The last word....

After a long sleep in, days of partying and being lazy and NO skipping, I finally bring myself back to the blog to close this project off.  Firstly thanking everyone for watching over, posting comments and proving encouragement. I am pretty stubborn, and if I don't want something, I wont be driven to do it, on the other hand if I want something, I will get it.  PCP was really a roller coaster and when I felt like enough was enough some of the comments got me back into it, I hate letting others down and that what it felt like sometimes.  Anyway, it was all for the best, and I think I did pretty well. I know I could have done better, but at the same time life needed to go on and it will continue to go on (after tomorrow).

My next endeavor is to train for a half triathlon, 2 more months for that, that should keep me burning fat and get my cardio in shape, and maybe burn the rest of the belly off.
Have a few things I want to share, some more for myself to look back at if ever I crash and burn and need to get fit again - but also for others to see what REALLY happened over the 3 months.

I took my annual health check the day after my program finished, this is a full and complete physical / medical check.  Comment from the doctor - wow you have done a LOT in the last year, these results are fantastic, not only have you improved everything on the test, you are well above average health levels.  Must have had a dedicated last year to getting healthy...(then I told him it was all in 3 months...) .. note these are different slightly from my home measurements taken through the program (and the pictures posted below as evidence)

BMI: from 27 to 22.7
Weight from 92.3 to 79.6kg (-12.7kg)
Liver function γーGTP : 107 to 21
Cholesterol : 272 to 171 (bad was 154 to 96)
Waist line: 101.8 to 86.8cm

Birthday today, recovering? tomorrow...then it all starts again!  Nearly 1 week off, catching up on lost time at restaurants and bars ... and still below 80kg... it works!!

Weight

BMI

Body Fat %

Before and afters:

Day 90 - Done and DONE!

Last day was little harder than I expected, probably as I was maintaining my high resistance bands and flying through the work out - broke a sweat, but knocked it out end to end in 20 minutes, with a count down on the last 4 crunches.  Unfortunately no big night for me to celebrate tonight, got a health check tomorrow so gotta get my meal in within the next hour.  Will leave the closing blog for another day, but weighed in, and took all the numbers my scales could spit out in photographic form and will post them up with my last pictures. 

Day 86 - the final leg!

Nothing but super sets from here in! Blogging before I start, as I don't know if will be able to after! Busy day ahead so going to slot the workouts in tonight when i'm back home.  Had some weird experiences with the last 3 days of workouts, push through them quickly but think I was holding form and loading up the resistance, it just didn't seem difficult. Think my measurements are all plateauing now. Looks like the 6 pack won't be showing itself within the 90 days, still got this layer of thick skin over my stomach...can image that will take time, so continue with the daily skipping and the 8 minute abs and slowly chip away at that. I'm sure once i get into a training regime as I head into the triathlon it might speed things up.  My cardio has been a little left behind in the last 3 month, so next week - back into the futsal, basketball and swimming! Be interesting to see how it goes, im sure my knees will appreciate the 13kg's that is no longer bouncing up and down the basketball court!

Waist: 90.5 (-1)
Chest: 104 (+1)
Weight: 78.5 (-1)

Day 83 - ONE MORE week!!

Would be so easy to say OK, had enough...hit my targets and roll my yoga mat up and crack open a beer...ahhh salivating at the thought! But no, whats 1 more week? Besides the fact it would probably sit on my mind for a long time that I couldn't finish...and if I did what difference would it have made?!
Im sure as I look over the workout plans I might re-reconsider that decision.
So I got 2 other things I am focusing on now.  Next Thursday and the following Monday.  My annual health check where I get an official record of what I gained (or lost) over the last 3 months) and my birthday!...and I have been told I need to do a public unveiling of the new bod!  haha...funny thing is its on the internet, got nothing to hide! Here's to the start of summer!! Just in time!!
And then to the start of my training for my first triathlon (well half anyway) ... im sure carrying 12kg less will help me a heap!
I'm just gonna close my eye's and push on through - realistically I got only 5 days to go - weekends don't count (mental tricks to make the finish line even closer!)

Day 79 - All stocked up

Using this weekend to prep my food for the next week.  Found last week that the workouts were running into time I was usually cooking or prepping food for the next day, and pushed it into the next day interrupting my usual slow start to the day I enjoy.

Uploaded my pic's and measured up, still dropping, almost in free fall! But still the abs still not showing through...

Weight: 79.5 (down 2 kg)
Waist: 91.5 (down 1cm)
Chest: 103 (no change)

Day 77 - Feelin good...

After the "break" I had over the last week, well and truly back into things, noticed a surprising wall I hit as I got into the first workout day, but today was good.  Worked through it, then hit the gym for a 30 minute cycle, round of waist targeting workouts I had been doing in a previous program before PCP then 30 minutes in the pool.  Was great to have the energy as previously I found it even hard to get my self from the sofa to bed after a day at work and a workout.

Couple of notable items today - I registered for a half triathlon...with full intention of starting to train for it little by little over the next few weeks then really jumping into it once PCP is over, should give me 2 months of training before hand excluding the holiday I have in between.  So far 12kg less to carry those 88km's, should help a lot!
Also broke the 80kg barrier...I don't think I want to lose any more weight. But then again its always a lot easier to put it back on then it has been losing it!

Will be measuring up and posting my pics tomorrow, first time in 2 weeks.

Just saw the new diet for the rest of the program...don't think I can or want to eat that much. Never been a big eater, don't mind pigging out occasionally but actually happy with the volumes i'm on at the moment for a regular day.

Just remembered a stash I made, that I purposely moved out of the kitchen in the first week of the program to avoid temptation...honestly i think this would make me sick now...what to do what to do!! Pretzels and pork rinds!!! I would actually feel guilty giving them to someone else as well given how bad they are for you...i might have to take a handful and throw the rest...after day 90 of course!!

Day 76 - The final run...

Been "off plan" for the last week, and feeling bad about it but determined to finish off the last 2 weeks at full pace.  Spent the weekend in Tokyo, took my gear with me to hit the workouts, but only managed to get 1 work out and 2 days with the skipping in, that didn't worry me too much as I was running about getting things done and burning calories pretty much for 3 days. I think I ended up eating similar to what I think I will after PCP healthy but mostly from restaurants or cafe's, was a little hard to eat to plan on the run but my body clock was telling me when I missed a meal or snack.  Thinking I might have added some weight to back, finally arrived home Monday to find I was still heading south.

While in Tokyo where ever I went and caught up with friends and work mates the talk quickly moved to the weight loss!  Was nice when it started, proved that the changes were noticeable - thinking back to Patrick's email, it was quickly summarized as eating and living healthy...some accepted that, others dragged out a long and meaningful discussion testing my new found wisdom! (may have some converts for you Patrick)
To finish off my "off plan" week I did the indulgence last night, and I am finding my cravings are for veggies, and light healthy foods and just a bit of everything else. After my last experience with indulgence day - ended up over the toilet bowl at 2am - can out it down to salts and oils I think and didn't want to take that route again! I got to say though a 3-4 glass of red wine night gives me a good buzz, where as it used to be a bottle which came with a sore head in the morning.

Finally uploaded my day 66 pics, missed last weeks. Here is to the final stretch and wish everyone a strong run to the end!

Day 66 - Summer is here...so I found out! :(

Another weekend weigh in. Had a mates birthday/ beach bbq yesterday - managed to keep close to the plan with the diet (food wise yes...drink wise I gotta say 2 low calorie chuhai's and my first beer since starting! :(  but slipped up thinking i would do my workout when i got home!  For my own sake ill be doubling up on those workouts today. I got to say though that the 3 drinks I had kept me well and truly buzzing for a good 6 hours. Normally I would have knock down half a carton of beers in that time no problems at all! So glad this will be wrapping up as the summer kicks in, nothing better than spending all day chilling out on the beach downing an ice cold beer...or 2 in the 34 degree heat!! (Rather than apples an egg whites!) Although someone saw me eating yogurt and an apple that I had with me and they wanted some as well!

Think progress over the week has been mixed.  Went through some sessions walking out thinking.."Thats it?" and others crawling out wondering what hit me. Also been including the 8 minute abs at least once a day now, generally along with my skipping in the morning, then also after the workout in the evening.  I noticed a lot more gains when I was throwing in a visit to the gym once or twice a week, thinking of adding that back to the mix for the last month for the extra gains.
Will be visiting Tokyo next week, so might be off the plan a bit - but it will be the last time until the end, im finding these temptations more tempting now, compared to the strict approach I had at the start - and the guilt pushes me harder through the next few days. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing, probably something i would want to take with me after the 90 days is up!

Ive also locked in my annual health check the day after PCP wraps up.  Will be interesting to see how it works out.  They always do an assessment on your body and where you are age wise against the condition of your body, everyone is saying i look a lot younger, lets see if the report says the same!

Chest: 103cm
Waist: 92.5cm
Weight: 81.5kg  can I break 80??

Day 61 - New found energy

Maybe its the 60 day milestone, the weather or something just clicked but I have some new found energy that I hope pushes me hard through the next month.  Haven't been able to get the morning workouts in, but have started doing the 8 min abs and skipping in the morning before breakfast, and the workouts in the evening before dinner.
Also with only 30 days left i really want the abs to show through, so focusing on that as my main goal for the rest of the month.  Weight wise im still on the way down, reached the 81's for the first time today - although soon was again 82's after a glass of water! But it was my official weigh in time before breakfast and workout. Could there possible be the 70's in sight??  I definitely need to arrange my annual company health check as soon as im done.  It might be the first time in 6 or 7 years they haven't called me obese with metabolic syndrome. I had a bet with the cute nurse who took care of me last time during my checkup and she made me promise to get below 90kg and 100cm on the waist and it would help my health rating significantly....lets see if she's still there, and if she's impressed! ;)

Day 59 - 1 month to go!

How time flies...when your running around shopping, cooking, working out, cleaning...and then doing everything else you need to get done.  Wondering what will happen to my time that I managed to find for for all this in 1 months time!
Think im fully back, up and running, last week or 2 have been dealing with one thing or another, but now doing full maxed out sets, feeling like I was again back in the first month - going for a sprint to the end.
Weight is still falling off. At this pace looks like I might break the 80's. Being told I am getting too skinny, hoping the rest of the workouts will be focusing on muscle mass, although the stubborn gut is still not budging.  No mater what, come end of this program or not, I don't stop until that gives me what I want. Might need to start on the 8 minute abs, but i don't think its the lack of muscle more the fat sitting on top of it.
With the change of meals to all my meals now being AMAYW for the veggies makes things that much easier in preparing and eating. Some things that were a pain in the a$$ like corn on the cob are now great and it means if i go out its that much easier to eat to plan.
Waist:94
Chest:106
Weight:82.9

Day 53 - blahhh

Nothing really to write about today. Doped up on cold and flu pills, hoping to get well quickly. Worked out yesterday but it wasn't a great experience but pushed though and some of the more strenuous parts put me in a head spin .  Thinking i might leave it for today, get a really early night and see how things are in the morning. Just uploaded the pics for last week, pretty flat from last week in the measurements, although have seen my weight down to low 84's...surprisingly still a good way to go on the fat loss side, thought 85 would be a good size, but suppose 80kg might be a good target while still being healthy, im sure there will be a few kg's "rebound' once I'm off the PCP program, so resetting my goal.
Lot of feedback from friends over the past 2 weeks especially about the weight i have lost, and a lot of inquiries about how I did it...so much so I am almost getting sick of hearing it! But I suppose I gotta get used to it as there is another 37 days to go!

Day 51 - what a week...

Have had a pretty rough week, and now I think the worst is over, think I can blog about it without jinxing myself.

Tuesday, come home from work, with full intention of doing my workout, and crash on the sofa as soon as my butt hit the cushion. Wake up about 10pm, haven't done the workout, need to cook for the next day, and need to get my meals in...OK, ill shift my Thursday workout to Wednesday and deal with it like that.

Wake up Wednesday, knee is in a heap of pain. Did nothing - not even the previous days workout, but managed to get up, and get to work.  Knee keeps bugging me all day, then I get up to leave and I can hardly walk.  Manage to get to my car, get into my car, and drive home.  Munch down some painkillers and ice down the knee...and somehow prep the food for tomorrow and feed myself.

Wake up the next day - can not move, can not bend my knee, cant put any weight on it...hmmm. Manage to make my way to the doctors, can barely get out of the car - get put into a wheelchair, after a couple of hours... xrays, proding and poking (I was ready to prod and poke him with my fist...when I say it hurts....IT HURTS!  stop trying to make it hurt more!) nothing but a prescription for anti-inflammatory pills and a set of crutches.  Lucky I had a stash of some really strong codine based painkillers...I had them for about 6 months without needing one....I needed them now.  Managed to squeeze in a pose for the blog thinking it could be the way of the future for the next few weeks at least!

Make it home, ice up, pass out on the sofa again, wake up eat, ice up, pass out...wake up...wow, feeling  a lot better. Maybe its the drugs.  Managed to do some upper body workouts, legs feeling usable to the point I can stand on it.  Off to bed.

Wake up the next day, so careful and fearful of the pain I was about to experience....nothing! No pain, ever slight tenderness...but that's it....so I think from today, looks like there is very little knee / leg workouts, so time to get back into the rhythm. Really was pissed off that this might be the end to the program for me, but now it looks like its not, I am back with a lot more will to keep going through this of course treading easy for the next few days at least. No need for the crutches either!

Besides all that - one thing I do remember amongst the haze of pain killers and pain.  Filling out the hospital forms, you know the usual questionnaires.
Drink alcohol in the last 24 hours - no
participate in regular exercise - yes
regular balanced diet - yes
weight - 85kg

If anything...I think that's the first time I have ever answered without even a slight "white lie", I have been over 90kg for at least 5 years, felt strangely satisfying and really reflected what I have done to myself over the last 50 days. Now my knee feels fine, it was a good experience at the end of the 2 days of pain, and it has refreshed my will power to push through the next 40 days!

Day 43 - what a workout!

No sure why, but did anyone find that work-out tough? Seems to drag on and on...maybe its just me.  That time of week again, pictures and weigh in tomorrow. Just looking the gut is still around, I am hoping its smaller relative the everything else, but it really is stubborn!  Pretty much given up on the morning workouts.  If I do manage to get up I end up racing to the office still sweating scoffing down my breakfast so I will stick with the morning skips and evening workouts, so far it seems to be the most suitable . Can't imagine when this is over what I will do with my spare time!
Finding it interesting on how sleep, food and weather all drive my tempo for the day. Never put my finger on it before but any one of those 3 don't work for me and the energy needed to get me moving is equal to a workout in  itself!

Seems like a large portion of my office is really interested in my diet - they see me always eating, not out drinking and losing weight...those who make good comments, and those who ask if i'm sick (with a smirk...), maybe making a move for my job thinking back to it!

Haven't been able to get back into my regular sports schedule of basketball and futsal yet, just not enough time in the day. Doing occasional workouts at the gym and some swimming, but find it really knocks me about the next day and drains any last bit of energy I have.

Seems friday night is my night of rest these days...no prep for the next day!  used to be the day I would knock a few brews back after work at home before heading out to dinner and drinks and return home stumbling through the door at 2am (on an early night)

Cant believe we are just days off the half way mark. Cant believe I have been working out every day for a month and a half, and cooking at home every meal!  (My credit card bill believes it!...not only am I getting healthy...I'm saving a small fortune!)

Weight:85.5
Chest:106
Waist:95.5

Day 40 - In the spirit of todays email....

Had to blog, guilt got to me.  So here I am! ;)
Feels like the real workouts are starting (cant believe Ive been doing this every day for 40 days already...) and the last few days I am starting to feel like I did on the first few days of the program.  Good muscle pain and sore tired limbs towards the end of the day.  While previous weeks were a strain to get to the last set in most cases, these days it is, but I know its going to be felt the next day.  Actually like that, and even more so when I complete a set right to the end without losing form.  Feels good.
Besides the good pain - I also have bad pain right now. My left achilles and calf are giving me some problems, seems OK if I work out in the afternoon, but if I try anything in the morning, its so tight and sore I soon need to stop the leg workouts.  So far so good with the skips but that is also starting to get a little messed up, suppose i am favoring one leg over the other and things get sloppy quickly. Hoping this goes a way quickly, will stop the creeps and floor jumps for a bit upon Patrick's advice.  Its a shame as I really started to burn through those quickly...but I am sure it wont take long to get back to the same pace.
Well off to my late night run to the shops to stock up...someone keeps stealing my apples and bananas!! But they wont take my egg yolks!