Day 86, Updates and such

Another one of these, I will admit, but of course this would in fact be the very final diet plan update because, well, after Tuesday Corry, David, and my part of the Peak Condition Project will be no more. It will continue, of course, because the ground we’ve laid over the past three months would take a concerted effort of will and physical strength to actually break.

So I’m not worried about any of us falling into disrepair, no, I’m confident that we will only continue to grow and develop and continue on with us until the very end of our days. It’s what the PCP’s all about, as I’ve said before, folks.

So onto the update-that-isn’t-much-of-an-update. This last weeks diet plan is...to stay the course, tried and true, taking me to Day 90 and beyond. That diet plan, which was also last week’s diet plan, is:

Breakfast, 170 g carbs, everything else the same.

Lunch, 130 g carbs, everything else the same.

Dinner, same.

Again, nothing difficult there, in fact if this last week has proven anything then this last week should be some sort of cakewalk in the park.

I do believe that tomorrow we will be graced with an updated exercise plan...or this last week’s one will continue on. I have been given instructions to totally shred my chest and shoulders this last week so that’s what I’ll be up to, you know, in case anyone was wondering.

Have a nice day, all, and I hope the beginning of your weekend will rock as much as I’m sure mine will. Ta-ta.

Day 78, Like lightning

A speedy quick update for all of you because matters are pressing, and they’re pressing hard. We’re coming into the final days but that doesn’t mean that things are going to stop changing and stagnate, oh no, far from it. In fact, things are going to continue chugging right along.

Here’s this week’s diet plan update:

Breakfast, 170 g carbs, everything else the same.

Lunch, 130 g carbs, everything else the same.

Dinner, same.

So nothing too major. I am curious why the carb count seems to be the only thing that’s changing and fluctuating as the weeks progress. My understanding of carbs is probably still a bit like most people’s--a very Atkin’s diet kind of limited understanding.

I’m sure it’s all got to do with energy for the body and how it relates to our workout times and how best we can turn the food into energy so I’m not going to worry or obsess over it. No, I’ll just ride the continuous wave here and trust in the plan.

Have a nice day. I mean, as much as you can on a Thuuursday. Bleh.

Day 65, A little cooling down

My my wasn’t I a little heated with yesterdays post? Eh, fiery spirits will only put out harsh words that may have been a little unnecessary at the time. Of course I stick by all of it and my confusion concerning the way things were done there hasn’t lessened at all. It still seems like some enormous bit of craziness that wasn’t necessary at all but whatever, I’ve received some nice information and comments from some people that I think will make things better for me.

I didn’t post it yesterday so I’ll do it today. Another minor diet update:

Breakfast

150 g carbs
150 g veg.
100 g fruit

Morning Snack

80 g fruit
1 spoon protein powder

Lunch

150 g carbs
250 g veg
1 spoon protein powder

Afternoon Snack

100 g fruit

Dinner

50 g carbs
200 g veg

Evening Snack

2 bananas
1 spoon protein powder

No huge major changes here. My dinner carbs continue their downward slide into near nothingness. 50 carbs, you’ve got to be kidding, right? I certainly do wish it were so in some ways. Actually what I really wish would happen is that I’d be able to split some of my lunch carbs off and transfer those to dinnertime because it’s getting harder and harder to finish lunch these days. I don’t think it’s because I can’t stomach vegetables anymore, I’m still enjoying the taste of them for the most part, no I think it’s just due to the fact that my stomach has become smaller than it ever has and the massive amounts of food at lunch has put a bit of stress on it.

I’ll definitely push through though because, well, we’re so close to being at the end of three months and there wouldn’t be any point in letting the project beat me now. Heck, going through so much of the project has given me the strength and confidence to complete the project. So the project is going to kick the projects butt for me.

Weird how that works, isn’t it?

Day 50, Celebration?

Not quite, I don’t think. Normally fifty days of anything would be cause for celebration but this particular fiftieth day doesn’t seem like one of those times. I know fifty days is considered a milestone of something but after having had so many of those so far--one month down and coming up on two months, indulgence days, etc--this one doesn’t seem like it’s anything all that special, to tell you the truth. I mean, fifty days is fifty days no matter how you slice it so in the end all I’ve got to say is, whatever. It brings to my mind peoples obsession with the simple piece of green ink-stained paper that is known as money. It is just paper yet it’s also the most intoxicating thing on the planet, I believe. Yes, I know that those things themselves aren’t important, it’s the meaning and the obsession behind them fueled by the people, but still. Still...

As is my custom, though, I will keep you updated on my Wednesday diet plan change and here it is for you guys:

Breakfast

100 g carbs
80 g fruit
150 g veg

a.m. snack

100 g fruit
1 spoon protein powder

Lunch

180 g carbs
250 g veg
1 spoonful protein powder

afternoon snack

100 g fruit

Dinner

70 g carbs
200 grams veg

p.m. snack

2 bananas
1 spoon protein powder

As you can see there are only a couple of changes, very minor stuff here. My morning carbs have been increased slightly and my morning fruit has been cut down. A.M. snack is the same. My lunchtime carbs have increased a small amount, dinner carbs decreased. Everything else is the same. So like I said, minor stuff, but important too because every little change is only going to help me achieve spectacular awesomeness.

And your continued readership on these slow day when I can’t think of anything else to write keeps me inspired and thankful. You’re all wonderful.

Day 37, Another sustenance update

If you’ll remember my post from about this time last week my daily diet plan did nothing but continue on the same course as it had been the week prior, which was fine, I was getting used to the course sizes and I was doing my best to mix it up to keep it from getting boring (although I do tend to have the same breakfast most days since I’m still too drowsy to really care about variety).

Yes, I realize I’m making it sound like there’s been a world rocking new development in the project, my part of it at least, but really that hasn’t been the case. Not at all really. There have been some changes--some minor, some that will take some getting used to--but all in all it should make for an easy transition within the next few days, luckily for me because the diet changes have been some of the harder parts of this project for me (for some weird reason).

So here you have it, the newly improved diet plan, we’re really cooking now...(a bit much? Yeah, I thought so):

Breakfast

80 g carbs

100 g fruit

150 g veg.

[nothing new here]

a.m. snack

100 g fruit
half spoon of protein powder [haven’t had to do this before, luckily it’s only a half scoop, otherwise...]


Lunch

170 g carbs [20 more grams than the last version]

250 g veg.

1 spoon of protein powder


afternoon snack

100 g fruit


Dinner

80 g carbs

200 g veg. [100 more grams]


p.m. snack

2 bananas
1 spoon protein powder

In addition, have two spoons of protein powder within 30 mins of finishing your workout.


So, as you can see, there hasn’t been any huge or drastic changes there with my daily meals since the last version.

Except for my dinner meal. Yesterday was my first official day with these updated measurements and, by and large, it was easy and I was filled up after every meal. There wasn’t much added to any of those meals to make me take a step back from my counter and go, “Wait, wait, wait a sec, Patrick, why the heck are you trying to pull here, eh?” Except for my dinner meal. As you can see above, I am now eating 200 grams of vegetables every night for dinner. I had been used to eating 100 grams each night for dinner but now I have to kick it up a notch; my stomach’s going to be in for a wild ride in the evenings.

Of course it’s doable but there must have been a look of shock on my face when I saw how much was on my plate for dinner. Now, I know that I eat fifty more grams of vegetables a day for lunch but that’s for lunch, my eyes aren’t used to seeing that much food in the evenings anymore so there’s a bit of shock going on there.

And I’m still laughing at myself for being so shocked and full after my meals considering that 200 grams of anything before the project would have just been a starter meal on my way to the main course for dinner. Now 200 grams has me floored and wishing for 100 grams again. How odd.

It will be nice, however, to have a full regular sized meal for dinner on the weekends with the family. 100 grams of vegetables and a mere 80 grams of carbs just wasn’t saying “cozy meal with my loved ones”. Now I’ll have something resembling more of a usual Sunday night meal to enjoy in the company of people that I enjoy.

Have a fantastic day.

Day 15, Some small changes

So it's the beginning of week #3 and you all know what that means, don't you people? That's right, it's a brand new diet plan! Well...kind of brand new, I mean, it's new but only during the evenings for the most part. So here it is for your wonderful viewing pleasure:

Morning - same:

50 grams carbs

100 grams fruit (no bananas)

150 grams vegetables

a.m. snack - same:
100 grams fruit (no banana), around 10:30 a.m.

Lunch - same:

150 grams carbs

250 grams vegetables

p.m. snack - same:

100 grams fruit (no banana), around 3:30 p.m.

Dinner - Cut to 80 grams carbs (used to be 100 grams), and 100 grams vegetables

evening snack - 2 bananas and 1 spoonful of soy protein, around 9:30 p.m.

In addition, within 20 minutes of finishing your workout, have 2 spoonfuls of soy protein with water.

So, yes, there that is. I'm digging it, I think that this one will be a lot easier for me to stomach this diet plan than the last one. Yes, yes, I know that doesn't make a whole bunch of sense since the new diet plan is almost basically the same as last weeks diet plan but I still believe that this one will be easier to handle now that some time has passed and I've been able to get accustomed to it. 

So essentially the deal with this weeks diet plan is that we're all working on taking our BMI's (body mass index) and, by eating less, dropping all of that unnecessary body mass that we don't really need, especially when we're trying to reach our peak condition. Our intake will keep decreasing more and more until our BMI's are down to...however little Patrick and Chen are looking for. Once we get to that point, when our bodies start bypassing the fat developing process for the most part and instead turn the food we take in into energy, then we'll start increasing our intake again until we reach the point where we're eating pretty good sized meals again (or should I say gigantic, hard to finish meals).

So that's part of what's in store for this coming week, the new exercise plan will be coming today and I'll post about that tomorrow. I'm feeling pretty alright with it, especially now that that I'm starting to feel better about this whole project--I'm learning how to make things work for me and, if not enjoy, then live with the big changes that are happening with me. Plus, I'll be able to sit down with the family on the weekends for dinner and have something more than a protein smoothie for the meal. Which is always good.

Day 14, What's behind door number 3?

Who knows what's in store for all of us with tomorrow's diet and exercise update, perhaps more fruits? More carbs (I doubt that one very much)? More vegetables (Whoo-hoo?)? Who knows...who knows.

Well, if Patrick's latest e-mail to us three PCPers is any obvious clue then it won't be so different except for one major factor that I don't think we'll fully appreciate until the time between meals when we're clutching our stomachs and listening in hushed fear as those stomachs try to eat themselves because that's the only way they're going to get something to sustain themselves. That major factor is, folks, less food. I know that sounds unnecessary and to that I say to you, "Really? Unnecessary? First, 400 grams of vegetables a day is a freaking trial, not only to cook but to try and eat. Second, now that our metabolisms are lean, mean, fighting machines cutting down on all the food should make us lose fat mass like crazy."

Truth be told, though, I'm actually kind of looking forward to it...in a way, I have no doubt that if this last week was as difficult as it was then this coming week will probably be difficult, too. Or maybe it won't, who knows? It will be nice, I think, to not have to cook as many vegetables as I am right now and I'm hoping that this next weeks diet plan won't actually have me cooking and eating more vegetables than I am right now. We'll see, we'll see.

Have a wonderful day, peoples.

Day 10, Becoming a rabbit

Like The Metamorphosis but funnier.

Phew! What an interesting few days these have been. Well, like Corey and David have talked about and I mentioned on Thursday the new diet plans came in when none of us were really prepared for them...well, we may have been ready for them but really had no concept as to exactly what was really in store for us when we all took our food scales out of their boxes, set them up on the counter, and started to slowly pile on the veggies while shaking our heads as the little counters weren't anywhere nearer to 250 grams than when we started measuring them out.

And then you try and make a meal out of them with the 150 grams of carbs (or however much the other two have to have) because there's no way you're going to try and fork 250 grams of vegetables plain into you without some kind of variation or a more noticeable flavor. There's no way that's going to happen, believe me, because after doing that for this mornings vegetable requirement I can say for more certainty than I've had for a lot of things that doing that would be a drag of the very absolute worst kind.

Of course, you can work your way around those things--laying down some spinach on a tortilla and spilling all of those veggies onto it with some salt-free mustard and wrapping it all up makes for delectable eats, a good, regular sized artichoke averages out to be about 250 grams of vegetable when all is said and done with those things and even if it doesn't make it all the way to 250 it's close enough that you don't have to eat as many vegetables to make up for the remainder. Low calorie dressings always make powering through those big bowls of veggies much easier and, guess what, they have vegan dressings in all sorts of different flavors:

So thank you Nasoya, you've made me totally happy.

Now if I can just keep my skin from turning orange from all of the carrots I'm eating...or from growing big fuzzy ears and a puffy tail and developing a nose twitch then things should be totally cool.

Day 8, The new diet plan...

Ho boy, this is going to be interesting, an interesting challenge, downright difficult, all of that. At least for the first couple of weeks until I can set down some kind of schedule that doesn't drive me crazy with all of the massive amounts of chopping and steaming and eating. So here it is:

Morning
50 grams carbs
100 grams fruit (no bananas)
150 grams vegetable

A.M. Snack (around 10:30 am)
100 grams fruit (no banana)

Lunch
150 grams carbs
250 grams vegetables

P.M. Snack (around 3:30pm)
100 grams fruit

Dinner
100 grams carbs
Drink 2 BIG spoonfuls of the protein powder, 1 banana, blended with water.

Evening Snack (around 9:30 pm)
1 more banana.

Doesn't sound horrible, right? I mean, yeah, it seems pretty sparse and at first glance it very well could be...until you start chopping and weighing everything out. Then you realize that you've never eaten that many vegetables that early in the morning. It's such a drastic change that I can apparently only get used to by whining about it here, but I'm blowing things out of proportion. Anything is doable and with a little imagination and preparation this can be a whole lot of fun really. I think the hardest part for me will be getting up early enough to cook everything and eat it when I need to. I'll need to get to sleep much earlier than I have been this last week to be able to do everything that I need to do for this.

So there that is, for the next however long it will be my daily diet will be exactly that, nothing much more. Honestly, I'm still very excited about all of this and about the changes this diet plan will help produce (all I'm wondering now is when I'll be able to drink soymilk and fruit juice like I used to). I definitely need to keep a positive mindset throughout these first weeks otherwise it will be very easy to slip back into the unhealthy thinking of the past. I'll keep you updated on how it goes and my process of getting used to it.

Wish us all luck, fair readers, and a good day to you, too.

Day 1, And so it begins...

That sounds a bit more ominous than it actually is.

But today is the first official day of the Peak Condition Project 2.0 and it's exciting. A lot of life changing events (and I do very much see this as life changing) seem to sneak up on the person that they're happening to and don't make themselves known until after they occur, sometimes well after they occur. This seems different than those other things, this is much more obvious and in your face and not only does it give it an immediate quality, it makes everything much more real and meaningful. It's so easy to be mindful of everything that you're doing if you're conscious of everything that's happening around you.

Also, it almost feels a bit anti-climactic. Like I said in my pre-project post there was so much build up to this day that my mind just went wild envisioning every little obstacle and difficulty that could possibly arise with something like the PCP. And then it gets here, and I eat my morning breakfast, and I'm going to be doing my exercises after I post this... and I'm calm about it. It's very refreshing, I must say, to realize that so far all of my worries were pretty much completely unfounded. Once you start something like this you realize:

As long as you're willing to put the time and effort into improving yourself it's not that difficult.

At least, that's the way it is for me.

Diet Plan

Easy as pie, and just as tasty! Patrick and Chen have graciously prolonged the diet plan that they began with (although being the masochist that I am I was looking forward to only eating a small bowl of vegetables and fruit with a side dish of five grains of rice) and came up with something very simple: cut out half of everything you eat. Easy-peasy...lemon-sqeezy. So I had a small bowl of cereal with some tasty Silk and an apple and you know what? That was two hours ago and I feel just as full now as when I had finished eating my breakfast.

See? Nothing to be worried about. Well, we'll see how true that is after I finish all of the training exercises. I'll go into that tomorrow.

For the record, my final big meal. I'm sure a meal of this size will soon become a thing of forgotten memory. Here it is, in all of its low resolution glory!:

Sourdough bread and salad with vinaigrette

Spaghetti with marinara