Day 90

Final pic's will be up this weekend along with final thoughts.
I have a lot to say and I want to say it well so I need a few more days.

Until then

Day 87

I am not looking forward to finishing the PCP.
I am afraid of gaining back the weight I have lost and falling back into old habits.

I feel very healthy and energetic and yes I enjoy the workouts now.  Well, not enjoy them but appreciate them.

Three days left and I am working harder than ever to squeeze out those last results.

I was away in Denmark and Ireland for the last week and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to get the food I needed.
We stayed at a hotel in Denmark and Jamie Oliver had helped to design the menu with LOTS of healthy choices.  The only time I ran into trouble was with the salt in restaurant food.  I was able to order vegetables, lean proteins and whole grain carbs but I could taste the salt and my hands and feet were actually swollen and puffy the next morning.

When we were in Ireland we stayed with Jack and his family and I was treated to some of the best PCP meals.
Jack's mum is a great cook and has taken the PCP food prep very seriously.

Now, a bit about Jack.  He looks AMAZING!  He has been working so hard at the PCP and has been completely dedicated and all the while studying at school and keeping up with extra curricular activities.
I think he deserves some kind of PCP award!
I am very proud of my muscly cousin, not many people his age would be capable of that kind of commitment.

Sorry if I embarrassed you Jack but it had to be said.

Day 84 Hello

I just back from a whirlwind trip to Denmark and Ireland - very tired
will post all about it after a good nights sleep

Big news - no, small news

I was a size 14 when I started the PCP (that's so embarrassing to say)
and I finally broke down and got some clothes because things were getting ridiculous
and the small news is ... I am now a SIZE 8 !!!!!!!!
I screamed and danced a bit.

Day 68 checking in

Things are going well, food is on track and I am feeling good, strong and healthy.

My six year old is son is starting to worry about me.  He has noticed that my clothes are extremely loose and sometimes my pants fall down ( I refuse to buy new clothes at this point so I am getting by with belts and anything with a drawstring, thank god I am a stay at home Mom because I look ridiculous sometimes!)
Anyway, he told me to stop eating good food because he doesn't want me to lose any more weight.
I explained to him that I am very, very healthy and that I still need to lose some more weight from my tummy so that my heart won't have to work as hard.  He seemed okay with this but he is a worrier so I have to make a point of eating in front of him.

I can't believe its day 68, we have come so far!

Day 63 PICTURES!!!!

Okay I do not look very muscley yet, but trust me the muscles are there !
I have lost 20 pounds of fat! I am very, very excited and more determined than ever to trim the rest of my fat and let my muscles show.

I wore the same top as in my banner photo so you can see how wrinkly it is around my tummy - before it was pulled tight - look at the banner (yes embarassing, but motivational)

When I started this project I was clinically overweight and needed to lose 15 pounds just to get out of that danger zone.

I am staying focused and finding the workouts easier in so far as I'm not hauling that extra 20 pounds with me every time I jump rope !

Hope everyone is doing well and feeling as happy as me.

day 56 My Skin

For years now I have suffered from eczema, extremely dry skin and most recently rosacea.
In the last few weeks I have noticed that my skin is so soft!  I started noticing it on my hands.  I use to constantly put moisturizer on my hands because they felt so dry and now they are smooth and soft.
I no longer have dry skin on my face and my rosacea is so mild now it just looks like rosy cheeks.
I really think this all due to the PCP - namely the veggy heavy diet, but a combination of all of it.

I have spent so much money on creams that will moisturize my face without irritating it and now my skin is no longer dry and its not as sensitive.
Its really not about vanity but for anyone who has suffered from extreme dry skin or eczema you know how sore and irritating it can be.

Another surprise PCP bonus and another reason to stick to this program long after its over.

day 54 my treat

Last night I had some wine and cheese and crackers.
I really enjoyed it and the company too.  But I was happy when it was over and I was looking forward to the comfort of my PCP food this morning.
I feel like I am in control of wanting treats now and I don't need them the way I use to.  I also love the feeling of eating good foods, I really notice a difference when I eat things that aren't good for me.

I can't believe its day 54!!!

My treat

It has taken me a very long time to decide on my indulgence mainly because the same things don't appeal to me.
So I have decided tonight to have some wine and appetizers with friends who are coming over.
We'll see how it goes with the wine, I'll probably be half in the bag after a couple of sips!

The diet and exercise are going better than ever and everything is ticking along well.

Day 48 Halloween and birthdays!

This past weekend we had halloween, which is BIG in my house as my kids are 6 and 4 and my husband sometimes behaves like he is 6 or 4!
There were a lot of treats around from various parties and trick or treating and it is getting easier and easier to pass these up or not even notice them.  I never, ever thought I would say that.
I am changing mentally and physically.
Has anyone else found that they are getting very organized?
I am getting things done that have been on my list for a long time.
Sorry this is scattered and short, I have been interrupted 7 times while trying to post and I have to get something up!

Day 43

Patrick's email was right on.  This is the valley.  I feel like I am on auto pilot.  I'm just chugging along eating what I am suppose to and doing my exercises.

My husband and I use to go to a hotel In Banff, Alberta called the Rimrock.  They had an amazing breakfast buffet with pastries, bacon, sausages, eggs benedict, french toast, pancakes, scrambled eggs, cereal and fruit...... and then off to the side was a smaller breakfast buffet for the Japanese tourists it contained hard boiled eggs, fish, vegetables and the like.  I use to think it was such a strange and unappealing breakfast.  What were all these slim, healthy looking Japanese people doing eating this stuff for breakfast?  Well now I know. Here I am having the same kind of breakfast and truly enjoying not just the benefits of it but the flavours as well.

Hope everyone is hanging in there!

Day 40 - What a day.

Today was very hard. Stress, and the inanities  of life made me want to eat comfort food.

Busy, busy, busy day, but for the first time in years I can see my cheek bones - since I had my babies!

That and a bowl full of oatmeal, got me through it.

Day 36 Tummy trouble

On Tuesday morning I woke up with horrible stomach pains, I could not stand up straight and had to muster all my strength to take my kids to school.  The pains lasted for about an hour and then passed.
I have no idea what brought them on and since then I have had a queasy stomach on and off.
I am nervous about eating because I do not want to set off these pains again and I don't know what caused them. That said I have been eating every meal but sometimes the food smells funny to me or I feel kind of sick after.
Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

The workouts are going okay.

Bad day for eating

Let me start by saying I absolutely did NOT cheat!
I won't bore you with the details but one thing lead to another and I did not eat until 4pm !!!!!
Bad, bad, bad very bad.

When I did eat I ate a very good PCP meal and did not over do it.

I vow tomorrow will be a letter perfect day.

8 Min Abs

Love the 8 min abs video.
I like doing the exercise with someone and the cheesiness makes it fun.
I pretend he's Patrick!

Monkey see, monkey do

Today my 6 year old son announced that he is on a diet!  He said he needs to make sure that he is getting vitamin C and eating bananas!
Obviously he is observing me and my PCP activities.
The funny thing is, he needs to gain weight so we are trying to fatten him up with whole milk and avocados.  He naturally likes quite a lean diet and would be happy to exist on protein, fruit and vegetables.
He is not a fan of the carbohydrates - complete opposite of me!

I felt that my kids were eating well before but I have really stepped up the nutritional value of their food since being on the PCP.  Both of them are eating a lot more fruits and vegetables. My 4 year old and I had a fight over the last carrot stick on my plate - I won, this was carefully rationed food!
Don't worry, I cut him some more carrot sticks.
It hasn't been a question of convincing them to do it either.  I think its a case of monkey see, monkey do.
I read an article that said you can shovel all the healthy food you want into your kids but if you are sitting beside them eating junk they will grow up with your food habits.

Heres to healthier kids and good habits!

Nervous

After reading Patricks latest email I feel like I am starting over again and I am nervous and freaking out a bit about the 'real' PCP starting now.  What does that mean? Is it going to get harder ? Will there be less food or more food?  I am really panicking and I don't know what to expect.
Other than that my pants are all falling off and that makes me happy.

The aftermath

I chose a lemon square and a cup of coffee for my treat.  I was not craving it or anxious to have it at all.

So I sat down by myself at the table and I quite enjoyed it however it really did not make my day any better or worse than it may otherwise have been. 

Early on in the PCP I felt like I was missing out on the full fun of social situations by not eating what everyone else was eating.

I think I have been relying on food too much as a reward or treat or comfort and as it is none of these things it does not satisfy and leaves me wanting more - or so it did.

I'm feeling a little sick now from the sugar and wish I had only half of the square.

Off to get a glass of water will write more tomorrow.

The big splurge!

It has been a few days now since Patrick said we could indulge in a little treat and I still haven't had one!
Everything I think about eating, I think nah, thats not really worth it I don't like it that much.
But this afternoon is a holiday and we are all at home together relaxing after hosting a big meal yesterday.
It feels like the right time for me to indulge because I am not craving something.

I will report back in  a few hours .....

I love lunges!

I really like lunges and welcome the change from squats.

The food continues to go well and I am not craving anything but I am constantly being put in the way of temptation.
When you go out to eat it is so difficult to get the right food.
My husband and I went out for lunch yesterday and I can honestly say I wasn't feeling tempted but I was getting pissed off because it was so hard to get food that wasn't covered in sauce, glaze, salt, oil or bread!
I ended up getting a salad with a chicken breast and picked off all of the sugar coated pecans, took out the strawberries and removed all of the goat cheese - at least the dressing came on the side so I didn't have to try to wipe it off!

Today I had a honey crisp apple and it was like eating a piece of cake - scrumptious!
Try and get your hands on one.

Oh yes and my best friend told me I look radiant!  I hadn't told her about the PCP yet so it was completely unsolicited.

New picture coming tomorrow and yes I will look radiant!

Workout

The workouts are going okay.  Patrick suggested to treat them like brushing your teeth, you don't like it you don't hate, its just something you do everyday.  This attitude toward working out has helped me to stop thinking about it and worrying about it so much.

The food continues to go well and I am enjoying finding new ways of preparing things.

Thanksgiving is coming up this weekend and I am hosting my family at my house for dinner.
I will make all of the favourites for everyone but I will also make my own version of 'PCPsgiving dinner'
for myself.

Oh no

The cravings have hit.  Hard.

Day 16

I am not feeling well today and I have no appetite.  I have managed to eat a few little bits here and there.
I am worrying that this is going to screw up all my hard work.
I know its only been 16 days but I am seeing results and I am so aware now of the need to keep my metabolism going.
I hope I will feel better tomorrow and get back to eating all my food.

Hope team blue is doing well!

Day 15 Best PCP meal yet

I saw a magazine on the weekend and on the cover was a picture of a scrumptious looking pasta dish.
It was linguine with shrimp and spinach in an alfredo sauce.  I decided to get the magazine,  read the recipe and adapt it.
So I used whole grain linguine noodles sauteed some garlic in a nonstick pan with a small amount of olive oil.  Next I added a huge amount of spinach and let it wilt. While I was doing this I had the linguine boiling and I roasted the shrimp in the oven.  I weighed each thing when it was cooked and portioned it out.
It was so delicious it felt like I was cheating.
Afterwards I thought it would have been to much smothered in alfredo sauce even if I could have it.
Carbs are out for me in the evenings as of last night but it will still make a great lunch.

Team Name - Team Blue

Okay its been two weeks and nothing has been said about our name until Jack's comment today.
I agree with Jack, we need a better name.  Any ideas? Anyone? Hello?

How about the 'DIVINE NINE' or  team bleu?

Day 14 FOOD

I am surprised to say that eating the PCP food is going quite well for me.
Yes, every now and then I crave a treat but I am noticing more and more that its a mood or a feeling I want not the treat.
This weekend for example I was going to my Mums house and it was cold and rainy and I thought oh I'll have tea and a tea biscuit when I get there.  Really what I wanted was to feel cozy and warm, so I had the tea but skipped the tea biscuit.
On the weekend we usually have some kind of take-away food fro dinner one evening and maybe go out for lunch or breakfast with the kids.  We didn't do either of these things this weekend and I found myself in the kitchen all the time preparing food for everyone.  I didn't miss the food just the break from cooking and cleaning.  This weekend I am going to precook a couple of meals and just reheat them to give myself some time off.
So all in all it wasn't the actual foods I was looking for but the supposed comfort or freedom that they allow.

Day 13

I found the last few days quite difficult - between computer problems, getting my kids into their school routine, food prep, workouts, homework and so on I have felt overwhelmed to say the least.

I have to be very honest and say that I do not enjoy working out. I don't know if I ever will.
For those of you who do like it please share with me what your secret is or what you like about it.
I am serious please help me love it. For me exercise is like medicine a necessary evil.
Don't get me wrong I am not a couch potato. Most days I get up at 7 am and I don't sit down again until 7 pm . But when it comes to an actual workout it takes every fibre of my being to get up and do it.
This morning my son was having difficulty getting his shoes on and I was telling him to use two hands and he said 'but thats uncomfortable.' To which I replied 'It may be uncomfortable but just do it and get it over with.'
I will take my own advice.

Day 8 PCP food

I can't remember a day when I ate so much.  But I have to say, I never once felt bloated or sluggish despite having consumed huge amounts of food.
My energy level and mood were consistently good all day. Nice for a change.

The workouts are getting harder, I find this the most difficult part of the program so far.
I need to put some extra effort in and get comfortable with the exercises.
I am not athletically inclined and I tend to get frustrated when I feel awkward or like I don't know what I am doing.

My husband is eating the same food as me so this makes it much easier. He completed the PCP just over a year ago so he knows exactly what I am going through.  I can't say what a benefit and support that is.

This evening we went to a school BBQ for our kids and the food was hot dogs, hamburgers, juice, and cotton candy - a bit of a baptism by fire on the first day of PCP food!
I really wasn't tempted because none of these are my favourites, I was full from my PCP food and my husband wasn't indulging either.
So I made it through my first social engagement untempted and junk food free.

Day 6 PCP

The weekend went well and I managed to stick to the rule of half.

My legs and feet are really sore.
After reading what Patrick said about the muscles in our thighs being the biggest muscle group, I get why the brutal squats are necessary.
I think I am finding my groove with the jump rope and I really enjoy the rhythm of it.
I have never been a fan of running but the jump rope I could grow to love.

I know the food is going to get a lot more restrictive this week so I am mentally preparing for that.

When I put my kids to bed at night and they are finally asleep I often find myself looking for a treat and feeling like I deserve a treat.
So I am replacing this ritual with a cup of tea.
I started this evening tea ritual with my husband and my cousin Jack this past summer.
Every evening once the kids were in bed we would sit and have tea and chat.  So the tradition continues despite the fact that Jack has returned to Ireland and his studies. By the way this is the same Jack that is currently doing the PCP in our group.
Making the tea and drinking it quietly without interruption is as much a treat for me as something sweet.

And now its time for tea .....

Rise & Shine

Today I did my workout in the morning and I loved it.

A few times during the day I thought 'oh I still have to workout AND eat half portions and then I remembered I had already done the workout.
I felt great all day because I had completed the hardest part of and it was over and off my mind.

I also found that it gave me extra motivation to eat well because I did not want to ruin my mornings work.

Heading into the weekend I think there will be a few more temptations to eat 'full' portions so I will have to be extra cautious.

My legs are still sore - even my feet are hurting! But the skipping was a bit better today, I didn't trip as much.


Hope everyone else is doing well.

cupcake

I am in shock.  I just ate half of a mini cupcake and I am just as satisfied as if I had eaten the entire thing.

The food is going well in so far as I am learning something from this.  If I can only have half of what I would normally eat I want to make sure I get bang for my buck.  If I am eating something with low nutritional content, but only half, I am hungry much faster than when I eat half of something nutritious.

I am very, very tired today and my legs are hurting.

I think I will do my workout first thing in the morning, then its done and I won't be worrying about when I can squeeze it in.

Well I'm off to bed so I can get up extra early for my workout in peace and quiet without interruption.

Day one PCP

The first day was exciting.  I feel like I have turned a new leaf.

I know for some people the exercises were easy but I am extremely out of shape and I found the skipping part difficult and more tiring than I expected.  When I finished my jump rope I came upstairs and I was all red and sweaty and my 6 year old casually looked at me and said  'high five mama, high five'.
That made me feel proud and motivated.

The food was interesting. I ate exactly half of what I would normally eat and in the morning I was very hungry but in the afternoon and evening I was not.  Which leads me to think that I don't eat enough in the mornings and I eat too much the rest of the day.  I get up at 7am and sometimes I don't eat until 10:30am and then not again until 1pm.

lets see what tomorrow brings.

Mmm Bop!

Nicole is swooping down from the frozen north and BRINGING THE HEAT!