LadyShello Starts 2018 By The Numbers

[Shello]

The first challenge of the year is so arbitrary but feels so momentous.  I have a brand new plan for 2018 (psst, you can see it here) and I am determined to make this year successful.  And that's what it will take, Determination.  I know my motivation will wane, life will get in the way, and times will get tough.  I will still be here, fighting.  Historically, I do better with longer challenges and since this year starts off with a longer than the new norm I don't plan on wasting it.  I've been here long enough that I have a decent foundation to work with but it could use a little work to support all the wins 2018 has in store for me. I've spent the time to work on these basic habits; it's time to put them all together.  The first challenge of 2018 is all about fixing up the foundation and taking some big steps on my Roadmap.    There may also be a touch of RangerBrain but I regard that as a positive thing.  It usually correlates to a positive attitude.   In order to accomplish so much, I've got to do this by the numbers. 

 

2018 By The Numbers

 

1 - Heart Rate Zone test.

• Perform one Heart Rate zone test to determine HR thresholds.  I am not looking at getting too sciency here.  This is an area I don't yet know a whole lot about but I'm learning as I go. Plus I want to be able to use the equipment available to me, which is minimal so the less tech I need, the better.  I'll use the test from this site, which is basically using a talk test and perceived exertion scales.  But with this information I can program my new Fitbit with my own approximate numbers and try to train smart. 

2 - Litres of water daily

• I've gotten a little loosey-goosey with this habit recently.  

3 - Daily Bujo Tasks

• I know this system works well for me to stay productive but I've gotten out of the habit again. As a matter of fact, I realized a few weeks ago I didn't even know where my bujo was.  I've since found it.  

4 - YNAB Check ins

• I need to check in with my YNAB budget 4 times during the challenge.  That is approximately every weekend.  This makes it easier to stay on top of things financially so I know what I have to spend to stay within my budget. 

5 - Variances  

• 1 variance allowed per week so that's 5 total for the challenge. 

1600 - calories

•   I don't really mind logging calories.  I tend to eat the same thing for most of the week so it's easy.  I don't have to log though as long as I keep my meals compliant - which is mostly Paleo plus moderate amounts of dairy and limited whole grains. 

7 - Hours of sleep

• I'd prefer a bit more than this.  8 feels about right and if I could stick with that I can just about manage to get up for work without an alarm.  But that's a lofty goal and I'm focusing on my foundation habits.  Consistently getting 7 hours of sleep keeps me healthy. 

8 - Lift Days

• My schedule includes 2 lift days per week.  The extended challenge has room for more but my focus is more on getting lean with cardio.  8 lift days will complete an entire 5/3/1 cycle and that's good enough for me. 

10,000 - steps

• I got a Fitbit for Christmas and I am loving it.  I had a tracker a few years ago but it kept falling off and I ended up losing it.  Having the Fitbit has given me something concrete to aim for.  

15 - cardio workouts

• My workout schedule includes 3 cardio days a week.  With the extended challenge I have room for 14.  15 sounds better and since this is my primary focus for 2018 I need to squeeze in an extra cardio session somewhere.  I'm not getting too technical here either, although it will help to have some HR zones to work with.  I've been reading a lot about LSD (long, slow distance) vs intervals and HIIT.  They all have advantages and frankly, at my level, any consistent cardio work will lead to improvement. So why not all of it?  I have in mind including 1 long steady cardio workout, 1 interval, and then 1 higher intensity HIIT but anything will count.  

 

The X Factor

There are a few other habits I'd like to work on but I don't have specific goals in mind.  I need to keep them a priority so I'll report on them even though there is no specific quantity that is passing.  

X New compliant meals

• In order for my current food plan to work, I need more complaint recipes in my rotation.  I have been falling back to my usual but that requires exceptions and then logging food.  I'd like to get away from that.  I tend to only cook 1 big batch dinner a week so that limits the opportunities to try new meals. 

X Pomodoros

• I have really been struggling to stay productive at work.  I am lucky in that I am awesome and I can get a lot done at once so I can keep up, but at the same time it's a bad habit and I could be doing more things if I spent my time better.  I've added the pomodoro timer to my Google Chrome and started using that to stay focused.  I don't have a specific number of tomatoes per day since every day is different with various meetings.  I work a 8ish hour day so the closer the tomotoes + meetings is to 8, the better.  The rest of time I am getting some work done, but I'm also on NF, or something in between.  

 

Tracking:

Week 2

1.9/2 litres of water  OOOOOOO

8/7 hours sleep         OOOOOOO

2265/10,000 steps   OOOOOOO

1274/1600 calories  OOOOVVO

-/3 daily tasks            OOOOO - -

 

Week 3

2/2 litres of water       OOOOOOO

7/7 hours sleep           OOOOOOO

10,114/10,000 steps  OOOOOOO

1456/1600 calories    OOOOOVO

3/3 daily tasks             OOOOOOO

 

Week 4

.5/2 litres of water   OOOOOOO

9/7 hours sleep        OOOOOOO

6762/10,000 steps  OOOOOOO

?/1600 calories        VOOOOOO

3/3 daily tasks          OOOOOOO

 

Week 5

2/2 litres of water     OOOO

7/7 hours sleep         OOOO

3696/10,000 steps   OOOO

1654/1600 calories  OOOO

3/3 daily tasks           OOOO

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

First, and Following.

[Ensi]

Following! I'll be BuJoing with you this year!  (That sounds like a horrible euphemism)

[ExpectJade]

I am watching you from the shadows

[Shello]

14 minutes ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

First, and Following.

 

14 minutes ago, Ensi said:

Following! I'll be BuJoing with you this year!  (That sounds like a horrible euphemism)

Yay!  (Double BJs!)

 

10 minutes ago, Rab397 said:

I am watching you from the shadows

Oooh, how insidious!  

[Sloth the Enduring]

Here for the cardio.

And the breakfast pastry wars.

[deftona]

Woo, new challenge! Following of course. 

 

2 hours ago, LadyShello said:

 

• I got a Fitbit for Christmas and I am loving it.  I had a tracker a few years ago but it kept falling off and I ended up losing it.  Having the Fitbit has given me something concrete to aim for.  

 

Um Y U no friend me yet. 

 

24 minutes ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

 

^ This guy gets it. 

[Shello]

7 hours ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

Here for the cardio.

And the breakfast pastry wars.

You make a good case for donuts.

 

7 hours ago, deftona said:

Woo, new challenge! Following of course. 

 

 

Um Y U no friend me yet. 

 

I haven't figured that out yet.   I tried the link in the Yak's Head but wasn't able to add you as a friend. 

[deftona]

2 hours ago, LadyShello said:

I haven't figured that out yet.   I tried the link in the Yak's Head but wasn't able to add you as a friend. 

 

I'll send you my ridiculous email address and you can add me from that. Don't judge, I've had it since I was about 15...

[Terah]

I suddenly feel the need to post this here:

 

You go girl!

[ExpectJade]

So there are 2 fitbitters in here? Add me!

[Shello]

So there are 2 fitbitters in here? Add me!

Already did!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jonfirestar]

Following! 

[Shello]

17 hours ago, Terah said:

I suddenly feel the need to post this here:

 

You go girl!

You can never go wrong with that. 

 

5 hours ago, jonfirestar said:

Following! 

Woot!  

[Shello]

I'm ready to start this thing... Well, actually I am not ready.  We just got back from our final holiday travels last night.  We have no groceries, I have no food prepped for today, and my eating like a dickhead has been escalating.  I just need to switch that mindset off and I am hoping I can do so quickly.  I made my peace with the scale this morning.  I officially gained 7 pounds over the holidays.  That sucks but it was inevitable.  I expected no less than 5.  The thing to learn here is that if I had reigned in the eating like a dickhead just a smidge, I might have been just under 5.  That seems like quite a feat but I wasn't that far off.  I just need to remember that next year.  

[Terah]

It's a tough start, but remember who you are:

[Shello]

21 minutes ago, Terah said:

It's a tough start, but remember who you are:

That's right.  I'm having my own Make it work moment...

 

 

And there are some amazing Tim Gunn gifs..  I think I need a project runway themed challenge just to use them all. 

[Tzippi Longstockings]

Sounds great! I just started a new BuJo for 2018!

[Korranation]

Totally forgot to mention I'm following!

[Shello]

16 minutes ago, Tzippi Longstockings said:

Sounds great! I just started a new BuJo for 2018!

I still have room in my 2017 bujo since I stopped using it half way through the year.  I figured I would just keep it going but it would be a shame to run out of room mid year.  #BigQuestionsinLife

 

2 minutes ago, Korranation said:

Totally forgot to mention I'm following!

Glad to have you!

[Shello]

Week 1 Day 1

So far 2018 sucks. On the morning of the 1st, one of my uncles passed away.  I hadn't seen him in years but he was a great guy and I have some lovely memories when I was growing up.  On the 2nd, I learned that a coworker who has been battling cancer for sometime has opted for hospice care.  Although this pales in comparison, now my body is fighting back.  That kink in my neck was worse yesterday so I finally made an appointment with a chiropractor.  It seemed to help at first but by the time I got home I was basically incapacitated.  All I could manage was to get into bed.  The pain is constant.  I have a pretty high tolerance for pain but I don't mind telling you that there were tears.  I'm not sure how I managed to sleep. According to the sleep data from my Fitbit, I was awake twice as much as my usual pattern and there was very little deep sleep.  I got to sleep in though since I called in to work hoping to get in to se the doctor.    I found some stretches online as I don't want to just sit still all day.  I can't do a lot of them; my range of motion is shit.  Needless to say, there was no workout yesterday.  Food wasn't compliant but I made smart enough choices to be able to eat a brownie that Peach made and stay under target. 

 

1.7/2 litres of water

7/7 hours sleep

4749/10,000 steps

1500/1600 calories

2/3 daily tasks

9 pomodoros + 1 15 minute meeting

 

0/1 HR test

0/15 cardio

0/8 lift

0/5 variances

0/4 YNAB

0 new recipes

[Ensi]

That's a rough start for this year, for sure :/ I hope you get better soon! Did you manage to book a doctor's appointment?

[deftona]

I'm so sorry this year has started out so crappy. I hope you get something sorted for the pain and can get back to kicking ass soon.

[Shello]

42 minutes ago, Ensi said:

That's a rough start for this year, for sure :/ I hope you get better soon! Did you manage to book a doctor's appointment?

I'll see him in the morning.  I was hoping to see him before trying to sleep again but it'll have to do. 

 

25 minutes ago, deftona said:

I'm so sorry this year has started out so crappy. I hope you get something sorted for the pain and can get back to kicking ass soon.

I hope so too.  2018 is really asking for it. 

[DrFeelgood]

Aw, I'm sorry to hear that, Shello.  I hope you recover quickly and fully.  The year doesn't have to start until you're ready to start it--that's how I'm approaching it anyway.