April 19, 2012 9:54 AM HKT

Final Post

Sorry it's taken me a little while to get to this.

Now I've had a few days back in the real world I am appreciating even more everything I have learnt and the good habits I have formed during PCP. I have to admit that the last week or so was hard with easter etc and whilst I was a little disappointed that I dropped the bundle somewhat, I am still very happy with my achievements and inspired to keep going.

First, the results. I lot 5 kg, 9 cm off my waist, 6 cm of my hips, 3 cm off each thigh and 2 cm off the top of my arms. Progress. I'm fitting back into my old wardrobe and looking and feeling so much more healthy. The most amazing part of it was the consistency of my energy and moods. I really notice it when I have that glass of wine, or the heavy food. I've been trying to stick generally to the diet, which is actually quite easy now and I find myself searching out all those nutritious goodies I've become so used to.

In terms of commitment, I am happy to say I reached new highs. I never would have thought I could do such intense exercise every day and reap the saitsfaction and rewards. Skipping is now my 'time out' and I just feel like I understand the whole process much better now. I hear other people talking about what fad diet or exercise program they are doing and I just smile discreetly to myself.

Thanks so much Sarah and Patrick for the inspiration and encouragement, for always providing the right information at the right time and to everyone else for helping us all get to the finish line.

I'm hoping that the maintenance program will tell me what to do if I want to just get a few more kilos off to get back into those last few clothes that I love (ie just jump back into the week 4-8 diet and exercise for a few weeks????).

Arriverderci.

April 11, 2012 8:51 PM HKT

Day 88

I powered through my workout this morning and felt very self satisfied. After being away over easter and succumbing to the odd chocolate egg and glass of wine it felt good to be back on track. Only 2 more days to go but I'm hoping the habits I've formed over the past few months will remain.....

April 3, 2012 6:44 PM HKT

Day 80

I can't believe it's only 10 days to go!

I have to admit I'm struggling a bit staying motivated to do the workouts - the skipping is fine. I power through that with no breaks with my music and am really enjoying it. But the 5/6 sets of exercises is getting a bit mind numbing.

Still on track with diet. The end is in sight........

March 28, 2012 9:08 AM HKT

weekend away

I had a great weekend away from it all last weekend - well all the hustle and bustle of life. So I got to focus on "me' time. Lots of sleep exercise and healthy eating - PCP style. It was nice to have the focus to recentre as I'm getting a bit blase about the whole thing now that there's not much longer to go. I know it will be tempting to slip back into my old ways, but I'm hoping to find the balance of before and after PCP me. I don't want to let all this hard work go to waste. My problem is I'm an all or nothing kind of gal. I worry that if I start with the occasional indulgence it will be all down hill from there......

March 21, 2012 7:45 AM HKT

Day 67

Powered throught the workout yesterday. I'm finding some days I have more energy than others. Usually the lunges get to me a few days later. It's all feeling a bit more like a habit now and I'm hoping to continue in general port day 90!!

March 16, 2012 4:53 PM HKT

Loving Breakfast

I have to say, I'm finally in to the big breakfast routine. I'm really enjoying my egg, sourdough toast and veggies. Taking my milk with coffee and it's all a real ritual. Definitely a habit I can keep up post PCP. Looking forward to seeing what the diet holds for me on Sunday - more or less. I was interested this week to see the quantities start going up again. Love to know how it all works, and how you plan what each individual has to do.........for more muscles, more weight loss etc. Any clues how to tweak it once we get off PCP???

March 16, 2012 4:41 AM HKT

Anything happening?

Getting through the exercises and the grams this week but don't really feel much happening?!

This weekend will be a challenge as I am travelling.....

March 10, 2012 7:29 AM HKT

She's back

Sorry I haven't blogged for a while. Very busy week and it's really frustrating I can't post from my iPhone. So here I am. Initeresting week, I've been really distracted so whilst I've managed to complete all my exercises and stick to the diet it's been without much focus and somehow I feel like it hasn't made any difference because of this lack of consciousness?! We are camping this weekend and our friends all very interested in what we are doing. Maybe they'll all join up as a group for the next one......

March 1, 2012 10:15 AM HKT

Day 47 - still here

OK....back on the wagon. I dropped off it last friday. Didn't do my exercise. My mum's 70th birthday so although I skipped going out for dinner with the family I dropped in and had a champagne, then proceeded to drop in on another friends birthday for one more glass of wine. The next morning I have to say was the first time I have been moody on PCP. I woke up being VERY fragile and reactive and it made me notice how I haven't felt like that for 6 weeks!!! No PMT, no lows. Mainly highs. Very inciteful about the mind/body experience of wholistically looking after yourself. So I missed uploading my week 6 photo because I frankly spent the whole day feeling over it!! But I did catch up on the exercise I missed on friday.

Every day I wonder how I will complete the next days exercises as I am getting really sore and not recovering by the next day. So that days exercises are done on sore legs!! Ouch. I've been pulling on my reserves and taking one day at a time. I think to myself....."I'll just do the skipping, I'll just do half the sets...", but I end up getting through them all with stoic determination. So in that respect I am feeling quote proud of myself.  I'm really getting into the stretching and becoming a little more flexible every day. I have this ambition to be able to lie down flat on my legs and put my hands around my toes. I could do it when I was about 13 so I remember what it feels like. I thought that the gradual reduction in flexibility was one way.......there may be hope for me yet. Still struggle with real pushups and incline pull ups. I tried a real pull up yesterday while at the pool and managed 2!!!! Very uncoordinated. But that's a start.

Also I must congratulate patrick et al on getting the timing of the message right - they always seem to pre-empt some stage I'm about to go through with precision. Like the body coming up with many sneaky ways to put you off track. It is GROANING under the relentlessness of it all at the moment. I seem to be always dreaming of sleep even though I am probably getting the 8 hrs required.

I still feel like I am eating a lot of food with pre and post workout snacks which still goes against my instincts. But hey, what do I know??

February 23, 2012 9:32 AM HKT

Day 40

Some of the exercise definitely seem to be getting easier, and some I'm still just hopeless at (pull ups, double katana). I've been avoiding the skipping rope in favour of other exercises so have only been skipping once every 3 days.....otherwise I just dread it. But that is working really well for me at the moment, so onwards and upwards.

Also loving the diet at the moment. I could give or take the egg whites but it's great having a lighter evening and I'm still not hungry at all. In fact still struglling to fit all the food in during the morning.

February 18, 2012 10:51 AM HKT

daily messages

The daily messages always seem to reflect exactly what I'm feeling/asking myself. How do you guys know!!! I skipped my exercises yesterday (only the second day in the program and last time I was sick) because I was sooooo tired and sore and had a busy day. I did go for a big/fast walk so I'm telling myself I only missed the workout part. I am watching the kilos literally DROP off my husband like nobody's business and finding that a little frustrating and unfair when I am being equally as diligent. But I did finally drop below 60 today 59.9kg but it looked so much better on the scales. I've decided NOT to weight myself at all this week and just go on how I FEEL.

Diet still going fine, exercises definitely a scary prospect. People starting to be more envious and less critical saying I look so well. Huh!

February 14, 2012 9:46 AM HKT

double katana

I think "katana" has to be my new swear word. Just finished my exercises and my arms are SHAKING!!!I'm enjoying having the lighter evening and will be looking with hope at the scales tomorrow morning to see if I get below 60kg - this morning was 60.1.....

Picked fresh blackberries with the kids over the weekend and made blackberry jam and pastry yesterday. I watched in complete detachment as the kids had there tart with lashings of double cream as I nibbled on my banana for dinner.

February 11, 2012 7:27 AM HKT

Day 28

Missed my exercises yesterday so did them this morning - OMG the double katana was pure hell. I could only do about 4 before I had to attach my theraband to something higher than my foot and then it was still pain!! I pushed through it and felt very self satisfied at the end but it did cross my mind as the weeeks go on........are you trying to put us off exercise????

Nooo. I still can only just do one set of real pushups before I have to go to the knees. But still plugging away.

February 10, 2012 7:07 PM HKT

Week 4

indulgence came at just the right time - celebrating a friends new house purchase with some champagne - managed to pretty much stick to the foo diet part. REALLY enjoyed the champagne though!!

Sooo soo tired today though - I need a weekend catch up on sleep.The new training regime definitely taking it's toll. PLEASE reduce my food - I'm struggling to get through it all. Surely I shouldn't be forcing myself to eat all this food.

February 7, 2012 2:32 PM HKT

Day 24

I was struck today by how much I am enjoyig this! Both the exercise and the satisfaction of sticking to the diet and regime 100% Having read some of the other comments today, I am also interested that one of the more difficult things is hearing the negative inferences of other people when you are out socialising and abstain from that glass of wine, or make an order complicated at the restaurant dinner table. There are also plenty of people who are very positive about it (and in awe) of the sense of purpose one requires to stick to it.

I'm starting to see a result this week. Hopped into some trousers that have been way too tight for a while and they are the perfect fit. So that's encouraging. I was getting annoyed that the weight wasn't falling of as quickly as I'd like so nice to see that at least my shape and measurements (hopefully) are changing.

Found the planks certainly challenging and the press ups. But on the whole I'm enjoying hitting the "burn" stage further on in the sets every day. Makes me keen to see what I can do tomorrow and keeps me motivated.

Hoping for a good sleep tonight. I'm tired.

x

February 5, 2012 7:29 AM HKT

Day 21

Went out last night with some girlfriends and mineral watered ALL night. Very tricky to order from the menu but managed some kingfish sashimi and steamed beans. I was sure I'd be able to find some carbs but have you heard of a restaurant with no bread!!! Had my fruit when I got home. So I did well on the whole.

Happy to have my new diet which has cut down a little but not sure about the egg white......do I have to drink it??

Have attached a photo of our yummy lunch yesterday.

Photos

February 4, 2012 1:25 PM HKT

1000 SKIPS YEH!

Nailed the skipping today and quickly. Felt soooo good.

February 3, 2012 5:48 PM HKT

Dinner tonight

Remembered a favourite food we have tried and we had it for dinner. Seared scallops with a little apple puree with vanilla (hope that's ok tiny bit of fruit at dinner - only about 1 teaspoon). Yum. I went to the market today and bought prawns, sea perch and the scallops. Hope to do chilli prawn salad for lunch tomorrow.

February 3, 2012 5:40 PM HKT

skipping

After two days of running instead of skipping (which I loved) I came back to the fold and skipped merrily 6 x 150 jumps with nerry a trip. Very excited after my previous disastrous attempt. More impressed was I because I had another shocking night's sleep last night (prob only got about 3 hours) so I've felt half alive and sore all day. (Clearly muscles didn't have time to recover)......

My friend told me how different she thinks I look - fresh faced and healthy. So that felt good.

I am actually really proud of myself. I have stuck to the whole regime religiously and even when tempted I haven't felt the urge to cheat. I usually pick at food while I'm cooking so it's really funny to find myself serving dinner to the kids and going to lick the pesto spoon, only to catch myself before it goes into the mouth and instead goes straight into the dishwasher. All I can say is, thank god for the fruit. In the evening, that's my real treat. And I haven't been having anything bland like an apple - oh no, its strawberries or pineapple, passionfruit. ..... I've even been blening strawbs up with ice in my thermomix to make strawberry sorbet. The sweet sweet fruits. I still feel guilty - like I would get more out of the program if I had fruits with less sweetness?!!

Oh and another half kilo off this week.

February 1, 2012 10:13 AM HKT

Sleep

I just can't seem to get to sleep at night. It's so frustrating. I'm even going to bed earlier, having a relaxing herbal tea, doing my best but I feel all twitchy!! I thought the exercise would help, but I actually feel too alive to get to sleep. Maybe I should be having an afternoon nanna nap.

Skipped the skipping today and did and jog/walk. Sooooo liberating and nice to be out in the trees and sunshine instead of staring at the spot on my wall and tripping over my rope every 5 skips. Psching myself up to take on the skiopping rope again tomorrow.......

January 31, 2012 6:30 PM HKT

Back to reality

My 3 kids all go back to school tomorrow so in some ways it will be better as I'll have more time during the day to think and plan the food, but no more sleep ins!! Back to good old 6.15am to get everyone organised and to school on time. I'm holding no illusions of getting up any earlier to get my exercise done prior - and anyway, I'm told that SLEEP is more important!!! I find I exercise better later in the day when I'm warmer.

850 skips today was pure frustration. To be fair, it was good that my calves/shins are no longer giving me problems and making me pause. But I must have tripped every 5/6 skips. I tried shortening the rope (as per instructions) lengthening the rope. Standing straight. Looking straight ahead. Relaxing. Maybe just an off day. My 6 year old son has started exercising next to me. How many skips mum? 850. (double skips 3 or 4 times) I think I've done about 1000 mum. Good on ya mate!

Training going well and I'm enjoying pushing my body, resting and feeling stronger the next day. Definitely noticing improvements which is encouraging. So by the end of this week it will be 3 weeks. Isn't that how long it takes to break and reset a habit. I'm sure there are many more surprises in store for us......

January 30, 2012 7:18 PM HKT

Motivation

I haven't exactly lost motivation but it was interesting the latest info about enthusiasm starting to wane.....

I've been really happy just plugging away at all the exercises and eating and just getting on with it. However, today I'm going to focus on Patrick's Mantra "don't over think it" as I am getting really sick of thinking about food and how to keep it interesting and exciting. Tomorrow morning I'm going to do really boring! egg.toast.tomato. milk.

For the first time since we left HK I'm missing my helper....would be nice to have my food just brought to me on a plate sometimes.

January 30, 2012 7:08 PM HKT

Skipping

I really do not emjoy the skipping!! Tried mixing it up today with 2 feet, running on the pots and feet to the front. I suppose the first 4 hundred aren't so bad so at least I'm improving.

January 26, 2012 5:32 PM HKT

Too much food still

Somehow I'm still not manaing to get in all my grams of food - I keep forgetting either the morning or afternoon snack. Am I bad?

January 26, 2012 5:26 PM HKT

Incline Pull ups

Definitely getting easier. Yay!

January 26, 2012 5:25 PM HKT

Dinner tonight

We had a really lovely dinner tonight - a nice change using some different ingredients to what we have been mainly eating.
YUM

Photos

January 25, 2012 6:07 PM HKT

food

Loving experimenting with all the different foods. Still struggling to eat everything I'm supposed to.

January 23, 2012 9:15 AM HKT

Day 9 - Hi to everyone

Hi Everyone!

I feel like the PCP has really started now with the exercises ramping up and the diet kicking in. Week one started to get me in the right frame of mind and it was challenging only in that I was ready to get going but my shins weren't. Thankfully, stretches, icing and arnica seem to have done the trick and the 700 skips yesterday were managemable (if not easy). I never seem to be able to do all the skips in one go, but I'm aiming for 100 skip groups with a quick stretch in between to manage the shins! Anyone else have any tips?? The exercises are getting easier and I find I am looking forward to achieving a little more each day. I don't really notice the day to day change but by the end of the week, they were definitely getting easier. Yay!

I'm loving the diet aspect. Hayden and I have been surfing for recipes that we can adapt to fit with the program to keep it interesting and leaving the plate of egg/steamed veg/toast for those days that we are in a hurry or don't want to think about it. Being summer in Australia is very conducive to light fresh salads with loads of fresh herbs. I am finding after day one it's a LOT of food to get through in the morning, with the milk etc. Definitely not feeling hungry or deprived so far.

Yesterday was a little challeging as we had a wedding celebration in the afternoon - lots of mineral water for me, and turning away all those delicious finger food plates was not fun. I kept thinking of the yummy salmon I was going to have when I got home.

I meant to take a photo of my breakfast but too late - I ate it. Soft bolied egg, toasted rye sourdough, and shredded red/yellow capsicums, raw zucchini, spring onions, mushrooms, mint, basil, coriander with a drizzle of lemon juice and course ground pepper. YUM.

Funny how I've noticed the people around me being sooooo curious about not drinking/eating like everyone else. Everyone wants to know about my "health kick".  I ususally like to keep a low profile with these kinds of things - so todays message about communicating and keeping in touch about my progress kind of goes against the grain. BUT I can definitely see how it could benefit in the long run having our group encouraging me along the way. We all have a common goal (peak condition) so I'm up for giving it a go. So here's wishing everyone in the TAURUS group ( very apt as I'm taurean myself) the best of luck going forward. Can't wait to see all our completion shots.   I'm toasting you all with my herbal tea.

x eva

January 19, 2012 10:39 AM HKT

Day 5 - feeling good except for my shin!

OK. So I've found the week fairly manageable so far, although I've been a bit slack with the blogging. I have been a little sore from the lunges but managing the skipping OK, except for some soreness on my right shin. Hopefully not shin splint?! Any advice on what to do about that? I am skipping on an exercise mat on carpet so not a hard surface. I will try stretching the calf, ankles, achilles a little more and see if that helps.
So far, I've really been just focussing on my normal life and fitting the program around it without really thinking about it much. Having read all the massages so far, I am realising I'm maybe better off allocating some more time and thought to the process I am undertaking.

I am really enjoying that I can get the skipping/exercise done in a relatively short time and feeling satisfied that I have done something physical and positive with my day, then getting on with the other things I have to. I usually eat fairly healthily and it's interesting to take notice of the quantity> My weakness is always the afternoon and after dinner cup of tea, which always begs a sweet accompaniment......

My husband is doing the program too so it's nice to have some company going forward when I'm sure it will get tougher!

January 15, 2012 2:19 PM HKT

Day 1

Wow. Day 1. Thanks PCP team for getting me online after a rusty start navigating the enrolment process. Jussst in the nick of time.
I am feeling really excited about starting and a little daunted about being able to stick at it dilligently for 3 months. I'll be thinking of my friend Meaghan for inspiration who just completed the last project.
Haven't done my workout yet today.....just waiting to get the kids to bed and then, off I go.

Good luck everyone.

Photo to come. 62.5kg the countdown begins. I'd love to lose at least 6kg.

January 13, 2012 7:03 AM HKT

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