Let's Do This!

I've been freaking out since last Friday when I took my Calc exam. I was certain that I bombed it. When we got the test, I couldn't solve the first problem. It's not that I blanked or couldn't do it, but the question as posed was unsolvable without a calculator because of the complex roots, and we aren't allowed calculators. I took one look at it, and skipped it to finish the rest of the exam instead.

It was a good strategy. The professor threw out the question because he made a mistake with setting up the equation. I got an 88%; it would have been 78% with that problem included, so yay! I still have an A average overall - whew! That was a great start to the day!

My weight went up this morning, which might normally be viewed as a bad thing, but I'm not sweating it. Weight goes up down and all around, and it's not helpful for me. I've changed my Spark tracker to body fat percentage instead of weight. I don't know what my end weight is going to be because I don't have a reference point.

I'm not even sure what my target body fat percentage is going to be, either. My measured bodyfat is approximately 28%, which puts me in between the 25-30% according to this visual picture. I started off at 44%.



What's my target? Ideally, I'd like to be the awesome 17%! But being realistic, I know that takes tons of discipline. I'm currently aiming for 24%. I think that should give me a good balance between aesthetics and lifestyle.

Doing a little math, my current weight is 128lbs, and bodyfat % is 28.

128 * (1 - 0.28) = 92.16lbs of lean mass

If I lost only bodyfat and kept my lean mass the same, that would mean that my final weight would be:

92.16 / (1 - 0.24) = ~121 lbs total mass

The thing is, I don't want to keep my lean mass the same. I want to be stronger. I don't want to grunt and groan with puny 5lbs weights. Thus, my lean mass has to go up, and I don't know what my final weight is going to be.

I have a set of quick change dumbells and the book "New Rules of Lifting for Women" on order. I should have them next week.

I was very upset a few weeks ago to realize that I had lost a number of Sparkfriends along the way with the divergence of our goals. I am so glad to have new Sparkfriends, though, to share this new phase of our fitness together. I have already learned so much from reading your blogs, and enthusiasm is contagious!

I'm ready! Let's do this!