Agent Katia vs the Sea Monster

[CourageousKate]

I'm gonna catch me a sea monster.           

 

At the conclusion of this challenge, I'll be in Hawaii on vacation with my husband. I need to be ready to take on whatever sea monsters are lurking, and heck yes I'd like to look good in a bathing suit while doing it. (Preferably the bikini that I wore on our honeymoon three years ago… We'll see.)           

 

In the long term, my Main (boring sounding) Quest is to reduce my body fat to 24% while maintaining (or increasing) muscle mass. I'm working to reach my goal in about six months. Since completing this Quest means I'll look awesome in my silver bikini, I'm running (er, swimming?) with it in the short term for my focus this challenge.           

          

 

Main Quest:   Reduce my body fat to 24%

 

Motivation:   Increase my athleticism to improve my chances of surviving the Zombie Apocalypse or other End-of-World Scenario

 

 

Sea Monster Battle Skills Needed          

 

1. Tentacle-Snapping Prowess                                   

 

 

Watch out Giant Octopus.

 

I'm working to do one unassisted pull-up. Eventually, ten! But first, one. This is a carryover from my first challenge, on which I made definitive progress, but I did not dominate. If I am ever suspended above a city/jungle/post-apocalyptic wasteland, I fully anticipate saving myself, thankyouverymuch. I will do this.                                   

                                    

Goal: Work with pull-up bar at least 5 days per week [sTR 3 / STA 1]                                   

 

 

2. Aquatic Dexterity                                   

 

 

(Er, this is really just dexterity, but "aquatic" keeps it on theme.)

 

I've practiced yoga on-again off-again for over a decade. I'm ready to start making it stick. I have a Pilates pass that I need to use up, which is why I'm permitting it as an acceptable alternative SOME of the time.                                                           

 

Goal: Practice yoga for at least sixty minutes two times per week. Pilates is an acceptable alternative for one of those weekly sessions. [DEX 4]                                     

 

 

3. Siren Song                                                           

 

 

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Michael Pollan

 

Gone is the day when I could just bump up my exercise and weight loss happened. I realized in the last challenge that I need to step up how I'm approaching the way I eat.                                                            

 

Generally, I'll be trying to live by Mr. Pollan's words of wisdom (with sufficient good protein, of course).

 

Goal: For this challenge I'm going to track all of my food on My Fitness Pal, and I'm going to make myself a healthy and hearty salad for lunch during the workweek. [CON 2 / CHA 3]                                                          

                                                           

For full points, I must track my food on MFP all days except when in Hawaii (so 36/42 days), and I must make a salad 23/26 days of work (good for my budget AND health!). I get three gimme days where I can go out to lunch, but if I go to a restaurant, I must order a salad.                                                           

 

                                                         

4. Life Quest: Swab the Deck

 

 

Technically, Swab the Dishes and Sink.

 

This is a challenge I've been wanting to take on for a long while... long before I ever knew Nerd Fitness existed. To me, "shine my sink" means that the dishes in the sink are washed, dried, and put away, and that the sink and surrounding counter are clean and dry.  This is definitely going to be a challenge for me. We don't have a dishwasher, and we generate quite a few dishes cooking dinner, which then pile up throughout the week and results in a marathon of dishwashing later.

 

Goal: Shine my sink each night. [WIS 2]

 

 

Grading System

 

Since I've fashioned each of these goals to be "Yup, I did it" or "Nope. Fail," I'm going to grade on rate of success. So:

 

A    90% Success Overall in Challenge

B    80% 

C    70%

D    50%

F    Under 50% 

 

Plugging the Holes (EDITED FOR CONTENT 7/30/13)

 

The following is my rationale for both joining this challenge as a Ranger (previously, I was an Adventurer) and why I chose the goals that I did.

 

Since this is VERY TL;DR, feel free to skip this section. You’ve still got the important stuff above. This is a repost of my response to orcwarrior’s question: Why am I a Ranger? combined with my original supplemental info.

 

 

Why I'm a Ranger

 

Other than my fat-loss goal listed above, but as implied by my motivation, my ultimate goal is to be fit. Meaning I am strong, I run swiftly, I am flexible, I eat healthfully, and my bodyfat percentage is in a low, healthy range.

 

I approach fitness from a survivalist perspective (though, I'm pretty moderate about it). I want to be able to manage whatever situation I find myself in. Climb that tree to escape the Wargs? No problem. Run through the tangled jungle with the stolen idol to escape angry natives? You've got it. Hand-to-hand combat on a crane suspended over a city? Done. And as a card-carrying member of the Fellowship of the Bat, I will one day be able to roll out of bed, fall straight forward, and start my pushups, Dark Knight style.

 

My regular fitness routine includes the Rebel Fitness Program three days a week, and I’m working to transition my elliptical cardio to running. (I heart the elliptical machine, but that won't really help me outrun anything... or catch my flight on a short connection, which I barely managed last weekend.) I’ve added the pull-up challenge as a specific focus of my training, and I'm continuing to work on my military style pushups during my workouts. Both of those are carryovers from the last challenge.

 

While I always stretch after exercising, I need more. Yoga helps me with range of motion, efficient weightlifting, good posture, and general core strength, all of which support my main goals.

 

To top it all off, I'm working to reduce my bodyfat because high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, and adult-onset diabetes run in my family. I’m in and fighting for the long-haul. Fortunately, I love eating healthy foods, but in the past couple of years I’ve been struggling with my eating habits.

 

I’ve previously had some success tracking on MFP, but I realized a strange correlation. The more attention I paid to the number of calories I was consuming, the less focus I dedicated to the quality of those calories. So I'm going to try tracking again with a little twist. In addition to plugging what I'm consuming into MFP and paying attention to the calorie deficit, I'll track a few things I've been working on to make sure I'm not compromising calorie quality for calorie reduction.

 

These are an extension of things I've already been working on, so I'm not considering this a mini-challenge. This is simply to keep me honest and actively working toward success with my Siren Song. To help ensure I'm losing fat not muscle, I will be tracking my progress with calipers to measure my body fat percentage (starting, one in-progress, and ending measurements).

• Restrict refined carbohydrates
• Drink no more than 3 times per week
• Eat no more than 3 restaurant meals for dinner or on weekends per week

 

Ready? Hold your breath!

 

Let's dive in!

[Magnonymous]

You're back! Your're front! You're both here!

 

Love your goals, especially the pull-up goal. Your theme is great; nice pictures, too.

 

So excited to begin! *hops up and down*

[Squeege]

Really fun theme challenge! Great motivation too: beautiful scenery, terrible sea-monster. What more could a girl ask for?

 

I'm working to do one unassisted pull-up. Eventually, ten! But first, one. This is a carryover from my first challenge, on which I made definitive progress, but I did not dominate. If I am ever suspended above a city/jungle/post-apocalyptic wasteland, I fully anticipate saving myself, thankyouverymuch. I will do this.                                   

Love it. And totally agree. 

 

Good luck!!

[Amandaba]

Love your theme! Very creative.  Excellent goals as well, good luck to you!

[CourageousKate]

You're back! Your're front! You're both here!

Mags! That made me lol CAN"T WAIT TO GET GOING!

 

Really fun theme challenge! Great motivation too: beautiful scenery, terrible sea-monster. What more could a girl ask for?

Indeed, Squeege! Also, exactly! Lately I've been contemplating the reality of why it's useful to be fit... I was inspired a while ago from the Casino Royale crane scene. MAN. I would like to survive that, thanks. But really, it's just a good idea to be healthy and ready for anything, right?

 

Love your theme! Very creative.  Excellent goals as well, good luck to you!

Thanks Tiggs! Good luck to you too!!!

[GingaNinja]

Hey Katia! Good luck with your goals this made me laugh a lot! Great pictures and descriptions

[Tateman]

Moved over to the Rangers I see  Good luck!  Maybe next challenge I'll head this way too.  Either way, I'll still come by to cheer you on

[Ian Fin 8]

I think adding a sea monster quest in preparation for an End of the World scenario is very smart in a post Sharknado world.  Gotta be prepared and look good at the same time   

 

Great goals and presentation!  Can we expect themed updates as well?

[idealistinfire]

Looks like a great set of goals!  Excited to see your progress

[CourageousKate]

Hey Katia! Good luck with your goals this made me laugh a lot! Great pictures and descriptions

Thanks KingLeeroy!

 

Moved over to the Rangers I see  Good luck!  Maybe next challenge I'll head this way too.  Either way, I'll still come by to cheer you on

I did Tateman! We'll see how it goes I was on the fence until the very end, but I'm going for it. I'll be checking in with you too!!

 

I think adding a sea monster quest in preparation for an End of the World scenario is very smart in a post Sharknado world.  Gotta be prepared and look good at the same time   

 

Great goals and presentation!  Can we expect themed updates as well?

Agreed Odin! We've been so fixated on ZOMBIES lately, let us not forget the threat from the sea!

 

Ha, themed updates would be awesome.

 

Looks like a great set of goals!  Excited to see your progress

Thanks idealist! Let's do this!!!

[CourageousKate]

DAY 1!!! So far everyone I've peeked in at had an amazing start! Way to go! 

 

Monday, July 29th

 

TENTACLE SNAPPING:   7 negative pull-ups; 40 second hang, extended

AQUATIC DEXTERITY:   0 / 2 yoga

SIREN SONG:                      MFP: All meals tracked; Salad: Made

SWAB THE DECK:             Sink Shined!

[orcwarrior]

Good Luck, AgentKatia!  Love the creativity of your themed goals!  More tentacle-snapping power to you as you cruise through this challenge - may Neptune be with you!

 

Curiosity - I just moved over to the rangers from the warriors because I saw myself doing more a mix of running and strength workouts than pure strength stuff.  What prompted you to pick the rangers over some other group?

[Tateman]

Great start

[CourageousKate]

Good Luck, AgentKatia!  Love the creativity of your themed goals!  More tentacle-snapping power to you as you cruise through this challenge - may Neptune be with you!

 

Curiosity - I just moved over to the rangers from the warriors because I saw myself doing more a mix of running and strength workouts than pure strength stuff.  What prompted you to pick the rangers over some other group?

Great question Orc! And now that you mention it, that is not at all evident in my OP. SO! Frighteningly long answer to follow:

 

Other than my fat-loss goal listed above, but as implied by my motivation, my ultimate life goal is to be fit. Meaning I am strong, I run swiftly, I am flexible, I eat healthfully, and my bodyfat percentage is in a low, healthy range. 

 

I approach fitness from a survivalist perspective (though, I'd say I'm a moderate survivalist rather than hardcore). I want to be able to manage whatever situation I find myself in. Climb that tree to escape the Wargs? No problem. Run through a tangled jungle with the stolen idol to escape the angry natives? You've got it. Hand-to-hand combat on a crane suspended over a city? Done. And as a card-carrying member of the Fellowship of the Bat, I will one day be able to roll out of bed, fall straight forward, and start my pushups, Dark Knight style. 

 

I’ve stepped into the arena as a Ranger this go-around because I feel like it’s the right place to approach my diverse goals with an eye on strength and agility. 

 

Although I haven't been a runner in the past, I am working on that transition in my workouts and plan on beginning a C210K next challenge. Currently, my workouts consist of interval cross-training through the Rebel Fitness Guide three days a week. Since this is part of my routine, I'm not making it a goal...I'm adding the pull-up challenge as a specific focus of my training though. I'm continuing to work on my military style pushups as part of Rebel Fitness (one of my goals from last challenge), and I'm incorporating more running as my cardio portion of the program. (I heart the elliptical machine, but that won't really help me outrun anything... or catch my flight on a short connection, which I barely managed last weekend.) 

 

I always stretch after exercising, but my muscles are kind of dense (I guess?), so even 10–15 minutes of stretching for 45–60 minutes of exercise isn't enough. I know that technically girls don't bulk, but there is a very real difference between my body type when I am practicing yoga regularly versus when I'm not. It also helps me with range of motion, efficiency lifting weights, posture, and general core strength. I've been very inconsistent about including yoga in my life over the past few years, so I'm using this challenge to solidify it as my other two workouts weekday mornings. (For now. I realize I'll need to rethink that next challenge with the C210K program.)

 

And to top it all off, I've got to reduce my bodyfat. High cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, and adult-onset diabetes run in my family, so I’m in and fighting for the long-haul

 

Does that all make sense? I feel ready to step it up and be a Ranger, but you’ve been around a few more blocks here than me, Orc. Wisdom appreciated. 

 

(I think I'll edit OP to include an abridged version of this, as well.)

[CourageousKate]

Great start

Thanks Tateman. I was pretty darn proud of that sink, if I'm honest I stayed up far too late doing it, but it should be much easier going forward. And I still got up in time for Pilates this morning! Yay!

[abs]

What an awesome challenge from an awesome lady! The theme is perfect, pics are hilarious and your goals are well thought out. Congrats on a successful day one!!

[CourageousKate]

What an awesome challenge from an awesome lady! The theme is perfect, pics are hilarious and your goals are well thought out. Congrats on a successful day one!!

Thanks Abs! Good to see you again, Lady!!! I'm heading over to your challenge now.

[Amandaba]

 

 

I approach fitness from a survivalist perspective (though, I'd say I'm a moderate survivalist rather than hardcore). I want to be able to manage whatever situation I find myself in. Climb that tree to escape the Wargs? No problem. Run through a tangled jungle with the stolen idol to escape the angry natives? You've got it. Hand-to-hand combat on a crane suspended over a city? Done. And as a card-carrying member of the Fellowship of the Bat, I will one day be able to roll out of bed, fall straight forward, and start my pushups, Dark Knight style. 

 

 

LOVE IT!

[Thorns]

I approach fitness from a survivalist perspective (though, I'd say I'm a moderate survivalist rather than hardcore). I want to be able to manage whatever situation I find myself in. Climb that tree to escape the Wargs? No problem. Run through a tangled jungle with the stolen idol to escape the angry natives? You've got it. Hand-to-hand combat on a crane suspended over a city? Done. And as a card-carrying member of the Fellowship of the Bat, I will one day be able to roll out of bed, fall straight forward, and start my pushups, Dark Knight style. 

 

Hoo-Rah!  This, this, and all of this.  It's about the confidence in the ability to deal with whatever life throws at you.

 

You totally beat my 8-year-old at pushups, btw.  I think he can do one proper one.  Maybe two if he tries, but he's more inclined to do propped-up hip thrusts and call them pushups than he is to do actual pushups.  But you've got to watch out for my 6-year-old, though.  He's started doing them, and he can already do two of them with proper form.  :gobsmacked:

[CourageousKate]

Hoo-Rah!  This, this, and all of this.  It's about the confidence in the ability to deal with whatever life throws at you.

 

You totally beat my 8-year-old at pushups, btw.  I think he can do one proper one.  Maybe two if he tries, but he's more inclined to do propped-up hip thrusts and call them pushups than he is to do actual pushups.  But you've got to watch out for my 6-year-old, though.  He's started doing them, and he can already do two of them with proper form.  :gobsmacked:

It is TOTALLY about the confidence. And also just knowing that you CAN get stronger and faster. When I was 22, I was out of college, not exercising, and working crappy hours that contributed to crappy eating habits. I wasn't expanding exactly, but I was getting soft and less agile. I spent literally a YEAR thinking, "Whelp, this is me now. Guess it's all downhill from here." Years later, I worked for a woman who was on the road to being a professional Ironman. Here she was, working this day job with me in administration, and on the side, her other full time job was training for competition. She was three years older than me. It changed my life to realize THE POWER IS YOURS (though I'd been raised on Captain Planet... just a slow learner I guess). I spent the next few years progressively becoming the most fit I'd ever been. It was amazing.  

 

Ha! At least he's trying! I think 8 is around the age that I determined "girl" pushups were the right choice for me. YEARS of undoing that one And your 6-yr-old is already ahead of my starting point, so yeah. I love that they're going for it though, Thorns. That's all your doing  

[CourageousKate]

Today was my friend and co-worker's birthday, so our boss took us out for her birthday, and then we had amazing cake and French macarons at the office to celebrate. So that's one restaurant lunch + cake. Rough start this week!

 

Technically the cake won't count against me, but I think I'll track weekly progress on restricted refined carbs through servings. If I'm failing miserably at the end of this week, I think I'll need to count refined carbs against myself, especially since I'm falling back into tracking on MFP really easily.

 

Okay. Goal for Weds: ZERO refined carbs.

 

Tuesday, July 30th

 

TENTACLE SNAPPING:   5 negative pull-ups; 35 second hang, extended (Pilates took it out of me today!)

AQUATIC DEXTERITY:   1 / 2 yoga   (Pilates 1; Yoga 0)

SIREN SONG:                      MFP: All meals tracked; Salad: Restaurant salad! (1 / 3 available meals)

SWAB THE DECK:             Sink Shined! (2 / 2 days)

 

Weekly tracked items (ungraded, to support Siren Song)

 

REFINED CARBS:     M: 5 servings; T: 5 servings (SERIOUSLY? Get it together.) 

DRINKING DAYS:     0 / 3 

RESTAURANTS:        0 / 3

[Blaidd]

some amazing goals (and don't be surprised if i steal your theme in my last challenge of the year (for just before i fly out to Brazil)

 

Good luck hun xx

[Squeege]

 

I approach fitness from a survivalist perspective (though, I'd say I'm a moderate survivalist rather than hardcore). I want to be able to manage whatever situation I find myself in. Climb that tree to escape the Wargs? No problem. Run through a tangled jungle with the stolen idol to escape the angry natives? You've got it. Hand-to-hand combat on a crane suspended over a city? Done. And as a card-carrying member of the Fellowship of the Bat, I will one day be able to roll out of bed, fall straight forward, and start my pushups, Dark Knight style. 

YESYESYES. Kind of getting a crush on the way you think.. don't make it weird. Great start to your challenge!

[Tateman]

Cake, so hard to avoid  I do have my nephew's birthday coming up on the 20th.  I guess I will be avoiding cake that day.

[Annabelle]

I love the way your daily log is set up Katia Plus I totally relate to the end goal for your challenge, that was supposed to be me this fall (but all sorts of stuff got in the way).

 

Slay those sea monsters girl!