Harpy Heather Loves to Sing-a

[Harpy Heather]

About the moon-a and the June-a and the Spring-a… I love to sing-a!

 

 

Something about the calendar flipping over to January makes my brain go, “Yay, Spring soon! Now? How ‘bout now?†Hence the sing-a. I had thought about sitting out this challenge due to an iffy work schedule, but the thought of being more prepared for dusting the bikes off in warmer weather just appeals to me. I’m going to go for it, but updates might be a bit sporadic other than the weeklies.

 

Main Quest

My main quest is to improve my body fat percentage, specifically by dropping some more of this weight. I have my intake set to lose 0.5 pound a week, so I’m aiming for 3 pounds by the end. Extra loss would be groovy, but I’m hesitant to set up a bigger deficit because resistance training requires moar fuel. 

 

Sub-goals to help with this quest are as follows:

• Dial in the Diet. I log everything on MFP and want to stay green (meaning at or under the goal number) on calories and carbs while meeting or exceeding my protein and fat macros. This is going to take some planning and is unlikely to be 100% green, but I really feel it will help the main goal. For weekly grading, green days totaling at least 90% = A, 80% = B, 70% = C.
  
• Activate the Rest Days. This goal is related to last challenge because it’s still something I need to work on. What I’d like to do is throw in some cardio on at least two of my off days to make them active, either on the stationary bike (30 min) or with a long walk/jog (at least 5k total steps for the day). For weekly grading, 3 days = A, 2 days = B, 1 day = C.
  
• Build the Endurance. My cardiovascular health is kind of crap because I was sedentary for so long and for some reason have always had a very fast resting heart rate. I’ve been making progress with intervals on the elliptical, increasing resistance and speed while keeping my HR within healthy parameters. For weekly grading, HR under 140 = A, under 150 = B, under 160 = C.
  

 

Life Quest

Get up early and at the same time every morning. My alarm is set for 6:00 a.m., and for months I’ve been turning it off and going back to sleep until hubs wakes me up at 7:40. I will stop being lame and get my ass up to accomplish more stuff in the mornings.

 

Motivation

The last challenge felt pretty blargh for me, so I’ve got an axe to grind on this one. Maintaining over the holidays was a pretty good feat, but I really want to get somewhere this time. My inner badass wants out.

 

Stats

Measurements as of January 5...

• Height—5'3.5
  
• Weight—Starting, 162.8 lb. (because I indulged in holiday piggery and I'm not even sorry)
  
• Neck—Starting, 13.25 in.
  
• Waist—Starting, 35 in.
  
• Hips—Starting, 42.5 in.
  
• Forearm—Starting, 9.1 in.
  
• Bicep—Starting, 11.7 in.
  
• Thigh—Starting, 24.25 in.
  
• Calf—Starting, 14.1 in.
  

 

Time to move that butt!

[Hella Paiño]

Best wishes getting up in the morning!  I've been doing the same - attempting to waken when my alarm goes off (or soon thereafter) and do something in the morning, even if it's just reading or watching the news. 

[Vella]

Great goals - HarpyHeather!  I've got sleep goals too, but for me, it's going to bed early

Sub'd!

[Mikroftt]

I need to go get up earlier on the weekends.  I get up at 6 during the week but tend to sleep in on the weekends...  Good luck with this challenge!

[Batgirl]

Getting up early is so hard on weekends. But I'm sure you can do it

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JenniferStark]

YAY! Harpy! Kudos for choosing to continue along the path of awesome despite iffy work scheduleosity. I'm looking forward to all the Godzila goodness your threads bring into the world.

[Harpy Heather]

Thank you, guys! I'll also have to work on going to sleep earlier (as opposed to reading forums waaaay too late into the night) so I can get up without feeling like an angry harpy. This will take a while. :-P

 

Let's Godzilla stomp this challenge!

 

[AlexCold]

[Harpy Heather]

Alex, that picture rocks. Ghidorah FTW!

 

Good morning, folks! Not sure if today can count on the whole getting up early thing or not. I did get up at 6:00 a.m. (\o/), but hubs is sick, so I snugged up with him and sort of went back to sleep around 7:00. :-|

 

That said, the extra sleep was lovely and I feel ready to kick today's ass. Off to the grocery store!

 

*\o/* *\o/* *\o/*

[Batwoman]

I would sleep far less without Jenn or a heated blanket. I totally respect your decision to stay in bed until 7. Snuggles are scientifically proven to cure any illness.

 

HOORAY EUPHORIA FROM NEW CHALLENGE

 

 

 

[trendywendypdx]

Howdy, partner!

 

Great goals and I'm totally with you on the motivation.  I don't know what it was about last challenge but I just could not get motivated.  I guess it was the vacation days and holidays.  At any rate, let's grab this challenge by the horns!!

 

Hope your hubs feels better soon! 

[Harpy Heather]

Hey, thanks partner! I'm definitely ready to roast this challenge with Godzilla breath. ROAST. \o/

 

Hubs says thank you as well. :-)

[Harpy Heather]

Good morning, guys! Yesterday's rest day activity was successful at over 5k steps, but I did not get up early this morning. Crashed so hard I never even heard my alarm. This fail brought to you by staying up too late again. Working on that.

 

At any rate, I've been adjusting my intake numbers for the past couple of months to get a feel for actual deficits. Went up to 1600 cal for a good while and was losing at a glacial pace before the holiday piggery. I had decided last week to try going back to 1400 because my Fitbit was always like "lolno" and taking away around 150 cal every day anyway (I wasn't moving enough). Results from that are I have lost a pound, but I'm bloody hungry. After discussing with hubs, I've decided to go up to 1500 and keep up the concerted effort to get off my ass. Constant hunger sucks.

 

I used the following estimated info (from http://www.1percentedge.com/ifcalc/) to tweak my intake.

• Basal Metabolic Rate (Katch-McArdle formula) – 1418 cal
• Total Daily Energy Expenditure (at sedentary) – 1702 cal
• Lean Body Mass – 106.8 lb
• Fat Body Mass – 55.2 lb (omg)
• BMI – 28.7
• Body Fat Percentage – 34.1 (omg)

 

This calculator suggests eating 1361 cal on rest days and 1702 cal on lifting days (at three per week). That should result in a 0.39 lb loss per week. It's still glacial, but I think this will be enough to drop fat and still fuel my workouts. If I keep plodding along at this pace, the schedule thingy says I'll drop the last 30 lb by July 2015. Yeah, it's slow, but it will preserve lean body mass and drop 90% of that grody fat blob to bring me to 21% bf. That number, I like.

 

Anybody have any thoughts on these mathy things? :-)

[Batwoman]

<.< .... >.>

 

PALEO!

 

 

who said that?!

 

 

 

I don't know about the mathy things, nor do I much fuss with it. I think that is why I enjoy Paleo so much. I will however suggest more leafy green things to satiate some of your hunger pangs. It's not the most fun or most enjoyable but surprisingly you can fill up really quickly on broccoli or kale without many calories.

[trendywendypdx]

Yeah for 5k steps!  How many miles does that make?

 

Putting aside the mathy things for a moment, that you crashed and are constantly hungry sounds like your calories are too low.  I wouldn't go lower than your BMR for sure.  I think you'll feel better at 1500.

[Mikroftt]

Looks like your challenge is off to a good start.  I have not tracked calories so sorry I can't offer advice on that.

[JenniferStark]

Constant hunger sucks.

 

 

Constant hunger leads to fear.....

[JuiceeTarget]

Hunger can weaken your resolve. I've found that a little hunger is good, hunger all the time just means I'm waiting to binge.

[Phatkid]

Hunger can weaken your resolve. I've found that a little hunger is good, hunger all the time just means I'm waiting to binge.

 

 

Completely agree about hungry weakening resolve. I try not to let myself get so hungry..I eat about every 3 hours or so....if possible. 

[Harpy Heather]

Dude, I could eat broccoli all day every day, and we pretty much have since February. Lurve. We tried kale and found it fairly revolting, so instead we do steamed fresh broc/green beans with the occasional asparagus thrown in (which I also find gross, but eh). Need to have salad with lunch more often.

 

I had looked into paleo (that's how I found NF!), but being diabetic is restrictive enough for me. I'll give up grains when I'm dead. :-P

 

Definitely gonna bump up to 1500 and see how that feels. My macros are set to 45% (169g) carbs, 25% (94g) protein, and 30% (50g) fat. That should keep me happy enough to avoid eating ALL the things. We'll see! Thanks, guys! :-)

[Batwoman]

hehe... Give me bread or give me death!

 

 

I'm unsure of what your liquid intake is, but making sure you have enough water during the day will also help. Will also help with steps. Half of my walking during the day comes from trekking to the wiz palace.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[starpuck]

Hahahaha I saw the title and was like 'Is she summoning the little jazz owl?' - Lo and behold you are!  AWESOME!

 

Consider yourself greeted!!   (As part of the first mini challenge)  Rarr!    And followed on account of good taste in cartoons!

[Harpy Heather]

I'm unsure of what your liquid intake is, but making sure you have enough water during the day will also help. Will also help with steps. Half of my walking during the day comes from trekking to the wiz palace.

 

Oh, so much truth in that. I tend to drink a LOT of water, always have. 64 oz is a low day for me, I'm usually between 80 and 120 depending on how much coffee happens in the morning. You are very right about those treks. :-D

 

 

Hahahaha I saw the title and was like 'Is she summoning the little jazz owl?' - Lo and behold you are!  AWESOME!

 

Consider yourself greeted!!   (As part of the first mini challenge)  Rarr!    And followed on account of good taste in cartoons!

 

YAY, I was wondering if anybody else would get that! Had to go watch it when I was searching for the pic to post, hehehehe. Thank you for the greeting! \o/

[starpuck]

How's it going my jazzy little owl?

[Harpy Heather]

How's it going my jazzy little owl?

 

Hi, Starpuck! Things are going pretty well in challenge land despite a weird schedule this week. I have to admit I've been a complete fail whale at getting up early so far but am making good progress on everything else. Gonna have to set another alarm and put it across the room. Part of the problem is I hate getting up when it's still dark. Need to get one of those sunrise lamps. :-D

 

I think I've got the macros and foodies dialed in pretty well now, just need to keep planning meals to hit the protein/fat/fiber goals while staying under on carbs. It is getting easier now that I'm focused on it.

 

The strength workouts are going well and I'm moving more on rest days. I've been experimenting a little with the strength stuff because I have to sub in things based on what my knees will tolerate (i.e., not squats). I had read that reverse lunges are easier on the knees and have tried those out for a couple of weeks now. My knees do seem to handle them okay, but the tops of my quads shriek with unhappiness about 5 reps in. Probably a flexibility issue, so I'll work on it. Other than that, everything's coming up bunnies. :-)

 

Also, it's hockey night. \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_ \o/\_