Day 84 - EPIC indulgence FAIL

The time had come. The Champions League final and some cold beer. The beer tasted wonderful and I had a great time. But, alas....can you guess what comes next? The last indulgence of the PCP is test of sorts. Patrick basically says go out and do something you did before the PCP and indulge and observe how your body reacts. What did I observe? The inside of my bathroom. It's white and the tile is cold. Yes, I threw up for most of the night. Then around 3:30am I had another round. Then again around 6:30 before finally sleeping till 9:30. I was then able to actually eat something and begin the final stages of the recovery process. Thankfully, the rest of the day was kind. As my son and I visited my parents and my brothers and I had an awesome game of wiffle ball in the yard.

The drive to and fro is a good hour so I had plenty of time to reflect on the events of the previous night and early morning. The sickness the beer brought on is an important reminder and lesson for me. Throwing up goes to the heart of why I choose the PCP and the changes I am embracing in my life. I've emerged with a different body and the choices I made in the past cannot be the ones I make in the future. The day 1 picture shows those old choices and the day 90 picture will show the new choices. It's simply, a no-brainer.

I'm ready to tackle the last 5 days of the PCP!!! Go Team Go!!! Let's give 110%!!!

Day 82 - The birdseed incident

A few days ago I took a leisurely drive over to the Audubon center to purchase a feeder and birdseed in order to liven up our patio. Said feeder and 25 pound bag of birdseed were purchased and the clerk informed me the bag of seed was waiting outside. Open up the doors and down the ramp, there it was. My birdseed. I picked it up and threw it over my shoulder. Whoa!!! This is 25 pounds. This used to be on me, I thought. By this time I had dropped about 30 pounds and in a split second I had again felt the burden of the weight on my body. The spring in my step and renewed energy I feel doesn't just have to do with endorphins. A heavy weight has literally been lifted from my shoulders and that feeling is amazing. Am I willing to put this weight back on to carry around? Am I willing to once again bear this burden? We have a saying in New Jersey, FUGGEDABOUTIT!!!!! Heck no, peoples!!!

I'm happy to report I wrapped up an intense week in the gym. Ready for the final push to the top. I'm expecting pain.

I'm also happy to report that in about 17 hours I will be indulging in a couple beers!!! Ahhh.

Day 80 - The Gym

I had a tough workout today. My mind was about 80% in the workout. The other 20% was thinking about Patrick's e-mail today concerning the gym and why gyms generally suck. And make no mistake, they do. Big time. The gym I workout in 5 days a week is great. It's at work, free, has plenty of space and all the equipment one would want. But, I've come to realize that the gym is a maze and generally about 97% of the people who attend the gym are lost in that maze. I know, I was once one of those people.

The maze is equipped with lots of bells and whistles. Machines to encumber you, T.V.'s to distract you, conversations to lure you, smells that make you ponder, windows to gaze out of, doors opening and closing, water being filled, space being taken, the list goes on. It's a miracle that anybody ever gets in shape in the gym and it's no wonder why very, very few people ever do. They can't find their way out of the maze and may not even be aware they are lost inside one. I've come to realize that the PCP is map out of that maze.

To be continued.....

Day 79 - Skinny fingers

One of the side effects of the PCP is weight lose. This weight lose encompasses your entire body. Feet, head, thighs, butt, legs, arms, & love handles will shrink. You will lose fat where you weren't exactly aware there was fat. One of these area for me are my fingers. My fingers have shrunk and in the past month I've lost my wedding ring twice. Yes, twice. One of those times was tonight. Thankfully, I've been able to retrace my steps each time to find the ring. Memory does come in handy! Talking yourself through it also helps. I've decided to put the ring in a safe place until I can resize it. It's not worth much monetarily but of course, the sentimental value is large. Yes, the side effects of the PCP. Weight lose.

Week 12 pictures up.

Day 78 - The gift

One of the best side effects of the PCP are the conversations we being to strike up with our friends, family, and co-workers. The dialog turns to the how, what, where, when, and why of well being. Talk becomes centered around health. Casual conversations can take on a deeper meaning when walking this path. Speech is a form of sharing and in it's most beautiful form it can create momentum. Progress. Forward motion. Motivation. Inspiration. I'm happy to say I've gotten to know people better during the PCP because we are sharing more with each other. Not the weather, not the game, not the job, but actually how well someone is doing and how they want to do better and how they CAN do better. These conversations reveal how being in shape is a lot more then just sweating. It's about the connection between mind, body, & spirit and the journey to bring these three into harmony. It's about being PEAK in every corner and aspect of our lives. Being in PEAK condition is a gift. Not only to yourself, but to others as well.

GO TEAM GO.

Day 77 - PCP Matters

A great weekend in PCP land where we are approaching what is literally the final stretch. We had a gorgeous weekend here in New Jersey so I took full advantage and did Saturday's workout outside and of course today's jumps. Working out in the mid morning Sun is a real blast. Strapping your iPod on and pumping out the reps and jumps can be thrilling at times. I'm guessing it's a combination of the breeze, the Sunshine, and the endorphins because this morning I was having a seriously fun time doing my 3 sets of 7 minute jumps. I had the realization that I was having fun. Not a little fun, but just really enjoying myself. Loving the rhythm of the rope, loving the syncopation of the steps, loving the feeling of sweat pouring off my face. It was a beautiful moment.

Regarding the last indulgence. I see that everyone is taking advantage of theirs and I'd love to join in but I can't indulge until the 22nd. I know it's three days after our window but I'm attending a party to watch the Champions League final and I'm going to have three beers. This has been in the works for a couple months now so this train simply can't be stopped. It will be the first time since starting the PCP that I'll be watching soccer and drinking a fine beer. One of my favorite things! I'm excited!!!

At the moment I'm awaiting this weeks nutrition plan and workout regimen. I'm curious to see what's in store for us. I'm off to have my fruit snack!

Day 75 - That shirt

This morning was THAT morning. This morning was THAT day. 4 years ago I followed my then girlfriend, now wife, into the Banana republic downtown. I drifted over the reduced price selection and there found a shirt that I loved. I tend to gravitate toward American West influenced styles. When I saw the strips, double pockets and buttons, I knew instantly the shirt was for me. The price, twice as nice. 20 dollars marked down from 50. Only one problem. It was in a large and it was the only size they had. I tried it on and I looked terrible in it. I looked like a fat guy in a tight shirt. But, I said to myself, one day I'm going to lose this weight and I'll be able to wear this shirt. So, I purchased the shirt and into the closet it went. Ever so often when I was feeling skinny or less fat, I would try it on and time after time the mirror just brought disappointment. The mirror doesn't lie. Back into the closet it went.

This morning was one of those mornings when you realize that you should have done laundry, like two weeks ago! I didn't have much to choose from and then I gave a second glance into my closet. There in the back, the last hanger, was the shirt. The shirt I had been waiting 4 years to wear. The shirt that I couldn't let go of. The shirt that had been the reminder of years of failing to live up to fitness goals. I took the shirt off its hanger, stood in front of the mirror and.....seriously, what a moment. What universe am I in? A Banana republic size large is actually a tad big on me. But, besides that moot point. I looked great in the shirt and the shirt looked great on me. I tucked that bad boy into my jeans and stepped out into the sunshine. When I finally saw my wife today at lunch she said, "You're wearing that shirt! Oh, my God. You look so skinny"! Yup, it was THAT day today. A beautiful one indeed.