Day 60 - doing my best!

So this was always going to be the "nightmare" week. My boss in town so not always time for the gym and work dinners on Mon, Tue and Wed....

So how did I do? Well I'm giving myself a 9 out of 10. It is interesting when reading other blogs how some people "crack" when temptation is put under their nose but for me it really has not been a problem. Rather than using the Mandarin Grill, Zuma or 208 as an excuse to go off piste I just tried to do my very best. In practical terms this meant grilled dove sole and steamed veg at the MG, just sashimi at Zuma and roasted sea bass at 208. Not perfect compared to the diet sheets but I just did my best.

Home late each evening but still pushed through with the jump rope each night and most of the exercises on Wednesday (could not get to the gym at lunch that day) so all in all not bad. Maybe an 8 out of 10 but definitely not much less.

Like other PCPers I'm struggling to lose the weight around the waist but now I'm 29 lbs down and looking a lot better than I have for a very long while, beggars can't be choosers.

Typhoon 8 today shut the gym but I got the workout done when back from work and a 100% compliant food day - no restaurants thankfully.

Onwards and upwards - or is that downwards?!?!

Day 55 - challenging week

Up to now it has been quie straightforward to keep to the programme but this week brought work and eating challenges. Some days no time to work out and others restaurants to eat in.

My sense is that some people would see this as an excuse to ake a day off or (over) indulge but for me it was just a case of doing my best. Steamed fish and sautéed vegetables was my best bet in the Chinese restaurant but I still didn't feel great afterwards - was that the salt and/or the MSG? Friends round for dinne last night.... Apple, egg White and steMed beans for me - not ideal given the roast beef but I'm just doing my best.

No time to exercise on Thurs or Fri so I ended up doing (most) of the programme at 10pm and 1am respectively. Again I'm just doing my best - tho' given that yesterday was my wedding anniversary it's not always the popular choice at home.

Big increase in compliments and enquiries about my changing appearance so there's a lot of good support building up. Less than 40 days to go and already excited about a new life "on the other side". I have a feeling it's going to be good!

Day 49

Another week comes to an end. New food schedules tonight and great to see nothing taken away (that's a first!) and actually some extra vegetables thrown in!

Pretty much 100% compliant this week - all the exercise and apart from sashimi lunch on Thursday (close enough - and skipped the salty miso soup for the first time in my life). Even the junk trip on Tuesday was no problem as I took lunch with me and just had a great day in the sunshine...

So we get the chance to have an indulgence this week but frankly I'm not really interested. I am feeling good and detoxed and enjoying the compliments that just keep coming my way. Will have to see how this week goes but not tempted by a Big Mac or very much else.

Weight loss is not the key metric for me but given that I'm 20 lbs down it is a very welcome side effect!

Day 41 - goods and bads

So here I am on the morning of day 41 having managed another night out with friends at a restaurant where I brought my own supper and ate egg whites and apple while around me the finest Thai cuisine was being enjoyed. To non-PCPers reading this it may sound tough but in truth it's not that difficult. There are so many positive things to report about my experience so far such as improved strength, fitness and frankly looking an awful lot better with my shirt off!

Not drinking beer or wine or eating everything the world has to offer is a small price to pay for all the positives. And I bet you all have noticed that when you pay attention to what other people eat - especially in social situations - there's just huge amounts of overconsumption going all. How often do you now hear "aaaargh, I've eaten too much!"?

So lots of goods - and the bads? Basically being tired and hungry a lot of the time but as someone wisely blogged "being healthy is hard work - being sick is harder".

Day 36

Another Monday and there's less food to go around.  A few carbs here and a banana there and soon it really will be egg whites only!  Settling in to the routine of cardio and exercises at lunch and skipping when I get home - all good so far.

I never checked in with any stats at the outset other than a weigh in but so far I am down 16 lbs which is at least proof that being pretty much 100% PCP compliant on food (other than week 1) and exercise pays dividends.  I even received two compliments on my healthy look today!

Thanks Patrick for your feedback on leg-ups, I'll press on as best I can through the pain...

Day 34 - on track!

Last night was boys' night out with the most incredible bbq spread of ribs, pork loin, steak and salmon - not to mention the vegetables, rice, salad, cheese, tarte citron and ice cream.... Champagne, Montrachet, claret..... Well I couldn't really turn up to such a feast with two bits of fruit, egg whites and a polite request for a glass of skimmed milk could I?

The morning after the night before.... Tally of the night was half a salmon steak, veggies (salty but beggers can't be choosers), salad and a few grapes - so the good news is that I feel great this morning and (while the others might or might not agree although let's face it they probably can't remember!) I was as good a company as anyone else. No need for vino to have a god time!

Found the routine with exercise - gym at lunchtime for bike and exercises with jumprope at night when I get home. Skipping on the balcony overlooking the sea below and getting extra sweat kick out of the heat and humidity is working pretty well for me. First PCP slip for me was not doing the skipping at midnight when I got last night in but I had biked at lunch so I'm not beating myself up just yet.