Around this same time, Chen Zhongtao, former Army officer, policeman, and personal trainer from China, wandered into my yoga studio. We got to talking and I told him my goal to get in great shape without a bunch of gimmicks.

He said,

In China, all we have is simple training! Here's what you eat, and here's what you do...

Over the next few days, we mapped out a plan that he assured me would work. It required no gym equipment and used mostly my own body weight. The last step was to confront my own laziness and tendency to give up on things. So I made a very public commitment to the program and vowed to keep a daily blog and photo. If I failed at this, it would be a very public failure. And that provided all the motivation I had been lacking.

The blog needed a name. What I wanted was not to be simply "unfat." I planned to get my body into a state of maximum health. I wanted to get into Peak Condition. And thus The Peak Condition Project was born.

After a few weeks, the blog started to get a lot of attention.

Especially when I got the results I had been seeking for more than 10 years.

As I shared my ideas, triumphs, and set-backs I found that I wasn't alone in my frustration with modern dieting and gym culture. And as people saw the results they started asking if they could participate in the Project themselves. Chen thought it sounded like fun so we accepted our first 3 "PCPers" and started to systemize what had been up to that point scraps of paper scattered across my desk and kitchen. It would be a 90 day plan, with a diet and exercises that changed every week. The participants would have to keep a public blog and photo stream, just as I had. And, via email, I would give them the same kind of daily tips that Chen had imparted to me.

How did it go? Here's Corry, one of the original 3 PCPers.

So we decided to do it again. Each time we ran a group through we refined our methods and presentation to take the guesswork out of getting fit. After a year we felt confident enough to open up the PCP to the general public. And here we are!

Overview

Our program works. It works because we provide a full spectrum of support for the people who sign up. We cover all the bases. When someone takes on a training regimen they usually neglect one of the following three areas:

Nutrition

Truly healthy people are not skipping meals or drinking factory made concoctions to lose weight. They are eating a lot of the right things, vegetables, fruit, complex carbs, and proteins. We take an approach that doesn't tell you exactly what to eat, just how much.

Each week, you will be given a customized diet based on your height, weight, and fitness goals. Breakfast, for example, might contain 100 grams of carbs, 80 grams of vegetables, and 50 grams of protein. How you fill out those grams is completely up to you. The diet shifts and changes according to how your plan is going.

And most importantly, over the 90 days, PCPers gain the skills and habits to eat well for the rest of their lives.

Conditioning and Strengthening

A fit body is not merely skinny, it is the presence of muscle tissue that gets the metabolic fires burning so that you can eat normally and maintain a trim bodyline. But you don't need any fancy equipment or gym memberships to get the kind of muscle tone you've dreamed of. The PCP requires only the simplest of materials. A jumprope, a resistance band, two push-up bars, and some tables and chairs. By keeping things in the range of your own body-weight, a natural balance is kept that keeps you lean, toned, and flexible.

Depending on the plan you choose, you will get a certain number of workout sheets for each day of your project. The workouts are designed to take an absolute beginner all the way through to peak performance along a gradually sloping difficulty. There's no guesswork involved, just find an hour each day, start at the top of the sheet and work your way through the exercises.

Print the sheets out or keep it all digital, it's up to you! These exercises can be done at home, in an office, in the park, anywhere with enough room to swing a jump rope.

Motivation

Despite what you may hear on late night TV, it takes at least 3 months of concentrated effort to reach Peak Condition. And while many people start exercise plans with high hopes and a lot of gusto, after a few days they realize that eating right and training to is actually hard work. So they skip a day or two, have that extra slice of pie, and are soon back where they started, with a little less spirit. I know this because I did it myself for years.

When you join this plan, you are required to make your Project as transparent as possible. Through blogs and weekly photos you share what's going well, what's frustrating you, and how you're changing. Transparency brings accountability. It is when we feel like we're alone and no one cares if we quit that we quit.

You'll be furbished with a PCP email, professionally designed blog, and Flickr stream when you sign up. Through the PCP website you will be linked up to all the other PCPers past and future. And each Project launches as a group, so you will have your fellow PCPers to share your journey with. In addition, you will wake up to a PCP email with health knowledge and advice every single day of your project. We've got your back!

Trying to get fit alone can be a real grind. A community like ours is an incredible motivator, and makes the hard work of getting in shape an enjoyable and life-changing experience.

So, is the Peak Condition Project for you?

I'll be honest, my worst nightmare is ending up like one of those infomercial fitness gurus. I'm not selling you any gimmicks, and I'm not here to promise you easy results. The PCP is very approachable, but that doesn't mean it's easy. You will need to truly want to change from deep within yourself. There will be some tough days. But everyone who has completed the program reports a whole new perspective on the food they eat, the way they use their bodies, and their general outlook on life. But don't take my word for it. Browse through the Complete Blogs to read their experiences for yourself.

Whether you choose to sign up or not, thanks for stopping by! Just the fact that you are reading a page like this means you are headed in the right direction. We hope the Peak Condition Project inspires you to achieve your fitness goals, be it here or on your own terms.