Day 74: "Taste bitter now and later...

..will be sweet. Or experience only the sweet then
later will be bitter"

This week I've been growing so fed up with the jump rope. I don’t know why. I don’t know why this week of all weeks. I know I've been really preoccupied these last three weeks with other matters, but they kind of came to a close yesterday. And I was still totally unmotivated to skip today.

So I had an idea.

I grabbed my MP3 player and trainers and decided to go for a run instead!


It's pretty cold outside in England at the moment. I mean, not as cold as it gets in January, but today it was about 9 degrees, with a 12mph wind - not on my side either!

My throat was burning from the cold air and even my teeth, gums and inside my ears were cold! Not surprisingly I didn’t see any other runners this evening.

I know my route well because it's towards, around and back from my local park and, up until about summer last year, I used to run the route regularly. It's about 3 miles long. Last spring I was training for a race at the time I was doing a lot of cardio, weekly including outdoor running.

The weird thing is my run today felt so easy and unforced. My body felt light and totally efficient, my steps and movements were rhythmic. I didn’t even get tired the whole time. And despite the cold air, it was so enjoyable. I felt so alive in the cold.



Last year, and any other time I've trained for a race, I never ever felt this strong.




Now I know I'm really fit!

I can really feel it! Fitter than I've ever been. Fitter, stronger, healthier! I can only imagine how great I'm going to feel in 3 weeks time when I have reached the peak. I can't wait!

The old Chinese proverb rings so true: "Taste bitter now and later will be sweet. Or experience only the sweet then later will be bitter".

We're coming to the end of the PCP now. All the training and diet wasn’t (isn’t) easy. It takes a lot of dedication and consistent motivation. The workouts are every single day without rest and the diet, although highly nutritious and always filling, is simple and basic and often boring. I mean 7 egg whites a day, at one point!

No cake, no wine, no Take-aways - It has been hard.

But, coming to the end of the PCP, it was totally worth it.

Now that I can really see the fruits of my labour, in so many ways, I can totally appreciate that old Chinese proverb.

Day 73: Just to make you chuckle....

I just couldn't resist posting this. Ha ha! I love it.

Day 78: Sprint finale

Well not quite the finale yet, but since I'm off on my trip at the end of the week, this may well be one of my last posts.

Whilst the PCP diet has eased up a bit now, the workout has reached a new height of intensity so it looks like it's going to be quite the sprint finale.

I remember at the outset of the PCP, that I was really hung up on missing out food with strong flavours. I was dead set on making a really tasty PCP friendly tomato ketchup and I also found a good healthy substitute for salt; cumin seeds, which I still advocate and will use as a substitute for salt from now on, whenever I feel I need a bit of a purge.

I remember complaining about having to eat 5 "boring" egg whites a day, thinking up what spices and herb combinations I could add to eggs to make them more palatable.

Now I don't even think about flavour when I eat them. I just eat them, plain and boiled, because I know they're good for me. And that's enough for me to enjoy them now. Well, maybe not enjoy, but appreciate them.



Now, in 12 week of the PCP, my taste in foods has changed, I no longer crave the strong fake, flavours of Marmite, Ketchup and other salty snacks. I'm more than happy to eat simple, natural foods with natural flavours like avocado, porridge oats, berries, apples.

It would now feel improper to add salt to food. The foods that nature provides, each have their own distinct taste and do not need added salt! It's only from eating a diet based on fake foods that we desire artificially strong flavours in everything we eat.



I'm not saying I'd never eat a pizza or take away again, but I've developed a real appreciation for real food now and I no longer have the desire to disguise real food with tonnes of salt, sauces and condiments.

In fact the idea makes me feel a bit queasy just thinking about it.

If I don't get to post again during this project, I just wanted to say thank you to my fellow PCPers, for you motivation, support and funny, thoughtful and inspiring blogs. It has been great taking this challenge with you all and seeing us all change! Good luck to Emily, Jonti, Shelly and Denise - You've done great so far and I can't wait to see the end results.

I also want to thank Patrick and Chen for your guidance and consistent encouragement throughout. This has been a great journey in so many ways and has tested me to my limits and I would definitely come back to do the advanced project.

Although I've still about 12 more days to go until I finish, even at this stage, I am the strongest, healthiest and fittest I've ever been and I have more vitality than I can remember ever having before!

I hope to keep you updating throughout my travels.

Happy holidays and New Year!

Day 71: The Muscle Wall

Oh my goodness!

What is it with this week and the end of last week?

This week and the end of last week seem like a major milestone for my body. I'm finding this week more challenging than any other during the PCP so far.



All of the muscles in my body feel worked to the core. In fact the first thing I feel when I wake up in the morning is muscle soreness. Everywhere.

I've never experienced that on the PCP to date. This week and last seems to have jumped up a few notches in intensity.

My calf muscles are dying! I've resided to walking without bending my knee!!

I can't get out of bed in the mornings. My muscles seem heavy and dense, my body won't let me leave my warm sheets behind. I've never had problems getting out of bed before.

My muscles are stronger than my will right now!


I'm sweating more post workout.

My pre-workout motivation is slacking, which normally takes place in bed as I contempate my alarm snoozer button, and since my muscles are sore first thing too, I'm not surprised by the lack of motivation.

My body feels tired. Shelly seemed to have this last week too.

What's going on with my body??

Day 67: An apple a day......

It's always nice to receive validation that a goal you're working towards is worthy.
Patrick is a great coach and his daily words of wisdom are much appreciated.

However, Patrick has a vested interest in our progress on the PCP and, he has taken part in the PCP himself.

So he believes in it. Obviously.

If he didn’t, I certainly wouldn’t have taken it up.

But when I hear from non-PCPers, who are health professionals or those who work in the fitness industry, that the steps I'm taking on the PCP are creditable, worthy, meaningful, it’s like receiving a big red waxy stamp of authenticity. It feels great.

For example, I picked up a pamphlet from some health magazine, which was promoting health and fitness for women. It read:
"If you exercise regularly, the latest studies show you (women) need around 1.8g of protein per kg of body mass, per day. For an average 70g woman, that means a whopping 126g of protein" ( That's about 5 1/4 eggs or 3 cans of tuna)

It also read; "protein is vital for healthy hair, skin, nails and general well-being" AND...

"protein helps to tone and shape your body after exercise and boosts the metabolic rate to shift fat"... and it went on.....

Nice.

Bite sized little nuggets of motivation. Geared to a woman's sensibilities.

It made me smile when I read it. I though, “I am already doing that!“

But of course, I know I'm doing the right thing because I can see and feel the effects of my PCP lifestyle.

BUT... It's always good to receive that pat on the back, isn’t it?

I spent the weekend with my friend who's a doctor. She was impressed to see my new toned physique and ,when it came round to doing my exercise that evening (which I did at her place) she actually wanted to do the 4 sets of 60 second planks with me!

We also did some yoga with her little boys the next day. She was really keen to hear about the PCP and expressed interest in doing it herself. I would just love it if she did!

We spent a lot of the weekend talking about various health issues. How lacking the BMI is, how important it is to teach children from an early age how to make the best food choices. Being a doctor and a mum, she obviously spends a lot of time with health on her mind.

One thing she said that stuck in my head is that she sees so many patients on a daily basis and she can instantly tell just by looking at some of them, what kind of lifestyles they lead. And, how they prove that the way you lead your life in your younger years is directly related to how you will probably look and feel in older age.

She said before she even asks some patients, she already knows whether or not they are smokers, just by the discolouration of their skin, and even hair if it’s excessive long-term smoking.

Both of my parents look so young for their age. And genes aside, it's probably because they had me and my sisters, when they were in their early 20s, stopped drinking and partying when I was born and have since lead really health consciously.

Most people know all of this, but rarely do people have the impetus to invest into their health for their future. It’s a bit like me knowing the PCP is worthwhile but still feeling somewhat surprised when I read an article that lists that everything I’m already doing is the key to living a long, healthy, happy life. People often need a doctor to tell them to stop smoking or lose weight before they do stop.

I often speak to friends who are cynical about the PCP; they don’t understand the commitment factor. They feel that it's all about deprivation, or vanity, or it’s just too excessive and strict. Or they probably feel that I'm just boring, because I’m not drinking.

I tend not to go into why I’m committed to the PCP too much, as they always answer their own doubts anyway and ALWAYS conclude by saying "But you do look great!" And I always say "I feel great". Because I really do and, these are just two perfectly good reasons to do the PCP.

Motherland's calling...

So fellow PCPers, a quick post to keep you girls informed!

I'm escaping the dull, damp English weather next month and I'm off to India on 4 December and won't be home for a month. Yay! I can't wait!


Being half Indian and having never setting foot in India, this trip is long overdue!!

So, for me the last 10 days or so of the PCP will be spent in unfamiliar territory; staying in a Tibetan colony in central Delhi, catching trains and tuk-tuks!! And enjoying amazing cuisine (hopefully not too much).

I suspect that my postings are going to be sporadic and I don't know how I'm going to keep to my diet and, not to mention the excercise ..and the plane journey! Yikes!

I'm pretty worried that all of the effort I've put into the PCP to date, might slowly come undone at the seams. I've spoken with Patrick about this and he doesnt think it will be a problem.. we'll see!

I'm hoping, I'm going to be able sustain the workouts and diets for what is probably the most important part of the PCP. It would be nice also to be able to keep up to date with you guys and your progress during that time, but I'm not sure how much internet access I will have.

Anyway fellow PCPers, let me know your thoughts on how best to keep the PCP going when I'm abroad. I'm thinking the diet will probably be okay. It just might be difficult fitting the daily workout in whilst I'm on the move. But I'm highly likely to be walking, trekking and swimming a lot anyway.

What are your plans over the holiday period?

Day 54: Walking the plank

Why is the plank the least enjoyable exercise?

It's not just the least enjoyable, but for me, it's just torture. I hate downloading the day's workout to find that plank is sitting at the end of the sheet, taunting me.

I just do not like doing the plank.

I have variable feelings towards the other exercises, sometimes I enjoy them, sometimes they're boring. But with the plank, there is consistent mutual dislike; I'm convinced plank dislikes like me too!



But I actually don't think plank is the toughest exercise physically. I just think it's the most mentally challenging.

It's the only exercise where you a) are in an uncompromising position and b) can do nothing but observe the pain as it accumulates.

With every other exercise, it's easy to get distracted by the motion. Your mind is occupied by the movement of the muscles and limbs. And so the pain is secondary, or at least right up until the last few moments.

With plank on the other hand, from the word go, you are completely surrendered to the pose, if you're not in form, you're no longer in the pose - in this way it's a like yoga.

And because you are not moving, and totally focused on your body and the active muscles, you are equally as focused on the pain.

I've tried everything to psychologically beat plank; I've tried embracing the pain, almost meditating into it. That was awful, don't go there. I've tried music or talking. I've tried counting. But the thing is, to become distracted invariably results in losing the form.

This to me, is why plank is such a beast. So when I came across Corry's post , describing a variation to the plank, I just had to try it out.

I wish I had found this earlier.

She introduced a ‘donkey kick’ into the pose, which probably makes the plank more physically challenging, but actually, because variety was introduced, it made it more enjoyable to do.

Also to go into downward dog in between sets is such a treat. It feels like a big yawn!

And in fact, because plank is the last exercise in the routine, once finished, it feels quite natural to go straight into some rounds of sun salutation.

If like me, you also dread ‘plank days’ I would definitely recommend you read Corry’s post and try it yourself. Tell me what you think about it. Personally, it’s changed my view of walking the plank.

Day 51: Questions, questions, questions

I went to the Yoga Show/Exhibition in Kensington Olympia last weekend; I got free tickets from the British Wheel of Yoga.

I've never been to a yoga "show" and so I expected a highly commercialised, money grabbing, sales-orientated experience. But, I was actually pleasantly surprised.

I was able to take part in four very different yoga classes (all for nothing) and meet lots of likeminded people.

I found a stall offering courses in transcendental meditation which, ever since reading this brilliant David Lynch interview , I've been really, really interested in for a while.

I met some interesting yoga teachers or "yoga entrepreneurs" who claim to have styled their own type of yoga. Like this crazy dude He looks like a magician!

Anyway, the point is that I had a great time at the Yoga Show. It was nice to be able to relax and enjoy an event I knew was helping me on the way to peak condition. I tried new styles of yoga and sampling some really exciting foods without feeling guilty about it!

Wheat grass (okay not that exciting, but different), fresh fruit smoothies. I even sampled tiny pieces of this conscious chocolate . (I couldn't resist) Which admittedly has a considerable percentage of cocoa butter but no sugar, no salt, no animal or vegetable fat, no preservatives - Amazing!

Last week I spent the whole time craving chocolate. I mean proper chocolate. I don’t mean toothpick-sized pieces like I sampled at the Yoga Show. I mean a Cadbury's Flake or Terry's Chocolate Orange. Just as long as it was substantial. And chocolately. I haven’t eaten chocolate in eight weeks!!

Now that I've got an indulgence this week, I cannot get my head round the idea. I have no idea what I want. I keep boring my boyfriend with questions like; what shall I eat? Shall I eat it on Friday evening? Shall I get a takeaway? Shall I bake a cake? What shall I eat? What shall I eat? What shall I eat?
Why should he care!???!

Maybe I'm building up the idea of this indulgence into something bigger than it is. Which will inevitably disappoint as it did last time.

I should just get it over and done with, instead of making it something special and having it looming over me like some fat, calorie-laden shadow...dripping with strawberry icing.



.....and then my boyfriend emailed me the link to this Flickr streamfor inspiration!