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So, true story - I chose the name Starpuck because... Well it started with an RPG game. (Shocking, I know.) We were just about to start playing Rogue Trader; a FFG set in the Warhammer 40k Universe, and I had chosen the career of Voidmaster. Basically, the ship's pilot. Now I had not seen BSG at this point (and I think we played this game back in 2012) and I was asking friends for suggestions on strong female sci-fi characters. Kara Thrace came up as one of them and I checked out this awesome video of her. I fell in love instantly and realized this was the perfect inspiration. Fast forward a few months and I come across Nerd Fitness. [After one of my hockey teammates wouldn't stop forcing the Cross-fit Koolaid down our throats, I looked up 'nerd fitness' just as a random google search and found one of the stories Steve shared about a nerd just getting healthy. I quickly countered her 'only Cross-fit works' propaganda with, "Or ya know, anything that helps you eat healthy, move more and focus on life long maintainable routines."] I decided then and there that this Nerd Fitness site was like MADE FOR ME! But, I needed a name! A cool name... one that was equally nerdy and sporty, and totally bad ass... And thus... Starpuck was born! As you can see in this picture, I was much 'softer' at this photo shoot, so I recognize I've made lasting changes. (Also, this is my girl, Amanda, AKA Egypt - who also is a nerd/hockey player!) To note; this picture was taken March 3, 2013. The same month as my first challenge with NF. I don't know what I weighed here, or any of my measurements, but you'll see the difference... In this shot (taken) August 2013. Five months. That's all it took to go from ^ to v. I didn't feel deprived of anything, nor tired. Nothing. I just ate super clean, strength trained 3x a week and ran or played hockey 3x a week. I was in the best shape of my life, and I felt great. Oh... and btw, that pic below... I weighed 140lb. But man, it was some lean muscled 140lb! Don't trust scales! (I'm the one on the left) ((Er, I mean the girl on the left. The one on the right is my teammate Poodle.)) And so we go back to the beginning. Largely a recopy from last challenge, which was a throwback to my most successful challenge on Nerd Fitness, just with some added tweaks to goals. Fitness Goals Strength Train: 3X / WEEK Sweat!!! 3X / WEEK Eating Healthy No honeybadger moments. (Might track to get an idea of what I am usually eating, but not track to reach certain cals/macros) Life Goals Budget Related: Keep track of ALL purchases in BuJo. Collect data, find trends. Keep up with the art: Do some art 3-4x a week. Boom. That's it! And it starts on Week Zero (because Old Challenges were 6 weeks, so I gotta go apples to apples here.) Also - if when this works? It will be the first time in the history of ever, that Starpuck achieves weight loss and body changing during the winter months. Today's starting weight sucks. But I had to face the facts: 157lb *waiting for sharks, and kind of splurgy weekend do not help

Posted April 12, 2013 Jammer: "I'm not really cut out for this, sir." Apollo: "Me neither. Sometimes you gotta roll the hard six." Jammer: "What does that mean, sir?" Apollo: "I don't know. It's something my dad says. Just don't shoot until I tell you to." BSG - Season 2, Episode 2 Pretty fitting title and saying for my 2nd 38th challenge. My first last challenge I approached sort of half-assed, quarter-assed so now I gotta RE roll the Hard 6. (See, I just mixed gaming with BSG.) Fitness Goals Strength Train: 3X / WEEK Sweat!!! 3X / WEEK Eating Healthy No honeybadger moments. Life Goal Budget Related: Keep track of ALL purchases in BuJo. Collect data, find trends. The above goals were what I did on my second challenge back in April 2013. Guess what weight I was when I started? Yup. Same as I am today. I guess in one sense, keeping within the same 5-8lb spread for 4 years isn't so bad in the long wrong, right? Anyway. By the end of that challenge? These were the results. So, I am going to go back to the beginning. While I am not currently doing C25K, or plan to, I will still utilize the 3x a week SWEAT as motivation. Also- those 'strength' days were largely play ground workouts, that lasted no more than 45m. I have a gym in my warehouse now- rings, pull up bars, and weights. I am set up for success on that front. The food? I opted for not tracking calories and just eating cleaner. I likely UNDER nourished that first time around, but I am smarter now, more experienced. My TDEE has not changed over the last four years. When I am strength active I burn about 2200 a day, when I run or bike, it hits about 2400, and when I hockey I can tip to 3000. I can easily adjust my intake based on those well established averages. I have a vacation starting on the 18th, and then a very crazy ten days. I will make the best choices I can, given the surroundings I am in. I will not stress and nitpick over every calorie into my mouth because that makes me macroniacal. Hockey season is starting up too, so that will also help. And, a big difference between then and now? My gif game is a lot stronger! ROLL A HARD 6 YOU SAY?

KICKIN’ IN THE BURN "So what's your plan here? Personally, I tend to go with what you know. 'Til something better turns up." --William Adama It’s time to go back to my NF roots. Kara “Starbuck†Thrace. I was late to the BSG bandwagon (and still haven’t finished the series, so no spoilers please) but fell immediately in love with Starbuck. Here is an amazingly strong woman, loyal to a fault, hard-working and full of grit, and determined to overcome the obstacles in front of her despite struggling with her own demons. What’s not to love and admire? I was especially convinced I needed to come back to my BSG themed beginnings when the following exchange occurred on my last challenge thread: Starpuck: I’ve been asked to join a men’s hockey team, I want to, I think, but I am kind of chicken. Shadowlion: Go for it! Starbuck would. So who’s ready to show up and kick a little ass? PRIORITY 1: EATING – Don’t become post New Caprica Lee! Cook Clean – 1x/week or more“Frak It†Meals – 1x/week or lessEat Clean – 80/20 or better *still need a way to track this PRIORITY 2: EXERCISE – Move it nugget! Target goal of logging 5 sessions total per week, broken down as follows:Strength Sessions – 2x/weekRuns – 1x/week+2 additional workouts of any type SIDE FITNESS GOAL: Go to the boxing gym 1x/week. Kara hits the bags, so should you. PRIORITY 3: BUDGET – Limited resources in space, don’t waste them! Track all purchases with Goodbudget App and cut back on spending as follows:Eating out Money $40 or less per weekFun Money $40 or less per weekPut $200 into savings each monthINCENTIVE PROGRAM: Eating out and fun money will be spent only with real, paper bills. Once the actual envelope is empty, the money is gone for the week. However! Left over money goes into my BSG inspired TOP GUN mug. This is my ‘buy yourself a tablet’ fund, and I will allow myself to make the purchase once I have 50% more than I need in the stein. SIDE LIFE GOAL: Purchase the piano book as suggested by ShadowLion and commit to looking at music or art hobbies at least 1x a week. Schedule Draft *with a note to learn how to be flexible if hiccups occur. And a little motivation to start the challenge off with! My all time, most favorite Starbuck video!

Adama: You don't lose control. Lee: Thanks. Adama: No. You gotta lose control. Let your instincts take over. Lee: I thought we were just sparring. Adama: That's why you don't win. MAIN QUEST: To turn these fledgling habits into instincts. Run 3x/Week (STA 2)Strength 3x/Week (STR 2)Cook 1 Paleo/Clean Meal/week (CON 3)Side Fitness Quest: Increase Pull Ups to 5 in a single set. (+1 Str) Improve 5k time to <10 min/mile. (+1 Dex) LIFE QUEST: Put $75/week into savings account (WIS 3) Side Life Quest: Face your destiny – stop putting off the dentist and eye doctor. (+2 Cha) Bonus quest: Redo Starpuck photo shoot pictures! Smile at results! (+1 Cha) MOTIVATION: To be strong and healthy, and able to thrive in a wide variety of activities and sports and life experiences ... I had two days of 'my old ways' and I felt awful. My motivation is to never feel awful again. In short ... You could easily exchange Apollo’s words to ‘I thought we were dieting’ and this quote would work just the same. “That’s why you don’t win.†Well, maybe, where win equals change. I have completed two challenges now with very good success, but when I get down to the honesty of it, I am still using the challenges to drive toward the goal of losing weight – and thus … it is more like dieting than lifestyling. This challenge will be about, “Fight to Live†– in other words, eat clean, move and get things in order so I can not just exist, but LIVE healthy. I can BE the bad ass female heroes I see on all my TV shows... I just have to want to win enough and start trusting my new instincts. Starting Weight 139.6 (Darn weekend Upsies)

Kara Thrace: (sitting on her couch) You know, I never really liked this place anyway. Air conditioning doesn't work in the summer. Heater doesn't work in the winter. The rent's a crime...(lights a cigar)...After they attacked, I never pined over any of my old crap. Never missed it. Stupid view of the parking lot. Broken toilet in the bathroom...You know, everyone I know is fighting to get back what they had. I'm fighting because I don't know how to do anything else. So - no matter how you got to this challenge, no matter what you're trying to achieve - we're all fighting for something. So get your gloves on, get in the ring, and let's fight!

"How is my excess fat like BSG?" you ask, brows furrowed. Because it's about to be obliterated like Caprica and the rest of the twelve colonies, that's how. Cylons and humans welcome. One God or many- we all have fat to destroy. This is a group for people who want to just generally lose weight, eat better, and exercise more. I'm a writer / business owner and a stay-at-home mom of one. I need to take more walks (even if it is 100 degrees in FL right now), and cook more food from scratch for my family. I have a modest goal of losing 10lbs. (I may be the only GB lover on the board, but that's okay - I'll just motivate myself GB-style.)

So, my fellow ranger Katinka and I, were a little panicked by the fact there are two weeks of break before the next challenge begins! Not wanting to risk getting sucked out of the airlock, we thought about running a little mini challenge to keep us motivated until things start up on the 29th! They are not long term goals by any means, and most are meant to be tackled in a day or two, or within the two weeks that we are waiting for the next challenge. Open to everyone, no number limit on who can tag along. Just pop in, say hey and let us know you're joining the fleet by replying to this thread. So let's keep the Vipers in the air and do this! Grabbing onto a BSG theme, the setting is this: The Cylons have just attacked the 12 colonies and the Galactica has jumped away from Caprica. There are some survivors on Caprica still, but the place is crawling with Cylons. The first part of the challenge reflects the escape that Helo and Caprica-Sharon are trying to make. The second and third reflect Starbuck's mission to return to Caprica and retrieve the Arrow of Apollo. (If folks have any other ideas to put up, we can add those as well!) ESCAPING CAPRICA “Avoiding the Cylons†: You are stuck on Caprica with Helo. He doesn’t know you’re a Cylon, and you’ve decided to pick your side. Keep Helo safe by keeping him moving – don’t let the others find and catch you. Keep moving! Walk, run, bike – whatever mode of movement you favor, do it. You cannot let the Cylons reach you. It’s a long haul to get away from them, so don’t look back. Walk at least 6 milesRun at least 10 milesBike at least 25 miles “A Hard Choice†: Roslin has convinced you that the Arrow of Apollo is on Caprica, and that you must disobey the Commander and go back and retrieve it. Pick a previous goal or challenge task, that you did not fully succeed on, and go back to do it again.This is your Arrow of Apollo! “Fighting Number Six†: You have found the Arrow of Apollo but a Six is there to stop you. It will be a brutal fight to overcome the Cylon’s strength and stamina, but the hope of finding Earth is in your hands. Defend it! Push yourself. Pick a task, (physical, mental, or otherwise), and pick one day to push past your usual limits on this. If you typically run 3 miles, run 4. If you deadlift 100#, try to reach 125#. Anything you’ve typically done, do it – but push yourself (safely) as much as you can.

"Stupid frakking thing couldn't come with a handbook? No, because that would just be too logical, wouldn't it?" BSG Season 1, "Kobol's Last Gleaming" (As Starbuck moves the arrow over the door with no effect.) Huh? What does Finding the Arrow of Apollo have to do with a NF challenge? I will tell you! See, this last challenge is what I would have to call my first REAL challenge here. It was the first one I saw through beginning to end. (Big surprise, it was also the first one that netted me some great results. To the tune of losing 9.5lbs, 5 overall inches and ~2% bodyfat. Also boosted my confidence and esteem like crazy.) Relating it to BSG - It has given me hope of finding the lost 13th colony... hope of finding "a new home". [Home being the point at which I have truly adopted these habits as a lifestyle- something that is not a temporary fix of unwanted pounds, or a phase to get fit because it's summer. A new, permanent, way to live.] In this quote, Starbuck has found the Arrow of Apollo and is trying to open the door with it but having no luck. Her comment is SO similar to how I feel about weight loss, getting healthy, building strength, etc. I have the tools - but dammit! Why don't they come with a handbook that promises guaranteed results. "If I do this, this should happen." Newp. So, like Starbuck, I have to go on faith and instincts and just see it through. Perservere. Just. Stick. To. It. On to the actual goals and points - (I realized my con is super wimpy so had to really buckle down to figure out a goal that would help boost that stat. I hate having dump stats!) No McDonald’s Burritos for 6 weeks. +5 CON (Continue journaling / eating cleaner) 1 slip = B (4) 2 slips = C (3) 3 slips = D (2) 4 slips = E (1) 5 slips = F (0) This goal has a HUGE stat award attached to it because they truly are my fiercest addiction. Over the last challenge, I gave up most bread, had no candy/chocolate (wasn't craving it) - desserts only on special occasions, and even managed 6 weeks without my cherished milkshakes. The breakfast burritos however, are a major addiction. This is going to require a large amount of willpower on most days - unless I find a subsititute that I love. Continue C25K Run Program. Run 3x / week +1 DEX/+2 STA 16-18 Runs = A (+1 / +2) 13-15 Runs = B (+.75 / +1.5) 10-12 Runs = C (+.5 / + 1) 7-9 Runs = D (+.25 / +.5) 0-6 Runs = F (0 / 0) I have not added a lot of new goals this challenge because I am still trying to make things habit. Right now, my mindset is still, "I do this because my goal says I should do this 3x a week." Until I get to a point where my mind/soul says "Run because it feels good and is good for you" I will need to keep this on goal lists to keep me on it Besides - I have not reached week 9 yet... just week 7. The real test will be if I can keep running AFTER I finish the program. Continue strength program. Strength workout 3x / week **Track gains! +2 STR Sub Goal - +1 STR = 1 CHIN UP 16-18 Days = A (+2) 13-15 Days = B (+1.5) 10-12 Days = C (+ 1) 7-9 Days = D (+ .5) 0-6 Days = F (0) Much like the running goal - this is about reinforcing the budding habit. Must get to a point where I do it because I love how it strengthens me. I am proud of where I am now compared to where I was before, but I am still fighting with the outlook of doing things based on results, rather than doing them because they are good for you. I added to this one, that I need to track gains. While I finally made it through a challenge with an honest 3 days a week of strength training, I feel like on 50% of the days I was just showing up, and not pushing myself. This challenge I want to look at my before PRs and see them crushed by new ones after the challenge. Budget! OMG GET A BUDGET AND FOLLOW IT DAMMIT. +4 WIS 0-5% Over Budget = A (4) 6-10% Over Budget = B (3) 11-15% Over Budget = C (2) 16-20% Over Budget = D (1) 21+% Over Budget = F (0) This is another goal with a huge stat award attached because I REALLY need to focus on it. I am hoping the bigger stat gain is more incentive to stick to it. Part of my money issue is that I am generous and like to do things and will pay for others if they can't. Part of it is that since I have not turned to food for quick uppers in 6+ weeks, I am turning toward a random 'me' buy instead. Must fix. The BIGGEST money dump for me is still eating out. Limiting that will help the budget and the healthy eating goal by tons, so I need to get on board with this. IF I stick to this, (and with the help of year end bonuses) I should be able to be totally out of CC debt by the end of July. IF I score an A on this goal, I will allow myself to use SOME of the bonus (Provided it's enough) to POSSIBLY upgrade my 6 year old PC. (I'm a gamer dammit, I need more graphix zomg.) Overall - it looks kinda weak to me, because I only added two new goals, and used two old ones as 'keep doing what I've been doing'. I feel a little guilty about that, but I also feel like if I add more then I will get overwhelmed and not keep up with this or that. The running and lifting I really want to get to the point where it becomes second nature to me. Where I don't have to track each time I get 3 in a week, it's just a matter of knowing I want to run or lift today, or run/lift tomorrow, or do it when I wake up, or at lunch because the sun is out, or whatever. But. I'm not there yet. And having the sense to realize, and admit that, I feel, is a nod toward some self-awareness and wisdom I've gained over the last challenge. So, as we gear up for Monday, all I can say is... GOOD HUNTING! Edited 6/24 -- Totally forgot to put starting stats up! STARTING STATS Weight: 143.6 Bodyfat: 30.6% Waist: 34 Hip: 39 Thigh: 25 Bicep: 13

DAILY FOOD AND EXERCISE JOURNAL FOR MY CURRENT CHALLENGE Going to try a new approach on the format. Each day will have it's own entry that includes my food journal, exercise journal and breakdown of activity/time/calorie burn and reps/sets. Strength stats only will be copied to the challenge thread itself as I am tracking gains on this challenge. Might be more spammy and have more posts this way, but also will be less tedious to have to sort through and find the 'weekly' posts and then edit each one. Oh! Also want to add a thoughts/feelings section for each day so I can see how I felt based on this, that, or whatever. First post to hit on Monday, Day 1 of challenge.