Day 45 - If I do half as well in the next half then I will be more than half better by the end

Today
As I'm sure many others in Team Pucksters and the rest of our group are also doing... a little reflection at the halfway point seems to be in order:

1. Energy: no great gains in this department, or I'm not appreciating the energy I actually need for the workout levels. Perhaps the gains have been so incremental I haven't appreciated them fully.
2. Strength: definite increases here... certain workouts in particular while others are still weak (I'm looking at you pull-ups, v-sits, and shoulder anything), but overall I am aware of greater overall strength in almost every muscle group.
3. Fitness: There is no chance I could have done the exercise routines we are doing now on Day One. So good gains here. Good, but not great. I wish I could finally "get" the jump ropes, but nirvana there continues to evade. I trip a great deal and its feels pathetic that the two minute increments are on the outside edge of running me ragged. I don't know if I'm jumping too fast or what, but I admit to having had a greater expectation in terms of increased stamina than I am seeing at this point... at least with respect to the jumps.
4. Physical "Aesthetic": I spend many many hours staring at myself now... its putting a dent in my productivity. No, but really, I love the general trajectory I'm on. I've always been kind of chicken chested so seeing some growth there is nice, and the slow reveal of abs is almost torture. I still have a fair bit of "baby fat" all around my midsection, but it is also slowly melting away. I'm so happy with the changes thus far that I can't wait to see what the next 45 days will bring.
5. Food/Cravings: I've been lucky to not have any major cravings or pangs so far, but I definitely still miss a little salt on my tomatoes, occasional hamburgers, bacon, cheese, and olive oil in my pasta... the one thing I haven't been missing at all has been sweets and sugars. And normally when I get a sweet craving, they can be really mean. I only recently confessed this to Kim, so I may as well share: I used to buy Reeces Pieces packets or Reeces Peanut Butter cup 4 packs if I was doing a grocery run, wolf them down in the car (in the garage) and then take the wrappers/evidence outside to the trash before heading into the house so Kim wouldn't find out! But, so far... hasn't hit me. Go figure. I'm assuming a big part of that is that I am enjoying the fruit portion of the diet immensely. Its almost like I had completely forgotten how much I liked apples or grapes or strawberries or blueberries...
6. Social: No surprise here, but while I feel like Kim and I have done well in dealing with two trips so far, I am definitely hesitant to call folks up to head out as I know in my group of friends it means being surrounded by lots of fried food and alcohol. Not that I don't think I could resist the temptation, just that I feel like a bit of a drag with my soda water and alcohol-less dance moves. Also, finding the time in the day to actually do anything social given the food schedule and exercise regimen makes socializing that much more of an effort anyway... And since I work from home, that might explain why I spend so much time with the blogs and reading other PCPer's posts. Its very disappointing when too much time goes by without there being an email to the list...
7. Libido: back with a vengeance...

Workout
Don't know what my deal is this week, but my energy level has not been awesome in the mornings. Not horrific, but not bounding out of bed. Perhaps I'm expecting more here than is reasonable. Or perhaps I am not acknowledging a latent competitive streak and not having Kim around means I only have myself to compete with...

1. Jumprope: as mentioned... tough to do with low energy. Continues to be a struggle, both in terms of tripping a great deal, and getting winded very quickly.
2. Floorjump: so, I've decided that I need to jump higher and farther to get more burn out of these. Mission accomplished. So perhaps I haven't been doing these entirely correctly the last two times, or perhaps I made some early gains and didn't compensate my form again when it got easier... Whatever the reason, I was definitely back to collapsing on the floor after the last two sets this time.
3. Lunges: this is going to sound masochistic from someone who railed against the lunges up to this point, but I don't mind them so much any more. Don't know if I am unintentionally cheating or something, but I'm going low and slow and not getting the same sort of burn. I'm quite certain its working the legs because they are gelatinous when I am done, but I'm not getting that intense burn that I had been... Another "trick" is I have the TV on in the background when doing these and can kind of zone out. They still take forever and a day, but at least it feels like they are passing more quickly when there is something on in the background.
4. Curls: Definitely a strong suit. Burn, but totally controlled.
5. One Arm Curls: Ditto.
6. Elevated Triceps Dips: I really feel like these are almost perfect in the sense that there is a steady, gradual buildup set over set, until the last reps are very burny and wobbly
7. Double Katana: Still massively difficult, but I may be ready to upgrade to the next level resistance band soon. Finally. The burn comes on in the latter portions of the last two sets, especially the last one.
8. Plank: Extremely difficult, but more tolerable when breathing super super slow. Can actually get through them. I just close my eyes, breath really slowly and fairly deep and before I know it a set is done. That said, the last set was excruciating.
9. Side Crunches: Seriously, I don't know what I am doing wrong. They are hard but I'm not getting the burn I get with the other ab exercises. I'm even holding and really squeezing on every rep. I find them harder in the 8MA workout so perhaps its the succession that does the trick?

So, congratulations to Pucksters and all the other PCPers at the half way mark!