Day 90 - COMPLETE! Wow!

I don't know exactly what to say. I know I am going to be short and sweet on this blog that is for sure. I am off in an hour and a half for a 14 hour flight to NY. My first non-PCP meal is going to be airline food!!!

I will post the final pics in a few days and say some more but for now, I can just say, I am so amazed at this program, the results and honestly, what I was able to accomplish! I stuck to the program almost perfectly slipping only one day on the exercises but making most of it up later in the week. I added cardio on my own, and stuck to to the diet as prescribed. For me, that was the biggest accomplishment. I thought in the beginning that I would look hard for any excuse I could find and convince myself to cut it short or cheat. I didn't and know I feel I can accomplish almost anything.

I feel like I know exactly what to do to maintain my body and my health. I feel great about myself, how I look, feel and again, what I can accomplish if I put my mind to it.

This is without a doubt the best thing I have ever done for my health, mind and body. Tough as it was, looking back on it all, it wasn't as tough as I thought it would be to shed the 15.3 kilos / 33.7 lbs in 90 days and add so much muscle. I reduced my body fat from 29.5% to 15.1%! From January 1st of this year, I lost a total of 19.5 kilos / 43 lbs.

So much for being quick on this blog but I could write or speak on this program and how I feel about it forever! I truly think Pat and all involved in PCP are brilliant and I hope them all the success in the world.

To all of the people who participated in my "class", congratulations and thank you! Thank you for being  a constant source of inspiration by your own progress and the kind words of encouragement. Thank you to everyone who encouraged me along the way. A BIG thank you to my wife and mother in-law for all the support, patience and wonderful cooking!

To the people who are currently going through the program, YOU WILL SUCCEED and YOU WILL look and feel amazing! Stick to it!

I will post again with my final pics in a few days. I want to get a bit of a tan to show off my muscles!!  ;-)

Best to all!

Sorry but I cannot stop looking at these photos!!

Day 86 - So close I can taste it!!

Day 86 - 4 more days to go!!!! Down to 71.5 kg or 157.6 lbs. That is down from 86.5 kg or 190.7 lbs from 86 days ago. 33 lbs down since April 15th and a total of 19.3 kg or 43 lbs since January 1st! Not bad but I am ready for a bit of a break!

Wow, big earthquake as I was typing this just now. I guess mother nature wants me to keep going or something!!  ;-)

The super sets we are doing this last week are pretty intense but I like them! I can't believe how much stronger I feel since day 1. I am going to push hard for the next 3 or 4 days!! I know I have the motivation to do it since yesterday I played a round of golf in ridiculous heat after only 3 hours of sleep and then proceeded to drive home and immediately do my first super set exercise program! I so wanted to just jump in  shower (they wouldn't let me take a shower and bath at the golf course because of my Tattoo's!!) but instead worked out!

Okay, off to do my second day of super sets now! Let's go team Thor, final push. You all look fantastic by the way. I say this every week because I STILL can't get the blogger to work so I can comment on others and even my own blog. I can only post new ones but that aside, I am looking and being inspired by each of you! You are all studs!!

Day 79 - 11 days to go guys!!

Down 32 pounds and I am happy with the way I feel and look. I look forward to to the final run. Doing the exercises are refreshing and I am really trying to push myself but I also don't want to hurt myself in the final days.

I am doing my indulgence today at my friend Marc's 4th of July BBQ. Looking forward to my first burger or hot dog in 80 days! I bet I wind up having a chicken sandwich on wheat or something! This PCP is really in my head. I guess that is what they call success ha?

I am still having issues with the blogger when I try to comment on everyone's photo's. It's driving me crazy being in the technology field but what can you do. I just want to say that I do check all of your sites and think you are all doing great and are a huge source of inspiration to me!!

Day 73 - Can't manage to keep my shirt on!

Hey guys. A little less than three weeks left and if I am being honest, I am looking forward to day 90 and a nice holiday! I unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, fly off to New York on a three week vacation on day 91 on a 6am flight! Nothing like NY Pizza and Chinese food to test my ability to put into action what I have learned about eating and exercise ha? It is not going to be easy. I normally pack on 3-5 Kilo's on these trips!

Found yet another side effect of the PCP that I was not expecting. Aside from the fact that my clothes all need to be replaced I find that my shirt just does not want to ever stay on!! When I am home, it comes off. If I am out and in the right setting like a nightclub, it comes off! I know what you are thinking, ugh, how gross but I don't care. I worked too hard for this body and I find myself wanting to show it off! This will probably get me arrested for indecent exposure so I am taking collections now for bail money if anyone is interested in donating...  ;-)

And I thought I may share a helpful hint with the people currently on their 3rd or 4th week. As you start having more and more egg whites being introduced into your diets, I have found that buying brown eggs are easier. If you make them hard boiled to eat the egg whites as I have done, brown eggs are much easier to peel because you can see if their is any shell left on before eating! Sounds silly but when you are peeling eggs 3 or 4 times a day you are sometimes in a rush. A crunchy egg white is a great way to ruin your meal!

Home stretch team Thor!!

Day 65 - Tantalizingly close!

Hello all. Well day 65 is here and as expected, I have gained more knowledge about health and my body than I ever expected. Is it me or does Patrick have an uncanny way of giving us information about our bodies, health, life or whatever at the exact moment that you start to wonder about it? It's amazing to me how spot on he is all the time. Amazingly helpful!

I was pleasantly surprised to have the slight diet change for the dinner this week. I had completely run out of creativity when it came to an Apple and 2 Egg whites! Having some veggies and protein at night is a nice treat.

I wonder if anyone else is going through the same thing but I am up and down emotionally throughout the day when it comes to my progress. Don't get me wrong. I am very happy with my progress so far and love how everyone I see comments on how good I look or how good I am doing. It's just, I want to drop a few more kilos and get that flat stomach I set as a goal from the get go. I know I can get it but know that we have started the countdown to day 90 I feel like I am going to fall short of that. So (and I know Pat is going to get mad) but I started to skip snacks and reduce carb intake whenever I can. I do 90 minutes on the treadmill at night all in a desperate attempt to make my initial goal. That's okay right?

Anyway, still not bad for 65 days and 42 years old!

Also, you guys all look fantastic! I have been trying to comment on your posts individually but I still cannot get it to work. It's really annoying but I want to let you all know that I am looking and I am inspired by you all!

25 days to go team Thor, 25 days to go!

Day 60 - 30 days to go!

Here we are on the final stretch! 60 days down and 30 to go! I am feeling really good on the progress but I want to see some more of the visceral fat burned off in the next 30 days. I have been doing extra cardio at night in desperate need for the flat stomach!

Darn it if that stomach fat isn't stubborn! Guess it's not that easy at 42 as it was when I was 25!

Day 52 - Indulgence meal done! Guilt filled evening but great food!!

Well it came and went fast but it was awesome! I went to my favorite Italian restaurant with my family. We have been going for 10 years and we have our favorites but last night was different. I had many of my favorite foods don't get me wrong, it's just I had much less and added more veggie dishes to the table. Even the owner noticed! I didn't do it for the program but yet again, just because I am thinking differently about food in general.

Workouts are going well. Getting tough and taking longer but I am pushing through. I have been trying to comment on everyones photo's and blogs during the week but the stupid blogger site doesn't let me comment on others sites but no problem doing my own blog. I will figure this out but in the meantime please know that I am looking and reading everyones blogs and think you all look great!

Now if you will excuse me, I need to go dream about that brick oven anchovy and eggplant pizza!!!

Day 51 - 2nd Indulgence meal tonight!

Well it's here, my second indulgence meal. I decided that I will "celebrate" by going out for a nice Italian dinner with my family. I went to a business dinner last night in Nobu of all places and refrained from eating anything except for a mushroom salad which was delicious and well within my allotted weight of veggies. I even ate my apple and two egg whites moments before the dinner to make certain I wasn't tempted! Nobu spicy tuna roll is to die for!!!!

I could have/should have made Nobu my indulgence meal but I would rather reward myself with a meal with the family instead. They have been so patient through the past 50 days of not eating out and watching me eat different food from them that I thought it would be nice to change up the pace a bit.

I am already thinking about the brick oven pizza and homemade pasta...the thing is, instead of thinking of how good it is, I am thinking about how many carbs are in it, calories, fat, etc. What have you done to me Patrick!?! Even though I am told I can indulge I still can't stop thinking about the effect the food will have on my body. I do believe this PCP thing is working on a different level at this point. Pretty sneaky!

WELCOME!

A big welcome to all the new PCP participants just joining! It really does feel like yesterday that we started. It is tough but the time flies! Good luck to you all and listen to what Patrick tells you. He is a genius with this stuff. He is a bit sadistic at times but it's all for your benefit trust me!

Stuck in the hotel doing 8 min abs!

Unfortunately all efforts today have been cancelled due to the Typhoon so I am stuck in the hotel room doing 8 minute abs twice already!!

Here are some video and photo's of yesterday for anyone interested.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/63419767@N05/

Tsunami relief effort update

First let me say a hardy congratulations to all of those PCP'ers who have recently finished! You have helped and will continue to help me through inspiration. Well done and good luck!

On the Tsunami relief effort, we helped remove the remains of about 5 houses and countless boat parts from a grammar school grounds yesterday BY HAND! It was gruelling, tiring and emotional all at the same time but the results were amazing! It felt so good to be able to do it and to see the difference we made. The houses and boat parts were heavy and dangerous with all the sharp edges and nails but we had all the protective gear and made it through with no injuries thankfully!

I felt the exercise in the morning (that's right, I am still exercising!) helped warm me up and get my muscles ready for the days activities. I also noticed being able to lift incredibly heavy pieces with less effort than I can remember with something of similar weight in the past. Thank you PCP!

Today we don't know what we will be asked to do but I am sure it will be just as tough and I look forward to it.

I will post photo's when I get back home. Speak again soon!

Real Workout - Physical and Mental!

Hey all, I hope everyone is doing well and is ready for another new week of PCP!

I am off in the morning to take part in a small group of volunteers from my office to Ishinomaki Japan. This was one of, if not the, hardest hit areas of the earthquake and tsunami on March 11th. This is not a food distribution effort but a real physical and hands on effort to help clear debris, fix houses, remove mud, etc. We were warned it would be a lot of physical work and long days. I am sure it will be but equally, I am sure it is going to be a mental drain seeing all of the hardships and devastation first hand.

I will be staying true to the PCP the entire time. I have packed my rope and resistance bands and made all my food and packed it into a cooler for the next 4 days. Should be quite interesting but on top of everything else, I am looking forward to the physical aspect for more fat burning and muscle building. I don't mean that to sound rude but I am! I will try to blog and post as much as possible but may be limited due to the situation where I will be staying.

Wish me luck!

Day 37 - I'm Lovin it!

First let me say I am sorry for only posting a new blog every weekend. I get my new computer this week so I should be able to blog more frequently from then on.

I don't know about the rest of you but I am starting to love this. I love the reactions I get from people, the physical transition my body is going through as well as the mental transition. I love the energy I have, the knowledge I am gaining on a daily basis about the body, food and exercises. I am just loving it!

Don't get me wrong, it's a lot of work and takes a dedication that I really didn't know I had the ability to maintain but I am! I curse the workouts as I am doing them just like the rest of you I am sure. I limp around all day and have trouble lifting my arms (right now!) after a solid workout. But that is what it takes and I am really into it.

Quick note on my indulgence meal. I had a social dinner on Friday and decided that it would be my indulgence meal. We went to a Thai restaurant and I figured I would pig out on some delicious spicy food. What I found myself doing instead was ordering the stir fried vegetables, the non-fried shrimp spring rolls and stayed clear of almost all noodles and rice! I did have two small pieces of fried chicken but I didn't find myself enjoying it like I normally would have. I eat until I was about 60% full so I didn't feel bloated or fat which is unusual for me. On the alcohol front, I did have 3 drinks but instead of beer which goes so well with Thai food, I had 3 gin tonics instead. I normally would have gone out to Roppongi for the rest of the evening but instead went home at 10 pm and did 8 minute abs and a 6K walk on level 10 of hills on my treadmill!! Who is this person and what happened to the old Pat!?!

The point is exactly what Patrick says is the goal of this program I believe, to change your body, mind and life and that is what I feel I have accomplished so far and hope to continue.

Sorry for the long post but I am feeling very positive and wanted to share. My new pics are on Flickr now and I can see a difference as I scroll through them as I hope others can as well.

Almost half way through team Thor! Gambatte!!!

And lastly and just for some fun, my kids are really getting into my exercises and my progress so I thought I would give them a little "publicity" and show their progress as well. ;-)

Day 30 - 60 days to go and kicking it up a notch!

Well here we are at day 30. The exercises are getting harder and more intense, the diet is getting a bit more strict and restrictive but seeing the changes in my body and feeling the change in my energy are more then enough motivation to keep me on-track!

I must say it does get tough at dinner time. 1 apple, 1 banana and 2 egg whites while interesting, really is tough when the family is eating "normal" food! I just want to eat the yolks as well for some flavor. Anyway, small sacrifice for a short amount of time to get myself into Peak Condition!

I bought a new jump rope this week on recommendation from Brendon. It has an electronic counter in the handle and I feel it makes a world of a difference not having to count the jumps "manually". I know it's mental but not having to count the jumps just makes it seem easier!

I also find myself going up on the resistance bands at a record pace. I am almost maxing out on some exercises which feels really good. My muscles are ripping but that is the point.

Sorry for not posting more often guys but I am having computer issues at home and cannot access the blog from work so until my new computer is delivered I may only be able to blog once or twice a week. Trust me, I am with you all everyday and checking the blogs and email religiously. It goes without saying that I am ABSOLUTELY sticking to the program with you all as well.

Day 23 Update

Well Golden Week is almost over and I am proud to say that I kept with the program to the letter! I woke up at 6am everyday and did my workout without fail. I also stuck to my diet as well. I don't know what it is but I am committed to this which is nice. I would have cheated or given up on a self prescribed workout routine by now but I haven't and I feel great for it.

I have so much energy it is amazing. A lot of people mentioned increased aggression and I can understand that but since I am not in the office for the past week and have been home most of the time I suppose it is translating into energy instead of aggression. I will see what happens on Monday back in the office!! ;-)

Official weigh-in yesterday had me down 4 kilo's and 3.2% body fat! I feel great and actually like the soreness that I feel with the new exercises. I am sure they are going to get worse but for now, I am liking the pain level and the results.

Second round of golf yesterday since starting the PCP. I shot a worse score but my performance with the distance of my clubs and my stamina has definitely improved. My putting sucked and I hit too many in the water but that has nothing to do with the PCP!!  ;-)

New pictures for day 21 are posted. The pictures are definitely the worst part of the PCP so far!!

For those who have been asking what the diet is like on the PCP I included a couple of pictures of a lunch and a dinner I recently made for myself. I am a big fan of doing Stir Fry's as you can see in one photo and the other is some nice grilled maguro (Tuna) and some fresh veggies. As you can see, the meals are quite good contrary to popular belief!

Day 15 - Golden Week!

Hello all. Today is the start of the Golden Week holiday here in Japan and it started off beautifully. I had a great game of golf in the morning and had a great afternoon with the family. I even cooked dinner for everyone and tried out some of my latest concoction of 3 mushroom, eggplant and onion saute' as a side dish to my 90g fillet Mignon! The family seemed to like it so that helped add to my motivation!

I really find myself embracing this new lifestyle and liking it. I have been out in various situations over the past two or three days that would normally have had me gorging in "bad" food but I completely stood tall and stuck to my diet! I was up at 4am to play a round of golf and headed straight home to do my exercises!

I can already see the difference physically AND in my golf game! I went down a club on average. Hitting a sand wedge when I normally would have hit a pitching wedge, 7 iron instead of a 6, etc. I also was walking the whole course without being out of breath which was nice! Way more to go so looking forward to even more results. I know we have just scratched the surface on this.

Enjoy Golden Week for everyone in Japan!!

Day 9 update - Thinking about food!

Hey all. Loving the new workout regime and really starting to feel it now.

The thing is I find myself thinking about food all day long. It's not what you think, I am not thinking about eating all day, just thinking about shopping, categorizing, weighing, balancing and cooking it! This is a lot more work from the usual picking the number off of the menu when I ordered!!

Example, is Tofu a carb? Can I put dressing or condiments on my food? Does a salad count as veg? Silly questions that can easily be answered but the point is, I am now thinking about what I put in my body. That is a good thing I am sure.

Does anyone else find themselves getting tired more frequently than before? I think it is the lack of sugar in my diet but can't say for sure.

Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well and I wish you all a nice weekend and a happy Easter for anyone who celebrates it!

Day 7 - Let the roller coaster ride begin!

Hello all. So the first week is behind us and as Patrick says, hands up and enjoy the rest of the roller coaster ride!!

I am feeling really good now. No more soreness, Lot's of energy and not too hungry but eating right. Drinking much much less and almost quit smoking completely. I reduced to about 4 or 5 a day for now. My plan is to do that for a week and then drop to 3 a day for a week, then 2 then 1 then none. Too tough to quit cold turkey and expect to completely stay true to it.

I also got my new speed rope and exercise equipment. The new rope works so much better than the Dora rope that I stole from my daughter!! ;-)

Here are my pics for day 7. I think there is a noticeable difference but I am eager to see much, much more of an improvement. Totally pumped to do it! Let's go team Thor!!

Day 3 Picture - So bad!!

Just motivation! That is all I can say!!

Day 3 - My Birthday!

Hey everyone. It's day 3 and I am starting to feel it a bit. Amazing how much you can trim down just by eating half of what you normally eat. I find it's not as much the main meals but I completely cut out the snacking in between meals as well. I lost a little over a kilo in 3 days because of it. At this rate I will lose 30 kilos in 90 days!!  ;-)

I am getting into a rythm with the jump rope but I am using my daughters Dora the Explorer rope until mine is delivered! I feel like quite the man with my pink and purple rope.

Well it's my birthday and I don't think I can do half a piece of lasagna or half a piece of cake so I am just having a small cup of yogurt and fruit for breakfast and a small salad for lunch. I am going to eat the birthday dinner!! I know, I know but I am coming clean now and letting you all know how guilty I feel upfront. I will make up for it tomorrow I promise!

I hope you are all doing well! Gambatte!

Here we go!

Super excited to get started and to get in shape! Looking to get back to Peak Condition and to start feeling good again.

Here are my Day 1 photo's so I hopefully have some cool comparisons on Day 90 like everyone else!!