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!

Day 66

First I will confess that I skipped the exercises on Saturday. I chose instead to organize #1 sons birthday party and am pleased I did. I've been getting tired and ratty with the kids again on interrupted sleep so i feel like I owed them a PCP stress free day.

But I was inspired on that same afternoon to stick with the program because I felt so fit and strong running around town (hong kong has a lot of slopes!) that I got loads of stuff done without feeling completely frazzled.

I guess the lesson I am taking from the experience is that moderation and compromise work and beating yourself up with guilt because you can't do absolutely everything all the time is actually not very helpful.

Back on track with all the skipping and exercise Sunday and today. I'm with James that trying to do it at night after a full day with the kids just isn't fun. Will try to skip at lunch tomorrow so the evening sets are manageable. I meant to today but fell asleep at lunch while my sister, who had come to visit, was talking to me - whoops!

Day 62

Back on track the last couple of days - skipping and exercises all done.  Ankles were sore again for the first time in a while yesterday.  I guess they enjoyed the sneaky day off before! Feeling stronger having slept better last night. Managed to get the skipping and sets all done this morning too while #1 son was at playgroup.  #2 son had to watch again when he woke up from his nap but overall the interruptions weren't too bad and I made it in just under an hour (that included getting the baby up and cutting his nails between skipping and sets - multi-tasking!)

I'm feeling bigger, which doesn't leave me very comfortable. I think this may just be psychological as I made the fatal error of getting on the scales.  I haven't blogged about weight so far as Patrick says it doesn't matter.  But, for the record, I started PCP weighing 123lbs.  After a few weeks I dropped to 116lbs.  Now I'm 120lbs.  Putting weight on just wasn't something I thought I would do.  Yes, I know I'm net down but, still, it's peculiar to see the scales go up and try to convince myself that this is a good thing.  I've not taken my pre-workout carb the past couple of days.  I'm not hungry for it and I don't want to bulk up.

More positively, James made a comment yesterday that he had never seen my skin looking so clear.  I think this is true and I fully credit the diet of fresh clean food.  I've always had problems with break outs and, now that James has made me think of it, it is true that this just hasn't been the case for the past month or so.  Thank you PCP!

Day 60

Well it's a bit of a landmark day - 60 - and I've not done any exercise for the first time on PCP.  Yesterday I skipped but didn't do the sets.  I'm utterly exhausted on 5 hours of sleep last night and the night before.  It is incredible the difference that sleep makes to my physical ability to do the exercises.  Feeling a bit guilty and obviously skipped the pre and post work out carbs/yogurt yesterday and today.  Will also skip the egg tonight.

The other thing that I am having is cravings like I've never experienced before for granola and oaty things.  What is that?  It's like pregnant cravings - i.e. seriously, don't argue with me, cravings.  What am I supposed to do??

Well done everyone for sticking with the programme.  James is doing a great job and showing me up badly right now!

Oh and I've put a new photo up on Flickr today.

Day 58

I've got a hate on for skipping at the moment.  Don't know why as I can skip ok.  Sure I trip a bit, but not like when PCP first started.  But, every day as I'm getting ready to skip, I get really properly angry about the fact that I have to do it.  And I'm still really angry when it's done.  There is no sense of satisfaction for meeting the challenge, no clarity of hindsight - just pure Rage.  It takes a while to wear off.  But usually it's ok by the time I've finished lunch.  I really don't mind the sets - in fact I enjoy most of them (except bicycles, floorjumps and pull ups!).  But skipping - bah!

Sets went ok today.  I had to use a stronger but longer resistance band for all the biceps sets because James smashed up the littlest one yesterday (for the second time on PCP!).  But that's probably because he's so strong now right?! And the other resistance band was ok for me today - so I guess I'm stronger now too.

Noticed I've got these muscles that wing out from my back on either side of my chest now when I flex.  Not sure what they are but they weren't there before.  And, from what I can see over my shoulder, I'm looking pretty much cellulite free for the first time since I was about 15 years old.  That is surely a miracle.  I thought that cellulite was incurable??

Amazing day in HK today - perfect weather.  Spent the morning in the pool with James and the boys.  #2 Son had his first swim.  Afternoon was on the beach with the family and friends.  Couldn't ask for too much more.

Day 57

Skipping today went something like this: skip for 30 seconds, trip, toddler (watching on the bed) says whoops, laughs, skip for 40 seconds, toddler climbs down from the safe watching place on the bed and tries to catch the rope shouting hogalogalog (helipcopter) and neenaw neenaw, stop skipping and try to explain patiently to toddler please mind the rope while trying to start skipping as soon as possible because the 4 minutes are ticking by, trip, trip again, skip for 30 seconds, realise toddler has moved behind you and you can't see if you're about to hit him with the rope, trip trying to see, ask daddy to please watch the kids, skip for 60 seconds, think this set must be over soon, trip while trying to sneak a look at the timer, trip, trip, skip for 30 seconds, trip, skip a bit, oh well 3 seconds from the end of set 1.

Sets went better as daddy took toddler to the playground.  Baby (watching mummy from his walker) thinks the resistance bands are really funny for some reason.  He still gets very angry when I'm doing abs, though.  I told him he should try doing them.  Incidentally, toddler did the other night.  Leg ups are a lot more fun when your nearly two year old is laughing while copying you.  He's not so good at lunges though.

New diet is ok.  I just feel so physically tired.  I guess this means I'm doing the exercises properly but it's tough to keep going through the day without rest.

Great job Patrick, to keep going through everything all that is happening in Japan.  Thoughts are with you and everyone there.

Day 55

Very tired today. Skips didn't go well as calves are sore - I'm blaming the creeps of a couple of days ago. But I did all the sets for all the exercises. Finishing the day off with an 8.30pm trip to IKEA and coming back to burnt stew that I was intending to feed to my kids tomorrow hasn't exactly helped.

Yesterday was nice though. James and I indulged in dinner together. Wild mushroom ravioli to start, followed by linguine with lobster and apple crumble for pudding. Don't care about the calories - it was great! Felt full and treated afterwards and slept like a baby last night. Roll on Day 90!

Day 53

Bit late with the photo this week but it is up on Flickr now.

Did all the skips and sets today.  Although total muscle failure on the last set of cycling.  Agree with Vitto - floorjumps, pull ups and cycling are THE WORST!

Sorry about sentence structure - v busy day today and more baby mush to prepare for tomorrow's messy meals.

Day 52

Until now I have done every rep for every set of our exercises.  But in my sleep deprived state I took it easier today.  Did all the skips and abs but two sets less of the pull ups and one set less of the triceps dips.  I also skipped the double katana.  I was conscious of not doing the full whack so skipped my post-work out milk.  But at least I managed to get all the exercises done while the baby was sleeping this morning.  Which meant that I was able to catch some zzzz's at lunch.

Gorgeous day in Hong Kong today and James was off work for the afternoon so we headed to the beach, which we are lucky to have 5 mins from our apartment.  The boys absolutely loved it.  Not a bad way to start the week.

Number One Son is turning 2 in a few weeks.  If anyone has any good birthday party ideas, I'd love to hear them!

Day 50

Thanks girls (and Patrick!) for the comments and support.  Akiko, I feel bad - I should be able to give you pointers and help, rather than the other way around!  Great to have another mummy on board :-)

Molly made a really good point in her recent blog about feeling like a stranger in your own body.  I understand where she's coming from.  I've got visible muscles that I never thought I'd have and far less cellulite - Hooray!  I'm not sure that I feel a stranger so much but honestly I expected to look like I do now at the end of the programme.  But we're only halfway there.  So I'm not sure what the motivation is for the second half.  I know PCP is about more than aesthetics and of course logically there are all sorts of reasons to carry on getting fitter and stronger and better informed, etc., but it's a bit weird to be committing oneself to totally unchartered waters.

Somehow Day 50 seems like more of a landmark than Day 45.  I'll be glad to be on the other side and in to the "5-s".

Hoping very much that time management gets easier.  Baby #2 got very cross with being shoved in his walker to watch Mummy do V-sits and side crunches today.

Day 49

Well this hasn't been a great week for me. I've really struggled to stay committed to PCP. I haven't cheated on any food but missed my exercises on Wednesday.

The main problem is lack of sleep. Baby #2 has been settling better but now has a cold and has been needing comforting in the night. I'm not sleeping more than 5 or 6 hours in total and this has been interrupted as frequently as every hour. So I'm tired out already and looking after two babies and then I have PCP hanging over my head the whole time.

I am also very bad at leaving my kids to go and do PCP stuff. I just love them more than I love PCP. So it doesn't feel right for me to fob them off on to someone else while I go and exercise or prep more food.

Finally I am completely sick of having no social life. I don't even share an evening meal with my husband anymore let alone anyone else. I don't see anyone else outside of play dates with the kids and then the only thing I have to talk about when people ask me how I've been is PCP. It's driving me mad.

I like the changes in my body shape and that's the only thing that's kept me going so far but I'm not sure that that is going to be enough in itself to keep me going for another 6 weeks.

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.