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?

Day 81+82: near perfect PCP days + Who wants to be a millionaire?

Pretty much everyone in HK since the yesterday's lotto prize stood @ a whopping HKD100million which caused a frenzy at all the betting stations, peeps queuing up like crazy since 9am (+ lunchtime, during and after work) all hoping to cash in on the 100mil dream. I, who never fancied betting on anything (I just don't have the luck) even bought a ticket, just incase. ;-) So my colleagues and I all chipped in $100 each hoping that if one of us gets the prize we'd spilt it as we all have a common goal of not having to come back to the office on Monday...
Our dreams were crushed when we found out that the max.# of hits per ticket was 2 which meant that we won nothing! Awesome for those 3 ppl that won though - 30mil is not too shabby at all...!

ONE DREAM

I've hit almost Perfect PCP days over the last two days. Woke up a bit later yesterday and only managed to do my skips, abs (V-Sit position getting stronger, finally!) and 8minM in the morning. Was proud of myself for forcing myself to complete the strength part (PS's and CREEPS! My legs r in a world of pain today) in the evening after a CRAZY busy day at work. It was our seasonal staff sample sale which also meant it's the time when u see a totally different side to my normally civilized coworkers. People were running around snatching up the hottest items, pushing people out the way in order to get that bag and arguing as to who gets the other shoe etc. Seriously not cool but I had to be there to keep the peace. Fun times.

I guess the stress/ fatigue after a tough day + massive evening work out made me turn off my alarm this morning. I woke up at 9.30am and actually felt the most recharged, refreshed and energized i've had in a long time. Amazing what an extra 2 hours sleep can do for the mind, body and soul. As it was rainy outside I decided to head to the gym in our clubhouse - good timing to do the homework for Patrick!

The gym was full of people swimming, running (actually more walking + watching telly) on the treadmills and a few dudes doing cardio stuff and lifting weights. As I walked to the weights section to do my jumps with my rope and band hanging off my shoulders, I saw many people checking me out with curious looks. There was a guy lifting weights next to me so I discreetly observed him whilst i skipped. He seemed like he had a good physique, with massive shoulders and biceps (inverted triangle). It was strange that every time he started a new set he would start panting within seconds and reach failure very quick. He would also almost drop his weight to the floor on his last lift - I wished he could've picked a lighter weight or something as it was really painful to watch. Not sure if he felt uncomfortable that I was so close to him but he left the scene after 5 mins, red-faced and still panting. I also noticed that the people (incl. a lifeguard) who walked by me would watch me skip, but as soon as i met their gaze they'd walk away. What ever happened to eye contact!?

Anyhow, I ended up with an awesome work out and had more energy so I tried out some of machines. There was one called the inner/ outside thigh pull which was super challenging which gave me a deep stretch in the thighs and definitely made my buns burn! Really cool feeling ;-)

Feel the burrrrn

Skips nice n easy

Had a nice bonding day with my sister today. She's trying to lose weight atm and she thinks that by skipping meals or cutting the carbs will make her skinny. I've been spreading the PCP love all day long on her and I think it's rubbing off! I got her to try some of my exercises with me as well as eating my PCP meals. I think she realizes that to get in shape is not about starving yourself and losing the weight, it's about eating healthy balanced meals in combination with daily low intensity workouts in small dosages. She finally gets it that there are no short cuts/ secrets to looking good, but I guess she had t experience it to know it! I saw that she skipped her Coke over dinner and her favorite after dinner dessert of ice cream + cookies tonight. It's so awesome that I can pass on all this wealth of knowledge about fitness and diet to my loved ones !

1 week to go and last full PCP weekend...oh my...

TIL PEAK CONDITION !

Go gang GO!
XX

Day 80 : TEN more days till PEAK condition time !!!!!

Yes gang, it's only 10 days to go until we find ourselves at our PEAK...the exact reason why we joined this program in the first place...I am super excited to see everyone's transformations! Only over one week to go til all is revealed ;-) Of course like many of you I fear that time's ticking fast and i may not get to see the ideal results (like my inspiration) but as Patrick said in his email today - a lot of changes can still happen in these final 10 days so we better start visiting 8min Mike more often to get proper ab def. So I happened to do just that - not once but twice today and I didn't have to dig too deep neither ! XD

Another question that pops into my mind frequently is - What am I gonna be doing with all my 'free' time come day 91 + onwards? It will probably take a while to sink in the fact that I no longer need to wake up at the crack of dawn to work out (rain/ shine) nor do I need to constantly be prepping, cooking, boiling eggs, blogging and all sorts of things that we do in PCP world. I figured that once i get back to reality from my break (a week in paradise...contemplating taking my rope along) I will start training again, PCP style. Maybe not as intense but it'll be based on the same structure of healthy eating, skipping daily and working different body groups per day. I definitely won't forget about Mike neither but i'm also keen to try some of his other specialities such as 8min Buns!!! love that name.

I only managed to fit in the bicycles before work this morning and the 5sets x 60secs  was actually pleasantly doable (note : i never use the word easy) - weird since i always would do them as the last exercise of the entire workout, and it hurts WAY more. Sometimes i wouldn't even be able to finish some sets due to sheer exhaustion and legs would refuse to lift up. Did the rest of exercises this evening and got my groove back with the skips - it was blissful jumping along in the evening breeze overlooking the sea with lights dazzling away- very relaxing and therapeutic !

Pic taken straight after the Lawnmowers with my band still in the shot...BTW I moved to a stronger resistance  this week - really makes a huge difference compared to my last one !

Weekend time is around the corner - HELL YEAH!

Keep it up, you're all troopers.

Ps. My favorite (not) leg + shoulder day tomorrow - Good luck guys!

x

Day 79 : week 10 pics up & the road to contentment

Sam & I @ CV

The gals

Just got home from my friend Sammy's bday dinner and i'm proud to report that I didn't have any Cake !!! ok i may have attacked (out of habit) a piece of decorative chocolate piece sticking out of the cake but come on, 3cm bit of choc doesn't count as cheating right? Instead i sipped on lemon water and nibbled on carrot sticks (+ a little bit of hummus) whilst watching them devour the choccy mousse cake which happens to be my FAV! It wasn't as tempting as i'd imagined as I think the fact that I just had Indulgence# 3 over the weekend I didn't feel i was craving sweets that much. As for the wine...

I might have accidentally swallowed half a glass of Pinot Noir to toast the bday girl! Actually we were at an amazing wine tastings bar / restaurant- California Vintage, which had over 88 different types of wines to choose from. I recommend this place to all you wine lovers out there (after 29th May of course!). But seriously, after that one glass I was on lemon water for the rest of the night.

I have so much on my mind about how PCP has changed me for the good, and lots on my reflections over these 3 months. Too much for school night blogging so I guess i'll hold onto those thoughts and blog it out over the weekend as I plan on doing absolutely sweet nothing !

Week 10 pics are up...decided to throw in a side twist just to get a different perspective. I may not have lost weight but i feel so much stronger (physically + mentally) and healthier (mindset + body) - really grateful to be a part of this experience and a HUGE thanks for all your support (you know who you are!). I couldn't have done this without you guys.

                                                       <Contentment>

I have been feeling this more and more as each day goes by (finally!) and I believe it's the path to happiness when you start embracing what you've got and make the most out of it. Thank you PCP!

"Contentment" seems realistically defined as "enjoyment of whatever may be desired". That definition is realistic because the more contented an individual or community becomes the less extreme so more acceptable their desires will be. Contentment is an intuitive natural concept, whereas "peace" is a civil and so non-intuitive concept dependent on restriction, whereas contentment was and is self sustaining.

10 days xx


Ps. Just did a planks til failure set and my record breaking time is 2:11 / 131secs. Yeeeeah! 

Day 78 : The End is near gang

Woke up to our week 11 (already!?!!) meal plans and work outs this morning and I felt

1. Relieved to see that the work outs aren't as crazy as i'd imagined them to be. Jump ropes stay at 21min for the week and only 1 exercise which goes up to 7x sets per day...Not bad at all...I mean it's still gonna be tough but i guess it could be worse! So thanks Patrick for not killing us this week. But next week could be a different story - i'm waiting to see what those legendary 'super-sets' are like!?

2. Surprised to see the how much food I get to eat - and this plan will stay until Day 90. Yikes- I even get my carbs back for dinner,  i'm totally not used to them at night anymore. Have formed a 'ditch the carbs after 3pm' habit and i've grown to love it! Makes me eat more veggies at night and feel lighter in the mornings. I'll have to adjust to scoffing down 50g carbs I guess. Thinking back on the early days when i'd just gotten my carbs confiscated from my dinners, it was like the end of the world for me...now i could't care less!

My skips were pretty crap this morning. After a victorious 28 min of skipping yesterday, it was as if I took a 360 degree turn and fell back to square 1. Or should i say PCP Day 1. I was tripping up and just couldn't get my groove on. Even blasting a bit of dirty old skool hip hop didn't help. I suspect it's the late nights i had over the weekend and not hitting remotely close to those 8hrs beauty sleep. Speaking of which I have a good friend's birthday dinner to attend tomorrow night - It's going to be tough to resist the booze but i'm so close to the finish line that i'm determined not to lose form...If I had it my way I wouldn't go at all but she's a close friend and i'd feel too bad for ditching her to stay home with my veggies and 8min mike! Interesting to see how I handle the temptations. It will b a little challenge for myself.

11 days people! We are SO close!!!

{ love + light }

Day 77 : Skipping til Failure

Since I had a bit of a slack day yesterday I decided to challenge myself to a failure set of Jump ropes this morning!!! Woke up at 5.30am feeling recharged, refreshed and ready to whip some Lululemon @ss!

And I sure did...Belted them out like there was no tomorrow, I did 28min in total with only 3 small water breaks. Not sure where all that sudden energy came from but it sure did feel good and it put me on a natural high afterwards, so much that I did some pull-downs, rowing and 8min abs just for fun ;-)

Banksy's skipping girl 

After reading Yeeman's blog tonight I have to admit that I totally agree with her - i also just want my life back to do what I love doing (which i've had to put on hold) - esp. yoga, be sociable and get more rest. now don't get me wrong, i'm not hating on PCP or anything, in fact I love it, esp. seeing the transformations in my body this week but I feel like i've been missing out on some work/ life balance lately ... been working like crazy and sucks not to be able to have a drink/ dessert after work to relax. i guess what i'm trying to say is I want some Shirley time back!

Day 90 is just around the corner, I know that, and i still want to finish off on a HIGH! 

Anticipating the 2nd last weeks worth of work outs...i have a feeling i'm gonna need to wake up extra early for tomorrow's workouts. So...Good night gang!!! 

Day 76 : Lazy Pamper Sunday

Woke up this morning to my 8:30am alarm and looked out the window to see this-

Rain, grey skies, mugginess and very average day made me bury myself back in the comfort of my bed and caught an extra 2 hours of zzzz's. Was great to get an extra 2 hours in, but that's 2 hours of morning work out time that i'll never get back since I overlooked the fact that I had booked mani/ pedi/ foot massage appointments plus an early evening viewing of Water for Elephants (which by the way was surprisingly good- I recommend this movie to all the ladies, esp. the R-Pat fans!). Managed to squeeze in part of my workout (JR + abs + 2 x 8min Mike) before running out of time so I will do the rest tomorrow - thank goodness we have a 'rest' day to make up for lost time!

Not much else to report...but i somehow feel like i've put on weight from yesterday's indulgence? I feel fuller figured today and abs don't feel as firm as they were pre-Saturday. Maybe it's just my mind playing tricks on me...I sure hope so ;-)

Spent some quality time with my cats this morning and was quite funny to see my crazy yoghurt-obsessed cat Bambi licking the empty yoghurt carton ever so enthusiastically. I see she loves yoghurt like a fat kid loves cake! She ended up with bits of yoghurt all over her face from sticking her head so far in-

I lurve yoghurt!

Crappy weather = lazy day in for the cats too, who spend ALL day in bed... What a life!

What you looking at ?

I'm minutes away from getting much-needed beauty sleep and excited for a new week ahead !

D- 2 WEEKS X

Day 75 : EPIC

Hardcore workout on Days 74 + 75 - everything is basically a blur apart from those planks, creeps and pistol-freaking-squats! I'm still envisioning my vigorously shaky body during the last 30secs of 5x planks - trembling to say the least! Plus those pistols still kicking my butt. ;-( I figured i'd push myself extra hard these 2 days since i knew i'd we were due a perfectly timed Indulgence #3 this weekend. Loved Patrick's email this morning confirming this too so o I finally decided to reward myself tonight at Carpaccio, Italiano style!

One word : EPIC !

Beef carpaccio to share 

Parma Ham + Rocket Pizza 

Here comes the BEST part...

OMG!!! Molten choc pudding w/ ice cream and truffle...

So as you can probably tell I REALLY enjoyed my indulgence #3, maybe a little bit too much...Felt strange to eat 'normal' (or should i say pre-PCP normal) food again, it felt like I was cheating for ditching my regular veggie mix and by having naughty carbs for dinner! The pizza was everything i'd imagined it to be, but I could only finish half of it. The best part was for sure the chocolate pudding (BTW - the best molten chocolate pudding i've had in HK so I recommend all you chocoholics to try it out), which I totally devoured but as soon as I finished it I felt queasy and lots of movement/ action happening in my stomach...I regretted eating all that food but it was good to get it out my system. I'm sure I won't be eating any of this stuff in a long while - it's not worth the pain/ guilt/ calories! Eventually the pain subsided after a long walk and downing loads of H20! Strange as I never felt this ill after eating meals like this before but I guess my body is not used to it after a such a long absence...

Had an awesome time with the skips today - they were flying fast and furiously in the kiddies playground area. Oh how i've missed the astro turf! It's nice to switch up the stomping ground once in a while. I had a mini (literally) audience after 5 mins, 6 kiddies watching me in awe and all wanting in on a piece of the action. One little girl in particular asked enthusiastically whether she could have a go with my rope since she practices it at school but doesn't own one herself. I handed her the rope but obviously it was WAY too long for her. She still attempted for about 3 minutes of jumping and tripping before giving up. What a little trooper she was! And not to mention her adorable smile and pink princess dress. I couldn't help but take a snap of her- isn't she just gorgeous?

Must try do a Pull-up tomorrow, you inspired me Yeeman!

Night night gang ! x

Day 73 : I like Bicycles and Indulgences

Can't believe i'm saying this but I just completed my bicycles and it didn't feel like death this time round! I actually kind of enjoyed it and tried to even push myself to 'failure' on my set #5. Needless to say I made the 01:03 mark before I collapsed into child pose ;-p

Have been a mega klutz this week, keep losing things and finding them in random places again. Remember last week where i lost I camera and found it in my shoebox? Today I lost my company access card for a good few hours before the tea lady told me she had found it in the fridge. Hmmm. Not sure what happened there but let's hope I don't lose my mind tomorrow! Been feeling like i don't belong at work this week, it's like i'm physically there but mentally i'm floating on a cloud somewhere else...Really zoned out and surviving on little energy...Which made me play this song over and over again on my way home tonight (just after getting caught in a freak rainstorm!). It's one of my all time favorites since my high school days...

Week 10 pics uploaded...

Did I someone mention Indulgence #3 is coming up? Let's hope we can have it this weekend ... I reckon i'm gonna stay away from the sweet stuff and go for some parma ham / rocket pizza that i've been craving for for soooo long. Perhaps together with some sangria. I'm so drooling right now...in a way I feel like i shouldn't have this indulgence as I have been working so hard these last couple of weeks and i really want to finish off strong! But I guess these indulgences are good for us - we control what/ when we eat instead letting our temptations control us!

Ps. Getting little/ no craving for chocolates. Whooop.

<1 down, 17 more to go >

Way to go gang!

Day 71 : Sun, Sea, Sweat

It was a whopping 33C and a public holiday in HK today thanks to it being the Buddah's Birthday. Funny to see all the beach bums / sun-worshippers come out to catch some Vit D's at the beach. There was a lot of fluro colored speedos parading around, but the winner had to go to a ridiculously tanned dude in a shocking green colored one, Borat style. My eyes hurt just looking at it.

Very nice i like!
 The sun was so fierce today that I only lasted 1 hour (very unlike me) before i could take no more, since I started noticing some red and purple blotches developing all over my body ... it was probably NOT a smart idea to have put on the tanning oil. Lesson learnt.

Did today's workouts at 10am this morning which was another amateur mistake from my side as the sun was a scorcher by that hour and I really struggled to complete all my sets without taking some much needed breaks in-between. Sweat was literally dripping out of me left right and centre from the 1st min of skipping. Not awesome at all when you've got ear phones in and it keeps slipping out of my ears.  Found the floor jumps really tough as my knees felt like they were going to crack under the pressure but I kept pushing till I finished all 4 sets. Had to shake them off vigorously before I could consider walking without collapsing. Then came the Da Vinci's till Failure...What's that all about? Wasn't too sure what my DV failure would be but I eventually discovered that 20 per set is really my bottom line. Nuff said.

Can Day 91 come already so I can get a lil bit of this ?

What's your post PCP treat to yourself?

Day 70 : week 9 pics up & here's a toast to ...

ANOTHER public holiday in HK tomorrow! I think this is the 3rd one in 3 weeks - gotta love these consecutive short weeks this time of the year. Had a spring in my step as soon as I left the office Tonight thinking how cool it is to get another sleep in straight after a weekend. Finished my evening workouts, visited 8min mike, ate my dinner, prepared an awesome apple and kiwifruit mix for snack whilst watching an episode of Glee. Everything cool. Then my feeling of euphoria got disrupted when a little surprise dropped in my inbox in the form of our new weeks exercises (it came so early!)!!! Having a quick glance at each days routine i came to the conclusion that 1) Errrrr I think I need 2 hours to complete each days workout- id better start my no laptop rule asap 2) Failure sets???! 3) some real challenges ahead of us but its the final hurdle and i NEED to step up since times not stopping for no one... Ai-freaking-yaaaaaaa!

Finally managed to post week 9 pics, a tad late I know... Pic quality is average as I had to make do with my iphone since my camera was MIA and it took me a whole week to find it. You'd probably never guess that it was hidden in one of my shoe boxes! Random, I know...
Anyway, this was a great week of work outs for me, I rejoined the 8min abs cult and was generally feeling pumped about each days huge challenge! I think ive lost a little bit of fat around my waist due to the fact that I also snuck in a few cheeky sessions of power hula hooping (Used to b my fav thing to do in front of the Telly- eases the guilt of watching it) whilst watching the news. Happy with my abs but would be happier if my shoulders and legs could just downsize just a notch...

It's gonna b a whopping 32C and sunny skies tomorrow so I'm thinking of getting my workout done 10am so I can do something outdoorsy such as hitting the beach/ going for a hike (non-challenging one at that!) and getting a big dosage of fresh air! Feels like Its the weekend all over again!

In peace & light, Sx

Day 69 : Jump Snap me up!

Fancy Schmancy!

After reading Patrick's email today I was kinda curious and slightly suspicious about the Ropeless jump rope invention aka Jump Snap, and after watching the video my suspicions turned into confusion ...  I mean, REALLY? I thought the whole point of jump roping is mastering the technique/ coordination WITH the rope and keep practicing so you don't trip over the rope??? 

I totally agree with Patrick that no sport/ workout is supposed to be easy and I don't believe in short cuts especially if the rope is replaced with a fancy walkie talkie 'personal trainer' who counts your jumps + calories.

Having said that I wouldn't mind trying it out and see how it compares with the real deal ! That means I won't ever have to leave the house to do my workouts, I can jump in the comfort of my tiny shoebox bedroom too!  ;-)

Weekend has been hugely appreciated, it's been great relaxing and working out at my leisure and getting that extra hour or two to sleep in...Speaking of zzzzz's i'm still finding it incredibly hard to get the full 8 hours of rest these days! My mind is so restless in the evenings and I don't even drink coffee at night! What to do??? I should really set myself a curfew but somehow after dinner + exercise i'm always busy doing stuff on my mac like checking emails, chatting on msn, watching tv shows, listening to music etc...I should just bite the bullet and just make a 'strictly no laptop rule' after a certain hour, it's going to be a challenge but I think i can do it. Getting my beauty sleep in the final stretch is way more important than trashy tv shows I say!

Re food ... i'm loving my veggies more and more as the weeks go by and carbs are no longer something I crave. Chocolates and snacks are work are also slowly fading into insignificance to me which is a big difference compared to what I was like pre-PCP. A few days ago i had a big bowl of peanut M&M's on my desk the whole day (for the clients) and I didn't even feel tempted... I actually felt a bit disgusted at the amount of M&M's my clients kept eating and couldn't imagine myself consuming sweets like that ever again. So unhealthy !!! 

Paul mentioned in his blog the other day that you should eat like a king at breakfast, a prince at lunch and a pauper at dinner. I think that's the only way to go - It's so good to go to bed feeling light and not bloated! Oh and to see how much slimmer I look first thing in the mornings is a beautiful thing.

Bring on Day 70 and let the final countdown begin!

Well done gang we've come this far ! Let's finish off with a BANG XX

Day 68 : Love your body

So we are in the last quarter of PCP, and i'm finally beginning to see some real results! Took some photos this morning and was pleased to see a little bit of definition in my abs - nothing like 6 pack or anything but at least 2 is starting to show thru. I'm one step closer to looking like my inspiration figure Adriana Lima! More reason to LOVE 8min abs ;-) It's great to do something fun and rewarding at the same time. Will post those pics up shortly...

During the course of last week 3 different clients have commented on how radiant my skin is looking and asked whether i've discovered some new beauty products/ magic brightening serums... ? I was a little surprised because from the start of PCP I haven't had any time to care for my skin like I used- facial, mask and scrub time got replaced with cooking, washing up, grocery shopping, oh and not to forget the grueling work outs! So it got me thinking that the real secret to having healthy glowing skin is simple :  build a habit of eating consistent meals per day with healthy ingredients (veggie veggie veggies), drinking water and cutting out all the naughty stuff such as oil, MSG, sauces, sodas, salt and sweets. It's not about how many facials you get or how expensive your face cream is! PCP has taught me to love my body (and what I put in it) and in return i'll reap the benefits such as having nice complexion or living a long healthy life!
This is the 'hard reboot' as Patrick explained in his email today and it really makes perfect sense!

                                   Every man is the builder of a temple called his body.

                                                Henry David Thoreau

Ps.
Happy Mothers Day to all the mums out there xx

Day 67 : Pistol squats are kicking my a$$

Just wanna mention that Pistol squats are my new worst enemy. After todays skips and squats I was dreading the evil PS's. And I had reason to be. My first set proved to be a HUGE challenge - I could feel my knee under strain as I try to shift all my weight onto my bent leg,  whilst keeping my stretched foot off the ground. I discovered that my left leg is way weaker than my right and I really struggled to keep my balance. I decided to switch things up a little and threw in the creeps between my PS sets which really helped ease the pain! I walked away from the leg sets (after eventually completing my PS's red-faced, panting and with big relief!) wondering why i'm struggling so much with these evil one legged squats...?

Did some research and found this pretty interesting :-

Components of a Pistol

The reason that learning to do pistols well is so challenging is because they involve an interplay of several different physical skills, all performed simultaneously. Below are the primary components involved. An inability to perform the pistol is a result of a deficiency, or "weak link" in one or more or these components:

Balance-pistols teach what is referred to in Internal Martial Arts as "rooting", as in the roots of a tree, forming a solid connection to the ground. Because we are shifting the body's center of mass over a narrow base of support, and for an extended range of motion, balance is challenged and trained in a dynamic fashion.

Flexibility-the muscles and joints of the legs, low back, hips and ankles are required to work at the extreme ranges of motion, both in flexion and extension.

Strength-the powerful muscles of the glutes and thighs are moving the body weight throughout a very narrow base of support, thereby recruiting tremendous stabilizer function in all the lower body joints; tension is maintained throughout the eccentric, isometric and concentric portions; the core musculature is recruited to maintain balance and alignment.

Coordination-the neuromuscular system is challenged by the multiple requirements involved in pistol practice-balancing, contracting and stretching.

Focus/Mental attitude-a clear focus and concentration is required to maintain control over the body; fear and restricted movement is overcome by releasing our fear of falling and reintroducing freedom of motion

I guess i'm weak in all of the above components? Need to really work on my mental attitude and not fear them as I know I can master these pistols if i put my mind to it! My thigh and butt muscles are feeling super tight right now, don't wanna imagine what it'll feel like tomorrow morning...

Need to get some beauty sleep now- it's 2.30am and i've just had a great evening chilling at a friends place and she was kind enough to prepare a delicious tofu salad for my dinner, followed by a dash of frozen yoghurt with mixed fruits! 

It's been a tough week and i'm so glad there's no 5.45am wake up call tomorrow - TGIF!

Wishing you all a fantabulous PCP weekend!

Adios xoxo