Day 43 - Congrats to those completing today

When our group started the group ahead of us were about where we are now. It is great to see them finish strong and it has certainly given me a lift today.

So the leadership mantle has been passed down to us. Crikey - the responsibility.

I am still plugging away. I haven't missed any workouts although perhaps not all of them have been at 100% effort. I must refocus to make sure I am not just going through the motions. Tonight I am asking my helper to stay later than normal so she can mind Max and I will give it 110% on the workout. Normally I have one eye on Max while I am working out and I often have to stop half way through a set to pick him up or make sure he isn't getting into something he shouldn't. He is just into everything at the moment. In Tokyo, the cost of helpers is much higher than in HK so I only have mine come once a week for cleaning.

I do 8MA most nights before I go to bed. I have it set up on my iPad so it can be next to me on the floor. It is easier on the neck that way. I am thinking of switching to the version that doesn't have any sound or music but just the beeps to mark the transitions as that guys voice is really starting to grate on me. "Come on gang, these exercises are easy, fun and they really work. You will not hurt your back or neck..  blah blah blah."

I am getting better at my veg stash. I have found that renkon (lotus root) is awesome as it is crunchy and it looks brilliant. For the rest of the veg I have cabbage, spinach, moyashi (bean sprouts - again for the crunch factor), carrots, zucchini, capsicum, string beans, eggplant, broccoli, cauliflower (if I have it), shiitake (mushrooms) onion, garlic, ginger, chili and mixed herbs. I don't over steam anything as I am usually cooking it again so I don't want it to go mushy. Onions, garlic, mushrooms etc I saute in some good olive oil. The renkon I boil to remove that woody texture and the cabbage and other leafy greens just get a light boil.

I use this veg stash for my morning frittata, for my sandwich fillings and my evening snack etc. If I make a stirfry with it I add some chinese 5 spice or I can vary it with other spices depending on the style of food that I am serving with it. By evening I am really looking forward to it and I go to bed dreaming of breakfast.

One batch lasts me about 3 days. I then alternate with a big salad of mixed greens, tomato, moyashi, cucumber, spring onion and capsicum. Often if I am having fish I will prefer a salad over veg. But I will have some corn on the cob as well. I don't really have potatoes very often and I have some pumpkin that I really need to use up but I can't think of an interesting way to use them. Baking them without oil isn't really the best.

Sure there are peaks and troughs on this project but the great results I have had so far are really inspiring me to keep plugging away. I love knowing that there is a big group going through the same peaks and troughs and it really does make it mentally easier when I am sweating it out in my living room and walking like a demented duck doing creeps.