OUCH - that hurt!

Day 24

Woke up late this morning.....yay....baby slept in....boo...couldn't get all the exercises done before everyone came down for breakfast.  So, the baby was out of his playpen and while I was using the bands for exercises, he opened the door.....OUCH!   That think came right back at me and smacked me in the arm....note to self:  put baby in the playpen OR use a door that locks!

I loved doing the new ab exercise....the "plank".  I was seriously working my body and could feel the drops of sweat run down my face....love it!  I am also loving the new jumprope  (thanks Maki)....it's taking me a while to get used to it, but it is much lighter in weight and more importantly.....it has the jump counter so I don't have to think too much.  I love watching that number go higher....higher....higher!

Tomatoes - vegetable or fruit????

Day 23

Okay, so I hit quite a revelation when talking to Jane....is a tomato a vegetable or a fruit.....I say vegetable....she says fruit!!  I tried googling it, but there is so much controversy that I thought I should throw the question back to Chen and Patrick.....SO.....in terms of PCP diet.....what is it???  I'm popping these cherry tomatoes in whenever I can to add grams.....just need to make sure I'm dong it in the right place!

Breakfast for dinner

Day 22

It's a new week and a new diet....I'm very excited to see that my dinner meal has turned into a breakfast diet. I'm off the meat protein and stack of veggies.....instead am now having egg whites, a banana, an apple and milk for dinner. Well, ironically, my husband called to say he was on his way home, and that he would eat the same PCP meal as I was going to eat today. My oldest son who answered the phone laughed a bit and then read my dinner meal to my husband...appearantly neither of them thought it sounded like a dinner meal....it should be a breakfast meal! I'm happy, I was getting quite tired of all the meat. Let's see how this week goes!

1000 jumps: COMPLETE

Day 21

Three weeks into the program and 1000 jumps completed.....wow....what a great buildup.....I started not knowing anything about jumping (except for what I remembered from 6th grade:)), and with just 250 at a time....I must say, I've come a long way baby!

Looking forward to a cool and relaxing Sunday.....I love autumn!

See that zero?

Day 20

Yes!  That zero on the end of 20 shows me progress....it's like when I'm counting my jumps....every zero means I've finished another ten....always a milestone in life....can't wait for tomorrow....1000 jumps....that's a lot of zeros!!!  I can do it......20 days in and 70 to go....2/9 of the way through the program and feeling great...!!!

We went to the YIS BBQ tonight....yummy and great socializing...but I do know that Jane and I were "being watched".....Patrick - did you send Chen to keep an eye on us?   Actually.....Corry was there too....ok..."big brother" and "big sister" are watching!!!  Well, I think we did pretty well....and the hubbies were very supportive....until ofcourse they went and got seconds on meals and then ate dessert right in front of us...just hope the pounds don't go from one spouse to the next....they are definitely something we DON'T want to keep in the family....great candidates for the session 3 of Yokohama PCP!

Wish me luck with 1000 jumps in the a.m....will let you know how it goes!!

Friday Funtime

Day 19

So, today I took the baby, Jaiden, to a playgroup at YCAC - Friday Funtime.  Haven't been to one in years since the kids are so far apart....but it was so much fun to socialize with other mommies and watch the kids interact.  I've been thinking that he gets so much interaction at home with having older brothers, but this was good for him (and I had forgotten some of the songs...so a great review for me)!  Will definitely be there on Friday's from now on. 

 I ended up staying  for lunch.  Great idea and really fun, but as always a bit challenging (whether on PCP or not....the Breezeway leaves much to be desired :)).  Well, Maki was with me and we decided to go with a cezar salad with chicken (with lemon, not dressing!)  and add in an extra side of rice for the carbs.  And then....the cutest thing....Maki pulled out her scale weighed the chicken and then brought out some salmon she cooked at home and put some on my plate to make the grams needed!  I didn't even think of doing that.  Thanks Maki!!  It's so fun doing this with you......

International Lunch

Day 18

So, today was Deven's (my 2nd graders) International Lunch.  I was very impressed by my son and his classmates...they are so cute when they get that microphone in their hands!!  But I was really quite upset about a few things....first of all....where are the elevators?!?!?  I can't believe you can have a kids school with only stairs to get up to the auditorium.  Are we supposed to have only one child and not have any more babies?  Crazy.  Well, atleast the exercise of carrying the baby up the stairs in the stroller must have worked some important muscles!

But let me tell you what was worse....in an International School as prestigous as YIS....they hold an international lunch every year around the time of the Muslim celebration of Ramadan. Muslim families do not eat during the day- they only eat after sunset.  There is a boy in my son's class who is not eating.  I am not Muslim, but I felt so miserable for his family.  His father and 2 sisters were there, his mother (who had cooked for everyone else....and put the cutest little Malaysian flags in each scoop of rice) was there....and everyone ate....but them.  Well not exactly....I didn't eat either....I felt so bad for them....so I fed my baby and went home for my PCP-friendly meal.  I hope they had a nice dinner.   I may have to write a letter to the school suggesting they hold this lunch later in the year...what do you think? 

Too much food

Day 17

Okay...so today I just got to a point where I couldn't finish my meals!  Not sure if it's because my body is actually full, or it's my cooking....ha ha.  But seriously, these amounts are enormous....the lesson I am learning....more calories in the morning and less in the evening.  Maybe I'll look into some new foods....wish I was back in the US where I could actually read labels!

Napped and rested...

Day 16

Ok, so baby woke up at 5:30 am this morning!!!!  Well, all I could think was "go jump, go jump, go jump".  So I did.  All done and showered before 7am.  This is what I like....having a book to open, going through the steps and feeling good about it the rest of the day.  Before starting PCP I would have to think so much about what my 'exercise for the day' was going to be.  Now it's so set that I wouldn't change it even if I could.  Ofcourse at about 1:30pm was exhausted from being up so early and lay down to read, fell asleep, and then woke up at 3:30pm, thinking to myself "OMG....I missed the kids pickup at 3pm?!?!?!".  Well, lucky for the nanny who was on the ball and went straight to school when she realized I was very, very relaxed....and totally asleep!  Hubby home today because of a Japanese holiday and so now we are headed to go out and play on the street and enjoy the cooling weather.  Bye!

Nuts, Seeds or Cheese?

Day 15

Great morning working out with the ladies....so much support, sweat and gossip!

But we talked about food....and I really got to thinking about the nuts, seeds and cheese that I am missing...these three foods were my "pre-PCP" snacks and I am really missing them both.  Patrick - anywhere to squeeze them in....any of them....any 'kind' of them....any 'amount' of any 'kind' of them????  And be honest - don't let my cravings blow this for me!!  I will survive :)

Rain, rain go away....

Day 14

It is pouring rain outside!!!  We went out to the YCAC International Food fair this morning....and got totally drenched by the end.  Kids are now busy with friends, baby asleep on my bed and hubby asleep on the sofa.....so quiet....and peaceful.   

I had a surprise this morning....lots of energy (Corry....did you put something in my drink?  By the way, I'm so glad I left early....did you hear?....I found out this morning that there were 4 drunk naked grown men in the pool at 2am....yikes!) Anyways....after a late night and then waking up to baby talk at 6:15 am, I was able to jump, jump, jump like I never had before!!  So exciting to know that practice does make perfect (or atleast gets us going in that direction).  I can now go 100 jumps without stopping most times.  Hope this burst continues.   I have to say I did miss the rest of the exercises....I guess I've just gotten used to doing them...but that being said, a day off is nice.  

I'm thinking I need to start planning dinner....that BBQ won't work for tonight because of the rain :(

It's Saturday night!!!

Day 13:  It's Saturday night...the sitter came.... and my hubby and I go out for a while...I did my best with veggies and meat at dinner at Wolfgang Pucks (no fruit....have to have that when I get home) and then off to the good old YCAC Bar to say goodbye to a good friend leaving Japan tomorrow.  I'm sitting there just letting the chu-hi tease my lips (trust me....I didn't drink much at all)  as guess who walks in....Corry and James!!!  I'm so thrilled to see her....she looks totally great and, more importantly, totally happy:).  So much fun chatting....and nice to be with the hubbies....they haven't met much.  Although the night is young, we say  our "goodbye's" and head home...ofcourse the conversation in the car is all about PCP and Corry....why not....it's all good!!

Looking forward to 800 jumps in the morning....

I love sleep!!

Day 12:  Ok, so I woke up to some surprising information....I need 8 hours of sleep!!  Yes, Patrick, I have been trying to get those hours in for the last 9 years (actually more - I used to be a stock broker  in SF....single and partying late....waking up early to get to work at 6am)....9 years because of the kids!!  Pick your battles they say....well I didn't pick the "sleep" one and now am regretting it.  Was doing better until baby #3...now it's hopeless.  Kids in bed by 9:30pm, dishes, reading 10:30pm, and then chatting with my hubby until almost midnight....baby is up at 6am!  YIKES!!  Yes, I will try.....do we also repair muscles while napping....although not a napper....I could force myself:)  when the baby naps....

Believe me...if I could actually have 10 hours of uninterrupted sleep I'd be in heaven...

Getting creative

Day 11:  Exercises:  check.....I know what I have to do and just do it!......Diet:  ?!?!?!  Breakfast - no problem - I love eggs and drinking milk.  And I love making my eggs with milk (scrambled).  Lunch....love cold meals....top off lettuce and cabbage (uncooked) with anything (especially left over dinner meat like salmon from last night)  and I am satisfied.  Dinner....last meal of the day and so it should be nice and warm....today I just didn't know what to do until I got creative......I charred a chicken breast (because that's what happens when you don't put oil!)....used my food chopper (love it!) to chop some broccoli and through in the pan with the chicken, some peas, lemon juice and celentro....yummy!   The baby tried it...he loved it....my 9 year old tried it....he liked it....and my 7 year old  thought it looked pretty...but didn't open his mouth.  I was happy.....

Good news....not so good news

Day 10 - Well....the good news.... I made very tasty wheat bread loaf today....done cooking right at 6:30 and served it for the hubby and kids with salmon and veggies.  And then the "not so good news"....I ate a small piece....totally by mistake as I'm not supposed to have carbs for dinner!!  I think the smell of fresh cooked bread clouded my senses and I forgot all about anything else.  I did weigh a similar sized piece to survey the damage - 36g.  Hopefully not too detrimental to all I've been working towards!  Well, off to bed and looking forward to a well deserved piece of bread in the morning :)  Night all!

What to eat....

Day 8 - Wow...I love week 2...I like the idea of a prescribed diet...now I really know what I was eating wrong.   Spent 5+ hours at the YCAC with hubby and the kids...and I took my lunch.  I was waiting for someone to come by and scold me for bringing food in and I was so ready to give them a piece of my healthy mind....but no one came over....they must have thought I was nibbling on the baby's food (which, before last week, I would have been!).  The only part of PCP I don't like so far is the weigh in every week.  I haven't stepped on a scale in a long time - don't believe in them:)  Just want to feel good about how I look and want to make sure I always fit into my favorite pair of blue jeans!  Counting up the last baby pounds and my 2 1/2 month California vacation are ugly :(

Day 9 - Kids are off of school today and busy with friends....the baby is playing with the nanny....think I'll go take a drive....maybe look for some wheat carbs to buy (wish I was in the US where I'd just walk into Trader Joes!).  It's been a long time since I've actually cared since I was eating so lo carb anyways....but sounds like a good thing to do.  I am sore from yesterday....thought I wasn't doing much work with Corry assisting on the pullup bar.....boy....was I wrong!!  What a great pain....give me more! 

Week One: Complete!

Day 6:  Does it count to do ab exercises with a baby sitting on your tummy??  It was just about the only way I could get them done today :)  Went out to Benny's for dinner with the kids - shared a steak sandwich with Deven.....and drank 1/2 a grapefruit juice.....and then had only a few bites of vanilla ice-cream...yummy...don't think I'll be having any next week!!

Day 7:  Feels like forever....500 jumps....especially when the kids are counting and then the baby is dancing to the sound of the rope and everyone is laughing at him (including me!).  The jumps are getting easier, but still not able to get 100 done without stopping....the most I did in a row was 70.  I'm sure I'll have lots of practice next week!  Good-bye week one....looking forward to meeting the ladies in the morning to get started on week two.  Good night!

Am I really a morning person?

Day 4 - Thanks for the call Jodi.....walking to Red Brick Wearhouse....sharing a sandwich (I didn't even miss the other half!)...drinking a diet coke!!!!...walking to Homes to buy a food scale.....and then walking back to Yamate....never done by me before....actually, I haven't used my car in two days....sshhh....don't tell anyone :)

Day 5 - Hence the title of this blog....I've NEVER been a morning person.  I skipped all my morning classes in college, called in sick many mornings when working as a stockbroker in San Francisco (stock market opens at 9:30am in NYC...which means 6:30am in SF!!) and stumbled through early mornings with all three kids.  Today I overslept until 7:30 which meant no workout in the morning so I had to teach classes and then make some calls to the US and finally started jump roping at 2pm....did not like it at all!  I'm setting my alarm tomorrow and getting all of this done in the morning.....so does this mean I'm really a morning person?!?!?

Diet Coke Craving

Day 3 - I'm totally craving a diet coke...not sure if I'm allowed?!?! I did decide to give it up for the 90 days. May not make it. Wow, thought I'd last longer without..(I'm usually into a couple cans a day!). I'll go and squeeze another lemon into water and try to quench the feeling.... Aargh!

Entering "Blogger World"!

Yes, I have decided to enter the "blogger world"! And with that I begin my journey with the Peak Condition Project. Notes for the first few days are on paper...so here goes getting them in print....

Day 1 - Anxious....hate having my picture taken! But looking forward to working out with the other ladies in the yoga center every Monday....so calming. I'll do just about anything if I have company....this is an amazing group of ladies with whom to begin this 90-day trek. The hour we spent together sitting outside of Starbucks after the 1st exercise session....Jane, Maki, Jodi....thanks for the great support and always interesting conversation - about anything and everything. And ofcourse to Corry....thanks for a start....keep smiling you sexy mama!!

Day 2 - Jaiden (my 1 year old) is up at 6am. I am not a morning person and would have loved to curl back under the covers....but guess what? I got up to exercise!!! All done by 7am. Perfect. Sent kids off to school, taught a tea box class and went to lunch - ate a half asian salad at TGIF...yummy (oh no! I should have had half of the half...I usually get the half anyways! oops!) Kids in bed early and feeling healthy.... an egg and 1/2 banana for dinner....trying to get into bed early today...oh no... it's already 10pm.