post PCP thoughts: you can DO IT !

a few numbers:

	Week 1	Week 13	Net Loss
Weight:	77 kgs	64.7 kgs	12.3 kgs
Body fat:	21.90%	15.90%	6.00%
Waist:	33-34 inches	30-31 inches	3 inches

a few pics:
day 1:

mid-PCP:

post PCP:

a few final thoughts:
wow, it's finally over! in retrospect, i'm thinking it wasn't all that bad but having said that, PCP definitely required a high degree of commitment and effort. Friday nights were the worst, but more than anything, just missing the social dining aspect was a sacrifice that i'm now happy to be able to get back to.

plainly and humbly put, i feel great: mentally, physically, spiritually.

one feat that is still sinking in for me, is that i've been working out consecutively now for 98 days! the only thing close to that was when i played sports in high school, but even then, it was 5-days or max 6-days of exercise a week. the fact that we've been at it every single day since Aug 1 is just a wonderful accomplishment! i definitely enjoy working out now--to absolutely know that it is something that will never fail you, an act that is full of benefits both mentally and physically, both short term (endorphine highs, baby!) and long term. of course like everyone else, it's sometimes difficult on a cold morning or when the schedule is busy, to actually get yourself out there. but this is made so much easier by knowing, trusting and focusing on the immediate benefits that will result from the workout.

on the dieting front, i won't be able to eat out in the same way going forward: this first week of post PCP has been some revealing already. my PCP tunnel vision is still wearing off, but i still don't think i'll be able to just pick up a bag of chips, or order a dessert in the same way, ever again. don't get me wrong, i will do it, but def. not as frequently as before and always with a moment of consideration first.

as many PCPers have echoed, my initial reasons for the program were vanity-related (yes, i wanted the six pack, for once in my life!).  i love the fact that the man boobs are gone, and that i actually have back muscles, and that there are core ab muscles that actually flex when i try now.

however, the past 90 days have meant so much more. PCP is one of the best things i've done for myself, ever. yes, the body feels great: without intentionally trying, my posture is better. and in terms of activities, i already feel much more agile and able: from surfing and hiking recently to snowboarding and rock climbing coming up. being 12 kgs lighter and much stronger in the core can only have positive effects.

what i hadn't expected though, was the positive contributions it's made to me in terms of attitude and confidence, and the realization of such a high correlation between physical health and mental health. the most important aspects of PCP for me have been the education and empowerment--how much you learn and grow during the 90 days, and how that feeds into so many positive features of your life.

plainly put, if you are even thinking about it, my advice: just do it! your only regret, like mine, is that you didn't do this for yourself sooner.

a big thanks to both Patrick and Chen, for their patience, guidance and support—the pace of the program is well thought out and much credit to you both for helping us to break poor habits and to build new life-changing, impactful ones to move forward. it’s also been great sharing the PCP experiences through reading and writing the blogs. and finally, thanks esp. to the many friends, family and fellow PCPers who’ve shared and supported me throughout the past 3 months.

it’s been a great ride, and thank you for the new beginning…

Day 90: yatto!! otsukare sama!

CONGRATS to fellow PCPers; we did it--day 90 at long last!!

fellow PCPer Don and i met up in Victoria Park for today's last set of exercises. after his recent bout with a nasty cold, as well as 3 days in Munich for Okctoberfest, he came prepared with a new rather industrial looking rope, as well as new ipod portable speakers for the workout:

i really enjoyed Patrick sensei's last workout assignment for us. for day 90's exercises then, i made a combination of the day 13 list, but substituted the rowing with pull-ups and the sit-ups with kung-fu sit-ups. i anticipated getting done quickly, but didn't think it would be all over in 35 mins, and feel THAT "easy."

counting skips was nostalgic, but over before i could barely break a sweat. then, i was able to do 3x5 pull-ups all without any resistance band or other help!  before i could barely do 2 before getting failed out. i also plowed through the ensuing 3 sets of each exercise after that (chest, triceps, etc) and just felt so strong and accomplished!  finally, i was able to actually get my legs above 45degree on the kung-fu situps too, which i had all be given up on earlier. OK, my knees were bent, but still, i got all 3 sets done!  overall, just very satisfying work-out day :)

after taking some pics, got cleaned up and then a couple of friends and i took the train up to Guangzhou. met up with my dad there and enjoyed my first post PCP meal, in style--none other than the food, ingredients and cooking of my family's roots, native Canton!  (and yes, after dinner, i did get giddy-tipsy over 1/8 of a pint of beer and a vodka soda!)

will post final thoughts and a few comparison pics in my last entry soon to follow...
CONGRATS again everyone--well done, great job, cheers

Day 89: Focus on your training, Daniel-san

"Use focus. Your best karate still inside. Now time let out!"

exhausted after today's extra super sets. what a great feeling of failure throughout the body tho~  back in HK so at least the weather was nice and cool, rather perfect for the long workout. also, had the high pull-up bars and chest bars as needed.

still really am not satisfied with how quickly i get to failures on chest dips, but will continue pushing. for those that are interested, as Patrick about MOVING planks, if you want to hit failure faster :)

averaged about 4-5 hours a sleep the past 10 days in Tokyo so ready to hit the sack early, catch up on some slumber and wake up... to DAY 90 !

Day 88 - last day in Tokyo

i had pretty much stayed put in HK during the first 10 weeks of the program. but, the past 10 days since having come to Tokyo have been very challenging. i now totally understand how a relocation or even a trip can be disruptive for PCP.

had to find new places to work out, at odd times, and also fit in new cooking and food prep times, in new places--ARGH!!  not what i wanted for last 10 days of program, but i suppose as far as timing goes, better to have happened at the end. another positive point was to know that even though i didn't stay as true to the diet as i had previously done--i didn't get double skips or 8 mins abs like before--i was still able to stay strong, and still get the exercises done. only thing i really missed was the 8 hours per night of sleep. not sure how to combat that, or if you can get it back really.

another plus was that mental health was stayed strong--rather than feeling sense of guilt for not getting the full PCP commitment i had before, i focused more on the great feeling i got from the workouts, and also just let the slight diet slippages go as they may. perhaps a sign that i am coming out of PCP tunnel vision as we draw to the close.

Day 87: super tired, but good failing...

as Patrick mentioned yesterday during our session:
for true fails, "failing fast is always good"

finally managed to fit in my exercises first thing this AM again--first time i've done so since coming to Tokyo last week.  after abt 1.5 days of what felt like an indian summer, it turned cold quite suddenly today, along with a rather fierce chill wind blowing.

lots of failures and am extremely tired now at day end...  only 3 more to go!  giddy-up!

Day 86: Mr. Miyagi, in da house!

Note: had trouble uploading pics in Tokyo so only now getting to posting properly the blogs I had written from past 3 days.

------
welcome to SUPER SETS!  as you can see from the pic, i had a friend helping me out for today's exhaustive but great, burning exercises:

yes, indeed--none other than Patrick sensei himself!  boy, is it re-charging and motivating doing exercises with someone else. of course, thankfully, PCP teaches us that it's not needed, but still, it was a nice change. P-diddy sensei did the list of exercises together with me, and we held the last rep on each set for 2 seconds longer--what a difference it makes for a strong burn!  also found out i've been doing my standing ovations wrong  this whole time (doh!), by not opening the palms and bringing them together. AND that my jumprope has been way too long, in fact.

but overall, considered it a great opportunity to work directly with the master!  enjoyed most seeing in person  how genuinely caring, enthusiastic and committed he is to getting us to our peak conditions! and was also nice to hear about all the upcoming developments to the program in 2012.  thanks again Patrick for making the time!

ps--also got a chance to meet Patrick's lovely (and 8 months pregnant!) wife, and they showed me a nice, cozy cafe in Yokohama with the best coffee and baristas in town:

Day 85: how abt this for an ab exercise?

finally managed to get in a double session of skips in today, which i hadn't been able to do the past week since getting to Tokyo.

Mr. Miyagi asked us to find some new ab exercises to keep the body from switching to auto-pilot and keep the muscles working hard instead of getting used to the same routine there. i had previously been feeling proud of my 8 min abs mastery until watching the Pac Man's 10 mins here.  my fave are the rotating ones he does, at around the 2:45 mark in the clip.

these ones here are also incredible--i can't believe how still he keeps his body except for the legs! that is def some killer motivation for us~

Day 84: weekly weigh-in

came in at 66kgs today. in Tokyo this week so was unable to use the same scale i had previously been using in HK.  got 2 so went to 2 different friends houses and when i used their scales, got 2 very different readings, both nowhere really near where i was before: first one read 12% and while i was psyched, i knew it couldn't be THAT much of a decrease in 1 week.  next one read 24%!  so unf, can only really report weight accurately.

feeling strong and glad to have a break in the exercises (other than our best friend Mr. Jumprope, of course). had trouble posting pics from my side so will have to get them to flikr next time.

Day 83: and then there was one...

WOW,. can't believe we're only ONE week away from end of training. don't usually work out in the evenings, but did so tonight and surprisingly had a great workout. really felt strong and light.

about 4 weeks ago, i bought a new pair of pants to have at least one thing that would fit OK. those pants were 3 inches down from what i usually wore, pre-PCP. it was probably the first time i'd worn straight leg and SLIM pants ever.

today, the pants were literally falling off my waist when i started walking in them without a belt on. thank goodness for good value shopping at uniqlo, my recent wardrobe savior~

Day 82: man-boobs be gone.

from PCP tunnel vision land (on day 82), i'm proud to announce that one of my PCP goals regarding body physique, has been reached.  not sure when it happened in fact, but <drum roll>.... my boobies are gone.  yes, they've been replaced by a fairly proper, masculine chest finally!  i can happily say that i'm no longer a candidate to shop for Kramer's mansiere called the "BRO", one of the famous Seinfeld-ism creations. 

Day 81: barely surviving

this PC i'm using at friend's house has been totally erratic so not gonna bother trying to write too much, as i've already had to re-start 4 times and have missed MUCH precious sleep time b/c of this.  just barely managing to get my exercises in, with no extra opps to do add'l ropes or abs, can't stay compliant with PCP diet so dunno what to do, and only managing 4 hours of sleep.  not feeling positive or strong going into the last week.

except that, i did a bit of a double take, and just had to check out myself a couple of times while passing a mirror  these past few days. altho there's still a bit of visceral fat around the belly button, i am def starting to see some more ab definition. of course the arms and shoulders feeling strong, and enjoying that veiny, muscular look that i always saw in both my brothers' arms but not mine... until now :)    can def understand what Pat-diddy sensei's suggestion to check out a public gym is all about~

Day 80: t-minus ten!? really?!

can't believe we are now down to the last 10 days. schedule since coming to Tokes has been erratic and crazy, as have my meals, though i've tried to keep close to PCP-compliant.

just barely finished my exercises today. good failures for the most part, but still quite disappointed in my pull-ups and even more so, on my bicycles.

only gonna manage 6 hours of sleep again tonight unf~

Day 79: tokyo temptations

did the exercises this morning in my friend's apartment (where i'm staying). still need to find a place to do pull-ups and kungfu sit-ups tomorrow though, as most playground areas here really are for children and don't have adult-height pull-up bars, like in many HK ones. 

food here offers so much of a nicer selection--like HK it's expensive but the tastes are much more vibrant. had the most delicious red apple today :).  restaurants here are generally much healthier too, but it's still difficult to stay totally PCP compliant when eating out.

ended up at a new pizzeria opened by a friend. at our dinner table were 8 or so people, mostly visiting chefs from northern Cal. as you can imagine, my indulgence got used up, and watching them enjoy their beers was prob the most diff test of willpower yet for me in the 79 days so far!

only have 4.5 to sleep before i gotta wake up, so off to dreamland.

Day 78: off to Tokes...

quickly powered through my exercises today. enjoying the heartier diet, which comes in esp. handy as i'm flying today, back to beloved Tokyo. bit worried about disrupting the routine, but should be able to find a nearby playground for the last 2 weeks of training!  eating healthy of course, will not be a problem there, esp. now that we have carbs back at all 3 meals :)

Day 77: the reward after another Sunday hike

went on another light hike today; afterwards rewarded myself with the some frozen fruit, kebab-style, all natural, all PCP-friendly :)

was difficult watching the rugby semifinals though, surrounded by all the pints of guiness and nice pub food~~  had an even more difficult time with the skipping.  21 mins just got boring, but slogged through it.  


here are the stats for this week; pics also updated (and taken in the sunlight finally :)


weight:      65.6 kgs

body fat:    16.7%   


gotta get some rest before tomorrow's workouts!

Day 76: PCP tunnel vision in a non-PCP world

interesting how PCP, health, exercise, nutrition, diet... these have all DOMINATED most of my experiences and conversations in the past 76 days. the ups and downs, peaks and valleys on a personal level involving PCP help to mould not only more physically fit bodies, but stronger minds, with more opinionated and informed decision-making.

as Pat-diddy has said about physical well-being feeding into mental well-being, such is also true for the fortitude and commitment to our new beliefs and truths, based on our own individual set of data points and experiences.  i really relate to that term he used recently in our videos, about "PCP tunnel vision", how our own standards have become much higher (not than others, but just w/in ourselves). along with this too, has come the realization that we have w/in ourselves the discipline and the focus to make the commitment to reach those standards.

i don't mean to frown upon those who haven't made the commitment, but for those who have said YES to a healthier lifestyle of diet, exercise, it's amazing and somewhat profound how your life changes, if nothing else b/c of the self-confidence and sense of fraternity that builds around the experiences.

anyhow, forgive my ramblings, it's been over 75 days now and maybe i'm starting to get sentimental, in realizing how we'll miss the PCP day-to-days ending soon. or maybe i'm just running out of stuff to say and finding ways to fill the daily blogs :)

anyway, bring on the last 2 weeks--they will most likely be the most difficult of all regarding exercises, but i'm strong, excited and eager to get it on!

Day 75: skipping Fridays.

happy fridays fellow PCPers.

WOW, not long to go. we are at day 75!!!

felt COMPLETELY lethargic this morning when i started my jumps. 8 mins in, still hadn't caught much of a rhythm and was still tripping up quite a bit.  and just when i was thinking to wrap up early and save it for a second set in the afternoon, i found a rhythm. and prob the best skipping set i've had so far! happened to semi-count through it, and think i skipped over 600 times without missing a beat!!

very satisfying feeling, and so like all the exercises these days, tough to get started, but perseverance really pays off and feeling great at the end :)   here's to finishing strong the last 2 weeks!

Day 74: PCP, the gift that keeps on giving...

so, of course besides the better health, improved diet habits and nicer physique, there has already been plenty of ancillary physical benefits that i've noticed from the PCP commitment:

-much better posture--very thankful for this alone!
-much more strength and endurance while hiking
-much more flexibility and core strength in body isolation dance class
-more ease in the pool (and confidence while walking to get in/out of the pool :)
-no more snoring. wasn't a regular nor heavy snorer by any means, but apparently now, i sleep very quietly.

i've been trying to focus during the training on PCP exercise lists only, letting my body rest in between for the most part. but as soon as program finishes, def. looking forward to trying out the other stuff i previously did fairly regularly, including dancing, climbing, surfing and snowboarding.

curious to know how alums have found their physical capabilities expanded in post PCP world, as well as what current PCPers think will be improvements WRT physical activity they're looking forward to, post PCP...

Day 73: finally, the double jumps.

it was drenching rain pretty much the entire day in HK. just when i was about to give up and go to plan B, luckily, the rain abated as it became dark, around 6pm. so i rushed across the street to Victoria Park and just managed to catch a 1 hour window of non-downpour.

pleased to say that i FINALLY got the double jump timing, well sorta. i managed to do 6-7 double jumps each time i tried, including one consecutive set of 2 double jumps. i think i hadn't been jumping high enough to catch the double skips so this time, i tried bending at the waist and leaning my upper half slightly forward and it totally worked!  the only thing is, while i get the 2nd rope rotation timed OK now, i need to slow my hands on the third and fourth rotations, when my feet have switched back to singles. overall, love the fact that i've gotten so much better at "working the rope" with the hands, which is def part of the art of skipping i think.

though i still can't complete the sets, i felt stronger surprisingly today with the pull-ups. but this was offset by pretty poor showing per usual on kung-fu's and on the bicycles.

Day 72: mistaken identity

running late to meet a friend, i rushed thru the exercises today, and right after finishing them, hopped straight out of the apartment and onto a tram. i remembered suddenly that i hadn't taken the time to do any post-exercise stretches. so i proceeded to do some arm and leg stretches, while standing at the back of the tram.

minding my own biz and focusing on the stretches, i suddenly noticed the guy standing nearby in tram, just  staring at me. so i smiled and said in explanation, "just stretching. i just finished some exercises."

"yeah," he replied politely.  and then continued, "you look fit. are you a gym instructor?"

i almost burst out in laughter at that!! i'd gotten plenty of good and interesting compliments since starting PCP, but this was a new one!  anyway, just smiled sheepishly and replied in the negative, saying it was just my old body that needed the stretching!

Day 71: and down the stretch they come.

we are officially now UNDER 20 days left in the program, YAY!!!

diet: so nice to have all you can eat veggies for breakfast, lunch and dinner!!  being able to eat protein for dins too, means we can finally go out with friends for dinners and actually order something again!!   :)    very pleased and def seems like no more worries on PCP about being hungry~

exercises: dunno why, but that add'l 3 mins of skipping def. annoys me a bit--but i guess it gives us more time to find our rhythms in skipping. i liked 5sets x failure on DaVinci's today. felt great to do! almost afraid to look at how much harder the rest of the exercise lists look for the week.

Day 70: weekly #'s

18 mins of skipping today def felt a bit like a drag. still, love the "rest" days each week.

pics have been updated and glad to see the #'s this week:


weight:     66.1 kgs

body fat:  17.0%

good luck with the last 3 weeks, fellow PCPers!!!

Day 69: PCP torture on a Sat night.

fearing i've been too anti-social recently, i decided on a mid-way approach tonight by heading over to join a few friends for a movie night at their place. unf, i got over there later and they'd already started watching. tonight's viewing was the last season of HBO's entourage, but unfortunately, they had already been watching and had only 3 episodes left. i still hadn't caught up yet, so basically, to not ruin the season for myself yet stay polite to their viewing, i just tried my best to sit down, and NOT watch the screen nor listen to the humorous dialogue. i just ate my egg white and apply, and enjoyed some small chat with another person who'd already seen the episodes.


but that wasn't even the hard part. the real test came a few mins later, when the host graciously saw us empty-handed and came back from the pantry with a nice, full bag of SUN CHIPS! perhaps the most difficult sacrifice for me during these past almost 70 days has been giving up potato chips. i LOVE all different kinds of the crisps. esp. after having lived in Japan, where convenience stores here are PACKED with soOOO many interesting different and fun flavors to try (including unagi eel, nori & salt, consomme, wasabi, ume, scallop with butter, takoyaki, etc!!).  but Frito-Lay Sun Chips are def one of my faves. and there was my nightmare torture, being sandwiched between 2 full bowls of sun chips: trying my best NOT to watch the TV screen and even more trying NOT to smell or hear the crunching or the beautiful chips on either side of me, being happily munched by my friends~~


<sigh> i may just be better served staying at home for the next (and final!) 3 weeks ;)

Day 68: pound 'em out Fridays.

-good skipping sessions today, although i still can't do the double skip jumps. if anyone has suggestions, pls do tell!
-still hit failures on the chest dips, and i don't esp. get intense burns so feel like i should be able to do it, but alas, just can't complete the last couple of sets.
-elevated push-ups.... izz nice!  harder than normal ones but do-able, and with a nice slow burn at the end of reps.
-standing ovations: steady as she goes.
-curls: no breaks, all good.  nice, slow and smooth... we like it.
-thumb-up curls, similar to above. amazing how when you slow down the exercises as you do the reps, and focus on the muscles you're working, can make a huge difference in quality.
-leg-ups: def had to push on the last reps
-and finally, the 4x90sec planks... today's surprise!  i was able to get these done, pretty much straight thru and with the minimal 15 secs (give or take) of rest in btn.  the form wasn't pretty towards the end of the 3rd and 4th sets, and i def would not want to hear a recording of some of the primal, aching outbursts of "ERRR!!! AHHH!!!!" that were growled out... but there you have it!

happy Friday's fellow PCPers. and to those in my group, only 3 more anti-social Friday's to go!!

Day 67: is that really me??

ok, have def had more than a few comments from people on how they think i've now lost TOO much weight. i'm not that concerned though. prob more of a function that my old clothes look too big on my current body. while the muffin top is smaller, it still resides and anyway, we're adding more food so i'm thinking we'll end up putting on a kg or 2 back, as we spend the last 3+ weeks building more muscle.

exercises were just slightly easier to complete today, although my legs were really exhausted by the end of the creep reps. also did double ropes and 2 sets of 8-min abs. really noticed that my abs feel stronger while doing the V-situps today, although i also realized how much harder it is to keep the arms fully extended for the entire exercise.

finished the day doing a couple of salsa classes. in the body isolation dance movement class, i prob did a few double-takes on myself, as i am not only noticing a better figure in front of the dance mirrors, but also realizing how much stronger and more flexible this new PCP frame is. the class is all about isolating different parts of the body and key to this is having a strong core. there were some hip moves and chest moves that i honestly could never do, but i seriously am NOT hitting as much failure in this class anymore, thanks to PCP training!

now to hit the sack and let the body build some more muscles--nighty night!

Day 66: add'l things to add to the PCP need-to-get prep list

4 things that i suggest Patrick should add for the "make sure to have for PCP" list he sends to new members, besides resistance bands, jump rope, food scale, etc:

1.  full length mirror: i don't have one but when i was recently shopping for a new clothes, came across myself in the full length mirror in the changing room. my, my how nice it is to see your changing PCP body in a full length mirror :)

2. leather hole puncher: a very useful tool to punch new holes in all your belts, which has been the only thing allowing me to actually keep the pants i have.  they are still too big for me, but at least the tighter belts keep the pants on, until we reach the end of PCP, at which point i'll go do some more serious shopping.

3. a good tailor: luckily, i'm in HK so this is not a problem. but after 90 days, i will def be bringing in my nice suits to see which can still  "saved" by re-altering to fit the new bod.

4. shopping budget and friends that like to shop:  buying new clothes will def be on the post-PCP to-do list.  don't wanna go crazy just yet, as i imagine there are still some changes physically to go, but here's counting down, in 24 days...

Day 65: PCP blogs

i know i've said it before, but THANKS to all the PCP alums and current members for the blogging.  i have found reading the entries to be invaluable in so many ways--it's like your best friend in the program in a way b/c it just helps you out in so many different manners and is reliable all the time: inspiring, encouraging, engaging, humoring, thought-provoking, supporting...

no disrespect for those who choose not to blog or are too busy, but for the ones that do, i am SOOOOO grateful to be able to share in the community. OK, maybe not as engaging as when you ACTUALLY meet up with friends and chat, but in terms of realistic convenience and accessibility, it's been amazing to discover so many benefits of this online community connectivity.

had never blogged before and was initially a bit skeptical, as well as being e-shy in terms of having confidence in my blogging voice.  but it's really been therapeutic and fun--thankfully, not quite to any level of addiction though :)

Day 64: bring on them veggies!!

despite waking up to an upset stomach this AM and still fighting off a possible cold, i feel GREAT after doing today's exercises. towards the end of the list, i just felt very strong and even though i hit fails on several of the routines, it still felt like a strong burn to fail.

having as much as we want veggies now in the morning and lunch def helps, if nothing else just on a psychological level. the add'l protein as well at lunch will go a long way.  i made a quarter pack of pasta the other day and it's still amazing how "far" you can get with one serving these days when you are only having 80 gram servings :)   still, nice to feel a little full from add'l veggies and protein, although i think that already is overdoing it.  trying to learn that fine, subtle place called "no longer hungry" rather than "i'm full" state, something us americanos prob have never been trained to do!

all part of the learning process, i suppose, as we evolve our PCP selves...

Day 63: the dragon's back

went for a hike with a couple of friends today at a trail called the dragon's back, figuring we'd take advantage of the semi-clear/dry weekend in between  2 typhoons to HK (one that left Friday and another heading in Monday).  did my skips after waking up, had a good breakfast and then hiking for a couple of hours.

weigh-in #'s this week went up slightly from last, but i am feeling stronger and more in shape than ever:

weight:     67.9kg

body fat:   18.3%

weekly pics also updated now. looking forward to new diets and a daunting new list of exercises. see you on Monday!

Day 62: slowly working out of the PCP valley

this was def my hardest week on PCP: cheated a couple of times on diet, and hit more fails on the exercises. i had a sore throat hit me since last night and have been hearing that there's a cold bug going around HK.  so will DEF be looking forward to a slight break tomorrow (only 15 mins of ropes).

however, to focus on the positives: focused on Pat-diddy's advise to really keep to the allotted break times btn reps (and not any longer) with the understanding that we may have to fail the next reps has really made the workouts more concentrated and efficient, in both time and body workout.  feel great afterwards and have been finishing w/in an hour.

added another set of jump roping each day and am able to get quite a good rhythm rather quickly, as well as do several kinds of variations on the skipping--although still can't do the double jumps at will.

finally, read 2 blogs entries to point out.
**re-read my friend Bill's blog from his day 64: noticed he was still fighting off the muffin top Buddha belly that i've still got, around this time during his 90 own day run. good to know that others still had similar showings, but still ended up in better than fine shape after the final month. i plan to be right there with my sempai!

**and lastly, you have to check out this final blog from Clive, who just finished day 90 this week. reading all the benefits he's taken in changing his life and health is like the turbo boost i think i'll take with me for the home stretch to cross the finish line myself. what an inspiring result, and CONGRATS CLIVE and again to all in the group that just finished up !!

Day 61: TGIF ?!?

4 mins of bicycles followed by 5 mins of planks for abs today?!  happy friday to you too!!

on a more positive note, finally finding some rhythm again with the skipping--might be b/c i've decided to take Sensei-s suggestion of doing 2-a-days there. it's to the point where i may look to buy a lighter rope too--as the current one finally has started to feel a bit more "heavy".

LESS THAN 30 DAYS to go... whoppee!!  saying it now, though, that there WILL be a point where i think some of us will def go thru PCP withdrawal when this is done, so strange as it sounds... ENJOY IT WHILE YOU CAN, dudes :)

y'alls have a great and exercise-productive w/end, wherever you may be.

Day 60: typhoon #8 in HK

woke up to typhoon signal #8 here in HK today.

this usually brings relief to most, as it means: work canceled, go back to sleep, and have an overall chill-out day at home. for someone not in the workforce like me, though, today didn't really make that much of a difference. in fact, typhoon #8 or not, we still have our PCP exercises :)   and unf, i can't do them in the park today~

but no typhoon in Japan so not sure why we haven't gotten Patrick's daily mail yet (celebrating ending of latest group's day 90 finish today?!)  hope everything OK anyway.

CONGRATS to the group that just finished today!!!!  great stuff.  we are right behind ya!

BTW, did you guys see Mr. Miyagi's (Pat [not Morita] sensei) latest blog on before/after fitness program advertising ?  pretty funny and good stuff !!

Day 59: one hour of PCP pain = PCP GAINS.

the video message this week and today's note about sticking to the prescribed break times inspired me.  woke up and did one session of ropes along with the 8 min abs before breakfast.  then, after lunch, did the full list (including ropes) and ended with another 8 min abs.

i have def been taking longer breaks than usual when needed, with the idea that the extra 5-10 seconds would help me complete the sets better, and in more quality fashion.  but i just powered through today, focusing on quality but also completely set on not taking any extra time.  the exercise lists from past week or so had been taking about 1hr 15 mins until now.  today, got in JUST under 1 hour exactly.

def sweated more and feel like i got a much more complete and thorough workout, feeling a good exhaustion in the end, even though prob failed more than i have been during previous workouts (when i took better breaks).

Mr. Miyagi-sensei (OK, as in Pat Morita, as in our Patrick! :), you prob told as much in the beginning sometime but i just didn't "hear" ya with my "Daniel-san student ears"--but def think it's worth sending the message early and directly, to stick strictly to the timed breaks and only take 20 secs btn exercises.  made a huge difference today and hope that i'll be able to push like this for the last weeks of program.

Day 58: pushing through failure

OK, must admit that there were times in first 50 days of program where i thought, why doesn't Patrick sensei intensify exercises and reps earlier on in the program, instead of the current pace of build-up, which at times, felt easier rather than harder. i often found it more difficult to just get to doing the exercises, but once doing them, felt like they could be completed OK.

now that we are finally into true PCP workouts though, i'm def feeling the struggle to complete the list and often hitting failure. i know it's a good kind of failure, but psychologically, still feel a sense of disappointment at not being able to finish a list (albeit a harder list) that up until now, had been do-able. i guess that's part of the re-training of the mind, and part of the program, in a healthy way.

i do worry though that i'm not getting enough quality and precision in my reps though so will def try to focus on the form. been doing 8 min abs and now will think about double skips, daunting and unpleasant as that sounds!

bring on that burn, baby burn!

Day 57: mondays.

def not a strong PCP weekend for me. happily used up my indulgence on Friday night, but didn't really feel that motivated to do much extra over the w/end. DID get to the routines of course, but missed 8mins abs.  did swim a few laps at Victoria Park pool and got a 2 hr massage, which did feel great.

always tough to wake up on Mondays after the "lighter" Sundays of only skipping. but the skipping felt good, and overall, was just nice to get done again before breakfast (been doing so for past week now), as well as adding in the 8 min abs.

off to dinner tonight with 3 other chefs though, so will just try to keep PCP compliant as best as possible~

Day 56: the #'s this week

almost as an epilogue to the last 2 days blogs WRT indulgence, the #'s this week just go to STILL support that the program IS working and that should be more motivation than ever to get back to it!

weight         67.3 kgs

body fat:     17.8%   

weekly pics updated too.

good luck and happy dieting, fellow PCPers!!  
bring on week 9...

Day 55: post indulgence withdrawal.

some add'l thoughts after a friday of indulgence:
--felt wonderful to give in, to a gourmet's version of temptation island last night. even with the mini bite sized pieces though, i ate enough to experience what we've worked hard to avoid these past 55 days, namely the feeling of being "full", which as we know, is pretty much too late and a sign that you've already over-eaten (from a health/nutrition standpoint).
--while i most def enjoyed the rich, delicious foods, i also did feel a bit of discomfort almost immediately with the feeling of being (too) full.  something i can live with, and smile about, but not ideal, compared to the recent discovery of peak condition's eating habits, i.e. until you are not hungry anymore.
--while i def appreciate the pairing of a nice beer or wine with almost all foods, it was nice to stay off the alcohol still and just enjoy rich, tasty food as its own indulgence.
--def felt slightly guilty at going overboard on the calorie allowance, but when i woke up early to start the daily routine, i also felt even more sluggish physically than usual. luckily Ken and Don were both there to offer peer support and pressure to get the whole set of exercises done, along with a few add'l reps.
--at breakfast Sat, i was tempted to enjoy just a bit more than usual too--oh, how slippery that proverbial slope can get.

gotta re-focus for the second half, which still has over a month to go...

Day 54: how to make the most of an indulgence (and then some!)...

THANK GOODNESS i hadn't used my indulgence this week yet.  earlier this morning, i got an invite to go to a reception party at the 5-star Intercontinental Hotel. little did i know that i would be on temptation island, cashing in my indulgence in the most decadent and excessive of manners :)

all i can say is, that while i did gorge, at least the portions were ALL mini bite sizes, even for canapes. also,  i managed to NOT have even a sip of alcohol.  other than that though: foie gras, lobster, sashimi, caviar, beef tartare, wagyu steak, macaroons, choc cake, cheesecake... nothing was spared !

yes, that is Chef Nobu in the background...

 from Alain Ducasse's Spoon:

desserts, anyone??

 only half bites though :)

Day 53: the PCP community

since starting the program, i've gotten messages of encouragement periodically from my sempai (Japanese roughly for mentor/seniors who completed the program before me) in PCP.  i used to wonder if they had been following me directly, or how they were staying updated.
sometimes for add'l help, esp. in the beginning of program, i also tried looking up COMPLETED logs, but wasn't too bothered soon after because there were too many to sort thru it seemed.
but i always appreciated sempai's comments, as well as the other ones from fellow current PCPers.

so i started following several of the current blogs. now, i find myself bringing up the PCP homepage everyday, and i love the routine of just looking at the most recent entries listed. it's great to just check and see how others are doing, comment quickly here and there, and then use that all to inspire myself.

after completing, i def now see myself checking on the homepage and to "touch base" with the group and offer any encouragement. the power of this support group is really amazing, in terms of how it gives to you and how you can keep giving back.  wonderful stuff !!

epilogue: PATRICK-sensei, there should be a section of the homepage for the growing community of alums; can just be a forum, open for discussion to reminisce, to review and remind health/fitness techniques, and to support each other in the post-PCP world.  think if this isn't there yet, really would be a great addition to have...

Day 52: thoughts from a small PCP valley.

hitting a bit of a lull, or as Patrick put it, reached a bit of a PCP valley this week. nothing to worry over, but def. needing extra motivation this week to do my exercises, as i'm just not feeling as energetic getting started, despite getting the 8 hours of sleep. might be b/c i'm trying to always do them before eating, to maximize fat burnage. flip side of course is that i always feel better afterwards and get super excited for breakfast :)

found a good rhythm on the skips today, but still unsure if i'm actually getting in more reps w/ the new timed system. ever since Patrick said that it's not the pace of jumping that matters so much, i've tried to keep a steady but more controlled and slower pace that probably results in fewer # of jumps.

strangely became sluggish after the skipping, with the rest of the exercises. 5 sets of pull-ups def was not an encouraging way to start things off ! i do want to get better with these, but it's a SLOW process of improvement.  same with kung-fu pull-ups i guess.

overall, totally agreed with some of other PCP blogs that it's nicer to do more exercises focusing on one muscle area, so getting down to just back, then triceps, then abs today (and the pattern this week) has been a good change, allowing for more satisfying burn for each exercise.

Day 51: only 39 days to go!?!

i was psyched to know that we'd hit the day 50 barrier yesterday. always good to get into another set of 10's. so, in terms of seeing things from different points of views, today is not only day 51, but when you look at the flip side of the coin, we are now past the 40 barrier and into the 30's today, as in:    ONLY 39 DAYS TO GO!!

kinda strange to realize, but nice to also check out that horizontal completion line more than half filled up now on the right side of the main PCP homepage.  add this visual: when you look at at that right column of PCP homepage, it's satisfying to know that the group above us will be almost done soon (meaning our group will be THE most senior active one).

today's accomplishment was to be able to ALMOST do all the 1 min planks w/o cheating. never had this happen before and only faltered a bit towards the end of the 4th one!  but, my breaks have still been more like 20-25 seconds than the listed 15 seconds.

Day 50: better, faster, stronger...

welcome to day 50 (already!!) to fellow PCPers in my group. WOW!!  deserves a nice pat on the ever-changing-&-getting-stronger back  :)      was pleasantly surprised to see neither of my most-dreaded exercises on today's list, i.e.  no pull-ups and no planks.    

the new 5-sets of reps on some of the exercises was OK, and actually was satisfying, in that you realize how we've gotten stronger (and are thus able to do more before the muscle-turning-to-jelly feeling comes into play).  of today's list, my V sit-ups still the worst in terms of form.  still, the 8-min abs exercises have really helped.

WELCOME to all the new PCPers in their first week.  i was surprised to see how many of you there are! awesome to have new peeps in the ever growing community. good luck and ENJOY the ride (& take full advantage of week one diet !!  :)

Day 49: the #'s this week

here they are:

weight:           68.7kgs
body fat %      19.7%

nice to get a break every 7 days and glad to know we finally are getting our 2nd indulgence!
think i'm gonna take a couple of days to think about this luxury :)

been skipping to music these days, setting a stopwatch timer.  def helps to get into the rhythm, esp. now that we are not counting # of skips.

Day 48: pool party.

friend is in town and throwing a pool party to celebrate her b-day tonight!  will be the first time to show off the new PCP bod--albeit only halfway to completion~  will try to remember mountain pose, of course  :)

Day 47: love handles going, going... and along with that, so goes the work-out shirt!

unfortunately the visceral fat known as the buddha belly that i've put so many years to building up remains stubbornly in place, even while his neighboring fats are slowly but surely on their way out.  the love handles have noticeably slimmed down, and with that development, i've decided to make the workouts a little more tolerable.

until now, i've just suffered through wearing workout shirts that, despite all their dri-fit-ness and sweat wicking technological manufacturing, can only do so much against the power of HK's oppressive humidity while working out in Victoria Park. in fact, i'm prob having trouble at the end of the skipping prob b/c the shirt gets noticeably wetter and heavier!

today, with the help of a more confident and still changing physique, i decided to finally let go of my modest tendencies, and do as many of the locals do: just go shirtless in the public park! was def too embarrassed before and not doing it by any means to show anything off... just a matter of cooling practicality now!  but sure is nice to have something to show now, thanks to PCP :)

Day 46: achy bits

got 8 hours of sleep but still felt sluggish getting the exercises started today. body has small, annoying little aches here and there--not even to the point of soreness anywhere really, but just tiny little points of fatigue in different parts.  felt good to "work them out" during the exercise routine and then felt much more energetic and lively after the ensuing endorphin release.

think switching to the timed sets for skipping rope has messed with my mind a bit, as i now find it hard to get any rhythm. def struggled on the bike kicks and push-ups.  but enjoying the 8 min abs and making it a regular in the evenings now.

Day 45: thoughts from the half way line...

at first, i was a bit embarrassed frankly and almost shy about PCP blog and pics.  but now halfway thru the 90 days, to be honest, it's been a great and positive ride so far, and a very empowering one too.


to be able to SEE and also GET the benefits of a healthier life based on some small sacrifices and dedicated workouts is in fact, totally worth it all, and then some. plus, not only has it made me feel great physically, but mentally as well. a lot of that confidence comes from feeling (and looking) much better than 45 days ago, but that is then buttressed by all the talk and discussions that "the topic" has brought up, esp. among friends that you meet up with, when it comes up invariably during catch-ups and what-ups. it really has been a nice surprise to see how many other friends/family have taken interest in it, been super supportive, and also influenced/inspired in different positive ways in their lives too.

don't mean to sound preachy, or like an info-mercial, of course. but really glad to be a part of this program and THANKS to friends, family and fellow PCPers for checking the blog out and supporting the efforts!


CONGRATS fellow-Day 45ers--let's keep pushing through from here !!

Day 44: dangers of PCP in Victoria Park, HK

Ken joined me at my usual work out space in Victoria Park. we decided to get the sets over with early, to avoid the midday heat and humidity. as it was the mid-Autumn holiday (and Sundays are the same), the park was more crowded than usual.

ran into the Victoria Park Gang again--a group of territorial guys who sometimes give the harsh stare-down to new visitors who come and "crowd" their normal hangout spots. they seriously go out of their way to get up close as you jumprope, as if daring you to get in their way!

we decided to brave it and take a chance taking an inconspicuous picture of Ken posing in front of the gang; PCP-ers, should you try your workouts in the park, stand strong and stay fierce!  beware the Victoria Park Gang:

Day 43: ratatouille saves the days

shout out THANKS to fellow PCPer Simon R. who passed along his ratatouille recipe. easy to make, extremely tasty and life savior in terms of having veggie supply in fridge that's automatically ready to go.

PCP friend Ken and i usually get together once a week, split the organic veggies (including any leftover vegs that need to be used up) in half for chopping, and then cook up a large batch of the ratatouille to divy up. comes in SUPER handy just to have around! eating cold, adding to pasta and warming up, putting on sandwiches... it's the super flexible veg dish. especially with no need to cook proteins at dinner these days, this one cooking session takes care of most of the necessary prep, freeing up a lot of worry and stress to focus on exercises and other stuff.

Day 42: back on track: the weekly weigh-in

despite one faltering last night at the movies, things still on track.

after the cinema last night, got home w/ a bit of the guilty feeling so finally tried the 8 min abs workout that Patrick suggested to us. excellent, concentrated and best-of-all, easy to do! def gonna add this into my routine in the evenings. this morning, got up early and completed my skips before 8:30am on the Sunday (1,500 now--what a nice long way we've come, having started at 250 skips just 41 days ago!).  healthy day of eating.

and the #'s for the week:
body weight:    70.0kgs

body fat %:        19.9%

first time i've seen the body fat go below 20%--just~    not even half way thru yet though, so plenty more to do--let's go get 'em!

Day 41: movie night and the unforeseen diet fail

went to the cinema today, and was excited as we were able to get seats (thanks, Susan!) for the viewing (of Steven Soderbergh's Contagion) at the Director's Club theater, which offers a more pampering experience to enjoy the viewing. so, we go through the private entrance and enter the cozy theater. the usher walks us to our seat; to my delight, there are less than 20 seats and each of us gets  our very own leather lazy chair with full reclining capabilities,

but then, the usher ask us for our order--the admission price covers not only the movie, but also a hot dog/sandwich, unlimited re-fill drinks and popcorn <DOH!>. normally, for past movies seen during PCP (and most of the time), i'm OK to not order any of the usually over-priced, not-so-healthy foods.  so i ordered an un-sweeatened ice tea while Susan ordered her set.

the usher came back a couple mins later with 2 teas, a sandwich and hot dog, and 2 small individual containers of popcorn. i'm not sure what got into me, but i thought, well, it's here so i'll just taste one small handful of the popcorn, which was half salty savory and half caramelized sweet.

next thing i know, barely before the movie had started, my container was near empty!  i couldn't help it--not usually a popcorn-needy person, but one taste and i was hooked this time.  i ended up just indulging in a small one bite of the hot dog too... resulting in my first official PCP diet fail, albeit enjoyed with a decadent smile! :)

 

Day 40: open face sandwich for lunch

WOW, CONGRATS fellow PCP-ers for making it to day 40 (already)!!!  hopefully it's been as positive and beneficial an experience to you guys so far as it's been for me.

i liked Patrick's mail today, on the psychological effects on hunger that food visuals can have. totally hear you about "tricking" your mind into thinking you're eating more than you actually are (or into not wanting to eat as much if it doesn't look as appetizing.).

since last week, i had considered blending our dinner ingredients (yogurt, egg white, and a fruit) into a sweet-ish lassie shake, but in the end, decided not to b/c i would've finished that in 1 min and then prob felt "jipped" for dinner. so that's what led to me dicing it all up and putting it into a bowl and savoring each bite over 10 mins :)

similarly, today's lunch was a marinated, grilled pork loin sandwich with balsamic caramelized onions and ratatouille veggies. would normally be one nice big, thick sandwich, but in this case, i just split into 2 and made it open faced, to savor the added time and additional bites...  YUMM~

Day 39: body isolation class.

just got back to HK recently (after a year back in Calif) and went back to a great salsa dance studio that i've previously taken classes at. i took their "closest-to-an-aerobics-fitness" class, called Body Movement and Isolation. in this class, you basically isolate various part of the body (head/neck, shoulders, hips, rib cage, etc) and work them to movement and rhythm.

all i gotta say, is that the class is not easy. yet, i was able to move certain body parts (again, in isolation!) that i hadn't easily done before. and, i didn't get tired thru the routine, as i normally do.  a lot of the isolations of course involve using your core and abs, and to that end, i def had much more strength and flexibility than ever before--thanks of course to PCP!

my posture is better, i'm feeling lighter, yet stronger and more flexible. wonderful effects of the new-er PCP me~
bring on day 40, yo!

Day 38: tripping ropes...

had an unusually bad day of skipping, or rather tripping, today. prob averaged about a trip every 13-14 skips!!  and of course, the more frustrated you get, the more you trip up... the self-fulfilling prophesy from PCP-exercise-routine hell!!

ok, wasn't THAT bad.  but def felt out of sorts, starting from the beginning and that ended up making everything else take much longer than usual.  anyway, all done for now--rest up for tomorrow!

Day 37: an egg white, yogurt and apple...

all in one bowl, who woulda thought it possible to be good.  and in fact, that's all i've had for 6 days straight now.  somehow, find that it taste better as a sour dessert, almost reminds of me a lassie shake.  tempted to blend it all together but then the "meal" would go down to fast and psychologically, i'd prob get hungry.

been choosing the biggest apples at the market (from NZ), so actually have 2-3 slices left to enjoy as a dessert after cutting up some smaller chunks for the bowl of yogurt/egg white.

chest def sore after the workouts today but overall, still feeling overall, good and strong.

Day 36: weekly numbers

to start this week, not as impressive a drop in weight and seems like same body fat % from last week:

weight:       70.1kgs

body fat %:   20.6% 

still, feeling good and strong overall.  monday workouts always a bit sluggish anyway. couldn't get very low on these new pistol squats unf, and def suffered through the bicycle abs and planks.  pull-ups are still not impressive either.

diet overall going well. prep time a lot easier now that dinners are smaller.

waiting (and WORKING!) for that visceral fat to start saying its farewell...

Day 35: skipping...

enjoyed an early Sunday morning skipping session.  thanks to friend/jumper extraordinaire Kathy's tutelage, learned and successfully did the cross-over for the first time!!

thanks to fellow PCP-er Ken for taking the video and setting to music (as we now know, it's ALL about the inspirational music when skipping rope  :)

Day 34: beckoning choc fudge brownies...

i have not really been craving sweets until tonight, when i went to a good friend's housewarming potluck and saw Joyce's homemade dark chocolate nut brownies <DOH!>  it really took all my PCP commitment and will powers to fight the urge to just DIG my hands into that moist, soft, gooey, sweetest texture... yeah, better stop there~~

however... the silver lining is that also there was a recently completed PCP alum. he looks in excellent physical form, and was DEF enjoying all the food at the party, as well as the brownies a la mode! so, there IS a light at then end of the PCP tunnel ...  waiting patiently til dessert heaven comes my way.  tonight was good motivation to continue to work my way towards the rewards of the promised land :)

Day 33: "you've DEF lost weight"...

yes, indeed, even though i know it to be true, the visual signs are def starting to show, esp. when i've met friends who haven't seen me in a while. always a nice bit of motivation to remember the next day when i'm struggling with pull-ups and planks.

even better than that, i've had several friends who've been following along tell me they've "been inspired" and even know 2 people who will be joining the next round of PCP~!

just barely a third of the way through, but been very satisfied w/ the program and its effects on my life and those around me so far...

Day 32: simply eggs...

really liked Patrick's mail today abt the importance of "the humble egg"
i love eggs in all forms so am enjoying the simplicity of its form esp given its high yield WRT to nutrition.

bit of a fail today on the ab exercises.  already was burning by the last set of leg lifts; couldn't complete the final 2 sets of 40 sec planks w/o a couple seconds relief break.

still not able to impress on the pull-ups.

BUT, getting lots of compliments pretty regularly now on having dropped a few kgs and noticing that my face has def taken on a diff. shape/definition. a friend mentioned that i def have "the face of a skinny person" now!

Day 31: new diet, no problems...

first day of new diet was a bit of a fail, due to china travel.  since then, been doing OK w/ the adjustments. don't feel too hungry and enjoying the more noticeable changes physically already from the smaller dinners.

exercises today almost seemed like "a break" after the first 2 intense days.  still, the legs and the abs were def. feeling it!  think i MIGHT have managed a couple of double-jump skips inadvertently but every time i intensionally tried to do them resulted in a trip-up~  will come soon enough i'm sure.

happy mid-week to fellow PCPers out there!  
and CONGRATS to the ones that just finished up this week!!  will be joining you there soon enough~

Day 30: following the program...

exercises: JUST on the cusp of getting double skips for the jump-roping i think.  def feeling comfortable with skipping faster, and doing alternating feet, as well as straddles.  still trip up when i try the double skip--think i need to jump higher?!
legs def burned today on the 2 exercises.
surprised that i was able to do the chest dips OK.
V sit-ups unf still look like sloppy U sit-ups~

diet: had shabu shabu for lunch, which was a nice find. otherwise, not hungry so guess that's the other victory to be found today.

Day 29: traveling s*cks when you're on PCP...

well, should clarify to specifically say that traveling in China is not the best place for PCP~~~  so much oil in the food overall and very difficult sometimes to get the service there to cater to something as simple as a no-soy, no-MSG, no-sauce request.

i'm sure when i go home to SF next month, being there while on PCP will be more like a dream come true.  HK is still a bit of a struggle, but once committed, it's kinda cool finding out about all the sprouting organic cafes and food shops in local popular neighborhoods. product choice still sadly leaves much to be desired but seems to be moving in the right direction anyway.

Day 28: still in the right, downward direction...

weekly weigh-in today:

weight:          70.7 kgs
body fat %:    20.6%

nice to see both continuing to move down, slowly but surely.

hope rest of PCPers are feeling strong, healthy and well.

congrats on finishing 4 weeks!

Day 27: sweating, sweating and MORE sweating...

so, no longer have access to my friend Chris' hotel gym, and now have to do daily exercises the local, ghetto way... in the public park!  i stayed true to the program by getting my 8 hours' sleep last night, but that meant that by the time i finished breakfast, it was 11:15am when i stepped out to Victoria Park (in Causeway Bay, HK).  needless to say, even having found a large area shaded by a big tree, it was still a sauna out there!!

exercises were difficult enough; add to the fact that it was midday and humidity was riding high... oh man, the sweat-dripping was embarrassing. but, it did feel great to get the work-out in, and satisfying to know that i'd worked hard b/c of the midday humidity.  but, prob not the safest way to get thru PCP...

Day 26: friday night... whoopee!

somehow, the thrill of the friday night lights is just not the same when 1. you're focused on PCP and 2. you're not working anyway!  haha :)

quiet one for me tonight, but healthy diet, healthy exercise, healthy sleep = "how-can-you-miss" healthy lifestyle, yeah?  i'm not even really a big drinker by any means, but the no alcohol part of this experience has really made me appreciate how different it can be socially in certain settings when one doesn't drink. i never used to really understand why those persons often ducked out for an "early night" before midnite, esp b/c the one or two times i didn't drink, i thought: no big deal.  

but now, after almost 4 weeks of no drinking and still going out fairly regularly, i can def sympathize with my fellow non-drinkers. i sometimes almost want to just pick up a cigarette (which i don't normally do) just have something else to do in these social settings~~  doesn't help that HK nightlife is pretty dominated by the bar/lounge/club party scene, but for now, i think it's fine and worth the sacrifice and experiment, for peak conditioning!

Day Twenty-Five: the perfect egg...

new exercises def whooped my a*rse today: leap frog jumps def had me winded by end of last set. the chicken wing reps also burned. finally, my V sit-ups were completely sloppy--couldn't hold the form at all~

but, did make a great egg for breakfast afterwards :)

Day Twenty-Four: all quiet on the eastern front...

hello again from HKers.  bit late doing the exercises today but actually pleasantly surprised at how quickly i got thru the 1100 skips, esp. after a bit of an off day yesterday.  planks were OK too, but i still can't do more than a set of pull-ups w/o needing to use my leg (resting on a chair underneath) to help a bit.  

surprisingly difficult were the new shoulder press exercises. def struggled on the last set there.

Day Twenty-Three: an off day

was traveling in Macau today so bit of an off day. took me a while to do jump ropes today and felt sluggish on the rest of the exercises. pretty much missed lunch unfortunately.

took off shirt by the pool though, a little more confidently than usual  :)   still showing the gut but def feel like there's more muscle underneath, than just the hanging layer of blob that was before~~

the hotel gym i had been going to until this week is no longer available to me tomorrow so will have to find new venue/routine.  THANKS Chris for temp gym access anyway--was good while it lasted :)

Day Twenty-Two: bringing it along...

more reps = more sweat.  i like the challenge of more reps now, and the upcoming new exercises to try--the pics of Patrick doing the floor jumps and chicken wing lifts are admittedly pretty hilarious too! :)

so bring it on, week 4--let's go get 'em~

Day Twenty-One: skipping sundays...

up to 1,000 skips now, under 10 mins... yee-eAHH!

always easier too, knowing there are no other exercises to follow for the break-day :)

tonight's healthy no-carb dinner:

Day Twenty: bubbly, anyone?

went to a friend's birthday dinner at a private kitchen tonight. people were dressed up, birthday balloons were placed around, the tables were set; as we were standing around, waiting for all the guests to arrive, the server was walking around, handing out flutes of champagne for pre-din cocktails.

in mid-conversation with a few people, i naturally accepted mine from the server. as my friend noticed all three of us in the conversation now had our glasses, he raised his and offered a welcoming toast to start the evening and we raised glasses to join. JUST as my glass was coming up, my friend Kathy, the gracious hostess, suddenly interrupted, saying, "hey, can you drink??"  <DOH>.  i stopped my glass suddenly, just before it had made it to the promised land~   with the usual party setting, i had COMPLETELY forgotten about the diet and corresponding no-alcohol--it just so naturally had slipped my mind given the celebratory nature.

we laughed about my timely forgetfulness, and i sheepishly and not-too-happily passed off my full glass of champagne and substituted a full glass of sparkling... water!

Day Nineteen: the PCP ripple

one cool thing i've noticed about PCP is how it's had a positive effects on those around me. seems to break down into 3 groups so far in my limited experience so far:

1. friends who are coming for the free (albeit, somewhat bland) meal. they know that i'm not as able to go out, so i'll invite them to join and they invariably get a "taste" of what we're going thru.  but asfellow PCPer Ken in previous blog pointed out, one effect is that they themselves end up eating a bit less. when i've offered to "spice" it up a bit for them w/ carbs or salt, some have even asked to try the meal just like we have to eat it!

2. others are mostly friends/loved ones supporting the PCPer.  this has been great and invaluable, having offers to help w/ exercises (thanks Belle!) or doing bits of the diet and program together, not b/c they need it, but more as show of support of our commitment,

3. still others (even new acquaintances) see the positive effects of the program and wanna try their own version of doing something healthy, be it changing diet or exercising more.  partially due to watching ken and me stay committed, my flatmate has started going to the pool to swim laps every morning at 6:30am--keeping with the same start time even on Saturdays and Sundays.  also, many people liked the discussion about getting the 8-hours sleep each night and have taken to trying to incorporate that.

i know at some point, my friends will prob get tired of the PCP talk, esp. in month 2 when things get more lean WRT diet. still, at the moment, the topic really been a big part of some lively and good conversations and discussions, resulting in great promotional exchange, both for the program as well as thinking overall about fitness and health.

having said this, i'm off to my Friday night "drinks"--haven't had my coffee or sparkling water yet today, so something to look forward to at the local bar ;)

Day Eighteen: healthy, healthy, HEALTHY !!

had a pretty delish, healthy and as always PCP-compliant lunch today:

haven't really been hungry much, but i do miss eating more fun foods (& can't wait for our first indulgence day)~~  as you read those ingredient and nutrition charts on the labels though, you really do see how many foods already have sodium in them. easy to understand how we get enough of it naturally, w/o adding more.  but from a culinary point of view, it's used everywhere, and does undoubtedly change/enhance the taste profile of dishes.

exercises all going well enough. after that mail abt appreciating the burn and not cheating ourselves, i've been trying to push as much as possible. still managing to complete the exercises in about 40 mins, and then i stretching at least 10 mins afterwards.  stretching is DEF a key to being less sore the next day, but must admit i'm feeling it after each workout anyway.

Day Seventeen: the good, the bad and the pretty disappointing ugly

the good: kept track of time for once today and finished the 850 skips today in less than 8 mins!  even got 200 skips in a row at one point~!!  still don't feel like i can do the fun stuff yet but def nice to be able to get a bit more of a rhythm going. for me, it def helps skipping in front of a mirror.  also, found this bit online and remembered another key is prob the type of rope and making sure it's the proper length. the video is pretty sweet too:
http://www.rossboxing.com/thegym/thegym26.htm


the bad: was def feeling it on the davinci's today. barely finished the last set.

the disappointing ugly: unf, could only get 3 pull-ups done, and most likely from initial strength and momentum of being the first set. tried to do a 4th but couldn't get up.  rested 20 secs and tried the 2nd set but didn't have strength. i know it won't happen overnight, but still wish i'd been able to show a bit more.