#yesterday I had a doughnut and a banana. and two cookies

[skyward-floored]

Steak dinner

(Hdw au) I know you all were probably expecting more angst from this au, and while this does have a little, I also swerved into goofiness with this one. Link shows some more dragon tendencies... in front of an audience. lol.

————————————————————

“Captain.”

“...”

“Uh, Captain? Link?”

“...”

“Link? Hello?”

The older hero still doesn’t reply, staring blankly at his sword in his lap. He’d been cleaning it, but had stopped a few minutes ago, and was now just staring off into space, eyes distant.

Tune leans over and snaps his fingers in his face, and that finally brings him out of it, the captain practically jumping out of his seat at the noise.

“There you are,” Tune says once the captain calms down and puts the dagger away. “Glad to have you back in the land of the living. You know you’ve been acting kind of weird today, right?”

Link blinks at him, then shrugs. “Guess I’ve just been busy.”

Tune narrows his eyes. “Uh huh. The thing is, you’re always busy, but you don’t always act like this. Which means... something’s up,” Tune deduces, and Link’s expression turns wearied for about two seconds before he fixes his face.

“It’s just the usual, sailor. Don’t worry about it,” Link murmurs.

“The usual with you is like ten different things.”

Link looks away.

“Captain? ...Please?” Tune tries.

Link just shakes his head. “I really have just been busy, Tune. Don’t worry about it, okay?”

Tune sighs and is about to argue more, but then a low growl floats through the air, making him pause. Link freezes, and Tune looks around in confusion before he zeroes in on the captain’s stomach.

The growl rings out from it again, and Tune gives Link a sharp look, the captain quickly averting his gaze.

“Captain. When was the last time you ate anything?” Tune asks slowly.

“I’ve been busy,” Link mutters, “I didn’t have time to eat lunch.”

Tune gives him a poke. “And what about breakfast?”

“...maybe also breakfast.”

“I don’t actually remember you eating dinner last night either,” Mask adds as he walks by, and Link sends a glare in his direction.

“You haven’t eaten in almost a day?” Tune asks sharply.

Link shrugs, shifting in his seat. “...Something like that.”

“It’s been longer?!”

Link shrugs again, and Tune stands up and matches over to him, grabbing his arm and hauling him to his feet.

“Come on captain, we’re getting you food,” he says in as much of a big-brother voice as he can muster. “I don’t care if you’re busy or whatever, you can’t just not eat.”

“I’m busy Tune. And besides, I’m not even hungry,” Link begins to argue, but then his stomach growls again, even louder than before.

“...Right.”

Tune wastes no time in dragging the older Link across camp, ignoring his weak protests and never relinquishing his grip. Amused glances are cast at them as Tune drags Link by the wrist, and Tune notices with no small satisfaction that the captain’s ears are turning rather red. And when he finally reaches his target, Link’s protests sputter and die.

Tetra is sitting at a fire and already eating something, and as he trots up, she looks over and raises an eyebrow.

“Would you mind making sure he stays here?” Tune asks, and Tetra shrugs, picking something out of her teeth.

“Sure swabbie. But what’s the occasion?”

“This dope hasn’t eaten in at least a day,” Mask pipes up, and Tetra gives the oldest Link a Look. He starts off holding his ground, but nobody can stand up to Tetra’s Look, not even a hero of courage, and he soon wilts under it.

“I’ll watch him.”

“Thanks Tetra!” Tune smiles, and Mask pulls the captain down to sit, he and Tetra squishing him between them.

Tune nods, satisfied the captain is suitably trapped, then scampers off to go find a reasonable amount of food for him. It’s about dinner time anyway, so hunting down some food isn’t too hard, luckily. The only real problem is that nothing Tune can find is particularly filling. Plus he’s pretty sure the captain needs meat, he’s part dragon after all.

Does he need a lot of meat? Has he even been eating enough meat for a regular person? I wonder if Impa has any clue about what he should be eating...

Zelda walks by as he’s puzzling through all this, and seeing him look rather lost, asks what’s wrong. Tune explains the problem, and Zelda’s brows lower as she hears that Link hasn’t eaten in at least a day. A look equally worried and determined lands on her face, and she promises she’ll be back with some meat before striding off. Leaving Tune blinking in surprise behind her.

He gathers some other food while he waits, but only has to wait a few minutes before the princess returns, a large, uncooked steak in hand.

“Wh— where did you get that?” Tune asks in astonishment, and Zelda smiles.

“I have my ways. I only wish I’d gotten a cooked one, but I suppose this will do.“

Tune leads the way back to the campfire where Tetra is, and sees that Lana’s joined their group, telling them all some kind of tale. Link still looks weary, but there’s a small smile on his face as he listens, and Tune is relieved at the way he seems to have perked up a little.

He’s been so gloomy lately... it’s nice seeing him at least a little happier.

Zelda sits down next to Lana to listen to her story, and Tune pauses in his musings on Link and of how to cook the meat, setting the plate down for a mere moment as he begins to be drawn into the tale.

He should’ve known better.

Link’s nose twitches, and his eyes zero in on the meat, pupils dilating. It happens so fast Tune almost misses it, but one minute the meat is sitting on the plate, and the next it’s gone, and the captain is swallowing something with a satisfied look on his face.

Tune stares.

Mask stares.

Princess Zelda and Lana also stare, stunned into silence.

Tetra looks delighted.

“What?” Link asks as they all stare at him, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“That... uh. That was raw,” Tune says, equal wonder and disgust coming through in his voice.

“Completely raw,” Tetra continues, a grin on her face. “Good goddesses Captain, I knew you were hungry, but even I know not to just eat a raw steak.”

“In one bite,” Mask says with a bit of wonder.

Link blinks, and looks down at his hands. A look of pure mortification forms on his face as he realizes exactly what he just did, and he slowly looks around at their group, his entire face flushing as his gaze comes to rest on Princess Zelda.

...Who looks like she’s trying her best not to burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Lana is giggling uproariously into her hands beside her, but somehow Zelda manages to hold it together, the slightest twitch of her lip the only thing betraying her mirth. Tune wouldn’t even have picked up on that if he wasn’t so good at picking expressions out from card players.

“I suppose this means we don’t need to spend any time cooking,” she says remarkably straight-faced, and the captain groans, putting his face into his hands.

“I’m... uh,” he begins, ears turning pink. “I’m sorry, I have no clue... I was only going to take a bite, I didn’t realize—”

“Relax dragon-boy, you carnivores need your meat,” Tetra drawls.

Everyone freezes, and swings their heads towards Tetra, eyes going wide. Link’s blush swerves into the color draining from his face, and Zelda and Lana exchange sharp looks.

Tetra raises an eyebrow. “What?”

“Who... told you about the... dragon thing?” Tune asks, lowering his voice at the end. He certainly didn’t, and as far as he knows, it hasn’t left this circle of people. But if Tetra knows, then it must have somehow, which means... who else knows?

Tetra hums, and flicks dust off her vest. “Nobody. I have my ways, and a pirate never reveals her secrets.”

“Secrets, sure. I bet you just heard Link’s sneezing the other week,” Mask says flatly, and Tetra gives him her signature wink.

“Perhaps. But if you’re worried about it getting out, don’t. I don’t go around spreading rumors,” she says with a steady look at Link. “Relax, Scales.”

“That still doesn’t explain how you found out,” Tune says. Tetra looks at him, and he knows she heard the seriousness in his voice. This is information that needs to not be spread.

“Relax, Link. I just heard the general yelling at Volga in that battle the other day, I put two and two together.”

Somehow their spot goes even more quiet at her words, and Tune sighs at the look on the captain’s face. His father’s identity weighs on him heavily, but his mother’s... it’s almost worst, in a way. Tune isn’t sure of who knows about that part of the story, but he’s pretty it’s just himself and Link.

And Lana probably, but she knows everything.

Tetra doesn’t seem to be aware of that particular tidbit though, and she crosses her arms with a smirk.

“Yeah yeah, I know, it’s rough. You’re not the only one who’s found out some family thing about yourself and had your world turned on its head,” she hums, and Lana gives her an interested look.

“Oh... that’s right. I’d forgotten you didn’t know of your birthright as the princess,” she says, and Tetra gives her a sharp look.

“Yeah, and don’t go spreading that around,” she snaps.

Link looks like he’d rather be anywhere but here as the conversation goes from family secrets to Tetra and Lana having an argument on princess-y matters, and Tune pats him on the shoulder.

“Do you need anything else to eat, or was that enough?” he asks. Link shrugs, looking at his feet.

Tune frowns at the lack of response, and leans over and grabs the plate he’d gotten with some other food, handing it to Link.

“She won’t tell anyone,” he reassures as Link reluctantly takes the plate. “And she only knows about Volga. I can tell.”

“It seems like everyone’s been able to just figure this out except for me,” Link mutters, and Tune hears the bitterness in it.

“Most of us hadn’t met you or Volga before the war started,” he reminds him, Tetra and Lana still loudly arguing behind them. He gives them an exasperated look, then turns back to Link. “Nobody knew you were similar because nobody had met the both of you.“

Link stares at his plate. “And how similar am I to Volga?”

His voice is more fragile now, and Tune takes his hand, looking Link in the eye.

“Hey. You’re not like Volga,” he says firmly. “You’re not either of your parents. You and Volga have similarities because he’s your father, but his actions are his, not yours. You’re your own person, Link, Impa and Volga don’t define who you are. Only you do. And whatever you’re thinking about in regards to you and Volga being similar... don’t, okay? You have the same blood, but that doesn’t mean you have the same morals or anything,” he finishes softly.

Link looks at him, and he gives a silent nod, Tune squeezing his hand.

He doesn’t know if he got through to the older hero at all, but he can hope at least. Talks like this work on Tetra about half of the time, and if Tune can get lucky and get through her hard-headed snark, he can hopefully get through Link’s defenses.

“Thanks Tune,” Link says as he picks at more food, pointedly taking small bites. “For... all of this.”

“No problem, captain,” Tune replies with a smile. “Just... know that Mask is probably going to spread the story of the raw steak through the entire camp.”

The captain groans, but it’s more good-natured than anything. “I’m not going to be able to live that down, am I.”

“Nope. But maybe next time you’ll eat something before you get so hungry you eat an entire raw steak in one bite,” Tune says slyly, and Link snorts, giving him a light elbow.

He goes back to eating, looking much better than before, and laughs along with the others when Mask joins the argument between Tetra and Lana, the former of whom doesn’t seem to appreciate Mask’s attitude. She lunges for him and Mask shrieks, but there’s a devious look in his eyes as he tries desperately to avoid Tetra’s noogie.

He smirks at Tune when the captain laughs again, and Tune grins in return, watching the two of them wrestle.

Tetra sends him a wink as well, and they all spend the rest of the evening in easy comradery, teasing Link over his taste of raw meat, Lana telling more tales, Zelda moving to sit beside Link.

Tune looks back on that evening years later as one of the happiest of the entire war.

[hwasummers]

Eating in Moderation: How to Do It Right

Would you rather listen to this article? Use the player below or download on iTunes.

Eating in moderation is a noble goal. Too bad most people suck at it.

What does it mean to “eat in moderation”? We must define it if we’re to practice it properly. The definition varies widely depending on what beliefs someone has about nutrition, but here’s a simplified answer that’s void of stupid nonsense (calling any food group “evil” or “forbidden” or claiming one macronutrient is solely responsible for fat gain) and harmful dichotomous thinking (labeling foods good/bad):

Primarily eat a variety of whole foods most of the time — fruits and veggies, lean meats, fish, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, dairy, eggs, whole grains; don’t have “forbidden” or “off-limit” foods; enjoy your other favorite foods (alcohol, doughnuts, cookies, fried foods) occasionally, in reasonable quantities.

Eating in moderation is a logical approach and can eliminate a lot of unnecessary stress and frustration that often accompanies nutrition. However, many people either (a) understand what eat in moderation means, but falter in the execution or (b) have a distorted understanding of what eat in moderation means.

Thanks to our diet-obsessed culture, here is what many people have unfortunately come to believe it means to eat in moderation.

Being “good” during the week and eating the “bad” things over the weekend they successfully abstained from during the week is what some people consider eating in moderation. When you look at the quantity of not-super-healthy foods consumed on the weekend, it’s clear that they constitute a large amount of the weekly average food choices; not so moderate after all.

Here’s a proper example of what eating in moderation could look like.

This is one possible example of how to work in reasonable quantities of treats/refined foods into daily eating choices to successfully practice eating in moderation. This isn’t the only option, however, as some people may prefer to have a larger meal less frequently.

The above images are mere examples. I’m not suggesting you must eat the same foods every day or those foods specifically — the images are examples of whole-food meals that include a good source of protein. The number of daily meals and food choices should be tailored to your eating preferences.

Eating in Moderation Gone Wrong

Eating mostly whole foods and including your other favorite foods in reasonable amounts is not only effective for improving health while allowing you to reach your physique and performance goals, but it’s great for your sanity; you needn’t avoid your favorite foods to reach your goals.

Perception is critical when discussing how to eat in moderation; you need to objectively see what’s happening. Here are three common categories people can fall into when having problems eating in moderation, and the solution for each one.

Example 1: Too Much, Doesn’t Realize It

“I eat sweets and other not-so-healthy foods in moderation, but I still can’t lose weight. Help!”

This category is the most common and the problem isn’t moderation; it’s the execution and perception of what eating in moderation looks like. Many people claim to eat not-super-healthy foods moderately, saying:

“Yesterday I had coffee and oatmeal with a piece of fruit for breakfast, a chicken salad for lunch, a protein shake in the afternoon, and I eat lean meat and vegetables for dinner.”

They say that’s what they’re eating, but the reality, oftentimes, is different. This can be proven by keeping a food journal. Yesterday’s food choices actually looks like this: A large latte made with whole milk and sugar, an instant oatmeal packet that was loaded with sugar, and a banana for breakfast; chicken salad topped with a pile of cheese and bacon and full-fat ranch dressing with a couple breadsticks on the side, and a sugary soft drink for lunch; a meal-replacement shake in the afternoon; a late afternoon doughnut in the breakroom at work; grilled fish with steamed vegetables for dinner, followed by half a dozen cookies and a large glass of milk.

This person claims they’re eating not-super-healthy foods moderately, when they actually make up a large portion of their eating choices. The reason they can’t lose weight is simple math; they’re eating too many calories. Many of their eating choices are calorie dense: full-fat dressing, lattes made with whole milk and sugar, soda, doughnuts, cookies. Those foods aren’t satiating, so they’re easy to overeat.

Solution: Keep a food journal for a week and record everything you eat and drink. This way you see what you are, and are not, eating. Afterward, aim to eat whole foods at least 80% of the time and track again for a week or two.

Example 2: Not Much, Doesn’t Realize It

“I eat sweets and other not-so-healthy foods too often and then feel extremely guilty. Help!”

Thanks to diets with obsessive, non-negotiable rules that come complete with a list of forbidden foods and food groups, this category is growing rapidly. The diet mentality has made people think they have to follow an eating plan perfectly, without deviation, or they screwed up and sacrificed all their hard-fought results.

This individual eats plenty of protein and whole foods at least 90% of the time, but if she enjoys a food in moderation, like a bowl of her favorite ice cream or a couple pieces of pizza, she thinks she over indulged and failed to eat moderately, even though those foods were 10% or less of her weekly average food choices.

This person is struck with guilt, shame, and concern that she screwed up her diet and instantly erased the previous week of work and effort. The problem here isn’t eating in moderation; it’s her mindset and the language she uses about food, and herself. (If I eat this I’m “good”; if I eat this I’m “bad.”)

Recommended Article: The Huge Problem with Guilty-Pleasure Foods

Solution: Vigilant, patient mental training and an abundance of self-compassion. Begin by erasing good/bad food labels. Tracking what you eat and drink for a week may help, so you can see what you’re actually eating, and what you’re not. For instance, someone who eats a scoop of ice and two pieces of pizza spread throughout the week will be able to see those foods are a very small portion of her eating choices and not some drastic over indulgence.

Example 3: The Domino Effect

Someone eats something “sweet” or “bad” and continues digging the hole deeper. They rationalize I screwed up so I might as well eat whatever I want then I’ll get back on track tomorrow. Certain foods trigger them into a downward spiral of less-than-ideal food choices for an entire day or two. This individual struggles to enjoy treats and certain foods in moderation; like a row of dominos, eating a treat builds inertia that leads to her making a string of less-than-ideal food choices.

Recommended Article: One Simple Hack to Stop Screwing Yourself Over

Solution: This isn’t one size fits all, but it can be helpful to first become aware of the situation and identify the trigger foods, then decide how to handle them. If eating peanut butter causes you to keep eating the peanut butter, how can you handle it? One solution for trigger foods is to portion them into individual-sized servings. This way when you want that food, you grab the container with the appropriate serving size without being tempted to keep digging in for more.

For other foods, it could be best to keep them out of the house and buy a serving when you want it. If you can’t keep a carton of ice cream in the freezer without dipping into it every day, and dividing it into individual servings just doesn’t work, don’t keep it in the house. When you want ice cream, go to your favorite place and buy a couple scoops.

How to Make Eating in Moderation Work for You

Eating in moderation won’t look identical for everyone. The challenge is finding the balance that allows you to reach your physique, health, and performance goals while allowing you to enjoy the lifestyle you’re building and to socialize with ease.

Take emotion out of it. Guilt, shame, pride and other emotions have no place when it comes to responding to what we put in our mouths. Responding emotionally is not the answer to overindulging; it helps absolutely nothing. If you tend to value yourself, positively or negatively, by what you eat, become aware of it and work on changing it.

Recommended Article: Don’t Respond Emotionally to Health and Fitness Slip-Ups

Avoid good/bad food labels. There is just food. Some foods are wholesome and nutritious: eat these most of the time. Some foods are heavily processed and not so nutritious: eat these less often, without a smidge of guilt.

Actively choose what you will enjoy. Plan ahead. If you’d typically have a couple drinks, a few fried appetizers, and an entree that wasn’t exactly healthy when going out on Friday night, have a plan for what you will do so you can enjoy yourself while staying on track. Have a drink; skip the apps; get your favorite entree with a side order of veggies instead of fries. This isn’t deprivation, nor is it overindulgence. It’s balance. It’s moderation.

Don’t have a scarcity mindset. The diet mentality has fueled the perception that we’ll miss out on something if we don’t eat what’s offered to us. This can occur if you work in a setting where food is readily available and people routinely bringing doughnuts, cookies, and desserts. This can cause us to think I have to eat this now because I don’t know when I’ll get something else. We need to realize we don’t have to partake in every eating opportunity, and we’re not missing out by not eating.

Keep a food journal for one week. This simple exercise already mentioned will give you concrete data to analyze. Look at the journal objectively (i.e., free from emotion and judgement) and see where progress can be made. Perhaps you’ll realize that your perception of eating in moderation is skewed. Maybe you’ll see where you can swap out common foods for whole-food options. Or maybe you’ll see you do eat in moderation and need to stop stressing unnecessarily.

Know your personality, and work with it. Some people do better enjoying a treat or favorite not-super-healthy food daily, like a couple pieces of a favorite chocolate or one piece of pizza as shown in the eating in moderation graphic above. Others do better having one larger meal/treat less frequently, like an ice cream sundae or a burger and fries with a favorite beer.

Recommended Article: Why That Diet Didn’t Work for You

Do what works best for you. Eat larger meals of your favorite not-super-healthy foods less frequently (burger, fries, and a beer) or have something smaller most days so you can enjoy your favorite foods more frequently (a cookie each day, one glass of wine in the evening).

Eating in moderation can work for you. Take the time to learn how to practice it properly, in a way that best fits your lifestyle and preferences.

Be one of the first to get the How to Eat Healthy Guide that will be published soon. It’ll simplify the whole-foods guideline, and much more, discussed in this article. Enter your email below.

The post Eating in Moderation: How to Do It Right appeared first on Nia Shanks.

from Sarah Luke Fitness Updates http://www.niashanks.com/eating-in-moderation/

[sarahzlukeuk]

Eating in Moderation: How to Do It Right

Would you rather listen to this article? Use the player below or download on iTunes.

Eating in moderation is a noble goal. Too bad most people suck at it.

What does it mean to “eat in moderation”? We must define it if we’re to practice it properly. The definition varies widely depending on what beliefs someone has about nutrition, but here’s a simplified answer that’s void of stupid nonsense (calling any food group “evil” or “forbidden” or claiming one macronutrient is solely responsible for fat gain) and harmful dichotomous thinking (labeling foods good/bad):

Primarily eat a variety of whole foods most of the time — fruits and veggies, lean meats, fish, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, dairy, eggs, whole grains; don’t have “forbidden” or “off-limit” foods; enjoy your other favorite foods (alcohol, doughnuts, cookies, fried foods) occasionally, in reasonable quantities.

Eating in moderation is a logical approach and can eliminate a lot of unnecessary stress and frustration that often accompanies nutrition. However, many people either (a) understand what eat in moderation means, but falter in the execution or (b) have a distorted understanding of what eat in moderation means.

Thanks to our diet-obsessed culture, here is what many people have unfortunately come to believe it means to eat in moderation.

Being “good” during the week and eating the “bad” things over the weekend they successfully abstained from during the week is what some people consider eating in moderation. When you look at the quantity of not-super-healthy foods consumed on the weekend, it’s clear that they constitute a large amount of the weekly average food choices; not so moderate after all.

Here’s a proper example of what eating in moderation could look like.

This is one possible example of how to work in reasonable quantities of treats/refined foods into daily eating choices to successfully practice eating in moderation. This isn’t the only option, however, as some people may prefer to have a larger meal less frequently.

The above images are mere examples. I’m not suggesting you must eat the same foods every day or those foods specifically — the images are examples of whole-food meals that include a good source of protein. The number of daily meals and food choices should be tailored to your eating preferences.

Eating in Moderation Gone Wrong

Eating mostly whole foods and including your other favorite foods in reasonable amounts is not only effective for improving health while allowing you to reach your physique and performance goals, but it’s great for your sanity; you needn’t avoid your favorite foods to reach your goals.

Perception is critical when discussing how to eat in moderation; you need to objectively see what’s happening. Here are three common categories people can fall into when having problems eating in moderation, and the solution for each one.

Example 1: Too Much, Doesn’t Realize It

“I eat sweets and other not-so-healthy foods in moderation, but I still can’t lose weight. Help!”

This category is the most common and the problem isn’t moderation; it’s the execution and perception of what eating in moderation looks like. Many people claim to eat not-super-healthy foods moderately, saying:

“Yesterday I had coffee and oatmeal with a piece of fruit for breakfast, a chicken salad for lunch, a protein shake in the afternoon, and I eat lean meat and vegetables for dinner.”

They say that’s what they’re eating, but the reality, oftentimes, is different. This can be proven by keeping a food journal. Yesterday’s food choices actually looks like this: A large latte made with whole milk and sugar, an instant oatmeal packet that was loaded with sugar, and a banana for breakfast; chicken salad topped with a pile of cheese and bacon and full-fat ranch dressing with a couple breadsticks on the side, and a sugary soft drink for lunch; a meal-replacement shake in the afternoon; a late afternoon doughnut in the breakroom at work; grilled fish with steamed vegetables for dinner, followed by half a dozen cookies and a large glass of milk.

This person claims they’re eating not-super-healthy foods moderately, when they actually make up a large portion of their eating choices. The reason they can’t lose weight is simple math; they’re eating too many calories. Many of their eating choices are calorie dense: full-fat dressing, lattes made with whole milk and sugar, soda, doughnuts, cookies. Those foods aren’t satiating, so they’re easy to overeat.

Solution: Keep a food journal for a week and record everything you eat and drink. This way you see what you are, and are not, eating. Afterward, aim to eat whole foods at least 80% of the time and track again for a week or two.

Example 2: Not Much, Doesn’t Realize It

“I eat sweets and other not-so-healthy foods too often and then feel extremely guilty. Help!”

Thanks to diets with obsessive, non-negotiable rules that come complete with a list of forbidden foods and food groups, this category is growing rapidly. The diet mentality has made people think they have to follow an eating plan perfectly, without deviation, or they screwed up and sacrificed all their hard-fought results.

This individual eats plenty of protein and whole foods at least 90% of the time, but if she enjoys a food in moderation, like a bowl of her favorite ice cream or a couple pieces of pizza, she thinks she over indulged and failed to eat moderately, even though those foods were 10% or less of her weekly average food choices.

This person is struck with guilt, shame, and concern that she screwed up her diet and instantly erased the previous week of work and effort. The problem here isn’t eating in moderation; it’s her mindset and the language she uses about food, and herself. (If I eat this I’m “good”; if I eat this I’m “bad.”)

Recommended Article: The Huge Problem with Guilty-Pleasure Foods

Solution: Vigilant, patient mental training and an abundance of self-compassion. Begin by erasing good/bad food labels. Tracking what you eat and drink for a week may help, so you can see what you’re actually eating, and what you’re not. For instance, someone who eats a scoop of ice and two pieces of pizza spread throughout the week will be able to see those foods are a very small portion of her eating choices and not some drastic over indulgence.

Example 3: The Domino Effect

Someone eats something “sweet” or “bad” and continues digging the hole deeper. They rationalize I screwed up so I might as well eat whatever I want then I’ll get back on track tomorrow. Certain foods trigger them into a downward spiral of less-than-ideal food choices for an entire day or two. This individual struggles to enjoy treats and certain foods in moderation; like a row of dominos, eating a treat builds inertia that leads to her making a string of less-than-ideal food choices.

Recommended Article: One Simple Hack to Stop Screwing Yourself Over

Solution: This isn’t one size fits all, but it can be helpful to first become aware of the situation and identify the trigger foods, then decide how to handle them. If eating peanut butter causes you to keep eating the peanut butter, how can you handle it? One solution for trigger foods is to portion them into individual-sized servings. This way when you want that food, you grab the container with the appropriate serving size without being tempted to keep digging in for more.

For other foods, it could be best to keep them out of the house and buy a serving when you want it. If you can’t keep a carton of ice cream in the freezer without dipping into it every day, and dividing it into individual servings just doesn’t work, don’t keep it in the house. When you want ice cream, go to your favorite place and buy a couple scoops.

How to Make Eating in Moderation Work for You

Eating in moderation won’t look identical for everyone. The challenge is finding the balance that allows you to reach your physique, health, and performance goals while allowing you to enjoy the lifestyle you’re building and to socialize with ease.

Take emotion out of it. Guilt, shame, pride and other emotions have no place when it comes to responding to what we put in our mouths. Responding emotionally is not the answer to overindulging; it helps absolutely nothing. If you tend to value yourself, positively or negatively, by what you eat, become aware of it and work on changing it.

Recommended Article: Don’t Respond Emotionally to Health and Fitness Slip-Ups

Avoid good/bad food labels. There is just food. Some foods are wholesome and nutritious: eat these most of the time. Some foods are heavily processed and not so nutritious: eat these less often, without a smidge of guilt.

Actively choose what you will enjoy. Plan ahead. If you’d typically have a couple drinks, a few fried appetizers, and an entree that wasn’t exactly healthy when going out on Friday night, have a plan for what you will do so you can enjoy yourself while staying on track. Have a drink; skip the apps; get your favorite entree with a side order of veggies instead of fries. This isn’t deprivation, nor is it overindulgence. It’s balance. It’s moderation.

Don’t have a scarcity mindset. The diet mentality has fueled the perception that we’ll miss out on something if we don’t eat what’s offered to us. This can occur if you work in a setting where food is readily available and people routinely bringing doughnuts, cookies, and desserts. This can cause us to think I have to eat this now because I don’t know when I’ll get something else. We need to realize we don’t have to partake in every eating opportunity, and we’re not missing out by not eating.

Keep a food journal for one week. This simple exercise already mentioned will give you concrete data to analyze. Look at the journal objectively (i.e., free from emotion and judgement) and see where progress can be made. Perhaps you’ll realize that your perception of eating in moderation is skewed. Maybe you’ll see where you can swap out common foods for whole-food options. Or maybe you’ll see you do eat in moderation and need to stop stressing unnecessarily.

Know your personality, and work with it. Some people do better enjoying a treat or favorite not-super-healthy food daily, like a couple pieces of a favorite chocolate or one piece of pizza as shown in the eating in moderation graphic above. Others do better having one larger meal/treat less frequently, like an ice cream sundae or a burger and fries with a favorite beer.

Recommended Article: Why That Diet Didn’t Work for You

Do what works best for you. Eat larger meals of your favorite not-super-healthy foods less frequently (burger, fries, and a beer) or have something smaller most days so you can enjoy your favorite foods more frequently (a cookie each day, one glass of wine in the evening).

Eating in moderation can work for you. Take the time to learn how to practice it properly, in a way that best fits your lifestyle and preferences.

Be one of the first to get the How to Eat Healthy Guide that will be published soon. It’ll simplify the whole-foods guideline, and much more, discussed in this article. Enter your email below.

The post Eating in Moderation: How to Do It Right appeared first on Nia Shanks.

from Sarah Luke Fitness Updates http://www.niashanks.com/eating-in-moderation/

[joelandryus]

Eating in Moderation: How to Do It Right

Would you rather listen to this article? Use the player below or download on iTunes.

Eating in moderation is a noble goal. Too bad most people suck at it.

What does it mean to “eat in moderation”? We must define it if we’re to practice it properly. The definition varies widely depending on what beliefs someone has about nutrition, but here’s a simplified answer that’s void of stupid nonsense (calling any food group “evil” or “forbidden” or claiming one macronutrient is solely responsible for fat gain) and harmful dichotomous thinking (labeling foods good/bad):

Primarily eat a variety of whole foods most of the time — fruits and veggies, lean meats, fish, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, dairy, eggs, whole grains; don’t have “forbidden” or “off-limit” foods; enjoy your other favorite foods (alcohol, doughnuts, cookies, fried foods) occasionally, in reasonable quantities.

Eating in moderation is a logical approach and can eliminate a lot of unnecessary stress and frustration that often accompanies nutrition. However, many people either (a) understand what eat in moderation means, but falter in the execution or (b) have a distorted understanding of what eat in moderation means.

Thanks to our diet-obsessed culture, here is what many people have unfortunately come to believe it means to eat in moderation.

Being “good” during the week and eating the “bad” things over the weekend they successfully abstained from during the week is what some people consider eating in moderation. When you look at the quantity of not-super-healthy foods consumed on the weekend, it’s clear that they constitute a large amount of the weekly average food choices; not so moderate after all.

Here’s a proper example of what eating in moderation could look like.

This is one possible example of how to work in reasonable quantities of treats/refined foods into daily eating choices to successfully practice eating in moderation. This isn’t the only option, however, as some people may prefer to have a larger meal less frequently.

The above images are mere examples. I’m not suggesting you must eat the same foods every day or those foods specifically — the images are examples of whole-food meals that include a good source of protein. The number of daily meals and food choices should be tailored to your eating preferences.

Eating in Moderation Gone Wrong

Eating mostly whole foods and including your other favorite foods in reasonable amounts is not only effective for improving health while allowing you to reach your physique and performance goals, but it’s great for your sanity; you needn’t avoid your favorite foods to reach your goals.

Perception is critical when discussing how to eat in moderation; you need to objectively see what’s happening. Here are three common categories people can fall into when having problems eating in moderation, and the solution for each one.

Example 1: Too Much, Doesn’t Realize It

“I eat sweets and other not-so-healthy foods in moderation, but I still can’t lose weight. Help!”

This category is the most common and the problem isn’t moderation; it’s the execution and perception of what eating in moderation looks like. Many people claim to eat not-super-healthy foods moderately, saying:

“Yesterday I had coffee and oatmeal with a piece of fruit for breakfast, a chicken salad for lunch, a protein shake in the afternoon, and I eat lean meat and vegetables for dinner.”

They say that’s what they’re eating, but the reality, oftentimes, is different. This can be proven by keeping a food journal. Yesterday’s food choices actually looks like this: A large latte made with whole milk and sugar, an instant oatmeal packet that was loaded with sugar, and a banana for breakfast; chicken salad topped with a pile of cheese and bacon and full-fat ranch dressing with a couple breadsticks on the side, and a sugary soft drink for lunch; a meal-replacement shake in the afternoon; a late afternoon doughnut in the breakroom at work; grilled fish with steamed vegetables for dinner, followed by half a dozen cookies and a large glass of milk.

This person claims they’re eating not-super-healthy foods moderately, when they actually make up a large portion of their eating choices. The reason they can’t lose weight is simple math; they’re eating too many calories. Many of their eating choices are calorie dense: full-fat dressing, lattes made with whole milk and sugar, soda, doughnuts, cookies. Those foods aren’t satiating, so they’re easy to overeat.

Solution: Keep a food journal for a week and record everything you eat and drink. This way you see what you are, and are not, eating. Afterward, aim to eat whole foods at least 80% of the time and track again for a week or two.

Example 2: Not Much, Doesn’t Realize It

“I eat sweets and other not-so-healthy foods too often and then feel extremely guilty. Help!”

Thanks to diets with obsessive, non-negotiable rules that come complete with a list of forbidden foods and food groups, this category is growing rapidly. The diet mentality has made people think they have to follow an eating plan perfectly, without deviation, or they screwed up and sacrificed all their hard-fought results.

This individual eats plenty of protein and whole foods at least 90% of the time, but if she enjoys a food in moderation, like a bowl of her favorite ice cream or a couple pieces of pizza, she thinks she over indulged and failed to eat moderately, even though those foods were 10% or less of her weekly average food choices.

This person is struck with guilt, shame, and concern that she screwed up her diet and instantly erased the previous week of work and effort. The problem here isn’t eating in moderation; it’s her mindset and the language she uses about food, and herself. (If I eat this I’m “good”; if I eat this I’m “bad.”)

Recommended Article: The Huge Problem with Guilty-Pleasure Foods

Solution: Vigilant, patient mental training and an abundance of self-compassion. Begin by erasing good/bad food labels. Tracking what you eat and drink for a week may help, so you can see what you’re actually eating, and what you’re not. For instance, someone who eats a scoop of ice and two pieces of pizza spread throughout the week will be able to see those foods are a very small portion of her eating choices and not some drastic over indulgence.

Example 3: The Domino Effect

Someone eats something “sweet” or “bad” and continues digging the hole deeper. They rationalize I screwed up so I might as well eat whatever I want then I’ll get back on track tomorrow. Certain foods trigger them into a downward spiral of less-than-ideal food choices for an entire day or two. This individual struggles to enjoy treats and certain foods in moderation; like a row of dominos, eating a treat builds inertia that leads to her making a string of less-than-ideal food choices.

Recommended Article: One Simple Hack to Stop Screwing Yourself Over

Solution: This isn’t one size fits all, but it can be helpful to first become aware of the situation and identify the trigger foods, then decide how to handle them. If eating peanut butter causes you to keep eating the peanut butter, how can you handle it? One solution for trigger foods is to portion them into individual-sized servings. This way when you want that food, you grab the container with the appropriate serving size without being tempted to keep digging in for more.

For other foods, it could be best to keep them out of the house and buy a serving when you want it. If you can’t keep a carton of ice cream in the freezer without dipping into it every day, and dividing it into individual servings just doesn’t work, don’t keep it in the house. When you want ice cream, go to your favorite place and buy a couple scoops.

How to Make Eating in Moderation Work for You

Eating in moderation won’t look identical for everyone. The challenge is finding the balance that allows you to reach your physique, health, and performance goals while allowing you to enjoy the lifestyle you’re building and to socialize with ease.

Take emotion out of it. Guilt, shame, pride and other emotions have no place when it comes to responding to what we put in our mouths. Responding emotionally is not the answer to overindulging; it helps absolutely nothing. If you tend to value yourself, positively or negatively, by what you eat, become aware of it and work on changing it.

Recommended Article: Don’t Respond Emotionally to Health and Fitness Slip-Ups

Avoid good/bad food labels. There is just food. Some foods are wholesome and nutritious: eat these most of the time. Some foods are heavily processed and not so nutritious: eat these less often, without a smidge of guilt.

Actively choose what you will enjoy. Plan ahead. If you’d typically have a couple drinks, a few fried appetizers, and an entree that wasn’t exactly healthy when going out on Friday night, have a plan for what you will do so you can enjoy yourself while staying on track. Have a drink; skip the apps; get your favorite entree with a side order of veggies instead of fries. This isn’t deprivation, nor is it overindulgence. It’s balance. It’s moderation.

Don’t have a scarcity mindset. The diet mentality has fueled the perception that we’ll miss out on something if we don’t eat what’s offered to us. This can occur if you work in a setting where food is readily available and people routinely bringing doughnuts, cookies, and desserts. This can cause us to think I have to eat this now because I don’t know when I’ll get something else. We need to realize we don’t have to partake in every eating opportunity, and we’re not missing out by not eating.

Keep a food journal for one week. This simple exercise already mentioned will give you concrete data to analyze. Look at the journal objectively (i.e., free from emotion and judgement) and see where progress can be made. Perhaps you’ll realize that your perception of eating in moderation is skewed. Maybe you’ll see where you can swap out common foods for whole-food options. Or maybe you’ll see you do eat in moderation and need to stop stressing unnecessarily.

Know your personality, and work with it. Some people do better enjoying a treat or favorite not-super-healthy food daily, like a couple pieces of a favorite chocolate or one piece of pizza as shown in the eating in moderation graphic above. Others do better having one larger meal/treat less frequently, like an ice cream sundae or a burger and fries with a favorite beer.

Recommended Article: Why That Diet Didn’t Work for You

Do what works best for you. Eat larger meals of your favorite not-super-healthy foods less frequently (burger, fries, and a beer) or have something smaller most days so you can enjoy your favorite foods more frequently (a cookie each day, one glass of wine in the evening).

Eating in moderation can work for you. Take the time to learn how to practice it properly, in a way that best fits your lifestyle and preferences.

Be one of the first to get the How to Eat Healthy Guide that will be published soon. It’ll simplify the whole-foods guideline, and much more, discussed in this article. Enter your email below.

The post Eating in Moderation: How to Do It Right appeared first on Nia Shanks.

from Sarah Luke Fitness Updates http://www.niashanks.com/eating-in-moderation/

[evajrobinsontx]

Eating in Moderation: How to Do It Right

Would you rather listen to this article? Use the player below or download on iTunes.

Eating in moderation is a noble goal. Too bad most people suck at it.

What does it mean to “eat in moderation”? We must define it if we’re to practice it properly. The definition varies widely depending on what beliefs someone has about nutrition, but here’s a simplified answer that’s void of stupid nonsense (calling any food group “evil” or “forbidden” or claiming one macronutrient is solely responsible for fat gain) and harmful dichotomous thinking (labeling foods good/bad):

Primarily eat a variety of whole foods most of the time — fruits and veggies, lean meats, fish, beans and legumes, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices, dairy, eggs, whole grains; don’t have “forbidden” or “off-limit” foods; enjoy your other favorite foods (alcohol, doughnuts, cookies, fried foods) occasionally, in reasonable quantities.

Eating in moderation is a logical approach and can eliminate a lot of unnecessary stress and frustration that often accompanies nutrition. However, many people either (a) understand what eat in moderation means, but falter in the execution or (b) have a distorted understanding of what eat in moderation means.

Thanks to our diet-obsessed culture, here is what many people have unfortunately come to believe it means to eat in moderation.

Being “good” during the week and eating the “bad” things over the weekend they successfully abstained from during the week is what some people consider eating in moderation. When you look at the quantity of not-super-healthy foods consumed on the weekend, it’s clear that they constitute a large amount of the weekly average food choices; not so moderate after all.

Here’s a proper example of what eating in moderation could look like.

This is one possible example of how to work in reasonable quantities of treats/refined foods into daily eating choices to successfully practice eating in moderation. This isn’t the only option, however, as some people may prefer to have a larger meal less frequently.

The above images are mere examples. I’m not suggesting you must eat the same foods every day or those foods specifically — the images are examples of whole-food meals that include a good source of protein. The number of daily meals and food choices should be tailored to your eating preferences.

Eating in Moderation Gone Wrong

Eating mostly whole foods and including your other favorite foods in reasonable amounts is not only effective for improving health while allowing you to reach your physique and performance goals, but it’s great for your sanity; you needn’t avoid your favorite foods to reach your goals.

Perception is critical when discussing how to eat in moderation; you need to objectively see what’s happening. Here are three common categories people can fall into when having problems eating in moderation, and the solution for each one.

Example 1: Too Much, Doesn’t Realize It

“I eat sweets and other not-so-healthy foods in moderation, but I still can’t lose weight. Help!”

This category is the most common and the problem isn’t moderation; it’s the execution and perception of what eating in moderation looks like. Many people claim to eat not-super-healthy foods moderately, saying:

“Yesterday I had coffee and oatmeal with a piece of fruit for breakfast, a chicken salad for lunch, a protein shake in the afternoon, and I eat lean meat and vegetables for dinner.”

They say that’s what they’re eating, but the reality, oftentimes, is different. This can be proven by keeping a food journal. Yesterday’s food choices actually looks like this: A large latte made with whole milk and sugar, an instant oatmeal packet that was loaded with sugar, and a banana for breakfast; chicken salad topped with a pile of cheese and bacon and full-fat ranch dressing with a couple breadsticks on the side, and a sugary soft drink for lunch; a meal-replacement shake in the afternoon; a late afternoon doughnut in the breakroom at work; grilled fish with steamed vegetables for dinner, followed by half a dozen cookies and a large glass of milk.

This person claims they’re eating not-super-healthy foods moderately, when they actually make up a large portion of their eating choices. The reason they can’t lose weight is simple math; they’re eating too many calories. Many of their eating choices are calorie dense: full-fat dressing, lattes made with whole milk and sugar, soda, doughnuts, cookies. Those foods aren’t satiating, so they’re easy to overeat.

Solution: Keep a food journal for a week and record everything you eat and drink. This way you see what you are, and are not, eating. Afterward, aim to eat whole foods at least 80% of the time and track again for a week or two.

Example 2: Not Much, Doesn’t Realize It

“I eat sweets and other not-so-healthy foods too often and then feel extremely guilty. Help!”

Thanks to diets with obsessive, non-negotiable rules that come complete with a list of forbidden foods and food groups, this category is growing rapidly. The diet mentality has made people think they have to follow an eating plan perfectly, without deviation, or they screwed up and sacrificed all their hard-fought results.

This individual eats plenty of protein and whole foods at least 90% of the time, but if she enjoys a food in moderation, like a bowl of her favorite ice cream or a couple pieces of pizza, she thinks she over indulged and failed to eat moderately, even though those foods were 10% or less of her weekly average food choices.

This person is struck with guilt, shame, and concern that she screwed up her diet and instantly erased the previous week of work and effort. The problem here isn’t eating in moderation; it’s her mindset and the language she uses about food, and herself. (If I eat this I’m “good”; if I eat this I’m “bad.”)

Recommended Article: The Huge Problem with Guilty-Pleasure Foods

Solution: Vigilant, patient mental training and an abundance of self-compassion. Begin by erasing good/bad food labels. Tracking what you eat and drink for a week may help, so you can see what you’re actually eating, and what you’re not. For instance, someone who eats a scoop of ice and two pieces of pizza spread throughout the week will be able to see those foods are a very small portion of her eating choices and not some drastic over indulgence.

Example 3: The Domino Effect

Someone eats something “sweet” or “bad” and continues digging the hole deeper. They rationalize I screwed up so I might as well eat whatever I want then I’ll get back on track tomorrow. Certain foods trigger them into a downward spiral of less-than-ideal food choices for an entire day or two. This individual struggles to enjoy treats and certain foods in moderation; like a row of dominos, eating a treat builds inertia that leads to her making a string of less-than-ideal food choices.

Recommended Article: One Simple Hack to Stop Screwing Yourself Over

Solution: This isn’t one size fits all, but it can be helpful to first become aware of the situation and identify the trigger foods, then decide how to handle them. If eating peanut butter causes you to keep eating the peanut butter, how can you handle it? One solution for trigger foods is to portion them into individual-sized servings. This way when you want that food, you grab the container with the appropriate serving size without being tempted to keep digging in for more.

For other foods, it could be best to keep them out of the house and buy a serving when you want it. If you can’t keep a carton of ice cream in the freezer without dipping into it every day, and dividing it into individual servings just doesn’t work, don’t keep it in the house. When you want ice cream, go to your favorite place and buy a couple scoops.

How to Make Eating in Moderation Work for You

Eating in moderation won’t look identical for everyone. The challenge is finding the balance that allows you to reach your physique, health, and performance goals while allowing you to enjoy the lifestyle you’re building and to socialize with ease.

Take emotion out of it. Guilt, shame, pride and other emotions have no place when it comes to responding to what we put in our mouths. Responding emotionally is not the answer to overindulging; it helps absolutely nothing. If you tend to value yourself, positively or negatively, by what you eat, become aware of it and work on changing it.

Recommended Article: Don’t Respond Emotionally to Health and Fitness Slip-Ups

Avoid good/bad food labels. There is just food. Some foods are wholesome and nutritious: eat these most of the time. Some foods are heavily processed and not so nutritious: eat these less often, without a smidge of guilt.

Actively choose what you will enjoy. Plan ahead. If you’d typically have a couple drinks, a few fried appetizers, and an entree that wasn’t exactly healthy when going out on Friday night, have a plan for what you will do so you can enjoy yourself while staying on track. Have a drink; skip the apps; get your favorite entree with a side order of veggies instead of fries. This isn’t deprivation, nor is it overindulgence. It’s balance. It’s moderation.

Don’t have a scarcity mindset. The diet mentality has fueled the perception that we’ll miss out on something if we don’t eat what’s offered to us. This can occur if you work in a setting where food is readily available and people routinely bringing doughnuts, cookies, and desserts. This can cause us to think I have to eat this now because I don’t know when I’ll get something else. We need to realize we don’t have to partake in every eating opportunity, and we’re not missing out by not eating.

Keep a food journal for one week. This simple exercise already mentioned will give you concrete data to analyze. Look at the journal objectively (i.e., free from emotion and judgement) and see where progress can be made. Perhaps you’ll realize that your perception of eating in moderation is skewed. Maybe you’ll see where you can swap out common foods for whole-food options. Or maybe you’ll see you do eat in moderation and need to stop stressing unnecessarily.

Know your personality, and work with it. Some people do better enjoying a treat or favorite not-super-healthy food daily, like a couple pieces of a favorite chocolate or one piece of pizza as shown in the eating in moderation graphic above. Others do better having one larger meal/treat less frequently, like an ice cream sundae or a burger and fries with a favorite beer.

Recommended Article: Why That Diet Didn’t Work for You

Do what works best for you. Eat larger meals of your favorite not-super-healthy foods less frequently (burger, fries, and a beer) or have something smaller most days so you can enjoy your favorite foods more frequently (a cookie each day, one glass of wine in the evening).

Eating in moderation can work for you. Take the time to learn how to practice it properly, in a way that best fits your lifestyle and preferences.

Be one of the first to get the How to Eat Healthy Guide that will be published soon. It’ll simplify the whole-foods guideline, and much more, discussed in this article. Enter your email below.

The post Eating in Moderation: How to Do It Right appeared first on Nia Shanks.

from Sarah Luke Fitness Updates http://www.niashanks.com/eating-in-moderation/

[opepin]

march: week 3

13: i was tired in the morning and it was cold T^T my coconut milk was also expired lulz. vivian left her water bottle and gbf and her were gone when i woke up. i almost forgot they slept over because they were such bums yesterday LOL. <3 i took a nap on the train and got to work a bit late, but apparently, everyone was a bit late this morning. i just started pumping out templates and then went into meetings -- i got so hungry during my meetings. i ran to use the bathroom and then microwaved my food and ate during one of my meetings haha. after all of my meetings, i packed up and left to work from home. i was crashing so badly. i timed the train this time and only waited a few minutes. when i got back home, i edited some videos, and then called it a day. i took a nap on the air mattress and realized that it was cold to sleep on because there wasn’t a comforter or anything warm on the bottom.

kevin came back from climbing, showered, and then i woke up. omg, i slept for like 2 hours. i must have been real tired. kevin cooked today (thank you <3) while i relaxed and dozed off. then i put away the air mattress, cleaned up the living room a bit, and then helped do dishes. i also made chicken nuggets and they were delicious. oh, i snacked a ton when i got home and both me and kevin were both feeling like eating junk food. xP we didn’t know what to watch but kevin gave me the option to choose a new series. we started watching, ‘how to get away with murder’ and now we’re hooked! we watched two episodes, kevin went to game, and then i did 60 minutes of hip hop cardio. then i showered, we brushed our teeth together, and then we went to sleep. well, kevin stayed up to watch some dota and play some pokemon. it was around 2 am.

14: it was a nice wfh day. it didn’t look like it was snowing a lot but then it started and i was glad i was home with kevin :3 we got free bagels and hot chocolate from deco and got started on work for the rest of the day. we fit in an episode of ‘how to get away with murder’ during lunch and then i went back to work. kevin had a pretty lax day. kevin had the chance to braise our beef for a delicious dinner~ we watched a good amount of episodes and then i did laundry and we ate dinner while watching more. we stopped for a bit so that i could make oatmeal raisin cookies and then we continued while eating the cookies. after our mini-marathon, kevin washed the dishes and i helped clean up. then he went to game while i did some kickboxing. i showered and then brushed my teeth, finished watching a youtube video and then ko’d before 2 am, which is good considering my sleep schedule this week LOL.

15: i woke up and had a bit of a headache, the roads were icy, and so i worked from home again. these cookies are so good but so bad for me. i need to stop snacking! i will bring some of these to work so it’ll be ok by tomorrow ;D it’s been hard being productive this week because of the weather and just working from home. i had a good number of calls and then worked on tutorials. i tried ordering new sports bras from aerie but they had a gift card error so i rq’d... i ended my day with a call and got two one pagers done so i felt semi-productive. after work, i washed dishes and put the drying rack away. then i picked up keys from rachel for the guest suite this weekend ;D so excited. then i started making banana bread! i forgot to soften the butter and then i forgot to defrost the bananas. i don’t think i like banana ice cream... anyway, i somehow got them to thaw and then put that in the oven. i also spent some time defrosting chicken (we forgot to take it out).

kevin got back late due to train problems and then we checked out the guest suite. it’s $200/night and it’s pretty nice! it’s decorated in very contemporary modern style haha. then we went down, kevin cooked, i ran around and watched some videos, did some exercises, and then ate dinner (delicious chicken and bean sprout and veggie stir fry) while watching ‘how to get away with murder.’ we watched two episodes and then spent like 2 hours talking (: hehe it was really nice <3 then kevin went to game, i finished up working out, showered, dried my hair, and ko’d. i wanted to sleep before 1 am, but i slept at like 1:50 am...gg me.

16: i was ready to go to work but i was still sleepy. i went downstairs to see what the free food situation was all about but there were people down there so i just went back and got my jacket and got on the train. my bag was full of goodies: banana bread, oatmeal raisin cookies, and meltyblend chocolate. it was nice seeing everyone again, but everyone seemed pretty heads down in work. i ate lunch during the hour of tech and watched some youtube videos and then launched into 2 hours or so worth of meetings T_T i was dozing off so i had to stand up and move around and also cole gave me gum to keep me awake. thanks, cole! i was kind of counting the hours until work ended because i was so tired lol. i did get a good amount done though. everyone ate all of my baked goods by the end of the day. i had to get cole to take a bit home, but i competed against doughnuts and i won ;D anyway, i went to the chocolate store with cole and he bought white chocolate peanut butter cups and more pear jelly beans, and yeaaah. i didn’t buy anything because i am sick of sugar at this point. my skin is breaking out because of it too :(

we walked to south station and then i waited for kevin for a bit. he left when i got there? LOL so he took the silver line and with our luck, it was 15 minutes until the next train came so we waited together. lol the train was packed for some reason? it was 6 pm... and i kind of pulled a girl’s long hair when taking off my backpack ;( sorry girl! this is why i don’t have long hair anymore haha. we got home and we finished eating all of the banana bread and cookies and then ate some all-dressed chips. then i started playing pokemon again. i need to catch all of the pokemon!!! i ko’d on the sofa while kevin cooked dinner... he woke me up and we ate dinner, watched ‘how to get away with murder’ and played pokemon. i caught both celesteelas with p good IVs. then kevin washed the dishes and gamed while i did 60 minutes of kickboxing to try and get back on my fat burning grind. omg, i ate so much sugar and fat T___T then i showered and we both hopped into bed before 1:30 am. i ko’d while kevin played pokemon.

17: i think i was well-rested today. i’m trying to get back to 6 hrs and 30 minutes of sleep to 8 hours of sleep. i took my time getting up in the morning and then got to work and it was only me, dave, and jim in the office -- the product team. it’s nice being in an empty office :P i’m glad i went to work today. i was very productive in the morning and there were leftover munchkins from yesterday. the coconut chocolate one is pretty good! i was in standup for a bit too long, but it had to do with a long discussion about something very important and i am excited about it. i ended the day with that meeting. dave left and then i packed up and got on the train where a lady pushed passed me and then said ‘you don’t have to push.’ maybe i got on the train a bit too eagerly? anyway, i got home and it was sooo nice outside! it was bright. so i whipped out my yoga mat and did abs and hiit workouts. kevin came back from climbing early because he thought he was straining one of his wrists too much. so he came back home and ran on the treadmill instead. 

i got my ae sports bra purchase today and tried them on. i wasn’t sure if they didn’t fit so i had to get second opinions. i’m keeping them both now ;D i love the zipper in the front! i showered and then started cooking dinner ... pretty frantically because i didn’t prep correctly. i didn’t wash dishes because i didn’t think i would need to and then the recipe called for making the noodles and heating up chicken stock at the same time so that everything would still be hot when served. @_@ so i frantically cooked and tried to keep the noodles warm while cooking the egg and tomato. it turned out pretty good though! it really was a simple recipe and i just should have prepared better. kevin and i ate dinner while watching an episode of ‘how to get away with murder’ and then we booked our tickets to stockholm! we’re planning to fly to copenhagen right after and then fly back~ we did that and made a list of to-dos for the rest of the planning since we’re not going until summer.

then we packed some things up and headed over to the guest suite! they couldn’t fix our shower tile this weekend so we rescheduled to monday and tuesday and rachel let us keep our stay in the guest suite for this weekend ;D so we got there and then i got to use the bath bomb! it was so cool! the tub might not have been completely 100% clean though. hmmm. i’m probably not going to take baths ever again unless i know the tub is super clean / i cleaned it very well. we had a super relaxing evening together and it was so nice :) the bed was comfy but the pillows were a bit too much. we ended up knocking out while cuddling and woke up grumpy because our skin was so dried out by the heating in the room. .___. so i put lotion on my body and kevin did too and then we brushed and ko’d so that it would stop bothering us LOL. i would rate this room like a 3/5 (if it was me staying here as a guest). they didn’t have any shower stuff, no water filter, and the tv didn’t work. oh, also wifi didn’t work. so hmmm.... the guest suite isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. we still had a great evening together though ((((:

18: kevin got up so early today. .___. like possibly at 8:30 am or 9 am. we were both really dried out from the guest suite’s heat. i stayed in bed a bit longer with kevin until we both got hungry. we brushed up, packed everything except the bath stuff and toiletries, and headed back to our apartment. it smelled like leeks and cabbage and potstickers in our apartment for some reason. kevin made us potstickers, we played some pokemon and then headed to our massage. there was traffic on the way there but we got there only 5 minutes late. we had guy masseuses today. mine was gentle and apparently, they both used interesting techniques and focused more on other parts of our body instead of the back. i’m still a bit sore, but i would rather have the ladies work on me from now on. anyway, we got stuck in really terrible traffic for like 2 blocks because of construction. i played ‘i spy’ with kevin in the car and we just messed around.

he dropped me off and i baked some chicken nuggets and made some rice. he went to get bubble tea but the store was closed ;( so we just ate nuggets, i did internet errands and kevin played some overwatch. then we ate leftovers for the rest of lunch. we played pokemon until it was time to leave for our reservation at o ya! the train had a mechanical malfunction and all the passengers were kicked off and we had to wait for the next one. i freaked out because i thought we were going to be late (we were) and it was rude because this is a high class af restaurant. kevin calmed me down and we got seated and then it was time to order, cry, and eat. cry because everything was hella expensive, but we really wanted to eat here. it was a great first time experience and we had a lot of fun. we ordered 13 items, got roasted green tea (in love), and ordered 2 dessert items. we loved the uni toast, the coconut tapioca dessert, the pork belly, and the mushroom nigiri. i loved the eel nigiri of course. the dessert was my favorite. we also ordered $70 wagyu beef with potato confit and it was on point, but probably wouldn’t get again. the potatos were cooked amazingly.

they even had sewing kits, lint rollers, iphone chargers, etc on hand and you could get them from the host if you needed it -- fancy. the crowd was older people and a good amount of business men. it was a $400 meal and we’ll definitely be coming back for celebrations and whatnot. sumi will always have a special place in my heart though. i think that’s when i really started appreciating japanese food more. anyway, we took the train back (btw, o ya is like on this small hidden side street near south station and it’s so low key but highly rated) and kevin gamed while i watched soem youtube videos. he gamed a bit too long and i got upset because we were supposed to spend more time in the guest suite. i got over it after showering and then we went up there and i got to use my oatmeal luxury soap from lush and the rub, rub, rub bar. the water was much warmer and i think it was bad for my nerves because i went to sleep with the tingly nerve sensation. oh well, it will be my last time bathing for a while. that was good way to end the night :) it was another relaxing and fun time with the bear in the guest suite~ so grateful for this awesome week and i never want it to end, and it probably won’t because it was just spending time experiencing new things with kevin that made it great. <3

19: so we slept at like 3 am and we woke up at 12 or 1 pm. we were dead. we made potstickers and chicken nuggets for brunch. i was cramping a lot. T_T so i took it easy and just did laundry, which was smaller than usual? and then got my gleener (sweater fuzz remover) and tried it out on my leggings... it ended up ripping a hole in them T__T or rather maybe it was the dull razor i was using? the razor did a better job btw. so then i filed for a return, contacted bombas because there’s already a hole in my socks, and then looked around the apartment for thread? ugh, sad that i didn’t ask for a sewing kit in o ya now. i was a bit bummed out by all of these events and my stomach and cramps didn’t help either. i also have a terrible throat/ear pain. :/ sigh. we planned meals for the week earlier in the day so then we just changed and went to get groceries.

we got everything we needed at kam man but some items weren’t the freshest. we couldn’t find my coconut milk or any croissants left at bj’s. we have to go grocery shopping a bit earlier now :( haha. i like going late to avoid to crowds though. so we left bj’s with orange juice and some english muffins. we got back, i folded the laundry, helped cook noodles, and then we watched ‘it follows’ for our movie date because we didn’t want to go out and watch ‘logan’ or ‘get out’ or ‘beauty and the beast.’ it was a pretty good movie -- kevin got scared ;P it was a different kind of horror film. kevin cooked lunch while i exercised for a bit. then he vacuumed and showered. then i showered and we made the bed together and i went to sleep. zzz. i went to sleep before 1:30 am!! woot.