As Patrick says, 'Peak' Condition indeed!

No numbers, no numbers, no numbers...

One of the 'unfortunate' consequences of my PCP? Finding pants that are a good fit! When the waist is perfect, the thighs are too fitted and when the thighs are perfect, the waist is too big! *laughs* Ah well, it could be worse :P

I checked my grades earlier today to find that marks for the second portion of the summer session had been posted. Remember the Great Moments in Astronomy course I feared that I was in danger of failing, preventing my ability to graduate this fall? Well the god of bell curves must have smiled upon me, because I received a 70! Not exactly a grade to be boast of, but a relief nonetheless! The final had been worth 50% of my final grade so it was was certainly one of those 'make me or break me' situations.

I had initially considered completing another half credit course this fall because I had had the professor instruct another of my courses and was impressed, however $650 seems a bit of a steep price to be completing additional course work when I now have all the necessary credits to graduate, even if it might boost my GPA. Perhaps the money would be better spent towards CELTA certification to aid my chances in being accepted for the JET Programme...

I was speaking to my personal trainer yesterday about having to look for employment now that my studies are complete, and he recommended that I apply for position at the gym. It wasn't too long ago that I never thought I'd ever hear those words in conjunction *laughs*

I'm back, safe and sound, from my adventures in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. I thought about writing this as a concluding entry for my PCP, but... I climbed the summit of Mt. Jefferson! ...by myself! ...in the thunder and rain! The latter is what had me worried the most, especially since I hadn't done any hiking in mountainous areas before, but I knew that I wouldn't get the chance to push myself in that way for a long while and just kept going... and it helped that the an optical illusion made the summit appear closer than it really was. I would have liked to have had the opportunity to hike up to the summit of Mt. Washington as well, but my aunt wouldn't have had the stamina or dexterity for it... and enough people perish there as it is (the same number as Mt. Everest) for me to consider another solo expedition.

So... I won't have a super-amazing body by the end of my PCP, but I have realized that I am capable of greater feats than I imagine for myself, and that's a great point of motivation to push myself towards ever greater advancements.

Another quick update before I leave for a week long adventure in the White Mountains of New Hampshire (back next Sunday). I've updated my Flickr account with some pictures taken this morning. Happy Birthday to me!

The x-rays I had taken of my wrist came back last week and revealed no signs of breakage or fracture. I visited a sport medicine doctor this morning and he believes that I have suffered a Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC) injury, treatable initially by physiotherapy (which I can't afford) and good 'ol ice, and later injections or surgery if necessary. It hasn't been bothering me very much lately, so I'll stick with the ice for now and see how things go.

That's it for now, gotta get some food in me!

Things are bit on the hectic side for me at the moment... spent most of yesterday studying for an exam on Tuesday evening, all of today studying for an examination earlier this evening, and will be spending all of tomorrow and the aforementioned examination in the evening... the goal is in sight, here's hoping I don't trip over the finish line :)

I've been subscribing to a number of Jvlogs (Japan-related vlogs) on Youtube in preparation for my move there next year and stumbled across this gem:

This weekend I will be preparing for examinations on Monday and Tuesday evening for my 'Introduction to Psychology' and 'Great Moments In Astronomy' courses respectively. Hard to believe in less than a week I will have completed all coursework for my undergraduate degree, and all that will be left will be to wait for my convocation ceremony this November. Real world, here I come!

So, I've made no attempt to keep secret my separation from my partner... and have been content to live my days of late as a single person. We spoke a few weeks back over the telephone (he's currently in Argentina) and he told me that he would like to work things out. I had a suspicion way back that this might happen, and it was for this reason that I disclosed the reasons for our separation to my friends and family... so that if we did decide to give things another go, I would have to feel so sure about it that I would be willing to subject myself to the embarrassment of returning to a partner that played me like a fool... and yet as my father used to say, "It takes two to tango" and I must bear some responsibility for allowing our relationship to head in the direction it did. I dunno, I guess this is one of those situations that comes along with adulthood. It's not always the house with the white picket fence...

In other news, I've grown a bit keen on a magazine my aunt introduced me to entitled 'Clean Eating.' Lots of interesting recipes and even 14 day menus to work from. I think I'll give it a go come this fall post-PCP. Speaking of PCP, I feel... happier in my body. Between injuries (sports medicine appointment next Thursday for my wrist) and other other matters, I'm no Ryan Reynolds but I think that I'm heading in the right direction for me.

...and lastly, my libido went wonky the other day! A cute Japanese guy with a lip ring just set me off, which is unusual because I don't typically imagine myself going for asian guys... but I was just ready to pounce! This is probably good for me, because my libido has gone through periods where I have had little interest in initiating relations (what a strange term *laughs*) with my partner. Still have no immediate interest in being in a relationship, as I don't think it would be fair to the other person, when a few question marks remain concerning my prior relationship...

A few of you may be relieved to hear that I visited Mountain Equipment Coop yesterday and, after receiving the assistance of a staff member, purchased a bike helmet, white front light (very nearly blinded myself testing it out), bell, and reflective leg strap (no more tearing apart my pant legs!).

My aunt and I completed a 14 km hike along the Bennett Heritage Trail this afternoon, spotting Queen Anne Lace (aka Wild Carrot), Jewelweed, Poison Ivy, and Wild Raspberries (delicious!). I also brought along some oatmeal and quinoa porridge that my aunt had prepared earlier in the morning. We had planned to do some kayaking tomorrow but it being a long weekend and knowing the crowds that would await us, those plans were short lived.

I had x-rays taken of my wrist earlier this afternoon. My doctor should receive the results by the middle of next week for forwarding to the sports medicine clinic I have an appointment with the week after.

I nearly died yesterday evening traveling home from campus on my bike. An ambulance with its sirens a blazin' crossed my path at an intersection (I had the green), and I guess I must have hit the breaks too suddenly or too little with my back wheel because it rose up into the air and sent my flying over the handlebars into the intersection. I may go back to traveling by foot if this keeps up... that or break down and finally buy that helmet!

I'm meeting my aunt this evening after she finishes work, and traveling with her back to my hometown for the weekend. We've planned for a 15 km hike tomorrow and a birthday BBQ for my cousin (her son) on Monday... perhaps mine as well since my birthday is on the 12th. I haven't been too huge on celebrating my birthday in the past few years... I'm usually content with a BBQ'd steak (I'm a man of simple pleasures I guess).

I'm feeling pretty good today!

Completed my workout in the morning, haven't skipped any meals thus far, and even had time to run some errands with a close friend of mine before she departs for a month abroad in Oxford. I'll be ducking out of class a bit early this evening to join a new friend of mine for a rock musical-type production on campus.

I'm looking forward to heading back to my hometown this Saturday to join my aunt for a 15 km hike... we'll need to the practice if we're to survive the the White Mountains trip planned for the end of August. My cousin (her son)'s birthday is on Monday so I'll be returning once more for steak and cake, though I promise my fellow PCPers to avoid the cake :P

Oh... and when I visited the salon this afternoon to have my hair cut, the owner complimented me on my physical appearance. She's known me for about six years now... back then I looked pretty Skeletor-ish *laughs*

I'm experiencing some difficulty organizing my thoughts at the moment, so I will keep this particular entry brief.

My trip to NYC this past weekend was much of the same of those in prior years... NYC is one of those cities that are enjoyable enough to visit for the weekend, but not one that I would consider living in at this stage of the game of life. The convention I had planned on attending was cancelled due to swine flu alarmism, so most of the weekend was spent shopping and eating more poorly than I would care to admit. In the end, as is usual for me, I was happy to return back to my side of the U.S.-Canada border (our border staff seem much friendlier!).

If the gentlemen on the evening news is to believed, people who have experience divorce or the death of a partner are 20% more likely to suffer chronic health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, cancer...

I visited my doctor yesterday afternoon, who suggested that I have an x-ray taken of my wrist and then visit a sports medicine-type person afterwards to see what can be done. I'm looking forward to resolving this one way or another once and for all.

Yesterday evening I attended the farewell gathering for one of my closest friends, who will be moving to South West England to begin a new life with her fiance. I spent the night at her place, which gave us the chance to ease into our goodbyes and such. I hope to see her again soon for this fall's Oktoberfest in Munich...

I'm leaving Toronto for NYC this evening and won't be back until Monday morning. I'm looking forward to visiting my place that is more chaotic than the inside of my mind :)

For the love of god, I just hurt my previously sprained wrist AGAIN! Booked an appointment with the doctor for Thursday... I'm suspecting a sprain shouldn't have taken this long to heal properly...

Oh, and I purchased a mountain bike from a friend of mine that will be emigrating to the England next week. So rather than walk the 25-30 minutes to campus (usually at a moderately brisk pace), I'm now getting perhaps a bit more of an intense workout getting there in 15 minutes. The seat needs some adjustment, as I think it's putting a bit too much strain on the area leading up to my knees. Another thing I've noticed is that both cyclists and drivers alike are pretty careless on the road... makes me think that purchasing a helmet should be on my list of priorities!

Day 49

I visited the gym this afternoon for the first time in what seems a long while. Here's a breakdown:

Five minute warmup on the Elliptical

Leg Press

1 set x 15 reps 90 lb

1 set x 15 reps 270 lb

1 set x 15 reps 360 lb

1 set x 12 reps 450 lb

* probably could have gone up to 540 lb but would have needed someone to spot me.

Standing Calf Raises

1 set x 15 reps 115 lb

1 set x 15 reps 155 lb

1 set x 15 reps 195 lb

Leg Extensions

1 set x 15 reps 60 lb

1 set x 15 reps 75 lb

1 set x 15 reps 90 lb

Leg Curls

1 set x 15 reps 50 lb

1 set x 15 reps 60 lb

1 set x 12 reps 70 lb

Hip Flexors

1 set x 15 reps 100 lb

1 set x 15 reps 120 lb

1 set x 15 reps 140 lb

Hip Abductors

1 set x 15 reps 70 lb

1 set x 15 reps 90 lb

1 set x 15 reps 110 lb

Sitting Calf Raises

1 set x 15 reps 60 lb

1 set x 15 reps 80 lb

1 set x 15 reps 100 lb

5 minute cooldown on the Elliptical followed by lower body stretches.

A few days ago, Sean wrote that he takes criticism to heart, but blows off compliments... and after reading this, I realized that I do much of the same. It's left me wondering where this habit began...

Last Thursday evening, I visited joined some friends for a Vietnamese-themed dinner party, spring rolls are delicious! A close friend of mine that joined us prepared a low-glycemic blueberry crumble in my honour. I'm realizing that a part of making good food choices is spending time with friends that make them as well... Looking back on my PCP thus far, a few of my poorer selections have been with one person in particular.

Just waiting on my steel cut oats to cool down so I eat breakfast...

In an effort to improve upon the diversity within my vegetable intake, I'm started making big-ass salads containing an assortment of good-for-you's... including broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers (assorted colors), bean sprouts, tomatoes, carrots, canned tuna (skipjack), goat cheese... I find that the juice of the tomatoes and some of the other ingredients provides enough moisture that a salad dressing is unnecessary. Balsamic vinaigrette would otherwise be a good option, but the sulphites that it contains don't agree with me...

I'm feeling a bit smoother 'round the edges as of late, likely owing the the apartment being much quieter in Cesar's absence. He sent me an email from Argentina last night... more of the same lies/excuses (the distinction is no longer clear to me). I found I couldn't formulate a reply that I was happy with so I chose not to. In hind sight, it's probably best that I not allow myself to get hooked back into familiar patterns. What's done is done.

I've started spreading the word that I'll be leaving for Japan for a year beginning next August if I'm accepted into the JET Programme. To give me an extra edge application-wise, I've decided to begin volunteering my time at the Japan Foundation here in Toronto, from whom a letter of reference should be worth it's weight in gold... wait... a sheet of paper doesn't weight very much...

Strange dreams: a crappy workout at the gym, a game over playing Super Mario World for the SNES, footage of Lady Gaga performing her singles to date...

I'll be upfront. My commitment to my PCP has been all over the place the past few days. This will be rectified beginning tomorrow morning.

As far back as ten years ago, I dreamed of participating in the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme. Now that I think about it, one of the motivating factors behind my decision to pursue a post-secondary education was the programme's requirement of a Bachelor's degree. As my relationship with Cesar progressed however, I felt less and less justified in leaving the country for a year... and perhaps uncertain that I could survive that long without him. Well that was then, this is now (this is Stouffer's...), and wouldn't you know it, I ended our relationship and am still around to tell the tale. The other night at dinner, I was reintroduced to a friend of a friend of mine who participated in the JET programme and since then it's been at the forefront of my thoughts. But as luck would have it, there are new barriers to my participation in the programme, this time of a medical nature. It's been so disheartening to consider the possibility that I might be disqualified from participation because of something even further from my control... I contacted the local consulate desk and the representative I spoke with seemed uncertain as to the answer she provided, so I sent a message to a CLAIR Programme Coordinator and was reassured that I will be on equal footing with other applicants come this September. I feel as though I now have at least something to look forward to in what has otherwise seemed a bleak few months... HUZZAH!

So... according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), my results of my most recent bloodwork indicates that I am prediabetic. Strange that my doctor didn't seem to be as concerned about it as I am (he even showed me a nice little graph of my rising fasting blood. Since the usual recommendation of losing weight doesn't really apply in my case, the only other option is increase my exercise and/or more aggressively cut my carbohydrate intake. I would very much like to avoid insulin sensitizing medications if at all possible.

I just learned an important lesson: always taste milk before you add anything to it, even if it's from an unopened bag. Tasted like what I imagine rancid fish oil would be like... blech.

Edit: uhoh, feels as though that bad milk is now entering my digestive system @_@

I think that's going to be it for the jump rope for at least today... I was just approaching the 200 mark when the rope snagged itself on my foot. Of course my forearms were still moving in rotation so when the rope pulled taught, the wrist I sprained was jerked into an awkward and immediately painful angle. ARGH! That, and I can't get used to jumping with shoes on... it's almost as if the awareness of my body's surface area isn't taking into account that added by the shoe, and I trip on the rope much more often. That and having the rope hit your toes is a quick reminder that you're becoming too lax.

I'll still get my fat-burning cardio in, it'll just have to be on the elliptical when I visit the gym this afternoon.

If anyone is looking for a track to accompany their pcp workouts, I've uploaded a few for your listening pleasure. Password is pcp.

Mariah Carey's 'Touch My Body (Seamus Haji Club Mix)

Lisa Miskovsky's 'Still Alive' (Benny Benassi Mix)

Lady Gaga's 'Poker Face' (Jody Den Broeder Remix)

...and for you Street Fighter fans:

Clamato Fever (trust me, you'll recognize the track)

Day 29

I begin a new semester of the summer session this week; Introduction to Psychology on Mondays and Wednesdays, and Great Moments in Astronomy on Tuesdays and Thursdays. A bit late in the game to be taking introductory courses, but I had needed to ensure that my degree requirements were fulfilled by completing a minimum of one credit in sciences (the remainder have been in either humanities or social sciences). Hard to believe that in about a month and a half, I will be done with my undergraduate degree course-wise, and will only need to await a convocation ceremony in November!

I decided against attending any of this weekend's Pride festivities, and was actually at the gym during the parade completing some medium-intensity isolation exercises for calves, hamstrings, quads, and hip flexors and abductors (in addition to an abs circuit at home earlier in the day). Funny story... I'm having some difficulty fitting into pants, not because of my waist size, but because my thighs are too big @_@ Now if only I could have that same problem dressing my upper body!

Day 26

I left the gym today feeling depressed... the wrist I sprained is still holding me back from doing some of what I was capable of before (i.e. supinated grip pulldowns). BUT, I was able to cover most of my bases PCP-wise (jump rope to follow this evening) so I guess I shouldn't be overly hard on myself. Maybe it's because this weekend is Pride week in Toronto...

I had plans to meet with a friend of mine after the my workout at the gym and, learning from past experiences, packed a lunch. I imagine it was a bit of a strange sight; the two of us sitting in the food court, her with fish and chips smothered in tartar and plum sauce, and me with my steel cut oats. I took the opportunity to tease her for being an aspiring diabetic.

Day 25

Some of you may be interested in reading this NY Times article, which discusses the ways in which overeating is in some ways a product of the engineering of food so as to be irresistible.

Day 24

One of the character faults that I've discovered of myself is a fear of confrontation. For the past few weeks I have been working to remedy this by being more assertive.

As I walked home from campus after last night's exam, I thought that the current state of affairs between Cesar and I wasn't to either of our benefit. Later that evening, I sat down with him and explained that he didn't have to like me or the fact that I was living with him, but nothing was going to change the fact that for the next while we would be sharing an apartment together. So we could either make the best of the situation and treat each other like human beings worthy of common decency, or resort to our more baser instincts and create a living hell on earth. He agreed.

...BUT as it turns out, he'll be departing for Peru in the week or so and won't be returning until sometime in September. So while my new-found assertiveness appears at first glance to have been for naught, I'm still proud of myself for taking the opportunity granted to me by this unpleasant situation, and working to resolve it to the benefit of all parties involved.

It is a bit disheartening to see the regressive of Cesar's character towards that which I would associate with the beginning of our relationship five years ago (though I didn't quite see it as clearly then as I do now). Running away to Peru isn't going to resolve any of his problems, and I let him know this, adding that he should be wary of waking up one day to the sad realization that he has squandered his life by not fulfilling his potential (here referencing a mutual acquaintance of ours that I think we both agree has done so).

I am a bit excited to have the apartment more to myself. I'm not the type of person that enjoys excess noise and such (whereas Cesar as not problem blaring dance music for hours on end), and it should aid in rendering the apartment a comfortable atmosphere in which to exercise again.

Not to be outdone by Sean's videos, I thought I would share one of my own from my Youtube favorites list:

Gordon Ramsay's Broccoli Soup

Uploaded Day 22 photos... nothing too impressive but I am noticing a bit of toning in my arms and back.

Day 19

My wrist is still a bit sore but I was able to crank out a good enough workout in the gym this afternoon to cover my bases PCP-wise. I'm still not up to full blown pull-ups so machine-assisted it was! I may experiment with wrapping it up so I can get back into jump rope, or simply change things up with some elliptical (monitoring my heart rate to ensure I'm in the fat burning mode described by Patrick).

The complete demise that was my five-year relationship with my now ex-partner has had me thinking about the future... By the end of the summer I will have earned the final credits I need to graduate in time for November's convocation ceremony. In some ways it's a relief to have completed my undergraduate degree but having missed the application deadlines for graduate school, I'm now realizing that I will soon be forced to rejoin the 9-5 world if I hope to eek out some semblance of a living (I suspect dancing for change wouldn't cut it).

and.... I had my personal trainer test my body fat percentage after working out today. Let's just say that I was probably dehydrated at the time because I don't see how my body fat could increase by four percentage points when I thought I was actually looking a bit leaner.

Day 16

I sprained my wrist during an altercation with my ex-partner this past Saturday, after he ignored repeated warnings to vacate my personal space (we have continued to live together for economic reasons since our 'separation' a few months back). Modification of my assigned PCP exercise plan may be necessary for another day or so to ensure my wrist has sufficient recovery time.

Day 11

Running a bit behind this morning after having to make a trip to the grocery store so that I'd have a carbohydrate source (Nature's Path Organic Acai Plus granola with dried pomegranate and apple) and skim milk for breakfast. I normally prefer steel cut oats in the morning, but I forgot to prepare them the night before (d'oh!).

875 jump ropes

4 sets x 16 reps (each leg) stationary lunges

3 sets x 15 reps crunches

3 sets x 10 reps pulse twists

3 sets x 10 reps twisting crunches

3 sets x 15 reps leg-ups

3 sets x 10 reps forward shoulder raises

3 sets x 10 reps standing ovations

3 sets x 10 reps rows

I had meant to complete 975 reps of the jump rope but apparently wasn't capable of doing the match correctly at the time. Added some core exercises since that area is one of my weaker ones, but went easy on the forward shoulder raises, standing ovations, and rows since I still need to recover from yesterday's gym workout in time for tomorrow's.

Time to eat! ^_^

Day 9

Morning PCP workout:

300 reps x 3 sets jump rope

Only 600 reps were prescribed by Patrick for today, but in the interests of loosening up where my diet is concerned, I decided to up the reps on this exercise because of its positive effects on insulin sensitivity. I probably could have cranked out another 300 but perhaps because I had eaten only 45 minutes prior, or because I hadn't been aware enough of my breathing, I started suffering a cramp in one of my lungs *ouch!* I'm continuing to do these barefoot, and damn it hurts when the rope hits my toes! *laughs* Negative reinforcement? I decided to wait on the remaining exercises until after this afternoon's workout at the gym with my personal trainer, so I don't 'double-dip' on any of them.

Afternoon gym workout:

Evening PCP workout:

PCP Diet:

Breakfast: Carbs-150g Veg-160g Protein-1egg 200ml milk

Morning snack:150g fruit 80ml yogurt

Lunch: Carbs-180g Veg-180g Protein-170g meat

Afternoon snack:150g fruit 80ml yogurt

Dinner: Carbs-150g Veg-160g Protein-140g meat

Night snack: 120g fruit 200ml milk 1egg white

I think I may need to do some calculations around 'carbs' so that the amount listed reflects grams of carbohydrates rather than cooked weight in grams. Case in point:

Say I select Dempster's whole wheat bread as my 'carb' source for breakfast (should whole wheat bread be considered a processed food?). Each two slices are approximately 71 grams, containing 24.5 grams of of available carbohydrates after subtracting fibre. Eating 150 grams of this bread then, would provide my body with approximately 52 grams of available carbohydrates. Sounds good so far? The Glycemic Index (which ranks carbohydrates according to their effect on our blood glucose levels) of whole wheat bread is 67, and so to get the actual glycemic load of eating 150 grams of this bread, we calculate 67 (glycemic index) /100 * 52 (grams available carbohydrates), which gives us a result of about 35. Where glycemic load is concerned, anything above 19 is high. As you can see, the effect on blood sugar levels wouldn't be too pretty.

Now glycemic index, load, and whatnot isn't something that everyone need to be concerned about... however my native ancestry puts me at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, which I have a positive family history for (my grandmother is diabetic, my mother is pre-diabetic). This doesn't mean I have to avoid carbohydrates altogether, but I do need to be concerned about the effect of each meal containing carbohydrates on my blood sugar levels.

Side note here: jumping rope should improve insulin sensitivity, which means my body should be more efficient at getting that glucose out of my blood stream to where it belongs.

Knowing the grams of available carbohydrates to eat to begin with, rather than the cooked weight, would allow me (after some calculations I could have done for me in an excel spreadsheet) to select carbohydrate sources based on the maximum glycemic index I could consume for that meal, without having the glycemic load surpass 19 (although a load of 19+, within reason, should be alright for just after a workout). Eating protein and fat with carbohydrates does serve to, in effect, lower the glycemic index of the carbohydrate, however in our example, I don't think one egg, an egg white, and 200mL of milk (approximately 20 grams of protein) would lower the load from 35 to equal to or lower than 19...

The reason I eat steel cut oats is because aside from being freaking delicious, they are carbohydrate dense but have a low glycemic index (42), which means I can a whopping 69 grams (raw weight) containing 45 grams available carbohydrates without exceeding a load of 19. And I include protein in this meal as well, to blunt that down either further. Finding low glycemic index carbohydrate dense foods however, is a bit of a challenge. I tried out pearl barley and that just seemed to upset my stomach...

Day 6: Conditioning for AWESOME!

Early afternoon PCP workout:

140 reps x 3 sets jump rope

I decided to double up on these, adding another 70 to the last set to make them all equal. If Patrick's okay with it, I think I'd like to continue with this modification.

12 reps x 4 sets lunges (each leg)

Again, I performed these as stationary lunges, so to be safe I did 4 sets of 12 reps for each leg.

10 reps x 4 sets push ups

Kept to my knees again today (as depicted), so as to avoid overtaxing myself after yesterday's chest press in the gym.

12 reps x 4 sets leg ups

I was interrupted between set 2 and 3 by a brief phone call, so I added another set for good measure.

I tried using Nullriver's Medialink software to stream video from my Macbook through my PS3 to my TV but the result was pretty choppy... looks as though I may need to look into a mini-display port to HDMI adapter and HDMI cable (for video), and toslink to mini-toslink cable (for audio), in order to enjoy some of the yoga video podcasts I've found.

Day 5

Morning PCP workout:

70 reps x 5 sets jump rope

I finally got around to shortening the rope by an inch, and then decided to try these barefoot today... first two sets were perfect!

15 reps x 4 sets squats

I was perhaps a bit too concerned about forward leaning on these (knees passing the toes), and once or twice lost my balance backwards

8 reps x 4 sets push ups

I decided to do these on my knees today (as depicted), as I wasn't certain what this afternoon's workout in the gym would bring

17 reps x 3 sets sit ups

The effort in these is to ensure I'm inhaling/exhaling rather than holding my breath

Afternoon gym workout:

Sled hack squat, shoulder press, chest press, cable rows, lat pull-downs, cable tricep curls

Felt bloody fantastic leaving the gym today! ...the morning PCP workout may be priming me for the gym workout later.

Day 3

Breakfast:

Kellogg's Special K (lightly toasted rice cereal) with microfiltered skim milk frozen wild blueberries

Lunch:

2 fried eggs with goat cheese in a whole wheat pita

Afternoon workout:

8.5 km (9349 steps) brisk walking around downtown, picking up my loan documents from the registrar's office on campus, a voided cheque from the bank, and visiting the post office to have the loan documents processed for deposit into my bank account.

I think I'll find something to eat and head back out to run some additional errands. As my current protein powder (Optimum Nutrition's 100% Whey Gold Standard) gives me headaches if I double dose (sometimes necessary when I use it as part of a meal replacement), I'm going to try out their Natural that doesn't use acesulfame potassium as an artificial sweetener.

Day 2

I decided to crank out today's workout in the morning before breakfast:

50 reps x 5 sets jump rope

Still need to further shorten the rope by about 2 inches

15 reps x 3 sets (each leg) stationary lunges

I was tempted to modify these to Bulgarian split squats

10 reps x 3 sets lying leg-ups

Wasn't pliable enough in my legs to be able to do these straight-legged so I kept my knees slightly bent

8 reps x 3 sets push-ups

Dumbbells are working just fine for these... trying to ensure I'm leading with my chest not my hips

Breakfast was 1/2 possibly-organic steel cut oats with 1/2 frozen wild blueberries with a drizzle of organic maple syrup, washed down with a protein shake (didn't halve this meal as I knew I would need the energy for a workout with my personal trainer later in the afternoon.

Afternoon workout:

15 reps leg curls (warm up)

15 reps at 180 lbs. leg press superset with 15 reps at 25 lbs. shoulder press (warmup)

15 reps at 360 lbs. leg press superset with 15 reps at 35 lbs. shoulder press

12 reps at 540 lbs. leg press superset with 15 reps at 45 lbs. shoulder press

10-15 reps cable rows superset with incline chest press x 3 sets

10-15 reps assisted dips superset with assisted pull ups x 3 sets

15 reps standing calf raises superset with hip abductor superset with hip flexor x 2 sets

leg curls until exhaustion

Lunch was a made to order chicken and bean burrito purchased for me by my personal trainer. Again, no portion of the that meal escaped by lips, but I imagine I expended enough energy between the two workouts today to compensate. I also skipped the recovery drink (hydrolyzed protein and simple carbohydrates) that I would normally enjoy post workout).

Dinner was one fried egg with goat cheese in a whole wheat pita... this is probably actually half of what I would have normally eaten (I typically can't rely on feelings of fulness as an adequate indicator that I am eating enough calories necessary for weight maintenance).

25-30 minute brisk walk to and then from class this evening from 6-9PM (Introduction to Semantics).

My last meal was another 1/2 possibly-organic steel cut oats with 1/2 frozen wild blueberries with a drizzle of organic maple syrup, washed down with a protein shake, while I began reading 'Twilight'.

Finished Day 1's workout!

50 reps x 3 sets jump rope

I may have to further shorten the length of the rope

15 reps x 3 sets squats

These were about the equivalent of a warm-up for me

8 reps x 3 sets push ups using dumbbells

As expected these were more difficult

15 reps x 3 sets crunches

Had to go back and do these a second time after accidently shortchanging the reps

I was interrupted by a phone call from a friend I haven't heard from in a year or two, but I'm pretty certain it wouldn't have made a difference either way. I did notice some lower back strain during the crunches (I'm used to doing hanging leg raises, or pendulums, or bent leg crunches with a fitness ball underneath me), but I had also noticed that earlier in the day (had a dream about doing leg presses last night *laughs*).

I thought $20 was a bit expensive for a 'speed rope' from the Nike store, however after checking out comparable products at Sport Check, I'm now satisfied with the purchase. Not sure whether I'll purchase their push-up bar or look for something similar from another company as I would prefer something of metal rather than plastic construction.

I seem to have figured out the camera situation (I'll be using the built-in camera on my Macbook). Time to figure out a silhouette shot and then shower! (looking forward to trying Aveda's hair and body bar).

Lunch this afternoon was full of FAIL (as Gwen and Patrick would love to hear). I should have known better than to agree to a meal at a foodcourt. Pineapple chicken, island fries (something akin to pan fried potatoes sauteed in some type of sugar-based glaze), served on a bed of chow mein noodles, and washed down with watermelon bubble tea. My only consolation is that the fat (albeit hydrogenated) and poor-quality protein may have blunted the insulin spike somewhat. I may up the sets of jump rope this evening in an effort to somewhat offset my earlier indiscretions.

Purchased a 'speed rope' at the Nike store while I was out (if I venture back out I'll take a look at their push-up bars (I assume these would have rotating grips), but otherwise the dumbbells may have to suffice for the time being. There is a Sport Check in the Eaton Center as well that may be worthy of reconnaissance.

My dedicated Sony Cybershot camera doesn't seem to want to play nice with my Macbook, so today's picture is brought to you by the 2.0 megapixel Sony Cybershot camera on my Sony Ericsson phone. I'll try to work out a better setup (perhaps using my Macbook's camera) later this evening.

Had a bowl of Nature's Path Organic Blueberry Almond Muesli cereal with skim milk this morning for breakfast (perhaps lunch might be a more appropriate descriptor since said meal was consumed closer to noon). I might normally eat 1/2 cup (raw measure) of steel cut oats with 1/2 cup of frozen wild blueberries and a drizzle of maple syrup, chased down by an Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold Standard shake (which I'll soon be replacing since the acesulfame potassium used as an artificial sweetener can give me headaches).

I'll be meeting a friend of mine shortly to provide some moral support (her father was recently discovered to have a tumor in his neck), followed by what I will hope will be a healthy late lunch and shopping for a jump rope (the only place I can think of is the Nike Store. I may employ a set of dumbbells during the push-ups to ease the strain on my wrists.

Day Zero - Matthew Baxter Inc.

This past week, I chanced upon an interesting article prepared by the Cory Holly Institute. What follows is a section of the article which I found particularly striking:

For the true ectomorph or hard gainer, the two most important limiting factors that prevent normal weight gain and muscular development are metabolism and appetite. Metabolic rate is governed by genetics, but through training, science and nutrition, it is possible to calm things down in the same way we can speed things up for the endomorph. Food must be consumed according to the clock, not according to how you feel. Training is not an option. The entire process must be treated like a business enterprise, to be successful, you do what must be done whether you like it or not.

The article provides a list of recommendations, some of which I feel should be included in my PCP. They are as follows:

Increase food intake systematically: supply the demand

I’m not certain that I will manage to meet this week’s challenge to eat only half of what I would normally (as I may be doing this to some degree or another already). Perhaps what I can do instead is to continue to shift my diet from higher to lower glycemic carbohydrates in an effort to maintain stable blood sugar levels.

Learn how to sedate the mind & nervous system

This I’m going to need Patrick’s input on... I imagine that calming my body (with the aim of slowing down my metabolism slightly), should help to allow for a reduction in food consumption.

Create a growth impulse through progressive resistance-training: train like a powerlifter/bodybuilder

I will be seeing a personal training Tuesday and Thursday this week, and may need to modify Patrick’s assigned workout for those days (abs and jump rope shouldn’t be a problem), depending on the nature of my time at the gym. For example, where Patrick may have assigned squats, I will have likely done a few sets of leg presses at increments between 180-450 lbs.

Modify aerobic activity and minimize unnecessary fuel expenditure

Since last fall, I’ve walked thirty minutes and thirties minutes from campus to avoid the expense of a $100+ public transportation pass... for the next few weeks, such trips will only occur twice weekly. In terms of aerobic activity, I won’t shy away from the jump rope workouts, as these should serve to improve my fasted blood glucose.

Reduce or eliminate intake of empty carbohydrates & chemically damaged fats

As per Patrick’s recommendations, I resolve to eliminate refined white sugar wherever possible (using agave nectar in its place), and be cautious of hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats.

Consume slow-burning, low-glycemic energy dense fuel

My main sources of carbohydrate will be whole-wheat spaghettini (good), steel-cut oats (also good), and pearl barely (best).

Stimulate the appetite (weight-lifting, B12 & zinc)

I do have a B-complex vitamin in the cupboard I should be taking, as well as a zinc and magnesium supplement that I will consider. I expect the workouts Patrick has in store will have my already roaring metabolism screaming for food.

Improve sleep habits (power naps & evening calcium loading)

I’m not sure whether power naps are warranted at this point (and will ignore the calcium loading recommendation all together). My sleep habits however, are admittedly in need of improvement. This week I resolve to unplug my alarm clock (already done!), sleep eight hours or until I naturally wake up (whichever is longer), and get to bed at a decent hour (before midnight seems an appropriate starting goal).

Avoid stimulants (ephedrine, caffeine, tobacco)

Ephedrine and tobacco are non-issues, however I may occasionally consume some caffeine via tea (e.g. chai, organic white), chocolate (typically 80% or greater dark), and rarely cola. I think I will eliminate consumption of black tea (including chai), chocolate, and cola... and increase my consumption of organic white (the blueberry flavour I’ve found is delicious), and naturally caffeine-free herbal infusions (I’m a big fan of Tazo’s Calm).

Consume liberal amounts of clean fats & oils.

I only ever use cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil (there isn’t actually any other type of oil to be found in the apartment), and restrict myself to using it for no more than medium heat cooking. I should probably look for a secondary oil to compliment the ratio of monounsaturated to polyunsaturated fats in the olive oil.