soypap-blog

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This is incredibly useful, Im just finishing up the hero of ages. Loving the series so far. Infact I think ill read the rest right now so I can move on to elantris.

My boyfriend @aborigonalguppyrabits and I were discussing cosmere reading order and decided that it was best expressed as a flow chart. The project got a little out of hand. Obviously there’s no right way to read the books, but we thought we’d offer our solution.

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My Healthy University Food Shop

I created this shopping list to buy in bulk and last for weeks, maybe a month, it's mainly just for dinners but most people have toast and cereal for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch or something, just add those bits in when needed. I like bulk cooking or meal prepping because it saves me so much time and it really helps with portion control. Essentials to keep stocked up all the time (mainly spices, they are cheap but make or break a meal):

Cumin (ground or seeds) Paprika (sweet or smoked) Chilli powder / Cayenne pepper Ground Coriander Turmeric Black Pepper Ginger (ground and only use a little)

Oregano Basil Thyme Rosemary

Garlic (cloves or paste) Stock cubes (great in any stew based dish)

Main food shop, really bare bones but can do a lot with the right spices:

🥖 Carbs:

1 x Long Grain Brown Rice (1kg)

1 x Wholewheat Fusilli Pasta (500g)

🥫 Tinned Goods:

4 x Red Kidney Beans in Water (400g each)

12 x Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice (400g each — 3 packs of 4)

4 x Chickpeas (400g each)

🥦 Vegetables:

1 x Crunchy & Sweet Carrots (1kg)

1 x Tender & Crunchy Broccoli (360g)

4 x Packs of Sweet & Crunchy Red Onions (3 onions per pack — total 12 onions)

4 x Packs of Sweet Peppers (3 peppers per pack — total 12 peppers)

🍗 Meat & Protein:

3 x Chicken Breast Fillets (1kg each — total 3kg)

3 x 5% Fat Beef Mince (400g each — total 1.2kg)

1 x Arla Skyr Natural Icelandic Style Yogurt (1kg)

🧂 Cooking Ingredients & Condiments:

1 x Oxo Red Wine Stock Pots (4x20g)

The oxo red wine stock pots are amazing for pastas and chillies, if you are bulk cooking then use more. Some recipes I usually cook with this are: Chilli con carne Chicken or mince currys (balti, tikka, madras) Burrito bowls Pastas seasoned Chicken and rice Char grilled smokey chicken with veg There are so many options. I'll probably post what I make and how I made it later on. This is so cringe this whole blog thing but it eases my mind and its relaxing

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What is working for me at the gym

I've been going to the gym for about a month now and I realised the reason I'd failed and given up before was because i was pushing myself way too hard and just burning out before i even burned any calories or put on muscle. I know this is such a short time to be going to the gym, but I feel really good about my routine and I've fixed my past mistakes which I'm guessing are probably common.

My routine now generally looks like this:

Weight training:

Push/pull days alternating, maybe 2 days a week where i just do cardio

Im neglecting legs at the minute because I'm mainly focus on weight loss at the moment and I use my legs during cardio so i should maintain muscle there.

Cardio for half an hour and i aim to burn 300 calories, ive upped it to 310 and it's insane how much extra effort it takes to reach that extra 10 cal in the same time frame

I do incline walking, when i first started I'd try jogging, but as i put on some weight it was much harder that i was used to, id give up around 100 cals burned because my cardiovascular system was wank. I try and do 10% incline at a solid 3mph, if my legs gets fatigued I'll bring the speed down for 2-3 mins and then put it back up. I think the incline walking will maintain my leg muscles.

As far as diet goes, because I'm trying to lose weight I'm eating as little as possible but trying to hit a protein goal of around at least 150 grams a day. I eat lots of water based meals with alot of veg and fibre in and this makes me fuller without actually consuming more calories (curries, saucy pastas, fajita chicken mixes but in a blended fresh tomato sauce)

Everything would be bland asf but im goated with the spices so it's all banging. I've lost about 3 kg in the past month, from 85kg to 80kg but I'm adding 2kg just because i know alot of initial weight lost tends to be water weight so I don't want to think im losing loads when im actually not.

I think the reason i gave up before was because i was trying to do too much and then got discouraged when i saw no progress, I'd feel hungrier because of the energy spent at the gym so I'd eat more thinking I'd earned it or whatever. I've also found that small carbs before the gym really really help me with energy. Yeah carbs are bad but no energy at the gym killing progress is worse. Even if I have an off day or low energy day, i just think as long as i show up, even if i turn around after 1 set and go back home, it's better than nothing. Usually when you get there, then you get a bit of energy and do a full workout.

Half of it is just showing up i guess.

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A poem I wrote about a girl I love

I had gone down the rabbit hole of reading shitty lovey poems online and kind of consolidated my favourite ideas together and made it personal to me specifically. It is probably still shitty, but it was really therapeutic to kind of sit there writing it and tearing up.

in my dreams I'm bringing you dinner and nothing bad has happened to us The door opens you tell me your starving with a warm grin on your face

in another life we got it right maybe there is no silence, no coldness, no half empty bed just you and me against the world two people who actually tried who held hope and made it work

those two sit across from eachother hearts as full as their stomachs with no knowledge of the version of us that fell apart

but that's not us and i lay alone tonight starving in my skin my soul desperately trying to cling onto anything that resembles yours a twisted wallowing comfort how terrible to love what you could lose but what else is there to love

the worst part about love is that you remember it not in massive ways, its subtle my body still expects you next to me when i wake my hands twitch towards my phone when it buzzes and for a split second i think its you asking me to bring some dinner over the way my heavy mind sits on my shoulders the sense of relief lingering as if you were still there to help carry it.

the past few days ive missed you so much I'm starting to think that missing you is all i am i want to forget you, but if i do, what is left of me