Robb Pearlman - Star Trek: Body by Starfleet

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CAPTAIN CHRISTOPHER PIKE once said, Starfleet is a promise. And as a member of Starfleet, picking up this book is your first step toward fulfilling a promise you can make to yourself: to embark on a mission to live your healthiest life.

Whether youre looking for a way to lose weight or gain muscle, or just need a little motivation to put down the Tarvokian pound cake, put away the Ktarian game, and get moving, this book honors the central tenet of Vulcan philosophy of Kol-ut-shan, or as its known by English speakers on Earth, Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. Its prime directive is to help you on your mission toward the healthiest version of you, not necessarily the slimmest or the most muscular. But, if Mirror You, an android duplicate, or any other version of you becomes so jealous that they try to take your place, then youll certainly be able to take that avatar down faster than Captain Kirk bested Garth!

Every mission, whether lasting five years or spanning 70,000 light-years, has a beginning, so remember that even small changes can lead to bigger ones, and you shouldnt expect to start at Warp 9 or assume youll see changes after ) will work just as well, too.

Finally, all the exercises in this book were created in consultation with a certified fitness trainer, but please consult your doctor, chief medical officer, or Emergency Medical Holographic program before embarking on this or any exercise mission.

Live long and prosper.

REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY hours you spend exercising or preparing for your Klingon Age of Ascension, youll still need to eat well to perform at your optimal efficiency. Its sometimes difficult to consume food in a healthy way, especially if you live in a neighborhood without well-stocked supermarkets, or on a pre-warp planet. The following suggestions may help you to eat as cleanly and naturally as you can.

Visit your doctor at least once a year.

The biofilters on your replicators should be regularly serviced to ensure the elimination of all contaminants.

Limit your intake of sugary, calorie-filled beverages, like sodas, synthehol, or alcohol. As delicious as Romulan ale or Bloodwine may be, try sticking to water or unsweetened tea (iced or hot, Earl Grey or otherwise).

Caffeine is a stimulant, so if youre a coffee drinker, be mindful of the amount of caffeine you consume throughout the day, as it may affect how quickly you fall asleep, and how well you sleep. Taking your coffee Janeway-styleblackis best, but if you need a creamer, try low-fat or fat-free milk, and replace sugar or chemical sweeteners with stevia or other natural sources.

Try to avoid processed or packaged foods, or foods prepared with preservatives or ingredients you need a Universal Translator to pronounce.

Ask whoever is preparing your meals to add as little salt as possible. Most chefs, be they Talaxian, human, or Tellarite, are usually happy to accommodate.

Theres no harm in the occasional splurge or cheat meal, as long as you focus on a steady diet of balanced meals, including proteins, grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy. And though you may love to gorge on gagh or plomeek soup, try to remember to stop eating when you feel full, and not when you have to unbutton your uniform.

THESE WARM-UP MOVEMENTS will put your body on Yellow Alert in preparation for the higher-intensity activities to come.

The Gorn are a dreaded, extraordinarily strong species with a taste for vengeance as cold as their reptilian blood. It is ironic, then, that the finely tapered hemlines that accentuate their muscled legs underscore just how amazingly inflexible their legs are. This exercise serves to warm up your hip joints and, like watching a Kirk versus Gorn battle royale, will get your blood pumping.

Stand Starfleet Straight (at attention stance) with your hands on your hips and take a step forward with your right foot.

Breathe in, and continue your forward momentum, as if walking, lifting your left leg up as far as you can, without bending your knee. Reach your right hand toward your left foot, as if youre trying to touch your toes without bending at your waist.