Starpuck [Insert Clever Anime Pun Here]

[starpuck]

These 4 Week Challenges are going to deplete my list of clever anime-related word play and puns!    Unacceptable!  

 

I'll have to let the title slide this time, in favor of setting up an amazing challenge...

That I will kick the ass of as if it were an angsty teen-Sasuke!

 

 

 

STARPUCK'S FEB -er MARCH CHALLENGE; WHERE SHE GETS HER ACT TOGETHER BECAUSE SUMMER IS COMING AND SHE LOVES SUMMER AND ... SUMMER THINGS, AND SHE IS GOING TO BUY A NEW BIKE!  AND THEN GO BIKE-CAMPING OR SOMETHING COOL AND ... ahem... right.

 

Annnnnyway....

 

 

Many things will remain the same because I've only really started lightly poking at them again after the winter blues and hurdles.

 

 

 

STEP #1

Strength and Rehab

- I am still battling the pain and limitations of shoulder impingement and inflammation.    I've been doing what I can, and working carefully around it with the prescribed exercises and such.   It's been a very hard battle to let go of the 'What I used to be capable of' to adopt the 'What I can do now, and work to improve on' mentality.   I still haven't truly mastered it.   So I am borrowing inspiration on this one from Rock Lee.   Who, countless times, took the card he was dealt or the setback he faced, and persevered through it.

 

  

 

Terms:   3x / week I will do a strength and rehab workout.    Focus on the shoulder rehab, with strength training as tolerated.

Schedule for best success:  Mon - Wed - Fri

 

 

STEP #2

Run and Move and Sweat

- This one should be simple.  Because I (mostly) love doing these things.   I'm aiming for 2 runs per week, because I really do notice some difference in hockey endurance when I am actively running.  Also.  It shaves my hips like nothing else does!    But bike season soon, and I looooove bike riding like crazy.  And in general summer movement stuff.   So.   To qualify for this goal - it need only be something that gets my heart rate up, but with an emphasis on making two runs per week.  Inspiration?  Move like a Ninja ... not like a Titan...

 

  

 

Terms:   2x / run + 1x / week additional sweat, move, whatevers!

Schedule for best success:  Tue - Thu for runs.    Extra day ideally on a weekend but can double up on strength days and still count.

 

STEP #3

Eat Smart - Live Life

- I am not in a place to track my food.   I am borderline calorie-raging right now.  So instead, we're going to just be SMART this challenge.   7FG helped me brainstorm up a way to track my progress versus hiccups, in a way that will help me keep this going.    Basically, each meal and snack starts out being worth 5 points.  Every time I add something to that meal that is not ideal, I lose a point.     The catch here is that I am not aiming for 100% on the points.   I am aiming for an 80/20 spread.    I need to learn how to have my consistent days, and then MODERATE my treats and indulgences.     Spreadsheet thingamabob to follow.    Inspiration for this one ... well, Starpuck does not wield Dragon Slayer magic, so she should not eat like one!   Eat more like Happy... one savored fish at a time.

 

 

Terms:  Track points daily per meal.   16+ points per day average will net me my 80/20 goal.

Schedule for best success:  Mon-Fri keep my at work meals and snacks consistent!  This is typically where I can finish the strongest.   Plot for weekends out.   Limit them to 1 per day on Sat/Sun.

 

 

STEP #4

Keep Arting!

- I am making progress on this I think.  I feel as if I can look at pics I did this past week, compared to three months ago, and see growth.   This is awesome.  Especially because it does not come easily for me, and I so easily fall victim to the 'I am not the best, therefore I suck, and should quit' demon.     So yeah.  This is exciting!

 

 

Terms:   3x / week do some art stuff.  Sketch book or digital counts.

Schedule for best success:  Mon, Tues, Wed after work has been ideal.    Adding in a weekend day will help me learn and retain things better, so that might be an angle to try.

 

ALRIGHT!    I told you it was going to be an amazing challenge write up!      Let's do this.  March is going to be so great!

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Those look like great goals. I'll be following along. Welcome to the Ranger corps!

[obax]

Following along, as always!

 

I like the meal points idea, I'm interested to see how it works for you. I'm also excited to see where your arting takes you!

[Rob__]

These 4 Week Challenges are going to deplete my list of clever anime-related word play and puns!    Unacceptable!  

 

I'll have to let the title slide this time, in favor of setting up an amazing challenge...

That I will kick the ass of as if it were an angsty teen-Sasuke!

 

 

I think you mean Gray cause they're basically the same

 

How's your shoulder doing overall? There seems to be a rash of shoulder impingement, rotator cuff blowouts and bicipital tendonitis amongst the people that I know right now... Myself included *cough*.

[starpuck]

I think you mean Gray cause they're basically the same

 

How's your shoulder doing overall? There seems to be a rash of shoulder impingement, rotator cuff blowouts and bicipital tendonitis amongst the people that I know right now... Myself included *cough*.

 

What!?  Gray is not even half as emo as Sasuke!   Ok, well, he's maybe getting a little bit more emo these days, but... still no Sasuke!!!!    Don't you mess with my Gray-sama!

 

As for the shoulder.   Still limited as fuck- but every time my foot (three surgeries on that guy) acts up, I remind myself that the the shoulder has limitations, it's nowhere near full broken - and surgeries almost never bring you back to 'Good as New'.   It's just ... 'this is fixed, but this other thing is more different broken'.

 

But hey!  You owe me some work out ideas for getting strong, toned and functional AROUND the shoulder!!

[starpuck]

Day 1

 

Food Stuffs

Total Points:  20/20

All meals and snacks were 100% healthy and moderate today.

 

 

Strength Workout 

(everything was so tiring)

3m jump rope warm up

 

• Shoulder Rehab - 3x10 all [Chest Pull: Gray Band] [Lateral Fly: 2#] [External Rotation: Blue Band] [internal Rotation: Blue Band]
• Squats - 45# - 3x10
• 1 Arm DB Row - 20# - 3x10
• Push Ups - Incline - 1x10 box level, 2x10  bench bar level
• Dead Bugs - 3x10 - 2nd set with 8# hold in stationary hand
• Box Jumps - 3x10

 

 

Art Stuffs

Bleh, art was frustrating tonight.    Could not get anywhere- at least nowhere that I was satisfied with.

I DO like the eyes on left pic.  Probably the best I've done.   Too bad they are on a head that is all wrong otherwise, lol!

Ditto on the right pic.    Lower body?  Whoa, finally getting somewhere on that one... upper body?  Not so much at all.

 

 

[karinajean]

YISSSS THIS AMAZING CHALLENGE WRITE UP IS AMAZING!

[obax]

Great start, even if arting was frustrating. And I feel ya on the 'everything was tiring' thing, I had such an energy-filled weekend, and now that it's Monday, I'm all like 'ugh, I have to move?!?'

 

Hopefully the rest of the week is less tiring, and your drawn upper bodies start behaving themselves!

[Raxie]

Starpuckkkkk! <3

Hai.

I must say over the time I've been following you I think your drawing skills have definitely improved.

[starpuck]

Raxie!  -  Hai hai!  And omg, thanks for that comment!   You have no idea how encouraging that is!!! <3   

 

Obax - yes, omg, need less tiring.  We were supposed to get 1-3" snow last night, woke up to a car encased solidly in ice.  Oof.  Good news is the temps rose enough to thaw everything by now, but the grayness, oh god the grayness is sapping everything from me today, and it's a RUN day!

 

Karina - Hello deary!   So glad you showed up.  (Hurr!  See what I did there?    Hehe.)

 

Tanktimus - Well!  I see you are living up to your name Sir Ranger, sir!    Thanks for popping in!  I hope to do the guild proud!   (Nevermind my signature still says assassin... ahem.  You see nothing!)

 

Rob_ - and a Rob.   On my thread.   No way.   I thought that was a mystical creature, like a unicorn or something.    Hee.   

 

 

Today's plan is:

1) Eat all the good foods!   

2) Get my butt to the indoor track on my lunch hour and run/walk just TWO miles.   I need to stop pushing myself to get back into things at the exact point I left off with them.    The goal is movement.   Not distance, not time, not anything else.   So why don't I start listening to my body, right?   I might even enjoy it more that way hah.   

3) I also have a lot of roleplaying things to take care of:  (sublist!)

• Come up with a name for my new D&D rogue / start back story ideas.
• Update Jaiks blog.
• Update Star Wars website with new names/places.
• Write new chapter for ESO Kanyn stuff.
• Work on GarouMUSH challenges.

4) And of course, some arting on tap for tonight too.

[Rob__]

Course I'm here! <3

Yay for arting!


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[starpuck]

Day 2

 

Food Stuffs

Total Points:  20/20

All meals and snacks were 100% healthy and moderate today.

As I am feeling like this is being too vague and coming too easy, let me at least list my snacks for some feedback.

• Grapes at 3pm / Kashi granola bar at 4pm
• 1/2 banana after dinner  (Dinner was salmon and asparagus only)
• 4oz Noosa Yogurt at 8:30pm
• Fiber One cookie with almond milk at 9:30pm (Planned for and allowed.)

 

 

Lunch Run

(legs hurt, feet hurt, why new shoes not solve all problems?)

1 warm up lap on indoor track

 

Ran 1 Mile - Walked for 2 Laps - Ran 1 Mile - Walked 4 laps.

Stretched

 

Art Stuffs

Worked on inking a second concept idea for my Star Wars character Jaiks.  

Things I can take away from this one : I captured an expression.  I have a sort of okay upper body.

Things need work: Legs, omg, legs.   Also inking and shading, always with the shading!

 

Very tired overall today.   Physically and mentally.   Gonna chillax with an evening of ESO and maybe some anime.    Tomorrow, I am trying to figure out if I should play late night hockey or bake cookies for Thursday night.   

[Kishi]

Hey! Mind if I tag along?

[obax]

I'm blaming the weather for all the blah-tiredness going around. All this up and down stuff is really taking its toll. I wish Mother Nature would make up her mind, I almost (ALMOST) preferred last winter's steady cold to all this winter, spring!, winter, spring!, nope still winter, nope sprin-, WINTER stuff....

 

Love the pic! One thing I've learned from my brother, who does a lot of digital art, is that shading takes a lot of practice. He's been at it 10+ years and is still learning (though he's also the kind of guy who's never 100% satisfied with what he's done). That said, you're making some awesome progress, so woo!

[Rob__]

Your art is so good! Flex is always showing you off to me.

Good job with the food stuff and lunch run today!

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[Raxie]

All meals and snacks were 100% healthy and moderate today.

As I am feeling like this is being too vague and coming too easy

I think this is a sign of a solid habit! It coming easy and you feeling like you can breeze over the fact that you're doing it correctly. Good stuff.

[starpuck]

Day 3

 

Food Stuffs

Total Points:  19/20

Calling a point off here because I added a granola bar at mid evening.

Probably doesn't deserve a point off- I felt STARVED.   And this was to keep me from going nuts at a later time.

 

Snackage:

• Orga-Tea ginger green tea, 10am
• Grapes and almonds at 3:30pm
• Blood Orange after dinner
• Granola Bar at 8pm - damn I was feeling starved.
• Fiber One cookie with almond milk at 9:30pm (Planned for and allowed.)

 

Strength Workout 

Agility ladder for warm up and between sets.   Three drills (both directions) per circuit.

• Shoulder Rehab - 3x10 all [scapular Rows: Orange Band] [band Extension: Grey/Green] [Resisted Abduction: Red Band] [Res. Diag Extension: Red Band]
• Deadlifts - 65# - 3x8
• Roman Chair Sit Ups - 8# - 3x12
• Pull Ups - Assisted - 3x5 ** Really focusing on trying to keep my shoulders down.  Video for form check!
• DB Benchpress - 8# DB's - 3x15
• Agility Ladder - 3x10

So.  On the pull ups.  This is the hardest thing for me to get over, because I had worked myself up to being able to do 7 in a row unassisted!    Then shoulder issues came up and, while pull ups NEVER hurt my shoulder, my PT said no more until I fixed my form.   I am trying to rebuild back to where I was with them, while focusing on the advice my PT gave me that I tend to scrunch up my neck and traps to do them.   Assisted until I can get the form to a good starting point and NOT letting myself rush this.     You beefy warrior-ranger peeps, if you'd be willing to take a peek and offer some form check, I'd be super keen on that!

 

Art Stuffs

Inked and colored Monday's expression sketch.   

I imagine this is how Jaiks looks when it's almost time to punch people.    

 

 

Art, organizing some roleplaying stuff and ESO on tap for tonight, unless I get a second wind and go play some hockey.  Probably not though, I slept like crap last night.

[starpuck]

Hey! Mind if I tag along?

I would love if you did!

 

I'm blaming the weather for all the blah-tiredness going around. All this up and down stuff is really taking its toll. I wish Mother Nature would make up her mind, I almost (ALMOST) preferred last winter's steady cold to all this winter, spring!, winter, spring!, nope still winter, nope sprin-, WINTER stuff....

 

Love the pic! One thing I've learned from my brother, who does a lot of digital art, is that shading takes a lot of practice. He's been at it 10+ years and is still learning (though he's also the kind of guy who's never 100% satisfied with what he's done). That said, you're making some awesome progress, so woo!

Woot, also super encouraging to hear that others find the same parts more challenging.    We're having more drunk spring- next week we're supposed to be mid 50's to mid 60's!!!  I will be so angry when it reverts back to winter after that.

 

Your art is so good! Flex is always showing you off to me.

Good job with the food stuff and lunch run today!

 

Zomg, thanks.   I am such a weeblyface when it comes to people saying stuff like that.  I always think they're just being nice!  >.>    But thank you!!   Makes me want to try a Grey/Gajeel BRO pose for you guys.

 

I think this is a sign of a solid habit! It coming easy and you feeling like you can breeze over the fact that you're doing it correctly. Good stuff.

Ooooh.  Well that thought hadn't crossed my mind.     If we can see the same pattern in week 3, I'll buy into that notion.   Also.  Weekends are the super mega omg crazy hurdle to this awesome 20/20 ness going on.

[Rob__]

Zomg, thanks. I am such a weeblyface when it comes to people saying stuff like that. I always think they're just being nice! >.> But thank you!! Makes me want to try a Grey/Gajeel BRO pose for you guys.

That would be awesome. Know what would be more awesome? If you came to anime north to be my juvia.

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[BlackTezca]

I'm here as well!  Here to follow along watch you kick ass!  Also...I love that titan gif.  I will always chuckle when I see that silliness!

 

Your art is improving!  I also like how you're shading is coming out too!  In particular: Jaiks arm is shaded very nicely in the first image and I like the highlights on her hair!  Practice is paying off!

[starpuck]

Day 4

 

Food Stuffs

Total Points:  19/20

 

Snackage:

• Iced Coffee treat @ breakfast.
• Grapes and granola bar 4pm.
• D&D snack -no butter popcorn and a decaf coffee!
• Fiber One cookie and almond milk.

 

Lunch Run 

Warm up lap, 1 walking.

Ran 2 miles straight - 1/4 mile walk break - ran 3/4 mile.

Total distance 3 miles + a few warm up/cool down lap.

LOTS of stretching.

 

D&D TONIGHT - We fought the Ifrit and actually came out really well.   Then we tried to get the strange mirror portal things to work to get us out of the gaol, and ... the portal ate our key.   And suddenly showed images of US, though with frozen, horrified faces... creepy.      We are stuck guys.   Totally stuck in this infernal/abyssal prison!  Dang.   Find out next time on ... Games of our Lives!

 

In other news. HOLY SMOKE I NAILED THE FOOD TODAY!  I did so well at snacking at game night that I had to come home and eat the cookie and milk, because, while I am not tracking calories... my fitbit says I burned 2400 today!  And there is NO WAY I ate anywhere near enough to get to just a 500 calorie deficit.  So nom nom nom.  I am already looking forward to breakfast tomorrow.   This may be a sign that I am not eating enough.   We shall see!

[Kishi]

So far so good it looks like. The food goal seems like it's encouraging some moderation, which is good, and sustainable in the long run, right?

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

May your dice be kind, your DM be in a good mood, and your characters witty.

[starpuck]

Day 5

 

Food Stuffs

Total Points:  20/20

Aiming to be 20 told, will adjust if I muck something up.  Looks on track here.

 

Snackage:

• Grapes at 3:30pm
• Banana in the evening.
• Fiber One cookie with almond milk at 9:30pm (Planned for and allowed.)

 

 

Strength Workout 

3m jump rope warm up

 

• Shoulder Rehab - 3x10 all [Chest Pull: Gray Band] [Lateral Fly: 2#] [External Rotation: Blue Band] [internal Rotation: Blue Band]
• Goblet Squats - 40# - 3x8
• Inverted Rows - 3x13
• Push Ups - Incline - 3x13 (bench level)
• Reverse Crunch w/ Lifts - 3x10
• Box Jumps - 3x10

 

Other stuff tonight?  Not much.   Might rearrange my room and then chill with some ESO or drawing.      Nephews are coming over tomorrow so should be lots of crazy aunt calories burnt!

[Kishi]

Kids are fun when you can give them back to someone else.