Day 92 : ***** Final blog - PCP you COMPLETE me ! *****

So the time has come for me to bid adieu to my life that has been PCP for the last 90-something days...and what an emotional roller-coaster ride it's been! Loads of ups, downs, surprises, disappointments but most importantly it has transformed me into a brand new person! I'm sad to let go but excited to see what awaits me in the next chapter...!!!

I wasn't really sure about the whole concept of PCP when I first heard about it. The idea of daily exercising, eating healthy (cutting out the junk/ sweets) and documenting my progress for 3 months straight seemed almost impossible for someone like me to do. First of all I have never been that much into fitness- ok, the odd yoga  class/ hiking session/ run now and then but it would come and go depending on my busy schedule. I was also afraid that being a bonafide chocoholic that I am, I would never be able to resist the cravings. Never ever blogged in my life as i'm not the best writer in the world so was a bit iffy to start blogging out my thoughts for all to see. So I went into this project kind of hoping I could challenge/ push myself and break all the old nasty habits! And I did! Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that i'd be addicted to exercising, eating right and just taking care of myself the way I should've been all these years. The results speak for themselves and I am so grateful to have found and completed this fantastic program. If i can do it, SO CAN YOU! You won't regret it!

What i've learnt to LOVE :

- My workout kit (Lululemon rope, resistance bands, push up bars) that's been with me thru thick and thin, have seen me lose my cool and jump with excitement over the last 3 months... these simple tools are just awesome!

- Skipping / jump ropes...i've had love hate relationship with it since the beginning but have really grown to embrace it and realized it can be really fun and therapeutic! Such an easy + effective workout!

- 8 min ab dates with Mike...I am having Mike withdrawals. The last month of PCP I ramped it up to twice a day, sometimes three (where time permits) and still having fun with the gang! Will try to pay it a visit every morning from here onwards.

- Eating Veggies! I can't enjoy a meal now without including ample amount of veggies in it...to think that I used to eat meals which was mainly carbs + protein (ie. char siu + rice, spag boll...) boggles my mind.

- Blogging it out! The whole community support system really helped me get through some dark days. Was so comforting to know that i'm not the only one suffering.

- Eating Eggs...scrambled, poached, boiled you name it, i like it a lot.

- Being comfortable and confident in my own skin! Good food = good skin (just keeps glowing!)

How PCP has CHANGED me :

- I can now walk past a chocolate counter and not even be tempted to buy one. Not even if it's Green & Blacks.

- My mind set towards a healthy lifestyle. It's not about skipping meals to lose weight. Finding the right balance of exercise, nutrition, dedication and knowledge is KEY!

- Will power to stick to this program...Only when things got tough and I was truly alone did i realize how much will power I had in me to do this! I was determined to finish the program for ME.

- PCP is a way of life...THE way of life...in creating this habit I have achieved the goal of reaching my peak and I will continue to live this way as long as i live (less intensive exercises of course)!

- Self-awareness - still having fun without binge eating + drinking ;-) I can hardly stomach any of the greasy food I used to eat way too often - a good sign!

- New frame of mind + confidence!

The BEFORE and AFTER shots:

Day 1 - the OLD me

Bloated, no muscle definition, awkward

Day 92 - the NEW me!

Here's me with the swimsuit I bought in Brazil some 4 years ago and haven't worn in 3 years...

Me @ the office today (smiles all around as i had just got offered a new job!!! )

BIG BIG BIG Thanks to....

Patrick - your wealth of knowledge is insane! Thank you for your support, comments, guidance and for spreading the word out there. This program is educational, fun (+ gruelling), rewarding and life-changing! I can't thank you and Chen enough for making it happen for me.

Ricky - If it weren't for you I would've never have considered PCP alone. Thank u for being being a great support system... without your strength, push, patience and shoulder to cry on, I would not have survived in the early days. PCP was piece of cake for u - hardcore!

Yeeman - girl you look HOT !!! Thank you for being a good listener and adviser. It was great to have you as support as we shared similar experiences during the program. Rock on and hope we can cross paths sooner or later!

Helen - your blogs were always super inspirational, witty and charming. Thank you for your kind words throughout the program and the surprise from Tokyo! I am planning on using the bath salts one of these days ;-) You have done SO well and looking lean, mean- smoking!

Kristi - Your blogs were always so entertaining and fun to read - I loved catching up on all your social events and your positive outlook on life is so inspirational. Your final blog post says it all - you killed this program! DOPE!

To the rest of the group - you are all amazing ! Thank you so much for sharing my joy, pain, highs, lows and overall the whole experience with me. Your comments were much appreciated and i loved following all your blogs. Seeing all your final blog posts and new bodies (amazing!!!) makes me quite emotional but incredibly proud! Huge Congratulations to you all!

So, I guess this is it...we're now free with a new lease on life. Is this isn't an AWESOME feeling then I don't know what is. I'm proud of everything that i've overcome and it's time to start fresh!
I'm off to paradise tomorrow and considering to bring my rope along...if not, why not?

Love, peace, light

Sx

It's not goodbye, it's till we meet again.....

Day 88 - 90 : Pushing Boundaries + zzz

First of all I would like to say a HUGE Congrats to all my fellow PCP'ers for completing the program and reaching our new peaks - we've come such a long way and I am really proud of you guys!!!! I'm still in a bit of shock that it's all coming to an end. Did 90 days just come and go? My final pics will b taken tomorrow as well as my final blog (sob!) post, I will really miss all the support and love you've all shown me throughout the last 90 days.

...A new chapter begins tomorrow...

As for the last few days in my world, things have been pretty tough. Still sick from a nasty flu and it makes the work outs a million times harder. Had to really PUSH myself through days 85 - 89 and see how far i could go. Is it just me or was Day 89 work out INSANE?? It took me like 2 hours + to complete it - completed some in the morning and some at night after a crazy day of sample sale. I thought the sets would never end. It took me longer than usual as I had to keep stopping to catch my breath every now and then due to constantly feeling lightheaded. The shoulder and bicep super sets were off the hook...Patrick you are HARDCORE!!! I must say that straight after the work out i literally passed out into the deepest sleep ever and woke up feeling excited that Day 90 is finally upon us!

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that our exercise for today would be to pick a work out from week one - two so we can check our progress. I chose Day 13 and BAM - I couldn't believe how quick and easy that was. 700 Jumps were a breeze (felt strange to be counting again), 4X16 lunges - piece of cake and I actually powered thru the rowing, standing ovations, tricep dips, forward shoulder raises and leg up's (3- 4 sets each - heaven) in no time. It made me realize how much stronger, tougher and fitter i have become in 90 days! To think that I started off hardly managing 10 jumps in a row, or crying over those god-damn lunges, struggling to do a leg up... I am so thankful for being a part of such a life-changing experience + will keep on trying to inspire people around me to live a PCP-esque lifestyle. 

Another thought on my mind is : What am I going to do tomorrow morning when I automatically wake up at 5:30am? Go back to sleep? Visit Mike & the Gang? Go for a jog? I know Patrick told us to take a few days off from training but I have a slight suspicion that i'll feel lost without it. Anyhow, i am looking forward to the maintenance program that will follow. 

Back to today...

I had a full day of activities planned. Complete day 90 work out, head into town for brunch, get a foot massage then hit the beach for the afternoon followed by a boozy dinner to celebrate. Well, it didn't quite go according to plan since a massive wave of nausea hit me straight after brunch (even tho i only ate 1/4 of my all day brekkie + 1/3 of my mocha). Not sure if it was the greasiness of the eggs or the sickening sweetness of the mocha, my stomach didn't handle the food very well. To the point that I started feeling feverish??? Dunno what happened there but I decided to cancel all my appointments (Sorry Al!), call it a day and go home for some much needed R&R. After taking my medication I crashed for about 4 hours straight and I actually feel much better now. I nibbled at my sister's home cooked dinner (some grilled fish, chicken with celery and soup) and am sipping on my milk now. I think I made the right decision by taking it easy today - i guess that lack of sleep over the last month or so finally caught up to me. Even my doc told me that I have to make sure I get some solid zzz's in over these few days so I can recover before my diving trip next Wed... 

Fingers crossed for speedy recovery ;-)

Signing out with my inspiration figure - Victoria's Secret model Adriana Lima ... a little reminder to myself that I worked my toosh off to look like her... i might not have her body now but I am super happy, content and proud to have Shirley's body!

Can't wait to read everyone's final blogs!

Peace & light XOXO

Day 87 : AVERAGE

Flu is still kicking my butt ;-(
Sore throat, blocked nose, fatigue...you name it, I got it.

I'm quite glad that I completed todays intense workout without bailing - there were definitely some moments where i was like "F*this, i'm going back to bed" but I eventually got thru all the sets. It took a lot of determination + convincing (my muscles) to get the mission complete.

Morning session of jumpropes, legs and shoulder fly's were a killer. Skips started off rough and only picked up the momentum after 5min or so. I wonder if floorjumps will ever get easier? Legs felt like jelly awkward so I jogged a little bit to shake it off. Evening session of shoulders and abs were more do-able, but abs till failure sets were not impressive at all. Not normal Shirley standards but i am feeling rather average to say the least. Only managed to get one date with Mike today-  would've like to have visited the gang before bed but I am spent...

Ps. Sorry for the lack of enthusiasm in this post. Hope to wake up to sunny skies tomorrow. Signing out with some happy quotes that inspires me ::

(((THREE DAYS)))

A Creed To Live By - Nancye V. Sims

Don’t undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others.

It is because we are different that each one of us is special.

Don’t set your goals by what other people deem important.

Only you know what is best for you.

Don’t take for granted the things closest to your heart.

Cling to them as you would your life, for without them life is meaningless.

Don’t let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or the future.

By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.

Don’t give up when you still have something to give.

Nothing is really over until you stop trying.

Don’t be afraid to admit you are less than perfect.

It is the fragile thread that binds us to each other.

Don’t be afraid to encounter risks.

It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Don’t shut love out of your life by saying it is impossible to find.

The quickest way to receive love is to give love.

The fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly.

And the best way to keep love is to give it wings.

Don’t dismiss your dreams.

To be without dreams is to be without hope.

To be without hope is to be without purpose.

Don’t run through life so fast that you forget not only where you’ve been

But also where you are going.

Life is not a race, but a journey to be savoured each step of the way.

Day 86 : Week 11 pics up + Superset me !

Week 11 pics up...despite suffering from a mild flu, I feel stronger, fitter and healthier than ever!
~ I love you PCP! ~

Split today's supersets into 2 sessions since I woke up feeling super congested and dawdled around in bed a bit so I only had time to get thru the skips and 2nd part of Back & chest SS. Oh I also threw in a bit of 8mM action afterwards as I still had some energy on reserve to buuuuurn. I actually like the SS's - it's nice to mix things up a bit and makes it less boring...Time also flies as well since we can't take breaks when switching from one to the other. I LIKE ! Very much indeed (Not to say it's not hardcore + tough as hell tho!)

I also realized that exercise + fresh air is the best remedy for flu - I felt a million times better after getting out of my air-conditioned shoe box and skipped along to some sweet tunes!

Planks + V-Sits till failure...hmmm...not sure about u but i couldn't get past the 2:00min mark on the planks, my record went a lil something like this - 1:45, 1:32, 1:50, 1:40, 1:33. I really wanted to push myself harder but I honestly only stopped once my body would start shaking uncontrollably and i could no longer keep my posture. I could definitely feel the POWER in my core. I'm taking that I did it till failure? Otherwise i'm not sure what is...Decided to stop peeking at my next days work outs the night before the actual day and just take it as it comes and i think that's a smart idea otherwise i'd be having PCP nightmares...

Time to hit the sack for a 5:30am wake up call. Nose is blocked but body feels strong. I might just have a quick date with Mike. G'night xx

PS. 4 DAYS TO GO !!!!!!!!!!!

Day 85 : Under the weather

I woke up at 5.30am this morning with an itchy throat + blocked nose (boo...is my body giving up on me at this crucial stage?) but was still pretty amped to do today's work out - I guess cos it was our very last "chilled" day before the dawn of the SUPERSETS! I got dressed in my half asleep state and headed out nice n early only to see that it was bucketing down outside...DOH!
Had to head back inside feeling bummed but to compensate (and experiment) I did superset abs (V-Sits & Side crunch) followed by a date with 8MM! Loves it! Can feel my obliques growing each day, still not that visible but they're definitely there - just need that last bit of visceral fat to melt away this week!

My day was quite interesting as I had to do some "market research" in the afternoon so once again, I walked around the shops for about 4 hours straight (in heels!). Yes, I get paid to shop sometimes. Not as glam as it sounds since it's like a secret mission which involves me taking clothes into the fitting room and taking pics, marking down info etc. Was super knackered once i completed my mission and could've easily just laid on the couch vegging out to Gossip Girl but instead, I went to the clubhouse and rocked the skips as well as the strength stuff. PS + floorjumps made my knees weak and almost giving in as I was walking down the stairs, so I had to hold onto the rail for dear life. Could this be the last PS + FJ on PCP? I sure HOPE SO!

My playlist tonight was the Damien Rice live @ Union Chapel album and it was surprisingly motivational and not as suicidal as i thought it'd be. I'm a huge fan of DR and this album is simply amazing. Try it out sometime if you get a chance!

I'm all dosed up on cough syrup, VIT C's and flu tablets...hope i wake up feeling hundreds and ROCK the Day 86 Superset WO!

5 more days gang!

xx

Day 84 : Crabby Monday morning + I heart night runs

For today's "rest" day, I woke up a little later and crabbier than usual. Not really a fan of rainy Monday mornings but managed to eventually drag my achy body out of bed for a skipping session in the rain. Thank goodness it was only drizzling which made it quite refreshing but i didn't really find my groove. There was no consistency at all - sets of 2min, then tripping after every 10skips, then 3min etc...I guess I just wasn't in the right frame of mind for skipping no matter how hard I pushed or what I kept telling myself. I was out there for 25 min but only skipped a total of about 15min max, which I didn't feel good about but hey, no point in forcing something that just ain't gonna happen (for that moment in time anyway).

Today's email from Patrick was really cool as he explained how we should maintain our diets post PCP with 3 simple strategies:-

* Don't let carbs dominate the plate (40%Veg/ 30%Protein/ 30%Carbs)
* Eat till you're 80% full (not 120%!)
* Snack snack snack (3 meals 3 snacks)


No secret there - seems pretty easy to be healthy hey! To be honest I wouldn't know how else to eat after living these last 80-something days in PCP land...I really want to keep feeding my body the good stuff and not go back to old ways of binge-eating/ inconsistent meals. One of my favorite HDT quote ever is "Every man is the builder of a Temple called his body, nor can he get off by hammering marble instead. ~Henry David Thoreau" (one of my fav HDT quotes). So true!

Got home tonight fairly early-ish and didn't know what to do with myself! It felt too strange not having to complete my work out and I felt guilty for just zoning out in front of the telly (am I going mental???) so I decided to go for a run jog! The moment I stepped out into the night breeze,  I felt exhilarated! It's really nice to run in the night, the vibe is totally different to morning runs. I felt so light and stress-free.  Ended up jogging 4km and when I got home I made myself a tuna wrap with veggies, sat in front of the telly all endorphined up, guilt-free and content! ;-)

Oh my soul, just got our new work outs for the week...I shouldn't have previewed days 86- 89. All I can think now are those super-sets, it's like McDonalds super-size version in PCP form...DAMN!

Day 85....BRING IT!

Day 83 : ( Inspired )

Today was a miserable day, it pretty much rained like cats and dogs all day long. Did my jumps and some strength exercises (return of Double Katana's = ouch!!!) at the clubhouse this morning, but had to dash out at around 10.30am to meet a friend for brunch. Knowing that I wouldn't get all my breakfast grammage at brunch, I devoured my PCP veggies and milk before I left home and even took a boiled egg for the road. Despite walking around with wet feet (one of the worst feeling ever ><) I enjoyed being out and about rather than staying in doing nothing all day. Completed the remaining exercises this evening whilst watching American Idol (Lauren to win!) and now my body is aching all over right now as I type, esp. my arms, shoulders and thighs... but hey, it's a good pain and a sign that I owned my work out today!

Spent the afternoon walking around for about 4 hours trying to get all the stuff I need for my upcoming trips in June. It's going to be a busy month of traveling to 4 different countries - Malaysia (post PCP treat), Germany (work), Paris and London (both pleasure). So the timing for Day 90 PCP is really great, I will have a few days to rest before heading off to paradise to do a diving course (eeeek!), where I also intend on bringing my rope + band along for some low intensity maintenance workouts. BIG times ahead.

Next week this time we'll be in Day 90! I am excited and sad at the same time. Will miss blogging for sure but glad that we can finally reach our final destination! I know it's not the end of the road but rather the beginning of a new lifestyle that's fun and effective (gosh, i'm starting to sound like Mike). Good luck with the last week of PCP folks! We can do it ! xoxo

Ps. 2 things that really inspired me today :

1. I've been listening to a LOT of Adele lately, she's by far one of my favorite singers with so much talent it's insane. Every time she sings she makes me feel things that I can relate to. The best song (in my opinion) from her album 21 is "Turning Tables". The lyrics are so beautifully written and she sings with such rawness and from the heart, I really am inspired by this song and can't stop listening to it, even when i'm skipping.

2. Came across an interesting quote from director Jim Jarmusch (Down By Law, Deadman) who encourages people to steal ideas. I love the quote "It's not where you take things from, it's where you take them to". Very powerful words...

What inspires you?