anthem. The lyrics are:

Work it harder, make it better
Do it faster, makes us stronger
More than ever, hour after
Our work is never over.

First up is "Daft Hands":

And because there's always somebody out there who wants to take it to the next level, here's another variation complete with full body workout!

Day 88: It Takes Trust. It Takes Just A Bit More And We're Done. [T-Minus 2]

The super-sets just whipped my butt tonight—especially the "V-Sit/Plank" combination. On the upside, it takes me a bit longer to reach failure! Plus, there's no worry about me going to bed earlier tonight. I am exhausted!

Every weekday morning I receive a Note from the Universe. It's a nice little spiritual or motivation message that often makes me think and contemplate. It's a nice way to start the day as I'm trying to get geared up for work. But every so often a letter comes through that just seems extraordinarily appropriate.

Today's missive was one of those.

"People who live only for dessert, E, very rarely enjoy the main course. And sometimes a meal is like life. Bon appétit, The Universe."

I take a look around at a number of my friends and I can see it so clearly. They race around looking for instant gratification, not taking a moment to enjoy the world around them. They don't want the journey, they want to be at the destination. They don't want to work hard for something. They prefer that someone give it to them. Their creedo is "Life is short. Eat dessert first!" And when we get together, you can see that motto in full force.

I was like that until about a couple years ago. Then I started slowing my life down. I appreciate the stuff that I have, but I really don't need the newest and best things. If anything, I'm starting to pare down. I don't need to race here and there—this moment is just as special as the moment I arrive at wherever I'm going. Working hard for something is far better than someone giving it to you—you have more appreciation of it because you know exactly what it took to get or create it. And the dessert isn't more spectacular than the meal—the dessert isn't what's going to sustain you, the well-balanced meal is. Plus the dessert usually only has one flavor, sweet, whereas the meal has a multitude depending on the combination of the items.

Journeys are never easy. There may be some moments when things go quite well, but there's always other moments that are a complete struggle. However, the one side compliments the other. Everyone wants to have that "easy road" and they don't want to face the "rough path". Why not? I am quite certain that tougher route is going to give you far more stories to tell and a greater appreciation of what you accomplished than any fast lane to the big time.

A friend of mine complained today about going to the gym. "Why can't it be fun? Why does it always have to be work?" she moaned. I couldn't respond to her. She won't listen. She hasn't heard a word I've said to her all the time I've been on this program.

If it were fun, then everyone would in Peak Condition. But it's not. It's hard work. You have to sweat, and strain, and sacrifice, and sometimes slog through it—but in the end, the results are so worth it. "Fun" is what got you out of shape in the first place. That was the easy road. PCP is the rough path. I felt every one of those damn bumps, but by god I made it. It's an achievement to be proud of. I did it. No one waved their magic wand and made me healthier. I did it. And I've got some great stories. Some I've shared already, others are still on their way.

At the beginning I wasn't sure how I was going to accomplish this goal that I had set before me. There were just some days when it looked totally impossible. As I near the end of this journey, I look back and smile. It was one helluva ride, but damn it was fun!

Alright team—Amy, Anshu, Jess, Mike—I'm racing you to the finish line! I'll see you there!

Day 87: Contact! Let's Make Contact! 3-2-1 Contact! [T-Minus 3]

One of the questions that I'm often asked tends to be along the lines of "What are you going to do after your diet?" I don't know why, but this bugs me. I get the feeling that they want me to respond with something like, "Well, I'm going to dive head first into the largest ice cream sundae I can find, followed by a gazillion candy bars, and I'll top it all off with every bag of chips I can find."

That's probably why I shake them up a bit when I say, "What makes you think it's going to end?" They absolutely have no comeback for that.

When I began this journey, most of my social circle didn't get it. They hear the word "diet" and their minds immediately jump to those fads where you lose weight in 30 days and that's it—you're back to eating and living the way you were before.

There was one friend who got it. She never referred to PCP as a "diet". She had a better phrase. "How is your life plan going?"

That was exactly it. Peak Condition is a life plan. The program itself may run only 90 days, but it prepares you for a life a wellness long after Patrick and Chen and everything becomes a fond and distant memory.

When's the diet going to end? If you've honestly and truly committed yourself to this new lifestyle, it should never end. It will become part of you. It will be integrated into your life—healthy food and jump ropes and yes, even stupid planks. (Who knows, I may eventually grow to love planks. After all, look what happened with the jump rope!)

Have you been paying attention? Can you apply your knowledge to the situation? You better hope so. The ultimate test is in just a few days—re-entry into the real world!

Day 86: Its Been Six Whole Hours And Five Long Days For All Your Lies To Come Undone [T-Minus 4]

We interrupt this blog post with this brief announcement.

*Ahem*

OHMYGODREYNOLDS! WHATTHEHELLWEREYOUTHINKING? AREYOUTRYINGTOKILLME?!? NOONEINTHEIRRIGHTMINDSUPER-SETSFREAKIN'PLANKS!! THAT'SJUSTINSANE!!

And now we return you back to the regularly sceduled post.

Where was I? Oh yeah. Gyms.

I spent one year of my and a ton of money at one of those chain gyms. I eventually gave up about a month before I started Peak Condition. I just wasn't seeing any results despite going there religiously three evenings a week during the summer and fall and three mornings a week during the winter and spring. The only result I was seeing was my hard earned cash going down the drain.

During that stint I saw a lot of people there and many different kinds of habits. Here are some of the things I learned:

The only people who go to the gym in the early morning are business men. This is probably because they work every late in the evening. Otherwise, the gym is pretty empty. This was a good time to use the weightlifting machines.

Everyone else in the world goes to the gym right after work, between 5 and 6pm. This is a bad time to go. Wait until 7:00pm. The gym will be empty.

Regardless of the time of day you went, it was almost always difficult to get on a treadmill, a bicycle, or an eliptical machine. These are pretty much occupied by the overweight people. They will occupy the machine for almost an hour. Most will be reading a book or magazine.

The weightlifting section contains mostly the muscle-bound types. Especially the free-weights. This is the part of the gym where you will hear most of the grunting going on. For some reason, the ones that make the most noise are trying to lift weights that are far too heavy for them. These people are ususally there for at least two hours.

If you try to do a full routine involving both the cardio and weight sides, you will be looked upon as an intruder by each group. Never the twain shall meet.

Avoid the “healthful” snack bar at the gym, if there is one. After a workout you’re probably feeling a little peckish, and the gym makes it easy for “healthy food” to be nearby. Power Bars, protein bars, and the ever popular fruit smoothie is just around the corner. Amazingly enough, the calories are never listed and the drink size is large enough that it should be shared with a friend.

Don’t pay for a trainer. They are not worth the money—especially when four sessions with one of them costs more than two or three months of gym membership. You are also not the trainer’s only client. They will try and rush you through so they can have a few minutes to themselves before their next client arrives.

Avoid any special “weight-loss” program or challenge offered. This usually has its own cost on top of the gym membership. They love to take your money but fail on delivering the goods. (I’m still waiting for the t-shirt, party, and commerderie they promised.)

And the last observation is courtesy of a number of friends who also go to a gym.

No matter how much you work out, it all comes to naught if you don’t eat right. There’s a reason why I am looking good and have lost the same amount of weight in three months that it has taken you a year and a half to lose—my meals do not consist of carb loaded platters of fried foods, huge sugary desserts, and two or three large mugs of beer.

Hmmm. Maybe someday I’ll go back when I’m really ripped—so I can torture them! BWA-HA-HA-HA!

Day 85: It's The Final Countdown [T-Minus 5]

It was a busy, run around day, but I managed to do everything that was on my list!

I tried to get to the sporting goods store and the library before chorus practice. Unfortunately time wasn't on my side, so I had to chose one. The library won out (mainly because it would be closed by the time I got there after rehearsal).

Chorus ran for three hours. I flew from there to the sporting goods store to pick up a new resistance band, and was very surprised at the now limited selection they had. Back in August there was a whole wall of the things, but now only about a couple of racks. Very weird.

Then, on a whim, I went to a clothing store to try on some pants. All the stuff I have is now too big for me, so I wanted to see what size I was now (at least based on a manufacturer's measurements). I was surprised that I was able to fit into the smallest size men's pants there. They were still a little tight, but I'm sure that soon they'd be comfortable. Unfortunately I wasn't able to buy any (this was a non-paycheck week); however, it was just fun to try on stuff!

Afterwards, I went home and unpacked my new resistance band and did the exercises. It was the last day of the regular sets, so I had to enjoy them. Tomorrow starts the super-sets. Not looking forward to that.

The final countdown is on!

Day 84: Ain't Nothing Gonna Break My Stride [T-Minus 6]

It looks like I'm continuing the PCP tradition. I have officially broken my resistance band. I was on set five rep number 20 of the pull downs when the thing went snap! Luckily I only lost three reps because of it. The only other exercise I had to do that used the bands was the katanas, so I improvised with a dumbbell. Everything else was resistance band free. (Although Friday is usually our jump only day, chorus ran real late on Wednesday, so I did those exercises on Thursday and Thursday's exercises on Friday.)

As soon as I was done, we had to leave and pick up a friend to see the movie Where The Wild Things Are. For the first time ever, I got my partner to pack me my PCP dinner and nighttime snack. (He's always been nervous about doing it—I don't know why. I find it pretty easy to do.)

I had no problems sneaking my lunchbag into the theatre. This was the second or third movie where I've done this and brought my meals to the movies. While everyone else is munching on popcorn and soda, I've got my crunchy veggies and milk. It all works out.

It was an early showing so we were home around 9:30pm. That leaves me plenty of time to read a couple chapters and go to bed on time! (Amazing, huh?) I'll be up and ready to do those jumps tomorrow!

Day 83: Don't Lose Yourself Or Your Hope Cause Life's Like A Jump Rope [T-Minus 7]

In one of Patrick's emails he kept mentioning about our long jump-roping sessions might seem daunting. The first thought that came to my mind was: Is he nuts?!?

The first day we had timed jumps I was ecstatic. It was seven sets at two minutes each. I added all the minutes together. That was only fourteen minutes. It was a breath of relief for me because 1500 jumps was taking a half-hour or more to complete. This was only fourteen minutes. What wasn't to be excited about?

Without having to concentrate on the number of jumps I was doing, I was able to play a bit and start working on a jump routine:

5x both feet
10x alternating right & left legs
5x both feet
5x right leg only
5x both feet
5x left leg only
5x both feet
1x front cross

There was much tripping and tangling, but it was a lot of fun! Eventually over the days I was able to get to the point where I was able to repeat this routine four times without a single trip.

Even with the lengthening of time and the changing of the sets, I was still enjoying the j-rope. It was never longer that the half-hour plus that it took me to do 1500 jumps.

Then Patrick's email began to make me think. What if he's trying to tell me some sort of secret? What if I've missed something? So I decided to try another experiment. (If you haven't notice by now, I love testing things out!)

So I gave up the routine and just went for the plain ol' boring double-footed jump and kept count in my head. I was suddenly able to do up to 200+ jumps straight without a trip. Whoa! I definitely wasn't able to do that before! Then when my iPhone alarm went off at the end of the timed jumps I had a new number. I had just done 1600+ jumps in half the time that it had taken me to complete 1500 jumps.

Holy freakin' cow! From Day 1 I would have never believed these results! Back then I spent so much time battling the Implement of Torture j-rope, burning lungs, and knees that just wouldn't stop hurting. Now it's taking me less time to do more jumps with nary a knee pain anywhere and so much enthusiasm for the j-rope.

I think I'll have to agree with Jess on this one. Somewhere along the way, Patrick's Buddhist Magic got me—or quite possibly he flew halfway across the world, snuck into my house, and put something into my Kool-Aid. Either way, it all comes down to this:

"Hi. My name is E, and I'm a jump-rope addict. It has been three-hours since my last jump."

I wish I could quit you!

Day 82: And I've Got A Set Of Six Pack Abs That Would Blow Your Mind [T-Minus 8]

Every time I play the 8-Minute Abs video in my iPhone (because my exercise area is no where near my computer), this video comes up as a "recommendation". Now this guy's abs are insane!

Day 81: Isn't It Strange How We All Get A Little Bit Weird Sometimes [T-minus 9]

This is the day where I finally lost it.

I started out the day doing great. I was so in the groove during the j-ropes and had an amazing finish with the "8 Minute Abs". I didn't need to rush for breakfast, could do everything at a leisurely pace, and even got to work with plenty of time to spare.

The day went pretty smoothly too. No major hiccups that I couldn't handle, got a couple of projects done, and even had time to surf the net a bit.

I was looking forward to the evening. I had no pressing duties for the night. If I got home relatively early I could do my strength exercises, have supper, pack my lunch for the next day, update my blog, read a book for a while and go to bed at a decent hour.

That didn't happen.

I picked up my partner at work, then there was some funky traffic issues going on which forced us to take a number of detours and added time to get home. Despite that, we arrived at an early enough hour that still allowed me to recover some of the down-time I was looking forward to.

My partner made his own meal—reheated leftovers. I pity the poor guy. There's only one real cook in the house and I'm busy doing PCP. That means my partner has to make his own meals. He's not a bad cook, he just doesn't like to do it.

By the time I was finished with the strength exercises, it was still before 7pm (which is the time my dinner tends to be). I think to myself, Pop in the "8 Minute Abs". You've got time and the energy level is still there. Eight minutes later it's pretty close to 7pm and dinner.

Except dinner wasn't there.

Pre-made veggies were low. Carbs were non-existant. Eggs were enough for this dinner only. There wouldn't be enough for lunch tomorrow. I suddenly had to create meals for both myself and my partner.

That took two friggin' hours. With my relaxing evening a total bust, I started to lose it. So there I am, cursing under my breath as I'm chopping vegetables, slamming doors and drawers, and stomping around like a two-year old.

The timing shouldn't have surprised me. Through-out this entire journey through PCP, it has always taken up most of my day. That's the way my schedule runs. It just seemed as though I was going to have some non-PCP free time tonight.

Then, at the wrong moment, my partner steps foot into the kitchen. That wasn't his most brilliant of moves. Typically I'm a pretty easy going and chill kind of person. I don't get upset, but for some reason I had somehow stepped into The Twilight Zone and became some sort of raving lunatic.

It was at this point I started babbling about how it would be nice if once in a while he could do the cooking instead of me trying to make my meals and food for him to always reheat. I go on about how it isn't difficult for him to make a pot of pasta or chop up some vegetables or something that would really help make my life a little easier since it seems all my hours are booked. I finished off with how he always seems to come home from work and play on his computer while all I'm always slaving away in the kitchen. He quickly backed out of the kitchen and disappeared to his office on the second floor.

Yeah, I had a breakdown. But lunch is all packed for tomorrow, he has food he can reheat, I've had my dinner and my snack, and I'm making my blog post. (It's not exactly the one I had planned. That will have to wait until some other time.) Soon I'll be logging off and taking a few minutes to meditate before apologizing to him and going to bed.

That was just weird.

Day 80: It's Only The Beginning Of The End [T-Minus 10]

There was an interesting article by Michael O’Shea in the Parade Magazine. The basic premise of the story is that it’s not necessarily the kinds of foods that people eat that will make them overweight, but the influence of the who is eating with them when food is present. Based upon some studies people will tend to eat more when around friends than around strangers, and if the friends are overweight, then there was a higher probability that the person would be overweight too.

One study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the eating habits of normal-weight and overweight children aged 9 to 15 when paired with friends or strangers. What they found was that the participants who dined with friends ate more than those who were dining with children they didn’t know. They also noticed that overweight friends ate more than leaner friends.

Part of this study can be based on the ideals of etiquette. Of course people would be less likely to eat more when around strangers—it’s just being polite company and common courtesy. When a person is meeting someone for the first time, individuals tend to be on their best behavior. They are mindful of what they are eating and drinking which would make them consume more moderately than normal. They’re trying to make a good first impression to this brand new person they’re meeting for the first time. To gorge oneself in such a social setting would be a definite faux pas, and it would leave the stranger with an unfavorable image. The phrase my mom used all the time on my brother and I comes to mind—“Did you grow up in a barn?”

On the other hand, when a person is hanging out with friends (especially close friends), the rules of etiquette change. People don’t need to be overly conscious of how their actions look to others because of the close social relationship. Plus, the interaction is different too. A person can be more relaxed with friends than they can with a stranger. Unfortunately, that relaxed state can lead to “mindless eating.” Because they’re laughing and having fun, the amount of food that goes into their bodies becomes a very unconscious reaction.

It’s not the people around an individual that makes them fat, it’s their conscious/unconscious reaction to the stimuli that’s around them. A person doesn’t need to ignore their friends if they want to maintain a healthy weight, they just cannot allow the social interaction to override their own well-beling. If one is mindful of the world around them, then one can control what goes into the body and still have a good time.

Day 79: Soup, Soup, Tasty Soup

We're getting close to the holidays which can mean you will be faced with some terribly tempting and very unhealthy dishes on that dining room table during any number of gatherings. What's a poor PCPer to do?!?

E's at it again with another of seasonal recipe to help turn that potentially disastrous meal into something that your non-PCP guests will want dish onto their plates!

This recipe is a slight variation of one that comes from a French Medieval cookbook. It's very adaptable for a wide range of flavors!

WINTER SQUASH OR PUMPKIN SOUP

5 1/2 pounds winter squash or pumpkin
4 cups milk

I used a Hubbard squash for the soup in the picture but pumpkin, butternut, or acorn squash will work just as well.

Peel the squash and remove the seeds. Cut it into 1-inch (2-cm) chunks and cook in boiling water for about 10-minutes. The squash must remain firm and must not fall apart; you will need to be vigilant, as cooking time will vary with the variety of squash or pumpkin you use.

Place the chunks of squash in a food processor with some of the liquid and puree. (This will definitely be multiple batches.) Place the puree into a saucepan, add the milk, and bring to a boil. Serve.

This simple recipe just calls for spices and experimentation! Try it with less milk or use plain yogurt instead to make it thicker. Boil the squash with some garlic or bay leaves to add some flavor. After pureeing toss in some curry, garlic powder, onion powder, or dry mustard. When serving, top with some steamed vegetables. (I used asparagus in the picture.) You're only limited to your imagination!

Enjoy!

Day 78: You'll Always Be My Cranberry, Forever My Cranberry

We're getting close to the holidays which can mean you will be faced with some terribly tempting and very unhealthy dishes on that dining room table during any number of gatherings. What's a poor PCPer to do?!?

E's at it again with a new seasonal recipe to help turn that potentially disastrous meal into something that your non-PCP guests will want dish onto their plates! This is a fresh alternative that tackles the holiday stalwart: jellied cranberry in a can. (What do they put in that stuff and why is it in a can?!?)

CRANBERRY ORANGE RELISH

12 ounces fresh cranberries
1 medium orange1/2 cup agave nectar (to taste)

Slice an unpeeled orange into eighths and remove the seeds. Place the cranberries and orange slices in a food processor. Process until the mixture is evenly chopped—do not puree. Transfer into a bowl. (If you have a small food processor, you may need to do it in two or more batches.) Stir in the agave nectar to desired sweetness. (If you use a sweet orange, you'll probably want less agave nectar.) Store in the refrigerator or freezer.

One of my favorite variations is to use the relish as a topping for yogurt. It also goes great with bananas and grapes!

Day 77: No One Mourns The Wicked

I got a rock. That's exactly what my indulgence felt like—a huge, ginormous boulder sitting in my stomach.

The feeling began about a half-hour after eating my Very Veggie Burger, fries, and dessert. There was something large in my belly and it wasn't very happy being there. Of course, my stomach was in mutual agreement with that sentiment. It wanted the rock out of there, pronto!

And then the rebellion started. The stomach tried pushing the foreign item out, but the rest of my digestive tract wasn't complying with it's request. There were cramps, the definite urge to void, but nothing moving through the system.

Stomach became more vocal, creating some of the most horrific growls I have ever heard. There was pressure beginning to build internally, so the body did what it had to to relieve it. I was now a walking gas chamber and very socially unacceptable.

The rock remained in my stomach all night long. The next morning didn't hold any promise either. I couldn't tell if the other side effect of lethargy I felt was from the food or from the really late hours from the night before in the attempt to re-live my pre-PCP life. Maybe it was a combination of the two. In either case, it became a herculean effort to get up and do the j-rope. Even then I could feel the rock bounding around as I jumped. It wasn't a pleasant combination.

When I tried to eat my breakfast, the stomach voiced it's objection to more food going in because it hadn't finished processing the rock that had appeared from the night before. By mid-morning snack, the stomach threw fits when I tried putting more food in. "Are you nuts or something?!?" it screamed back. "There ain't no room down here! I'm working on getting this boulder outta here!" In fact, it wasn't until near dinner time that I finally felt that the rock had disappeared.

In my pre-PCP life, I could describe that same feeling very easily. It usually occured when I had stuffed myself waaaaayy too full from all the goodies that were usually present at parties or potlucks. Very unusual to have that same feeling after just one burger, a few fries, and a few spoons of ice cream—and definitely not something I would want to repeat. The same went for the late hour and eating a meal so close to bedtime.

At the beginning of PCP, I would have daydreams of what I was going to do after the 90-days were up. I was going to be fit AND be able to eat like I use to. Having a taste of that pre-PCP life now that I'm so close to the end really wasn't so thrilling. I definitely like how my light and energetic body feels now as opposed to the one that use to be lethargic and carrying a lead weight.

Mission accomplished.

Day 76: I'm Here To Tell You Honey That I'm Bad To The Bone

INDULGENCE DAY!

For my third and final indulgence, I decided to run an experiment. What would happen if I returned to my old ways after completing the Peak Condition Project? It had to occur on a specific night at a specific restaurant with specific people. Tonight all the planets were aligned. It was showtime.

The reason I wanted to run this experiment was because I had been very good with my eating habits while on this program—extremely few slip-ups and absolutely no cheating. Even my past two indulgences weren't even that naughty. So for one night I was going to allow myself to be a rebel and be really bad.

Thursday night is when my medieval group gets together for meetings. Typically, a small group of us will go out to dinner afterwards. Since our meetings run until 9pm, that means that we don't get to a restaurant until 9:15. Our orders are placed by about 9:30pm, and the food usually doesn't arrive until 10pm. That means we're usually not home until after 11pm. This was my life before PCP.

The second component was the company I kept. Not a healthy eater in the bunch and every single one of them a night owl. These are the people I had been mostly avoiding during this whole program. Oh, I'd see them here and there, but I had stopped going out with them.

The third component was to have a typical meal that I enjoyed before taking part of PCP. Here is a picture of my typical Pre-PCP Late Night Thursday meal:

That, my dear readers, is a Zebbs Very Veggie Burger with onions, melted cheddar cheese, bleu cheese, and guacamole with a side of fries.

Now you have to remember that this was eaten late at night. That means that we would typically not have anything to eat in the hours prior. For most of us, that meant our last meal was lunch. That right. By the time I sat down to eat this bad boy, it would have probably been about nine hours since I had something in my stomach.

I wasn't going to go that far in this experiment, but I tried to get as close as possible. That day I had my PCP afternoon snack around 4pm, then went home and did my strength exercises. Immediately afterward I went to the meeting and waited for "dinner time".

First thing that I noticed was that I was extremely hungry by the time we went to the restaurant. Since I never was that hungry prior to PCP, that could mean only one thing—I had been mindlessly snacking beforehand and not even realizing what I was putting in my stomach. Pre-PCP life: Strike One!

The veggie burger tasted about the same as I remembered before—which is to say that I don't remember the flavor whatsoever. At 10pm at night, a person who is ravenously hungry can make that bad boy disappear in the blink of an eye. There was no enjoyment of the flavors, just a blind need to get food into the stomach. This doesn't happen if you supply your body with food throughout the day like we do on PCP. Pre-PCP life: Strike Two!

The fries were a whole other experience. I managed to choke down a few of them before the grease got to me and I had to pawn them off on someone else. I couldn't do it. They were just dripping with oil. A few minutes later I began clearing my throat. Ah yes. I remember that sensation from life before PCP. That cloying feeling in the esophagus that took hours of "ahem-ing" to get rid of, and which usually left my throat feeling raw. Pre-PCP life: Strike Three!

But the best was yet to come! Pre-PCP life always came complete with dessert!

The Chocolate-Mint Mudpie! This picture really does not do it justice. That dessert is friggin' huge!

I had a few spoonfuls of it before I had to call it quits. It was good, but I really could not go beyond the initial flavor burst. So I then proclaimed open season on it. My friends dove right in—and even that feeding frenzy couldn't polish off this dessert. In the end, about a quarter of it was left to be thrown away. Pre-PCP life: YER OUT!

I had some friends who thought I was crazy to spend my indulgence this way. Their ideas of an indulgence tended more towards classier restaurants and meals that were pretty healthy. I didn't want to do that. I have a whole life of healthier meals ahead of me. I wanted to really see how much I had changed (if any) since being on the program. Call it a farewell meal to my previous self. One final night to be truly wicked.

Day 75: I Don't Care What You Say, I'm Not Listening Anyway

I think the Universe likes balance. For every up there needs to be a down. For every left there needs to be a right. And for every person who gets it there needs to be one who doesn't.

I have a friend who is extremely overweight. I don't know how close she is to being morbidly obese, but I do know that she's at a very unhealthy level. Her body shape and weight are so bad that it is causing other health issues. She is seeing an endocrinologist quite regularly.

I've tried talking to her about PCP and getting healthy but she won't listen. She would watch me eat my PCP dinner and just shake her head saying that there was no way she was going to deprive herself of the foods that she loves to eat.

The endocrinologist has told her that she needs to lose weight and has given her a list of foods she should be eating, but she ignores her doctor. She doesn't want to give up her snacks, she doesn't want to eat at regular time schedules, she doesn't want to cook separate meals for herself and her husband (who's also a bit overweight, but not much more than I was when I started Peak Condition).

She feels that everyone should praise her for the little efforts she has made to get healthy. She joined the YMCA. She takes water aerobics about once a week. She does the treadmill. Now she's starting Zumba classes.

The problem is she's a walking contradiction. She'll sit there and tell you about the exercises she's doing (but usually has to stop multiple times because she's winded, or just gives up) and that she's worried she hasn't lost weight which means the endocrinologist will yell at her—and she'll tell you all of this over her self-proclaimed "fat girl" dinner, which consists of: a dozen chicken tenders, a plate of nachos with extra sour cream and guacamole, large loaded fries with extra "cheese" sauce and bacon, two or three large soft drinks, and a restaurant-sized piece of cheesecake.

If you try to tell her anything that she doesn't want to hear, she gets defensive (with a little bit of anger thrown in), accuses that you "hate her", and then grabs a pint of Ben & Jerry's and downs it.

There's this sort of helpless feeling that I get each time she's around. I can't say anything to help her, I find it hard to say anything to support her the way she wants, and sometimes I get the feeling that she's not going to be around for long. (She's only in her mid-twenties now.)

Of course, my friend could totally surprise me, like my aunt who was so overweight she couldn't walk anymore and became confined to a wheelchair. She'll be turning 79 this year. The good thing, though, is that she's lost most of that weight over the last few years and is looking pretty good.

Maybe one day she'll wake up and realize that she needs to really take better care of her health. Who knows—maybe when she sees how well I'm doing after PCP she might change her mind about the things I talk about. We'll just have to see.

Day 74: When You Help Others, You Can't Help Helping Yourself!

Many years ago I had a manger who loved to terrorize her employees. She would call a person into her office and close the door. She would calmly sit in her chair and begin the conversation with something innocuous, like: "You have been doing a good job...." You start feeling a bit relax and not dreading the encounter. Once she felt that you had this false sense of security, she would then say, "However...," and the attack would begin. Usually it about something totally stupid and inconsequential, like a wrinkle in your clothing or tossing a piece of paper away, missing the can, and not picking it up. But it was the way she did it that just made all the employees nervous. She would use every fear tactic at her disposal so you would do everything her way. Eventually you learned to fear the call to enter a manger's office—a feeling that has stayed with me for quite some time.

Last Friday my manager called me into her office. With trepidation I entered. "I just wanted to say that you're looking pretty good. Have you been losing weight?" Okay, there was the "compliment". I waited for the terror to occur.

"What have you been doing to get so fit?"

I proceeded to give the generic answer of "diet and exercise". She asked more questions. I began to get into more detail of PCP, still unsure of where the conversation was going and wondering when the attack would occur.

It didn't. In fact, we had a good twenty-minute discussion about PCP, and Food versus "food", and exercises, and much more. By the end, she jotted down the PCP web address and reaffirmed how good I looked. I went back to my desk feeling very elated.

The conversation picked up a few days later, after the long weekend. She came over to my desk and proceeded to tell me how she had gone grocery shopping and, based upon what I told her, began to actually read the packaging of a number of items in the store.

"I spent an hour just reading labels, and I couldn't find a single thing that didn't have salt or sugar or high fructose corn syrup or additives or preservatives. There was nothing that was healthy! You really impress me. I don't think I could do what you're doing."

I pointed out to her about how fresh fruits and vegetables are better than frozen and canned. I gave her a list of canned goods that I knew of which contain 100% fruit or vegetable without all the nasty stuff. I even gave her a couple of recipe ideas to eat a little healthier.

That second conversation had me flying for the rest of the day. Not only was I able to tell someone about PCP, but they got the information, they applied that knowledge, and they're starting to think about what goes into their body. It may not have been a total conversion, but definitely a push in the right direction. All in all, it was a pretty good day!

Day 73: No Time For A Gentle Rain

Holy crow! The past few days have just seemed like time-crunch central! Usually living PCP takes up a good portion of my day (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), but suddenly it seems as though I'm being dragged all over the place. Go to the farmer's market, rake the yard, put plants away for the winter, decorate for Halloween, hike it to the grocery store, go to chorus practice, attend a play, go to work, exercise, jump, make tomorrow's lunch, make today's dinner, etc. I don't think I've stopped for five seconds! Needless to say, I'm feeling a bit ragged.

Okay, many late night bedtimes haven't helped either. I'm definitely one of those people who really needs more hours in the day. Then again, maybe not. I'd surely fill the extra and then request more time. I think it's soon going to be time for another "Spa Day". Need to slow down for a bit, relax, and read a good book. All I've got to do is just make it through the next few days....

Day 72: At Night I'm A Junk Food Junkie, Good Lord Have Pity On Me

Who says we can't live a double life?!? (Just kidding, Patrick!)

Day 71: Are These Just The Lies That Feed Our Nations

About a year or so ago, my partner borrowed a book from the library. It was called Hungry Planet: What the World Eats by Peter Menzel and Faith D'Aluisio. He thought it was something that I would find interesting. Boy was he right! It was so thought-provoking that I had to go out and buy it!

The basic premise of the book is that it "presents a photographic study of families from around the world, revealing what people eat during the course of one week. Each family's profile includes a detailed description of their weekly food purchases; photographs of the family at home, at market, and in their community; and a portrait of the entire family surrounded by a week's worth of groceries."

Just looking at the photos of a couple of typical U.S. families and the amounts of food they buy in a week compared to others around the world was eye-opening. But that wasn't the part that affected me and caused me reassess my food consumption. It was the entry about Okinawa that got me thinking.

The typical life expectancy of a male Okinawan is 77 years. For the average female it's 86 years. However, there are many who live longer than that. In fact, Okinawa ranks number 1 in life expectancy. These facts alone have drawn researchers to study it and figure out why a disproportionately large number of Okinawans live to age 100 or more.

Some scientists say it's because of a unique combination of factors, including healthy eating habits, exercise, and low stress. That may be true as expressed by a phrase used by older Okinawans—Hara hachi bu—"eat only until 80 percent full." Plus, a diet of fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood seem to be doing them a world of good.

Unfortunately, the Okinawa Prefecture is noticing a disturbing trend. Okinawans under the age of 50 are starting to have higher rates of obesity, and they're seeing a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and premature death.

What has changed from one generation to the next? The answer to that may lie in the fact that Okinawan cities are now filled with McDonald's, KFC, and A&Ws among other chains. The younger generation are no longer eating the same foods that their parents and grandparents dine on. Instead, they're opting for the quick and cheap Western fast food.

I like the quote from Keiko Matsuda, who was part of the Okinawan family that was interviewed for the book. Keiko has never eaten fast food and she's sure she doesn't want to: "I think it isn't very nutritious," she says. In her opinion, Western food consists of "a lot of bread, I think. We only see bread as a dessert of snack—not a main food."

The invasion of U.S. fast food and quickie meals are quite evident in the pages of Hungry Planet In Australia, Aboriginal children tend to prefer food from Mackas (Aussie slang for McDonalds) than food from their own culture. In China, the biggest Western fast food chain is KFC, which has more than 100 outlet in Beijing alone. (There's even a picture of Colonel Sanders wearing a fancy old-style Chinese soldier uniform.) Some very familiar packaging from U.S. companies can be seen in the homes of families in France, Germany, England, Italy, and Kuwait, just to name a few. I mean, why does a family in Greenland need Ritz crackers, Coco Krispies, and bottled water?

It's kind of sad seeing some of these amazing cultures slowly succumbing to the U.S. influence. It's also a bit infuriating realizing that some of these corporations don't give a whit about anyone's health—it's just all about the bottom line.

Day 70: I Won't Make Promises That I Can't Keep

Today I am keeping a promise. Back during our first week of PCP, Patrick told me to make a promise to myself to go back and look at the posts for Days 7, 8, 9 when I hit Day 70.

It's now Day 70. I remembered.

On Day 7 I was on vacation and we were just about to complete our first week on PCP. As I wrote then:

Today started out with me having a minor heart attack when I realized that the number of jumps really increased from the previous day. Then I had a second minor heart attack trying to complete them.

The Implement of Torture jump rope does not play very well with my body. Right now I can barely do fifty jumps without tripping and then having to take a break so I can stop wheezing. But so far, doing fifty at a time helps. (Then, every time I hit a hundred mark I gave myself the proverbial pat on the back for just surviving!)

Day 8 found me packing camp and on the road, so there wasn't much PCP happening then. Day 9 continued the theme:

This afternoon I managed to do the Day 8 exercises. Yeah, I'm one day behind. Although I did manage to get the Implement of Torture jump rope to cooperate a bit. Two sets of fifty jumps without a single trip (not counting the obligatory wheeze-fest in between the sets). I also discovered that the flat, paved surface of the driveway made it a lot easier than the muddy, grassy uneven hillside I had been using during the week prior.

Then I alternated between the Implement of Torture jump rope and the other exercises. One hundred jumps, sixty-eight squats, one hundred jumps, eighteen incline pull-ups, one hundred jumps, forty-four push-ups, etc. Mixing it up a bit kept it from being dull and repetitious (although my legs still balked at the idea of having to do "only fifty more jumps" during the entire session).

I remember those days so well, and yet at the same time it feels like a lifetime ago. In between so much has changed.

The Implement of Torture my first jumprope met a grisly doom about a day after that post. It was definitely not a good rope. I would highly advise anyone against getting one of those cotton j-ropes—there's too much drag with them. My second j-rope was better, but still kept breaking (and getting repaired) until one day there was no fixing it. J-Rope Mach III (which is a Nike Speed Rope) has served me well for quite some time. It was a little more expensive than the first two, but well worth the price!

It's amazing to see how far I've come since those early days. The jumps felt like killers back then. My lungs would burn, I couldn't catch my breath, and I would be sweating like a pig. Each day I'd wonder how the hell I would survive all 90 days of the program. Sometimes it just required herculean effort to do it, all-the-while praying that I'd get to live for another day.

And here we are at Day 70. I've not only survived, but thrived! The j-rope is no longer the torture device I use to view it. If anything, it's the exercise that I look forward to each day. The wheezing and the lung burning are a thing of the past. I'm in far better shape than I was. What seemed like long arduous months to go are now viewed as having passed in a twinkling of an eye with a sort of sad fondness. Odd how the mind plays games like that.

Day 69: I'm A Bullet Proof Tiger

Patrick wasn't kidding about big gains after a few really weak workouts! My strength exercises have gone through the roof! I am hitting the target number and then some on the first few sets and still getting damn close on the last few. I actually saw my biceps bulge while doing the curls! (Day-amn! Where did they come from?) Chest and back just chewed up the bands! And planks—OMG! Well, they're not a breeze but definitely less dropping and quivering. The energy level still hasn't gone down. (Still can't do a pull-up, though. Someday.)

This totally made up for "Dessert Day" at work. Yeah, it was a table just loaded with cheesecakes, cookies, brownies, pies, and eclairs. (Did you know that sugar has a smell?!? It so totally does!) Everyone is still amazed that I will not cheat whatsoever and nibble on something. Of course, I have to snicker each time I listen to one of them say things like, "I really should stop eating, but it's so good" or "Oh, I'm so full but I've gotta have another piece."

Bullet-proof, baby!

Day 68: I Bring The Ruckus Straight From The Sideline

My doctor has sidelined the jumpropes for a couple of days so my heel can, well, heal. This was my fourth follow-up visit to him for some minor work on it. I will be seeing him again in about three weeks.

So in place of jumping, I will be walking for the time being. Well, more like hobbling as I can't put any weight on the heel of my right foot at the moment. Luckily it doesn't prevent me from doing the strength exercises.

But I miss my jumprope. OMG! Did those words just come out of my mouth?!? Right now my morning feels somehow wrong without me jumping to the beat of dance mixes. I don't feel as energized to face the day. The day starts off slow and I'm not sure I like it. That's how my days always began before the PCP. It now feels unnatural.

At least its only for a couple or so days, until I can step on my heel without it hurting like an SOB. Then my day can return back to normal. OMG! You just said that the PCP life was normal! Damn! You have changed!

Amazing, huh?

Day 67: Rise To The Challenge!

I love autumn and hate it simultaneously. The nights are getting longer and the temperatures are dropping. Unfortunately, this is the time of year where I start my hibernation process.

More hours of darkness means that I'll start feeling tired earlier and will probably want to sleep longer. The cold just ensures that I will want to stay under the warm covers of my bed all that much more. This is the beginning point where it will get a little bit harder to live the PCP life.

It is going to require every mental trick in the book to keep going throughout the whole winter season. I will want to sleep in. I will want to stay under the covers. And it doesn't help that I have a partner who keeps the temperature inside the house at a cool 64 degrees while we're home. (The thermostat is programmed to drop to an even cooler 58 degrees when we're gone.) Plus, we're entering the holiday season. The bad food is going to be plentiful and everywhere.

My 90 days may be coming to close in a few weeks, but the challege is only beginning. It will be the ultimate test of my newfound powers.

Day 66: Each Day I'm Swimming Through Molasses

If energy were molasses, then today I was swimming in an Olympic-sized pool of it. Everything I did required lots of willpower and double the effort.

I do my jumps first thing in the morning, usually after I get up and do a whole stretch routine to wake up my muscles. Unfortunately everything was very off. I could barely do ten jumps without tangling. It was very frustrating but I persevered and did the entire three sets of five minutes.

At work it didn't get much better. The room would get real warm to the point where I started feeling like I was coming down with something and start feeling sleepy and sluggish, so I'd turn on my little desk fan to cool down. Then I'd get really cold and have to turn it off. Then I'd get really warm and have to turn it on. Lather, rinse, and repeat. The whole freakin' day I just could not get to the right temperature.

Add to that the fact that one of my co-workers is on vacation and I'm having to take over those duties on top of my own. I needed to spent the whole day on that job and pretty much ignore anything that I was suppose to do (because my stuff isn't as time sensitive). The day just dragged and by quitting time I was thoroughly weary and exhausted.

Got home and had to assemble things to donate to a local church for their rummage sale (like nice clothes that are too big for me). This included packing the stuff in the car and persuading my partner to take it to the church.

It was pushing 7pm and I was really beat. Then the little voice in the back of my mind starting in with it's mantra: "You look and feel tired. You should skip today's workout. Just make dinner and relax." Of course, you know when the little voice starts talking you gotta do exactly the opposite.

I changed into my workout clothes and began the strength exercises. It was a total load of FAIL. The muscles so did not want to cooperate what-so-ever. I could barely hit the target number of reps during the first set, and every set after that just got worse. I was struggling like anything to get the muscles to do any sort of respectable showing. By the end, I was this weird mix of totally wiped and totally energized. At least I had the satisfaction of knowing that I didn't succumb to the little voice.

The final bits of the evening were having dinner and evening snack, packing my lunch and two snacks for the next day, putting away the dishes in the dish drainer, doing a load of laundry, and running the dishwasher.

By 10pm, I was done for the day. Although I had intentions of updating the blog, I no longer had the energy or the clarity of mind. Instead, I climbed into bed and called it a day, muttering to myself that I really hate molasses.

Day 65: Grapefruit Diet (Diet!) Throw Out The Pizza And Beer

Today ended up being another quiet and peaceful day where I could relax and catch-up on my reading. Well, after I did the exercises for the day. Did you know that it's comfortable to lay on the floor and read? It is! Especially since you can't move 'cause you're a quivering ball of jello that's shaking worse than a small yappy dog on caffeine because you'd just completed your plank session. Yeah. Good times.

Well, to liven up your Sunday, here's another fun video from one of my favorite comedians: John Pinette!

Day 64: Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na

As a kid, my imagination always got the better of me. I would constantly drift off to distant places and far-off worlds where magic was real, or alien races would be met, or men could fly. It was the life of a child brought up in an era where Saturday morning cartoons were fun and comics were a gateway to adventure.

Superheroes were always my favorite. For a child who was always picked on at school, it was these muscle-bound amazing beings who always gave hope that someday you'd grow up to be just like them and nobody would ever go after you again. The only problem with the dream was that you usually had to encounter some sort of freakish accident or experiment to gain the powers or you had to be from another planet. This was true for almost every super-being that graced the pages of the comic books—except one.

As my mom tells the story, when I was a babe and learning to speak there were only two words that I would use consistently. Most kids learn "da-da". Mine were "bish" ('cause I had a goldfish at the time) and "ba-ban" ('cause even at that age I was an avid view of the 1960's Batman TV show).

I wanted to be Batman. He was strong, he was smart, he could fight, he had all those gadgets, and most importantly—he was totally human. There was no accident or experiment to give him his abilities and he wasn't from another planet. He had to work hard to develop his body into the shape it was. Years of practice and training and exercise and studying which made him the superhero he was. He was the only one that was totally reachable. He was the person a kid with a dream could become. (Well, if you ignored the whole "multi-millionaire" thing.)

Almost all superheroes have great physiques, but it seemed that most of them were either born with the perfect body types or their freak accidents/experiments gave it to them. Not Batman. He constantly has to work his tail off to be in peak physical condition. The best part is that they would show that in the comics so you knew how hard he really had to work to be the hero that he is.

Batman has been an inspiration to me for practically all my life, since I was a wee one staring at the glowing picture box. His comics took me on wild journeys that me and my friends would re-live in the woods out behind our houses, all dressed up with our beach towels that substituted for capes. No fancy powers, no alien birth, just some guy who had the drive to make himself more than the average person.

The one superhero that any kid could become.

Day 63: You Don't Have To Do The Crime To Do The Time, It's Just Guilt By Association

I am finding myself in a bit of a quandry. There is a subject that has been buzzing around in my thoughts for a couple days. I have puzzled it over and I haven't been able to figure out an answer to it, if there is one. So I decided that it would be the subject of today's post.

I love to cook. I love to try new recipes and come up with my own. This program has kind of helped and inspired me make dishes that are totally PCP-friendly. The slight downside is that I really haven't made a big batch of these recipes because usually I'm the only one eating them. (It's tricky when you're focusing on specific grams of ingredients.)

I also love to feed people. If I host a dinner or have a party, people can expect there to be plenty of food. Unfortunately, much of it isn't the most healthy option. Although my friends don't mind a healthy meal, they much prefer the other dishes that are loaded with all the bad stuff. Desserts, snacks, sodas, and anything laded with salt and sugar will most definitely disappear before the vegetables and fruits.

Some of the people I know are overweight with a few hitting the obese side of body type. They make the effort to go to the gym to exercise and get healthier, but refuse to give up the eating habits that they've grown accustomed to. Some are seeing a little progress (very little), but for the most part the money they pay the gym would probably get better results by flushing it down the toilet. I don't mean to be cruel, but sometimes it's frustrating when I hear them talk about healthy living and immediately roll their eyes if I open my mouth. They give the attitude that all one needs to do to gain health is to have a magic wand waved over them and voilá! They're healthy.

I have no problem making my own food when people get together. I've done it for most of this program whenever I've gone to some outting that it's almost second nature. I just run into the issue of making food for them.

I know if I make healthy stuff, they will do the following: take a small portion, nibble it, tell me it's great, throw the rest of it away, and the remainder will eventually end up in my refrigerator. They will want the unhealthy stuff, they will devour the unhealthy stuff, and they know I make great unhealthy stuff.

But thinking about that situation, I begin to feel like a hypocrit. Here I am living in wellness and yet feeding crap to everyone else. If I don't feed them junk, then they don't eat and that's not something a cook wants to experience. Don't even get me started on regulating portion sizes. I've tried. It doesn't work with them!

A year or so back, a number of people wanted to go on a diet and wanted suggestions. I had a dinner party for them with healthy food in proper portion sizes so they could see what a good plate looked like. Not only did they devour everything on their plates and on the table, they were still hungry and ordered take out to be delivered to my house!

I know that there's no way I can change people and their habits, so that means I'm the one who'll need to adjust. I'm just not sure how to rectify the internal conflicting feelings of making others happy by feeding them the unhealthy foods they love all the while living a different healthy lifestyle myself.

How do I not feel like a hypocrit?

Day 62: Finally It Has Happened To Me

Tonight I went to a meeting for our local branch of the SCA. This is where most of my friends hang out. I haven't seen them much since August, probably two or three times while I've been doing the PCP. It was the moment I had been waiting for.

"Oh my god! You've lost weight!"

"How many pounds have you lost?"

"You've gotten thinner! I can really see it in your face!" (Exactly what John Pinette said would happen.)

There were high fives all around. They were amazed at how I looked. Of course, they really only saw my face 'cause the rest of me was bundled up like an eskimo. It's cold outside!

And thus I realized that this moment could very easily become a treacherous and slippery slope.

It was total validation for all the effort I have been putting in with the exercising and the eating habits, but I still have a while to go before I reach Day 90. Oh yeah, it could be so easy to start cheating or relaxing a bit on the exercises because I've made it, haven't I? People are noticing that I'm thinner!

This is one of insidious traps, just like the craving trap. The positive feedback feels great, but is it enough to entice me to stop now or am I stronger than that and willing to push on?

No question there. I can't let up. I'm not even near Peak Condition yet. If anything, I've got to work harder and be even more diligent. I can't slack off in the slightest. The goal is in sight. Just gotta keep on running towards it and let nothing divert me from the prize. Then we'll see what my friends say.

Day 61: It's The Little Things That Count

I’m use to expecting the big changes that are occuring to me during this program, like lost weight and new clothing sizes, that sometimes the teeny little ones sneak up and surprise me. It’s not that the big ones are any better than the little ones, as both have equal merit—it’s just that the big ones are many times more noticeable than the little ones.

Observation: The weather is progressing to a more autumn feel. That means longer nights and cooler temperatures. For the past couple of days, my feet and hands have been absolutely freezing. The last time I experienced this was way back many years ago when I was a lot thinner. On one hand, it’s nice to be reminded that I am getting slimmer. On the other hand, my hands and feet are ice cold! I guess I’ll need to start digging out my mittens for Halloween.

Observation: I have a boney backside. 'Nuff said.

Observation: For many years I was drinking soy milk because my body was having issues with cow’s milk. Some people say I’m lactose intolerant; I would say I was lactose confused. Not all dairy products bothered me. Cow’s milk was bad. Yogurt was good. Melted cheddar cheese was bad. Hard cheddar cheese was good. Breyer’s all-natural ice cream was bad. Generic ice cream loaded with all sorts of multi-syllable chemical names was good. However, that seems to be changing now. I can drink 2% cow’s milk with no problems whatsoever, which I think is just amazing after years of not being able to have it. I know my grocery budget is happy about it. (No need to have two different kinds of milk in the house!)

Observation: I haven’t felt the familiar pull to devour candy, cookies, or other snack foods for quite some time. In fact, last night I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies for my partner, using three bars of organic gourmet free-trade chocolate in place of the chips. Not once was I tempted to sample the batter, lick my fingers, or test “just one” cookie. He had a treat to take in to work and I got the chocolate bars out of the house. Amazingly enough, I placed those bars in the cabinet a few weeks before I started PCP just in case I “needed” something to snack on. I realized that I never really needed them at all.

Observation: Today I when looked in the mirror, I just realized that those annoying “love handles” are missing. Oh, there’s a miniscule bulge there but it’s nothing like the great mounds of flesh that use to wave “good morning” at me. I don’t know why I hadn’t noticed it before, but let me tell you it put a little extra spring in my step as I walked out the door on my way to work.

Yeah, big changes are the things that will get noticed by the world, but sometimes it’s those little things that mean the most.

Day 60: Two Midnights Gone!

Here we are at Day 60—two-thirds of the way through this program. You know what this means? We should all start quaking in fear and dread because the program is going to get a lot harder!

Strangely enough, that's exactly what I thought way back at the beginning of this whole journey. Heck, I actually think that every Friday night in uneasy anticipation of the Saturday morning email which is when Patrick doles out the punishments. And yet I still push myself through those exercises every day regardless of the little voice in my head that keeps trying to convince me that I really could skip a day or two. Luckily, each day that voice gets quieter and quieter as it realizes that I'm not really listening to it anymore.

Back when I was having severe knee pain after doing the jump ropes, that little voice was pretty strong. There were days I so wanted to stop putting myself through that pain and that voice had much influential power back then. But I didn't stop. I couldn't stop. I had made some big promises that I meant to keep, which gave me the strength to keep going.

Bit by bit, that voice lost the power. Bit by bit my knees got better. Bit by bit my body got stronger. That's the way the whole thing works. Bit by bit.

When I use to go to the gym, I saw this one guy try to do the impossible. Now he was a big guy both in the tall and wide departments. He would go up to one of the machines, put as much weight as he could on it, and then try to lift it all the while screaming at the top of his lungs as though he were being crushed in a trash compactor. After he made one or two reps, he would drop the weights with a tremendous CLANG! sound and he'd go to the next machine and repeat the whole process. Now I'm not an experienced gym rat, but even I could tell that he was doing all the wrong things. He wanted results now and he was bound to kill himself to get them.

Yeah, not me. I'm not killing myself like that guy. I can't say it's totally painless as the muscles get sore every day I work them, but it's not the excruciating kind. It tells me that I'm doing good, that I'm getting healthier, that I'm on the road to wellness. Bit by bit. One step at a time.

Day 59: Weaving A Web Of Lies And Deceit

Last night I saw this commercial on television:

What the huh?!?

It looks as though the food industry has now found a way to once again trick people into thinking that sugary cereals are now good for them because they contain fiber.

Yeah, the label says it has three grams of fiber, but it also has twelve grams of sugar and that's just for one 1 cup serving. Give me a break! How many kids do you know only eat 1 cup of cereal?

According to the New York Times, "there is a new food-labeling campaign called Smart Choices, backed by most of the nation's largest food manufacturers" which is "designed to help shoppers easily identify smarter food and beverage choices."

Froot Loops isn't the only product that will receive the Smart Choices green checkmark. Apple Jacks got it. Coco Krispies also got one. So did Fudgesicle. And Hellman's mayonaise. And Skippy peanut butter.

Holy crow! This is what the food industry deems as "nutritious"?!?

And I love the quote from Celeste A. Clark who is the senior vice president of global nutrition for Kellogg's: "Froot Loops is an excellent source of many essential vitamins and minerals and it is also a good source of fiber with only 12 grams of sugar. You cannot judge the nutritional merits of a food product based on one ingredient."

Lady, have you looked at the list of ingredients?!? There is very little in it that is nutritional! As noted on the Food Politics website, Froot Loops cereal contains:

1. No fruit.

2. Sugar as the first ingredient (meaning the highest in weight - 41%)

3. Sugar as 44% of the calories.

4. Partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (aka trans-fat), though with less than half a gram so the label can read zero.

I'm sure you can find cookies, chips, and other junk foods that are healthier than this box of cereal. Or maybe it is a healthy product and us PCPers are just a bunch of crazy eating whole foods, exercising, and blindly following this nut-case named Patrick to an alien spaceship to take us to our true home in another galaxy.

Nope. I just checked the mirror and stepped on the scale. I've definitely lost weight and I'm looking pretty good. Definitely no crazy here.

Day 58: Now I'm A Seasick Sailor On A Ship Of Noise

Well, the mystery of yesterday's nausea was discovered. I figured it out today when I got nauseous again after eating my breakfast. It was the peppers. Yes, the ones I just praised the other day were the same ones that made me queasy. I must have hit the point where they were just going a little off, but not smelling like they were bad.

However, despite the nausea I managed to accomplish my exercises for the day. I must say that I like doing the strength exercises in the early afternoon. The muscles are warmed up, the energy level is still pretty good, and I dare say that I feel a bit stronger. Well, anything would probably feel stronger if it wasn't being done after putting in a full day at work where the energy level is dragging a bit.

The rest of today was pretty quiet, which is nice to have once in a while on a Sunday. Now all I got to do is make sure I go to bed on time.

Day 57: It's No One Else's Fault When You're A Day Late Or A Dollar Short

Today wasn't a very good PCP day. I've been cruising along pretty good for a while there, so you know eventually something would have to happen to upset the cart.

The morning was no problem. I got all my jumps in and learned a new move. I've been able to hop on one leg five times, then regular jump five times, then hop on the other leg five times. I've almost got it to the point where I can to that twice without tripping. So today I tried to do an alternating hop on each leg. Kind of like running only in place. I'm also starting to get that rope a-spinning at a pretty good click. That's the only way to do some of those tricks.

But I'm derailing the train of thought here....

Breakfast was fine. Walked to our neighborhood all-natural organic co-op store and back. Had my mid-morning snack. Then it started going downhill. Shortly after the snack I started feeling nauseous. That lasted for a couple hours. I even tried to rest for a bit and that helped a little.

Unfortunately, by the time I felt better I had to race off to chorus practice. There was very little time to pack a proper PCP meal, so I kind of had to wing it. My lunch is suppose to consist of 100g carbs, 180g veg, 2 egg whites, 30g low-fat cheese, and 80ml yogurt. The eggs was the easiest part. I grabbed to hard-boiled eggs and threw them into a lunch bag. The shells and the yolk could be discarded later. The second easiest was the carbs, which ended up being a couple of slices of bread that my partner made. The rest I had to make a guess-timation.

A couple days ago I made a medieval recipe called "Armored Turnips". Basically it consists of turnips, cheese, and spices. I used what I had on hand: turnips, low-fat mozzarella cheese, whole-milk cheddar cheese, and spices. Close, but not totally PCP friendly. (The whole-milk cheddar cheese killed it. Then again, I wasn't exactly making it for me.) So I grabbed a piece of it, which weighed 180g. That fits the veg numbers, right? Well, not exactly. Although the turnips contributed to the weight, the cheese added some too. I was in a rush and wasn't exactly going to figure it out, so I called it even for the veg. I knew that there was more than 30g of low-fat cheese it (because of the cheddar), so I didn't pack a yogurt, hoping that the it would balance out the extra cheese, some of which wasn't low-fat.

I raced off to chorus rehearsal and spent the afternoon there. Then as rehearsal finished (around 5pm) I got a text from my partner that he and a friend were at the mall and asked if I could meet them there. I made a detour to the mall and found out that they didn't want me to pick them up (as they had taken the bus there), but instead wanted to take me to a movie. Not wanting to screw up the day further, I told them I needed to go home so I have my afternoon snack, pack my dinner and evening snack, and do the strength exercises. They were fine with that and we agreed I should come back to the mall around 7pm.

Great plan, in theory. There's road construction on the major highway here, so traffic was all backed up. I managed to take an alternate route. Then as I got near my house, traffic was all back-up again—this time for a football game at the large university just a couple blocks from the house. A trip that usually only takes about ten minutes ended up consuming forty-five. It was 6pm and I had no time to do any strength exercises. I quickly assembled and packed my meals (which were easier, 'cause they mainly contain fruit and eggs), dashed out the door, fought with traffic again, and made it back to the mall by 7pm. (Yes, I snuck my PCP food into the movie theatre.)

After the movie, my partner decided he wanted some gelato. Off we went through the mall to the gelato place. He got some berry flavor and our friend got a custard. They wanted me to sample their respective gelatos, but I didn't want to mess up my day any worse than it already was. So we reached a sort of compromise. I stuck out my pinky and they would place an itty-bitty teeny-weeny glob of gelato on it—basically enough to sample the flavor on my tastebuds.

When it comes to the holiday season, my all-time most favorite thing is eggnog. Yeah, it's a deathtrap in a carton, but I grew up on the stuff and it has always been part of my life during the months of November and December. My partner said that the custard gelato tasted just like eggnog, so I eagerly anticipated sampling the teeny glob on my finger.

It was definitely the flavor of eggnog, only smothered in who knows what. It was like a thick coating in my mouth and not at all any semblance of the pleasant childhood memories I had of eggnog. The berry wasn't much better—not as thick texture but definite overtones of sugar. Let's correct that. It was like being kick in the head with a bag of sugar. I didn't need any more than those tiny little samples. I so wanted a bunch of grapes to clear those flavors out of my mouth.

Eventually we made it home, with just a little bit of time for me to do this quick post before heading off to bed. I've had far too many late nights, and every one of them involve playing silly online computer games. Those things are the bane of a PCP lifestyle!

Day 56: Because, Well Well, Just Because

A friend of mine wrote to me to let me know that today is International Hug A Vegetarian Day. Who knew there was even such a thing? So for my vegetarian PCP family out there, here's a big virtual hug to you all!

This is only my second year of being vegetarian. My family still freaks out about it, my co-workers think I'm nuts, and some of my friends view it as an opportunity to try out new vegetable recipes. For the most part everyone is cool with it, but there are moments when it gets awkward. I think the most problematic for me is when people ask, "Why did you go vegetarian?"

People always seem to anxiously await my answer. Sometimes it feels like that somehow my words will guide them to enlightenment. Other times I feel like I'm on the verge of a confrontation. Unfortunately my answer almost always disappoint.

I wish I could say it was because of animals rights, or the meat industry, or ecological reasons, but I can't because I didn't learn most of that until after I went veggie. I would love to honestly say it was because I wanted to be healthier and take care of my body, but I can't 'cause you've seen my day one photo. I couldn't even say that it was because of personal conviction or religious reasons. So what's my answer when I'm asked, "Why did you go vegetarian?"

"Just because." Two words. Sounds lame, doesn't it. I became a vegetarian just because. Literally just like that. I woke up the morning of December 31st two years ago and said to myself, "I should go vegetarian." When midnight struck on New Year's Eve, I began the year 2008 totally meatless.

There were probably tons of influencing factors in the decision, observations I had been quietly making in my subconscious until one day it all coalesced into one thought that pushed me in a certain direction. All I know was that this was the path my journey in this life was taking. No other reason.

And my adventure continues.

Day 55: Raw Power Will Surely Come Running To You

I think I'm getting decidedly lazy on the PCP. Well, it's either that or it may be that my taste buds are changing.

At the beginning of PCP, each weekend I would diligently steam a ginormous batch of vegetables to be used the following week. Between the chopping and the steaming, the whole process would take a couple or so hours, but by the time I was done I would have a huge Tupperware That's-A-Bowl full of steamed veggies.

Nowadays, not so much. Now I'm crazy into raw veggies, especially for lunch. I have been enjoying the crisp crunch of green, red, orange, yellow, and banana peppers over the past week and so far I haven't gotten enough of them. I'm weird that way. If I really enjoy something, I'll eat it for days on end. It'll take a while before I'll get tired of it.

It just boggles my mind. Before this program you could barely get me to eat a raw veggie. A cheese-covered veggie—sure! A cream-sauce covered veggie—absolutely! A deep-fried veggie—most assuredly. A raw veggie? Take that thing away and don't come back with it until it's thoroughly cooked and covered in goop!

Strangely enough, I'm enjoying a lot of things without any doctoring. I love my spices, don't get me wrong, but right now just give it to me plain. The natural flavors of the food is really exciting me. Give it to me raw!

Day 54: Clothes Aren't What They Use To Be

Did you know that clothing lies? I'm not talking about the clothing industry, which keeps changing its sizes to help overweight American to feel better about their waistlines, but the clothing itself.

In another spurt of house cleaning, I decided to clean out my closet and start putting away my clothing that has now gotten way too big, like my size 36 pants. Luckily I still kept some of my old size 32 and size 34 items. They were one of those things that I kept "just in case" hoping that one day I would I return to those sizes again. For the longest time it always seemed to be a pipe dream that would never happen, so it put a smile on my face to see the actual realization of that day!

That was when I discovered that clothing lies.

I was grabbing a pair of my favorite cargo jeans, wistfully sighing that they had to go away because they were now way too big. Before putting them into the "going away" pile, I took one last look at the tag which listed it's size. It was a 34. I paused. Wait a moment, I thought to myself, I still fit a size 34. 34's may be a little baggy, but not as bad as a size 36. What is going on here?

I had bought the cargo jeans when I was a size 34 and wore them all the time even as my waist increased in size. Who knew that jeans could stretch? Denim is suppose to extremely rugged stuff and able to survive some of the roughest conditions, and yet my waistline had stretched them out. Amazing!

Well, the clothing has been sorted and soon the stuff that's too big will be going away. No, I am not going to pack it up and store it. I do not want to keep that clothing "just in case" because I do not even want to contemplate the "just in case". I am working too hard on my body, mind, and habits to even leave room for "just in case".

So for now I have a set of clothing that I can fit for the interim. The holidays and my birthday will be coming up in just a couple of months. I think I already know what I want to put on my wish list. I'm gonna be stylin'!

Day 53: And Anyone Who's Young And Healthy Knows That That's The Way The Traffic Flows

Day 52: Flash! A-ah! King Of The Impossible!

Gotta say, I'm still lovin' the ropes! This morning I attempted a Double-Cross (which starts out like a Front Cross, only you jump the rope while you're arms are still crossed) and managed to do two jumps through with that move. I am so stoked! There's still a lot more practice to do in order to get them perfect. Someday that will occur—right along with being able to jump without getting tangled in the rope.

Tonight I finally tried to do a "big boy" pull-up instead of the inclined. Nope. There's still no "up" there. A lot of swinging though. I ended up sort of standing on the points of my toes (like a ballerina) and hauling my carcass up to the damn bar. I couldn't get my face anywhere near it, but there was some upward motion. The best part was that my arms were doing most of the work. The toes really afforded more stability than anything (since it's hard to push yourself up when you're standing on point.)

The Kung-Fu sit-ups were also a bit of a challenge. I swear I must have the longest freakin' arms in the history of mankind. I hang from the bar and my knees aren't that far from the floor, and I've got it secured almost at the top of the door jam. So it means that I really can't hang from the bar like the picture shows and lift my legs—not a very far distance for my legs to get off the ground. Instead, I kept my knees bent and lifted my legs that way.

Today was also the second day I've encountered this strange burst of energy. After the strength exercises I was making dinner, packing tomorrow's lunch, boiling eggs, taking out the trash and recycling, washing dishes, etc., and it almost felt like I was doing it all simultaneously! Like I was the Flash or something! I think I'll enjoy the energy while it's around.

Day 51: But If You're Smart You'll Learn Your Lessons Well

Today I was very off-kilter and out-of-sorts, and yet there was a lesson (or two) to be learned.

The day began with me weighing myself. I don't know why, but I always do that on Sunday. Over the past few weeks I had been pleased seeing three pounds dropping off almost consistently. That was until this morning. Only one pound. I got off the scale and got back on. Still only one pound. Just because the first two times didn't get me the result I wanted, I tried for a third. Still only one pound.

That set the tone for the day. I was not a happy camper. Mentally I knew that there could be many reasons why it was only one pound, like gaining muscle mass or hitting a plateau. Plus I have experienced the moments where my clothes are looser and I'm actually seeing that my chest is not wobbling anymore. But nothing could sway the funk that I had put my mind in.

I immediately did my jump ropes right after that revelation. It was as much of a blast today as it was yesterday—maybe even better. I was able to hop on each foot separately for at least ten jumps, managed to do more front crosses, and even did a whole routine (5x jumps, 5x right, 5x jumps, 5x left, 5x jumps, 1 front cross, 5x jumps) with nary a trip!

Then my day went wonky. I had breakfast, read the paper, then immediately went into housekeeping mode. Did I have energy? Oh hells yeah! Talk about multi-tasking! I went through this whole house, from doing laundry in the basement, to cleaning the kitchen, living room and dining room on the first floor, to making the beds on the second floor, to putting things away in the attic on the third floor. I was a cleaning fool.

Unfortunately for me, when I get in the zone like that, I lose all track of time. It was almost 2pm before I had realized I missed both my 10am snack and my 1pm lunch. A quick pause for the snack, then clean some more. Lunch didn't occur until around 4pm. Afternoon snack happened around 6pm.

By that time I had to walk to the store to pick up more food. When I got back, I immediately turned my attention to washing the dishes, which pushed my strength exercises even later (8:30pm), then dinner (9:15pm), packing my lunch for tomorrow, and evening snack (10pm).

The lessons I learned:

(1) Only you can choose your mental state. Even though I remembered all the things Patrick had said about the project, specifically the part about not paying attention to the numbers on the scale, I allowed myself to be disappointed by the one thing I was not suppose to focus on, which in turn made for a crummy morning.

(2) Don't mess up your damn meal schedule. One of the reasons for jumping rope in the morning is so that your body can be very efficient at using the fuel that it's given, especially from morning to lunch. If you push your meal schedule off to where everything is in the afternoon, then you've just lost all that excellent burning power and eventually will be cramming the food in when the body is starting to slow down for the night in preparation for sleep.

(3) Get lots of sleep, optimally eight hours. Which breaks down to the fact that I really need to stop writing and crawl into bed so I can be ready for more jump rope fun in the morning.

So, I'm going to now heed lesson number three and sign off.