Day 15 - Wow, that Apple was Sweet?!

I have never really been a fan of Apples. Yeah, they were okay, but often I just didn't get what all the fuss was about. Some were juicy, some fleshy, some crisp, but... hey, it's an apple. It falls on your head, right?

With trying new fruits and veggies in the Peak Condition Project, we remembered we discovered this little Indie of a fruit called "Honey Crisp last year." Come to find out, the goodness I remember from last year is WAY better this year. Good crop? Or my taste buds aligning with all this non-processed yummy? I think the later. Biting in to one of these bad boys today was an explosion. Crisp, tart and very juicy. Nice reward for my mid morning snack. I had easily passed up the morning office kolaches in the office for my fruit. Looking at the box of baked goods brought in, they all seemed heavy, and like they would coat my tongue with some unnamed slathering of oils, and ick. No thanks. It was really rather easy to pass them by. Then, when I got to my morning apple, I realized why. This was what my body was craving for fuel. Love the diet transformation that is happening. I have wanted this for a long time, good to feel it.

Now, if I can get my exercise self to match my diet transformation. All will be grand.

I love working out and feeling my muscles strain and rebuild. I have loved working out most of my life. Yeah, a little sick, but I do love it. But last night...I gave myself an out. I needed a night off. My body was cratering under some of the muscle and joint pressure and mentally, I just wasn't there. Yeah, I feel a tad guilty, but now I am totally itching to get home and face the next week's challenges. Instead, I regrouped, focused on preparing healthy meals for the week and rested my body with some anti-inflammatory support. Mondays are sometimes tough, these may be my most difficult days. I thought it would be Friday evenings. But working out on Friday evening has actually been a relief to focus on the workout and close out the work week behind me with a bit of sweat. Monday. Yeah, Monday's may be my challenge. Knowing that, I can prepare mentally for next Monday.

As always, Bring it!

Day 8 - or How to Boil an Egg

This seems to be a recurring theme, how to do the simple things and make them meaningful. We keep doing things the same way we always have even though we may not like the results. We keep asking around our house why boiling an egg has become so difficult. Okay, it is not the boiling that is the problem, but the peeling. The shells stick to the membrane and the membrane is tough as industrial strength saran wrap! I don't remember eggs like this as a young'in. My mom made eggs easy to peel and I used to make a game out of starting at one end and peeling the whole egg in one continuous shell. Kind of like peeling an orange in one continuous loop. It just doesn't happen any more?! So, is it due to some strange change in our chickens, eggs, or in the preparation?

We have tried different eggs: white, brown, free range, etc. All seem to have the same problem. Hmm.... maybe it is the cook? With that fleeting thought, and eggs on the menu, I wanted to see what I am doing or not doing right.

The NY Times has a pretty sweet article on How to Boil an Egg: So Simple, but not Easy. Not bad, they reference Julia Child and others. Must be something to it. But guess what? Even they can't really agree. There seem to be LOTS of ways to boil an egg. I do think I am sometimes lax on the cold water bath immediately after boiling. That will be my first plan to change. Then, oh dear, working my way through other options:

• the 10 minute egg
• the 10-17 minute egg
• the bring to boil then rest in hot water egg
• the four hour egg????

An entire post about eggs and simply boiling them. Even in the NY Times.

Maybe it isn't so simple after all?

Maybe it is finding the simple way to do things that works for you and yields results. Like, I wonder why all those fancy diets and workout programs don't work, especially when there are so many experts insisting their way is best. Somehow I think a simple set of tools, consistency and being honest about what works and doesn't is best.

So, here is to simply jumping rope, strengthening muscles, eating "food" and avoiding what isn't food. And hoping peeling eggs gets easier.

Day 3 - Oh hai

Hello legs. Nice to meet you again.

But,...um, if I am not mistaken, you seemed to have picked up some weight since yesterday. Really? I mean, don't take this the wrong way, but you sure felt heavier during the jumprope sets than the day before.

And now it gets very real. Posting Day 1 photos. Ouch. I know what I should look like, so it will be nice to see the transformation back to something I am more familiar with. Started revealing to more people about the project today. All seem very interested and excited. Several in my work place already knew about the project and are totally envious. I am not one to go around shouting about my personal life or what I am working on, but I have gotten much better at it the last few years. Going this public with something I am this focused on is different. Maybe not entirely different, but it seems so much more real in print and photos. Accountability, transparency. I talk about this nearly every day in my work for a web marketing company. Now it is time to walk the talk personally.

Again, Bring IT!

Day 2: Missed my morning half snack and legs

It's not that I am boring or regimented. But, okay... I could tend that way. Just because I take a morning break everyday and typically have a banana. At around 10:30 AM. Because my tummy tells me so! Nah, I am not regimented (shyly hides behind hand and peaks out). Today provided back to back meetings where I needed to be focused and out of the office. 10:30 came and went and no half a banana, after half of my breakfast. I missed it, but you know? I think it was psychological more than anything. By the time I finally got to my banana in the safety of my car, half was just fine. Whew. No worries. Besides, I think I am totally enjoying my bananas even more knowing they are a luxury of calories and sugar I won't be able to afford later.

Day two exercises

Included some nifty lunges. Made it just fine and with good form and knees felt great, but the last set started tickling me a bit. Yeah, tickling!? Causing internal laughing. As in, "giggle", your going to totally feel that walking down the stairs in the morning. My thighs will be a little weak and jelly like. I will smile.

Still laughing, but most important, it feels really good to focus on a muscle group and feel it move and stretch. I find when I concentrate specifically on the exercise and muscles involved, I enjoy the workout so much more. I love the feeling of muscles moving and being torn down a bit to build them back up again. Awesome!

Reving Up - Day 1

New blog, new program, building a strong foundation of health and diet to be in my peak physical and mental condition. I am ready for The Peak Condition Project.

I don't look at this as a beginning really, but rather a continuation of an ongoing journey. I have steadily increased my awareness and practice of healthier living as I continue to grow. I was raised by parents who started their family very late in their life and I watched them age not as gracefully as they would have hoped. Seeing that firsthand made the impression early on that what I do now has a direct impact on my ability to fully enjoy life later.

As I continue to learn more about my own fitness levels, nutrition, and abilities, I see each lesson take me closer to being my best. I still feel there is much to learn and accomplish. I am ready to see what determinedly pushing myself to meet exacting goals can do for me in a short period of time.

90 days. Another step in the continuous journey to my best self. Another step in enjoying life both now and for my future. I am so looking forward to this project.

Day 1 Review: The workout and diet today were manageable. A few muscle groups not used so recently let me know they were being used, a few hunger pangs and maybe a headache along the way. Did I cut my food in half? Mostly. Probably down to about 1000-1200 calories by days end and then a workout. My body will adjust and I suspect about the time it adjusts, we will be given new assignments to push again.

Exactly what I am excited about. Bring It!