Reflections on the last 90 days

Greetings!

There's a lot to sum up; a great deal--of me--has changed in the last few months. Let's start with the numbers...

The stats

Day 1:

Weight: 166 lbs
BMI: 24.1
Body Fat %: 23 (est.)

Day 90:

Weight: 141.6
BMI: 20.4
Body Fat %: 11.7

Total weight lost: 24.4 lbs

Total pounds of fat lost: 21.6 lbs


Better than numbers

Day 10:



Day 90:





Old threads...

...hmm... a little baggy...

New threads:

That's more like it.

This is just as important as any of the pseudo-intellectual babel you're going to read later, so let's do it first...



Thanks!


First, to my roommates, Mike and Rob, who were not just supportive but, even more important, shockingly apathetic. I commandeered the common areas of our house for my work-outs, used up all the dishes for my meals, blasted stale rock music for an hour a day, and sweated like a horse all over the living room. Thanks for caring and, especially, for not caring.

To my jump-rope, food scale, exercise bands, push-up bars, yoga mat, and steel bar--thanks for taking the abuse and lasting so long. I'll have to try harder to wear you out. (Except the food scale--you've earned your retirement).

To my friend and grad school colleague Julie, who reacted with "woah, you've got some Lance Armstrong going on!," and not, "Wow! You're so skinny now!" or "Hey, have you recently lost a ton of weight?!"

To everyone who reacted with, "Wow! You're so skinny now!" or "Hey, have you recently lost a ton of weight?!" Keep it coming--it's only going to help me crank out more squats, dips and pull-ups.

To the cute girl at the bar for the quite unmistakable eye-contact, just because I walked in dressed all nice.

To my family, for (as usual) supporting me unconditionally in whatever the hell I want to do. Sometimes I actually remember just how rare that can be, and I'm grateful for it.

To everyone who suffered the before- or after-math of any of my meals--actually, I don't care. I'm probably going to keep eating all of those eggs. Deal.

To my friends who I didn't get to see as much these past 90 days--which is most of you--our friendship is very important to me, and I want it to last a long time. Which is why I did this thing.

To Nancy, Rob, Molly, and all of my other enviro-fascist friends--thanks for inspiring me to subscribe to the CSA, hit the farmer's market, and, ultimately, join your ranks.

To Jenny and Grace--it humbles me greatly to think that I could inspire anyone to do anything, and much more to do something this intense and challenging. You're both doing great--keep it up! (...I'll be watching ;)

Thanks to everybody who spied on my blog or Facebook page and posted comments--especially Ren and the other 'upperclassmen' of the PCP. Your encouragement and suggestions meant
A TON, and helped pull me back from the edge on many, many occasions.

Finally, a HUGE thanks to all of my fellow PCPers, the 'Rats: Mikhael, Kristen, Todd, Jennifer, Jason, and Maren. You guys kept me inspired, and kept me honest, and I hope I was able to send even a fraction of what you gave to me back in your direction.

And, of course, to Patrick--thanks, dude.



For those currently working their Project, or anyone who will be at some point in the future, here's a brief action-item summary for your benefit (and, actually, for mine--once this little post-PCP break is over):

Things I could have done better.
-More sleep--so important for muscle growth! Add it to your lists of exercises. Check it off when complete--i.e., 8 hours.
-Don't over-cook your eggs; 11-12 minutes, tops (depending on your altitude, of course). Or, alternately, eat them raw. You'll need as much protein, with as much quality, as you can get from your grams.
-8-minute abs are terrific--I wish I would have done them more consistently. Hopefully they'll make more regular appearances in my routine in the weeks, months--and year--ahead.
-Stretching--period.
-Super-sets. There's no break between exercises; don't put one there. (Luckily, I caught this in time for the last day--and the burn was exquisite.)

Things I just had to accept.
-Gas. Nasty, socially-awkward, and sometimes rancid. Get over it. Better yet, REVEL in it--we're animals, and this is just another bodily function.
-Form on the exercises is going to suck initially--to learn to ride a bike, you need to first learn how to fall off of it. Keep trying, and it'll become more graceful (but not easier!) with time.
-Saying no to many social opportunities, if they would leave me with unacceptable choices such as eating poorly, or cutting out exercises. Meet for coffee. Coffee is better for socializing, anyway; less food in your mouth, more time to talk.

Things I nailed.
-I NEVER missed a work-out--no matter how late or early in the day, where in the U.S. (or wherever) I was, or how tired I was.
-With the exception of two separate occasions where I skipped a single exercise (Kung-Fu sit-ups), I ALWAYS got in ALL of my sets. (And don't ever skip the Kung-Fus--they really do make you strong!)
-Except on a handful of occasions where I was stuck on the road and had to improvise a bit--and one early lapse for Ethiopian food--I kept the diet to a "T". (Outside of my indulgences, Wednesday was the first day I tasted cheese on a salad in 3 months).

That being said, I was lucky to have relatively few distractions, and despite the odds, I never caught a cold or bug. Yours may be a much more challenging Project in these respects. The point is not to be perfect 100% of the time--as I've noted on many occasions, over many blog entries, I'm certainly not. The real point is to become aware of what you are doing to yourself--your activity and what you are eating--and take responsibility for them. Being overweight or out-of-shape is a consequence of choosing to be inactive and eat garbage. Once I realized that it's a choice, I became empowered. I started to see all of the tiny, yet crucial, pivot-points in my day that led me to become, year after sedentary year, the guy in the first set of photos. The last 90 days on the Project has taught me how to recognize the decision points--and make the choices--that have allowed me to become the guy in the last set.


The Unexpected Activist

I read a LOT during the past 90 days: e-mails, blogs, 3 books (including two by Michael Pollan).
I've joined a CSA (Community Sponsored Agriculture) program. I've learned how to cook a rutabaga, okra, beets, artichokes, and many other things I'd always passed by in the produce isle. I've become a HUGE devotee of my local farmer's market, and committed to buying almost ALL of my produce there.

I've gained a much greater understanding of why our culture is so unhealthy. For me, the consequences of our dysfunctional food culture, and the twisted economics of its production and distribution system, have hit very close to home. Just over a year ago, my family lost a member to Type II diabetes when my step-brother passed away. He was just 27. It was terrible--there is nothing to describe losing a brother at a young age. My father, my aunts, and my uncles all suffer diseases directly related to the Western diet. Their children have already ingrained many of the habits that will lead them straight to development of the same conditions--and probably much earlier in life, since they are even less active than their parents were at their age.

We are cannibalizing ourselves--not literally, but socially, economically. Some of us, to make yet more money, are pumping addiction into our food culture, just to earn a higher rate of return than would ever be possible in more natural markets. So naturally, we're suffering the consequences. The corn syrup, sugar, fat, and salt we consume are in some ways no different, fundamentally, than the coca, nicotine, THC, and alcohol that we warn children about until they turn 18 or 21 and hopefully know enough to make the right choice (though many still don't). Both sets of chemicals make us feel good; in small doses, both are practically harmless or, in the case of the former, necessary. And both, taken to their excesses, as we have been doing, yield the same results, almost as quickly: lower quality-of-life, sickness, and death.

In as many interactions as possible with my family, friends, and colleagues, I've tried to share (but not shove) what I've learned. I've given away or lent out several Michael Pollan books--and will continue to do so, along with anything else that may start a conversation or a debate, and maybe lead to a little change. Whatever else I can do, I'll do. But I know that the strongest statement, the one with the most powerful influence, is how I live my life. And that's reason enough to stay true to what I've learned over the past 3 months.

*****

Life on the PCP is like trying to solve a giant, ever-changing socio-biological equation; your challenge is to keep it as balanced as possible. It's easier to attend to tangible, quantifiable elements such as your diet, sets, and reps; it's far more difficult, at least at the outset, to attend to less quantifiable needs like sleep, shopping, and cooking time. Especially when many of us have been conditioned to adhere to the economically efficient rhythms of the 9-5 desk job, while ignoring or blocking out feelings of fatigue, thirst, and hunger. We start out counting grams and checking off sets because our minds and our bodies have grown so distant; we're like two people from completely foreign cultures trying to give one another directions to the same place, at the same time, in different languages. It's taken time and a lot of effort, but I've become much more aware of what my body is telling me, and much more willing to listen.

At first, writing about my experiences while dieting and exercising seemed totally alien. Looking back, I don't think there's a more effective way I could have approached working toward my physical potential. I simultaneously became the author of my own change and the narrator of its story. Doing so, I internalized that change, slowly filling the gap between the current and future me, until they finally met in a present that's other--yet so much more--than what I was aiming for.

And I'm not "done." Day 90 is much less the end of the Peak Condition Project, and much more the beginning of a new way of life.

Peace,

-Brett

Day 90

The Final Score, as I site here at The Cracker Barrel, typing and chomping away at my Old-Timer's breakfast with sweet tea, is:

Weight: 141.6
BMI: 20.4
Body Fat %: 11.7

(Just kidding, folks--I'm at home, and just polished off a couple egg whites, bread, salad, and steamed veggies. Though I did finally add some feta cheese to the salad. Gotta keep it real.)

Day 90 pics are up.

The last work-out took only a few minutes, and the only real inkling of a burn I felt was on the sit-ups--probably because I finished Day 89 late last night. I took 10-second breaks between sets because, well, I was a little bored. And need to head to work.

There's a lot to reflect on, so I'm going to take my time over the next couple days and gather my thoughts. And hopefully take a few pics with my old, baggy clothes and my new, slimmer threads.

For now, I just want to say "congrats" to everybody on the team for crossing the finish line. And thanks, Patrick, for cheering us--and guiding us--along the way.

Peace,

-Brett

Day 89

The penultimate day of the Project is now complete.

Off for some eggs, fruit, milk, and sleep.

Tomorrow: results, reflections, and the continuing path forward...

...after some rope, of course.


Until then, enjoy some food!

Day 88 lunch: Goat-burger!



Day 88 dinner: More goat-burger, with some Moroccan goat-burger-helper & broiled okra & egg-plant




Day 89 breakfast: Goat-burger-helper with steamed veggies & garlic mashed potatoes




Day 89 dinner: Yep--more goat-burger-helper. And garlic mashed potatoes with a fresh farmer's market mesclun salad topped with leeks & tomatoes

The Gym

Last Monday evening (July 5th), I strolled the 6 blocks or so down to one of DCs big chain gyms, which takes up half of the second floor of a newish condo/apartment building in an "up and coming" part of town. (Also in or around the building: a Safeway, a Japanese grill, a great health-food diner/cafe that I frequent, and a hardware store. So you really never have to leave the building! It has a very urban-lunar-colony feel to it.)

I strolled past the wireless cafe seating area (for anyone who couldn't put down the laptop for just a few minutes, even during a pre- or post-workout snack) and up to the counter. Their sales ("membership") rep was out, but the evening manager said I was free to take a look around, and gave a brief outline of the facilities. I thanked him, then promptly whipped out my Smartphone and starting tapping out some notes.

The gym was not crowded, probably due to the holiday weekend. I passed one patron doing 1-arm, alternating cable flies--though given his limited range of motion, he appeared to be using a little too much weight, or he was maxing out and hitting failure as I was happening by. Another women, who appeared to be pretty fit--slender, good muscle tone--was working out on one of the elliptical machines. Both were listening to their headphones, and seemed to be focused on what they were doing.

Further down the row of machines, several other patrons were "working out" on elliptical machines or stationary bicycles, each of which is outfitted with a small flat-screen TV for tuning-in to your workout stats or alternately, cable TV. I made several observations about them: (1) they were not in nearly as good a shape as the first two; (2) they appeared to be wearing much more loose-fitting clothes than the others; (3) they seemed to be as focused on the TV screens as on their "exercise."

Actually, allow me to add a fourth observation, about the machines they were using: they really seemed to take the sharp-edges off of the effort. One of the guys appeared to almost be bouncing up and down on the stair-stepper, using the downward stroke from one leg as a little trampoline for the other. In effect, these machines were operating like training wheels on a bike--only they were really training-wheels for gravity. I could understand if someone has a medical condition, that these might be a great stepping-stone on the road to being able to jog, climb stairs, or ride a bike. But these people were relatively young--younger than I--and they seemed not to have any major locomotion issues. They were using these things as their standard work-out. Why not just... ...jog, climb stairs, or ride a bike? Having done a bit of hiking, I know that a stair-climber would barely begin to prep me for any hike with serious elevation gain. (What would work better? Uh, actually hiking.)

Initially, the gym seemed to offer a potential advantage--being surrounded by, and feeling social pressure from, other gym members to get in a great workout. But that assumes that (a) those gym members or staff who might hold you accountable for your progress are always going to be around while you are working out; (b) that they are ACTUALLY going to hold you accountable (e.g., "dude, you totally sleep-walked through that last set--DO IT AGAIN!") (c) that you actually care what they, or anyone else, thinks; and (d) that you aren't going to try to hide your lack of progress under baggy clothes while zoning out in front of a computer screen.

After that, I passed by a personal trainer and his client. The trainer had model-good-looks, and was obviously in good shape. The client was a little older, possibly around my age or a little more, and possessed, to put it bluntly, a solid beer-gut. (And having once been a not-so-proud owner of one of those puppies myself, yes, I feel I am entitled to judge). I didn't want to be rude and stare at their session, but as I wandered back and forth across the gym, I could gather that theirs was probably going to be a long-term relationship:

-the PT spoke to his client with as much conviction as a B-movie star rehearsing lines for a dish detergent commercial;
-the client actually handed off equipment to the PT as he was finishing sets, rather than lowering the weight to the floor himself;
-the PT and client chatted casually between sets and exercises--easily exceeding the 30-second barrier.

Part of me wanted to walk up to the client and hand him a $10 jump rope and a $14.95 copy of "In Defense of Food," then tell him there's no need to thank me for saving him $55.05 for his session. (Or, assuming he bought a package, over $1,100).

And by the way, what we've learned is the most important factor to health and fitness--diet--was not featured nearly as prominently as spinning cycles and Cybex machines. Given just how critical diet is to actual results, one should expect a "fitness" center to plaster diet- and food-related slogans across its walls like Kim Jong Il splattering propaganda across a North Korean government building. Unfortunately, this gym devoted only a corner 'bar' to selling supplements and featured diet and nutrition in just a fraction of their literature.

I can't be totally negative--the gym was set up nicely, there was plenty of space (more than I've seen at other places where I've been a member), and all of the gear that a PCPer would need--including resistance bands. If I lived in a cramped apartment, and had few other areas in which to work-out, and going outside was not a good idea (and in this neighborhood, it's not), then this place could serve my purposes. There were definitely some members present who were serious, and seriously working out--clearly, the gym was working for them. Was it worth the expense? Who knows; $80/month probably isn't a whole lot if you are a DC lawyer. And if you live in the building, it's pretty convenient.

In the end, I felt that it still comes down to me--shiny new equipment won't necessarily build muscle, just the intensity I bring to its use. To be successful in a gym would also entail successfully avoiding distractions, including the other patrons--and not just the spandex-clad 22-year-old "skinterns." Just as we attend to external cues to tell us when we're "full," it's easy to let the appearance of effort to those around us substitute for the real thing--as the stationary cyclists demonstrated during my visit.

The manager seemed like a good guy, and he didn't try to strong-arm me. I'll probably go back for the 3 free sessions, but really just to take advantage of the pull-up bar and dip station for a few sets, at least until I can buy or make my own. Otherwise, my work-out--the intensity, the burn, the pain--simply has to be wherever I am--gym or no gym.

Day 86 & Day 87

Another late-night session. I took a nap after work (looong day on Thursday, didn't get lots of sleep) so I didn't complete Day 86 until the wee hours of the morning.

But I still got it in, and did better than I expected:
-the Super-sets were a nice change--like Mikhael, Jason, and Jennifer mentioned, they weren't as hard as I was expecting, just different;
-In setting up for the session, I discovered a new couch arrangement that now allows me to bring the incline pull-ups indoors--much better than bouncing between my bedroom and the back patio. I completed 5 full sets of 10, all with decent form;
-35 V-Sits on the first set! I remember when I couldn't manage more than 5 or 6. And....
-4:03 on the first set of Planks! The rest clocked in around 2:00-1:50.

Day 87 is done, and wow--the shoulders definitely took a pounding. I can see why Patrick admonished us to consume every last ounce of egg-white, we're definitely going to need it these last few days of the Project.

Meals go well; I've been eating a lot of grass-fed, farmer's market beef, though my next dietary project is going to be to track down the good fish markets in town. Being from the Midwest, fish fresh fish is something of which I've never been able to take very good advantage. Now that I'm on the East Coast, I don't really have much of an excuse.

I just finished Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma," and I'm now reading the companion book to "Food, Inc." Between the reading, the Project, and the state of many of my friends' and family members' health (not good), I've pretty much made up my mind that I'm opting out of the grocery store and industrial, Western-Diet imitation food as much as I can. I had been leaning (pun intended) in this direction for the last 6 months, but now I'm making it official.

I hope everybody else is kicking some ass! Off to go hang out with some long-neglected friends...

Days 81 and 82

I checked out a gym to see what it was like, after having been a member at the "Y" pre-PCP. More later, but I'm really happy with my smart-phone--it allowed me to take notes and make comments on everything I was seeing, all while casually strolling the floor, looking like I was busy with an important text message. I think I managed WAY better than those Russian spies...

Worked out late the last two evenings (bed soon, 'cause it's back to work tomorrow!) Dips are still a weak spot--the edge of the chair still kills my hands and wrists, despite the gloves and towels. Still considering getting a chin-dip tower at some point in the near future...

I've maxed out my heaviest resistance band (20lbs) on the Standing Ovations--it looks like I'll be investing in at least one more band before the 90 days is up. Davincis are the exact opposite--I feel like I need to take it down a notch and get a lighter band, so I can get through all of the sets and keep a good burn.

Got up Sunday morning and ran 4.5 miles. On 4 hours of sleep. Though I didn't find it difficult, I definitely paid later in the day and the Day 81 workout was tougher to get through. Also, I should have stretched more after the run, the hamstrings are definitely a little sore.

Dinner: steamed veggies, lean ground beef, and a whole-grain bread role, along with a small handful of walnuts to round out the carbs. I packed on the evening snack right after that, so I can get to bed earlier.

Off to rest...

Day 79: Gluttony

As promised, here is the photo montage of my (over-) indulgence.

Marrakesh Palace, located just a few blocks from the Moroccan Embassy in DC, is probably the best Moroccan restaurant in the District. (There are two where you can find slightly better fare, in Alexandria, VA, and Silver Spring, MD--but technically they are not in Washington). The ambiance is great, it reminds me of one of the little 'riad' hotels in the medina or old city in Marrakesh, complete with classical Moroccan tile, giant 'ponges' for seating, and even a water fountain near the entrance:



My friend had been unable to meet me for lunch, so I decided to go solo for a late dinner. I've attempted to faithfully follow all of Patrick's diet exercise instruction over the past 79 days, so hey, why stop now? True to my word, I went all out--"whole hog." Or, this being a halal establishment, chicken.

I kicked things off with a plate-full of spicy--and EXTREMELY SALTY--olives, washed down with some traditional soup, "harira":



Oh, and, of course, the traditional small pot of sugary-sweet Moroccan tea, with at LEAST 3 cups.

Almost as good as my host-Mom used to make.

Next up, the entree...

...naw, scratch that, another appetizer--chicken "bastilla": shredded chicken baked into a filo-dough pastry seasoned with, among other things, lots of cinnamon and powdered sugar. I know, meat + cinnamon + sugar!? Trust me, it works:



After making my way through the first piece, I began to feel full. Initially, I entertained thoughts of slowing down a little--and possibly saving that second piece as leftovers. Then I remembered my mission and, more importantly, that I wouldn't be able to eat it as leftovers, anyway:



NOW for the entree--traditional Friday cous cous with--yes!--more chicken:



I'm not going to lie--it was good:



Though definitely saltier than what I remember.

At this point, I was pretty full, and ready for the che...

..what's that? Uh, I guess I could look at the dessert menu:



Hey, they don't call it indulgence for nothing. So I decided to pony-up for the final two nails in the coffin--chocolate mouse cake and "nes-nes"--1/2 coffee 1/2 milk:



I flirted with the idea of "Morocco-fying" the coffee with yet more sugar...



...but decided I was already tempting fate--and Type II diabetes--with the cake.




All-in-all, a every tasty--though significantly un-PCP--meal.

I wish I could recount some horrendous, Ren-esque tale of the diarrheal aftermath of my little carb, salt, and sugar-injected bender, but sadly, all that really happened was that I felt kind of bloated the rest of the evening. And very AWAKE. The true negative consequences stemmed less from over-doing the food than having too much caffeine late in the evening. My sleep--and work-out--schedule is now completely whacked. I didn't hit the rope until at least 1 a.m., and didn't get to bed until something like 4 a.m...

...like I'm about to do again.

The moral of the story is, as it often is, about balance--the food tasted good, I just didn't need to eat so much of it, so late in the day. Like the French--and any good guest in a Moroccan home, really--I should have been more attentive to my own feelings of satiety, and more polite, and left more on the plate. Another mechanism that other cultures have for regulating portion size is eating meal from communal plates. The meal becomes more of a zero-sum game in which how much you eat, and what cuts of meat and fat you receive, depend upon the family and social position of those who are digging in beside you. The guest is usually given the biggest pieces of meat, with the most fat--the most energy and protein. This makes sense; guests in North Africa are more often than not travelers who will likely be expending more energy on the way to their next destination than their hosts will in going about their regular routine. Some day the hosts may become the travelers, and their guest the host, at which point the favor is returned. By contrast, here in the US, EVERYONE is their own guest, ALL the time--everyone gets his or her own plate (or bag, or box)--regardless of their status, and despite the fact that they may not have yet learned any serious degree of self-control when it comes to how much they consume. Our so-called rugged individualism isn't really so rugged when it comes to food, and it pales in comparison to the far more complex--and far more rugged--communal eating traditions in many other parts of the world.

Day 79: The coming indulgence

I was hoping to have tackled my indulgence for lunch today, but work has pushed back Marrakech Palace to this evening--"Insha'Allah" ("God Willing"), as they say in North Africa and the Middle East.

Work and sleep demands have again pushed the PCP sessions back to evenings, so I'm looking at another loooong day. This may be a blessing in disguise, as it will (hopefully) let me use this evening's roping & scorching sets o'fire burn off the mass of carbs I'll be inhaling for dinner. I plan on "going Moroccan" with this meal--meaning that, instead of utensils, I'll be eating everything using small bits of "aghrum" ("khubs" in Arabic)--i.e., bread.

Details soon...