Day 47

Went to the park this AM to work out, as I still don't have a proper pull-up bar. I think once I have some spending money I'm going to actually build one in my bedroom from 4x4's and 2x4's. It's pretty terrible not having a wide-enough door frame in the house. I've been doing incline pull-ups this whole time, and it's time for change.

The bar at the park wasn't fantastic either. I only managed one full set of 10 pull-ups, then about 4 more before my arms gave out. Not terrible considering I never do them, but obviously I need work. In contrast, the kung-fu sit-ups were pretty easy, but I was forced to bend my knees a little, and could only bend to about 90º, not any higher.

I thought I'd post a weight update today of the last 47...

That's all for now. Cheers!

Day 46

Today I tried to beat 328 jumps in 2 minutes. I couldn't, the two chances I really had at it I ended up tripping up and wasting time. About halfway through my arms were so tired of jumping fast that I almost stopped jumping, and had to slow it down.

Walking to work today made me realize I shouldn't take the bus so much. The hill is a great walk.

Day 45! BOOYA!!!!

HALFWAY! There are now more days of workout and diet behind me than in front of me, as Patrick put it.

This project has already taught me about myself and my own body more than 25 years of life in America did. IN 45 DAYS! It's incredible. Such a consistent workout regime has helped me cover leaps and bounds. On top of that, I don't even view most supermarket trash as food anymore. I'm eating a healthy diet, one that my body actually needs.

Happy and fruitful project indeed! Let's keep rocking it, team!

Obligatory flexing photo:

Congratulations

I just want to congratulate the "Graduating Class". Good job everyone who's on Day 89-90! You all look fantastic! I'm ecstatic to even be half-way through.

Day 44

I think the theme of this week has really been going back to the basic foods I started with, keeping my living space clean and tidy, and paying a good amount of attention to how I do the exercises and focusing on muscle groups. I'm getting better, slowly. The real challenge is staying mindful about how they're done, rather than my mind just saying "do it! do it!".

My midsection is doing really well. My legs are doing really well. My arms always feel weaker. I think I'm not focusing enough on the correct muscle groups when doing my upper body workouts. My left arm still lacks the coordination of my right, so I've been giving it every task my right is usually given.

Day 43

Just updating pics today, didn't get em up yesterday.

Lots more eggs and protein in the diet now. Also, after this morning's workouts I was dripping with sweat. This was the first time really since the project started (I don't sweat much). I'm sure that's a good sign.

Arms gave out on push-ups again, as they do every time after chest dips.

Spent the last hour convincing my housemate Will not to back out. I think he's solidly in on this now! I look forward to seeing him start soon.

Each time someone asks me about the project, it only solidifies my will. I think it's really the diet that turns people off, they can't stand thinking about eating food without HFCS, salt, or butter. Also alcohol. Clearly I need to start meeting people more fitness minded. At least I live in the right house. I can't thank Seabass enough for the support he's given me, especially when I'm being insecure about changing things (aka missing 15g of protein or replacing jumping with the bike).

Day 42

It's almost ironic this day number comes one day after Towel Day.

Skipped jump roping this morning (haha, another pun). About to leave on the bike to bicycle two towns over, figured that'd be a good replacement, and I might jumprope later in the day.

I will go faster and try harder with 8 minute abs, and see what I come up with.

Update: Biked about 10 miles today, felt more productive than jumping rope. Too bad I don't have time for that every morning!

Day 41

8 Minute Abs...

I honestly feel like this is too easy. I don't feel like it gives me much of a burn, even striving for the correct muscle groups. I've started doing them after my standard ab workouts now though, and will continue to do it. I'm sure it will get tougher as my normal exercises do.

My body also is starting to feel like I'm eating too much as this week ends, or not working out enough. I don't know what to do about this.

I had a long conversation with a coworker Sunday night. I think too many friends and family see the first two weeks of suffering (eating half, then eating quadruple) and they think that's all this program is about. Everyone looks at me like I'm starving myself, and it takes two hours of conversation to convince them otherwise. I'd say it's the only aggravating part of this project.

Kleen Kanteen = Dinner to go!

I bought one of the insulated (double-wall) 20oz Kleen Kanteens last night, because I'm going to a friend's house tonight and need to take my dinner with me. It perfectly fits 200ml of milk with a banana and egg white blended. Excellent product.

Day 39

A friend of mine was surprised that I'd post such lame photos, to which I replied along the lines of "it's pretty motivating to feel good about posting pictures of myself like this online, knowing full well they're ridiculous."


Fooling around with pictures this morning...

The Denim Ad

The Bodybuilder Double-Curl
(I'll try to get better at this one)

That about sums it up actually. While I'm looking better, there's still a lot under the surface that needs to get done! Keeping at it!

Day 38

One more week! That'll be an awesome benchmark! Halfway! To what, though? Will this continue? Perhaps my peak condition will continue until the day I die. Maybe I'll enjoy unfortunate culinary creations for a week, then do another 90? Who knows. I know for a fact that I have no idea what it will feel like when day 90 rolls along. Days don't roll though.

Something of note: Since this project started, like clockwork, I wake around 2-4 AM every day. I don't have much trouble passing out again, but I usually have an incredible urge to urinate, and then feel very thirsty. Thoughts? Maybe I'm not drinking enough water, but I already drink 3 times the average person's daily water. Sorry, average american.

So, that is all. I'm very tired now, and had dinner late. Should I skip my evening snack? That looks like a lot of protein to miss. Should I take a nap now, then eat in an hour and a half? I think that's my gameplan. Peace.

Day 37

Bicycled a ton yesterday, and went running. Today my legs could hardly stand the jump ropes (pun intended). About to do the pistol squats, I'll tell you how that goes.

Ok, got through everything but the push-ups. Arms gave out almost immediately after the chest dips, rested a couple minutes then got through 2.5 sets and collapsed. The side crunches are fun.

Day 35

Man, I need to get to sleep. Pictures are updated. Always looking better!

Day 34

Hey guys!

Sorry it's been a couple days.

Yesterday was my birthday. 25 now. When this year started I told myself that I would be a lot happier with the concept of aging if I could accomplish a lot this year. So far I've been doing well.

• I've learned to SCUBA dive.
• I've hiked several mountains.
• I've given blood whenever possible.
• I've read several books, including a couple by Richard Dawkins. Michael Pollan is next, I'm really interested in reading more of his stuff.
• Last year I started teaching myself Japanese, but didn't get very far. I plan on furthering that this year. I may also take a look at other languages. Perhaps even take a class!
• I shaved my head. I've been wanting to do that for 2 years.
• I finally have a laptop and a desktop again. It's been a long time.
• I'm now responsible for a real apartment and real bills, not just renting a room.
• I've kept an amazing job for a long amount of time.
• I've become more mindful.

AND OF COURSE - THE PEAK CONDITION PROJECT!!!

This morning I looked at my daily photo (I take daily ones, but only post weekly images). I was incredibly surprised, thinking back to only a couple months ago. I continue feeling like this is really going to be the change I've needed for a long time.

Next up - VIDEO BLOGS!

Day 31

Longer than average blog post!

Well, results are really starting to show for me. I know that I'm not even halfway, so it's just a motivator to keep on going! I'm finally understanding what I'm supposed to get out of this project, which is as much as my body can deliver, not as much as is prescribed. I know that whatever workout I do, I benefit myself, and the further I can push, the better I'll become.

The double-katanas are incredibly difficult to complete (ESPECIALLY AFTER THE ELEVATED TRICEP DIPS!), but I'm within a few of it and I'm sure my muscles are just getting stronger each time I do them.

Today the leg-ups hurt extra. It's probably because I did them yesterday, combined with all the legwork today. It wasn't my abs that got tired so much as my legs. I was absolutely exhausted after it all.

Finally people are starting to become impressed by results (I.E. This morning Seabass told me I was really starting to look ripped, and it made him feel terrible. :D )

I also have more and more people asking exactly what I do each day, and they think I'm done listing things after the jump ropes and squats.

To summarize, I'm really enjoying myself. :)

I hope you all are feeling just as excited about the project. It's a pleasure to be in it with you and your blogs are great to read!

Day 30 - 1/3 through!

By the way, did anyone mention it's day 30??? Booya! 1/3 through!

Day 30

Yep, this was last night's dinner. Egg white, milk, banana and an apple. I almost tossed the apple in too. The banana really made the volume of it expand.

Day 29 - Breakfast

So for breakfast(after my workout) I threw a whole egg, an egg white and my milk serving into the blender. It was actually pretty tasty.

Apparently heating the egg actually leads to protein breakdown/causes the structure of the protein to change, and from what I've read can be the cause of allergies. If nobody has a good argument against it, I may continue to eat them raw.

I'm aware of the salmonella argument, but it seems the risk of this basic sickness is surprisingly low (.003%).

Day 29

Just about to start my exercises. Got 9-10 hours of sleep, and still feel wiped. This exhaustion is causing my motivation to wane. Perhaps all the egg in my new diet will help my body feel better?

UPDATE: I just buzzed my head again, and after the workouts I can clearly see my abs coming into view. This helps.

Day 27 - Indulgence

I just took my first sip of this coffee flavored milkshake. It tastes super-sweet, like ice cream tends to. These are some of the best shakes I've ever had. After I ordered, I looked at the menu and it all seemed so foreign to me, ordering food instead of cooking it. I'm definitely already well-in-tune with the PCP, as I had hardly the urge to order anything.

After a couple sips of this, I already feel like my stomach's not going to be very happy with me. Ah well, we'll see how it goes.

Also- the double katanas were incredibly hard. I almost couldn't finish.

STATUS UPDATE: 20 minutes in, my stomach isn't happy. I shouldn't have finished it, but i made myself because I wanted to remind myself why a whole (american) serving of most foods isn't healthy. I'd say it was a good flavor, but not too exciting. I chose a milkshake because there's not as much terrible in it than some other foods I could have had.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Day 26

New thoughts, same feelings.

We're almost a third of the way through now, and it's been an exciting trip thus far. I'm starting to enjoy my level of fitness and while waking up in the morning has become a drag at times, I think I just need more sleep.

My daily food has been relatively constant the entire time, chicken for protein, rice and 7-grain cereal for carbs, tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots for veggies. I use some spices here and there, but I'm not very demanding on my taste buds.

I had a long conversation with a chef that works nearby. The gist of the conversation was me explaining the PCP, and him explaining that it sounds nice but he likes his taste buds and is very fond of good food. I think a lot of chefs could actually give a pretty good shot at cooking without additives. It seems to me that with some thought a good chef could create some pretty nice dishes out of what we've been eating. In fact, it could taste even better. Most views on culinary taste these days seem to be stuck in a rut of how much salt and oil you can implement while still able to eat it. I've kinda gotten this reaction from a few people, and I think if I myself was more creative in my cooking habits it might impress better.

Today I told my coworkers that I'm surprised I haven't been exercising and eating like this my whole life. I feel so incredibly healthy, and my body is starting to look a lot better. I feel really fit.

Hopefully soon enough people will actually feel like undertaking a project like this when I talk to them about it, instead of saying "yeah, that sounds hard". It's like me trying to sell someone on donating blood. They say they might sometime, and never take the half hour to.

I tried to get my "muddy shake" from Muddy Waters today, but they stop serving shakes at 5. Apparently they don't have many after-work milkshake customers. I'll get one tomorrow morning after breakfast.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Day 25

Ok, wow. My muscles gave out on the pushups, I could barely complete them.

As for that indulgence thing, I kind of decided on something, but don't really feel I'll be indulging, but rather just following PCP. I don't really have a craving for anything.

Day 24

Dragged my feet this morning, I was too excited playing with geeky gadgets to start working out. Drove myself to anyway, and happily finished without any remorse for the time spent.

I have sort of a crick or whatever in my neck today, I think the workout helped it, but it was doubtful at first if it would improve.

Day 22!

I didn't get a lot of sleep these last couple days. The insomnia started with the stupid street cleaners towing everyone who was dumb enough to leave their cars on the street. Street cleaning at midnight should be banned.

So I've completed 3 weeks. It hasn't felt like very long at all. Just about all aspects of the PCP I'm finding enjoyable. I get a great kick out of saying "I can't have that" when offered food, or when it's even suggested. I'm also paying a lot of attention to what other people eat, and scolding them in the manner you'd scold a smoker.

All my chicken has been baked in a ceramic roasting pan. It's delicious with chili powder and cinnamon.

I'm still doing incline pull-ups, as I've yet to find a good pull-up bar. Our doorways are too narrow. I might put it in the hallway... if I can find a proper stud.

So the PCP has also really increased my mindfulness as a whole. I'm getting much better as remembering daily/weekly tasks at home and work and getting them done. I think it's from the responsibility of doing the exercises and food prep daily. I think it's also really improved my posture. I asked my roommate about it and he said he actually noticed it. I stand up and I walk straighter.

I'm on a pretty busy street, and when I jump rope in the morning, a lot of people stare at me while driving by. I like this. I'm thinking of actually jumping rope all the way downtown and back some morning, when I'm really feeling energetic.

Speaking of energy, I have a lot of it these days. I feel it really improving.

I'll leave you with a before and now shot...




And a glamor shot:

Day 19

Almost to.. day... 20.... woooooo! Can't wait!

Day 18

Not enough sleep makes exercises a lot harder. Only lost an hour, but geez it had an effect.

Day 17

Nothing to report. All is going according to plan.

Need to buy food.

Exercises have a good burn.

My hair is now fairly blue-colored.