The Peak Condition Project - Nicholas

Day 90!

2010-04-14T21:53:00.002+01:00

Woop woop woop! We made it through and I'm happy, relieved and slightly depressed at the same time, but only because I now have to keep this up on my own.

I went back and did the Day 6 exercises and I completed them in 20 mins and was raring to go for more. When I think back to struggling with the pressups and how the skipping rope tangled in my feet every few seconds, it is a great and wonderful difference.

I'll post a couple of pictures over the next few days. Great to have done it!

Day 82

2010-04-06T23:29:00.002+01:00

So close, so close. Only a week and a day to go. So many decisions: should I eat chocolate (maybe a little when I've finished the PCP); shall I stick with the measuring a little longer; should I stop flashing my stomach at my poor flatmates?

I appear to have inspired a health kick in some of my friends who have started their own training regimes to get in shape for summer. I haven't had the heart to suggest they should have started three months ago...

Day 77

2010-04-01T22:49:00.002+01:00

As Paris Hilton might say 'OMG!' We have only 13 days left on the PCP. I am slightly in love with my abs; I find myself rubbing my hand on them when I'm lying in bed and thinking 'where has this cheese grater appeared from?' I found a picture of myself from last year and I look so bloated and lifeless.

Here's the thing: now that I have this healthy, fit body with a cheese grater for a stomach, what am I going to do next? Well, I've had several thoughts. I may train for a half marathon, or a short triathlon. Certainly, I will enter some 5k and 10k runs in London this summer. I have to. Having worked hard over the last 2.5 months to get to this condition, I don't want to let it just fade to nothing. Plus, I want to continue getting fitter; while the PCP has given me a great (high) base to start from, I'd like to push it a little further; I need to start seeing what my new smoke-free lungs can do! And with summer in the big city coming up, I'll be able to take my top off in the park without feeling shame-faced. I may even get a tan. Dear god, the possibilities are endless!

Day 71: Money's too tight to mention...

2010-03-26T20:09:00.003Z

Hey all, I'm here, still on the PCP and still plugging away each day. Several issues have come up that I'm having to sort out at the same time and all my time is being taken up with that. This has meant have little desire to blog, indeed little to blog about; unfortunately, if I take my eye of the ball in these things in my life, I could find myself in the deep deep schtook; so I'm making some choices about what has to come first and the blog has taken a back seat.

Hope you are all ok, and that everything is staying groovy on the PCP.

Day 60 and 61: As time goes by...

2010-03-15T18:15:00.006Z

Day 60; well I never. Like other PCPers, I'm both happy to be so far through and also a little sad that we are nearing the end of our time together. The test when we finish will be to fit the principles we have learned into our lives without Patrick's support. Having become this fit, I think I'd like to go test myself with some further challenges: I'm considering training for a half-marathon over the summer and want to maintain good eating and all-over strength.

The antihistamines are working their magic on my hives, which are fading. I'm still finding that they make me extremely tired in the mornings, which I don't like; I'm used to feeling wide awake early in the morning!

I have been busy over the last few days and haven't had the time or inclination to blog or 'blog it out' as Patrick says. While I've mostly stuck to the PCP plan in the last couple of days, I have also snuck a few extra slices of bread when I just needed to chew on something; it isn't that I feel guilty, but I feel I've let myself down slightly, particularly as I'm getting some amazing results from the PCP. I can't emphasise this strongly enough: I have no insomnia, I don't smoke, I'm getting lean and there is an emerging six-pack that I've never ever seen before. But after 60 days I'm a little tired of measuring, of abstinence, of skipping, though strangely not of egg whites.

Here are this week's photos:

I hope you can see the improvements that I see. And they continue, despite my little falling from the wagon this last couple of days.

I got up this morning and dedicated myself to completing the PCP with the same determination that I started it. So for my exercises today I tried to keep the time between the exercises as short as possible. This is still nowhere near 20 secs (particularly near the end of the exercises) but I felt the burn and embraced it as far as I could. I'm determined to trim those last few pounds from the stomach and hips.

The main problem has been that my clothes are now ridiculously baggy on me now. If I try to wear my old jeans without a belt they fall down around my ankles. I've found an old pair of slimfit flares (remember when they made a comeback about 10 years ago?) that I've given up trying to wear because I was too big for them. They are now loose on me! This still gives me a tingle when I look in the mirror.

Again, apologies for being slightly absent over the last few days; I'm back again and will be commenting on everyone else's blogs!

Day 57: A gentle breeze from Hushabye Mountain

2010-03-12T19:03:00.007Z

As I blogged the other day, I have developed a lovely case of hives. No known cause, and unlikely to find one in the near future. I have some powerful antihistamines that are making me very drowsy in the morning; normally I wake up bright and early but that last two mornings I haven't been able to get up till nearly 10 a.m. I'm awake, but I'm completely wiped. This has concertina'd my time so that I have to rush to get everything in each day. But I'm still glad that I manage to do it, even though like everyone else, I would rather do anything else than exercise at times!

We are having a flat party tonight: it is the last time we'll all be together before we all start to head off to other places, countries and jobs. I'm planning on sticking to my PCP tonight, despite protestations from my flatmates to have 'just a couple of beers'. I'll let you know tomorrow how it goes. I'm looking forward to not having a hangover tomorrow!

Day 55: Urticaria

2010-03-10T13:17:00.003Z

Yikes, something has brought me out in hives. I have a load of antihistamines from the doctor and a big bottle of gloop to make sure my skin stays supple and less itchy. My body likes to misbehave when I think things are running smoothly; never mind, it all will pass.

Day 54: And I'm feeling good

2010-03-09T21:39:00.002Z

Today was a good day. I did lots of stuff that had been needing done for a while; I got through my exercises well, ate my food and enjoyed some time chatting with my flatmates. Gearing up to the end of my degree and trying to sort out my move to London for the summer to work.

I still feel strong, energetic, balanced and happy. Things are not completely smooth. My mind has decided that now is a good time to tempt me with thoughts of deserving to eat more and maybe to not exercise for a day. But although I may have eaten a bit too much yoghurt and some extra veg, I've been keeping it under control and starting each day afresh.

Today was a good day.

Day 53: Take the stone out, of the mango

2010-03-08T19:53:00.005Z

I have found a new appreciation, nay love, for fruit. I used to eat copious amounts of sugary snacks each day that real fruit seemed so dull compared with them. Cutting out the sugar has allowed my tongue and tastebuds to delight in nectarines, pears, clementines, bananas, oranges, apples, mangoes and plums. Each one is a treat to eat and I look forward to eating fruit.

And all thanks to the PCP!

Day 52:

2010-03-07T21:11:00.002Z

Things continue as usual. I'm at a point when I enjoy most of the exercises, particularly as we aren't doing legs every day. I am struggling with a couple of them, however:

The pull-up: 8 weeks in and I still can't do more than a couple of these at once. I can do three to start, then I'm back to one or two after a minute rest between each one. I can do one set like that then I go back to the incline press. I really really want to be able to do this, but if I hang like Patrick does in the exercise sheet, then I can't pull myself up for even one.
The kung-fu sit-up: I see we are advised to simply bring our legs up to 90 degrees if we can't get them any higher. My legs are managing about 60 degrees and I can't hold them for any length of time.
The double katanas: I've done something to my left elbow/forearm so I was unable to do this exercise today. A shame, since tricep exercises are one of my favourite exercises.

Some more compliments recently on my new, leaner form and I continue to feel good. I think my metabolism is speeding up as I am getting hungry far more quickly than before.

Day 50: It's not over, it's not over, it's not over...yet

2010-03-05T17:22:00.005Z

50 days of the PCP; that is something of which I couldn't conceive when I started; with only another five weeks or so left, I'm starting to think about life after PCP. How will we maintain our new physiques? What if I want to get just that little bit fitter? What if my visceral fat doesn't shift before the end?

That last question is the one that I think about most often. I feel great: lean, strong, clean, energetic. But there hasn't been a noticeable change in my stomach for 2 weeks and I'm worried it isn't going to go. I can do the ab exercises (well, I'm a bit too tall for the kung fu situps, but I'll work out something) but that good work won't show up under a layer of fat. I'll chat with Patrick and see what he has to say.

Today's workout was good and satisfying. I had one of those days when I could push through each set and quickly move onto the next exercise. I managed it all in just under an hour as opposed to the near two hours it can take when I feel crap or tired.

I didn't feel that bad after eating my indulgence, and I feel I've slightly let the side down admitting that. I think I maybe woke up more often during the night, and I certainly prefer how I feel on the PCP diet, but apart from feeling sluggish my guts seemed to cope well. My ablutions this morning were a little more...well, it was less pleasant than it has recently been.

Day 49: Little fish, big fish, swimming in the water

2010-03-04T15:43:00.005Z

A new indulgence! And I don't even need to think about what it will be this time. Before the PCP I was eating far too much carry-out (take-away) and was glad to be eating fresh fruit and veg for a change. I haven't had one of these for over 6 weeks:

Fish and chips! with lashings of malt vinegar; I'm drooling at the thought. I'm also slightly dreading how I'll feel afterwards; but that's the point, I think.

Update

OK, that was definitely an indulgence. It wasn't unenjoyable and I finished the full thing, but here as some initial impressions. First, I feel very full, sluggish and uninspired to do very much.

Second, a couple of those mouthfuls where absolutely packed with salt; some bites made my teeth tingle. I am not looking forward to how I'll feel tomorrow, or how any toilet breaks will go. Further updates tomorrow.

Day 48: Gimme, gimme, gimme

2010-03-03T20:43:00.008Z

Advertising is an amazing, strange, bewildering creature. I went to buy myself some new shorts and a couple of tops to work out in (having lost weight, my other shorts fell around my feet).

Now I used to work in media and politics, so I have a pretty good grasp on how people are manipulated by 'the message'. I try to ignore these messages and try to find something that looks good, isn't too expensive and feels like it'll last more than a couple of weeks.

Today I bought a nice sleeveless, black training top from TK Maxx (think it has a similar but different name in the States) for 8 quid. I get it home and realise it is a Puma top, but it isn't immediately obvious as the logo is in the same colour as the top (subtle, eh). Attached to the top is a tag that reads:

'So you're interested in PUMA? Nice move. You're obviously smart, confident and know what you want from life. Sure, you work hard, but you're no slave to the rat race. You know the score. You call the shots. You make the most of your chances. So buy this, it suits you.'

The first thing that strikes me is that this label is supposed to be talking to me as an equal. Maybe I'm too British, but that seems the height of temerity. If I'd realised what was on the tag before I'd bought the top, it would have likely put me off buying it. It's also incredibly patronising: 'nice move'? F-off.

Then the blurb tries to butter me up; yeah, it suggests, you're a pleb. You work in a job that is indistinguishable from every other wage-slave, but we know that YOU feel better than that; we know you think you have some control over your life. Patronise, patronise, patronise.

'You call the shots. You know the score'? Now, we all speak in cliches. It's part of the evolution of language, along with metaphor. But some cliches are so riddled with vomit-inducing connotations that they should be henceforth banned from the english language; these two can be the first. They sound like something from the film 'Wall Street'.

Finally, the pièce de résistance: 'So buy this, you deserve it'. Advertisers love to tell you that you deserve something and that their product will fulfil that need. Mostly they don't say this outright, but other times they make it part of their marketing strategy ('Because you're worth it' anyone?). Whatever the case, it is so blatant here that I had to read it a couple of times to take it in.

But after thinking about it for a couple of hours (I was bored) I actually think I like the bold balls-out openly manipulative blurb on this tag to most of the lifestyle of most ads. I once read somewhere that all ads are based on three ideas; I can't remember the other two but one of them is that you are popular; so ads will show a person laughing happily with other beautiful people, all sitting uncomfortably close to each other with the product displayed prominently. 'This' says the ad, 'will be you, if you use our product. You will be instantly popular and have lots of glamorous friends'. Or, rather, it doesn't, it simply suggests it. This means that people are bombarded with implicit messages which are more able to bypass your critical faculties and hit that bit at the back of your brain that lights up when they see the product in the shops.

The tag from my top is rather cute in comparison. It makes a huge mistake in its tone and content; but it does so, so explicitly and so boldly, that I think I would take something like it over the general advertising we see each day as we walk down the street or watch the television.

Day 47: O rly?

2010-03-02T11:30:00.003Z

This is Il Buddino, a mould for making little dessert buddhas. If only he'd known, 2,500 years ago...

Day 46: Will you still love me tomorrow?

2010-03-01T21:07:00.005Z

Yesterday was a bit crap. I only managed to do my skipping, and I allowed my time to be overrun by my schedule meaning I didn't get through my diet properly. I was also in a really bad mood about something I can do nothing to change. I headed to bed to sleep it off and start fresh the next day.

And it was a lot better today. I realised that I've hit the point past which I have never gone in any exercise programme, and I think I'm reacting to it. Instead of giving up and going back to old habits, I have to keep going; but my mind isn't used to prolonged exercise/diet/healthy habits. I think a little part of me wanted to stop now and go back to how things usually are.

Realising this, I was able to carry on with the PCP today and I feel a lot better.

Day 45: The halfway point

2010-02-28T19:14:00.002Z

Ah crap. This has been a 'bleh' day. I had hoped to have something more positive to blog on day 45, but nothing has gone to plan today - not the diet, or the exercise, or my mood. Feeling slightly off-colour and I'm not motivated to do anything today. Going to have an early night tonight and start afresh tomorrow.

Hope everyone else is feeling better.

Day 43: Hungry like a wolf

2010-02-26T12:02:00.006Z

The new diet sheets came out today and I re-discovered a sensation I've not had for a while: hunger. I was hungry before lunchtime, despite my mid-morning egg white and yoghurt. It was a pleasant reminder of the improvement in my metabolism and that the PCP continues to develop and change each week. This has been important to stave off boredom. I have some very persistent visceral fat which is going to take a while to shift, I think.

I have discovered something rather astonishing; when I started the PCP I assumed the hardest addiction to kick would be cigarettes. I smoked between 10 and 20 each day, reaching for the packet the minute I woke up and smoking throughout the day, while studying and even just before bed. However, since the first fortnight, I haven't had a single craving for a cigarette. The craving for junk food has been stronger and far more persistent. Just today, as I had time to kill between classes, I was walking toward the student union and caught myself thinking about eating some chocolate and a packet of crisps. When I realised I couldn't eat those I had a moment of despair - yes! true despair. It passed, of course, but not before shocking me with how strong this addiction is compared to nicotine.

p.s. Why are so few people blogging regularly? It makes it feel like we're less of a team when it's only a couple of us!

Day 42: Jump around

2010-02-25T08:00:00.003Z

I got up at 5 a.m. today to skip. My flatmates haven't risen yet, so I don't know if I woke them or not. Fingers crossed I didn't.

Day 41: Ch-ch-ch-changes

2010-02-24T20:50:00.008Z

When I first started to lose weight on the PCP I was never quite sure whether I was really losing weight or whether I was imagining I did. The weekly photographs are never really clear enough to show what I perceive to be happening to my body. I've decided to try and capture, as far as I can, what I see and what others have noticed. So here's one photo:

The stomach is flattening, though I still have the love handles from the pesky persistent visceral fat. But since we are still a few days shy of halfway, I have full confidence that they will be gone by the time we finish.

Here's a frontal photo:

I would ordinarily be very happy with reaching even this level of fitness and body shape, but I want to go further and become really lean. So I'm determined to stick with the PCP.

In the last few days, several people have said that they've noticed my body shape has changed. 'More v-shaped', 'more masculine', and 'thinner' they've said. This is the encouragement I need. We are almost halfway through our programme and it is no longer novel or exciting; instead it just 'is'. The food is rarely a problem. I can cook well when I decide to do so, but normally I don't have much time to think about what I'm making for myself, so the instructions on portion sizes have saved me a lot of trouble, as has the general prescription against added fats, salt and sugar. I find this diet easier than my usual one, though more time-consuming at the beginning than it is now.

The exercises? They are not so good at times. I still have no idea how to do the floorjumps correctly; I seem to perform them differently each time i do them - sometimes within a set. And each and every shoulder exercise seems to burn my muscle far too quickly. I'm aware that my shoulders are perhaps a little under developed, so I'm persevering with those.

Pull-ups.

These are really no better. I can do one decent one, then a sort of rubbish tortured effort to do a second and then I have to stop, take a rest and try again after a couple of minutes. I then go back to doing the incline pull-ups which I find fairly easy (though only compared to the pull-ups). This is the one exercise I'm determined to master, so I'm staying with it, despite the dispiriting lack of improvement.

How are other people dealing with the exercises?

Day 38: The promised update

2010-02-21T22:22:00.005Z

Yesterday I turned 34, and I'm happy to feel in better shape than I was for my 33rd. I ate my pcp food during the day and then did my exercises as usual in the evening. My flatmates agreed to cook a meal to celebrate my birthday and I made the choice that I would come off the PCP for the night and enjoy what was on offer without guilt.

I had one small glass of white wine, some beautiful french potted cassolet beans with pork, a portion of salad, some wholewheat tagliatelle with rabbit stew (absolutely gorgeous) and finished with some Buchtel filled with prune jam (which sounds awful but is delicious). Afterwards we headed out to a film - A Single Man.

I woke this morning feeling heavier than usual and a little dehydrated from the wine and the salt in the food, but I didn't feel I overindulged. I was glad to get back to my PCP diet today. I'm becoming more accustomed to feeling how light and energetic I can be, and I'm not keen to feel so heavy and lethargic again.

Bless my flatmates; they are gobsmacked at the number of egg whites I have to eat each day. But they aren't mocking what I do. In fact, as a birthday present they got me this:

This box of vegetables was to help me discover some more interesting veg to eat: so I have heritage potatoes (purples ones!); locally produced carrots; jerusalem artichokes; runner beans; beetroots; physalis; asparagus; persimmons; and the most delicious red pears. They even arranged them into a pleasing display. What more could a fellow ask for from his flatmates? Not much.

I've been enjoying these mightily tonight and will for the next few days.

Hope everyone else is coping with the pistol squats; I've found that occasionally cursing the lovely Patrick during a particularly difficult one helps tremendously. I know I'll be thanking him by the end of the programme.

Day 37: Happy Birthday

2010-02-21T01:38:00.001Z

Yep, it was my birthday today. It was *interesting*. I'm heading to bed, but I'll post an update to this later on today.

Day 35: Oh dear...

2010-02-18T19:40:00.002Z

My flatmates are cooking pastries. The smell is unbelievable. I want to gnaw through the floor of my bedroom to eat them (the pastries).

Day 33: Dirty cash

2010-02-16T20:56:00.006Z

People have been giving examples of the music they've been listening to while working out. I've been getting back to my early 90s roots with some UK dub/house. This was one of my favourite songs at the time.

I developed a strong craving for junk food today. I've been pretty good up till now, with just occasionally desire for chocolate. I don't have the option of clearing out all the junk food in the house as I live with four other people, so there is always temptation in the form of chocolate, crisps, cakes, pretzels etc. Normally I can ignore them, but today I had a powerful urge to flake out on the sofa and eat a big old bag of crap. I didn't, but it was interesting that just prior to getting the craving I had realised that I felt a bit pissed off and grumpy. My first instinct was food! Junk food. This is interesting. I'm not being judgmental about it, but simply observing that it happens.

Here's another song from the 90s I work out to, which definitely requires some explanation:

This song 'Justified and Ancient' is by a band called the KLF. They were an art project duo who did several big art events during the nineties, including inviting journalists to a remote spot where the artists proceeded to burn £1 million. In this incarnation they devised a way to guarantee a number one single. Although done as satire, they ended up producing one of the most respected, albeit completely out there, dance albums of the early 90s. This one is a collaboration with Tammy Wynette who gamely agreed to sing on the song without having a clue about most of the references or what the hell was going on.

And the song did indeed get to number one; they proved their point.

Day 32

2010-02-15T21:05:00.004Z

I have a new toy. After seeing Erik's post on the muscle/fat meter he is using in Japan, I decided to buy one of my own from Amazon. For £28 I have this lovely piece of equipment. My flatmates have been having fun stripping down to reduce their weight and gauging their BMI, visceral fat, body fat and skeletal muscle mass.

I was pretty pleased with my results:

Weight: 86.6 kg
Body fat: 16%
Visceral fat: 5-6 (seems to change depending when I measure it)
BMI: 23.9
Muscle: 40.1%

Not sure how this compares with the average or even reasonably fit person, but I feel relieved that my visceral fat levels are well within 'normal' (1-9 on the Omron scale). This seems like a more useful set of data than simple weight, as muscle weighs more than fat, and we are trying to build muscle.

I like my new toy!

Day 30: When the going gets tough

2010-02-13T14:14:00.005Z

Day 30. One third of the way through the programme. People in different states of stress, despair or stoicism. Ah, I love this stuff!

At the moment, I feel great: lots of energy, mental health is good (particularly after suffering insomnia for a year), and I'm more organised than in a long time. Of course, *this* is a dangerous time for me; when I'm feeling good I don't feel the need to look after myself. Why would I? Life is peachy-keen. But I know this stumbling block and I'm avoiding it this time.

To my fellow pcp-ers: hold firm. Without resorting to cliche, it is often the hardest before the results show. We are all having our bad days, but they usually only last a day at most. Keep going, not least because I want to finish this with the people with whom I started.

Anyone else not sure how to do the creep or floorjump correctly? I'm guessing how to do it. I could do with more detailed instructions, or even a youtube video (hint).

Day 28: When I think about you...

2010-02-11T22:13:00.003Z

Ah, the indulgence. I didn't rush out to have the first thing that came to mind; no, I wanted this to be a pleasure, a true indulgence.

I quickly decided against alcohol; I don't drink that much and I really don't miss it. I knew it had to be something sweet; I decided against cakes or sweet treats as these are things that I would only have occasionally. So it had to be chocolate. I've been banging on about my cravings for chocolate for four weeks and so there was only one possible choice.

I went for this lovely piece of confection as it is typical of the usual thing I would run into a shop and buy whenever I needed a snack. I thought I'd examine what goes into this gooey little bugger.

Let's look at the ingredients (in order of greatest volume):

sugar (surprise surprise); glucose syrup (about as close to corn syrup that Europe gets); 'milk ingredients' (eh?) - skimmed milk powder, milk fat (ok); vegetable fat; cocoa butter; cocoa mass (again, eh?); lactose (shouldn't that be in the 'milk ingredients?); demineralised whey powder (eh, eh?); fat reduced cocoa; barley malt extract; emulsifiers (soya lecithin, E442) ('e-numbers' are the way Europe allows manufacturers to use ingredients without actually giving the proper name); salt; egg white (not more egg whites!); hydrolysed milk protein; natural vanilla extract (woo!)

Most of that seems to be processed and manufactured before they even start to make the sweet itself.

Now the 'nutrition':

A mars bar 'duo' has two small bars in one long pack. This replaced the earlier Mars 'King Size' because there were concerns that King Size products were encouraging people to overeat. By splitting it into two, Mars could say that people could *choose* not to eat the whole thing. Now there may be a few who do that, but most people I know just scarf both bars together.

Each piece (42.5g) contains:

Calories 190kcal = 10% of the recommended daily calories for an average adult
Fat 7.4g = 11% of the recommended daily fat intake for an average adult.

Remember that this is each bar. However, rather admirably, they have labelled it as 'suitable for vegetarians'. Which is nice.

More impressively, it contains 'NO ARTIFICIAL COLOURS, FLAVOURS OR PRESERVATIVES'. This is slightly more confusing. While I can accept there are no artificial colourings added to change the appearance, which 'flavour' exactly isn't artificial, at least in the sense that it bears any relation to something you would easily buy in a grocer's shop? And I assume the reason it needs no extra preservatives is that there is nothing in it which would spoil or be perishable. This is not a good claim for health.

So I'm putting it away for tonight. I will eat it tomorrow when I've had my lunch, and I will report to you how I feel. It's exciting to be eating something I haven't been able to eat for a month. I hope it is worth it.

Day 27: Body rockin'

2010-02-10T20:57:00.003Z

Almost at the end of week 4 - already! - and I'm starting to notice some small but significant changes in my body. First, I'm walking differently; instead of feeling heavy and slouching I'm walking more upright, with the shoulders back. Second, I live at the top of a very large tenement. I'm able to race up the stairs without feeling it in my legs; I'm still slightly out of breath though. Third, and this excites me more than it should, is that I'm developing that line that goes from just under the waist and runs towards the groin. You know the one. This one:

(Please excuse the terrible 'Perez' style photoshopping)

It's not quite there yet, and my stomach isn't flat enough but it's coming. I can even see veins appearing there that I haven't seen before. It's the little improvements that keeps me going each day.

I still haven't chosen what I want for my indulgence. But I think it has to be chocolate. Alcohol I can live without, but I've been jonesing for chocolate for four weeks now and I think I should see what I've been missing. I'll let you know how it goes when I've finally decided what to have.

Day 26: Holdin' back the years

2010-02-09T20:16:00.002Z

I spent some time today thinking about what to do with people who are negative or desultory towards me or the things I do. One piece of advice recently given to me was 'distance yourself'; however, that feels instinctively like the wrong approach, if not impossible. Let me explain some more.

Where I grew up (just outside Glasgow), it was a matter of survival to learn to take a 'slagging'. A slagging is when someone or a group of people ridicule you for doing or saying something. This is a particularly Scottish trait, sometimes said to help 'keep your feet on the ground' and to stop you 'getting ideas above your station'. Sometimes, of course, it is simply for the satisfaction of reducing someone a little. It is a deep-seated, unpleasant cultural trait, but I believe that it has its seeds in the calvinism that prevailed in Scotland for almost 400 years: there was no drinking, dancing, laughing or having fun. Despite this, many Scots have been successful around the world, many of them saying that their success came from the 'grounding' they had when they were young. How then, do you distance yourself from a cultural trait in your society? It isn't as if there are a few bad people and keeping yourself distant from them is a simple task. In Scotland (and to a large extent the rest of the UK) it is a natural consequence of striving for something that someone - often many people - will tell you that it is vain, stupid, impossible, dangerous, foolhardy, wasteful or selfish to do so. Now, most of these people are ordinary good decent people, but their cultural background inclines them towards pessimism; it can be hard, I think, for North Americans to fathom, given their reputation for enthusiasm, entrepreneurism and individual expression. But in Europe, we have an ex-empire deflation that may make for wonderfully dark literature and art, but does not make for encouraging people in new pursuits. I can no more ignore or distance myself from the naysayers than I can cut off my own finger.

Day 24: Getting the groove back

2010-02-07T19:21:00.005Z

Things are pootling along here. I can't say I've been able to stick to everything *exactly* as it should be. Sometimes I miss the fruit when I'm busy or have forgotten to pack some. I even once, I'm ashamed to admit, missed a day of exercise. But I think I'm doing well, nonetheless. Still no salt, sugar, fats, chocolate, cigarettes or alcohol.

Cory's post about Wholefoods made me think about what I'm eating. I would, ideally, like to eat organically produced meat and veg. Although there is no evidence it is better for you than any other food, it is produced less intensively and so fewer pesticides, antibiotics and industrial chemicals are used in rearing the animals and growing the veg.

Today I went to Waitrose, an upmarket superstore. I like Waitrose because all the staff are shareholders in the company and they vote on and decide upon the product ranges, the pay and conditions etc. They also stock food that you don't normally get in your local store. I decided to treat myself to some real wild salmon.

It costs twice the price of the ordinary farmed salmon I buy.

The organic chicken was nearly two and a half times more expensive, for a lot less. I realised that I could not afford to do the PCP and eat organically produced meat. I'd be bankrupt (literally) within a couple of months. Now, that's not the fault of the PCP, but it is an indication of how we rely on massive industrialisation of our farms to produce huge quantities of cheap (and rather tasteless) meat.

It made me wish that I could substitute pulses for meat and just spend a little more on a couple of really nice bits of fish or chicken each week.

Now, it's been a while since I showed you another picture of Glasgow.

This is the statue of the Duke of Wellington that stands outside the Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art (GGOMA). It's a great Georgian statue: proud, strong, features a horse. He also has a traffic cone on his head.

Now for many years the local council have been sending workmen to remove the cone from the poor Duke's head. For years. But every night, some drunken person would somehow manage the climb and place another one on top of his head. This happened even when there were no traffic cones in the surrounding area. It happened even though it is almost impossible to climb up to the top of the statue given that the plinth on which it stands and the statute combined must reach 30 feet high.

So the council have finally given in. It is now a 'cultural waypoint' in Glasgow. Needless to say GGOMA think this is very funny and a fine example of citizen artwork. The workmen no longer need to remove the cone, drunkards no longer need to put their lives in danger to put it on the statue, and the Duke keeps a rather fetching hat to stop pigeons crapping on his head.

Day 21: Push it real good

2010-02-04T22:31:00.007Z

Just back from yoga. I didn't manage to go last week, but what a difference a week of PCP has made. I found myself able to push into all the stretches just enough to start straightening my legs while grabbing my toes. It wasn't easy and there was lots of deep throat-breathing, but still a relative success. Even better, was the open-front arch thing (the one that looks like a crab). I seemed to shoot into that with few problems today. I left the class with a sense of achievement, and a slight scowl from my friend who has been going for longer and hasn't quite improved as quickly as he'd like.

The egg whites are on the move and they are marching to Glasgow. My diet sheet has more protein on it than before, presumably to keep up with the increased difficulty of some of the exercises for next week. I'm unsure what my flatmates will think of me doing the 'creep' along the living room floor; at worst they'll get a giggle from watching me walk like a neanderthal.

Quick diet tip - ground ginger mixed with no-fat yoghurt tastes wonderful and livens up veggies and protein. All you need is a quarter of a teaspoon mixed with a couple of dessertspoons of yoghurt.

A happy chicken.

Back tomorrow.

Day 19: The beat goes on...and on...and on...

2010-02-02T17:40:00.008Z

Some ups and some downs today. The first 'up' is that I'm sleeping extremely well at the moment. After a year of insomnia, this is a blessed relief. I'm in bed and asleep by 10.30/11 p.m. each night and wake around 6.30 a.m. I'm waking refreshed and feeling good.

The second up is that my energy levels are higher, though, since I'm now waking earlier, they dip more strongly in the evening than before; this means I need a better schedule for each day; I can no longer rely on piling through stuff in the evening.

Patrick's last email, which mentioned changes in the skin happening around day 10, was fortuitous: just that day I'd noticed that after initially getting better my eczema has worsened significantly. I don't feel despondent as it might be a last gasp before it starts to clear up over the next few days. It's either that or I'm allergic to onions...

I've 'hit a wall' with the exercises. I'm finding it hard to find the motivation to do them in the evenings when my energy levels start to dip. Yesterday's exercises where a bit 'half-arsed' if I'm honest; they certainly weren't done with the intensity I normally would do them. And tonight I'm feeling a bit 'meh' and wishing I could just flob out and do bog all. But I'm steeling myself. At least it isn't lunges, which are becoming my least favourite exercise.

Don't even ask about my pull-ups; I look like a man hanging from a gibbet. I have to start from standing for now. If I try to hang with my knees pulled up, I can't lift myself an inch. But, I'm determined to get there, like learning to walk on my hands in capoeira.

However, I'm feeling great, very calm, coping with what university and life throws at me, sleeping well, and not smoking or eating crap. Tis all good.

Quick recipe suggestion I've found good in the morning.

You will need:

1-2 avocados (depending on your allowance)
2-4 slices of wholemeal bread (again depending on allowance)
1 red onion
red wine vinegar
black pepper

Put the bread on to toast. Meanwhile scoop the avocados from their skins, remove the stone and slice the avocado from top to bottom several times, so that you have medium strips of flesh. Then, thinly slice the onion into several rings. You will still have most of the onion left to use later for other meals.

When the toast is ready, lay the strips of avocado on the toast, then lay the thin slices of onion on top of the avocado. Carefully drizzle some red wine vinegar over the top of the onion and avocado, and finish off with a short grind of black pepper. Et voila.

Day 16: Sighs, sighs and size

2010-01-29T20:24:00.006Z

Something rather wonderful happened two days ago: I met someone I haven't seen in a month and his first question was 'Have you been working out? You look more...athletic'. Cue embarrassment and a change of subject. What is great is that other people are noticing the change, possibly more than I am. Although I didn't feel like doing the exercises this evening, that comment, and the thought of being in even better shape at the end of week four, impelled me onwards.

I have found myself unconsciously sighing a lot over the last few days. As I've settled into the PCP, and as the initial excitement starts to wear off, my cravings are surfacing. I see someone with a cigarette pass me in the park, and I sigh as I realise I can't have one. I notice someone going into the local chippie, and I think 'that looks like a great Friday night treat' and then sigh as I can't have one of those. I sit in my room and think about taking a break from work, either to smoke or to snack on food in the kitchen, and then I sigh and remember that these things are verboten. And when I get up in the morning and think about preparing food for the day ahead...well, you get the idea.

The Bridge of Sighs

But I know it will likely become easier over the passing weeks. And I *do* feel great; I feel lighter, stronger and fitter after only a couple of weeks. Goodness knows what I'll feel after the three months is up. Probably that I need some new clothes in a smaller size. I wonder if I'll manage skinny jeans?

A size

Day 13: Back once again...

2010-01-27T18:26:00.007Z

I've been away from the blog for a couple of days due to being too tired most nights to contemplate typing. I've continued with the food and the exercises, and I have some observations.

First, my new shiny electronic scales (those ones in the picture above) arrived today and they are a thing of wonder. Highly accurate, small, and aesthetically pleasing. I was measuring my food today and noticed how inaccurate my old spring loaded scales were. This will help me measure my food more precisely in future. I'm managing well on the diet, even though I haven't (yet) been particularly adventurous with my cooking. I have started to wake up hungry, which is nice.

Second, the exercises continue, though with varying degrees of success. I've noticed that I'm finding the exercises on the odd-numbered days easier than the exercises on the even-numbered days. The even-numbered days have the incline pull-ups and the press-ups and doing either is difficult, while doing both is extremely difficult. This also determines who quickly I get through them and how much rest I take between sets. At the moment, it takes roughly half as long for me to do the odd-numbered day exercises than the even.

I'm sleeping better! Huzzah, and praises to the King! I'm getting to bed about 10ish and waking up just after 6 a.m. To help regulate my sleep I'm taking melatonin which seems to be helping too.

My skin is improving. I've been suffering from patches of itchy dry skin for about a year now and they've been growing and getting more sensitive to everything I wear, wash with or touch. However, since I started the PCP this has significantly improved and my skin is healing all by itself. I'm most pleased that I'm managing this without the steriod creams the doctor prescribed. I've been using them for so long now I was worried that my skin would get thinner and thinner. But I think this improvement is mostly down to the fact that...

...I'm still not smoking. I stopped last week. It hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be, but it hasn't been particularly pleasant either. However, since my sinuses aren't permanently swollen I'm having a better quality of sleep and waking more refreshed in the morning. My breath doesn't smell anymore, I'm not spending nearly 21 quid on cigarettes (I keep wanting to call them 'fags' but realise this means something COMPLETELY different to my american cousins) every week, and I feel healthier. Even my singing range has improved, as my flatmates will testify to as they hear me singing each morning in the shower.

For those other PCPers who are worried they've stumbled a bit on the programme: I did too the other day. On Burns Night, I made everyone a full Burns supper with cock-a-leekie soup, haggis and clapshot, followed by cranachan. I was very good and didn't eat any of it, though I did pull the meat from the chicken I'd boiled to make the soup. I drank no alcohol. I did have a sneaky lick of the spoon I made the cranachan with. It was hard to resist made as it is with cream, whisky and honey. But I only had a little, I promise. However, the next day, I woke up late and couldn't get the food sorted at all. I missed breakfast entirely, just managed to get lunch and dinner in and forgot about the fruit too.

A haggis, yesterday.

A quick plug for a good book

2010-01-25T10:42:00.004Z

I downloaded Patrick's new book a couple of days ago. I'm stuck in front of a computer for hours each day and my posture is terrible, with my short hamstrings pulling my pelvis out of shape. I thought I'd put my trust in Patrick since he's done so much good with the PCP, and I bought his book.

Highly recommended.

He starts by examining why our lifestyle affects our posture; the way our anatomy works and how one problem can lead to more; then he provides exercises and stretches to practice each day to fix these problems.

If, like me, you spend all day at a desk and feel tight and bunched at the end of the day, buy his book and start to correct your posture:

http://www.knowledgeworkerssurvivalguide.com/

Day 10: The first 'meh'

2010-01-24T20:22:00.005Z

Yesterday I was full of seemingly boundless energy, so much that my flatmates wanted to know who had placed a rocket up my backside. Today, I have struggled to find the motivation to do very much at all - particularly university work. I think this is just a blip, and I expect a good sleep will sort me out and make everything seem better.

The exercises continue to get harder. The press-ups are still difficult, and I am a little worried that I won't be able to keep up with the increase each few days. The da Vinci's were almost impossible. I don't want to make excuses, but I did briefly wonder if I'm too tall for my resistance bands. I can get them so high and then they become ridiculously hard to get any further. In trying to do so my posture and technique fly out the window. I'll speak with Patrick about that.

My flatmates seem to be getting into my programme. They are giving me recipe books with recipes I can adapt to the pcp - mainly by removing the salt and oils. Despite being skeptical scientists they think it sounds like a great plan. While I wouldn't stop doing it if they didn't like the pcp, it certainly helps to have people speaking positively about it. One flatmate looked at my food tonight (just some pitta bread, raw veg and some cold chicken) and told me he thought it looked delicious!

The preparation of the food is going to present difficulties unless I find a way to do it differently. Like Erik, I think I will have to prepare food in advance and package it up so that my meals are ready to go with me to classes, otherwise it'll be too tempting to snack when I shouldn't.

Some more of Glasgow:

This is the Kelvingrove Museum. Like most museums in the UK it is free to enter, but it was also one of the first to be opened with the intention of improving the lives of the working poor through the experience of art.

It's most famous artwork used to be this one called St John on the Cross, by Salvador Dali:

I think every child in Glasgow has been on a school trip to see it. However, it has a strange reputation for driving people mad and has been variously stabbed, hit and shot at since Glasgow City Council bought it. It's now in the St Mungo museum of religious art.

See you tomorrow.

Gah

2010-01-23T00:55:00.002Z

it's 1 a.m. and I'm gasping for a cigarette and itching for chocolate. Not good. I'm off to try to sleep through the cravings.

Day 8: Brose and Butter

2010-01-22T15:10:00.003Z

The new food plan turned up today, and I wanted to share a couple of thoughts. First, after the half portions of last week, I am absolutely stuffed with food and it's only just after 3 p.m. I still need to eat my fruit, then have dinner and then my evening fruit too. I got my wish after I mentioned last week that I missed the feeling of being full.

Second, I'm hoping that other PCPers will share how they make their food tasty without recourse to fats and salt. My immediate reaction to eating my wholemeal pasta was 'this really needs some butter or oil and a good shake of salt.' There have to be other healthier options that stay within the programme. Finding variety and taste in the cooking may be key to success with the PCP. I appreciate we are also 'resetting' our taste buds from the usual high fat, high salt, high sugar rubbish we normally eat; but spicy food is always welcome!

The number and variety of exercises have increased this week. The only one that I can't do in the house is the incline pull-up. I may need to head to the local park to use the children's playground for that exercise. But I'll be waiting an hour for my stomach to loosen off before attempting any jumping about.

More from Glasgow. Here's Kelvingrove park, which I live beside. I pass through here each morning on the way to university

Ah, Glasgow in bloom. And only three months till spring starts. I love living in cold dark climes.

And here is another shot, this time of the bridge I cross each morning. The river is called the Kelvin. The physicist William Thomson took the title 1st Baron Kelvin when he was ennobled. He then gave his name to the temperature scale from which we get absolute zero as -273 degrees celsius or 0 Kelvin. Good old Lord Kelvin.

Day 7: Mince, mince, mince...

2010-01-21T21:59:00.005Z

Not a long blog entry today. I woke up this morning, did my 500 skips without too many problems. My legs don't feel tired, but the rope does catch my shoes regularly. Bustled around doing bits of work, attended a tutorial and then a lecture on the Sale of Goods Act 1979 - a spectacularly and singularly uninteresting piece of writing.

Came home and then out to an ashtanga yoga class. I enjoyed the class, but I tire of listening to teachers prattle on about energy flows and creating heat within and all sorts of other things. Yoga is good for you without having to add a lot of new age stuff on top of it. I don't mind incense, chanting, sitting cross-legged or even trying to feel joy inside, but please don't turn it into pseudo-science mince.

(And breathe)

Looking forward to starting the new eating regime tomorrow and slightly apprehensive about the new exercises I'm expecting. As they say in those bizarre sports films 'Bring it on'.

No photo of Glasgow today. Back tomorrow.

p.s. I managed not to smoke a cigarette today. I'm slightly crabby, but I'm pleased I didn't succumb.

Day 6: Rhythm nation

2010-01-20T19:23:00.005Z

I've just finished Day 6's exercises and I'm starting (just starting) to get used to them. I still struggle on the press-ups but I managed the first two sets fairly easily today. The third set needed one breather while the last set needed three; it's still a marginal improvement. I like how the leg-ups make my stomach feel when I've finished, like someone has pulled my internal elastic tight around my waist. Now I need to get rid of the fat to see what it looks like beneath my tyre.

Food continues as usual. I only really miss that completely stuffed feeling I get after a really large meal: sort of sleepy and cosy. I wouldn't want it every day, but just once a week would be nice.

It's too soon to say for certain, but it seems that the effects of the exercise and food has affected my work too. I'm getting through things more quickly than I ordinarily would and retaining information for longer: the grey matter is evidently growing.

I've slowly revealed to my flatmates the extent of the programme I'm on and how it works. They already know I won't be drinking at the Burns Supper (or my birthday for that matter), but I'll still be involved cooking the food, reciting the poetry and maybe even singing a song or two.

Ready for another picture of Glasgow? Of course you are:

This is the cloister on the upper level of my university. While it looks beautiful and old, it is, in fact, merely classic Victorian Gothic Revivalism. Moreover, my memory of this area is waiting here before entering the exam halls - not entirely pleasant. But what is striking is that the Victorians knew how to do things properly, and when they built it wasn't mere pastiche or apologetic, but full-blooded, enthusiastic architecture.

That's all for today. Back tomorrow.

Guardian Buddhism article

2010-01-19T21:04:00.002Z

There are few things in life more dispiriting than the comments section of the Guardian CiF blogs. This one at least has a spirited discussion that never quite descends into the usual morass of hatred and spite; though it comes close...

Guardian blog

Day 5: A man's a man for aw that...

2010-01-19T20:06:00.006Z

Hello again,

I've not put many pictures into my blog so far, so I'll remedy that right now. I thought I'd let you have a virtual tour of Glasgow and Scotland as I write my blog. I might not put something down every day, but think of it as some spice on top of the healthy turnip. (Speaking of which, with Burns Night approaching, I'll be making lots of clapshot for my flatmates and friends).

This is the view from my roof, overlooking the River Clyde, on the banks of which stands the swanky offices of BBC Scotland. That is the Millenium Bridge you can see in the background. In typical 'Glesga' fashion, its nickname is the 'Squinty Bridge' since the arc of its span starts on one side of the road and lands on the other side of the road when it crosses the river.

So to the PCP.

The food still isn't a problem, though I am very hungry by the time it comes to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner. I'm not sure how I'm surviving so well on half portions and I'm worried that my portions aren't 'half enough'. But I'm sitting here with the withered and cold remnants of my dinner beside me and it does look like half of what I made. Such a waste. I might send a food parcel for Mikey's dog. Until I start the eating portion (sic) of the PCP I won't feel that I'm doing the programme properly.

The exercises are staying just out of comfortable for me, which is good. I've decided not to obsess over how well my press-ups are going. I have to admit, however, that I'm not able to take only a 20 second rest between sets; more like 30 seconds. And when I get to the final set I manage 2 press-ups before having to stand up again, recover my strength and then do another one. This doesn't seem to be what is expected and it worries me slightly. I felt my quads burn today as I was doing the squat exercise. I'm impressed that using only my own body weight my legs are getting a proper workout. It simple but effective, a motto, perhaps, for the PCP. Another injury that I've had for about 2 months has started to heal with the exercises - I suffered an injury in my knee from sitting about too much (I know, who knew?). My degree is intensive with lots of reading and computer work which has meant I spend a large portion of the day just sitting on my arse. The last few days of squats and lunges already seem to have strengthened the sides of the knees and the pain is far less than it was; an endorsement for the recuperative powers of exercise.

My sense of well-being has improved markedly since last week and I'm in a positive mood, not something that is common either to me or to Scots in general. It could be said of us that we are never surprised by disaster, but we'll welcome you into our homes when it visits you. It's that celtic warmth in tension with Calvinism that does it.

A quick question: does anyone else find Patrick's emails difficult to read due to the font size being so small? I'm asking because I'm not sure if it's his emails or my computer incorrectly rendering the font.

Anyways, that's all for now. Back tomorrow.

Day 4: Easy fades slightly

2010-01-18T19:14:00.007Z

Just finished my workout and I don't know whether I've upped the intensity as Erik suggested (I feel that I did) or whether I'm knackered from only three days exercise already, but that was tough. I'm sweating profusely and I needed a breather during my last set of leg-ups. That hasn't happened before. It's a positive sign, I think.

Press-ups continue to be the bane of my routine. The extra set today was difficult with me failing after two and having to do one, then rest, then do another one, then rest and so on. I stopped when I'd completed 5 reps. Press-ups are looking as though they will be my benchmark for how strong I'm becoming. I await with interest the results. I also ordered my resistance bands today; there is already a power bar for pull ups and chin ups sitting unused and unloved in my bedroom.

I felt more hungry today than I have before, though still nothing unmanageable. When I am hungry I simply have half of what I would normally eat and it seems to satisfy. I'm ensuring I'm not eating extra portions to compensate. I am definitely eating no chocolate, sweets or crisps (candy and potato chips for our American Cousins) so I think my calorie intake is lower than it would be ordinarily. Still, I'm looking forward to the revised diet next week. I know fruit and veg is good for us, but I never eat any unless I can be bothered. Being given instructions and direction will be good for my soul.

Finally, and most reluctantly, here is my first day photo. It's not a pretty sight.

It's sort of pale, puffy and soft. I'm flushed in the face from embarrassment. No definition and definitely in need of an MOT. Not very attractive at the moment. And I need a haircut.

Going for a shower and then dinner.

See you tomorrow.

Day 3: Where I try to eliminate each stumbling block

2010-01-17T19:17:00.004Z

Yesterday I wrote about trying to stick to eating only half portions, and I'm happy to report that I managed to do so. I haven't been particularly hungry, but I expect that will happen in the next couple of days. However, when I wake up and when it comes time to eat, I do notice that I'm more hungry than I ordinarily would be, but nothing that has been unmanageable.

My exercises continue well. My legs are quite stiff and sore, and I've found myself wincing as I descend my stairs. Experience has taught me, however, that further exercise normally loosens the muscles and relieves the pain quickly. I'd a bruised or cracked rib from Hogmanay that has been taking an age to get better; it may be coincidence, but after a couple of days of exercise the pain has completely gone away and it is no longer sore to touch.

One thing that wasn't in the plan was going out and drinking last night. My flatmate's friend had arrived from Norway and we took him out to a pub with a great range of whiskies. I had one and then about three or four pints after that and woke up with a terrible hangover this morning. I took some painkillers which allowed me to do the exercises that were set out for today. To encourage my abstemiousness, I have now posted on facebook that I'm not drinking for the next three months and asked for help to persist with it.

Like Nicola, I think I'll have to order the resistance bands from Amazon. I'm thinking about these ones, with this door attachment. Patrick, do these look ok?

Not much more to report this evening, as I have to study more on inheritance and succession for a tutorial next week. I'm off to do that now. But a final word to say that I've managed to eat only half portions today as well, and I'm still feeling ok.

Best wishes to everyone, and I'll be back tomorrow.

Day 2: In which I slept a deep sound sleep

2010-01-16T16:19:00.000Z

Since I moved back to Scotland to study law I have been plagued by insomnia. At the worst point, I hadn't slept for three days and nights and I felt like I was fraying at the edges. It is only in its absence that the importance of sleep becomes fully clear: my emotions rose and dipped steeply; my eating habits became worse; my health deteriorated; and my university work suffered. The habit of sleep gradually fades so that when you have a single full exhausted night's sleep, it can't be repeated the following night. The feeling of being in perpetual 'catch-up' ensues.

One answer, of course, is to exercise: the mind finds it hard to keep the exhausted body awake; though as you become more used to exerting the body, it takes more exercise to achieve the same effect. But without sleep there is little desire to move about and stress the muscles - a catch-22 situation.

The insomnia decreased over Christmas and New Year, but I feel that it has only momentarily abated. Last night, however, I flopped into bed and my body was almost asleep before my mind was. And I slept a deep, wonderful sleep.

And woke to a sore body.

Yes, I have to admit it is now so long since I properly worked-out that my body is sore from a few press-ups, squats and skipping. That was a surprise, but it needn't have been. I'm heading to my mid-30s and I can't take my health for granted anymore - hence joining the PCP.

In order to avoid yesterday's failure to eat only half my dinner, I've bought some healthy food that I will enjoy but probably won't have an overwhelming desire to scoff too much. It also means I'll be steering clear of my favourite take-away food for at least 90 days. This will probably be the hardest part, even harder than not drinking. I've never been a big drinker and once went 7 months without drinking while working in a bar. My flatmates are puzzled, however. What on earth is a Scotsman going to do without drink for three months. Plus, they asked, why would you want to? Hopefully at the end of this project, they'll see why.

I bought another piece of equipment today, something I thought I would never buy: scales. I've spent years telling people not to bother with them as they only make a person feel bad about their weight when what should be important is how they feel. But I'm taking a leap of faith and doing what I'm told. Surprisingly I weigh less than I thought I did: 194 lbs rather than 203 lbs (or just over half a stone lighter to anyone British). That was good news. Next on the list are the resistance bands and door anchor. Not sure where to get those, but I'll have a look for them this week.

The exercises were harder today as I was still sore and my press-ups were awful, but I got through the last set with a slight breather before the final three, and they were all done without using my knees. I really enjoy the skipping and have to stop myself doing many more than I've been asked to. I don't want to wear myself or my enthusiasm out too early.

I'm off to bake some salmon and boil some new potatoes and have a nice leafy salad. Well, half a leafy salad.

Back tomorrow.

Day 1: In principio erat verbum...

2010-01-15T20:21:00.000Z

...and it was 'half'.

I expected to find a full diet sheet from Patrick in my email yesterday, but instead there was the simple instruction to cut the portions of everything I would normally eat by half this week. So this morning I dutifully had half a cup o' milky tea (my German flatmates do not 'get' milky tea), and one slice of buttered toast. I attended my property law lecture and then went to my favourite student place for another half cup of tea and half a bacon roll. Knowing that I normally eat all my food and usually the food of those around me, my friend Katy wondered what was wrong when I pushed half of it away. I admit I failed at the publicity test: I was embarrassed and I fumbled and merely said I wasn't hungry; which was true - it just wasn't the whole truth.

The next thing was to find a skipping rope. I found one in the local sports shop and bantered with the shop assistant who told me to be careful that the leather rope didn't leave welts when it hit me on the legs. I promised that I would and tucked the rope away, again feeling slightly embarrassed.

I was finding the half portions exercise fairly easy. I can be an irregular eater anyway, so my stomach is often satisfied by a quick bite of whatever I can find.

The exercises this week are fairly light though, since I haven't exercised properly for several months, I broke a sweat doing them. I most enjoyed the skipping and I least enjoyed the press-ups. My upper body strength is lamentable at the moment. I can only imagine how badly I'll perform at pull-ups and chin-ups!

Then I had dinner. Since the instruction was to continue eating as we would normally, I bought my usual Friday night take-away: fish and chips. I started with the best of intentions. I ate half my chips. Then I ate half the fish. Then I ate the other half of the chips. And finally I gave in and ate the rest of the fish. I'm now typing this feeling foolish and slightly embarrassed. A theme has emerged.

As the famous line goes, 'tomorrow is another day' when I'll try again to only eat half portions. It seems the trigger was eating my favourite food. I'm not going to let myself feel too despondent since I suspect this is the point of the exercise - to see how easy it is to give in to temptation and let our hearts overrule our heads.

I'll let you know tomorrow evening how it goes.

It's On!

2010-01-13T22:11:00.001Z

Nickety's going to get RIPPED! Yeah baby.