Day 29 - Still not fully recovered

Knees are improving still taking anti-inflammatory pills and applying Voltaren on both knees. I just hope not falling behind the training as the exercises are ramping-up quickly and still I can't do much with my legs (jump rope, jumps etc...). I am trying to stick to the upper body workout to maintain the muscles.

To compensate and to follow Patrick's advises, I cut a good part of my daily carbs until I can come back to a full workout session. The only indulgence I had this week was a chocolate croissant which is in the limits that were fixed by Patrick.

Weight loss is not that bad so far and I am making sure I keep the diet under control until fully recovered. Tomorrow is a holiday in Dubai and should be able to relax and take care of the kid.

Day 25 - Visit at orthopedic surgeon

Hi there

The lower body exercises and the skipping have weakened my knees to the point I have not been able to walk properly for the past week.

I went to the dr today and I had been asked to rest for a week. I guess I won't have the right for the indulgences because I need to watch my food intake carefully to maintain the progress made to date

Very challenging times

Day 22 - Travel to Asia

Hi Folks,


Will be travelling to Singapore and maybe I can meet a PCPer there. Food and weighting food will be a challenge but I will try to ask for a vegetarian meal at the check-in. Will probably be busy for the next couple of days so I will be back on line soon !


Have a good Week #4

Day 20 / 21 - Biking instead of skipping

My knee is still hurting me and I decided to give it some rest until further notice. On the 20th I could not do anything with my legs so I did the upper body and the resistance band exercises. On the 21st, I took a voltaren and went to the bike for 25 minutes in a workout interval. It's improving slightly but I guess it will take more time to recover. I will continue with biking until I feel I can get back jumping more than 1300 times a day.

Food wise, I am feeling less hungry so my stomach is getting used to the quantities. Everybody around me does not understand why in this diet we eat so much and eat carbs all day !! I am keeping faith and results have started showing.

PCP registration - 91.8 Kg
PCP week 1 - 89.8 kg, 31.16 kg of fat, 35.38 kg of muscles
PCP week 2 - 89.2 kg, 30.51 kg of fat, 35.5 kg of muscles
PCP week 3 - 88.2 kg, 29.55 kg of fat, 35.72 kg of muscles

The great news is that fat is going down (at a low speed) and muscles are being maintained so the formula works so far.

Are we going to see an acceleration on burning fat?

Workout Mix - Week #3

Workout sessions seem to increase in difficulty. I thought it would be good to share with you guys some mixes that I prepare for mine.

Every week, I will start posting some mixes for the workout sessions. Not a promise but I will try to have one per week. Each set would be around 30 minutes.

Week #3 Mix

Here is the first set starting this week. Hope you will enjoy it. If you guys like some music, I can try to integrate them in the next mixes.

Those are my favorite energizing songs

And now the playlist

1. Speak (Original Mix) - Ee-Sma

2. Always and Forever (Dj Antoine Mix)- Chocolate Puma

3. Pjanoo - Pryda

4. Last Forever - Norman Doray

5. Come On Fiesta Loca - Desaparecidos vs. Javi Mula

6. Take me higher - Jonni Black vs. Shena 

To download the mix, click here Workout Mix Week #3

Enjoy your workout.

Day 19 - Knee not improving much

Today I could not hit the gym because of my tendinitis. Will go later tonight and do some biking instead of skipping. The rest of the exercises are fine. Tried to get resistance bands from the US but they don't ship oversees. The one I had don't seem to do much during rowing even if i stretch them a lot and minimize the time the muscle is not working.


I have posted today the disco playlist that some have asked. I will also try to prepare a mini set every week for the workout (30-45 min) if I can find the time.

Day 18 - Dim sum day

I got hurt to my knee probably a tendinitis. Having difficulties stepping and impossible to skip. I decided first to distance my training and push it to the late evening to give me maximum time to recover. Also I did biking in the gym for 30 minutes at a level of resistance between 7 and 10. Overall calories effort was 300Kcal which is equivalent to what I loose when doing skipping. Tomorrow I will probably do again the bike to give my leg some time. My bro used to be a professional tennis player and recommended to use ice to increase blood influx into the injury which i did. I also used Voltarene to reduce the pain.


Food wise, we had lunch with a friend at Ping Pong a dim sum place in Dubai (they are not that many unlike you guys in Asia). Tried to take a salad and see food dim sums, half a small portion of sticky rice with prawns.


Night I had dinner at home with rice (tiny portion - 60gr) with squid in a home made tomato sauce that was used as a way to account for my vegs portion.

Disco playlist

Hey there,


As mentioned earlier, I do DJ for fun. On day 9 I had to mix for a party with the theme Disco / hippies. Mimi has asked me to share the playlist so here we go...


1. Theme from Shaft - Isaac Hayes
2. Don't stop Till Get Enough - Michael Jackson
3. We are family - Sister Sledge
4. Relight My fire - Dan Hartman
5. It's a Raining Men - The Weather Girls
6. Hot Stuff - Donna Summers
7. Don't Go - Yazoo
8. Megamix (Long version) - Boney M.
9. I feel love - Donna Summers
10. Staying Alive (Extended version) - Bee Gees
11. Just and Illusion - Imagination
12. Disco Inferno - The Trammps
13. That's the way I like it - KC & the Sunshine Band
14. Born to be alive - Patrick Hernandez
16. Last night DJ saved my life - Indeep
17. You should be dancing - Bee Gees
18. Don't leave me this way - Thelma Houston
19. Billie Jean - Michael Jackson
20. YMCA - Village People
21. Faith - George Michael
22. I'm so excited - The Pointer Sisters
23. Enola Gay - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
24. Les Lacs De Connemara - Michel Sardou


Then I moved to something more modern to introduce a change


25. Got to Have 2010 - DJ Prince
26. Memories - David Guetta
27. Alors on dance - Stromae
28. Come on Fiesta Loca - Desaparecidos vs. Javi Mula
29. Farao 2009 (Radio Edit) - Raf Marchesini & Max B
30. Rise Up (Fly over the rainbow) [Vandalism Remix] - Yves Larock
31. Proper Education (DJTate Re-Rub) - Pryda
32. Destination Calabria - Alex Gaudino
34. Disco's Revenge (Freemasons Club Mix) - Gusto
35. Bucovina (Magan and Rodriguez Remix) - Ian Oliver ft. Shantel
36. Turn me on - Kevin Little
37. Papi Chulo - K3
38. Calinda - Ritmo Dynamic
39. Celebration (Disco Dealers Remix) - Henry Blank ft. Madonna


Break of the rhythm again ...


40. 1,2 3 Maria - Ricky Martin
41. Elegibo - Relight Orchestra
42. Un Gaou a Oran
43. Abdelkader - 1,2,3 Soleil.


That should be a good start to keep you busy for couple of hours

Day 16 - Overcome the first resistance

Getting to the gym every morning is a challenge. There is always this little resistance and little voice telling you "well let's do that this evening". You force yourself and hit the gym downstairs, start skipping and you feel so heavy. After 2 minutes things are getting better. Your ankles are not hurting you anymore, you feel you have a lot more energy. By the end of the workout you check your watch and see you just lost 400 Kcal.


There is a strong motivation to do so but what would happen after the PCP? Would we have to do the workout everyday?

Day 14 - Airplane food / Evolution of man

Travelling back and forth the same day keep your mind busy and surprisingly even by eating less I felt less hungry.


It is a struggle to find the right food in an airplane and I ended up not eating that much. Less is Better! There was some salad which I took. I asked the steward to give me another box of salad. Ate little meat and little rice. That's it.


On my way back as I was at the airport, I stopped by a juice beverage shop and asked for 2 fruits and a small chicken sandwich. That was my dinner. Not ideal but better than a muffin at Costa with a Latte. Once back at home, I felt I did not have enough proteins during the day so I compensated with a low fat yogurt. Took my courage in my hands and went to the gym to do my skipping. That was it for the day. 


Picture of the day

Evolution of Women and Men

Day 13 - Busy day at work

Have not worked out this morning and expecting to do so after dinner. Tomorrow I will be traveling and I don't know how I am going to manage pcp food with the plane, the meetings and the long wait at the airport before coming back to Dubai.

Day 12 - Workout at 1.30 AM

It was a long day. Did not manage to do my workout during the morning. I was busy with meetings and visitors. Later during the day, I visited some friends at the hospital then headed to the Japanese restaurant. I was not back home until 1.00 AM. I needed to find the courage to do my workout after this long day. I small voice in my head was telling me now it's too late. I tried to motivate myself then headed to the gym in the middle of the night to pay my daily due of exercises. I felt very good after finishing the session. 


This morning (13th) I woke up late, and was in a hurry to prepare all my food. Did not manage to prepare my vegetables for lunch and I am wondering what am I going to do.

Day 11 - Too much skipping hurts !

Headed to the gym yesterday morning to do my workout. Started experimenting some advanced jump rope techniques including skipping on one leg for 10 jumps. By doing so I hurt my ankle that can't handle my weight! Tomorrow skipping will be difficult and I would have to replace it with something as good cardio wise but not as aggressive on the ankle. 


If you think you are bored using your rope, here are some routines one can use. http://www.projectswole.com/conditioning/9-routines-for-jumping-rope-with-power-and-endurance/


I am amazed to see so many jump rope techniques. Here is a sample.

• Basic double foot jump
• Alternating foot jump or boxer shuffle
• Single foot jump
• Heels
• Kicks
• Knees
• Jumping jacks
• Cross jacks
• Scissors
• Half twist
• Full twist
• Pendulum
• Rocking
• Slalom
• Arm crosses
• Traveling forward, backward, and sideways
• Traveling in a circle
• Squats
• Hamstring curls
• Doubles and triples
• Speed rope intervals

Food wise, I noticed that a lot of people feel they can't eat all what they have been allocated. On the contrary, I feel hungry most of the time even with so much food. Is that normal? The worst time is between 4 and 7 PM. I have to have dinner earlier evening otherwise my stomach is screaming. Went for a business dinner to a sea food restaurant and I am quite happy with my performance of sticking to the diet. In normal times, I would have eaten much more than this.


Enjoy your Sunday PCPers.

Day 9 - DJing tonight

Party planned tonight. The theme is disco hippies. I am supposed to be mixing tonight. Prepared the set with lot of good 80's stuff. Happy to share the playlist.

I went to the costume shop and bought a Michael Jackson famous thriller costume. I ended up winning the gift for the best costume of the night. Pictures of Michael Jackson DJing below !

Michael mixing

Working on a transition

Patrick and Mimi have asked me to share more details about DJing and the playlist so here we go.

A year ago, I decided to take some DJing lessons from a real DJ who performs in clubs here in Dubai (link to his website http://djgemofficial.com/) . I wanted to be able to mix for friends during parties.

After taking those lessons, I bought some equipment to do electronic DJing which is easier than using the classical turntables. But the results achieved could be far more impressive. See below video of DJ Rafik DMC Champion and the kind of things he does with electronic cue points.

I use a Mac with Traktor 2 - Pro from Native Instruments as a software to mix. I don't carry vinyls, my songs are on the PC in mp3. I also use a sound card Audio 8DJ from Native Instruments in order to listen in the headphones to the next tracks to play. To control the software, I use a MIDI controller VCI-100 Special Edition from DJTechtools. 

This setup is ideal for occasional DJs like me. It's very easy to carry to a party. When you I travel I usually take my Mac with me and train in the plane. I think the future of DJing will be  digital. Though you see a lot of resistance from hard core DJs that want to stick to the old way of DJing.

DJ Ian Golden has been pushing Digital DJing. Look at this impressive routine.

I don't have my Mac with me right now and I will share the playlist in the next couple of posts.

Day 8 - The real stuff started

First thing after Patrick's email,  I went to the supermarket yesterday. The grocery experience was VERY VERY different. I spent all the time on the fruit and vegetables section. I was amazed to see how much variety you can find actually. Problem is how to cook it. I will try to figure that out.

Headed to the gym this morning I feel much better. Push-ups still so-so have not done the max reps but it's improving. Finished the session with 5 minutes treadmill. It's scary to see how little energy you spend exercising vs. what you eat.

The chase of the fat continues and the battle is fierce. Advantage Karim but the game is not finished. Talk to you tomorrow.

Stats corner

(Day 8) weight 89.1Kg, fat 33.9%, bones 2.5Kg, water 49.6%, muscles 39.2%

(Day 7) weight 89.8Kg, fat 34.7%, bones 2.5Kg, water 49.0%, muscles 39.4%

(Day 6) weight 89.4Kg, fat 34.1%, bones 2.5Kg, water 49.4%, muscles 39.2%
(Day 5) weight 90Kg, fat 34.7%, bones 2.5Kg, water 48.9%, muscles 39.7%
(Day 4) weight 90.2Kg, fat 34.9%, bones 2.5 Kg, water 48.8%, muscles 39.5%
(Day 2) weight 90.5Kg, fat 35%, bones 2.5Kg, water 48.8%, muscles 38.8%

(Day -2) weight 91.8 Kg

Day 7 - Perspective on tracking calories

Hi there,


Nothing fancy today, the workout session was sweet and nice today. Weight went up slightly (which I don't understand) and muscles up (which I can understand). Never mind, let's see tomorrow what is going to happen with the new diet. I am nervous about what is coming!


Some people might think that tracking daily calories is a pain and they are absolutely right but as I embarked in this journey, I wanted to re-learn how to eat proper food. 34 years of heavy marketing from the food industry changes your perspectives and start thinking that in order to feel well all you need to do is to exercise. However, there is a huge mismatch between the efforts required to swallow a 'millefeuille' for instance and the amount of time needed to burn it on the treadmill. My take is that there is no way you can loose weight by only exercising.


In the last couple of days I started tracking my calories and so far there are 2 take-aways:


1) Tracking calories forces you to be conscious about what you are eating. When it comes to food, at the end of the day, we are very passive. We just decide what we feel like and beyond that we leave it to the restaurants or the supermarket to decide the details for us. Tracking calories helps you switch your mindset from a passive consumer to an active one.


2) You start getting a sense of what 300, 400 Kcal means. For instance a chocolate croissant swallowed in the morning by itself is equivalent to a nectarine, a yogurt, a bowl of cereals with milk. So you eat your croissant and you still feel hungry. You have the alternative and you are good to go for another 3 hours.


Would love to hear from you guys and get your perspective on this.




Food corner - 1347 Kcal
Breakfast (339 Kcal)
Muesli Cereals (50g)
Milk low fat (100ml)
A nectarine
Fruit yogurt low fat (125g)


Lunch (600 Kcal)
Quarter Pounder with Cheese no onions. 
Filet of Fish, without bread nor sauce.
No French Fries.


Adios McDonalds! I think 600K for the lunch is quite on the high side. Have to watch out for the next one. Tomorrow is a new Diet.


Dinner (307 Kcal)
Shrimps
Carrots / Zucchini


Stats corner
(Day 7) weight 89.8Kg, fat 34.7%, bones 2.5Kg, water 49.0%, muscles 39.4%
(Day 6) weight 89.4Kg, fat 34.1%, bones 2.5Kg, water 49.4%, muscles 39.2%
(Day 5) weight 90Kg, fat 34.7%, bones 2.5Kg, water 48.9%, muscles 39.7%
(Day 4) weight 90.2Kg, fat 34.9%, bones 2.5 Kg, water 48.8%, muscles 39.5%
(Day 2) weight 90.5Kg, fat 35%, bones 2.5Kg, water 48.8%, muscles 38.8%

Day 6 - It starts paying off

Yesterday, I watched a documentary called Food matters on Netflix. Here is the trailer on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4DOQ6Xhqss and the link to the website http://www.foodmatters.tv/. It helped me put things into perspective. I highly recommend it.


Every morning same ritual. Right after waking up and a quick pit stop at the bathroom, I look for my scale. I was very tired this morning, feeling my legs heavy but when I saw that i lost 600g I got energetic and was motivated to head down to the gym. I did my exercises for 30 minutes. I find the push-ups the most difficult part and the one that makes me work the most.


When I was working out with a coach, workout sessions were too difficult and I felt very often dizzy. I started feeling the same at the beginning of PCP and I realized I am pushing myself too much even with the little amount of exercise. So I bought a heart rate watch monitor to track my heart rate and I realized that I feel dizzy when I go over my hate rate zone (160 bpm). Now with the watch, I pace myself to make sure I stay in zone most of the training. According to the watch, today's training burnt 325 Kcal in total (includes I think the natural metabolism).


Stats corner
(Day 6) weight 89.4Kg, fat 34.1%, bones 2.5Kg, water 49.4%, muscles 39.2%
(Day 5) weight 90Kg, fat 34.7%, bones 2.5Kg, water 48.9%, muscles 39.7%
(Day 4) weight 90.2Kg, fat 34.9%, bones 2.5 Kg, water 48.8%, muscles 39.5%
(Day 2) weight 90.5Kg, fat 35%, bones 2.5Kg, water 48.8%, muscles 38.8%


Food corner (1411 Kcal)


Breakfast (332 Kcal)
Muesli cereals (50g)
Low fat milk (100g)
Plain yogurt (112g)


Snacks (160 Kcal)
Nectarine (snack 60 Kcal)
Freshly squeezed juice (5 oranges no sugar)
Crackers - 3 


Lunch (543 Kcal)
Lunch with an old colleague. A bit heavy and therefore have to watch next meal.
Shrimp tandoori (4 large ones instead of 6)
Roti (Indian bread) (1.5 piece)
Dal (3 spoons)


Dinner (356 Kcal)
Ground beef (100g)
Cooked Zucchini (100g)
Strawberries (2)

Day 5 - Stats day

Just for the ones interested, i track my food intake using an iPod / iPhone application called Cal Counter. Pretty good application.


Breakfast (250 Kcal)
Cereals - Frosties 50g
Milk low fat - 200ml
Tempted by a creamy yogurt but i put it again in the fridge.


Lunch (460Kcal)
Indian grilled chicken (3 pieces instead of 6)
White rice (a portion instead of the box given)
Yogurt - 0% fat


Dinner (430 Kcal)
Roasted Chicken (130g)
Boiled carrots (120 g)
Yogurt - 0% fat


Total calories 1259 kcal split 55% carbs / 25% fat / 20% proteins


Stats
Every morning the same ritual. Go to the scale and take the daily measurements. Another 200 grammes lost which is very encouraging. Muscles are also increasing! It's worth being hungry all day long.


(Day 5) weight 90Kg, fat 34.7%, bones 2.5Kg, water 48.9%, muscles 39.7%
(Day 4) weight 90.2Kg, fat 34.9%, bones 2.5 Kg, water 48.8%, muscles 39.5%
(Day 2) weight 90.5Kg, fat 35%, bones 2.5Kg, water 48.8%, muscles 38.8%

Day 4 - Last day of the week end

Nothing special for today besides that the exercises seem easier and felt empowered to do more as I hit the gym. Then I realized later during the day that Patrick sent an email saying I should not do so. We should stick to the program. Little everyday is better than a lot from time to time. The program started paying off. Lost 300gr.

Still feeling sore but enjoying the exercises. Food and hunger remains the challenge. Total food consumption for the day was 1325 Kcal which is great and here is the breakdown

Breakfast:
Cereals - 50 gr of Frosties
Milk low fat - 200 ml

Lunch
Green salad, tomatoes cucumber - 1/2 a serving
White Pita bread - 1 small
Beef sirloin skewers - half the portion ordered
Some grapes

Snack
Red apple

Dinner
I tried to have more proteins and had chicken skewers
White rice (1/2 portion served)
Orange juice

Stats (provided by the scale)
90.2Kg 34.9% body fat, 2.5Kg bones, 48.8% water, 39.5% muscles

Day 3 - So far so good

Today is the week end here. Plenty of rest as all my body is sored, especially the legs and the arms.


I took another horror picture today and here is the result.

Day 3 - Still plenty of room to improve. May the faith be with  us!

Food swallowed so far today 353 Kcal but will update this later today. I am tracking my food using an Apple Iphone application called Cal Counter.


Breakfast
Fried egg with 5 g of low fat butter
2 slices of brown bread
half a mug of herbal tea no sugar


Lunch
Half a spaghetti Bolognese portion. I asked the restaurant he said the normal portions are 180 g so I took 90 grammes. I brought the other half home.
1 apricot


Snack
1 apricot
1 apple


Dinner
PF Chang
1/2 steamed brown rice
1/2 Chicken Chow Mein
1/2 Watermelon Juice
1/2 Dynamite Shrimp


Total calories for the day: 1723.


Exercises were easier today do still feeling the pain from the previous sessions. Skipping is not an issue. Push ups are getting better but still not the easiest. I went further than what was given by running on the treadmill for 5 minutes at 8km/h and climbed 160 stairs.

Day 2 - Small exercises but lot of pain

Hi There,


Second day ended and I was very surprised to see with so little exercise to be so sore in the legs, triceps and chest. It tells you the shape you begin with!


Headed to the gym morning against my habits (usually before the program it was the evening - when gym was part of the program) and started exercising. Skipping is no issue but boy, push-ups are a nightmare. My only explanation is that my body is too heavy for my chest muscles. After the workout, I had to rest for 5 minutes under the A/C as the temperatures are going above 40 degrees Celsius here in Dubai.
Food wise, still sticking to the 1/2 meal discipline though i feel hungry all the time. But i guess this is good.


Breakfast
2 small sizes of brown bread with little raspberry jam
1/2 mug of verbena (herbal tea) no sugar this time unlike the one sugar yesterday and the two before the program
1/2 low fat milk glass


Lunch
Lebanese Kebab but instead of 4 pieces of ground beef that comes into the portion,  I had half of it. 
Half small pita bread
1/2 Fatoush (salad with cucumber, salad leaves, tomato)


Snack
Apple


Dinner
Went out with a friend and had half small pizza with very thin crust. Rest my friend had to eat it. This is slightly more than the first day but still felt hungry but good. 


I am still sore and therefore will do my exercises day 3 this evening. Today is the week end here (it starts on Friday) and I should be able to rest.


Stats. 


I can already see results
90.5 Kg (instead of 92 Kg) 
35% fat (the scale shows this number is high) but i guess i don't need a scale to tell me this!
48.8% water
2.54 Kg of bones
38.8% of muscles
I am thinking of putting the daily stats in an Excel file so that i can plot the progression.

Day 1 - It's just the beginning

Day 1 is now over, I just had dinner. The day started by going on the scale to scare the shit out of me: 92 Kg. Headed downstairs to the pool to start the workout. Easy at this stage at would say. The food part was tougher and that is the main challenge.


Breakfast
1/2 glass of milk low fat
2 small slices of brown bread with 5-10g of low fat butter
1/2 verbana mug with one small piece of sugar instead of the usual two


Lunch
Yeah please don't blame me ! McDonald's. Threw the fries and drunk half of the apple juice. That was it for the lunch


Dinner
White fish and some green beans
Half a banana


Still hungry but bad habits will be difficult to change. Tomorrow is another day and looking forward to it with the new routine.

Here are pics of day 1

Here we go 91.8 Kg - Can't hide the fat anymore !