Starpuck: Gif it my all, anime win!

[starpuck]

It's 8pm.   I've been fed, I've watched another episode of Code Breaker and I've tried on all my costumes.   Good news is they fit.   I think the Suzuha one even makes me look kinda trim and awesome.    The bad news is I used tonight to grab some progress pics.   I thought for sure I'd see huge differences since I've lost inches and stuff.   No. Freaking. Luck.   Annnnnnnnd I've of course spiraled into terrible head space zone because of it.    No drawing tonight... gonna drown myself in MMO-land. >.<

 

Anyway, I did promise costume pics at least.

 

Fairy Tail: Juvia

 

 

 

Steins;Gate : Suzuha Amane "Part Time Warrior"

 

[Raxie]

Those costumes are AWESOME! You look great in both of them. In the Suzuha one you do look super fit!

 

I'm sorry your progress isn't where you want it to be =/ You're allowed one mopey night but then you've gotta GET BACK ON IT! You are doing so well don't let some numbers drag you down, girl!  You are awesome and gorgeous and whatever those inches are they definitely are not visible to others.  You've totally got this challenge by the nose.  Finish out this week strong like I know you can! <3

[Nymeria]

Awesome costumes!  I'm sorry that we always seem to be head space twins with the body image stuff.  For what it's worth, you look really trim, athletic, and amazing in that Suzuha costume!  

[BlackTezca]

You look adorable and awesome in those costumes and I really like the Juvia one!  I'm sorry that the progress pics only seemed to make your feelings worse!  That really sucks and I completely understand the terrible headspace that comes from not seeing the results. 

 

However, you do mention that you have lost inches and made progress.  As someone who mopes on anime, I completely feel you on using MMO-land to clear your night of moping.  But yes, keep moving; remember the progress you have made and keep going strong!  You got this

[obax]

Those costumes are awesome, even if I have no idea where the characters are from....

 

Also, what Raxie said! Believe in the costume tailor! They had to take in the costumes, and that's a good thing! Even if you can't see the progress, you're making it. Keep on keepin' on, and you'll see it in the end!!

[karinajean]

GIRLTWIN you look AMAZING. So amazing. I love both of those costumes and I super love how AMAZING you look! Such fit! So trim! Wow!

Oh and I also want you to know that progress pics aren't ever perfect, that's just the way they are. They're one tool in a box if metrics to evaluate progress, and I'll let you in on a secret, I am super critical of my pics too but at least I look ok in clothes, you know?

Sent from my iPhone while riding a unicorn through the cosmos.

[starpuck]

Okay Starpuck ... take a cue from Ryuko and Satsuki here, eh?!!!

 

 

 

Those costumes are AWESOME! You look great in both of them. In the Suzuha one you do look super fit!

 

I'm sorry your progress isn't where you want it to be =/ You're allowed one mopey night but then you've gotta GET BACK ON IT! You are doing so well don't let some numbers drag you down, girl!  You are awesome and gorgeous and whatever those inches are they definitely are not visible to others.  You've totally got this challenge by the nose.  Finish out this week strong like I know you can! <3

Thanks Raxie.  You're right.   I can't let one thing pull me down from all the other things that are going well.   That Suzuha one just ended up being the best angle, pose, whatever!   It was just my sis snapping the pic so it's not like we planned for it to turn out that way, heh.   I got a good 24 hours of moping in and now... time to push forward.

 

Awesome costumes!  I'm sorry that we always seem to be head space twins with the body image stuff.  For what it's worth, you look really trim, athletic, and amazing in that Suzuha costume!  

Thanks headspace twin.    I thought I might have sneaked through this challenge without such a large attack, but alas-  I guess it wouldn't be a challenge without a boss level.  Right?   Thanks for the support chica.

 

You look adorable and awesome in those costumes and I really like the Juvia one!  I'm sorry that the progress pics only seemed to make your feelings worse!  That really sucks and I completely understand the terrible headspace that comes from not seeing the results. 

 

However, you do mention that you have lost inches and made progress.  As someone who mopes on anime, I completely feel you on using MMO-land to clear your night of moping.  But yes, keep moving; remember the progress you have made and keep going strong!  You got this

Yeah, it's so strange.  I've lost about 5# and 6" overall in the last 5 weeks, and so I thought I'd SEE it in the pictures.   I probably wouldn't have taken them if I knew there'd be nothing to see.    Ugh!  LOL.    I need to focus on the measurements that prove progress, instead of lament on the one that is misleading.     Plus, all your Kill la Kill gifs are super motivating me.  So much in fact, that I am putting them in this post!

 

Those costumes are awesome, even if I have no idea where the characters are from....

 

Also, what Raxie said! Believe in the costume tailor! They had to take in the costumes, and that's a good thing! Even if you can't see the progress, you're making it. Keep on keepin' on, and you'll see it in the end!!

/lean   Thanks hockey twin.   Keep on keepin' on.   (Another of my hockey friends uses that phrase... it must be a thing!)

 

GIRLTWIN you look AMAZING. So amazing. I love both of those costumes and I super love how AMAZING you look! Such fit! So trim! Wow!

Oh and I also want you to know that progress pics aren't ever perfect, that's just the way they are. They're one tool in a box if metrics to evaluate progress, and I'll let you in on a secret, I am super critical of my pics too but at least I look ok in clothes, you know?
 

Girl you looked GREAT in that pic you showed us!   Like, man, if I was a 6'5" guy I'd totally ask that lady out for a drink, great!  And thanks for the reminder that progress pics can be little PITAS.   And really, 99.999999% of the people in this world are gonna see us with clothes on, so why should I let the near birthday suit drag me down so much.   Thanks for bringing me back to reality on the pics.   I'm gonna not take them again until like July something!

 

 

 

I'm still not fully fully recovered from that ordeal, and I have the con this weekend that will further rev up self esteem and body images issues as I, for the first time ever, go in costume and bare that level of vulnerability to the masses.   But I've got SIX of my friends going with me and I'm just going to focus like crazy on enjoying my time with them.     It's a whirlwind weekend leading into week 6, which I will have to drop out of half way through due to FBR on Wed.  (Kinda nervous about it, only because I was a dumbass and looked up the procedure on youtube... gag!)    The last part of week 6 and the off week will be a full blown rest time for me.   Only walks and stretches and maybe some balance-strengthy stuff.    I might even eat to maintenance, just to avoid the 'OMG I WANT MORE FOOD THAN THIS' tantrums.

 

Oh!  Yesterday - Food good, tracked and 3 miles run during my lunch hour.

Today will be food good, tracked and a strength session to get my full 3 lifts in this week.

After work, I head to the con.    Today is just geek shirt day for me.   I love this shirt, and a con is one of the few places people actually get it.

 

 

 

ALRIGHT!   LET'S DO THIS!!!!!

 

[obax]

Now I want to see that movie again... One of my favourites!

Have fun at the con and wow them all with your awesome! Can't wait to hear all about it!

[erosan]

Looking good, girl. Have fun at the con!

[Polgara19]

Now I want to see that movie again... One of my favourites!

Have fun at the con and wow them all with your awesome! Can't wait to hear all about it!

 

One of my favourites too!  Saw some of Return to the Planet of the Apes last night, and all I could hear was Gary Oldman saying "Four stones, four crates!!!"

[starpuck]

OMG ACEN WAS AMAZING ANIME UPDATE!

 

So! After work on Friday, we zoomed over to Acen and started hanging out.   First thing we did, was watch this brilliance called AMV Hell 7.    Serious hilarity, but definitely following the lines of over the top everything.   It's 90 minutes long, but if you like, the link is here to see it in all its glory.

 

Saturday we got up early and got our costumes on.   Being my first time cosplaying, it was a little weird.   More weird was stopping at Walgreens in nothing but black bike shorts and knee high black boots with a blank tank... (Just my underlayer of my costume) to pick up some eyeliner lol.     I'm going to post the second costume of the day, first... Steins;Gate Okabe, Daru and Suzuha!

 

 

This was super fun, because I think we actually pulled off the trio really well!  I'm super proud of my two friends too, for actually going along with the cosplay idea this year!!!    <3 them!

 

Then we get to my Juvia costume, which was ... an amazing hit with everyone.   I gotta say, I was quickly won over to the cosplay world by how excited and cute people are when they see their favorite characters and want to get a pic of them!  Attention?  On me?  YES PLEASE!     I was quite pleased too, to see that while I spent a lot on my costume (not too bad initially, but then the alteration costs) that it really was one of the nicest made costumes at the con!   (And there were not a lot of Juvia's there.)    Even less represented though, were Grey's!    When I finally found a Grey, it went like this.

 

Fan:  Juvia!  Juvia, can I get your picture?

Me: Of course!   Have you seen my beloved Grey?  I've been looking all over for him, and can't find him!

Fan: We saw one yesterday...

Me:  He's trying to make me jealous, isn't he!?

Other Fan:  Actually ... he's right behind you!

I jump up, turn around and gush all over this Grey that has shown up, hands in pocket with a smug grin.

Me: Oh my darling Grey!  I've been looking all over for you.

 

AND BOOM PICTURE!

 

It's a little blurry, but is my absolute favorite Juvia + Grey pic of the con!

 

The best in character at show in my opinion?  Ichiya!   He totally nailed his character, and ran around going, Maaaaan, Maaaaan!    And had a bottle of parfume that he would pull out and pose with.    He saw me from behind and ran up insisted on a Juvia picture.   Really cool guy.

 

 

Naruto, still being a favorite anime of mine -- meant I had to get pics with those guys too.   Naruto/Fairy Tail crossover, here we come!

 

 

 

And a pic of my whole crew as they were dressed up:

Okabe, Gajeel, Juvia, Daru, Sir Integra and Elfman!

[SevenFootGeek]

I am still mad that you didn't get a pic of Flex in his "Free Hugs" shirt.

[Nymeria]

Great pictures!  You all look so adorable!  I'm glad you had such an awesome time!

 

I need to watch more anime.  The only character I recognized is Sir Integra.    

[karinajean]

I LOVE THIS STORY!

aw the pics are amazing!

and I'm super glad you had a super good time. YAY!

[Elastigirl]

Awesome!

[pwallace]

Defiantly making me want to go to portcon this year (comicon in Portland Maine) looks like it was a blast!

Sent from my phone, through the banging of weights, to the chimp translators aboard the tardis powered by the dylithiam crystal flux capacitor.

[starpuck]

WEEK 5 SUMMARY!

 

 

GOAL #1 -  Run 3x/week*

TOTALS 2/3

Two runs proper.   I had intended to fit one more in on either Friday or Sunday, but Friday I was dealing with some major stress and anxiety and I opted to not put any additional strain on my body.   Just as well, I ended up with 15k steps on Friday due to Acen, and almost 18k on Saturday.   It may not have been a run, but I certainly was moving and active!

 

GOAL #2 -  Strength 3x/week*

TOTALS 2/3

Got two proper strength days in.   Again, it was supposed to happen on either Friday or Sunday around the con.   In the future, I will not hold myself to 3 & 3 on weeks that I have a weekend full of "Other Activity".    Also, I'm not terribly bothered by the 'missed 100%'.   Like I said, I WAS active.  Just not running or lifting.    Also - walking in heeled boots, for someone who wears gym shoes EVERY DAY OF HER LIFE?  Workout in and of itself lol!

 

GOAL #3 -  Eat for Health!  (Track Daily)

TOTALS 6/6

Tracked food except for Sunday.   Yes, I even tracked on Saturday when I ate 500 calories more than I should have.  (Basically ate to maintenance.)   Friday I was actually below calories as I made sure to eat Subway on the way to the con, rather than eat AT the con.  Saturday was breakfast before we went, then at the con, I got a cup of soup and a banana.  By 5pm when we hit a real restaurant for real food, I needed, as Elfman would say, "A MANLY MEAL!"  I got the bison burger with mac and cheese, and a beer.  Oh hell yeah.   Topped it off with Trugurt for dessert.   Sadly, Sunday turned into a blow out day for me.   I was exhausted.  Physically for one, and I think socially/brain/motivational-ly too.  After all that out and about, and no sleep Friday and exhausted sleep Saturday, all I had energy for was laundry, a few errands and watching the season finale of SHIELD before D&D night.   I also had intended to eat home cooked stuff, but ... with no energy or brain left, it was all eating out, and then junk food at gaming.  Oops. Oh well.

 

GOAL #4 -  Keep Drawing 2x/week

TOTALS 2/2

Totally thought I was gonna fail this one as I didn't get any drawing done while Acen was going on.  Then, since my paladin failed her perception roll, and then rolled last for initiative, and the fight took forever and I had nothing to do, I started doodling on my small notebook.   I'm not keen on any of them really, but it's good practice for me to draw stuff that a.) may not be all that great, but good for learning anyway and b.) trying new faces and poses.   All of these were done without any reference at all, so there's that.   At the beginning of this challenge I didn't dare dream of trying to do that.

 

 

 

GOAL #5 -  Confidence and Love

TOTALS 1/1  (Here, below, better late than never.)

This is a picture of me and my friend.   Some of you may recall back in fall of 2013, some posts about a friend going through some major major weird, totally scary crap.  This is said friend.    I know this project is about me finding things I like about MY pictures- and there's a connection.    I love this picture of me because you can see how genuine my love is for my friend.    It's just a dumb selfie shot, but there is a fondness and a bond that is absolutely recognizable in this picture.   I love that I have such a big heart for people and that I love to actively USE that heart for my friends; making them smile or laugh, surprising them with a thoughtful display of giving them my time and energy, being there for them through thick and thin, and never, ever, coming up to a 'last chance' when it comes to forgiving them or thinking good of them.   I like this picture, because it's not about what you see on the outside.  This picture lets you see a bit of what's on the INSIDE of me, and that's something I am proud of.

 

Number Foo

Weight on Monday 5/11: 146.4

Weight on Monday 5/18: 147.2

Weight on Tuesday 5/19: 145.6

I weighed myself today, but we're seriously counting my official weigh in off of TOMORROW's okay kids?  Because I KNOW that this is not an accurate measure of what went on this week.   this is just a measurement of the sodium and processed crap that was in the last 6 meals I ate that were all restaurant food because of the con.  I actually had FOUR days weigh in at the 145 range!!!  So I am confident this will drop back down and I'll adjust in a day or two. 

 

How do I feel about this week?

Actually, really good!!!   I feel like I had some hurdles, and kind of lost myself for a bit there, but then pushed through until I found my way again.     I think this clip sums it up the best really.  I'm ready to tackle week 6, and I'm not going to let my limited activity stop me from KICKING ASS!

 

[starpuck]

Monday / Tuesday Stuff Done got Done

 

Monday Food good, tracked and exercise happened!

Ran outdoors at lunch.  Another sunny/warmer day - another beet red face appearance lol.

Had to take a few walk breaks during this run because I run around a water reservoir and all the ponds, tributaries and waterways that lead to the Salt Creek.   HUMID and man I just felt oppressed at a few spots.   3.02 miles in 34 minutes.     I think once I get to not having those walk breaks outdoors, I will be around the 10 minute mile mark there too.  And that's plenty good for me.

 

Tuesday Food good, tracked and just had my strength workout in the whse.  LAST ONE FOR A WHILE.  SAD.

But ... I NAILED IT.

 

Guess who can claim 6, legitimate pull ups, on a straight pull up bar?   

THIS GIRL!

 

Warehouse Strength Day

warmup - 3 minute jump rope

(really snazzy shuffle jump footwork today)

 

Pull Ups

6 - 6 - 6 - 6  

Yes... not just one set of 6, FOUR sets of 6, zero kip!

 

Glute Bridges

4 x 12 x 40#

 

Chair Sit Ups

2 x 10

1 x 15

1 x 10

 

DB Bench Press

4 x 10 x 20#

(20# each hand)

 

Side Step Ups

4 x 12# x 10 (each leg)

 

Arm Hang/Negative: 42"

 

10 minutes stretching

 

Tonight, wanna get some drawing in.

 

Tomorrow I MIGHT get up early and try running outside so I can get my run in before my afternoon FBR appt.   If not in the morning I can do a quick one at lunch time.    Then it's quits on the sweat inducing cardio.

 

Once I'm sporting battle wounds, I think I will focus on a lot of the stuff on my to do list.  Credit getting those things done as being part of the challenge and filling in the gaps for the exercise stuff I need to put on hold.

[BlackTezca]

As someone who can't do a chin up...WOOOO!!!! 

 

6 UNASSISTED LEGIT PULLUPS?!  GUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRL!!!!

 

That's awesome!  Super awesome you can do those!  Ugh I need a pull up bar now so I can start some practice!

 

I need to workout more outside, well...once the weather stops being such shit!  That'll be fun .  Awesome work!

[starpuck]

Just a quickie update.

 

I drew last night.    I used a couple of pictures for general reference, just to get the right angle on the head shape, or see how people draw horns, etc.   So I'm actually pretty excited about this one because I feel like it's my best "original" character thus far!

 

This is Iymithra.  She's a female dark elf whose name translates to "immortal dragon".   As the first born of her family, she was destined to be one of the legendary Dragonknights.  These skillful masters-at-arms use the ancient Akaviri martial tradition of battle-spirit; wielding fearsome magic that pounds, shatters and physically alters the world around them.    What they weren't expecting was to discover that her heritage carried an ancient bloodline; one that had been awakened with her birth and now began to display the truth of her destiny.   She was dragon blooded.    When under duress or experiencing strong emotion, some of her more draconic traits will appear- a response that her elders have told her she must do her best to hide from the rest of Tamriel lest they consider her a threat that must be dealt with, or studied.

 

"Your horns are showing Iymmy!"

"Tcht!   Maybe you should stop ticking me off then!"  

/sulk

 

 

In other quickie update news... uh, 144.2 today??  >.>   Um, holy smokes, ok!   Which is good, because I have FBR this afternoon, so after my run at lunch, I won't have any super cardio for at least a week.    I am going to be a good patient and say, "Ok doc.   Hockey, Running, Weight Lifting.   When can I go back to each of those things?  Because if you don't tell me specifically, you won't like my self care plan."     I'm not too nervous about it really.   Well, not at all actually, other than the not looking forward to the initial local anesthetic shots in the FOREHEAD... but it's a quick thing and then I'm on my road to being bump free.

[starpuck]

Yesterday's Update:

 

Food went well, good eats, all tracked, under budget, yada yada.

Got my last run in at lunch.   Since I was leaving work early for my FBR appt I didn't want to use my whole lunch hour up.  Only ran 2 miles.   BUT, it was 2 miles, OUTDOOR, nonstop, at a 10:12 min/mile pace.  Sweet.

 

FBR went fine.   I hus a bandage on my forehead now.   I look like a battle damaged Fairy Tail member!

 

Not too much pain, but can't do anything that flushes my face for a while.   Planning to take it totally easy today and just draw and stuff on lunch break.   Tomorrow I *MIGHT* try doing some very slow, very cautious 'strenghthy' stuff.   Pull ups might be ok, and slow, body weight squats or something.   Maybe some planks.   If anything makes the area throb, I'll stop of course.  But I totally feel like trying to do /something/ still.    Gonna say that my last 'run' of the week, can come via a 3 mile WALK.  No sweat.

 

Also?  Scaled in at 143.6 today?  Um, seriously, dunno why all of a sudden my body is going 'Ok fine, drop drop drop'.  I'm waiting for a spike up to happen, but holy moly, that's exciting.

[obax]

Good to hear your head thing went well. Do you have a fantastical story about the bandage for people who don't know, or are you just going with the truth?

 

Also, yay for the downward movement of the scale! Maybe it was just a plateau? A long plateau? And now you're past it? Or something? Anyway, don't question, just celebrate!

[karinajean]

I'm excited your FBR is over!!!

I think sometimes your body just clicks ? And then you lose a few lbs.

Sent from my iPhone while riding a unicorn through the cosmos.

[starpuck]

Day something or other update!

 

Yesterday was a rest day.   I didn't wanna do anything at all exert-y and I'm fine with that.  Food was on track and tracked.    I managed a couple of ridiculous at work sketches that I absolutely hate, but I'm sure they serve a purpose in the grand scheme of thing heh.      And then I went to a friends house and played some ESO with him.  

 

So, what I DO owe for this week yet is a #5 Body Pic Goal - which happened this morning.    So, a little back story.   I weighed in this morning and was back up- but that's okay, I really wasn't expecting to be down 2lbs in two days lol!  And even going back up, it wasn't up as high as it was previously.    My sister, who I live with, has lost 25lbs since January after being diagnosed with diabetes and deciding she will manage it with as little medication as possible.   Her jeans no longer fit.   She asked me if I had spare 12's.   So I went into my closet and pulled out my 10's and tried them on... WAHOO!  They fit!    So we shifted our jeans around (hah) and I get dressed this morning in one of my "new" (old) pairs of 10's.   The sun coming through my east window was hitting me juuuust so and I had my jeans and bra on, and was deciding on a shirt yet.   That's when I turned and saw the fuzzy reflection of my torso in my tv screen.   I liked it.   Genuinely liked it.  Perfect, no?   Good enough, yeah!   Beautiful?   If I were a single man, I'd put my mouth on that belly.  (Ok, it just got weird didn't it?)

 

 

But yeah... dare I say that I see some kind of strange muscle definition going on there?   That's kinda neat!   And those are size 10 jeans, and my muffin is only scooching a little bit over the wrapper.    This is awesome!

 

Now we just gotta get my head back to being groovy!

It looks like a millipede on my head eek!

 

I have no pain with it, but lots of itching today.    I think I am going to try to do some strength stuff.   The plan is to do 4 sets of: pull ups, squats, bench press and windshield wipers.  Pull, legs, push, core, done.   Nice and slow, no sweating.  

 

Tomorrow is helping a friend with yard work (but gotta keep it easy) and maybe Sunday I'll do one more strength work out at the gym with my buddy.  Again, sloooow, no sweat.  Hah!

[karinajean]

your belly looks AMAZING! and YAY PANTS ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED!

 

and according to the weather around here, which is definitely not where you live but likely similar, this was exactly the right time to get the surgery. it's going to be so chilly for a little bit = no sweating?