Day 45

Half way there... Bit of an anticlimax really since I know this is just going to get harder and harder until the end!  But at least I can be proud of the fact that James and I have stuck to the programme for the past month and a half.

Please Patrick, I never ever want to count skips again.  This  2 minute set thing is sooooo much better.  I believe, like Vitto, I'm doing more actual jumps but I don't feel depressed thinking about it.  It was such a horrid feeling before and just no fun.  This week I'm actually enjoying it.

Generally my morale is a bit better.  We had a great weekend in HK, weather-wise, and the boys loved spending both days on the beach.  Baby has slept a bit better too, which makes a big difference.

Oh and I was about to give away a very nice designer dress that I've never worn (I got it cheap as a sample size and it was simply too small).  Anyway, it fits perfectly now and I'm delighted!

Day 43

Thanks for the support guys after my blog whinge the other day. Was still in a bit of a mood yesterday but today....HOORAY!! Thank The Lord we don't have to count jumps anymore!! I thought i hated skipping but it made a massive difference to me that I could just get on with (dare I say enjoy a little bit) my jumps without the monotony of counting down and down and down.

Also it was much better that I could get my exercises done in the morning today as James was home to help with the kids. Again, so different for morale knowing you've gotten up and done it rather than having it hang over your head all day while you are rushed off your feet.

So a much better day overall. Liking the bigger veg portions too although I went to a very nice food hall to pick up some treats for #1 son this afternoon. Took a whole lot of will power not to neck a couple of freshly baked double choc chip cookies at the bakery...

Day 41

Not liking PCP today... at all.  I'm back to feeling tired, grumpy and hungry a lot of the time.  I understand that this may be something you have to put up with if you are on a regime but I hate feeling like I'm not being the best mum I can be just because I've got myself in to a situation where I have to spend ages weighing all my food and rushing around trying to find time to do exercises in between doing everything else.  I ended up preparing food for myself and my family until midnight last night.  Baby had me up at 4am.  He resettled but started his day at 6.45am.  And I didn't sit down, literally, from then until 5pm this evening when I helped the boys with their tea and had my afternoon snack.  Even lunch was mouthfuls grabbed between skipping, a shower and trying to settle the baby for his lunchtime nap.  This simply isn't sustainable.

James made the point that my old diet wasn't really doing me any favours compared to PCP, and he might be right but, you know what, a supper of steamed white rice with some nice sauteed meat with sauce and some stir fried vegetables makes me happy.  As does chocolate cake.

This rant may not be very PC on the PCP but I've got to get it off my chest.

Day 39

Better PCP day today.  I managed to skip at lunchtime so I just had my sets to do in the evening, which makes a big difference for me in terms of morale and also timing my evening meals.

Looking forward to getting to the other side of Day 45 - it's tantalising being this close to the Halfway Mark and still having a whole bunch of demon floorjumps to go before we get there!

Keeping a close eye on events in the Middle East.  It will be very important for us all to see who fills the power vacuums that may arise as old regimes fall or change.  I'm also feeling terrible for everyone impacted by the earthquake in New Zealand.  It all rather easily puts the PCP gripes in to perspective.

Day 38

Didn't get to start my skipping and exercises until 8.15pm today, which I hate.  So I wasn't looking forward to any of it at all.  Didn't help that it was very windy outside where I was skipping so I tripped quite a few times.  Anyway, I did it.  By the time I'd got through my sets I wasn't in such a bad mood.  Muscles failed on the bicycle but otherwise I did ok.

I realised that you can't have a sneaky day off on PCP.  Well maybe you can, but I don't dare!  I'd be too worried about not being able to keep up with the next exercises if I skipped a day.

But I am craving something sweet this week.  Can't get a big hot cup of strong sweet tea out of my head and pictures of chocolate cake keep floating across my mind's eye.  Weird since I haven't had any real cravings so far.  Like I say with the kids: I'm sure it's just a phase! :-)

Day 36

Feeling better today than I have been in a while and happy to be back doing the sets. Although I still think floor jumps suck.

Sleep deprivation hasn't helped my mood... Our little baby has learnt to roll over and is teething right now so decided to go exploring in his cot for things to chew at 4.30am. He was still exploring and getting stuck and crying at 6.30am. I must have rescued him about 8 times. None of us got any more sleep so started the day in A Big Grump. Funny though that our toddler now insists on carrots for breakfast everyday just like mummy and daddy.

Hoping for a better night. Wish us luck! Will post a weekly photo in a mo.

Day 35

Been missing my blogging this week but honestly have been so worn out with hectic life at home that I simply haven't had time.

I find that the food prep is taking up a lot of time: as well as making sure we are all set for PCP, I'm also having to cook separate meals for my toddler and baby.  The other day I made 9 different meals for one day!  I'm cooking in batches so it just means a crazy couple of days of cooking and then a few days off until the next round begins...

But I can sincerely say that I'm very much enjoying exercising every day.  I like taking the time to zone out of crazy housework and just focus on doing my exercises that I know will make me fitter and stronger to meet the challenges of every day.  It's my daily dose of me time in my own head.

That said, I confess to missng my sets yesterday.  I jumped rope while I had time during the kids' lunchtime nap but by evening I was feeling very flu-like.  So I took paracetamol and had a hot bath and jumped in to bed.  Better today but still not 100%.  Did my 1400 jumps though.

Can't believe that it is already time for another set of diet and exercise plans tomorrow - eek!  Good luck everyone!  

Day 32

Checking out fellow PCPers' blogs, it seems we are all a bit low with the new diets and harder exercises.  I'm feeling it too. The lethargy hit me at 3pm today.  I was feeding the baby his bottle and found my eyes rolling backwards in my head!  It was tough to make myself get my toddler up from his lunchtime nap and not climb in to bed with him for a bit of extra sleep!

The positive bit is that while I still loathe the floor jumps, I'm starting to get my head around the technique a bit more - they still really burn though.  Also, for every horrible painful thing that Patrick is making me do, I know there are the rest of the PCP gang out there doing it too, and that really helps.  I also know that what doesn't kill me will make me stronger, and try to keep that in my head when at those times when I just want to stop.

Well done Vitto for doing all your skipping jumps in one set - that's surely better than Rocky?!

Day 30

Doing ok. Did all my exercises at lunchtime.  Struggling with the chest dips - but more I think because I've never done one before...Feels like I'm having to teach new muscles to do new things!

James and I had fresh steamed prawns for lunch, squirted with lemon juice, with brown rice and steamed veggies - delicious!

Well done gang - we've come this far, so there is no going back now!

Day 29 - PCP lesson 4: carrot cake probably isn't worth it.

I put up my Day 29 photo on Flickr, so shan't bother to blog it too.

James and I "indulged" today: a piece of carrot cake for afternoon tea.  I was so excited and made sure I sat by myself to savour the experience.  It was yummy on the way in, as James said, but half an hour later I had a bit of a headache and was feeling a bit sick to be honest!  I was also regretting it while I was in the middle of my pull ups.  Overall, it was much less worth it than I thought before I started on PCP.  Good lesson, Patrick!

I skipped and did all the exercises today.  Left ankle still hot to touch and a bit swollen but I think the day off yesterday did it a bit of good.

As for the floor jumps, I'm not sure that I shall ever start a love affair with them but each one takes me closer to where I want to be in terms of fitness and achievement, so that's what I tell myself while my legs are on fire.

I was going to take a moment to celebrate being a month in to PCP already but have a feeling that the next few weeks are going to be a whole new experience all over again, so shall just look forward to learning a few more PCP lessons along the way.

Day 28 - but can fit in to my honeymoon jeans!

Forgot to mention the major achievement of being able to wear my white jeans that James bought for me on our honeymoon in Rome without the fly popping open every time I sit down!! If I'm honest they did that even when we bought them but I just didn't say anything because I liked them so much.

Day 28 - can't skip :-(

Been a very hectic couple of days. All four of us in the family have a cold and throat infection. Seems I'm last to pick it up but haven't had much time to think about it as the poor baby has developed croup. Had a scary midnight run to the hospital on weds as he seemed to be having trouble breathing. Luckily he seems to holding up well so far - he's such a trooper - but he gave his mummy and daddy a fright!

....and so I had my first non-PCP craving: on the way back from the hospital I just really wanted a nice hot strong cup of English tea with full fat milk and a spoon of sugar! didn't do it but hardly think it would have been a huge crime after all the worry-adrenaline of the night?!

Been keeping up with the exercises until today. I've been skipping on the soft surface of the kids playground but my left ankle has been getting worse and worse. I tried taping it up before skipping yesterday but couldn't even walk around the house without trainers on by the evening so I prescribed myself a day of ankle rest today. Hope that isn't a huge crime either. still hobbling but hoping to see an improvement tomorrow. if not I will try to substitute swimming for skipping instead.

James and I didn't do our indulgence yet. Thinking about taking the boys out for afternoon tea (I.e. Cake!) tomorrow :-)

Day 25 - fat ankles

I did my jumps early this morning as #2 son was waking on and off from 5am with teething. Poor guy. It was pretty painful skipping and, rushing around with the kids, I noticed I was limping this afternoon. Looked down and saw my ankles were both like tennis balls. Been applying bengay cream, which helps but will see how I get on tomorrow. Oh and floor jumps aren't very fun so far!

Day 24 - noticing the PCP differences.

Wow!... For lots of different things today.

It's been really hectic since we got home from holiday.  My mum has come to Hong Kong to help me out with the kids for a while, which is great, but I still think I've done at least 20 loads of laundry since we got back on Saturday.  Also we've been doing a lot of cooking - for James and I on PCP and for the two boys. #2 son is just getting on to weaning proper and I can't keep up with the amount of food he seems to want to eat!  All a bit of a whirlwind.

BUT - I seem to have A LOT more energy than I did before PCP.  It's weird.  It's now 9.45pm it is literally the first time that I've sat down today other than to eat my meals.  Before I'd have been really tired and crabby and definitely NOT converasational.  Ok, I'm not about to do a few extra pull ups or anything but considering I've managed to do my exercises too today, I'm in pretty good shape!  So I'm taking this as a good indication that PCP is working.

Also, my clothes are fitting quite differently.  Looser on the waist.  A bit tighter around where my hamstrings are on my thighs, but both James and my mum say I look more toned.  I'm noticing a lot more definition in my upper arms and shoulders, which I like.

Food - it tastes so much more now.  This is really noticeable for me in the past few days.  So it really doesn't feel like I'm eating "plain" or "restricted" food on PCP.  Loving it!

The only less than positive is that my ankles really hurt.  It's down the front of my ankle and curling down around the ankle bone on the outside.  Feels a bit like I've been wearing high heels all night! Skipping is tough until I'm really warm and then it's ok.  I've been skipping in the carpark (concrete) so I shall try the spongey all weather surface at the playground tomorrow but any tips to help?  Thought I might try rubbing in some deep heat tonight and tomorrow before I skip.

I'm focusing on all the positives above and not the scary looking new exercises this week!  Hope everyone else is seeing some good changes too.

pcpday23photo.jpg

Sent via BlackBerry® from 3

Day 22 - bye bye Thailand, hello HK. PCP still rules.

Well the virtues of doing PCP with your partner are very apparent today.  Cannot BELIEVE that James and I cracked on with our exercises at coming up for 9pm after a full day's travel back from Thailand.  Definitely deserve a pat on the back, if you ask me.  Credit to James, who was really the driver.  I had to do it really because he was still trying even though his toe looks like it's dead.  We both admitted to feeling a bit woozy by the time we sat down after supper at 10.30pm but glad not to have missed a PCP day yet.

Also, Patrick, your videos are really good.  Very helpful indeed.

Oh and a python update:  the 7 footer that came to join our beach bonfire in Thailand probably SWAM there over the sea from some small outlying islands!!  What?! And it's a reticulated python, which is the largest species of snake in the world - and apparently really good swimming.

Day 21

1000 jumps done this morning. I didn't feel so low before lunch today so maybe its just that the sets have been wearing me out a bit the past few days.

Last night we built a fire on the beach. The temperature was a bit cooler and a 7' juvenile python came along the beach to try to get warm by our fire!!! Its skin was beautiful but it was pretty scary. This guy came along and caught the snake with his bare hands he told us a bit about the snake while it was wrapping itself constriction style around his arm and did a wee on him. Yuck! then he put it in a bag and took it up to the mountains to set free away from people. I don't know how to post a picture as we are using mobile technology but maybe James will put one up when we get back to hong kong.

We are going home tomorrow. It's been a fab holiday and we've all had a great time. #1 son swam on his own for the first time today! And #2 is eating more than the 3 of us put together :-) great to see the boys coming on!

Day 20

I was maxed out at the end of the lunge sets today. But I've completed them all and am trying to ignore the fact that my butt permanently aches!

Also I've been really really tired by around 12.30pm, just before lunch. Not sure if it's a sugar low or exercise fatigue. Also my little baby has a cold and hasnt been sleeping that well the past couple of nights. But I'm so tired I'm having a total sense of humour failure so its better for me to just lie down by myself for a few minutes until lunchtime!

Lunch is filling me up but I'm hungry again for my afternoon fruits and again for supper. thank goodness for our night time fruits as well, as supper still leaves me wanting a bit more. But after my night fruits and yogurt I'm happy. maybe I just have to get used to not having a big evening meal.

Anyway, I'm still very pleased to be doing PCP and enjoying all the positive benefits that it is bringing :-)

Day 19 - PCP for toddlers :-)

James and I are still doing pretty well in following the PCP diet rules here in Thailand. But its pretty easy when there is such nice fresh fish to steam. And I am LOVING all the fruits for snacks. The mangoes and papayas are incredible here!

The exercises are going well although I felt that burn at the end of my ab sets today! Overall I'm feeling a bit firmer all over, which is nice. My butt aches a bit from the lunges but I believe that to be a good thing, so don't mind at all. I can't find anywhere to do the pull ups so did rowing sets instead. I know it's not the exact same work out for my back but better than nothing, right?

One big plus I can see from following the food rules is that our little boy sees us eating all kinds of new and different healthy snacks. Maybe it's because we are on holiday and he and his friends are feeling adventurous anyway but he has been eating all kinds of vegetables and new pasta dishes that he refused before. Could we actually be setting a good example these days?!