week 8 results

Checked in with Patrick, and as expected, fat up, but surprisingly weight fairly stable.
Losing muscle mass; running is probably the cause. Ever seen a buff marathon runner?
But then again I did have a crappy two weeks of being sick and slacking on the diet.
Well, game is back ON.
I am now steaming up a huge pile of veggies, and I am ready.
I was discussing with Patrick how to explain my new-found core strength.
I think I have finally come to understand what FTSP really means: doesn't matter what my chiseled abs look like, core strength is by definition unseen. Its presence is felt.
When I exercise at 5am, work a 12-hour day, and walk 3 kilometers home carrying a heavy backpack, my shoulders are tired, my legs are sore, my head is fried and my feet hurt. And yet I am not actually exhausted. I am tired and want to sleep, but waiting for the light to change, I notice my posture is not slouching, my trunk is upright, I am alert, and looking off down the street instead of at my plodding feet.
The next morning when I wake up, I sit up straight and stand up. No rolling over and groaning, not wobbling. Though I squint at the sudden rush of light into my eyes, I feel well grounded, balanced on my feet.
Speaking of balance, I have also recently noticed then when doing the 1-legged crane pose (or flamingo as my daughter likes to call them), I don't wobble nearly as much, and my posture is upright; shoulders back and down, chin up. I don't feel my feet and legs trying to correct my balance as much any more. For the most part, my foot is flat on the ground, and internally, inside my pelvis and around my spine, I am coiled tightly but not tense, holding firm but not straining.
So I doubt if I will end KFB like I did PCP; rocked six-pack, pumped muscles. Instead, I hope to do better on the diet and bring down the overall fat, maybe build up some more lean muscle, and really strengthen my core and balance. Tough to show the results, but I can certainly feel it!