Starpuck Gets Going!

[starpuck]

Hello Rebellion!    Another new challenge rises in the ripple free wake of the last; where efforts, focus and consistency faded into oblivion and thus, progress halted.     It's frustrating.   But I've been here since 2013, and I have learned that my body goes through a continual ebb and flow.   Months at a time where I kick major butt and drop weight and gain reps and boost confidence, followed by a lull that returns some fluff, saps the energy levels and leaves me growling.     But there's just the thing- I have learned something.  I learned that my body is not static.   So maybe I need to work WITH that knowledge, instead of against it.

 

Facing the up and down scale, I can either Get Mad. Get Depressed.  Or Get Going.    I am choosing to Get Going!!

 

 

Learn from the past.  Use it to forge your future.

What works?  Use it again!

 

Movement Goal

Strength and "Activity".   Strength because strong bodies keep bones healthy and I want to be active well into my golden years.   My best results have in the past come from no less than 2 strength workouts a week, and often in a 2/3/2/3 pattern.   Have a week with 3 strengths, next week 2, etc.    I'll be on vacation the last 3 days of Week 5, so at best I'll get 2 in that week.     Activity is anything that gets me up off my butt and my heart rate up, at all.   I am going to work hard on re-framing the idea that every workout needs to burn "so many" calories.  Walking, hiking, biking, beat saber, dancing, anything counts but I should get 3 of those in per week.

STRENGTH SESSIONS:   13

ACTIVITIES:   15

 

Food Goal

So food is a struggle when I get off the consistency train.    Combine that with a world slowly stepping out of pandemics and restrictions, and food with friends, a celebration beer, and sweets to celebrate with become an easy excuse.    I've done best with having just ONE super no track-no worry meal per week.   I have GOT to get this habit back into play.   That also means having better options at home to fill in the gaps - but ... the home situation is not ideal and it's a challenge.  (No space for me to KEEP healthy food due to my brother-in-laws hoarding, which includes food.)     I will track my calories in MFP, and at least for the first few weeks, get back to more careful measuring of portions. 

TRACK ON MFP:  7X/WEEK    (-5 meals that are free eats per challenge)

 

Other Weekly Goals

Art has not been a thing for a while and maybe I shouldn't try to force it when I am not feeling it.   I've done some writing for RP reasons, and kicked through 270 pages of a new book in just 4 days while on vacation.   That felt really good.   I also have been getting the itch to get my D&D campaign going again, so I'd like to set a very vague/soft goal of three times per week doing something other than video games with some of my spare time.   I also want to start working on a gratitude journal/note etc.   Could be just light stuff scribbled into the BuJo, but I really want to rewire default brain mode and I've heard a lot of good things about this across several communities.    Lastly, I want to get into a BuJo Habit.   I just need to bring it out once I get to work, and once I get home so it's in view and I remember to keep it updated.

NON VIDEO GAME ACTIVITY:   15

GRATITUDE DAILY:  7X/WEEK

BUJO (mostly) DAILY: 5X/WEEK+

 

TO DO LIST

- Oil Change

- Tire Rotation

- Clean Car / Detail

- Chiropractor Visit

- See some houses

- Get friend added to pre-approval numbers

- Family bbq July 3rd

- Friend bbg July 17th

- Vacation July 23-29

 

Today's Weight 147.2   (I am no longer calling it starting weight/ ending weight, or before/after.)

 

Nothing left to do now ... but get rolling!

 

 

 

[Elastigirl]

Following and cheering !

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Glad you're here Puck! I'll be here for you.

[milythael]

2 hours ago, Starpuck said:

But there's just the thing- I have learned something.  I learned that my body is not static.   So maybe I need to work WITH that knowledge, instead of against it.

I love, love, love this kind of self observation and awareness.  We learn from our pasts and become the world's foremost expert on a case study of 1, ourselves.

 

2 hours ago, Starpuck said:

 

 

 

What anime is this?  I vant to vatch it!

 

Following, cheering, wondering if I missed a bullet journal craze.

[starpuck]

2 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

Following and cheering !

 

1 hour ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Glad you're here Puck! I'll be here for you.

Thanks guys!!!   Means a lot to have ya here!

 

5 minutes ago, milythael said:

I love, love, love this kind of self observation and awareness.  We learn from our pasts and become the world's foremost expert on a case study of 1, ourselves.

 

What anime is this?  I vant to vatch it!

 

Following, cheering, wondering if I missed a bullet journal craze.

 

That anime is Grimgar, of Fantasy and Ash, or https://myanimelist.net/anime/31859/Hai_to_Gensou_no_Grimgar

I really enjoyed it but it is not the most popular or well heard of anime out there by any means.   Reasons I loved it:  It's fantasy based (very D&D setting).  The characters improved slowly.  Relationships developed slowly, and with a realistic feel.    Also, the combat was so well animated you could feel the weight of the interactions.   I almost kind of want to watch it again now.  But my anime list is really backed up right hahaha.

 

Thanks for stopping by!  I haven't gotten the BUJO put together yet, but once I do, I'll share pics.

 

 

Plan for tonight is to take a side salad home to use with my left over chicken so I don't eat the pasta they are having.    Some R&R.  Getting myself packed for tomorrow's hike.  Then some ESO.

[DarK_RaideR]

21 hours ago, Starpuck said:

the combat was so well animated you could feel the weight of the interactions

 

 

Also, hi!

[Mr_Willes]

Hey Star!!!

 

Since you didn't ask about it, i'm just gonna shove it up your nose (be glad about that, with all the talks about butts in my thread, which i do love BTW)

 

(inserting pic from mobile)

 

With free pic from my daugther who can do 3 pullups in a row, which is officially beating me...

 

But most important it's UP!!!

 

Among other things...

[starpuck]

4 hours ago, Mr_Willes said:

Hey Star!!!

 

Since you didn't ask about it, i'm just gonna shove it up your nose (be glad about that, with all the talks about butts in my thread, which i do love BTW)

 

(inserting pic from mobile)

 

With free pic from my daugther who can do 3 pullups in a row, which is officially beating me...

 

But most important it's UP!!!

 

Among other things...

 

Omg, that set up is beautiful!!!  And way to go Chicita_Willes!!!      I  need to get my butt in gear.  I think I might be working some resistance band pull ups back into my plan, even though I can still do them without - because I'm developing some elbow strains and pains I want to not exacerbate.    Wisdom takes precedent here for a bit, so I can keep training them!!

 

Thanks for the motivation.

And the  status report of ...

 

[starpuck]

Zero Weekend Ends and Week 1 Begins

 

Took a wonderful 6 mile hike on Saturday to start warming up for my trip to Shenandoah National Park at the end of July.    I had DOMS still from my all legs workout on Thur but managed through it since the weather was just perfect.

 

 

 

Followed it up with a stop at a restaurant bier garten where we split the Firecracker shrimp (delicious) and I got a sirloin burger with cole slaw and a lovely mango-raspberry hard cider.    I was feeling SUPER hyped that I ate only HALF my burger guys!    We stopped for some yogurt afterward and then headed back to the house to watch some anime and cool off before our ESO Trial Dungeon Run.  A perfect Saturday.   The evening food once more blew up as I got hungry late, ate left over pizza, then chased it with a handful of cookies.   I think the trick here is to have a reasonable, healthy, but still tasty option ready at hand when I get hungry late after a big fun meal.

 

Sunday my sis and I did our usual McDs run and then went lawn mower shopping.   This is my favorite kind of adult purchase.  I pick out what I like best (since I do their mowing) and SHE buys it, lol!     We got a nice little mow'n'stow option with a decent bag design and the ability to hook up your hose to clean off the blades and inside after mowing.    Very exciting.   I'd have done the lawn on Sunday but the forecast was all day storms.       The man of the house wanted Mexican for dinner and so we ordered from this local place and it made me really sick.   Like, still not feeling well today, sick.  I feel bloated and oogie and just not very in the mood to do anything.     To add insult to this injury, we had severe weather right at bed time, so I ended up an hour late to bed, and then stress-sleeping so not very well rested.   I was eager to kick off Monday this week with a strength session so I could get 3 in, and be super kick ass.  But tiredness, fatigue and stomach blergles really have me wanting to just veg out and do nothing today.   Maaaaybe I could take a walk.... that's about it.

 

My BuJo is all set up.     Here is the tracker portion of things. 

 

That's all I got to say for start of week 1. 

Happy challenging all!

 

[Elastigirl]

What a lovely hike! Sorry the weekend ended on a sick note. I like your idea of already having a healthy meal on hand .

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Yikes, you for sure want to rest until your GI tract is calm again. You certainly don't want to take a walk that gets you too far from any relief facilities in the event of a...flare up.

[obax]

Following along, of course. Looks like that was a beautiful hike. Hope your stomach settles soon!

[chickie.monkey]

Hey girl, heeeyyyy. It’s been 8(?) years, and it never ceases to amaze me how you’re always in my head! I’m trying to get out of a blah hole right now. Here to cheer you on!

[Rebel Pilot Gar]

Following! Great goals, love the theme of learning from what has worked in the past.
 

That hike looks beautiful. Hope you feel better soon.

[Artemis Prime]

I have hike envy right now. 

Definitely feel you on having to share space and how much harder that makes things like not keeping junk in the house or stockpiling healthy options. I'm hoping to have my own place built by next year, but for now I'm concentrating on what I can do instead of focusing on the negatives or just throwing time away until the situation changes.

[starpuck]

22 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

What a lovely hike! Sorry the weekend ended on a sick note. I like your idea of already having a healthy meal on hand .

It was so so nice.   Can't wait for the next - though I am really terrified of ticks.

 

19 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Yikes, you for sure want to rest until your GI tract is calm again. You certainly don't want to take a walk that gets you too far from any relief facilities in the event of a...flare up.

LOL, yeah, it wasn't that kind -thankfully. Just oogie blergle belly.      I am glad to have done the walk as it felt good.

 

16 hours ago, obax said:

Following along, of course. Looks like that was a beautiful hike. Hope your stomach settles soon!

Settled at dinner time!  WOOT

 

12 hours ago, chickie.monkey said:

Hey girl, heeeyyyy. It’s been 8(?) years, and it never ceases to amaze me how you’re always in my head! I’m trying to get out of a blah hole right now. Here to cheer you on!

CHICKIE!!!!  ❤️ ❤️  Sooooo good to see you!    The blahs have been powerful.   The big story arc of 2020 gave the blahs a power up.  But like any proper anime, now it's time for the heroes to get their next boost.  We got this!!!   Glad you are here my friend!!

 

 

4 hours ago, Rebel Pilot Gar said:

Following! Great goals, love the theme of learning from what has worked in the past.
That hike looks beautiful. Hope you feel better soon.

Yeah!  Right?  I think I am hitting the next point in my evolution.   I was looking today at my Facebook memories over the past decade, and how many are about 'lose this weight, reach that number, do this thing'.      It sort of made me sad .... like how long has my weight been such a focal point for me that I had to post so much about it?   Like sure.   A place here where we are all sharing our stories and supporting each other, it's data.   But on FB?  It felt more like an obsession, and I want to break that.  I WILL break that.

 

2 hours ago, Artemis Prime said:

I have hike envy right now. 

Definitely feel you on having to share space and how much harder that makes things like not keeping junk in the house or stockpiling healthy options. I'm hoping to have my own place built by next year, but for now I'm concentrating on what I can do instead of focusing on the negatives or just throwing time away until the situation changes.

 

Hehe, hike envy is serious business.  Hope you get to scratch the itch soon!

You are having your own place built????  THAT IS SO EXCITING!

Also - how much does it cost to BUILD a house, rather than buy an existing I wonder .... lol.   I want a house, but things are so hard right now.

 

 

 

Monday's final wrap up was mostly awesome.

 

• Tracked food and was actually REALLY under calories for the day, but not worried about that every once in a while.  I was legit not hungry, so why eat?
• I did take a 1.7 mile walk on my lunch break.  It was just too nice to not do something.   I kept it really mellow though.
• After work I weed whacked, and then went to fill up the new mower with oil and ... my pesky groin got REALLY pissed off that I dared to just ... bend at the hips????   We also had no gas for cutter, so I just pulled some weeds and then went in for a great dinner.  (Baked panko chicken breast, with baked potato and asparagus.)   Had some Kashi cereal as my evening snack and then went to bed at 10:30 to read for a bit, then lights out at 11:05.   Slept great.

My coworker had to call off today due to an ailing mother in law, so I am covering two desks, but with the good day yesterday and solid sleep, I am thus far holding up pretty well.     Today should be a strength day.   I will focus on upper body to rest the groin thing and see how that goes.    Hopefully I got some oomph for this!  I feel really muscle weak lately and I am unsure why.

 

 

 

[Artemis Prime]

20 hours ago, Starpuck said:

ou are having your own place built????  THAT IS SO EXCITING!

Also - how much does it cost to BUILD a house, rather than buy an existing I wonder .... lol.   I want a house, but things are so hard right now.

I'm cheating, because I'm not building a house. We're putting a new barn up this summer, but we don't need a hay loft in it, so we're turning the upstairs into an apartment for me. I'm thinking the shell should come in at $20,000, not sure about finishing the living space. But that's just materials, we're building it ourselves. From my research before we decided to go this route, building a house is not any cheaper than buying one, and can easily get much more expensive if you run into any problems. The housing market is crazy right now. I was hunting for a house in my price range and just not finding anything, so when my dad suggested putting an apartment in the barn, I jumped all over it. Fingers crossed that something works out for you too!

[sylph]

Housing market is, indeed, ridiculous right now.

And with the price of lumber, building one is astronomical.

 

 

Also, Hi

[starpuck]

3 hours ago, Artemis Prime said:

I was hunting for a house in my price range and just not finding anything, so when my dad suggested putting an apartment in the barn, I jumped all over it

O M G.   THIS IS SOOOOO COOOOOOOL!    If you are willing, I would love to see progress pics.     I grew up a total horse chick, loved horses, collected Breyers, took lessons off and on, but ... I was born in suburbia.   Anyway, long story short.   The idea of a barn loft apartment is like KID DREAM COME TRUE in my books.

 

 

1 hour ago, sylph said:

Housing market is, indeed, ridiculous right now.

And with the price of lumber, building one is astronomical.

 

 

Also, Hi

Haaay Hiiiii!!!    (And yes.   I keep looking just in case like, divine intervention lands me where I should be, but, ugh.  Not holding my breath.)

 

 

Tuesday Wrap Up

 

I got my strength work out in and did only upper body.   I did 3 sets of 10 reps each on: band assisted pull ups (want to just do a small form reset), bench press at 65#,  skullcrushers at 8# (never done these before) and lying leg raises.   It was challenging, but ok, and nothing irritated the groin issue.

Food was consumed healthfully and tracked.

I also logged off games 80 minutes early and proceed to read for 100 minutes so got to bed late, woops.

Grass was mowed for some extra movement, and all in all an okay day.

 

 

But the lack of sleep (and then tossing/turning sleep when I got it) has me very tired again today.  My coworker's mom in law passed away this morning, so she was off yesterday and today and the rest of the week.   It's going to be a doozy.    Tonight is friends game night and I'm not sure what we're playing yet.   Hopefully we can agree on something I find more on the FUN! side than the tolerate side.

 

 

[Cheetah]

I like the pics of the hike.  Keep up the good work!

[starpuck]

WEDNESDAY HAS COME AND GONE

 

I was so tired guys.   So. Very. Tired.   I barely managed through the day, but as I drove home the sun came out and that perked me up a bit.    Dinner was ribeye, baked potato and brussel sprouts, but since I did no exercise, I had precious few calories to spare.  Ribeye is HIGH in calories (I am a sirloin lover myself) so I had just 2.5 oz of meat... what a joke lol.

 

Afterward I felt pepped up enough to get 45m of Beat Saber in, but didn't go totally crazy effort level.  It was nice for just a bit of activity.     Then it was Wed Crew Game Night.  We did a game of NG, then started a game of Armello but it glitched on two of us.  So we opted to try this Raft game which was super fun, but .... first person.   I got SO sick guys.  SO SO SICK, lol.    I had to just full out bail at 10:30 and go lay down.   Motion Sickness from games is ... like -50dkp for my nerd cred, but I think it's more likely for me because I have one near sighted eye, one far sighted eye, a lazy eye, and an inner ear that is prone to sinus woes.   The odds are stacked against me!

 

 

I read on my lunch break yesterday since I worked out after work, but I am not going to count that as part of my 'do stuff other than video games' goal.  It's the evening hours I am trying to not be so 130% on video game mode.    Tonight is our usual Thursday RPG.    I am very sad / frustrated with this game.    It's a group I love, but it's a system I am not doing well to get settled in.  (More that it's space themed, than it is ___Finder)   The GM plays a largely combat only style game, and it's done on Roll20.    Roll20 and Virtual gaming was a life saver for Quarantine, but here in Illinois, we're allowed to DO things again, and my entire group is fully vaccinated.    The GM doesn't want to return to in person gaming, because "it's easier to use the maps on Roll20".   UGH.   I am so worried, that we have this current window of 'okay to be social' that might shift again in the fall/ winter, and we're blowing this opportunity.   So... system that is heavy numbers, setting I don't like, not in person, and combat dungeon grind heavy.     It's just not hitting ANY of the boxes for what I love about RP games with friends.

 

 

So!

Food ☑

Exercise ☑

Bujo used ☑

Gratitudes ☑

 

Aiming for a strength today but with queasy stomach I am unsure how well it will go.  Will be lower body today, as I did all upper body on Tues.     Just need to pay mind to the groin which is feeling better again today of course.   Tomorrow should be something sweaty but we're due clouds and rain for the next four days (we need it bad, but it does ... dampen the mood a bit. 

 

 

 

KEEP KICKING BUTT MY FOLLOWERS!

 

[Elastigirl]

I  love rib eye steak! I was dismayed when I entered it into MFP. Yikes! Worth it in my book though.Sirloin is good too, but ribeye is a touh of heaven, in my book. I hope you can get together with you friends for DnD.

[DarK_RaideR]

17 hours ago, Starpuck said:

The GM plays a largely combat only style game, and it's done on Roll20.    Roll20 and Virtual gaming was a life saver for Quarantine, but here in Illinois, we're allowed to DO things again, and my entire group is fully vaccinated.    The GM doesn't want to return to in person gaming, because "it's easier to use the maps on Roll20".   UGH.   I am so worried, that we have this current window of 'okay to be social' that might shift again in the fall/ winter, and we're blowing this opportunity.   So... system that is heavy numbers, setting I don't like, not in person, and combat dungeon grind heavy.     It's just not hitting ANY of the boxes for what I love about RP games with friends.

It might be worth addressing this issue in the long run, but for the short term, there might be a middle ground solution. Right before covid struck, I started using Roll20 as a virtual tabletop for my live games as an experiment. We've never done the "grid and miniatures" thing, so I figured instead of drawing on paper or going full mind's eye, especially for tactically heavy games, I might as well use R20 so I'd log into my account as a DM and turn the screen for all to see the battle map. It's an extra screen around and might not work for everyone, but if your DM is doing a combat heavy campaign and playing the "easier on R20" card, you could counter with this idea, thus making sure you all meet in person but still get to integrate the perks of R20 into the game if it's that convenient for the DM.

[Artemis Prime]

On 6/23/2021 at 1:59 PM, Starpuck said:

If you are willing, I would love to see progress pics.

I will definitely be inundating my thread with pictures once we start making progress. 

 

I was looking into a VR set for a bit, but on top of deciding that all my money has to go into my apartment right now, I'm also worried about getting sick because I get SO motion sick if I try to read on a vehicle and I feel like this might be the same type of thing.

 

Hoping you get your RPG wrinkles ironed out!

[sylph]

3 hours ago, DarK_RaideR said:

It might be worth addressing this issue in the long run, but for the short term, there might be a middle ground solution. Right before covid struck, I started using Roll20 as a virtual tabletop for my live games as an experiment. We've never done the "grid and miniatures" thing, so I figured instead of drawing on paper or going full mind's eye, especially for tactically heavy games, I might as well use R20 so I'd log into my account as a DM and turn the screen for all to see the battle map. It's an extra screen around and might not work for everyone, but if your DM is doing a combat heavy campaign and playing the "easier on R20" card, you could counter with this idea, thus making sure you all meet in person but still get to integrate the perks of R20 into the game if it's that convenient for the DM.

Was going to suggest this (though I have zero TTRPG experience) as well.

 

There's also the possibility that your DM is using this as a cover for a different reason that they don't want to meet in person that they may or may not be comfortable sharing, so  depending on how invested you want to get, it may be worth a side convo with them to scope it out a little further.