The Peak Condition Project

April 16, 2012 7:23 PM EDT

Final Blog...

Final results: Weight loss 26.6 lbs (224.6 to 198), total body fat loss 7%, 4 inches off my waist. Not only were the results amazing but I feel like I am in the best shape & conditioning of my life. Prior to beginning this program I began to feel joint pain which I accepted as something I would have to deal with as I got older. Any pain I was feeling is gone now...I now know that was caused by my weight and poor fitness level.

When I look back at the past 90 days I realize that participating in this has project has been one of the best decisions of my
life to date. The learning experience alone has been fantastic and is filled with core principles that will guide my life going forward. PCP should be a required course for America’s youth (then we wouldn't have such an obesity epidemic in this country). Several realizations were made during this process that I would like to share:

1 - You can lose weight while not being hungry!
2- A gym and weights are NOT required for building muscle and getting fit.(and probably will only lead to setbacks from injuries)

3- Calories shouldn’t be relevant in your daily routine if you are smart about how you approach a diet (not diet in the weight
loss sense but as a lifestyle). This is amazing to me because prior to pcp I constantly thought in calories and was crunching numbers in my head all day while thinking about what to eat next.
4- You CAN get into a solid workout routine even if you feel like you never have time or energy. Sure its very difficult at first to break the cycle but working out will give you more energy throughout the day and if you prioritize it then you will make time.

5- Food intake affects all facets of life, mood, general feelings, irritability, energy levels and overall well being.

6 - Anybody can lose weight, there is no "I’m prone to being fat so my body won’t respond". i am proof. Sure you may gain easier than others but proper diet and exercise will get results. Nobody said it was easy, but with the right plan of attack it’s very possible.

7 – You’ll never make progress if you’re not honest with yourself. We need to be completely honest about what we put into our bodies as well as how hard we are really working out (ie – going to the gym but not breaking a sweat is a waste of time).

I went shopping for clothes yesterday and felt like a kid in the dressing room as shirt after shirt fit really well which is something i haven't experienced in a very long time...its a great feeling and i intend to hold onto it.

I'd like to extend a big thanks to Patrick and Sarah for showing us the way and providing motivation when times were tough.
The results and lessons which are now strongly ingrained in my regime far surpassed my expectations. I also owe a special thanks to the Hidaka brothers for their encouragement and support In joining pcp as well as throughout the program. One last big thank you needs to go to my wife who also had to alter her lifestyle to help me conquer the program. She put up with a lot in the last 3 months and i owe her big time, I couldn't have done this without her.

Photos

April 14, 2012 8:41 AM EDT

Final Blog to Come...

Still gathering my thoughts...

April 7, 2012 12:36 PM EDT

1 Week Left

The daily notes have been very appropriate pushing us to maintain motivation as it's easy at this point to relax a bit given all the progress up to this point. I am keeping my head down and driving forward with the goal finishing this program strong and have a killer final pic.

March 31, 2012 10:03 AM EDT

Still Losing...

I'm pretty pumped this morning after my weekly weigh-in. I'm down nuder 200 for the first time in a long time and I'm feeling really good about my progress. This week was demanding as the workouts increase in time it becomes harder to fit it into a busy schedule but I plan to keep my head down and finish strong.

March 24, 2012 12:13 PM EDT

Week 10 Complete

3 more weeks to go...Things are going well overall. I feel my fitness level reaching levels I've never seen before and my waist is continuing to shrink. I will say that with the spring weather in NY coming early I am tempted to go out and have a drink but I promised myself to suck it up for 3 more weeks and finish strong. I've a long way so far, cant wait to see the finished product.

March 17, 2012 9:52 AM EDT

Tough Week...

I spoke to soon when I said I was surprised I hadn't been sick throughout this process. This week I came down with a bad cough and fever which derailed my workouts. I was able to stick to the diet but wish I could have done more. I'm feeling better now almost back to 100% and am looking to hit it hard this week and finish strong.

March 10, 2012 9:26 AM EST

In the groove...

I definitely feel like I am humming along at this point. While the workouts can be grueling, there's nothing like the feeling throughout the day from a hard morning workout. I would say the post earlier in the week was spot on regarding low points which i certainly experienced but being aware of it made all the difference. I also feel as though I've entered a new territory for my body's fitness level. Motivation for previous routines would typically have died off at this point of success or there were times I would get sick after having early success which would stall my progress. Thus far this has been hands down the best program I've ever followed and if I stopped now (which I have no intention of) I would feel great about it (down 20 lbs so far and stronger). I am really looking forward to seeing the progress over teh next 4 weeks! Good luck to all in the coming weeks, stay strong...

March 4, 2012 6:34 PM EST

Indulgence Feedback

So I took advantage of the indulgence today since its Sunday. I thought I would maximize enjoyment eating slowly. Not only was the meal (Pizza) completely unsatisfying and didnt live up to my expectations but I've felt terrible since I ate it. I became physically tired, upset that I feel as though I cheated on PCP, mentally my mood is worse, and I actually feel like vomiting. Just to be clear Pizza is my favorite food. I've always said if I were stuck on an island with one food there would be no question that I would choose Pizza. Anyway I guess this was the point of the exercise and I would agree that his should help with future cravings. Thanks for ruining my favorite food team PCP... :-(

March 3, 2012 10:45 AM EST

Steady Progress...

This morning I excited to weigh in because I felt I had a close to perfect week in terms of following the diet and exercise. I weighed in (as I do every Saturday morning) and I'm down another 2.2 pounds (which isn't huge for my size but I'll take it). I also measure body fat % and muscle mass with my scale both of which have moved in the right direction every week. I see what Patrick and Sarah were saying about this being a long-term process to fundamentally change the body and not a quick weight loss (which would most likely be gained right back). Although I've been lighter than my current weight I feel that this is the most fit at 207 I've ever been (and my wife agrees). The weigh in and steady progress is encouraging.

On another note I am finding it funny that when I started the program it was the exercise that came easy to me and the diet that was difficult. Now that I am in the routine I find the diet very reasonable but the exercise is getting insane on some days. 4 x 60 second planks! If interrogators forced terrorists to perform continuous planks we'd have enough intel to shut down Al Qaeda.

February 28, 2012 8:07 PM EST

Ups & Downs

I have to agree with other PCPers in feeling some emotional highs and lows this past week. I would say my mood overall recently has been more consistant and less extremes in general. The workouts have been consistently more challenging, tough to get through but I always feel great afterward. The pull-ups are the biggest obstacle for me as I sill can't get through a whole set but I keep trying. Overall I just keep thinking of the goal and trying to put my head down and march forward.

February 25, 2012 4:46 PM EST

Back from Vaca

Vacation was good but following the diet was tough. I was able to get up early and get all the training in but following the diet to a T was impossible. The "good news" is I came back the same weight which is a huge win for a vacation (usually + 5 - 10lbs). I am back on course now and excited about the changes to come in the next 6 weeks.

February 18, 2012 6:48 PM EST

Vacation

Taking a vacation this week, just arrived in the carribien. This will prove to be another big challenge since I am out of my normal routine and comfort zone. I made some very healthy choices while traveling so far and plan to do so throughout the week.

February 14, 2012 6:16 AM EST

Day 31

I've switched to working out in the morning and I am finding that I actually have more energy throughout the day and feel better mentally as well. It's not fun waking up at 4am but the hardest part is getting up, once up the routine kicks in and I'm good to go. I am also not finding the diet that difficult this week. I still feel like I am over eating at breakfast and lunch, then dinner can be a struggle depending on the day but it's all very doable. I certainly wouldnt question the diet since I've felt like Ive been over eating the entire time and still losing weight every week. Currently I am down about 9 pounds since we started and noticbly more muscular. Hope is going well for the rest of the team as well.

February 9, 2012 8:07 PM EST

Seeing a difference

I have to admit today I am really starting to see a difference in several ways which I attribute to this program. The first is my appearance which has become noticeably more muscular. Another change I've noticed is in my mood which has been more positive and my demeanor which has been somewhat calmer. What really took me by surprise today was that I woke up at 4:15am to workout, was at work from 6:30am to 7pm, and home at 8pm and I'm not that tired. On a day like today I would normally be like the walking dead at this point but i still have a decent amount of energy. This is a major motivator for me to stay on track. Hope everyone else is having similar experiences.

February 5, 2012 9:20 AM EST

Back on Track

I came back from a week of travelling for work yesterday which wasn't easy in terms of following the program. The good news is I got all my workouts done. I also made a lot better decisions when eating and I'm sure the trip was much healthier than what would have been had I not been doing PCP. On the down side I wasn't able to weigh anything out or follow the meals properly. Now that I'm home I feel like I am right back in the swing of things and physically already feel better after a day of following the program to a tee.

January 29, 2012 6:14 PM EST

Day 14

Still feeling good overall and actually surprised that I dropped a couple of lbs this week (even though i feel as though I am overeating). The workouts have been a great change in routine and solid learning experience. My biggest challenge to date is coming up this week as I travel for work. The schedule is going to be very difficult to maintain while on the go most of the time. My plan is to try to plan meals in advance when I can, get up extra early to workout each morning and when i cant eat the exact meal on the diet I will make healthy choices based on the guidelines in my diet. I am trying to view the week as a test to see how i fare in the "real world" when I cannot control or plan my meals using what I've learned so far.

January 23, 2012 5:48 PM EST

The Challenge Begins...

The new diet is definitely a challenge and I knew this would be the largest obsticle that I would need to overcome for the 3 months. I'm not hungry at all, on the contrary I am having trouble eating the allotted portion. I almost feel like I am back in my fraternity days being food hazed. The difficulty lies in the contents none of which are satisfying my craving for something with more flavor. It's possible I just need to get more creative with my meals or maybe my taste will adjust. I am also feeling a bit slow and out of it but my subconscious is telling me it's a temporary withdrawal from the unhealthy life style which I have become accustom to. I am enjoying the workouts and variations in the new routine. I am able to get through them (ususually with max reps) in a decent amount of time and still feel like I had a good burn. Overall I'm encouraged by early results and looking forward to the remaining lessons.

January 21, 2012 1:30 PM EST

Feeling Good

Feeling pretty good 1 week in, especially after my weigh in this morning. Looking forward to the new diet but realize that it's going to be a big challenge with a busy schedule. I am thinking/hoping that planning each week in advance will help to adapt and maintain discipline thought the program.

January 18, 2012 6:07 PM EST

Day 4

So I've noticed that eating half portions has confirmed that I am eating too much everyday. There are times when I'm hungry but in general it's very doable and I actually feel slightly more energetic (probably from not digesting big meals). Looking forward to seeing what the week 2 diet brings.

January 16, 2012 8:00 AM EST

Day 2

I have to say I initially wrote off the week one workouts as easy. I now see that when you follow them to a T (timing the rests exactly) them seem pretty effective as well as efficient for a short workout (could be great for a hotel room workout while on the road).

January 15, 2012 10:36 AM EST

Day 1

Very excited to start the program today. For the majority of my adult life my weight has been a bit of a roller-coaster. I gain weight very easily and while I've had success on diets in the past I have yet to hone in on the lifestyle change necessary to maintain a healthy weight. I am hoping this program will teach me some of the fundamentals I am missing or at least help to figure out keys to making daily diet/workout routines more efficient for everyday living. I am a very all or none individual and require a plan/strict regiment in order to succeed (one of the key drivers for my joining the project). In the past I've used physical goals as a reason to train and lose weight but as I get older this approach seems less sustainable, particularly because of the fluctuation in weight/feeling good throughout the year (2010 goal was a half marathon). The workouts this week seem pretty light but I'm sure they will increase difficultly accordingly. The biggest challenge will be leaving food on my plate as anyone who knows me know that I LOVE to eat. Good luck to everyone beginning this week.

January 2, 2012 8:15 PM EST

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Weekly Photo

Final

What is the Peak Condition Project?

This is a 90 day program challenging trainees to get in the best shape of their lives. Using the simplest of materials, adherence to diet, intelligent exercise and the power of social networks, PCPers safely and sustainably make it to the highest levels of fitness.