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Hey All,

So I have been away from the blog for a while. Apologies for that.  Work has slightly taken over in the last few weeks and some other parts of life seem to have come to the forefront and taken over.  It's been a strange last part of the PCP and I definitely hold my hands up to not getting the most out of the last push to the end.

That said, I take some comfort in the fact that my body has never been in better shape and my diet is still going strong.

Will I achieve the 'ultimate' body by day 90.  No, and that is entirely my fault. Am I in the best shape I have been in for years and years. Absolutely.  My tummy has pretty much gone and my shoulders are wider than my hips.  I can now play 4 hours of tennis and not get too tired and my energy levels are higher than they are usually.

I think the most important thing for me as we close in on the last couple days is that I've gone 90 days without alcohol, chocolate, pizza's and ice cream......and even at this point I am not desiring them.  Mainstreaming this diet programme into my life doesn't seem so daunting anymore, and I am going to continue with the exercises. All in all, I feel I have a good foundation to continue moving past day 90 with.

I'm not sure how good people have been with being regimented with the programme but I am so mightily impressed from the blogs I have read about people's commitment.

As I start to reflect on this programme, a number of things are becoming clear.  I am more focused at work and in life than I have usually been.  I am surprised by my will power.  I've enjoyed the structure this programme has given my life.  Friends and colleagues comments have been inspiring and have helped me to get out the skipping rope when it was the last thing  I wanted to do.

Maybe every year, I should be repeating this programme......

Day 1-45: A+, Day 45-60: F-, Day 60-90: Back to A+

Ok, so the first 45 days were fantastically driven and with great adherence to the diet and the exercise.  Day 45-60 has been plagued by one bout of the flu, one bout of food poisoning and ridiculous working hours. I really feel the last two weeks have been a real failure.  I've maintained as many days of exercise as possible, but I have missed about 9 out of 15 days due to sickness.  And for four of those days I could not keep any food or water down, so I sadly feel I have lost a lot of the benefits gained since the start of this programme.

I also feel I have lost a lot of muscle over the last two weeks so I am now very committed to make the most of this last month.  I wander if doing two sets of exercises will fast track my progress??  Needless to say I have some big work ahead of me to make sure I get to a better place by Day 90.  I will post a new post-sick pic later this evening.

I have also decided I am going to keep on with the exercises after 90 days and maintain the diet.  Keen to keep the momentum of progress going.

Ok, I feel slightly less guilty for the failures now.  Off to exercise now.

A to I to V....and dreaded food poisoning

Ok, so this has been a very crazy few weeks. After missing out on a few days of exercising due to the flu, I then went to the Help for Heroes Rugby match at Twickenham with mates and ended up getting food poisoning from a steak sandwich (no bun of course).  Needless to say, I have been housebound since Saturday evening and hoping to get back to exercises tomorrow. The good news is I have lost lots of weight, but the bad news is I am also afraid I have lost some muscle too.  Is that likely??

I am hoping the remainder of the programme is disaster free.  Fingers crossed.

A friend made a comment to me the other day.  He said my body has gone from 'A' shape to 'I' shape. Clearly what he meant was now my waist is no longer wider than my shoulders and that my shoulders are starting to look wider than my hips.  This is all a good thing.  I am hoping the 'I' will turn to a 'V' over the remaining weeks.  I figure as long as I stick to the programme and diet the next 40 days will see this happen.  That is, of course, when I can start to keep food down again.  Its been water and bananas only for four days now. Not fun.

My only other comment is that my suits and shirts look absolutely ridiculous on me. I will need to check my waist, but I think I have lost about 3 inches.  My trousers are swimmingly large on me and if it wasn't for my belt, they would not stay up. A new wardrobe at the end of the 90 days are a foregone conclusion.  It's shocking how much  I have lost over the last three to four weeks.  Here is hoping the muscle now starts to build up and kick on through.

Long weekend is here

Well the long weekend is here.......finally.  It's been another crazy week at work and balancing the work load and the exercise has been a bit of a struggle.  I  had to work yesterday and so hoping to find some more dedicated PCP time over the next few days.

The great news is the weather in London has been amazing so I am enjoying doing as many of the exercises outside as I can.

I'm amazed at some of the blogs people are writing.  Clearly there are some excellent writers in the group.  I've realised I'm of the 'short and sweet' ilk when it comes to blogging. Haha!

I do have to say I am glad the skipping is now by time rather than by counting.  Ok, well off to do the day's exercises.

We are in the lead.......

It hit me today, with the graduation (is that the right word) of the previous group, we are now leading the pack for the new PCP'ers.  The baton has passed and it just goes to show how well we are doing in getting through the programme.

It's nice to see their energy and enthusiasm on Day 3.  That seems so long ago now, and I have a slight twinge of regret that we are now in the last half of this programme.  I have come to really enjoy the structure and stability it gives us.  Its diametrically opposed to my work life - and I'm already thinking about continuing on with the exercises post day 90.

Today was my second double PCP work-out.  I'm going to try and do 9 workouts a week until the end.  My gut is being incredibly stubborn, and I'm gonna have to crank it up I reckon.

My diet wasn't the best this week.  I just didn't have time to shop with work being out-of-control.  I went to Sainsbury's today and did a big shop so this week will be more stringent.

Pics today

Hey All,

Ok, so pics are just getting put up in a few minutes..  I think I am starting to notice some differences.  I am now four holes up on the belt and my clothes are so baggy around the waist now.  I go into the office and my relatively tight shirts are just falling off me.  Patrick's comments are right on.....shopping will have to wait another 40 days.

So, the bicycles.  Is this killing everyone else?  I can barely stand at the end.  The planks do the same to me.  I won't even begin to discuss the one pull up maximum. Lol.  Everything else I cannot get enough off.  And I am LOVING not having to count to 1400 for jump rope.  Utter bliss!!

Ok, gonna leave it there and go and comment on some of the blogs.

I'm back

And just in time for day 45 - the half way mark.  First day of going full out on all the exercises following a crazy bout of the flu - and four days of inactivity.  I'm thinking it was similar to a mini-vacation and now its fifth gear for  the second half.

So here are some of the cool things I have noticed after 45 days of a great diet and exercise.

1. My belt is three holes in from when I started
2. I can get through my 75 minute tennis lesson without gasping for air at the end.
3. My tight shirts are now getting baggy - big shopping trip is the reward for that
4. I feel taller - I don't know why, but I definitely do.  I think my posture has improved - maybe that's it
5. I sleep so much better - although that might be from exhaustion
6. I am way more focused and productive at work
7. I'm looking forward to mowing the lawn without my shirt on - :)
8. I'm surprised by will power. Not one drop of alcohol or a one spoon on Haagan Das ice cream in 45 days.
9. My friends are brilliantly supportive.
10. I still hate planks, but I know its working.

So, I have decided my congratulation present to myself will be climbing Toubkal Summit in Morocco in early June.  Gotta love life!!!!

Ricky - you are still the guru :)