The Final Post

Well this is quite a moment.  I can't believe we are at the end of the project - it has become such a part of our lives now.

I didn't blog in the last week as I've been in "head down" mode and didn't want to think about it too much.  I didn't expect to but I actually enjoyed the super sets - mixing up the exercises and going for the total workout felt good.  But man, you need a full night's sleep after them!

Officially Day 90 was a couple of days ago but James and I are still eating 6 times a day and pretty much sticking to the regime.  I don't like putting it like that as it clearly is not a regime anymore and has become a way of life - to choose fresh healthy fruit, veg, lean meat and enjoy natural variety.  For giving us that knowledge and inclination, I really thank Patrick.  I think you may have given us a few extra years to enjoy and share with our family.  How awesome is that?!

Daily/frequent exercise is something that James and I both struggled to discipline ourselves to do pre-PCP.  Now we actually choose activities together as a family and that really makes me happy.  Running along the waterfront on the south side of Hong Kong island with our 2 little boys giggling and yelling "faster" in their double buggy last weekend was truly a joyful moment :-)  I'm looking forward to many more.

A huge part of my motivation for starting PCP was the fact that I hated the way my body looked.  I thought I was fat and weighed too much.  I was also scared of making meal decisions because I thought that eating food makes you fat.  So I used to just snack on bits and pieces during the day.  Now I know this is all total rubbish.  I weigh 121 lbs now.  I was 123 lbs when PCP started.  I haven't had the same compliments that James has had about looking massively different and "oh you've obviously worked really hard" but this in itself has also been a good lesson.  I now know that:
1. Weight doesn't matter
2. I wasn't/am not fat
3. I look good
4. It doesn't matter what other people think because...
5. I am blessed to be healthy and equipped with the knowledge to protect and enhance my health for the rest of my life.

On Day 90 I did the work out from Day 5.  It took me 5 or 6 minutes!  In the afternoon I took my two little boys to the beach and splashed in the sea with them, wearing my bikini, which I HAVE NEVER DONE with my children before!!!!  They always had to wait for Daddy to be home at the weekend.  Before I would have cried from embarrassment and shame about how I looked.  I had such a nice time with them and had any amazing feeling of being truly liberated from all my old horrible hang ups.  This also makes me really happy.  It was my way of celebrating the end of the project and, I don't know if anyone else can understand, but is a great reflection of what I have achieved through PCP.

Thank you Patrick for your patient support over the past 3 months.  Thank you James for putting up with my wobbles and encouraging me along the way.  I truly couldn't have completed the project if you had not been doing it too.  You have shown self-discipline that I haven't seen in you before and your incredible results are well deserved.

Well I guess that is me done, for now.  Well done to everyone who has completed the 90 days and to everyone who is already nearly half way there!  Keep at it - you can do it and I think I understand now what Patrick means when he says chest dips will set you free!! :-)

Day 84

Like a lot of other PCPers, it seems, I'm finding that I'm wanting to make a big push to finish the programme properly.  I used a stronger resistance band for rowing yesterday and can feel it, in a good way, in my back today.  James and I skipped at the same time tonight and finished off with the 8 minute abs together.  If you'd told me we would happily be doing 1990s aerobics routines together 3 months ago, I'd have laughed at you!

The PCP trickle down effect continues:  #1 son finally tried egg whites ("mmm, like it"), red peppers ("mummy do it"), mango ("more?") and is stealing my bananas and apples.  He also does his own daily version of exercises, including counting out the reps, which he seems to have made up for himself.

Day 81

Can't believe it's been so long since I last blogged.  No idea where the time went but do know I've been busy.

My PCP routine is intact: skips at lunchtime, sets in the evening.  Happy with the rhythm and, as we near the end of the programme, looking forward with a full expectation that I will continue to make time for some daily (or frequent at least!) exercise.  This is a new Sasha - previously, I'd have done what I could to avoid it!

I confess that I haven't followed the diet 100% exactly - I'm not taking carbs very often at night time.  I just prefer not to but maybe that's because James and I quite often have sweet potato as one of our night time veg, which is quite filling anyway.  The other thing I have noticed in the past couple of days is that lunch isn't really keeping me full for as long as it used to.  Before I'd have to be reminded to take my afternoon snack but now I'm watching the clock for it.  I'm eating loads of veg at lunch so I'm not sure what's going on there.

James and I indulged last night.  We went to a great Italian restaurant on the 103rd floor of ICC in HK.  The view was great even though the weather wasn't.  Started with carpaccio, followed with Paccheri (first time we'd seen this type of pasta on a menu since our honeymoon in Italy, when we had it A LOT!), and then the best rack of lamb I've ever had.  Awesome.  Felt full much more quickly than I would have pre-PCP.  But loved the flavours and it was a real treat - thank you hubby!

The other thing that started happening this week is that #1 son, who turns 2 soon, has found the ultimate weapon against any form of verbal discipline:  in the middle of Mummy's sentence, lean forward, fart loudly and slowly as a broad smile spreads over your face, and then politely ask "Who's that?"  It's hilarious and he knows it.

Day 73

As usual.  Skips done at lunchtime, sets in the evening.

New photo is up.  It's been two weeks.  Frankly I can hardly see a difference and, if anything, I think I look marginally less lean.  Hmmm.

Day 71

Skips done at lunchtime. Sets in the evening after the boys went to bed. I will be glad to get some time back to myself after day 90.

Banana going down a lot better as a pre work out snack than the dry bread that was constituting my carb allowance before.

It's late now so will post photos tomorrow.

day 69

Skips done while #1 son at playgroup and #2 son napping this morning.  I'm really really tired all the time at the moment.  So I tried to get 20mins shut-eye at lunchtime which meant no sets during the day.  Did them all after the boys went to bed though.

I'm skipping my prework out carbs still.  I can't see that it's a huge amount and I'm not hungry for them.  I also realised that the last couple of nights I missed out my dinner carbs.  Not on purpose but, as well as other veg, I had sweet potato and pumpkin and I guess my body really just didn't feel like bread or rice as well otherwise I'd have got the craving right?

Oh and I know it's a positive "change in body composition", Patrick, but my sample size Chanel dress doesn't fit anymore - it's too tight under the arms and across the back - those latissimus dorsi whatchumacallits you've been talking about?  I don't mind too much because the dress never really fit anyway but yes, I'm getting bigger, not smaller.  I hope this is not an ongoing trend??

The other news is that #2 son's first two teeth popped through yesterday! :-)

Day 67

Skipped at lunchtime today. Sets done after putting the boys to bed and before supper. Not much else to report. The boys behaved like angels today and I had such fun with them both - couldn't have a bigger smile on my face!