tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57151708087924249652012-02-16T18:08:25.253-08:00Michael Rewucki is on a Journey to get into Peak Condition. With his vigilant guides Patrick and Chen, co-trainee Tanya and the goal of becoming the best possible, this should be fun. As Michael grows through the experiences he will share his thoughts and findings with you. He will also bring to the table his ideas about diet, training, working out, and parenting. So come along and experience Michael's Peak Performance Project.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.comBlogger661100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-43666693589959832612009-05-31T08:25:00.000-07:002009-05-31T10:14:33.122-07:00

Wow 90 days, that’s one quarter of a year and one third of one percent of my life. These ninety days have taught me more about myself, my physical limitations, inner strength, nutrition, social norms and values and the unique and complex relationship between, food, exercise and the new world of unreal food, than any other time in my life. 90 days is great because it is long enough to ensure

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-81327727786769661212009-05-28T08:06:00.000-07:002009-05-28T08:14:15.080-07:00

Like many things in my life, I need to measure my strength and condition for me to know how much I’ve improved. There is no doubt in my mind that the PCP has made me stronger, I can feel it but lets get a little more scientific about it:If you would like to review, my original test methodology and results go to my day 44 here. 1. My resting heart rate is now 53 bests per minute, down from 57.2.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-46363147698672214092009-05-27T07:34:00.001-07:002009-05-27T14:30:46.756-07:00

I was listening to an interview with a pharmacologist who was looking at the hypothalamus. The interview reminded me that along with other functions, the hypothalamus controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, fatigue, and circadian cycles. This doctor wants to find ways of playing with the hypothalamus so that a person would not have to exercise, wouldn’t have to worry about what they ate or

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-62301353244757723812009-05-25T22:26:00.000-07:002009-05-25T22:27:17.792-07:00

I was planting carrots today and thought about living in a northern climate where much of the food we eat must be shipped in from other parts of the world. These foods cost more and then there is the environmental impact causing me to question whether people living north of a certain latitude are actually bad for the environment. With winters longer than 7-8 months, much energy is spent keeping

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-68061005968119289872009-05-24T22:19:00.000-07:002009-05-24T22:21:27.143-07:00

A few weeks back I was able to visit a gym that I could work out in and found the experience less than pleasant.This weekend, I was guest at my friend’s club and again felt awkward in the presence of so many people who were either too focused on themselves or too focused on making an impression on others.I explained to my friend Mike that I would work out with him but that I was also doing some

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-54014327597809053362009-05-23T17:17:00.000-07:002009-05-23T17:20:52.359-07:00

I regularly compete in trail running events where the terrain is varied and off road. I enjoy the change from road racing and the challenge of tree braches in your face, rocks on the paths and steep hills both up and down. I also like that the races usually involve kids with a short pre-race for them.Today was the first one in the season for me and I wanted to compare it to how I did last year. I

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-518903148514664282009-05-21T22:32:00.000-07:002009-05-23T17:32:08.003-07:00

Holy Toledo! I Did a power workout today that saw no rests between strength training exercises and cardio. It was tough but I had a choice as to cut it short or blaze through it.It was amazing how it felt like a cardio workout the entire way through and I sweat like no other time - I think I made a breakthrough since I really didn’t believe I could do it when I started.I also felt like I was

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-87600121992019623322009-05-21T22:30:00.000-07:002009-05-23T17:23:07.536-07:00

My boys are really great about PCP – as much as they can they understand what it is and why I’m doing it. My wife and I encourage them to ask questions of anyone, regardless of their age and authority – this I believe sets them up to be able to function socially and effectively now and when they are older. So they ask all sorts of questions about what I do. Sometimes I have no answer for their

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-33006075559443394472009-05-19T20:23:00.001-07:002009-05-19T20:26:43.760-07:00

Today I ate the normal PCP diet until dinner…For dinner I made some great hamburgers for my family and some friends. The burgers were big, about 10 onces each – lean ground beef about 80% beef, 20% fat. The burgers themselves were about 700 calories plus the whole wheat bun, lettuce tomato, mustard and onions - which would have topped it out at about 1000 calories. It really tasted great!

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-41762591258904483422009-05-16T21:17:00.000-07:002009-05-16T21:20:09.565-07:00

I often think how much better life would be if we lived in simpler times. No TVs, cell phones, email, 70 hour work weeks, deadlines, etc., etc. I believe we as humans are doing the best we can to cope with stresses but stresses that we did not evolve specifically to handle.If I get stopped by a police officer, evolutionary behaviour kicks in and I want to either fight or flee. But something else

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-72997590625200635442009-05-14T11:43:00.001-07:002009-05-14T11:59:00.489-07:00

I'm amazed with what companies come up with to satisfy the consumer’s cravings. I am even more amazed that people eat them. Take Burger King – they came out with Enormous Omelette Sandwich and they state: “Wake up to a mouthful of breakfast with the Enormous Omelette Sandwich. Two slices of melted cheese, two fluffy eggs, three crispy strips of bacon, and a sizzling sausage patty, piled high on a

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-7131610682854887382009-05-13T08:02:00.000-07:002009-05-13T08:03:02.058-07:00

I spoke to a friend of mine who is a trainer. He had a lady client that started his program overweight and out of shape. He weighed and measured her and then did all the standard tests. At the end of one month he tested her again. She went from no pushups to 12, from no pull-ups to 1 and 11 situps to 25. The problem was that while her proportions changed, she did not loose any weight. This lady

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-60070875964536100442009-05-12T09:49:00.000-07:002009-05-12T09:55:33.180-07:00

I love France. I love the food, the culture, the people, even when they seem a little rude, I love that about them.So I was a little intrigued when I saw this OECD report on cultural and social trends. What the article boils down to is that the French spend more time sleeping than all other researched countries and also devote more time to eating.Time Spent Sleeping Time Spent EatingThis may be

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-69809391005827279082009-05-10T19:36:00.000-07:002009-05-10T19:46:17.738-07:00

The PCP has been and amazing ride for me and its now down to the final stretch! The past week was not a great one for me, I missed a couple of work outs and on two days my diet was crap. No excuses, I just let myself down. So I have to work extra hard in the next few weeks to accomplish some of my major goals:1. Do 100 pushups in a row2. Increase my flexibility and ranges of motion3. Improve core

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-87544249462332465592009-05-10T09:48:00.000-07:002009-05-10T09:51:18.809-07:00

Its been a crazy day taking my two boys out by myself and without a plan for food. We went to a park for the spring opening and then downtown to a spring fair. Great fun but the food was not nutritious as you can imagine.It seems to be an ongoing problem that when I leave the house without my planned meal, it’s almost impossible to get what I need to stay on track or even have a basic level of

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-58371252531283300662009-05-07T22:14:00.000-07:002009-05-07T22:20:39.430-07:00

My eldest son loves hoses, sprinklers, pools, water features, really anything that has to do with a manmade source or tool for water. Today we went online looking at various water/gardening devices and found this: http://www.no-crank.com/, the no reel hose reel which ingeniously uses water pressure to self reel the hose with the flip of a switch. My son and I loved it and ate it up, with me

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-43853313528632355012009-05-04T22:12:00.000-07:002009-05-04T22:14:31.817-07:00

I always look for the bright side of any seemingly bad situation. Take high oil prices, they actually do quite a lot to motivate manufacturers that use oil and its products to make new and sometimes miraculous innovations. Now look at the economy, not very pleasant right now but there are some very good by-products.Christopher Ruhm, an economics professor at the University of North Carolina at

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-58983595700881604302009-05-01T12:02:00.000-07:002009-05-01T12:05:49.230-07:00

My eldest asked what a swine was as he had heard about the Swine Flu. I explained what a swine was and he asked if it was okay to eat bacon or pork. I wasn’t sure so I did some research which led me to the U.S. Center for Disease Control which reports that H1N1 influenza viruses are not spread by food - you cannot get H1N1 influenza from eating pork or pork products, eating properly handled and

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-44650836240349178372009-04-28T18:47:00.000-07:002009-04-28T18:50:26.040-07:00

Had a chance today to work out at a gym and do my sets for the PCP. Not too much different from the bands and still used jump rope and my own body weight for many of the exercises but one thing that hit me square in the chest was the amount of testosterone and puffed up ego in the air. It seemed like some of the guys were deliberately throwing weights around, oblivious to everyone but themselves

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-67877869143445106962009-04-26T20:04:00.000-07:002009-04-26T20:07:52.732-07:00

I’ve just come off from a week at a conference, missing workouts and not following my diet like I should, so now I’ve got to claw my way back to where I was a week ago and then some. It’s a little disheartening but also humbling and makes me appreciate the work I’ve done so far.I was reading some of Patrick’s motivational suggestions for finishing one more set and I think they apply to the whole

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-26449220846235907892009-04-24T01:46:00.001-07:002009-04-28T18:51:32.146-07:00

At the conference I’m at I just saw an old colleague of mine. I hadn’t seen her in a couple of years and the first thing she said to me was that I looked good. Normally I would thank her and move on to smaller or larger conversation but instead I asked her, perhaps bluntly, what made me look good. She stepped backed looked me up and down and said that I was thinner throughout my body though I

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-33816877017966640162009-04-21T21:48:00.000-07:002009-04-21T21:49:00.501-07:00

So I’m trying my best to eat well, while on the road. I had a bowl of oatmeal this morning with some steamed vegetables and chicken breast. For lunch and dinner I had pasta with chicken and a side of vegetables. I got a great workout of strength training but missed my ropejumps.As I was going over some emails from Patrick I read one where he reminded his humble students why we doing what we do on

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-50854259658797440652009-04-20T18:58:00.001-07:002009-04-20T18:58:53.102-07:00

The last few days have been a mess with lost luggage, missed flights and a lot of travel related stress. Nevertheless, I’m finally at my destination for a business meeting. The trip was a PCP nightmare, no time for exercise and I ate too much and the wrong kinds of stuff. So here I am feeling bloated and guilty because I know its all falling apart at the seams but I feel as if this is just apart

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-71661022339023559502009-04-17T19:50:00.001-07:002009-04-17T19:50:36.301-07:00

Wow, what a hectic week! I have been going hard in all areas of my life and I am amazed that I am still rockin’ the PCP. I think that because I am always on the go and looking for something to do, constantly, I don’t get bored. However I do get tired and burnt out and sometimes I don’t see it until its too late.I don’t think you have to take a break from your activities necessarily when you are

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-85875715953776440062009-04-16T20:57:00.000-07:002009-04-16T21:00:02.771-07:00

I just read this article on airlines either being forced to allow two seats for the price of one for those obese passengers or charging them for two seats. In Canada there has been a supreme court ruling on the accommodation of severely obese passengers on Canadian Airlines, essentially giving them a free extra seat.Yesterday, United Airlines announced it would begin charging obese passengers for

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-48854359382089336032009-04-15T21:02:00.000-07:002009-04-15T21:04:27.575-07:00

I just set up a business trip for next week that I was not expecting for a few months. It is not all bad but I am worried that I will not be able to follow my diet and perhaps not get the same workouts that I have become accustomed to. I’m going to look for a small scale to take with me, I know it will be inconvenient but then again I can portion out the food I get. I have also put a call into

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-34129275660804433772009-04-15T21:00:00.000-07:002009-04-15T21:02:18.040-07:00

Its half way to the new me. I noticed something today that I’ve probably been vaguely aware of for some time. I went out to lunch with a colleague of mine and I wasn’t excited in the slightest to go to one of my favourite restaurants. It may have been that I knew and anticipated that I wasn’t going to have a rich, fattening and otherwise flavorful meal but most likely it was because I knew that

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-33763984077272207302009-04-13T20:03:00.000-07:002009-04-13T20:19:04.622-07:00

A while ago Patrick gave me and article that outlined tests to evaluate your physical fitness. You can see the article here: How fit are you? Our simple fitness test will determine your level of conditioning—and teach you how to improve it.From the article I’m concentrating on the following tests:1. Resting Heart Rate2. 1 ½ Mile Run3. Push-up4. One-Rep-Max Bench Press5. Bent Knee Crunch6. Sit and

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-24734927050482098822009-04-13T18:31:00.000-07:002009-04-13T18:34:51.406-07:00

I am amazed that the little bit of fat covering my abs is so persistent and sticky. I can feel my abs larger and stronger than I ever remember them but they are covered by a relatively thin layer of fat obscuring them from all the world to see. I guess I’m finding it rather frustrating since my weight is down to 209 lbs. – thats 16 pounds down from where I was 43 days ago and I would have bet

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-50618859120738695952009-04-11T20:06:00.000-07:002009-04-11T20:07:34.278-07:00

My kids make me laugh. My eldest constantly reminds me of what I can and cannot eat, sounding a lot like my wife and I’ve come to really appreciate his sensibilities. Because I am constantly talking about the PCP, diet and exercise it’s rubbing off on him in a very positive way. So I find myself not wanting to let him down because he’s asking how the workout is going, do I like the food, show me

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-79925946926085366872009-04-10T19:56:00.000-07:002009-04-10T19:57:25.545-07:00

My Parents are staunch Catholics and brought me up to be one too, but something happened on the way to growing up and I’m a little more liberal and eclectic in my views than I think they wanted. Nevertheless I value all viewpoints on any subject and believe someone’s viewpoint is as valid as any other, within reason and as long as it helps and doesn’t hurt.So today being Good Friday I decided to

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-50006616650011169812009-04-10T02:49:00.000-07:002009-04-10T02:51:12.309-07:00

There’s a cold going around and I thought I could head fake it out but I’ve now got it. I wanted to skip today’s workout but I managed to get through it relatively unscathed. I did feel extremely tired and winded during and after but I also felt better for it too.I’ve read that as long as you don’t have a fever there are benefits to working out and may even make the cold go away more quickly.I

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-22404693734701756722009-04-08T19:40:00.000-07:002009-04-08T19:43:45.470-07:00

A friend of mine has been worried that he may loose his job. The company he works for is apparently not doing so well and there have been some rumours of lay-offs. He is a hard worker and recently he told me that he was working extra hard to show management that he’s worth keeping. He is fearful, depressed and tired which is not a good combo. I asked him if he was getting enough sleep and he

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-81076341793993102942009-04-07T22:09:00.000-07:002009-04-07T22:11:30.310-07:00

I was thinking about my dilemma with eating meat along side enjoying it and read this article:Researchers have shown that those who consume 10 portions or more of red meat a week are nearly 50 per cent more likely to experience deterioration of the retina in old age.But tucking into chicken at least three times a week can have a protective effect, reducing the risk of blindness by more than

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-67228411626096386572009-04-06T19:30:00.000-07:002009-04-06T19:37:45.980-07:00

I’m back from dropping off the face of the earth. I was sick last week with the flu and on top off that it was a very hectic week with all my time spent researching and with work. I know it may happen again I just hope next time I will be able to manage it and PCP.Anyway I still worked very hard on the PCP diet and exercises last week ensuring that if work or sickness takes time away from

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-60780795800500339032009-03-31T21:08:00.001-07:002009-03-31T21:08:53.410-07:00

I love a good intense workout, one where I am focused and strict in my form while working extra hard to complete all reps and sets. Today I had one of those workouts and everything just fell into place. My motivation was up which certainly helps and I got a buzz from each exercise feeding my drive to outwork and perform well. In the end I was dripping sweat, a sign for me that I was concentrating

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-11344111448382796082009-03-30T21:22:00.000-07:002009-03-30T21:25:10.153-07:00

Always looking for a good film, I saw a trailer from the independent documentary Enlighten Up! By filmmaker Kate Churchill. She insists that yoga can transform anyone and decides to prove it. She selects 29 year-old journalist, Nick Rosen as her subject and immerses him in yoga, following him until he finds a yoga practice that transforms him. Sounds like a great subject and interesting to anyone

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-31991681773234319212009-03-29T21:39:00.000-07:002009-03-29T21:46:16.109-07:00

I was at a movie today with my eldest son and was thinking about Tanya’s blog about the appropriateness of taking a child to a fight or a mature rated movie. We saw Monsters vs. Aliens, it was rated G, and I only had to talk to my boy about several issues I had with the film. What threw me off this train of thought several times was the number of children I saw that were overweight. It struck me

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-39001572596003861882009-03-29T21:37:00.000-07:002009-03-29T21:39:35.711-07:00

Today was a whirlwind of meetings and work. I was out most of the day and when I was at home, I was doing work in my office. Not a great way to spend a Saturday but I’ll be ready for next week.I was discussing with a friend of mine the implications of professional athletes taking performance-enhancing drugs and he felt it was okay for athletes to do so. I asked him two things: 1) If you had

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-75138459964282151242009-03-27T18:42:00.000-07:002009-03-27T19:08:36.774-07:00

I was cruising’ around youtube and saw this:I also saw this:I don’t want to rant really but I would like to say that if you’re trying to lose weight there are evil forces conspiring against you. It is not easy to stay healthy and trim and when you are up against marketing machines and corporate dollars it is that much harder. Like the Tobacco industry telling the world that nicotine isn’t

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-55964430896018546422009-03-26T22:02:00.000-07:002009-03-26T22:05:50.604-07:00

Every week I’ll post a picture and divulge my critical stats so that you can see where I’m at. But today I wanted to test my strength as a baseline so that I can gauge what the PCP is doing for me in that capacity. I want to look better and feel better but one of the key factors for me is to increase stamina and strength.The tests I have set up are maximum push-ups no time limit, maximum full

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-3482761503373790782009-03-25T18:02:00.000-07:002009-03-25T18:15:13.363-07:00

I just read an article titled Why obesity is not a lifestyle choice and found myself wondering if I am predjudiced against people who are overweight. I questioned myself because the article states that most people attribute obesity to simply making poor choices. “Why can't people with excess weight just push away the food and get off their butts? Why should the community pick up the tab for obese

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-24186112988904955262009-03-25T16:14:00.000-07:002009-03-25T16:22:10.350-07:00

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the physiological and psychological effects of the PCP diet and found some interesting things out – certainly from Patrick’s daily email but also from a little research. Here’s a fascinating article I found:The psychological consequences of dieting were clearly illustrated in a classic study of the effects of semi-starvation done in 1950 by Ancel Keys, Ph.D.

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-81058327143803891382009-03-23T21:27:00.000-07:002009-03-23T21:37:09.440-07:00

In all the excitement over the past few days I missed a couple of key games in the 6 Nations Rugby Cup. Ireland played Wales and France played Italy. I watched the games in rerun already knowing the outcomes but enjoyed them all the same. Ireland came and concoured completing a triple crown not seen in decades by the club and deserved the championship. It was a close matched game against the

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-43975244580195834552009-03-22T20:11:00.000-07:002009-03-22T20:14:38.810-07:00

As my last post mentioned the weekend was interesting on many levels. My son is back at home and happy to be with his family and in his familiar environment again. He has a full cast on his arm and the recuperation time should be around 5 weeks. My wife spent most of the time with him at the hospital while I looked after our eldest at home. I was really worried about my wife since she was

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-44062226159927303382009-03-21T17:39:00.000-07:002009-03-21T17:43:10.487-07:00

I’ve been up for 36 hours now and I haven’t taking a real break until just a few minutes ago. Yesterday, after dinner, I was sitting on a recliner chair with my two young sons playing in the same room. My youngest son wanted to get onto my lap and when I moved back to bring him aboard his hand got caught in the scissor mechanism of the recliner. I wasn’t aware of any trouble until my wife cursed

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-5779411214564178352009-03-19T19:01:00.000-07:002009-03-19T19:03:05.795-07:00

I just read an email from Patrick who warned about overexerting yourself at this stage of the game and it seems to fit exactly what I’m feeling today. I’ve been pushing it really hard and have lost a few pounds over the last few days. I’m just wiped out.So I’m sticking to the plan, the food, the exercises, everything, I’m just not going to take it right to the wall for a few days – I’ll dial it

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-25218384975702666352009-03-18T17:22:00.000-07:002009-03-18T17:24:59.874-07:00

Did you know that a recent study led by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that if doctors follow a simple surgical checklist, deaths fell by a staggering 40 per cent!To me these results are startling and I thought that the medical establishment would have had this figured out by now. But the systems are sometimes too complex or too simplified to take the obvious into

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-50338920078017387542009-03-18T13:34:00.000-07:002009-03-18T13:49:09.463-07:00

I was definitely excited to read the headline in Ad Age: “FTC Could Set Standards for Food Marketing Aimed at Teens.” With two small boys I worry constantly about what they’re feeding their minds and bodies. The article states “the bill signed by President Barack Obama today calls for several government studies, including one examining whether the government should set standards for determining

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-13030488942468829502009-03-16T18:07:00.000-07:002009-03-16T18:10:20.141-07:00

I’m sure a lot of people are waiting for the day when you pop a pill and all your medical issues including excessive weight, are fixed. While many pharma companies have looked for the obesity cure, none have found it and recently a couple of them have abandoned research citing strange side effects and huge costs. Today I read about a study done on lab mice using neurosurgical genetransfer which

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-46822809415657467332009-03-15T19:07:00.001-07:002009-03-15T19:10:54.769-07:00

So the program has changed as we knew it would. Today comes a reduced dietary intake but same food and a new workout plan. While I was expecting this and have heard others mention the change, it is a little disconcerting to change just when you are getting used to it. As Patrick said, the high amount of food last week was ramping up our metabolisms and over the next weeks the amount will drop

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-56255160333583625812009-03-15T17:58:00.001-07:002009-03-15T17:58:59.854-07:00

I’m amazed at how fast this program is zipping by. I can’t believe Tanya and I are 2 weeks into it. The food, the workouts and the learning curve on nutrition have been great while Patrick has been our constant guide.This is what I have learned over the past 2 weeks:1. My previous diet was terrible. I ate too much processed foods including refined carbs and sugars.2. I used to drink my calories

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-53287168649769285392009-03-14T19:07:00.000-07:002009-03-14T19:12:07.525-07:00

The last few days have been particularly difficult with respect to my diet. I’ve been craving sweets a little bit more and when I give a cookie to my sons, I have an irrational urge to swallow it whole. Not surprisingly, it is most difficult when I am confronted with a tangible choice – cookie or celery, but I’m sure that there’s more to it than proximity and choice. What has changed recently has

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-14025564444852178202009-03-12T19:41:00.000-07:002009-03-12T19:48:56.827-07:00

I’m starting to really get into shape. I was exercising, strengthening and eating fairly well before the Peak Condition Project but now I’m starting to rock n’ roll! But one part of my body that I have historically neglected was my mouth. Ever since I was a small child I failed to brush properly or floss and I also ate a whole lot of refined sugars and carbohydrates and so I got cavities and lots

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-25115164885892683112009-03-11T21:08:00.000-07:002009-03-11T21:14:44.126-07:00

After my workout tonight I went to the grocery store to stock up on salmon and chicken. While in the check-out aisle a magazine caught my eye. On the cover of the publication it boldly stated that a new diet would help you lose up to 28 pounds in under a month! Not only this but below the claim it also said you could do it by eating chili dogs, hamburgers and manwiches!! I reserved judgment until

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-89325689079398268152009-03-10T20:07:00.000-07:002009-03-10T20:26:55.622-07:00

Today as I was driving, listening to the radio, I heard a debate about banning trans fat in Canada. The program, called The Point on CBC radio has the announcer invite notable people on the show to discuss important topics of the day. So as the people talked about banning trans fat I think they totally missed a lot of key points. But before I go into these, let me share with you a little

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-25246601935505347112009-03-09T21:56:00.000-07:002009-03-09T22:00:24.544-07:00

Sweet fancy Moses it was a tough day. I had a business trip today – 1and ½ hour flight out this morning, meeting until late afternoon, back on the plane, home, workout and here I am.I took fruit(bananas), vegetables(mushrooms), meat(chicken) plus rye bread as a carb. None of it was ideal and there was an awkward moment when I told my host that I was on the peak condition project diet. The

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-64204716522642644642009-03-08T19:46:00.000-07:002009-03-08T19:51:02.636-07:00

It’s been a week now but today was really the start of what I was expecting the Peak Condition Project would be. I started my day doing my exercise program which has been ramped up to overall include pull-ups, curls, davinci raises, rowing, standing ovation, triceps dips, shoulder raises plus what I have already been doing, lunges, squats, push-ups, leg-ups and crunches - plus of course my

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-12472732949947946432009-03-07T18:47:00.000-08:002009-03-10T20:23:58.222-07:00

You’ve probably heard of the new movie Watchmen that is in theatres right now. Here's the synopsis of the movie:Watchmen is set in an alternate 1985 America in which costumed superheroes are part of the fabric of everyday society. When one of his former colleagues is murdered, the outlawed but no less determined masked vigilante Rorschach sets out to uncover a plot to kill and discredit all past

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-5413396911996239582009-03-06T18:54:00.000-08:002009-03-11T21:16:08.148-07:00

My family and I go to our local farmers market weekly to buy fresh produce, free range meats and try to get foods that are in season, diversifying our diets. We love it, the local farmers market is opened all year round and while some foods are shipped in because of our short growing season, you will not find elaborately processed products or much aging food from far away. Today I also looked

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-15528909083000836642009-03-05T18:08:00.000-08:002009-03-11T21:16:53.036-07:00

One of the main reasons I wanted to get into peak condition is my two boys. They’re young, beautiful, full of energy, and I worry everyday that I’m not doing everything I can for them. The boys and my wife are the main motivators in my life and I want to be healthy and happy for them as much as for myself.A while ago I read an article on how children learn from their parents. The article was

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-51924135623992374352009-03-04T21:06:00.000-08:002009-03-04T21:14:35.536-08:00

I’ve been really taking to heart what Patrick has been saying about starting the PCP and one thing that has resonated with me has been his comment of staying away from salt. I know salt is bad for me and I should eat less but I really wasn’t aware just how pervasive it is in my everyday food.I get emails from Dr. Arya M. Sharma, a specialist on obesity here in Canada and he recently sent

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-29178595462938839142009-03-03T18:37:00.000-08:002009-03-03T18:51:17.700-08:00

I was having my daily protein shake today and decided to look at the whey protein ingredients. According to the packaging it has the following: Protein blend(whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate), xanthan gum, bromelain, amylase, papain and lipase enzymes. The labeling says “100% Natural” but I wasn’t sure what xanthan gum, bromelain etc was so I started googling the individual

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-44886673393270487882009-03-02T18:06:00.000-08:002009-03-11T21:18:09.323-07:00

I’ve been following the 6 Nations Rugby tournament and I am extremely excited that Ireland is doing so well. I won’t jinx them by stating what everyone in Ireland is hoping but their chances of winning the tourney are quite good. Now while Ireland is my team, Sébastien Chabal is my man! This hulking French bruiser, named affectionately either “The Caveman” or “Seabass” depending on which side of

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-62210201407327133322009-03-01T17:53:00.000-08:002009-03-02T18:18:37.477-08:00

There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.BuddhaThe start of a new project is wonderful – ideally you should feel energized and excited about achieving a goal and look forward to the final result. But I also notice that when people(including myself) start something, they often focus so much on the end result that the real guts and

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5715170808792424965.post-86797101275808230772009-02-23T17:22:00.001-08:002009-02-23T17:23:35.126-08:00

This is the future home of Michael's PCP. Good times coming!

Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15235354271150390709noreply@blogger.com0