Day 90 - Final Post

Crikey - final post. So many thoughts. Ninety days seemed to take ages but yet it is all over so soon. It has been a really interesting journey.

Lets get to the photos as that is what people want to see. 

Day 1 83.8 kg

Day 90 71.6 kg

Day 1

Day 90

How do I feel about these photos?  I still cringe when I look at the Day 1 photos. When they were taken I had been avoiding photos for a while. I was in total denial that I was that huge as it was never how I thought of myself.

When I saw photos from a holiday in Australia in May, I saw myself as I really was - and I didn't like it. I was embarrassed and quickly deleted as many of them as I could. But I didn't know what to do. As I was breastfeeding I was too afraid to "diet" as I didn't want to compromise my milk supply. My friends and family were too polite to say anything - bless them - but I really needed somebody to give me a kick up the bum sooner. I happened to catch a twitter message about somebody who was on PCP and a quick google search lead me here. I could just have easily never heard of this program and I would still be the size of a small car but probably more depressed about it.

Now at Day 90, I have finally lost the baby weight and the post baby weight gain and I am looking closer to how I think I look in my head - if that makes sense. My body shape has totally changed and my face looks more like "me" again. More importantly, I am feeling more like "me" again but a more energetic and healthier me.

My body responded very quickly to the exercise and the healthier diet and I lost weight quickly. I have lost 12.2kg on the scales but I don't have any more stats to report as I didn't take note of them at the start. Again this is due to the denial I was in at the time. I am happy to report I am back into my pre-pregnancy clothes and I have thrown away the "fat" clothes I needed to buy. The maternity clothes are all packed away now too. My boobs are still enormous and so some of my clothes are not yet fitting again but they will as soon as I have fully weaned Max.

I do think that the photos speak louder than any numbers.

The journey has been really interesting. I have learned so much about my fellow PCP'ers - previously complete strangers on the internet - and also about myself. I have really enjoyed the blogs and sharing the ups and downs of everybody. I was really rooting for all of you as your successes, however minor, made me happy and inspired me to push on. Hearing about your challenges helped me deal with mine.  Working out at home by oneself is quite difficult after all but I didn't feel alone with the community aspect of PCP. This was a team effort but all the results are individual - a fairly unique scenario.

It was sensational to meet Conny in person the other week. I loved reading her delightfully honest posts and related to her enthusiasm. I hope to catch up with her again soon. It would be great to meet other PCP'ers but not sure if geographically possible.

I am quite proud of myself that I didn't miss any workouts or skipping despite having wanted to more than a few times. It would be a lie to say I did it all at 100% effort. There were some days that I was just going through the motions. Other days, time management was a challenge. There were days that I threw down my jumprope in frustration and other days that the minutes just slipped by.

I kept to the diet about 90%. There were a few spectacular fails that I wrote about on the blogged about but there were other sneaky cheats of chocolates, lollies or glasses of wine from time to time. There were some days that a few extra grams ended up on my plate or the few times I had pork for my protein. But overall I did really well for myself. At the end of the day, it was only myself that was I was cheating and I think this is the lesson I have finally learned. I needed to stop thinking that I was entitled to whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted it and to remember the consequences would only be felt by me. So I have manned up and taken responsibility for what I put in my mouth.

What were my goals? In public, I said that I wanted more energy as I was a new parent, albeit a new parent at 40. This goal was certainly achieved. I have so much more energy now and think nothing of chasing my crawling son around the house - his favourite game at the moment. In private, I wanted to feel more human again, rather than just a baby maker, wife and carer. I have certainly found myself again and rediscovered my sense of humour.

For evidence, see cheesy photos below:

Some more photos - this time with the Maxinator.

Day 1

Day 90

My beautiful baby has become a little boy.

I have much less back fat.

I enjoyed food side of PCP. I loved weighing out the grams and planning menus to fit within those grams. Going back to work and managing the baby, day care and the house was actually good timing as PCP took away a few variables that I didn't need to manage. I learned that my choices and portion control was way, way out of synch with what my body needed - even while breastfeeding. Also, I have re-learned the simple joys of food. That said, I am looking forward to working out menus with legumes again - tofu, lentils, beans etc.

Have I become vain and smug? Probably a little bit. However, I had been so focused on everything and everybody else that my needs and sense of self had become lost. I am still a long way from what would be considered buff, or in peak condition, but I feel like I have gained control of myself again.

What is next for me? I am not sure as I am still processing the last 90 days - hence this rambling blog post. But if you have read any of my previous posts, then you will be used to that by now. Certainly, I see lots more skipping in my future. I think this morning's workout proved to me how far I have come and that I have actually become friends with my jump rope. I even went out today and bought new batteries for it. I look forward to the maintenance information and decide after a break what my next wellness goals will be.

A huge thank you to Patrick whose calm mentorship and common sense advice cut through the hysteria and corrected years of over thinking. Another big thank you to all the other PCP'ers. Good luck to you all.

Day 90 - Dead jumprope

No this is not one of those "I hate skipping" posts that are so common on this blog. This is about my jumprope that has simply run out of juice. I picked it up this morning for my final workout and the battery on the digital counter had died - since yesterday.

Even my jumprope needs to take a break from PCP.

Anyway, I did my final PCP workout and counted my skips manually. NO TRIPPING. Then I opted for Day 3 as there was NO LUNGES.  Body a bit sore from yesterday but all done and dusted in about 10 minutes. This last workout really highlighted how much progress has been made since Week 1 when I could barely do a push-up and was panting after just a few minutes of skipping.

Now breakfast!!

I will make my final post within a few days after I have taken some photos and added the appropriate amount of photoshop.  :-)

I DID IT!!

Day 89 - Kicked it!!

Ah, Sunday, the traditional day of rest - not this Sunday though.

The penultimate PCP day and the toughest workout yet.

And I kicked it's butt!!

Skipping done after breakfast and 18 minutes flew by with minimal trips today. I was determined that today was going to be a strong PCP day.

Floor jumps - check. Still find it hard to keep to 20 seconds between sets as I am crawling back to the start point on my hands and knees.

Chest/Back super set - Tough but good.

Biceps/Triceps/Shoulder super set - arms shaking and a wobbly mess after each set. Strangely though I was able to do more of the Da Vinci's/Shoulder raises by Set 4. Second wind? Grim Determination? Bloody Mindedness? Still not the maximum number but over half at least.

V-sits - started off doing 25 before failure. By set 5 down to 15 before failure and limbs akimbo. Those 15 second breaks whizzed by mere moments.

Planks - started off with a 1:45 minute plank and I was feeling strong and mean. Last one was just shy of a minute before I dropped to the ground in exhaustion.

Now I am flying high as a kite on all the endorphins and feeling pretty smug that I kicked it.

Not sure what tomorrow will bring as Patrick is holding his cards close to his chest. For me though, I am sure tomorrow will bring sore muscles and feet o' lead.

Day 88 - So close and yet...

Nearly had a massive fail last night for both workout and food.

It ended up just a minor fail in the food. I was at a party at the embassy and there was nary a vegetable in sight - unless you count potato fries as a veg. So I snacked  on some chicken yakitori (the non-salt version) but I was just so hungry I did have a serve of yaki-soba (noodles). It looked a better option than the okonomiyaki which looked super heavy. So carbs after dark was my fail. I had a big bowl of salad when I arrived home around 9pm.

The other near-miss fail was that I was so tired, I nearly didn't do my workout. But I mentally kicked myself in the butt and got it done. I wasn't about to miss a workout with so few left to go.

My poor old knee though is really giving me some grief now and I think I will have to have it looked at. If I have been sitting for too long, then I have to hobble a bit when I stand up. I can feel it when I skip now and the creeps last night were torture. I did some warm up and lots of stretching in the break times. I had read a few other the other blogs and I agree that I thought the floor jumps were not as bad after the 5 sets of creeps. I can't believe I am saying that about floor jumps.

Shoulders - OUCH. There was no way that I got through all the reps in each of the exercises. The Da Vincis have always been quite painful on a normal day but to follow up with shoulder raises in a super set was excruciating. I was only doing around 10-12 reps before I just couldn't lift my arms any more.

I did feel much better after the workout so I am pleased I pushed though. I even did 8MA just before bed so felt even better.

Today, I set out with a much better frame of mind. I had a lovely lie in until 9am and Hubbilicious was able to play with the Maxinator while I got on with it all. Everything went well but my shoulders are still sore from yesterday. The abs were the toughest and I really pushed though to make sure I did some decent planks. I made sure I was doing at least one minute. The V-sits started off at 25 reps but by the last set they were down to 12 with legs and arms akimbo.

Looking at tomorrow's workout - crikey. That is going to be a challenge but I have prepared mentally and I am going to kick it.

Bring it on!!! 

Day 87 - Tired

Tried to get up early to do skips and super sets this morning however, I turned off the alarm and slept for another hour. I was tired as I didn't really get to bed until after 1am and Max needed three feedings during the night. Poor little sausage is cutting his molars and I am sure it is painful.

So I started the skipping at 7:15 rather than 6:15 and I thought if I rushed through everything I could get through the workout as well before we had to leave the house. I abandoned that idea about half way through the first set of trips skips as I had two left feet, both made o' lead this morning. I tripped and spluttered my way through both sets of 9 minutes. It was a pretty pathetic effort and I only had around 1600 on the counter.

I really wanted to get the workout done this morning as after work we are off to a party at the embassy and we probably won't get home until after 9pm. So I am in for a late workout tonight after Max is in bed - Shouganai. At least it is Friday!!

Back on the menu this morning were breakfasts burritos. I haven't had one for about a month and didn't realise how much I missed them. I had some tortillas out last night as I made chicken and salad wraps for dinner. The boys had the tortillas and I used lettuce for mine and it was a total PCP win. There were a few tortilla's left over so I snaffled one for breakfast.

Didn't bring lunch today so I am planning on a Subway turkey and veg sandwich as they seem to have the healthiest fast food lunch options. In keeping with the wrap theme, it looks like they have some yummy wraps on the menu too that would be lighter on the carbs than the breadrolls. I will decide when the time comes. It will be nice to eat somebody else's food for a change.

Extra cardio is back and forth to daycare four times as usual but on foot (briskly) rather than by bus. Weight is hovering around the 71kg mark. Unlikely now that I will get to see a 6 in these numbers before Day 90 but I am feeling thinner. I should hope so as I am now lugging around 12.5 less kilos on my carcass. Everybody has commented how noticeable it is and how much fitter and healthier I am looking.

Day 86 - D'oh!!

Having a total blonde day and it isn't even lunchtime yet.

Got up super early to do my skipping and super-sets. I was such an eager beaver. Skips fine - nothing out of the ordinary for a pre-breakfast tripskip-fest.

Then I discovered a new way for my chest dips. I normally use two of the dining chairs but I also use these for the incline pull-ups with my trusty broom-handle. So while getting ready for the super-set, I realised that the high chair tray and the dining table are about the same height and give me enough clearance to do a half decent dip. The added bonus is that my hands are on a flat surface and not clinging onto the thin tops of the dining chairs which hurts my hands. Super-set 1 - check!!

Then I set up for the next ones - pulldowns and ovations. When I got to the end I realised that half way through I had changed to shoulder flys rather than pull-downs for some unknown reason. Perhaps as I was doing shoulder flys last night and I went into auto pilot. Whatever the reason, I then decided to do the super set again, this time with the correct pair of exercises. D'oh!! 

For the third super set, I used my old bands for the curls and my new bands in the door for the ski-jumper. It takes me too long to put the band in the door frame so I needed to just go straight from one exercise to the next. Super set 3 - done and dusted.

By this time I am knackered as I had powered through everything on an empty stomach and only minimal water and minimal sleep. I only managed 3 sets of the abs super-set before Max woke up. But if I am perfectly honest, I doubt I could have done another one. The v-sits were failing at under 20 reps and I wasn't able to do more than a minute on the planks. If I feel up to it, I will give the abs another run after work.  (hhmm  perhaps not likely)

Overall, I really enjoyed the super sets today. I powered through them.

Then breakfast routine and out the door to daycare. I left my phone at home and had to go back and get it. I met my Japanese teacher this morning (I am trying for 2kyu this year) and I was totally useless. I was yawning and spacing out for the entire time. Coffee of no help. Then I left my bento box behind and had to go back for it. Useless.

I really need more sleep I guess if I want to get up for early super sets.

Day 85 - Busy, busy, busy

Crew back in the office, refreshed and eager to get on with projects. Needless to say, I am hell busy so no time for long blog post.

Skips done before breakfast. Lots of trips as usual when skipping on empty stomach. But mantra in my head goes, "I am burning fat, I am burning fat.". 

Helper staying late tonight so I can focus on my workout - lots of floor jumps ahead. 

BRING IT!!  

Pleased to report that a pair of shorts that were too small for me 18 months ago, fell off my hips yesterday.  

Will try to get some new photos up tonight. Can't promise anything like Richard and Kim's angles as helper will take the snaps. I just get her to get it over with quickly as I find it weird to have my helper see me flex my muscles. Hubbilicious will take the final photos so I will make sure they are more interesting.