Day 54, Mighty surprising

And a little bit annoying.

Over the last few days of this weekend I’ve been doing a lot more walking around than I usually do because a friend of mine was back in town after having spent over a month away. Of course I’m not about to say that that’s a bad thing, it certainly isn’t by any means and really I should be doing more of it, but it’s not a normal thing for me (or anyone in southern California I suspect) because of all the driving that I do during the week.

So while it was nice to get some more bipedal motion and exercise going on it made abundantly clear just how my body has changed in relation to my clothes, particularly my pants and shorts. I expected this to happen as Patrick’s Day 35 (http://peakconditionproject.blogspot.com/2008/04/day-35-waistline.html) entry made it clear that awesome things would be occurring but like all things in life you never know what it’s going to be like until it’s right there staring you back in the face, making you stand up and say, “Whoa”. So I was curious to see how much exactly I’ve changed in relation to my clothes and, boyo, the results were as surprising as Patrick’s. Also, those same results have caused me to develop this annoying habit of constantly having to pull up my pants every minute or so to prevent them from slipping down to my ankles, and don’t even get me started about walking around with keys and a wallet and a phone weighing my pockets down.

Now before I started the project I wasn’t by any means overweight so these results are even more incredible.

Some pants I’ve had for years that have never slipped past my hips:



These shorts were always a little loose on me but now, wowie:



And last, some denim shorts...incredible:



So now I’m standing up for all of you to utter an enthusiastic, amazed, “Whoa”.

Day 53, For your reference

First, though, may I say, Indulgence Day upcoming! I would have indulged on some sweet, delectable treats yesterday but I think something might have been weird with the food I ate yesterday so my stomach was giving me problems. Remind me to never again eat green beans that have been sitting in the refrigerator for over a week since they apparently take a turn for the worse after that time. Eating rubbery, bland sticks of...unappetizing blandness is not good eats.

And it never will be.

Also, sleeping through your alarm clock for two hours is not my idea anymore of a good way to start off the day. I mean, what the heck was that about? I went sleep way earlier than I normally do and now I'm struggling to get this thing written and sent off (and with a keyboard that doesn't want to cooperate) so I can get to my exercises before it gets even later than it already is. Man is that frustrating.

So renovations are still ongoing so this one may be short since I need to get my exercises out of the way and hurry up to get everything ordered the way I want it to be.

It seems, my fair readers, that the drink industry is screwing us again (wait, was the precedent?). There is a long held belief that we are supposed to be drinking a certain amount of water each and every day otherwise our bodies will cease to function and we’ll all become mindless vegetables, bed-ridden and near death. Or something like that. I wasn’t necessarily raised on that, I don’t know if both of my parents being in the medical field had anything to with that (maybe they knew something everyone else didn’t), but there wasn’t a daily water quota to fill under any circumstances by the time we were put to sleep at night. I, of course, knew that drinking water throughout the day was probably a good thing to do but it certainly wasn’t forced on me or my brother.

So imagine my surprise when Patrick told us that all of that was a hysteria fueled fallacy created years ago that has thrived and still lives today when we are living in an age where we are supposedly more intelligent than we were when the eight glasses of water a day thing was concocted. Heck, it’s still alive on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water#For_drinking. Crazy, isn’t it?

So let me summarize Patrick’s enlightening lesson for all of you: it ain’t necessary. Sure drinking water during the day is undoubtedly good for you and I’m sure even strongly recommended--for we can’t survive on soda alone (although I’m sure Pepsi would like us to believe that)--but what everyone, including the Wikipedia article, forgets to mention is that while, yes, we do need approximately 2 liters of fluid a day, well, the key word there is fluid. Not just water but any kind of liquid beverage (well, besides, alcohol).

Crazy, right? I never would have known and now I do. So I can stop trying to consume bottle after bottle of water a day and just trust that whatever liquid I do take in will be enough when combined with all of the food that I have to eat while on the project, because food itself does have water inside of it which will make up for any deficiency that may occur during the day. I can relax and sleep easy now.

So there that is, off to floss now, you know, to keep my heart healthy. What am I talking about, you ask? Well, go ask Patrick because he can explain it better than I can, also I have exercises to do. Have a wonderful day.

Day 52, Painting = exercise?

So yesterday, my bright and shiny day off from work, had the misfortune to let itself be turned into a day full of work. My bit of the house was in desperate need (apparently) to have everything stripped from it--bookcases, gone! desk, gone! computer and t.v., gone! bed...um, still there--my closet doors taken off, clothes moved to a different part of the house, etc. until it was left as some ghost-like version of itself, abandoned and empty. Ready to be totally renovated. The walls turned from a charming light blue color (like living in the sky, it was, my head could float freely and my thoughts and ideas lived unhampered by gravity) to a dark, earthy beige (yes, beige). My old, dirty wooden closet doors were replaced with fancy mirrored doors that slide easily on a track as quiet as a whisper, and the baseboards and molding everywhere replaced with newer versions of themselves.

It’s been quite an undertaking that I luckily haven’t had to be too involved in thanks to my obligations to the PCP and you guys. I certainly have helped, of course, it is my room, and that is why I’m writing about it right now.

Something occurred to me a few hours after everything inside of that place was painted, I’m not sure why I didn’t realize it when the painting was taking place but if I had to guess I would say that it had something to do with the oppressive heat (I do like that saying :-) and the cramped angles and corners of the room, all that made everything uncomfortable and made my mind screech to a halt. I began to realize, after all of the sweat and muscle aches were showered away that the whole undertaking would have been considerably more difficult had it not been for the PCP.

First of all, the whole business of painting is a great endurance challenge in itself, it made me realize that I would not want to spend my days doing that as a living (not my idea of personal fulfillment, no sir). But the all of the massive amounts of jumproping that I’ve put myself through these past eight weeks and change has turned me into a lean person with a stamina to be envied. Not that I’m suggesting you all to envy me. Ha, my ego will never be that big and ugly.

I also was slapped with the realization that all of the muscle newly unencumbered with fat has become much more stretchy and pliable, easily maneuvered and able to bounce back readily from any stress that I put on it through the day or while painting my ceiling to floor walls (how else would they be?). I always thought I was pretty flexible before starting the project thanks to all of the karate training I’ve done over the past nearly fifteen years but, man, I didn’t know what I’ve been missing. Cramped corners were easily conquered like the puny things they are under my new found advanced flexibility and high edges fell under my rolling brush like so many dominoes. In fact, I laugh in triumph now and say “Ta-ta” to my tight, clumsy body of old, lying there in the cold, dark past where it belongs.

Even the very act of rolling paint on the walls itself became as easy as pie thanks to my developing muscle mass. The benefits are noticeable instantaneously and they made what could have been a grueling, “turn your arms into jelly” piece of work into something more like a relaxed pleasure (despite the heat in the room). All the while I was able to watch the muscles in my forearms expand and bulge, contract and move as I ran the roller up and down, side to side along the walls in, what I’m assuming is, record speed (for me, at least).

So I’ve been aware of the changes taking place because of the project for some time now, you’ve read all about the things that have happened so far, but now I’ve had a real world example of just how changed everything really is. I’ve had a practical demonstration of what exactly has happened to me and what I’m able to accomplish which is much more valuable and meaningful to me than stepping on a scale and watching the numbers go down. Because in the end it doesn’t matter what number the scale shows, all that matters is how do you feel and what are you able to accomplish? Those are the important and meaningful things.

Day 51, Happy 4th!

Of July, that is, all you United Statesians here and abroad. A very good friend of mine is back in town from Monterey Bay so this one will have to be short since I’ve got to be getting out there doing my exercises as well as some fresh air. Speaking of exercises...BAM!

I'll continue on with my Day 1/Day 2/Day 3 workout plan except that now, instead of doing four sets of 25 v-sits, I have to do four sets of 50. Yes, you heard right, freakin 50! I don’t know what I did...or didn’t do or what but, man, that’s almost mean. I’ll see how that one goes over and I’ll try to communicate it to you guys later if I’ve not been hospitalized from 200 v-sits in one day.

Also, I now have the option of eating 50 grams of carbs before my workout. Why? I’m not entirely sure, well actually I’m sure it’s for the extra boost of energy but still it’s new and interesting. I’ll give that one a try as well.

Wish me luck, friends, and hope that I’m not permanently injured after todays exercises.

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 49, Help me out a little

So this is the moment you all have been waiting for, I know I’ve been wondering when this would happen again and out of the clear blue sky, like some kind of crazy coincidence, it’s here:

Indulgence Day, Part Deux!

I’ve got to tell you, though, I’m a little bit wary of these things seeing as how my last encounter with one of these gave me a slight hint as to what my death might feel like. If you think I’m exaggerating there then feel free to read about my experience with dark chocolate, Day 30, Decadent Indulgence.

I’ll give this one a chance, though, and keep an open mind about what could potentially happen. I’ll also have to lock myself into my room in case I go temporarily insane and start writhing around while screaming and cursing the heavens.

But I’m at a loss here. I’m up for another indulgence day, more out of intellectual curiosity than for a day to enjoy something previously off limits, but for the life of me I can’t think of what to indulge on. It’s very annoying since the last one came so easily.

So I’m here now asking for your help, people. Help me come up with something unique and interesting to indulge on. Help me find something that normally wouldn’t come to mind as something that a person normally stray away from.

I do have a few ideas but I wanted to check with everyone else first because perhaps you guys have a clearer head than I do and would be able to think of something less boring. So far I’ve come up with,

Tofutti Cuties



Before the project I used to have one or two of these a day sometimes and I always loved the stuff, mostly because it was the first vegan ice cream I was able to find easily that didn’t taste like cold, bland styrofoam. I’m leaning more toward these as of this moment because I’m feeling a little nostalgic for their creamy, chocolatey goodness but we’ll see.

Vegan Sloppy Joes



Yes, that picture isn't of a vegan sloppy joe but I couldn't find any if those sitting around on the internet so whatever. Same situation here, I used to eat these all the time because they were easy to cook up and they were tasty tasty tasty. I’d heat up some Yves vegan ground...stuff and combine it with the Manwich sauce and then BOOM! good eats.

My last idea was just to cook up a nice pre-PCP Sunday night family dinner using stuff that I used to have all of the time before I started the project but I’m thinking that that wouldn’t be in the spirit of Indulgence Day at all and, while nice, it wouldn’t really give me any more reason to stay away from all of those indulgent foods that I used to eat all the time. And that’s the real purpose of these days.

I’ll try and put more thought into this but, please, help me out, you all are far more imaginative than I am.

Day 48, Keen-wah!

If any of you out there have had the distinct pleasure of buying and watching David Lynch’s Inland Empire on DVD then you will already know what I’m talking about and have probably already discovered the wonders and sheer taste extravaganza of the South American wonder grain known simply (or not so simply as the name is likely to trip you up on first seeing it) as:

Quinoa



Haaailing from the Andean region of South America, this high protein (14g protein for every 100g quinoa), high in dietary fiber, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron, gluten free food, packed with essential amino acids is considered worldwide as being one of the most important foodstuffs in the early pre-Columbian Andean civilizations and has continued to be so for over 6,000 years. Did you know that this delectable grain is also an unusually complete food for all of your eating needs? You can eat this tasty food and rest easy knowing that your body is humming along nicely thanks in part to...quinoa!

Like I said up top, anyone who has the Inland Empire DVD is probably already aware of this wonder food because of the special features included with the movie. On the second disc of the DVD set David Lynch, always the groundbreaking and eccentric auteur, cooks for himself and for us a bowl of quinoa (see the comparison I’m making here? It’s also kind of like Robert Rodriguez’s 10 Minute Cooking School...except without all of the unappetizing cooked pig flesh) while regaling us with a story from a trip he took into...um, somewhere in the Middle East, I think (I’m not sure, it’s actually been a while since I’ve seen this particular special feature video).

So that’s what piqued my interest in quinoa, for all of you wondering why I’m going on about it. Within a week of seeing the video by Mr. Blue Velvet I found a local farmer’s market that, conveniently for me, has tons of the stuff. So I jumped on the chance to make some of the stuff for myself.

Cooking quinoa is astoundingly similar to cooking ordinary rice, in that you take two parts water for every one part of quinoa. Firstly, though, if the quinoa you find is still covered by saponins (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saponins) then remove the stuff by soaking the grain in water for a few hours, then changing the water and resoaking again, or rinsing it in ample running water either in a fine strainer or in cheesecloth. Hopefully you’ll be able to find quinoa that is presoaked. So once that’s done with let’s say that you wanted to make one cup of quinoa, well then you would cook it in two cups of water. Bring to boil the two cups of water and add the one cup of quinoa after turning the heat to a low simmer. Cook for 14-18 minutes (I usually do about 16 and a half to 17 minutes). Voila! You now have cooked and delicious quinoa!



Or, for a more appetizing look,



Looks de-lish, now doesn’t it? And just wait until you see the cooked stuff in front of you, it’ll look even tastier! Also, those tiny curls coming off of the actual quinoa are the germs of the stuff and are totally edible (there’s no way it would be worth it to eat the stuff if you had to get rid of each and every one of those things). They should have a slight “bite” to it, like al dente pasta, and really add some flavor and fun to it.

So look around your local supermarket or farmer’s market and see if you can snag yourself some of this amazing stuff. You won’t regret it, trust me (and check out Inland Empire, it’s full of weird, crazy goodness).

Hmm, I enjoyed this entry, perhaps I’ll have to make this unique food exploration thing a weekly event. Yeah, that sounds cool (I wonder if I’ll stick with it...any suggestions from you fine people?). Coming up next week...Couscous.

Also, for those of you who are interested, a basic recipe I found while hanging out on the Food Network web site (amazing, aren’t they? But I wouldn’t use much of the oil, it never seems to be worth it):

Quinoa and Veggies

2 cups quinoa
1 cup wild rice
1 tablespoon olive oil or peanut oil
1 cup mushrooms, diced
1/2 cup diced chives
1/2 cup diced orange bell pepper
1/2 cup diced yellow bell pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cayenne or crushed red pepper


In a large skillet, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring occasionally, until it expands out of its shell, about 10 minutes; be careful not to overcook it.

In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally until done, about 20 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, chives, bell peppers, salt, and cayenne pepper. Cook, while stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the quinoa and rice and stir until hot. Serve immediately.