Starpuck : Finding her Creed

[starpuck]

“Why do you persist? You put us down. We rise again. You end one plot - we forge another. You try so hard. But it always ends the same.

Those who know you think you're mad and this is why... Even those men you sought to save have turned their backs on you. Yet you fight. You resist. Why?â€

―Charles Lee, member of the Templar Order, ACIII.

 

“We're Assassins and we follow a creed, aye. But it does not command us to act or submit - only to be wise.â€

            ―James Kidd, on the ways of the Assassins, ACIV

 

 

 

my QUEST to fully accept and embrace

The Creed of my new life.

 

*My Creed being the pursuit of a life where I live actively, eat nutritiously, indulge in moderation and without guilt and strive to keep pushing forward.

 

Task #1 – A weapon is only as good as its care allows.  Care well for yours.

“You must fuel your body with that which will strengthen it.   Eat of things whole and fresh, that it may not cloud your mind nor tempt you to a path of gluttony.   Our training is not easy- you will need all the help you can get.â€

• Cook Clean 2X/Week
• Eat Clean 80/20

Task #2 – Your enemies are clever, train with purpose and in a variety of ways.

“Be fleet of foot and nimble.   Have strength.   Build endurance and push yourself to the edge of your comfort zone.   You will fail, yes, but it is in the standing again where true progress is made… (and where enemies find pause for their confidence.)

• Strength Training – 3x/week
• Cardio Workout (hockey permitted to count) 2x/week
• Run 5k – 1x/week (1 cardio session must come from running)

 

Task #3 – Use your resources wisely, they do not always come easy.

“We have the means for a good life, but we must not squander it carelessly.   Take note of your costs, mind the budgets and put coin away for emergencies.â€

• Track all purchases with GoodBudget app.
• Pay off credit card balance.
• Once CC is paid off, put $325/month into savings.

 

Side Quest  - Keep Climbing

“Though you have come far in your training, you must continue to push forward.   The rooftops are our playground, so you must be able to easily master them over and over again.â€

• Continue work on pull ups – aiming for a max rep of 7 in 1 set.  (This is in progression to a final destination of 10 in a row.)

 

Side Quest  - Do not become overly hardened of spirit, take time to nurture the arts and indulge in studies of a gentler nature.

• Play the piano for a total of 2 hours per week.   Progress was made in a previous challenge to relearn the piano and regain my musical background.  Do not put this aside!

 

Motivation:  To strengthen my body and my resolve, so that I can continue to uphold a lifestyle full of activity, mobility and adventure.

 

 

In short - I often get to a point where I struggle with the amount of effort and dedication it takes to work toward my goals of a healthy lifestyle.   As Steve would put it, I was not graced with an easy mode option on my game.   It may not be chaos level, but it's challenging most of the time and capable of nearing the nerdrage/quit on some occasions.    I MUST get to a point where I stop looking at these things as temporary fixes or short term goals, and adopt them simply as 'this is who I am, what I do, and how I function'.     I'm continuing with the Assassins Creed theme because I've just finished Black Flag - and can relate quite a bit to Edwards desire for the sweet life - the "easy life".  But as James Kidd says in the above photo ... No one honest has an easy life.  And it's aching for one that causes the most pain.  I need to accept this as my creed- to embrace this lifestyle wholeheartedly and without complaint of the effort it will take to maintain it.  This is my task for 2014.

 

 

Edit for Stats:

Starting weight: 146.8

[sicil]

I always enjoy reading your challenge threads! Looks like we're both challenging ourselves to budget better this time around. Let's do it!

[ShadowLion]

Yes! This is going to be an amazing challenge...

[starpuck]

Monday 1/6 - Rate my Plate

 

2 hard boiled eggs, 4 slices bacon, Light OJ - breakfast

Kashi Steamable meal, spinach and artichoke pasta - lunch

Cara Cara Orange - post lunch sweet snack

handful of almonds - mid afternoon snack

spaghetti squash with four cheese marinara and italian turkey sausage - dinner

 

Did I cook?

Yes!  I made the spaghetti squash meal.  And am taking it for lunch left overs tomorrow.

 

Exercise

bodyweight workout?  

Just Dance 2014?

 

Piano Time

1 hour 10 minutes

-Battlestar Sonatica is going to be the piece I really work on to master this challenge.  It's so rich and moving and awesome.

 

 

Tenative plan for the days ahead, to organize my thoughts so I don't keep scrambling to make sense of the schedule:

 

Tuesday - Gym for strength work out after work.

Wednesday - Run at lunch.  (At whatever pace you need to go, and no stress if it's not a full 3 miles.)

Thursday - Gym for strength after work, before gaming.   Make it a short and sweet one.

Friday - Hockey game

Saturday - Polar Dash 5k Race!  Eeps.    Gym for LIGHT strength session.

Sunday - Hockey game

 

Cook other meal on Wed.   Get last bit of piano playing in on Wednesday as well.

 

 

 

Totals if this works.   3 strength, 4 cardio (2 runs)

[sicil]

Do the bodyweight. Revert to Just Dance on days that you don't have the drive.

[Cheechoe]

You. Found you.

 

 

Awesome goals. YOU ARE SO ORGANIZED!!!! *fangirl*

 

Also.....spaghetti squash please!!!

 

 

 

 

p.s. are you still doing pull-ups?

[chickie.monkey]

Off to a good start already.

 

I had the same conversation with myself the other day. I was pouting because I gained weight while not paying attention to what I ate and not hitting the gym. I was feeling a wee bit sorry for myself that I have to work my ass off if I want to lose the weight. Acceptance of this is hard sometimes.

[JuiceeTarget]

Hooray! I'm glad I found you. Can't wait to see how you do this time, I loved your updates last time.

 

I really like the "No easy mode" and "easy to rage quit" statements. Those sum me up well. We just have to keep remembering that you have to play on Legendary to feel like a legend.

[starpuck]

Ooooh GoodDoug, I like that one!

  "You have to play on legendary, to feel like a legend."

 

 

AWESOME AWESOME.

 

And funny thing is, you just made me stumble across a realization.   When I play video games.   I absolutely 100% refuse to ever put a game down to easy or casual.  I won't accept beating a game on anything less than normal.   So why can't I face my life challenges like that?   Hmm, good point to ponder.

 

p.s. are you still doing pull-ups?

 

 

Hi you! Yes you found me!  And you're not allowed to fangirl me, because I am fangirling you!  Sheez.    And yes, absolutely.  I LOVE PULL UPS.  I feel so badass when I do them.   I am guessing today's attempt on them will be a bit discouraging, but I am reminding myself that last time this happened, I was 'down 2 reps' to start, and finished the challenge with 5 sets of 5 reps!  BEST EVER!    My goal is to work up to 10 in a row... this challenge, I hope to go from 5 (probably 4 right now) up to 7.   No 'so many by such and such a date' though.

 

 

 

Eating my left overs for lunch today.  Soo sooo yummy.  Hitting the gym tonight.    Anyone have a good phone app for strength workouts?  Something that tells you what exercises to do, and lets you say more traditional lifts versus funky machines?

[starpuck]

Tuesday 1/7 - Restaurant Food won't Bust this Dude!

 

2 hard boiled eggs, 4 slices bacon, coffee - breakfast

spaghetti squash with four cheese marinara and italian turkey sausage - lunch

pineapple - post lunch sweet snack

Noosa yogurt - mid afternoon snack (Zomg this stuff is da bomb)

monterrey chicken, no bun (chicken, bacon, bbq sauce and cheese) and 1/2 pickle - dinner

**They didn't OFFER the Cajun sandwich at MY Patio.  LAMESAUCE!

granola bar - before bed snack

 

Dinner is going to be at a restaurant with some friends, pre-scouring the menu and I think I am narrowing it down to one of these:

 

CAJUN CHICKEN SANDWICH -The Bread

-Chicken Breast, Cajun Spices,

Mushrooms, Grilled Onion, Green Pepper,

Monterey Jack Cheese, Lettuce & Tomato,

Served with a Pickle Spear

$5.99

 

BROILED TILAPIA

- 8oz Filet in a Lemon & Olive

Oil Marinade, Served with Steamed Broccoli,

Choice of Potato & French Bread

$10.99

 

I'm torn, because I want the tilapia more, but the chicken sandwich is so much cheaper.   

 

Exercise

Strength Day at the Gym --- 1st day back, I am so skeered.   Will post the workout once it's done.

[sicil]

Tuesday 1/7 - Restaurant Food won't Bust this Dude!

 

2 hard boiled eggs, 4 slices bacon, coffee - breakfast

spaghetti squash with four cheese marinara and italian turkey sausage - lunch

pineapple - post lunch sweet snack

Noosa yogurt - mid afternoon snack (Zomg this stuff is da bomb)

 

Dinner is going to be at a restaurant with some friends, pre-scouring the menu and I think I am narrowing it down to one of these:

 

CAJUN CHICKEN SANDWICH -The Bread

-Chicken Breast, Cajun Spices,

Mushrooms, Grilled Onion, Green Pepper,

Monterey Jack Cheese, Lettuce & Tomato,

Served with a Pickle Spear

$5.99

 

BROILED TILAPIA

- 8oz Filet in a Lemon & Olive

Oil Marinade, Served with Steamed Broccoli,

Choice of Potato & French Bread

$10.99

 

I'm torn, because I want the tilapia more, but the chicken sandwich is so much cheaper.   

 

Exercise

Strength Day at the Gym --- 1st day back, I am so skeered.   Will post the workout once it's done.

 

I'd opt for the chicken too! Fish doesn't seem worth it at 2x, especially since both dishes have bread anyway. But that's just me. So jealous of all of your food so far!

[Reinfire]

Popping in to say hello to my new SNB buddy glad to have you as part of our group, can't wait to see how hard you rock this challenge!

[alienjenn]

found ya

[starpuck]

Tuesday - 1/7 Exercise

 

Strength workout at the gym --- oh em gee.

I knew I'd have to take a step back.  I should have taken a bigger step back.  Last workout was on 12/11 Yup.  ALMOST a full month ago.

 

This is how I feel now...

 

• Pull Ups - 4/4/4
• Reverse Crunches - 15/15/15
• Weighted Lunges - 30# = 10/10/10  (each leg)
• Deadlift - 65# 11, 85# = 10/10
• Side Planks - 30s/45s/30s (each side)
• Finale : Pull up, to 20 second arm hang, to 5 second negative

First one's the hardest, first one's the hardest...

Seriously, my legs are already screaming, and I was hoping to run tomorrow at lunch.   Meep.

[EmCee]

Get your legs moving! I always feel so much better after tough day lifting if I get out and fun or bike!

[obax]

I like the creed. It sums it up so nicely, that's essentially what I stive for too. Can't wait to see how this one goes for you!

[Reinfire]

Tuesday - 1/7 Exercise

Strength workout at the gym --- oh em gee.

I knew I'd have to take a step back. I should have taken a bigger step back. Last workout was on 12/11 Yup. ALMOST a full month ago.

This is how I feel now...

• Pull Ups - 4/4/4
• Reverse Crunches - 15/15/15
• Weighted Lunges - 30# = 10/10/10 (each leg)
• Deadlift - 65# 11, 85# = 10/10
• Side Planks - 30s/45s/30s (each side)
• Finale : Pull up, to 20 second arm hang, to 5 second negative

First one's the hardest, first one's the hardest...

Seriously, my legs are already screaming, and I was hoping to run tomorrow at lunch. Meep.

I did exactly the same thing - for some reason, I find it easier to run than lift if I'm busy (maybe because I don't have to think at all? Or because there's a story with my running app?) My last strength workout was 12/7. Seriously. So sore this morning!

[starpuck]

Aaaaand today I feel like

 

Legs are soooooooo pissed at me lol!    Last time I ran on legs this sore, it made it so much worse.   So I think I will just head to the store at lunch to get my groceries for dinner (gotta figure out what I am cooking) then walk a bit extra around the store.   Then tonight at home, bust out some Dance Central since then I will distract myself from the pain by having to 5 star whatever songs I work on lol. 

 

Then stretch.  LOOOOTS of stretching.  Must get my legs back to working before Friday's game. (And Saturday's run.) ((And Sunday's game.))

 

I love the first few days of getting back to cleaner eating.  You start dropping those flash pounds and it gives you all sorts of hope.    I've been putting off the purchase of new hockey pants for ... about 3 years now.  All under the worry of 'but I want to be a smaller size and not grow out of it'.   Well I think I may stop doing that and just GET them now and use that as further motivation to stay IN the current size.  

 

Wednesday 1/8 -  Eating on Hump Day, but not in a Chump Way

2 hard boiled eggs, handful of almonds, 2 slices bacon, light oj - breakfast

pumpkin chili - lunch

caracara orange, string cheese - afternoon snack (only kind of orange I'll eat)

maple seared chicken with golden potatos - dinner

[joedog]

Getting back to the gym stinks. I'll be glad when the new again wears off. Buy the hockey pants! 

[Raxie]

I love the way you wrote your challenge post! And your thread is awesome as well, it was super fun to read through.  Looks like you're on your way to doing great this new year!

 

I'll be following along, because you are clearly awesome.

[starpuck]

Awww thanks Raxie!     *blush blush blush*   The starting is usually good, it's the week 3.5-5 that is the hurdle lol!

 

 

So I made myself play some Dance Central for an hour.      Now for another adventure of good idea bad idea...

 

Good - I jumped into Hard and went to the songs I had not yet 5-starred.   I actually cleared through four of them, then got stuck on two songs at 4 star.  (Yeah I am OCD.)

Bad - Holy CRAP my legs are really wrecked.   Like I don't recall the last time they were this bad.   As I sit here post stretching... I can literally feel FIRE in my muscles.

Good - I was right in that my competitive, hard core, gamer edge would distract me during play from the terrible pain I am in.  I played a full hour of Dance Central and burned 350 calories.

Bad - I cannot get past Toxic on Hard.  Mothercougar!  Grr.

Good - I feel good mentally for having done it.

Bad - My awesome roommate-sis brought me home half of an Oberweis milkshake... and it's just SITTING IN THE FREEZER WAITING FOR ME.

 

I want it, and I don't want it.   I mean, there is only half left, so I can't be too awful.   But if she hadn't brought it, I wouldn't have even been thinking about one.  But now that she did bring it, I feel a little bad to not eat it since she was so thoughtful.

 

Tomorrow is my usual eggs breakfast, but I made some extra veggies at dinner that I can eat with it.  Left over spaghetti squash with sausage for lunch.   Pineapple.  Hmm, I have another gym day so I need a few more calories, especially since everything I'll have eaten up to then will be really low.   Oh!  Duh.  Gaming night.  (D&D rarr!   Where I am the noble born rogue Katyiana Du-Marnay!   Swept into another land where me and my companions are either the returned heroes of old, or adopting these hero personalities through some magic we've come across.   Sadly, my heroic legend persona is The Queen of Slaughter!    *meep*  I am a bad guy?)   Anywa, I will probably eat something heavier after the gym because I will have to grab food out and on the way to my friends house.   So I can keep the day side low, knowing my evening will be a bit over.

 

 

Ok hot shower time.  Because I gotta shave.   And it's been... a disastrous long while since I have.

[starpuck]

Ok, since I was all over the place yesterday, first a Wednesday Recap:

 

Wednesday Foods!

2 hard boiled eggs, handful of almonds, 2 slices bacon, light oj - breakfast

pumpkin chili - lunch

caracara orange, string cheese - afternoon snack (only kind of orange I'll eat)

maple seared chicken with golden potatos - dinner

oats and dark chocolate granola bar - post dinner snack

1/2 Oberweiss chocolate shake - unexpected yummy offering of milky goodness!

 

Exercise?

Yes - I danced and shook my groove thang for 60 minutes, despite being in terrible terrible pain from the Tuesday workout.  I am mucho impressed I did this.  Especially as I started it at 7:40pm!  The time I'd usually be winding down for video games.

 

Cook?

Ha!  Why yes I did.   And I hadn't even thought to mention that - because dear me, is it becoming a habit?  And something I kind of sort of enjoy?   GASP!

 

Thus far:   Cardio 1, Strength 1, Cook 2,  Budget - tracked, 80/20 Clean -yeah I think for the most part.     

 

Mega sore.   Wake up in the middle of the night from pain sore.   No bueno.  Trying to not let it get me down.   My teammate is having surgery on her broken finger today (hit by a slapshot) and I am cooking her my ultimate pumpkin chili to take to her house tomorrow.  (That technically makes it 3 meals cooked this week, OH SNAP!)   It was supposed to be a strength day but eh, sometimes cooking for a friend is more important, and besides - I can't move my legs yet.  Not rushing back into another strength workout, just makes sense.   I have hockey tomorrow.   That should help loosen things up more.  I can get a second strength day in on Saturday.   Focus on just upper body.  Then Sunday maybe get a core/legs strength day in or something ( on top of hockey)  

 

WHO TOLD MY SCHEDULE IT WAS ALLOWED TO BE THIS CRAZY ON WEEK ONE OF NEW CHALLENGE?  HUH!?

[UH60guy]

I'm right with you on the legs- just like you my last gym workout was about a month ago and I think I overdid it the first day back. Let us know if you find any tricks to working around the pain!

[alienjenn]

Cook?

Ha!  Why yes I did.   And I hadn't even thought to mention that - because dear me, is it becoming a habit?  And something I kind of sort of enjoy?   GASP!

 

WHO TOLD MY SCHEDULE IT WAS ALLOWED TO BE THIS CRAZY ON WEEK ONE OF NEW CHALLENGE?  HUH!?

 

 

amazing how that happens eh??

 

 

 

 

ummm.... kick that schedule in the left knee and the right knee and the wee.... ummm.... 

 

yeah.... 

 

 

 

 

you will figure it out

[ytterbium]

Greetings, fellow Chicagoinean of the same age as me! Keep listening to your body on the workouts -- pushing good, hurting bad.

 

Also, I've never had spaghetti squash, but that meal sounds intriguing. I'm going to try to steal it.