#All my results were good! My sodium was even a little low

[wardoftheshire]

My cholesterol numbers were so good it shocked the doctors and I'm gonna ride that high as long as I fuckin' can.

[chasseurdeloup-retired]

Taking Whisks || Roland and Kaden

TIMING: Before the scream LOCATION: Roland’s house PARTIES: @sgtrolandhills​ and @chasseurdeloup​ SUMMARY: Upon learning that Sarge eats way too many Lean Cuisines and doesn't even know what a roux is, Kaden offers to teach Roland some cooking basics. The pair bond and have a perfectly pleasant evening. (But for real)

While he could solely rely on prepped delivery boxes with the simplest of instructions, Roland realized he was probably getting too old to not have any real cooking skills. It didn’t look like the being alone aspect of things was changing anytime soon either. With him feeling more and more like he was failing in his work life, he needed something for himself in his personal life. He enjoyed eating. What better hobby to pick up than cooking? Plus, Kaden seemed to know what he was talking about with his roux and flour. He liked Langley well enough. A bit of a wild card, but he could see them getting on outside the station. A friend or two couldn’t hurt, right? That’s what he told himself as he opened the door to welcome Kaden into his home. “Hey,” he greeted, “I appreciate you taking the time to show me the ropes of cooking. I have some beer in the fridge-- lady at the store said it was French. I also have some pinot noir which is apparently pretty nice. Haven’t tried it myself yet.” He had planned on sharing it with Erin, but it was now very apparent what a bad idea that would be. Even if there was no longer evidence against her, he couldn’t look past what he’d seen.

As Kaden stepped up to his boss’s house, he realized he hadn’t planned ahead very well. Well, alright, he had planned ahead and brought not just his own food to cook, but his own pots and pans, too. Okay, sure, Sarge probably had pots and pans but he couldn’t guarantee a man who ate lean cuisines had adequate cooking equipment. What he hadn’t planned on was how in the hell he was going to ring the doorbell. Kaden tried to angle his elbow to knock the door bell but he couldn’t get it just right. He then tried to adjust the pots and pans in his arms to try and wriggle a free hand to knock on the door but there was just too much. Sure, he could just sit something down first and then knock or use the doorbell, but then he’d have to reach down and pick it all up again. Instead, Kaden decided to knock on the door with his foot. Some might call it kicking, but it was clearly a knock. “Hey, Sarge,” he said as the door swung open. “Don’t mention it. I can’t let you waste away on, what are they called again, Lean Cuisines?” Kaden shuddered at the thought. “I’m no master chef, alright, but I can teach a few basics. Trust me, you’ll never be able to go back.” As Kaden settled in the kitchen, he couldn’t help but think how strange it was that he had co-workers. He was so used to being a weird freelancer type, taking whatever odd jobs paid the bills, hunting and relying on the kindness of his hunter contacts. This whole same people every day thing was new. And strange. Stranger yet was that he sort of respected and like Roland. “This wine doesn't look half bad,” he said, looking over the bottle. “You didn’t get it on account of me, right?”

While he and Langley didn’t get to do too much talking at work, Roland did respect him. Animal Control was a vital part of public safety, especially in this town where aggressive animals seemed to somehow be the norm. He looked forward to learning the basics of cooking from him. Weren’t the French notorious for really fine cuisine? From Lean Cuisines to fine cuisine-- that sounded like quite the tagline. “Yeah, you got that right. I take it they don’t have Lean Cuisines in France,” he joked. “I’m sure you’re way ahead of me. I have it on pretty good authority you make good pies.” Why Dr. Kavanagh knew that, he wasn’t sure, but he trusted her to be objective above all else. He welcomed the younger man into his kitchen and gave him a brief tour of his home. There wasn’t much in the way of decor and sometimes he missed the little odds and ends Isabel always kept around to make it feel more welcoming. He’d never been good at that whole home decor thing. At the mention of the wine being nice and Kaden wondering why he’d gotten it, he frowned slightly and rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh, uh,” he started, “Originally thought I’d share it with a lady friend, but things didn’t quite work out.” It felt odd saying it out loud and he was sure Langley didn’t need to hear about the sad state of his love life. To lighten the mood, he cracked a small smile. “Don’t worry, Langley, not trying to woo you with the fancy wine instead.” He watched as Kaden began unloading bags onto his freshly cleaned kitchen counter. “So what all did you bring and what are we making,” he asked.

“I don’t believe they do, no. I think half the country might riot at the thought alone,” Kaden joked as he started placing his cooking accoutrement on the counter, getting things set up and situated for the lesson at hand. The mention of his pie brought a small smile to his face. It had to be Regan who told him about the pies, right?  He shook his head, tried to focus, didn’t need to sit there grinning like an idiot while thinking about his girlfriend, not after what Sarge just told him. “A lady friend, huh?” Kaden was ready to jibe him, but the look on Sarge’s face made him think better of it. “I’m sure she wasn’t worth it,” he said with a shrug. “Hey, you never know. I’m quite a catch, after all,” he said as he started setting out the ingredients one by one, trying to keep them in order that seemed sensical, easy to follow. “I will warn you, though. I’m taken so sorry to dash your hopes. I know. You’re crushed.” He took his pot and set it on the burner and started the heat it up, low and slow. “So we’re going to start with a roux. It’s a decent base to make a lot of sauces. We can make a white and a red sauce so you have some basic options. You’ll never want to look at a Lean cuisine ever again.” At least he hoped. Sarge was a nice guy. There was no need to keel over on account of the massive amounts of sodium he was likely consuming. “So how did you end up in White Crest, anyway?

The thought of a bunch of French men rioting over Lean Cuisines was pretty comical. Roland chuckled heartily and noticed the small grin on Kaden’s face. It was kind of nice to see him in good spirits. Usually when he saw Langley, Wu or Stryder were ribbing him. Amusing as it was, he knew it could make anyone a little annoyed. Thankfully, Kaden wasn’t pushing the mention of a lady friend. His own lapse in judgment bothered him more than anything else. A pretty face had never been able to fool him in the past. He shrugged, “Definitely am better off. Just thought I was a better judge of character, but what can you do?” Clearly not much considering the evidence against Erin had just vanished somehow. It wasn’t something he wanted to dwell on. All he could do was move forward and work the case alone. Not that his detectives left him with much of an option until he figured out just who was compromising cases so carelessly. He couldn’t help but laugh at Kaden going along with his joke. “Damn, glad I didn’t splurge on the fancy cheese then.” He looked over the ingredients Kaden was pulling out and added them to his mental grocery list. “A roux is a sauce base. I’ve had red and white sauces before… not sure if they’re the same ones, but I’ll give them a go. What would I put them on,” He imagined some sort of meat, vegetable, or pasta which didn’t narrow much of anything down. “I do plan on ditching the Lean Cuisines though.” Mostly on account of needing to take better care of himself. The next question made him shake his head. “Funny story, actually,” he said with a laugh, “I was transferred here. Pretty sure it was because I was hopping ranks too quickly and my boss didn’t want me to get a promotion over him… or I was digging too deeply into a case they wanted to keep hushed. Either way, I’m almost positive they wanted me out of Boston. Joke’s on them, somehow White Crest manages to be more exciting than Boston. What about you? I’m sure Maine is no France.”

“Well, better to figure it out now and not months later.” Kaden huffed out a small laugh, more at himself than Roland. True, things were fine now but he spent how long thinking Regan was human? At least Sarge wouldn’t have to deal with any fall out later “Sorry, just thinking about-- Uh, nevermind.” He pulled out the ingredients, butter, flour, heavy cream. “Yeah, it’s a base, good for a béchamel or espagnole, it can just add a good rich base to a lot of sauces” Kaden reached into one of the bags he brought with him and pulled out a bottle of wine. “And you can add wine to about any sauce to make it better. Sort of a solid rule. Never fails.” As he started working, Kaden explained as he went, showing Roland exactly what he was doing, trying his best to elaborate on it. He wasn’t sure if it all made sense. But he tried and hoped Roland was getting something out of it. “Sure seems like you got more than you bargained for.” Hopping ranks too quickly? That didn’t surprise him. Roland seemed the type to throw himself into work head on, unflinchingly. Part of him figured that was a result of this divorce but maybe Kaden was mistaken and it was the other way around. “Yeah, it’s very different, that’s for sure. I actually was last in Montreal, though. Not as big a leap, but certainly different.”  Kaden stirred the sauce in the making, never taking his eyes off it as he did. “This is probably my first longer term job, believe it or not. Most didn’t really have ranks you could hop. Odd jobs are odd that way.”

“Very true,” Roland agreed. It would have stung much more if he had let himself grow more fond of Erin only to discover the truth. There seemed to be a joke that he didn’t quite get, but Kaden seemed to prefer writing it off. Outside the station, he didn’t make it a habit of pushing people to share. Butter, flour, and heavy cream seemed odd for a sauce, but he supposed flavored correctly it could almost be a picatta or alfredo. He still looked a bit confused as he looked over the ingredients. “Becham-what? I don’t think I’ve had that,” he said somewhat embarrassed even though both words sounded French. He’d at least heard about the wine thing if only because he likes the chicken in white wine sauce at the Cheesecake Factory. “I’ve heard about the wine thing before. Not that I’ve tried it in practice myself, but I’m not completely hopeless.” He realized he may have sounded a bit arrogant, but he knew his former boss was nothing if not insecure. If anything, Roland took pride in his officer moving up because it meant he was doing his job as a leader. “You’re telling me,” he said with a hearty laugh, “This place makes Boston seem like Disneyland. Just means we all have our work cut out for us to make this town a safer place to live.” He followed along as Laden started the roux and listened to the instructions closely before he touched anything. He listened, too, genuinely curious to know more about Kaden. “Montreal, huh? Went there once with my family on vacation. Definitely a different world. Seems like you’re pretty well travelled,” he noted. It was a bit surprising to hear this was his most long term job. “Do you prefer Animal Control to the odd jobs you’ve held in the past? You seem to have a passion for it.”

“Béchamel,” Kaden repeated. He didn’t expect Sarge to get the accent right, rarely did many Americans manage. “It’s similar to an alfredo, but different. You’ll see. Or taste, rather.” Kaden continued working the roux, making sure it mixed and thickened, but stayed light. “Really, so long as it tastes good, that’s all that matters. Cooking’s not too hard when you look at it like that.” He grabbed a second pan and placed it on the stove, gesturing for Roland to take a spot there and try his hand at it. With some guidance, of course. “This town certainly isn’t boring, you can’t deny that,” he said with a half-hearted laugh. “But yeah, I’ve traveled around a lot. Grew up in Lyon, France. Saw most of the country, not all of it of course, moved to Germany after--” Kaden clenched his jaw, stopping his sentence short. Strange how he got used to just casually talking about his parent’s death with so many people. Still wasn’t something he liked to just bring up out of nowhere. “Anyway, lived there a while, I’ve seen a lot of Europe, then came over to Montreal for a bit and now I’m here.”

It was strange to realize how different his life was here to his past. Weirder yet, he didn’t hate it. He was so fucking sure just less than a year ago that stability was the enemy and that it was the last thing he wanted; that it would make his life boring or pointless or just not worth living. Part of him hated how much he preferred things now. Another part wondered what things would be like if he’d opened himself up to things a little sooner. “Surprisingly, yeah. Love it.” He brushed his hands together, looking around for the next ingredient. “Never thought I’d be the type to like a structured job with all the authority and everything.” Kaden tapped the spoon on the edge of the pot, pausing before taste testing. “Not sure there’s any ranks for me to hop but I’m really good with where I am. Guess there’s probably room for improvement, all that.” He took a look at Sarge’s attempts at the sauce. “There’s some room for improvement there, too. But not a bad start.”

It didn’t come as a surprise to Roland that he couldn’t say the name of the fancy French sauce correctly. Even when Kaden repeated it, he looked at him a bit wide-eyed, and tried saying it again more slowly. Still didn’t sound the same, but it was probably at least a little bit closer. “I do like alfredo sauces,” he noted but failed to mention that he primarily ate the Lean Cuisine Chicken Alfredo. Hopefully, this roux tasted even better since the Lean Cuisine one lacked in flavor. It was really a matter of convenience. He didn’t have any sort of passion for food like some folks seemed to. It was a means to an end. “I guess you’re right there. Here’s to hoping all the frozen and canned food hasn’t totally destroyed my palette,” he joked with a laugh. He listened to as Kaden explained his travels and how he ended up here, but also carefully watched the ingredients being prepped. “Sounds like you’ve definitely seen a nice chunk of the world. I’m glad you ended up here though. Not everyone could do your job, especially in this town.” The records alone indicated just how aggressive the animal population was, but after that night stuck in that house with Marley, Roland realized just how dangerous Langley’s job really was.

He slowly stirred the sauce in the pot to keep it from coagulation and listened as Kaden spoke. It brought Roland joy to know that Langley found his job enriching. There wasn’t much room to move up within the department, but pay raises came based on performances and he’d love to hear any ideas Kaden had to help improve the department. “I’m glad you enjoy your job. From what I’ve seen, you’re good at it,” he said truthfully. He took a taste of the sauce and it wasn’t bad. Wasn’t great, but was definitely a step up from a Lean Cuisine. “Mm,” he started, “Definitely an improvement. But in all seriousness, if there’s any changes or efforts you’d like to implement within the department, let me know. I can put in a good word and help push things forward.”

“Sure have. There’s something to be said for stability though. Everywhere’s a little different, it’s good to travel, but it’s nice to have a home.” At least that was what Kaden imagined. White Crest was starting to feel more like a home than any place had in a long time. Lyon, sure, but that was  a long time ago. And even then. Kaden tried to hold back a laugh at the second part. Sarge has no idea how right he was that not just anyone could make it as an animal control officer in White Crest. Hell it took a literal hunter. And even then. “Thanks, though. Definitely glad you ended up here, too. Even if you’re probably way too good for this small town force.” He took a moment to taste Roland’s sauce. Not bad. “Add a little salt.”

At Roland’s offer, Kaden paused and his head tilted in thought. His sauce was all but forgotten for a moment. Did Sarge really trust him? Have faith that he knew what he was doing enough to-- “You’d do that?” was all he could manage to ask. He wasn’t even remotely sure how to feel about it. The only job anyone ever trusted him to do and do well was hunting. Hell, it was the only long term position he’d ever really held. “I always worry I’m screwing up more than not or that-- I don’t know.” That he wasn’t good enough. “I know I keep saying it but, thanks. I mean that. I’ll, uh, I’ll think on it.” A brief pause and a million thoughts flooded into his mind. “I mean I already know we need some more help I think. I know it’s a small town but even another part time officer on shift would help a lot. And, uh, maybe more snare poles. Stronger ones. Sturdier cages. And an outreach program to educate people on what to do wh--” In all his excitement and ideas, Kaden almost forgot the sauce. And that he needed to keep stirring. “Putain!” It was darker than he wanted. “Oh well, still better than a lean cuisine. I’m sure I can save it somehow. Yours looks pretty good, though. Good job. I think you’re getting the hang of it.”

“I get that,” Roland responded as he continued to stir the sauce. He wasn’t so sure if White Crest felt like home, especially not after what happened with Erin. It seemed to only reaffirm the notion that he was supposed to be alone in the world. It would inevitably make it easier. He had no disillusions about how he’d go out. The risks were apparent when he first joined the force so many years ago and even more so after his father died in the line of duty. He supposed he did feel a sense of responsibility for the community. Did that make somewhere home? He didn’t want to recall the last time anywhere felt like home. Instead, he’d take his sauce only needing a touch more of salt as a victory. He added a dash of sauce and mixed it in before giving it another taste. “I think that may be spot on now.”

Roland wasn’t sure why what he said to Langley came as a surprise. He believed in helping good workers grow and important departments expand. In this town, Animal Control was vital. What he and Stryder had seen in that house only proved that belief. “Of course,” he answered, “I wouldn’t have said it if I hadn’t meant it. You do good work and I’ve seen some of the more aggressive animals in this town. Your work is a vital part of public safety, If you have any ideas to improve that, I want to hear them and help make them happen.” He’d meant it. When Kaden started to excitedly list ideas, he couldn’t help but smile as he continued to stir his sauce. That kind of passion for the job was something he loved seeing, even if it wasn’t necessarily his department. A safer community meant the whole station was doing their job. He made a mental list of everything Kaden said. “More snare poles, but stronger. Sturdier cages. I’ll have to run the idea of another part time officer by the department head, but I’ll see if I can have some pull in that. Those all sound like good ideas, Langley.” He was a bit amused that Kaden had messed up his sauce and shook his head. “You may have gotten a bit distracted, but I think you know what you’re doing well enough to fix it. I’m pretty happy with mine. Definitely better than Lean Cuisine.”

“Right, yeah, of course.” Kaden was pretty sure the corners of his mouth were turning up into a smile. This was stupid. He knew he did a better job than most animal control officers in the past and certainly better than Gary. He also had an advantage over most people trying for the job in this town. Still, it just, it wasn’t all that often that anyone told him he did a good job. His work was vital for public safety. It was something he knew but the acknowledgement from someone else, someone he respected; it felt better than he could have guessed. And it was for something he did that was normal. Well, alright, it still involved hunting, but it wasn’t all hunting. It was a lot of mundane stuff, too. And he loved it, even during the hard parts. And he didn’t suck at it. Normally he didn’t suck at cooking, either, but at least he had helped save Sarge from a lean cuisine. “You’re right. This is one thing I know how to fix.”

[thevintagebluebird]

Unpinned - French Onion Chicken

Welcome back, my lovelies! Since we last met the entire world has turned upside-down. Everything has changed! Holding hands is from the BEFORETIME. Being in other people’s houses is from the BEFORETIME. Restaurants are from the BEFORETIME. I could go on and on about the darkest timeline we find ourselves in, but after losing all sense of self and purpose in this nightmare reality, one thing has become clear: we still gotta eat. On a recent Zoom call with dear friends (the bizarre irony of how we’d never met face to face until a pandemic was not lost on me) I was reminded of this blog. Bless their hearts, they had kind words to say about my ramblings. So I thought WHAT THE HECK, IT’S NOT LIKE I DON’T HAVE THE TIME! (Ha, time and any semblance of meaning are *also* from the BEFORETIME) so here we are. I cooked a thing and now I’ll tell you about it.

French Onion Chicken! From the folks who make those cute facebook cooking videos, Delish! I guess they have a magazine too. I get a little suspicious of any publication that claims the majority of their recipes are ‘TEH BEST EVAR’, but after this dish I could be convinced.

Verdict: Is the Pintrest photo complete bullshit? - I’ll let you be the judge when you see the photo of my finished product, but I’m going to quietly sit over in the corner nodding furiously in the meantime.

Is it crazy expensive/time consuming/confusing? - The only pricey ingredient was a block of gruyere, and it was worth every single penny! It took about 45/50 minutes from start to finish but time is a cruel joke anyway so who cares? It was pretty straightforward and easy!

Does it taste good? - YES. MAKE IT.

French Onion Chicken

Ingredients

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 tsp. freshly chopped thyme

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 3/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c. low-sodium beef broth

1 c.shredded Gruyère

Freshly chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add onions and season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally until onions are caramelized and jammy, about 25 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute more. Turn off heat and remove onion mixture. Wipe skillet clean.

In a large bowl, season chicken with salt, pepper and oregano, then toss with flour. Heat remaining oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden on all sides and mostly cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Add beef broth and return caramelized onions to skillet. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through and beef broth reduces slightly, about 10 more minutes.

Add Gruyère and cover skillet with a lid. Cook until cheese is melty, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with parsley before serving.

Here’s what you need! You’ll notice a small pile of leaves at the front and may wonder why I’ve thrown foliage onto my counter. Long story short: Allan’s lovely Aunt Kathi and Uncle Eli gave us bags of fresh herbs from their garden, and we’ve been making such fancy herby dishes! These are the last fresh sage leaves; I know the recipe calls for thyme but we’ve got sage so now the recipe calls for sage.

 First thing’s first: oil up your trusty cast iron. You’ll notice that it looks like I’ve smeared dark gritty mud along the bottom of mine, and that is because I am a lazy no-good cast iron owner who does not properly season her pan. It’s frankly a disgrace. I will pay someone to fix it for me.

Slice yer onions! Somehow this giant beast didn’t even make me tear up!

At this point the meal could be done and I’d be pretty happy - who doesn’t love a pan of hot onions? They started to smell tasty, which was great ‘cause our apartment has lately had a weird smell of old meat, which is EXTRA concerning because we haven’t cooked any meat at all this week. Why does it smell like meat.

IT APPEARS WE’RE OUT OF THYME. AHAHAHA AREN’T WE ALL? Sorry guys, I’m realizing now that this cooking experiment was also a litmus test of my current five-months-into-lockdown mental state. Clearly I’m fine. Also we had sage so it was all good.

Sage-y onions. The kitchen was smelling very, very good.

I really had to trust the recipe on this one and let the onions cook for the full 20+ minute time even though I was oddly anxious they would burn. I ended up turning the heat down to low when I started to see a lot of crisping. To distract myself, I started chopping the chicken breast into cubes. They were meant to be about 1″ x 1″ x 1″ but most of them came out more like .5″ x 6″ x 2.89″.

My patience paid off! The onions, looking quite “jammy” and caramelized! I kept wondering what “jammy” would look like but I think it’s just a fancy way of saying “sticky and mushy”. Adding my scoop of jar-garlic because even in lockdown I don’t have time to mince fresh garlic.

This bit was a little tricky: it called for two tablespoons of flour to “coat” the chicken but I wasn’t sure how such a tiny amount of flour was going to “coat” jack squat. So here’s the heavily-seasoned chicken on the cutting board, and my tentative first attempt at adding flour.

It just sort of made the pile of raw chicken into a slightly more-beige, stickier pile of raw chicken. I was unconvinced. 

Ok I got them in the pan to start cooking and it looks vaguely like normal chicken? Now my instinct is to cook the shit out of chicken until it’s just little shreds of carbon to avoid salmonella, but I see that the recipe says that to let it finish cooking once we add/boil the liquid, so against my better judgement I just cooked them “medium rare” and moved on. 

It called for a cup of shredded cheese but I just shredded the whole block because honestly when in history has a dish ever been ruined by too much cheese? (Spoiler: never)

Oh wow! It looked so good when I added the stock and onions back in! We used mushroom stock ‘cause we’re trying to minimize our beef consumption and also mushrooms are delicious.

BUT THEN IT TURNED INTO THIS WATERY MESS WHEN I ADDED AND STEAMED THE CHEESE!

This is not staged, this is 100% exactly the face I was making as I saw what my end result was looking like. It was definitely straight-up soup, and no thickening instructions in sight.

So I harkened back to my years of training as Thanksgiving sous-chef with my grandma! Whip out your trusty cornstarch and turn that soupy frown upside down!

Take out your commemorative New Milford mug (whoot whoot hometown pride oh god I miss traveling across state borders) and make a cornstarch slurry. Starts as cement-like glue-chunks, add drops of water and keep scraping until it becomes an opaque liquid. 

So here’s how it looked immediately after adding the ~1.5 tbsp cornstarch slurry and then after a good stir and extra minute on the heat. No more soup! 

And finally plated: atop some brown rice (cooked with homemade chicken stock) and little zucchini pizza bites (made from one of the monster zucchini from my garden). 

Final final verdict: It really did NOT look like the Pintrest photo, but to be fair I did skip the (apparently essential) step of adding fresh parsley - between you and me I’m pretty sure they hit it with a blow torch to get that nice crispy top. BUT! This was actually DELICIOUS. Like, really really good. The chicken was moist, the cheese flavor was sublime, the onions were jammy to the extreme: I’m definitely going to make this again!

[professorpalmarosa]

I made Fullmetal Alchemist-inspired bath bombs!

Remember how I said that I have a secret side project in the works for this year? Here’s the big reveal: it’s a Fullmetal Alchemist story focusing on a pair of minor characters who only appeared in a light novel (The Land of Sand) and the 2003 version of the series. This guy in particular...

The Unholy Man of the North will be 2003 anime canon-compliant (rather than Brotherhood-compliant) and takes place 1 year after the original series ended. Russell Tringham (a young alchemist who has stolen Ed’s identity before) falls back on old habits, convinces someone he’s Edward Elric...and ends up getting kidnapped by foreigners. Before long, he’s dragged into a political conspiracy to rid the Drachman tsar of his family’s spiritual advisor: a priest the tsar’s brother-in-law believes may be performing some old, occult variant of what Amestris calls alchemy.

While I won’t be releasing this story to anyone other than beta readers until the first draft is complete (I’m about 50,000 words in), I can share a related creative endeavor with you.

Russell and his brother Fletcher created an artificial Philosopher’s Stone (a “Red Stone”) that, while powerful, didn’t quite measure up to the real thing. That had me thinking: what if I made a luxury blend...then intentionally tried to dupe it with ingredients I often use as substitutes? Here’s how it turned out!

Details are listed below, including the recipe if you want to try making “Cruelty-Free Philosopher’s Stones/Red Stones” at home!

Philosopher’s Stone Bath Bomb

Essential Oils:

Frankincense Carteri (2g)

Elemi (1g)

Finger Root (1g)

Clove (1g)

Mandarin (1g)

Cedarwood (Texan) (1g)

Colorants:

Red 40 Blooming Dye (Activated)

Red 23 Blooming Dye (Activated)

Red Oxide

Red Mica (for sparkle)

Look at this pretty color! The pink tint comes from the Red 23--but don’t overdo it! Add too much pink colorant and you’ll be pink too! This is what the mixture looked like before I added baking soda and citric acid.

Red Stone Bath Bomb

Essential Oils:

Frankincense Serrata (2g)

Myrrh (1g)

Ginger CO2 Supercritical (1g)

Cardamom (1g)

Blood Orange (1g)

Cedarwood (Himalayan) (1g)

Colorants:

Red 40 Blooming Dye (Activated)

Red Oxide

Red Mica (for sparkle)

Additional Additives:

Bath-grade pop-rocks (5g)

The first thing to note about the Red Stone blend is that it doesn’t have the splash of pink that the Philosopher’s Stone blend does. This is because I excluded the Red 23 blooming dye and traded it for more Red Oxide. This is what the mix looked like prior to adding the baking soda and citric acid. In person, it kind of looked like half-congealed blood...

The bath water was gorgeous, though! After the froth and foam died down, the color was the exact same shade as the Red Water in the anime! The scents played nicely together and I found myself dozing off in the water.

However, I’m not sure if it was the oils in this bomb or something else--but my sleep suffered after using the leftovers. I woke up from a very vivid nightmare at 2 AM and had to pee (Myrrh can stimulate your kidneys in higher doses, so my sleeping in the bath probably didn’t do me any favors).

Once I returned to bed, it was near impossible to turn my brain off again. It was going into overdrive with ideas and only let me rest again after I wrote everything down. A small silver lining to the nightmare: it did give me some pretty good ideas for the story I’m writing...so at least there’s that?

Now for a bit of good news, the Red Stone didn’t stain me or my tub! Once it went down the drain, the only thing that lingered was the smell. And even that disappeared by 2 AM.

Procedure

Mix wet ingredients (essential oils and carrier oil. For these blends, I used coconut and have some notes regarding that in the “Tips & Safety Warnings” section)

Mix all dry ingredients (300g Sodium Bicarbonate, 15g Cream of Tartar, 5g Kaolin Clay, 5g Rassoul Clay, 10g SLSA, 3g Titanium Dioxide) except Citric Acid (150g)

Mix dry ingredient blend with wet ingredients until color and texture is consistent.

Add Citric Acid and mix evenly.

Pour into molds and allow to cure for 1-2 days

Tips & Safety Warnings

1. NEVER handle essential oils with your bare hands! These chemicals are VERY potent and your body can absorb them through your skin. You should always wear gloves when handling these sorts of projects.

2. Coconut Oil solidifies at room temperature! This means that you’ll need to heat it up when you’re mixing your wet ingredients. If you’re making multiple batches at the same time, it’s also possible your coconut oil will resolidify. I made a poor man’s double boiler in my lab out of a bowl of hot water and just let the containers where I’d mixed my wet ingredients float on top of the water. It kept them in a liquid state until I was ready for them. Of course, you could always substitute for another (easier) carrier like Rosehip or Argan Oil--but I wanted to include this in case you’re using Coconut.

Take a look at the oils I’ve mixed in this photo. See how it’s getting cloudy? That’s the coconut oil resolidfying:

3. Too much Red 23 may stain you and your bathtub! I haven’t had any problems with Red Oxide or Red 40, but Red 23 (which is what gives the Philosopher’s Stone its pinkish hue) and I have a love/hate relationship. It’s a beautiful colorant and a little goes a long way, but it can stain you like nothing else if you overdo it!

4. If you are using mica colorant in your bath bomb, be sure to include a little Polysorbate 80 to your wet ingredients too! Mica can make your bombs sparkle and glitter, but it will stick to EVERYTHING if you don’t add Polysorbate 80!

5. If you plan to make these for yourself or as gifts, please look up contraindications and potential side effects of overexposure to these oils first. Some oils are not safe for children, people with certain medical conditions, or people taking certain medications. Some people may also be allergic to certain ingredients and the scent of myrrh makes some people nauseous (three guesses why it went in the Red Stone blend). Just be cautious and conscientious!

End Result

Here are the two blends side by side. There’s only one Philosopher’s Stone in the image, but it’s rather obvious which one it is thanks to the Red 23.

I’m mildly creeped out by how similar the scent profiles are to the two blends. Sometimes I’ll substitute one of these oils for another when I’m running low in a popular blend, but this was my first time literally using ALL substitutes to make a dupe. Here are my notes:

The first thing you smell in both stones is a rich, luxurious, resin-like scent. This is because both synergies contain Frankincense (which is a resin oil) and a secondary resin oil (Elemi in the Philosopher’s Stone and Myrrh in the Red Stone).

Although both stones contain a citrus oil; you only smell traces of it in the Red Stone and it’s almost nonexistent in the Philosopher’s Stone. There’s two reasons this may have happened. My Blood Orange essential oil is fresher than my Mandarin oil, so it may be more potent. Also, Blood Orange just has a stronger scent profile in general. Mandarin’s an oil I often substitute for Sweet Orange or Tangerine since it plays nicely with a lot of stuff and doesn’t try to steal the show. Blood Orange does.

The Philosopher’s Stone has a peppery bite to it that the Red Stone does not. I suspect the culprit is the Finger Root, which is a “sister smell” to the Ginger I used for the Red Stone blend. Finger Root is a lesser-known oil that I sometimes interchange with Ginger or Turmeric in my synergies. It’s got a slightly earthier smell than Ginger (which is mildly sweet on top of its spice), and packs a bit more heat. It’s also possible that the eugenol content of the Clove Bud oil I used was super high, but the company I got it from didn’t provide a chemical breakdown of the batch. I have no way of knowing.

The Red Stone gives off a weird “burning” smell that the Philosopher’s Stone does not. My guess is it’s the difference between the two Cedarwood oils. Texan Cedarwood (which I used in the Philosopher’s Stone) has a dry firewood smell to it when paired with Sage, but is much milder than Himalayan Cedarwood (which smells a bit more like the “cedar” most people are familiar with). Also, the Red Stone’s secondary resin oil is Myrrh: which can amplify warm smells like Turmeric, Black Pepper, or Cinnamon when mixed in a blend. I think the Myrrh and Himalayan Cedarwood mixed together to cause that effect.

The scent profile is about an 85% match, but that 15% difference puts it almost in an aromatherapeutic uncanny valley: like it’s “not quite right” but close enough to fool someone if they sniffed these two blind and didn’t know they were different blends.

I highly recommend trying both scents out if you aren’t allergic to any of the ingredients. It’s a fun activity, and one I’m hoping to do a live demo for at a convention in the future!

[freckled-words]

Repost: Smoke and Blood

I’ve renamed this fic, which was originally “Monster Mash”...I think? It was a title that didn’t work for the story anyways XD

Edited by @the-wild-ego

‘This makes the fourth victim this month. Police are advising everyone to refrain from traveling alone at night until a culprit is caught. If you must travel at night please stay to populated areas. Now to the weather, Jim?’

You clicked off the TV frowning. You’d been keeping close tabs on the recent attacks. So far, no one had died, but people were going to the hospital comatose. More concerning was the reported blood loss, which had been mentioned in a leaked post online.

It was times like these that you wished you didn’t have the night shift at the gas station. And you definitely wished you were able to drive. Instead, you had to walk to work, sure it was only 20 minutes down the street, but it was still 20 minutes out in the open alone.

You glanced at the clock, it was near 8:30 pm. You had to leave for your shift that started at 9.

The nights had grown colder as it went on October. Bundled up with a scarf and lightweight coat against the slight wind you set to a brisk pace. The sun had set already, and the streetlights were on. With it being a Sunday night you took more notice of how quiet it was. The trees alongside the sidewalk rustled with their drying leaves from the slight wind. Someone opened and closed their car door, the slam as they closed making you jump.

Your own shadow stretched this way and that with each lamp you walked under.

Each step closer towards the gas station was another step further from home. If something happened you’d rather be able to reach home. You didn’t have any unknown variables to worry about at home.

The gas station doors would be locked by the time you reached it, your co-worker had to let you in. This wouldn’t be an issue if your co-worker wasn’t prone to taking personal phone calls behind the snack shelves. If a customer didn’t run over the bell line, they could take anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes on the phone!

You were halfway there now. You just had to cross the street, pass the abandoned house, and the scary ass garage, then a couple more blocks and you were there.

You shifted from foot-to-foot at the crosswalk. You felt a tiny bit safer here since the traffic camera would have visual of you. For once, Big Brother was serving a purpose you appreciated and wanted to count on.

As soon as the crosswalk changed you dashed across the street. You kept some of that speed as you continued on. You could see the gas station up ahead as one of the few buildings illuminated.

You kept it in sight, your head lowered and your legs pumping. It was your end goal, the finish line of safety.

‘Squee!’

Your steps faltered, looking to the right you found yourself in front of the abandoned house and it's creepy garage. For as long as you’ve lived here the place has never had a tenant, and every year it got more run down and weather-beaten.

‘Squee!’

You weren’t an expert, but that definitely sounded like an animal in distress. Glancing at your phone you saw you’d been making a good time. ‘If it's hurt and could be saved it might be worth the look.’ You had a bleeding heart when it came to animals. You’d go out of your way more than once in the past to take in a stray cat or dog. You’d saved a bird’s nest, relocated a snake, and sheltered a mouse at one point.

‘Squee! Squee!’

You couldn’t turn your back on an animal in distress. You gave the gas station one more glance then turned for the garage. The animal’s cry was echoing a bit, and you could see that the door was open on the side of the building.

You didn’t want to startle the animal, making you step lightly towards the doorway. There was a streetlight just in front of the garage. It’s yellowish light reached into the doorway and illuminated some of the concrete floors. Getting closer you could see a tiny struggling body just on the edge of the light. It was a common little brown bat.

It was laying belly down on the floor, its right wing curled into its side with its left wing extended. You’d never seen a bat this close up before, only in videos. You crouched down low and approached the bat cautiously, “Hey little guy, what’s going on with you?”

Its ears wiggled, it shifted its body trying to push itself away.

Your attention narrowed in on the distressed animal you’d walked clear of the doorway. You took another crouched step closer to the bat.

The door slam closed, cutting off your exit and the light into the garage. Spinning around you scanned the darkness, “Who’s there?!”

You heard a flutter of wings, the bat that had been prone on the floor was apparently able to fly just fine. ‘A trap?’

Although you were blind without the light, he wasn’t.

He’d remained tucked in the shadows just next to the door when you came in. He hadn’t been entirely sure his plan would work, yet it seemed it was his lucky night. It was cruel of him to startle you so, but the sound of your heart racing was positively beautiful. Each frantic pulse was more blood coursing through those veins.

Prowling around you in a circle he stationed himself behind you, “Sorry for the crude tactics, I just couldn’t resist.”

You spin, your eyes frantically searched for the voice’s owner. Hugging yourself you took hesitant steps back to where you hoped the door was. If not you could at least get your back against the wall. “If this is some sort of prank, you’re a jerk. Let me out, or I’ll call the police.”

“How do you plan to do that without your phone?” He’d swiped it in passing. Now he held it up and turned on the screen, the sudden light making you close your eyes and turn your head.

His steps were without sound as he advanced.

You didn’t need to see him, you felt him when he stopped just in front of you. His hand took hold of your chin, tilting it up and to the side to expose your throat.

This closes your eyes adjusted just enough to make out his outline. Tall, lean, long bangs and hair that hung straight near down to his shoulders.

Even in the dark, his gaze was effective. Smirking as he held your eyes and keeping your body locked against your will. His free hand brushed a knuckle over your cheek, “I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised such a kind-hearted mortal came this way so late. I've been growing bored with the drug users. They have a funny aftertaste. Like diet soda. I wonder, what will you taste like? I'm hoping bacon and eggs. All that iron with a touch of sodium.” Thinking about it made him hum with want. He licked his lips as he worked up his own appetite.

‘Why can't I move?!’ You felt your mind connecting to your body, but nothing budged. The only result was a sniffled whimper from your throat.

“Shhh, you won't feel it. I promise. When I'm done you'll take a nice long nap, and when you wake up in a month...or a year...You won't remember this happened at all.” His voice lowered to an intimate whisper as he lowered his lips to your throat.

He opened his mouth, his fangs extended towards your main artery.

The door exploded clear of the frame. A stream of smoke collided with the man holding you, sending him sliding across the room.

His gaze broken from you your body sagged to the floor. Light flooded into the garage once more.

“Hey Rip Off, I've got a bone to pick with you.”

As your eyes adjusted you had to wonder what kind of whacked out world you lived in.

On the far side of the room, who you had to assume was your assailant was a young man in black dress pants, a white collared button shirt, and a black leather jacket that had seen many years of use. In the light, his irises were a startling shade of ruby red. His mouth was slanted in a smug smile.

Standing directly in front of you was your assailant’s twin. Same exact face, his hair was cut short on the sides with a fringe of bangs swept back. Dressed in jeans, and a t-shirt he was almost normal in comparison. Except his eyes had grey smoke floating out of them, obscuring his irises. His expression clearly read, “Pissed.”

Leather Jacket relaxed back on his heels, “If it isn't my baby bro. Nate-something or another right? Sorry for not dropping by to introduce myself, it was on my to-do list.”

“Cut the crap! You’re making hits in my territory, and it's bringing the heat on my ass.” The skin along his arms was building up a red glow. The inside of the garage began to feel muggy.

“Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you wouldn't mind if I thinned out your herd a bit.” He nodded towards you, instinctively you looked away to avoid eye contact.

You needed to get out of there! You didn't need to know who they were, they were clearly NOT human and shit was about to hit the paranormal fan.

The smoke guy advanced forward, “That's it, I'm melting your ass. I'll deform you so no one can mistake me for you again.” He lunged forward and Leather Jacket slid out of reach. As the battle engaged you took the opening. On your hands and knees, you hastily crawled for the open doorway.

There was the sound of flesh hitting flesh. The wall just behind you was destroyed as the smoke guy was sent through the drywall, support beam and aluminum tiles on the outside.

“Now really, NateMare, if you're going to pick a fight with your big brother, you better make it entertaining at least.” Leather Jacket chuckled and followed after the other man through the hole in the wall.

Reaching the doorway you peered around the frame and watched as the smoke guy turned into a literal cloud of smoke. It swarmed around Leather Jacket, and he just continued to laugh.

You got to your feet and took off running for the gas station. Behind you, you thought you could still hear swearing, laughter and something colliding with the ground.

You nearly ran straight through the glass door of the gas station, your body pressed flush against it you pounded on the door, “Let me in!”

Your co-worker jerked to attention off their phone and hurried over to let you in, “You're not that late for your shift.”

You scurried inside and slammed the door closed, relocking it you braced yourself against the cash counter.

“You okay? Did something happen?”

Before you could respond you felt the ground shake. A massive fireball went up in the air from the direction of the old house. Car alarms screamed. “Holy shit! What was that?!”

“There….there was a…..” you wanted to say ‘super-powered twins fighting’, but you weren't feeling inclined towards disbelieving looks. “There was a guy with a jerry can and a lighter hanging out by that old garage. He scared the crap out of me. I didn't think he was going to do that.”

Fire trucks and police cars came shrieking with their alarms down the street.

Your co-worker helped you over to the small stool in the corner, “You're lucky you ran when you did.”

“I know.”

[odaatlover]

I know you're not shy about your weight loss so I was wondering if you can give any advice or tips on starting a weight loss journey. I work odd hours and going to a gym isn't feasible money wise. I know part of losing weight is eating right but idk how to, especially on nights I work late and grabbing a burger at McDonald's at 3am and passing out is easier than cooking.

OKAY, so this is a subject that I’m very passionate about so I’m about to info dump all over the place. Just a head’s up! 😂 

I just want to start by saying that your mindset about weight loss and getting healthy is very important. There’s this guy who is a fitness coach named Jordan Syatt, and he has this motto called “you can’t fuck up” (YCFU). Meaning, the only way you can fail is if you quit. It doesn’t matter if you get off track for a day, a month, a year, whatever…as long as you get back on, you didn’t fuck up. That’s such an important mentality to have about it because often people will go on vacation, have a good time eating whatever they want, get back home and weigh themselves, and then when they see that they’ve gained weight they feel like they failed and then say “well, I’ve already messed up this much, might as well just screw it and continue eating whatever I want” and then they make it worse, when in reality all they had to do was get back on track as soon as they got home. I just went on vacation for a week, and I ate things like pizza, donuts, chips, you name it! Of course I also had healthy foods because that’s what I was craving, but during the times when we wanted to eat out, we weren’t as restrictive with ourselves. And we had a good time. And now that I’m home, I’m back to eating my regular foods. In fact, I was even craving my grilled salmon and broccoli that I love having for dinner lol. Did I gain weight? Heck yeah! But I didn’t fuck up, because I got back on track. And that’s what matters. In the past, I would’ve freaked out seeing that number on the scale go up (which honestly most of it was water weight anyways from all the sodium) and I would’ve just said “Ah well screw it, what’s the point.” and gained more weight. But this time around with this mentality of YCFU, I felt more at ease and it actually made it easier to get back on track. And I’m still craving the healthy foods over the ones that’ll make me feel sluggish and bloated!

My advice on how to start: As Nike says, Just do it. I know that sounds so simple, but honestly, it is. Often people will wait for this burst of inspiration or motivation, but if you wait around for that to come along then you’ll just be wasting time you could’ve spent bettering your health. Start now. It’s going to suck at first, you’re not going to want to do it, but you know what? Life is full of doing things that we don’t want to do. But you’ll begin to see results, and then those results will give you the motivation you seek. So, action. results. and then motivation to reach your goals. It’s not going to suck forever; only in the beginning. Then you’ll get to a point where it just becomes habit and you start to do it because you want to, not because you feel like you have to. And that mindset of “wanting to” as opposed to “being forced to” is so incredibly important for success.

As for where to start: 100% start with your eating habits. You don’t have to change everything right away. In fact, you shouldn’t. Some people start by going from eating fast food every day to completely changing to a raw vegan diet and running at the gym for 5 hours every day. Going to the extreme right at the start like this will only set you up for failure, because you’ll get burnt out and want to give up. Instead, change little things at a time and give yourself room to progress. Do you drink a lot of calories? (i.e. sodas, juices, Starbucks fraps, etc.) If so, start with changing that. Try cutting that stuff out and drink water instead. Or at least switch to zero calorie drinks. They’re not the healthiest, but they’re better than regular sodas, and you’ll be cutting out so many calories you probably didn’t even realize you were consuming. Most people lose at least 5 lbs just from that! So maybe do that the first week, then maybe the next week you can start switching other parts of your diet. Maybe that even means getting McDonald’s twice a week instead of every day, and making your own meals the rest of the time. Or maybe it’s cutting out fast food completely, but making homemade burgers. Just don’t feel like you have to change everything right away, because weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint. Those who lose weight quickly are more likely to gain it back. Ever seen The Biggest Loser? Prime example of this. It’s a lifetime commitment, not “oh I’ll eat healthy now and then when I reach my goal weight I can go back to eating McDonald’s all the time”.

I don’t like “fad diets” like Atkins, Weight Watchers, keto, etc., simply because they’re not sustainable. They’re meant to jump start weight loss, not to be something you do for the rest of your life. Most people who do these kinds of diets get bored or tired of it and they stop, but they don’t have any knowledge about the foods they’re eating and revert back to old habits. I’m not saying these diets aren’t good, because they can actually be really good tools for starting. But they’re beneficial ONLY if you understand why these diets are helping you lose weight. Knowledge is the most important tool here. Everyone knows that cake isn’t that good for you, but do you know why it’s not that good for you? Read food labels, learn about your body and how many calories you burn throughout the day, find which foods make you feel better versus ones that make you feel sluggish, and understand why. Do you know how much a serving size is of the food you’re eating? Do you know which foods have high protein? Do you know which fruits have a higher water content (apples, oranges, etc.) and will make you feel fuller longer than starchy fruits (bananas)? You can learn this without these diets quite easily. Which by the way, I’ve never done any kind of diet like that. In the end, you want something that’s sustainable. If you’re eating foods that you hate, that’s not sustainable. If you’re eating low carb or no carb, that’s not sustainable. Fitness and health doesn’t end when you get to your goal weight, it’s a lifetime kind of deal. So you have to find foods that you truly enjoy eating in order to make it sustainable. But knowledge, and applying that knowledge, is extremely important.

MEAL PREP IS YOUR BEST FRIEND. Nobody wants to cook dinner after a long day of work. I sure as hell don’t. So take some time on the weekends or days off to prepare your foods for the week. Put them in to-go containers so that all you have to do is pop them in the microwave when you get home. Things like casseroles and stews you don’t have to put in containers, but are still pre-made and can be popped in the microwave. There are also foods that don’t need much cooking, like tuna sandwiches or frozen veggies. Snacks that are easily accessible like berries or greek yogurt are good too. But if you know you’re going to go for the bag of chips over fruits, then don’t have them in the house. My wife and I are both the type who will eat an entire bag of chips or box of cookies in one sitting. So we don’t buy them. And if we do want chips or cookies, like really craving it, then we’ll get one of those individual ones from the gas station. But we won’t buy full bags or boxes. If they’re not in the house, they’re not an option. If you live with a partner, then having them on board with this is very important. I would not be able to do this if my wife bought cookies and chips all the time. We’re both on the same page, and that’s necessary. When I moved back home with my parents after college they had all kinds of bad stuff, and I couldn’t stay away from it. So I bought my own foods and used the mini fridge we had and had my own shelf on the rack by the wall so that I never opened the fridge or the pantry to even see what they had bought because it was too tempting. This can help if you have a partner who is not on the same page as you.

McDonald’s sounds appealing not only because it’s fast and easy, but because it tastes so damn good. And anybody who says it doesn’t is a liar lol. Because if it didn’t taste good, then they wouldn’t be making millions of dollars. Foods like that (Oreos, cereals, crackers, anything processed) are made to taste so good that nothing from the ground can replicate that taste or be as good. And that’s a dangerous thing, because that’s how they hook you. If you eat an Oreo and then eat a strawberry, you better believe that the strawberry is not going to taste as sweet! But the good news is, you can change your tastebuds to crave healthy foods. I don’t eat oreos, and strawberries taste pretty amazing to me and I crave them often. When grocery shopping, stay away from the middle aisles! That’s where all of the tempting processed stuff will be. Stay on the outsides. Again, it’s going to suck at first, but I promise you’ll begin to crave those healthy foods over fast food. But you just have to start!

As far as fitness goes, you don’t need a gym membership to lose weight. If you want one, I highly recommend Planet Fitness because it’s only $10/month (with a $29 startup fee and $39 annual fee), but you don’t need a gym membership. I go to the gym, not to help me lose weight, but so that I’m active. I do it to get stronger and to help me from getting winded going up one flight of stairs. Or so that if something attacks me I can run away. Or to help my back problems. But I don’t factor my fitness into my losing weight, because most of your calories burned come from everything else. I don’t even count how many calories I burn at the gym, because I just really don’t care. Eating healthy helps you lose weight, and going to the gym only speeds up that process a little. If you want to be more active, you can start by walking. I walk 30 minutes around the neighborhood everyday, and I absolutely love it. It helps clear my head. Whatever fitness thing you do, make sure it’s something you enjoy. If you hate running, don’t run. If you hate cycling, don’t go cycling. If you hate weight lifting, then don’t do it. But if you like yoga, then do that. Life isn’t meant to be grueling, so find something you enjoy that will benefit your health, because there’s something out there for you!

And the last thing I want to say is, don’t let the scale be your only tool to measure your weight loss. In fact, I don’t even like to call it “weight loss” but rather “fat loss” or “getting healthy”. Sure, use the scale every once in a while to see overall progress, but your weight fluctuates all the time. And muscle weighs more than fat. I’ve had times where I actually gained a pound or two, but I looked slimmer. Use other ways to measure your progress, such as how your clothes fit or by taking pictures of yourself and comparing those. But if you only use the scale, you’ll be disappointed because it won’t be a consistent drop in numbers, no matter how clean you eat and how much you exercise. That’s just how the human body works; it fluctuates because of things like water retention, not getting enough sleep, being stressed, etc.. If the scale hasn’t moved but you’re feeling better and clothes are starting to fit better, then you’re on the right track!

Whew. I know that was an excessive amount of information, but I wanted to share the most important things with you because feeling good about yourself is so important. This is all based on what I believe, and the most important thing is finding what works best for you! If you have any other questions, feel free to send me a DM or another ask, and I’ll gladly answer them! You can do this! 💪

[hangonimevolving]

Inside Out and Upside Downs

Hi all.  Thought I’d update on various and sundry agenda items going on in my life.  Never a dull moment ‘round here.

HEALTH

Firstly, let’s talk about my innards.  There’s been a whole lot of activity going on with regard to my innards of late.  Thanks to the excitement of my Disney flu adventure and my New Years ICU party, I am now the subject of a great deal of medical speculation and attention, from a variety of parties.  I have a standing weekly blood draw and appointment on Thursdays with my hematologist (fancy word for blood doctor) to monitor my platelet levels, and other misc blood-related information that concerns immunoglobulins and weird, mysterious things like that.  I have had two appointments, as well as a momma-jomma lab workup, with a rheumatologist (fancy word for doctor who specializes in autoimmune issues).  I’ve had an appointment to set up care with a brand-new-to-me primary care physician.  And in the middle of all of this, I decided that since I’m going to be in/around the hospital so frequently, I might as well do a short course of physical therapy for my ankle - I never got around to doing it, so now is the time.  So that’s a recurring weekly appointment on Tuesdays.  I’ve also got random other crap, like a random head MRI happening tomorrow, and I’m sure there will be random tests, scans, and studies that random doctors will order at random times, and I’ll have to fit it into the schedule.  I am being thoroughly examined, inside out.  And with all of these medical opinions, appointments, tests and what not - in the last 24 days, there has been NO concrete diagnosis or evidence about why this whole thing actually happened.  There are several theories, the two most likely of which are a) I have an autoimmune disorder.  Well, we already know I have one autoimmune disorder (a not-so-bad one, called Graves Disease/hyperthyroidism, which I was first diagnosed with in 2006, and which involves your own body perceiving your own thyroid gland as a foreign object, and attacking it with antibodies).  But now there is some evidence that I may have a second one, possibly a more problematic one, that is causing my immune system to overreact to normal viruses and things, and go on self-destructive rampages against my own platelets.  Dumbass immune system.  Now, what IS this second autoimmune disorder?  THAT we don’t know.  Because, the rheumatologist ran that momma-jomma test I was telling you about, and all that showed up is this one value called a positive ANA test which indicated “daaamn, there’s something f%^ed going on in this lady’s immune system!”  It was a very high positive result.  But, the specific tests to identify antibodies for known issues like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, etc. were all negative at this time.  So.  To be continued with that whole theory..... 

Then there is theory #2, which is b) maybe this whole thing really WAS just the flu.  Maybe the strain of virus I got was really bad, and it resulted in such a pronounced war that it just took a toll.  Dunno.

Anyway.  We’ll obviously be following this medical mystery with my innards closely the next few weeks.  Oh, and one more thing: so my platelet levels are sorta trending down.  At hospital discharge, I was at like 313K, then the next week it was like 250K, then 180K, and yesterday, 146K.  They’re going to keep monitoring, and the hope is that the downtrend will plateau at some point (preferably above 30K), and then it will start to climb up when my own bone marrow gets its shit together and starts producing new platelets.  If that doesn’t happen - I’m looking at more IVIG infusion treatments.  So let’s see how it all goes down.

WORK

A second area of activity has been my job!  The spring semester at Uuuu! started on January 13, and I am teaching two courses this time around, for the first time since 2016.  I am teaching my studio dance course, per usual, but I also agreed to a late plea for help from my former department to teach a lecture/discussion course that I’ve taught jillions of times before, but haven’t done in about four years.  It feels good to be back in classroom teaching mode.  The course meets three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.  So I’m quite busy, leaving the house around 8 am to drop the kids off at school, then getting back behind the wheel and making the hour-long drive to campus, arriving by about 9:30 am and teaching my two courses back to back.  I have a big huge hike between my classes too, because they’re on opposite sides of campus, so by the time I’m done teaching, it’s about 12:20 and then I have this big long hike back to my car, then the drive back home, and I arrive around 1:30 pm.  I grab a bite to eat, then at 2:45 its time to get the kids.  Then three days a week, they have their extracurricular activities after school, so I’m shuttling them to those things.  Then Tuesdays and Thursdays, all my medical appointments, which have been taking the majority of my mornings and early afternoons.  Phew!  This is all a far cry from about a year ago, when I had several mornings a week to go for a long run, either in my neighborhood or at the local state park, and I was training intensely twice a week with my Spartan SGX coach.  I’ve had to seriously curtail my working out - I took a spill on my first run following the hospitalization, and the entire family freaked out about my putting myself at a bleed risk if I were to fall, bump myself, or otherwise get an injury, even a minor one, while exercising.  This has been a huge crimp in my style, not working out - and if I weren't so busy with teaching, I think it would seriously depress me.  But I keep telling myself its only temporary, and soon we’ll have some answers to my situation, and I”ll be able to get back into it.  Till then, I’m trying to get back into meal prep and eating clean, and doing some mild exercise like light jogs and walks, light weight training, etc.  

ADULTING

My mention of weight training is perhaps a segue to this next update, which I’ll keep brief and annoyingly vague.  I am going through some painful adulting right now, that makes some moments feel like I’m being swallowed up by a tsunami.  I’m gonna survive... but, yeah.  I’m wading in the flood right now.  

Okay, now for some miscellaneous updates.  Mainly so I can post some pictures.  This has been very text-heavy for my tastes.

MISC

On the topic of clean eating..... did you know that both papaya and pomegranate are natural platelet boosters?  Supposedly.  I’ve been doing a lot of research on foods and other natural ways to help boost my platelet production, and these were the top two foods that were consistently mentioned on platelet disorders blogs and forums.  I confess I’m not a big fan of these fruits - but I’ve tried to put my tastebuds aside, and incorporate them into every day.  Happily, papayas are widely available in the Miami area year-round. 

I’ve handled the pomegranate thing by buying 100% pomegranate juice, and making cocktails of pomegranate + papaya juice (which is papaya pulp mixed in pear juice).

On the topic of foods and eating well - here is my guilty indulgence of late.  I ADOOOOORE ramen bowls.  ADORE.  And I know they are the opposite of low-carb and healthy.... but I have been making a ton of them at home lately.  I try to make them as healthy as I can, by 1) only using half of the ramen spice packet that comes with the noodles - this cuts the sodium to a tolerable amount (plus I drink lots of water), 2) I sautée minced garlic + approximately one full cup of shiitake mushrooms + approximately 1.5 full cups of baby spinach leaves in a dash of olive oil, and add to every bowl I make (mushrooms are full of B-vitamins and, alongside garlic, are huge immunity boosters, and spinach is full of iron and calcium, and is a good thing for me to be eating to make my blood sort itself out) , and 3) I often either crack an egg over the entire boiling mixture right at the end, or I add in sliced hard-boiled egg for extra folate and protein.  And I sometimes add in a handful of raw shredded carrots right at the end, for a little crunch, color, fiber, and beta carotene.  I *think* that I’m doing my best to make this indulgence food a little healthier, and tailored to my specific medical situation.

Soup has been a huge craving of late, because we had a surprising cold spell in Miami.  It got down to 39F day before yesterday!  That’s probably the coldest its ever been since we moved to Florida.

Afternoon snuggle time was especially snuggly - Dey and I were huddled for warmth!

My ability to run and work out at a high intensity may be somewhat muted at the moment, and this has been sort of a hard mental adjustment for me.  But I am trying to get outside and do things, because it makes me feel better, and also I imagine the vitamin D is good for me.  The other day, I was feeling pretty dumpy and blah - so I did something that for some reason I’d been putting off, “saving” for a special occasion, whatever.  I cut the tags off of a brand-new Spartan licensed active top that I’d purchased on Cyber Monday, put it on, and went for a light 2-mile jog in the neighborhood.  I felt silly in a way of making a big thing of it in my head - but the truth is, it lifted my spirits.

What else... Oh, this was exciting!  GUESS WHAT, dudes.  On Monday, I saw a real live MANATEE in the lake behind our house!  I could hardly believe my eyes.  A neighbor had reported on our community WhatsApp group just the day before seeing a manatee from her backyard.  She posted a picture of it, which I am shamelessly going to post here.  The manatee I saw, about 24 hours later, was different - it was considerably smaller than this one, I think probably a juvenile (not quite a baby, but definitely not humongous like this one).  But it was swimming slowly near the sea wall that abuts our backyard, munching on some sea grass just like this big manatee.  I did my best to run into the house and call the kids to come out as quietly as they could to see it - I think they caught a tiny glimpse, but our footsteps must have spooked it, because it definitely swam away quickly.  I hope we’ll see it again!

Photographic evidence that we are LEGIT Floridians who hang out with manatees :)

Last but not least - on the topic of water creatures, gotta give a shout-out to my Vev, who “leveled up” at his swimming lessons this week to Junior Swim Team!  The swim school has about 10 levels through which kids have to work to get to this point, and in the last ~18 months, Vev has completed them all.  I was somewhat nostalgic and verklempt when he got his ribbon this time - I feel like it was only yesterday that we took him to swimming school for the first time, where he screamed bloody murder and cried the entire duration of his 25 minute assessment, clinging desperately to his teacher and feeling panicky about letting go in the water.  How far he’s come!

(by the way, Dey is also doing wonderfully at swimming, and is only like 1.5 levels away from his own Junior Swim Team ribbon).  

So some of my life is inside out and upside down right now, it is true.  But some of it is Upside-Up.  I work hard EVERY day to focus on the Upside-Up, and what a treat it is to see.  These kids, the sunshine I get to enjoy here, the afternoon snuggle times, delicious food that also is good for me.... net balance is that life is good, I’m still alive and kicking, and everything is gonna work out fine.

Toodles!

[sidenotelife]

A match day running diary

A running diary of the day when I find out where I will do my residency training (post-graduate medical training). For those not familiar with the medical training process, briefly, medical students send out applications for post-graduate medical training to become board certified physicians, and this occurs sometime in the fall of senior year. Then over the winter medical students interview with these programs, and then in February all the progams rank the students they want and the students rank the programs they want. This all gets thrown into a computer somewhere that optimizes all the rank lists and spits out assignments for students and employees for residency programs. This post is a running diary of March 15th, the day we get our residency assignments. This post is loosely based on a true story.

7:27 AM. Depart breakfast at Sunrise Bistro. Great corn beef hash. Would highly recommend. 

8:55 AM. The costume theme for match day was “fictional characters” so we decided to dress up as son’s favorite thing which is Thomas the Train. Wife painted these shirts. Pretty legit. 

9:10 AM. Prepare vegetarian chili in crockpot for maximum efficiency. I found a recipe that suggested putting quinoa in vegetarian chili to give it a little extra volume to it. I also put in my fave secret ingredient which is Dr. Pepper. 

9:28 AM. Kids + Costumes ready. 

9:28 AM. Son: Can I see the picture? 

9:43 AM. Ken costume ready. I had to cut out a v so you could see my Sir Topham Hatt tie. Wife did not approve on my t-shirt cutting job. Can you blame her. 

10:07 AM. Walking to Charleston Music Hall with family and friend. 

Friend: Can’t wait to cheer really loud when you walk across the stage. 

Ken: Wait I’m not walking across the stage. 

Friend: *Massive disappointment* What why?

Ken: I don’t like the attention. Also I don’t like things with lots of people. Introvert probs. 🤷‍♂️

11:56 AM. Kids getting too crazy. Break out emergency Belgian waffles. It is truly an art to keep kids quiet and contained at any event. 

12:00 PM. Open envelopes... Sioux Falls Family Medicine! 

Hmm. I don’t look thrilled here. I think the exact emotion I had was how-should-I-feel-about-this, if that can be considered an emotion. Sidenote - Before I go further I feel the need to explain myself. I don’t want this to be conceived as disappointment that I matched where I matched. Sioux Falls was our #2 choice and honestly the only reason I didn’t rank it #1 was because of the weather. It is truly my privilege to have the opportunity to train there, but I feel it is of importance to analyze this emotion. This how-should-I-feel-about-this emotion. 

Match has, for better or worse, come to represent the culmination of the whole med school experience. If you match at the place you wanted, your #1 program, your emotions are those of elation. You feel everything was worth it. All those days suffering in the library, all the shit you had to take from residents that were out of line, all of it. If you don’t match at a desired place or worse yet, if you don’t match and have to scramble, it’s a nightmare. But I worry that this is an oversimplification of the process, and I worry that med school has become nothing more than a way to ensure you get a desireable job than a place where you learn to care for sick people. I fear this sentiment about match is driving the Step 1 mania. (Currently being covered beautifully by @jpcarmody on his blog, The Sheriff of Sodium). 

I think my emotions are also complicated by a personal change of heart I had sometime during the end of graduate school and the beginning of medical school. For so long I had worshipped at the throne of academia. When I came to medical school I dreamed of becoming the dean of my own medical school. When I started graduate school I dreamed of having a 30-person HHMI-funded lab/machine that would draw the envy of graduate students and postdocs everywhere. For so long I dreamed of my match day when one day I would announce that I was going to a sexy program like Stanford or Harvard or Duke. But I think during graduate school I started to understand the reality of academia, and especially the kind of academia that incentivizes the Cell/Nature/Science/NEJM rat race. My greatest frustration was that it was so hard to be ethical in academia. The academic system is fueled by the C/N/S/NEJM rat race, which in turn is fueled by stretching your data to look like it’s saying more than it actually does. It’s also fueled by outright lying and people producing fake data to get the data to fit the elegant hypothesis. I hated seeing mentors take advantage of students and postdocs, milking every last bit of productivity out of your underlings because that was truly the only way to survive. By looking out for yourself at all costs. I love science but I didn’t want to condone this sort of philosophy. I wanted to pursue physician-science in a way where I was not at the mercy of for-profit journal editors. I wanted to live in a world where we as a research team pursued science out of a desire to further the pursuit of knowledge and not just the next publication with a big impact factor. Maybe I was imagining a pipedream but it just didn’t feel like the right thing for me to jump into the traditional route of padding my resume at a top 5 med school. 

When I went back to med school for my clinical years, I initially felt tentative but still willing to enter my hat into this foray. Gradually several little things gearshifted me off this track, most prominently working with one attending in particular. I worked with this attending during my addiction psychiatry rotation, and I watched him work for six weeks. He is a genius, but I admired him for more than that. More than any other physician I’ve ever met, the compassion he had for his patients was palpable. You could feel his frustration with the system that made it hard for physicians to help patients. You could see the depths to which he pushed himself in order to provide true patient-oriented care, and not just the cheap talk that often gets thrown around. I acknowledge that some of these tendencies are dangerous, and risky, but it’s also beautiful. That’s the sort of feeling that fundamentally pushed me into going to medical school. Other people’s suffering pained my heart and I had to do something to relieve this pain, if only to relieve my own pain. I don’t know exactly what happened to this attending, but he no longer attends on the addicion psychiatry floor. As far as I know he’s taking a break from seeing patients. My best guess is he burned out and gave up his fight against the system. Hopefully I’m wrong. I don’t know. Frankly, I’m too afraid to know the answer. But when I saw that someone who had such compassion and such raw talent couldn’t make it in academic medicine, I knew I had to do something different. I saw that something different in Family Medicine. I saw that this specialty, one that is treated by some as the specialty that you pursue when you can’t get good enough Step 1 scores to pursue what you actually want to do, I saw this specialty as the one that could offer a true path to patient-centered care. I saw the flexibility offered by the diverse skillset you could obtain during family medicine residency. I saw the potential for real long-lasting relationships with patients. I saw the value in being a generalist in a medical world that’s becoming overpopulated with specialists. I’m still convinced family medicine is the right specialty for me, and I feel it offers the possibility for me to pursue physician-science my way. Yet, there’s also a part of myself that’s grieving that I didn’t match at Harvard or Stanford, that I’m not working in the HHMI-funded lab, that my home isn’t the building with beautiful modern architecture looking out at the beach. It’s not a part of me that I like but regretably it’s still a part of me, and I think that moment when I opened my match envelope and saw the official match result it was the first moment it was real. I was really choosing to give up the glamors of a top 5 med school to pursue this off-beaten track. Am I crazy? Am I being too self-righteous? Did I make the wrong decision? I think that’s what gave me this feeling. This how-should-I-feel-about-this feeling. 

12:23 PM. Kids too crazy... we need to leave. 

12:57 PM. Get home.

Ken: Kids what do you want for lunch?

Kids: *opens fridge* Dad why is there so much beer?

1:03 PM. Looking up South Dakota-themed food. I remember when I went to interview there I asked them what the most South Dakota food was, and they told me it was Chislic. I don’t know if I’m spelling that right, but basically it’s fried chunks of meat. Sounds pretty legit: 

1:15 PM. Daughter makes a sign. You may not be able to understand this sign so let me do a little interpreting. At the top it says South Dakota Bound, except the BOUND is backwards. Then the square-looking thing is the shape of South Dakota. Sidenote - The little divot at the bottom right corner kind of looks like Florida, which kind of makes the state of South Dakota look like a mini-version of America. The thick blue lines are water falls, which we drew because Daughter really wanted to draw something in Sioux Falls, so I said water falls! The four faces below that were commonly misinterpreted as Ken, Wife, Daughter, and Son but actually it’s Mount Rushmore. 

1:57 PM. Son goes to rest time. Daughter cleaning up blankets from floor. Asking me, “Why do I have to be cinderella? Why do I have to clean the bathroom and the living room and the kitchen??” So basically we are raising a little martyr. 

2:30 PM. Wife is already looking at real estate. I think she knows the stats for every single rental property in Sioux Falls. 🤣

4:13 PM. Recruit kids to help. Before this they were carrying cans of beer which was even funnier. 👶👧🍻

5:13 PM. Commence low country boil. I’ve always loved the idea of the low country boil and I’ve always wanted to do one but for one it’s real expensive to buy all the supplies, and for two I didn’t have the proper equipment for it. Fortunately my friend lent me his turkey frier and burner which made for the perfect low country boil setup. In retrospect, the low country boil was one of the funnest party meals I’ve ever made and I would recommend it 10 out of 10 times. At the same time, shrimp is one of my least favorite seafoods and I don’t love to eat low country boil. I feel like this makes sense. 

Ok, those are the last pics I have so I’ll wrap up this post. Shoutout to everyone who was feeling how-should-I-feel-about-this. 

See you on the other side,

From ken

[fromnieves8-blog]

The National Workout As well as Athletics Trainers Organization Includes Sporting activity Doing yoga Accreditation.

http://femeiefericita.info has 11 years of knowledge in sales, management and consulting in the sporting activities field. Exams can be purchased online at off ₤ 99 and is additionally on sale all over the country at High Street sporting activities nutrition outlet Met-Rx (previously GNC) and David Lloyd Clubs. I merely do this along with the meals he generates your house, which is actually extra processed as well as has even more mind changing chemicals. Or merely go back as well as reactivate with full week 1. The food is actually all wonderful and I have located a considerable amount of great reduced carb dishes on Pinterest. I generally confined the carb-reloading time to 12-18 hrs after a glycogen deficiency exercise on Saturdays, though I trying out moderate Wed evening carb-ups while instruction for sports like kickboxing. They also highlight particular tips and also approaches for creating a productive organisation via advertising as well as. client loyalty along with how you can integrate yoga exercise into sporting activity instruction programs. http://femeiefericita.info must be bought in the time before, pardon me why would certainly I be actually doing that as well as how could possibly I for an unpredicted excursion to the cafeteria. Possibly your butt isn't really higher adequate or even your leg isn't really straight good enough, or one thing like that. I played with LCHF for about 2 weeks as well as before I understood that was actually back on the carb merry-go-round. And also they're designating their foods items with the amounts of healthy protein, body fat, carbohydrate, glucose, salt and also electricity material each serve as well as per ONE HUNDRED grams of meals - as needed through law. I have uncovered that when I eat MSG not only perform I get anxious reactions and also problem resting, yet likewise leg and also foot aches at night that are actually often devastatingly excruciating. When the upgrade has actually been released through Apple, you'll obtain reddish, yellow and also environment-friendly illuminations accordinged to the amount of carbohydrate remains in each food. If your blender or food processor or food mill warms up to a lot, this may cause that to occur. Real meals doesn't need to be actually elevated in synthetic, inhumane atmospheres, like much of our creature products are at presents. AAP representatives said some little ones start their pay attention to one sport as early as 7 years of age, playing year-round on several staffs along with taking a trip teams. I consider on my own to be enlightened concerning food and nutrition, however in unhappy February I commonly battled to ignore the alarm song from convenience food! In a mixer or wee food mill, zap with each other the banana, water, syrup, sugar-cinnamon, vanilla, and ocean sodium until smooth. When I was like ... 15, my (singular) sporting activities bra straight today is one that I got. I assume this is actually sized for concerning a 38C-D, certainly not the 40DDD I am right now. In a different study, published in the British Diary of Athletics Medicine, scientists kept track of 13 high school soccer gamers, assessing how usually as well as exactly how hard they received struck in the scalp. I fully concur that if our team are visiting be angry, we must be angry at this body weight as well as food items infatuated culture - Not at that's sufferers. The additional years you are actually associate with endurance sports the much faster the physical fitness comes back. Also as just recently as 1994, females were still outlawed from participating in the sporting activity due to the British Amateur Punching Association. I have gotten on this LCHF means of healthy and balanced consuming for approximately 14 weeks right now therefore far to date have actually shed a total from 58 extra pounds, I adore the food items as well as passion by doing this from eating. I discovered how to love food items once again and I am actually therefore thankful for all the knowledge used at the Institute from Culinary Nourishment. This is difficult due to the fact that it pushes right into finding those sorts of foods which fit in with the ketogenic diet. There are actually likewise recipes, food selection plans and best of all the Food Consultant test, where you may address a couple of questions concerning exactly what you consume and also it tells you where your diet plan may be actually doing not have (eg. As the atricale mention its own not the genetic engineering that lots of people are angry at its the possession and also trademarking from food items as a whole. I completed my 2 full weeks challenge right now into my Third week, I dropped 3Kg as well as 6 cm from my waist. She has launched a ton from amazing tasks, consisting of Genuine Food Movies (this uses on the internet flicks to spread the word regarding lasting farming) and also Little Earth Fund, which has reared $1 million for grassroots associations. Weight Watchers used to spend a great deal of opportunity giving us approaches (for those that worried about to go to throughout this time; so many dieters realized the impossibility of trying to restrain food over the holiday seasons) for handling all the great tasting meals we 'd be about to come across. Ironically, the woman in the brand new video which is grumbling regarding welfare aid is patronizing Walmart - a retail chain where earnings are so low that a lot of workers receive welfare aid. The United States Fda mentioned that calorie calculates be published on food selections in chain restaurants, retail food buildings, and also vending makers; all along with 20 or even more sites. Too many drinks may lead to over-eating, with studies3 showing folks consume additional food compared to normal in the course of and after a drinking session! So our company spoke about just what they wanted, exactly how they imagined Australian meals devices.

I will definitely constantly encourage youngsters to join sports and enable their personality to expand off the trainings sport must supply, as well as no matter where my lifestyle takes me, I will rely on what wrestling has actually instructed me and use that as a quick guide for results. Secondly our company're mosting likely to have this food to folks that require that and place that to good make use of. OzHarvest vehicles pick up food off shopping center, butchers, fruit product and also veg shops and bake shops! If you understand what I suggest, these simply accommodate the finest for me and also the stuffing gives me lots of support and additional oomph. This is reasonable, and you must think about various other factors to accomplish along with your good friends that do not make food the main focus. Even further, body-based consuming a fantastic method to go, but sometimes our bodies need the food even when we do not believe that it. A fine example is the post-workout dish. The skillset fit is actually extra obvious as well as the easiest to assess in the course of the tapping the services of process.

[kayasims30-blog]

Carb Consuming Out Overview.

When that pertains to getting going along with weight management, folks tend to have a great deal of reasons. Yes, typical weight loss results final merely 3 years, at which point the weight often has gone to least partly gained back. Meals is not the adversary That's our unhealthy habits, ideas, and also habits around food that wrecks our success. If you think uncertain, create a gradual shift with a progressively decreased amount of carbs in the diet plan over a handful of days or even even more. In justness, the authors mention yet another similar research that located equal levels of weight management and also adiponectin boost in both low-fat and also low-carb teams. Her answer" is presently a highly restrictive alleged whole-foods, plant-based" diet regimen that excludes any type of flours (even whole grain flours), oils, sodium, glucose, as well as seeds as well as almonds. Over weight diabetics (both kind 1 and also style 2) will normally lose weight on a low-carbohydrate diet regimen. Brian: Well, I've decided not to go forward with the procedure, accordinged to the fact that the dish replacement and also supplement program pre-operation was providing quite fast results. Plus when you perform consume, your body will typically have whatever food you provide this as well as save this as fat due to the fact that you are actually body system thinks 'when will I get food items upcoming?'. Thus there you have it. A healthier, more powerful, fitter physical body is actually just a few weightlifting sessions away. Therefore while http://vousmontreraumonde.info/lipo-cla-alimentation-sante-pilules-pharmacie/ doing work in the digestive tract in order to help foster satiety may confirm relatively useful with weight control, there is actually a lot more that matters regarding diet premium than a restroom scale could perhaps assess. They base their theory on the famous cure or even remission of several scenarios of kind 2 diabetes mellitus very soon after roux-en-y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) created for weight management. While shakes supply realistic nutrition, he states they are not designed to change your whole diet plan. Consuming an accurate paleo diet in today times is in fact very challenging to accomplish, as the foods items on call to our ascendants were extremely other from those accessible to our company. Chickens will have been leaner and typical veggies would certainly have appeared and tried incredibly various. Cutting simply FIFTY fats a time from our diet regimens - that's a singular Jaffa Pie, people! People that slim down through fast weight management diets generally get the weight back soon after as well as incorporate even more extra pounds, which inevitably brings about yo-yo dieting. Diet plans that profess they operate" then, since they are actually needed by regulation to accomplish so, add in the small print that, definitely, they don't (results certainly not regular converted finally). This smoothie is a bright mix from bananas, strawberries as well as blueberries, mixed along with Diet Sea Spray's Cranberry Juice Consume alcohol and velvety fruit product sorbet. The verdicts are actually that an insulin-inhibiting diet is actually safe and also practical in selected individuals with state-of-the-art cancer. The only concern I will have using this diet plan is actually that the fat deposits content has to do with about 25-30g under the day-to-day referral for women. After years of falling short and attempting to lose weight, Cammy discovered her key which was gradual modifications in the direction of health and wellness and abandoning her old diet plan habits. At some point I was able to trust in the wisdom of my body to have me and also my weight where this should go. After that I simply needed to have my thoughts there using it. This planning will definitely modify the means you eat and also how you move toward weight loss forever. Low fat, while the end result is actually not as bit as low-carb, still lowers body system weight and also fat-mass, especially when incorporated with exercise, as any type of diet plan must be actually. Willful fat loss initiatives (whether referred to as dieting or even way of living modifications") possess a miserable success rate - most researches reveal that just the tiniest fraction (around 5%) from individuals deal with to preserve considerable effective weight loss longer in comparison to 3-5 years, as well as many people restore a lot more weight compared to they lost in the first place. I transitioned to a lchf (as well as higher healthy protein) diet plan under the support of a physician (we were actually attempting to get yet another medical concern under control). The program does not need counting fats, carbs or even body fat, which is actually an and for those really wanting a much more hands-off diet plan strategy. A group of HLA genes, which belong to the physical bodies auto-immune device, can easily impact our risk from coeliac condition, which then is actually a factor in calculating whether to follow a wheat free of cost diet. As when I can not manage to head to appointments the body weight comes back on. I feel healthier and responsible from my wellness and looking forward to some healthiness as I grow older. One panelist took note that this diet regimen is actually a great approach that might work with the entire family members," and also one more defined it as a terrific" planning. My Weight Watchers forerunner consistently claims: Just monitor on the times you want to burn fat! Your loved one can easily create the health and fitness component of their fat burning journey extra pleasurable by experiencing Zumba coming from the convenience of their very own sitting room. I get on the losing pattern currently (since I stopped doing exactly what was successful for me over the last - life and also college altered my concerns) and have lost weight in the past by doing the low-fat and velocity walking thing. In light of all this new study about the task well-balanced excess fats play in our body systems, the 2015 Dietary Rules, which are actually the United States authorities's food as well as health and nutrition suggestions with 2020, actually disregarded a standard ceiling on the amount of fat an individual must eat daily. If you consume low fat, after that necessarily you are actually consuming high-carb which can not be good for fat loss or even blood insulin reaction. Much earlier, in the course of Biblical times, or in early Greece, diet programs normally indicated one thing similar to not eating - limitations on meals consumption for spiritual or even ethical, as opposed to wellness or even medical, factors. Truth Fat burning Account is inspiring to write and also I truly favor these individuals that have actually dealt with disease, loss, broken heart, injury as well as more, all to get healthy on their own, as well as typically their loved ones. I carry out not remember what planning i was on or even how the calculated the one I must make use of. While this is among the absolute most important elements to earning Body weight Watchers (or even any strategy) work, that is actually additionally one of the aspects that heads out the home window the most. Therefore Phinney put a tiny team of best male bicyclists on a low-carb diet to evaluate this out-- pushing their physical bodies to use the fatty tissue outlets. There could well be times where you are actually tempted to cut fats straight down if you want to burn fat that little quicker - specifically if you've been actually diet programs for a special celebration. Simply explore have a peek at this web-site Planning webpage where you could improve your food selection and also planning particulars.

[lowcarbnutrients]

Saturated Fat Alone Does Not Cause Heart Disease

For decades, saturated fat-also called 'poor' fat-has been classified among the leading reasons of heart problem. Greasy hamburgers, T-Bone steaks, tacky pizza as well as lotion sauces have actually long been prevented because of advice offered by nourishment professionals such as myself, wellness officials, and also as outlined by nationwide wellness authorities and also heart associations. The reality is, there is definitely no link in between saturated fat as well as heart condition risk. But wait. Don't allow this brand-new evidence be your permit to gorge on oily burgers day-to-day.

A brand-new big research published on Monday in the journal 'Annals Of Internal Medicine' examined 49 observational studies as well as 27 randomized control tests on heart problem danger based on diet data from greater than 600,000 people throughout The United States and Canada, Asia, as well as Europe.

What they discovered was that usage of saturated fat alone does not forecast heart condition.

They additionally discovered that those who consumed extra unsaturated or 'healthy and balanced' fats such as monounsaturated fat-rich olive oil or polyunsaturated fat-rich canola oil or nuts, were not at a lower danger of establishing heart problem. It turns out that heart problem threat is a lot extra difficult compared to saturated vs. unsaturated fat consumption. The researchers did verify, however, that trans fats, the large 'crook' usually located in processed, packaged foods or in deep fried foods like potato chips or French french fries, does raise the risk of cardiovascular disease such as heart assault or stroke.

The reason that saturated fat got a poor rap initially was as a result of it raises LDL cholesterol (low-density lipoproteins), the 'poor' sort of cholesterol that enhances heart disease threat. It turns out that saturated fat likewise raises HDL (high density lipoproteins), the 'excellent' kind of cholesterol. The lead researcher, Rajiv Chowdhury, MD, likewise describes in an interview that the particular subtype of elevated LDL cholesterol doesn't seem to be harmful-it is less dangerous than the smaller artery-clogging subtype of LDL that seems to increase with a diet high in refined sugars and also excess carbs.

Still, the scientists describe that it is traditional believing to tease one single nutrient when it concerns persistent illness risk, as well as I agree. Exactly what I find remarkable is that individuals have the tendency to turn greatly towards one type of food when another is deemed 'poor'- when hydrogenated fat was thought to be the big reason of cardiovascular disease, people counted on carbs to load in the void. When carbohydrates became the villain, individuals resorted to higher protein diet regimens, as well as currently that we understand that as well much protein isn't so great and that saturated fat isn't considered the culprit, we'll probably see a pattern in the direction of greater fat foods.

It's this or absolutely nothing mentality that gets individuals into problem.

I have no doubt in my mind that lots of people will see this research study as an environment-friendly light to delight much more often in greasy burgers, cheese-ladened appetizers, as well as French pastries, however I think that we have to pause, place the hamburger down and also truly assume concerning what we're doing.

When I got to out to my Registered Dietitian assistance community to see what their take on this brand-new study was, one RD mentioned the fact that many foods high in saturated fat are likewise high in refined carbs, exceptionally high in calories, often high in sodium as well as void of much nourishment to start with, so if individuals start eating these foods (believe restaurant burgers, cheese buns, pastries, luscious pasta sauces, cold-cut subway sandwiches) a lot more usually, they are most likely going to put on weight and also may even enhance their blood stress, both of which are threat elements of heart condition. On the other hand, if somebody determined to switch from margarine to butter, switch to 2% fat yogurt vs fat-free or make homemade burgers with lean hamburger as opposed to always using ground turkey, that seems sensible as well as completely healthy and balanced.

The media has the tendency to produce a frenzy around research studies similar to this as well as individuals have the tendency to translate research study findings right into their new diet plan mantra.

As all of us understand, nutrition research study modifications virtually daily, so my suggestion is to focus on these three points instead:

Moderation

Singling out one certain nutrient such as fat, carbohydrates, salt, or healthy protein as profaning is the incorrect way to go. Forgoing an entire food team frequently leads to feeling denied and also binging in the future and also might even result in vitamins and mineral shortages. On the flip side, anything in excess is not a good idea either. The old proverb 'done in small amounts' actually does prove out when it comes to nourishment and consuming. Delight in poultry wings as soon as in a while, not every 2nd day.

Enjoy a freshly baked pastry once a week as opposed to every morning. Spread a little bit of butter on your corn rather than splashing it so that it's trickling. Have a tiny glass of wine a night as opposed to half a container.

Become a Fooditarian

When I composed a blog post on coming to be a 'Fooditarian' a while back, I described just how my husband and I had actually made a decision to significantly decrease the processed/packaged foods that we purchased. Instead of having morning meal cereal, we're currently making homemade muesli or slow-cooker steel-cut oats. Rather of buying premade pizza shells, we're making entire grain pizza dough from square one. We're focusing much more on entire fresh foods as well as cooking from scrape regularly. Due to the fact that our food preferences a lot better, and due to the fact that we truly don't feel deprived of anything, it works actually well for us. Study constantly indicates the reality that usage of highly processed foods brings about unfavorable health and wellness outcomes such as excessive weight, heart illness, Diabetes mellitus, and also Metabolic Syndrome. As a result, reducing the amount of convenience food, packaged/processed food-like products in addition to sugary drinks as well as concentrating a lot more on real whole food is really a no-brainer.

Mindfulness

I constantly return to the importance of being a mindful eater. Also if your diet regimen is perfectly balanced with only entire foods as well as no unhealthy food, it is still possible to increase your weight and your risk of chronic illness if you're not eating mindfully (eating way too much). Pay interest to your personal cravings hints when eating. Eat prior to you end up being hungry and stop prior to you're over full. Let your body be your guide when it pertains to eating, not just how much food gets on your plate or what does it cost? your buddy across the table has actually consumed. Eat slowly as well as taste your food.

Even if you do come to be a Fooditarian, there are still some packaged foods that you will certainly get. Don't waste your time analyzing food tags. Here's the only point you have to know about nutrition labels. And also you may also be interested in discovering how being 'slim fat' has lots of health and wellness risks.

[authorjanellesamara-blog]

Freshly: a meal delivery service

I'm back, bitches! I've had to involuntarily take some time off due to moving and getting settled, but I should be back on track now and have a new blog each week.

Do you want to know the shittiest part about moving? My new kitchen is tiny. I have half as many cabinets and nowhere to put all of my stuff. My counters, stove, and floor were piled with boxes for a couple of weeks while I kept bringing in more boxes and unpacking what I could. But there is no space! I had no room for my various baking dishes, all of my food, or my small appliances. I also only have ONE cabinet under the counter in which I can put pots and pans. One? Seriously? My canning pot lives outside in the storage closet now. I can't see any way that I'll have room to home-can apple butter this year. 

I haven't had room or time to cook anything. And you guys, I fucking hate spending money on fast food. Also, the food is gross. It makes me feel disgusting, groggy, and fat. I also don't want to eat out at a real restaurant every day. So what the fuck is a girl to do? 

Freshly. They send fully cooked, freshly prepared meals in individual servings right to your door. No pots and pans or even plates needed! All you need is a microwave, a knife, and a fork. I know what you're wondering, though... Is it worth it? Maybe...

The Good

Packaging

When I opened my first Freshly shipment, I was both stunned and thrilled to see THREE LARGE ICE PACKS! As a comparison, Hello Fresh only had one large ice pack with their deliveries. Home Chef merely contained one small ice pack. Blue Apron uses two large ice packs. The insulation in the box was good and it's biodegradable. I opened the top of the insulation and saw the first ice pack. Underneath, I found the first two packages of food. Then another ice pack, four more trays of food, and the final ice pack. It was packed very well and all of the ice packs still had some solidness to them.

The Variety

You can choose four, six, nine, or twelve meals a week. Each meal is one serving. I chose six different meals. The choices are immense. They had TWENTY-SIX different lunch/dinner choices and seven choices for breakfast. They always have a minimum of thirty choices every week. They blow everyone else I've seen out of the water. You just can't beat the variety offered by Freshly.

The Price

I chose six meals for the introductory price of $40. After my first two weeks, it would have gone back up to the regular price of $10 per meal, but I canceled it. After two weeks, I was ready to start cooking again and I didn't need these convenience meals. I also didn't need the expense of $240 a month when I'm trying to pay all of my bills by myself on a limited budget. (All of my husband's money is going toward his hair transplants. I don't care that he's bald, so I won't have my money going toward his vanity. He can pay for that dumb shit himself.) For people who are slightly better off than me, I think this is a really great deal. A cost of ten bucks is way cheaper than a restaurant, and the food is just as good. Reheating a freshly cooked meal in the microwave is so much easier than cooking from scratch. It also tastes far better than cheaper frozen dinners.

The Portions

Everything was perfect portions. I didn't have too much, and I was not left hungry. The size of the chicken breasts and steak were just right. The potatoes, green beans, rice, etc. were all good amounts. I liked that I wasn't still hungry like after a frozen dinner, or stuffed to the brim from the huge portions in restaurants. 

The Taste

I enjoyed most of the meals I was sent. The chicken with risotto and spring peas was fantastic. And I am such a picky eater. Picky enough that I was hesitant to order the peppercorn steak. I'm not a big pepper person, but I'm really glad I got this one. I didn't have high expectations for a microwaved steak, but it was fucking amazing! The meat was tender and juicy. I did not encounter large chunks of pepper, which was also great. The gravy was quite peppery, but I didn't have the shock of crunching down on a hunk of pepper, and that is something I always hate. 

The Bad and the Ugly

If you've read my blog before, you might have figured out that I don't see the world through rose-colored glasses. But, I'm not a pessimist, so I don't see the world through shit-colored glasses, either. I'm a realist; I don't wear any glasses. I am also a perfectionist. I strive for perfection in all that I do and I frequently fall short. I'm hardest on myself, but I know I'm hard on others, too. I try to be fair, though. I try to present both sides. I make a real effort to not just bitch-bitch-bitch about things. Hence, the good news first. Next, I'm going to tell you what I didn't like about Freshly.

Nutritional Content

Freshly touts itself "Deliciously Healthy" on the sides of the large box it's delivered in. On the small sleeves each meal has around it, it says things like "Incredibly fresh, gluten free, nutrient dense, 100% all natural, no refined sugar, no artificial ingredients." This sounds awesome, right? It is. Really. It is great. They even use cage-free eggs! So why do I have this under bad and ugly? It's not low-fat, low-cholesterol, or low-sodium. 

I have picked at random three meals from the six I got and added together the nutrition labels. This is one full day of meals provided by Freshly--a breakfast and two entrees.

Calories: 1540 (cool)

Total Fat: 74g / 129% (not cool)

Sat. Fat: 31g / 155% (not cool)

Trans Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 675mg / 259% (sooo not cool)

Sodium: 1270mg / 75% (not cool)

Carbs: 105g / 36% (umm...wha?)

Fiber: 13g / 52% (not cool)

Sugars: 21g (not bad)

Protein: 98g (cool)

Vitamin A: 225% (cool)

Vitamin C: 105% (cool)

Calcium: 55% (meh)

Iron: 60% (meh)

That's it. Those are all of the things on their nutrition label. So, yeah. Nutrient dense, if you count bad things as nutrients, too. I just... I can't. I can't eat like that every day, even if I could afford it. Six out of seven breakfasts were omelets with super high cholesterol. What? No egg white omelets offered? Sorry. I'm out. And 75% sodium? No. I shouldn't have more than 800mg of sodium a day, so that's closer to 150% of my daily allowance.

Now, as I look through the three I didn't choose to add together, I do see some lower bad numbers. Here, I'll just show you. 

The chewed-up cardboard is not from me. My cat likes to gnaw on paper and cardboard because she's a freak. I also couldn't read most of the chewed-up label for the turkey with quinoa stuffing that I got. It was really good, though. 

Another thing I didn't care for was the fact that I had only 24-hours between receiving my first delivery and the cut-off for choosing the meals for my second delivery. As a result, I wound up deleting a meal I enjoyed and repeating a meal I did not. Yeah...

Finding Balance

Freshly isn't right for me to eat every day or every week, but it might be perfect for you. It is fantastically convenient for people with busy lives who need to eat healthier than they do. These meals are great for people who want homecooked-style meals that don't take a long time to prepare. I feel like this food is oh, so much healthier than eating fast food for every meal. It is easier than cooking every meal you eat from scratch.

It takes less time than going out to eat at or pick food up from a restaurant. They are great for taking to work and tossing into the microwave. In fact, Freshly is even better than leftovers! These meals seem to be cooked to just the right point where they finish cooking as they reheat. You know how when you reheat your leftovers, they're overcooked and not as good? These aren't overcooked. They're cooked just right, as long as you follow the directions. Letting it rest after cooking is important to let it finish cooking. 

And the cost? Heeeeyyyy! It costs the same as many ingredient delivery services! Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, Home Chef, Sun Basket, etc. etc. all have options that cost $10 per serving. Those are things you have to cook yourself, and these are already cooked! So, yeah... I think it is worth the price they charge. 

Check it out here and get $20 off each of your first two deliveries. That's only $40 a week for six yummy, super simple meal. 

 I'd also like to note that none of the companies I review on my blog have ever compensated me in any way for writing about them. I don't do this for free shit. I do it to share my observations and experiences with others. I pay for these services just like everyone else. If you ever want to try one of them, why not use my links so I get a little bit off my next order for referring you?

[websitestree383]

Dating App For Athletes

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The Dating App for Athletes ️ I've been looking for a dating app that is for athletes. So many other apps do not have the people I'm looking for. After easily setting up my profile in a few minutes, I was swiping away. I already have found a date in my first day using the app with a former National Champion! A strict diet usually means no alcohol or high-calorie foods. For all you foodies out there, dating an athlete is a big no-no unfortunately. Athletes are usually extremely dedicated in both the gym and in the kitchen. This means there will be no junk food, very little alcohol. Meet Fit Singles is the official dating app for competitors and athletes looks to be the answer to this dilemma. The app officially launched at the 2020 Arnold’s Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio. We can’t think of a better way to find real connections with other fit singles, while still following the current physical distancing mandate.

This is NOT a dating app! But, if you do meet your swolemate, we're totally taking credit. This is a lifestyle app. Athletes Mingle has created an ecosystem ...

This is NOT a dating app! But, if you do meet your swolemate, we’re totally taking credit. This is a lifestyleapp. Athletes Mingle has created an ecosystem for all things fitness, health, and wellness allowing users to immerse themselves with like-minded people and find their team. From Olympic athletes to your average Joe who’s choosing to take the stairs over using the elevator, this app has everything you need to optimize your health and build your community.

Build your profile:

Post your best gym selfie, select the sports/activities you enjoy or want to get into, and fill out your bio. Showing off is highly encouraged.

Build your team:

Connect to other users with similar interests through the “follow” and messaging features. Filter by location and age to find your tennis partner or spotter.

Connect:

You don’t have to be single to mingle on AM. We believe in fostering real connections between our users so we have done away with commenting. If you want to say something to someone…talkto them. (surprised face emoji). I know, such a wild concept, right?! Connect with that girl that rides next to you in spin class or find the perfect hybrid spotter/photographer that will hold you accountable to your lifting schedule. We are social beings y’all- we were not meant to sit online and scroll and like. Connect on AM, make sure they’re not a serial killer, and then connect in real life.

Promotions:

“A lot of you have been asking where I got my...” No one’s asking but go ahead and directly link your favorite products with your promo codes imbedded for foolproof cha-ching. We’ve even created a copy and paste link for your AM profile so you can shamelessly self-promote all over the wonderful world wide web. Classes:

One of the greatest features of Athletes Mingle that sets us apart from the rest. Class instructors, boutique fitness studio owners, and personal trainers, this one’s for you. Post your classes/sessions through AM and allow your clients to book and pay directly using credit card. You and your members are able to see the class list, allowing your clientele to connect and grow outside of the studio. Classes are searchable by location using google maps, and booked classes are added to your calendar. With a polished look and user-friendly functionality, we’ve eliminated the need for a brick and mortar gym without compromising your professionalism. Now you can get creative and take your classes to-go, from in-home training to mountain top goat yoga, you chose your classroom.

Member Safety:

Positive vibes only! We’ve added a “Report” feature to kick trolls to the curb. Let’s lift each other up and respect one another.

Playoff Dating App

Premium membership:

Get access to the best of the best. Our premium membership allows you to send unlimited messages connecting with as many people as you want and post unlimited promotions. Take your business and your fitness to the next level on AM.

Premium Membership Pricing packages are as follows:

1 month: $9.99/month 3 months: $6.99/month

6 months: $4.99/month

Memberships automatically rollover month to month, with the option to cancel anytime (or don’t)

COVID-19 UPDATE:

To live our best quarantine life, we’ve added some additional features to keep you all healthy and happy. First and foremost, we ask that you please respect your state’s specific rules for staying home and social distancing. This has been challenging for fitness industry professionals to say the least, but we’re here to help you bring home the low sodium turkey bacon. Now in our promotions feature, you can link out to your live streaming workout videos so your clients (and your bank account) won’t miss a beat.

As an athlete myself, let’s get the cons out of the way first and then, if you’re not totally put off by the idea of dating someone like me, you’ll get to see all the wonderful pros of dating one.

They have a tight schedule

Dating an athlete is inevitably difficult due to their tight schedules. So, if you’re used to being with them all the time and enjoy spending your days in bed with your partner, a sportsperson probably isn’t a good choice for you. A tight schedule also means that you’re unlikely to see them everyday, but hey, this way it becomes even more special when you do!

They will usually prioritize their sport over you

You may find yourself thinking “my girlfriend / boyfriend prioritizes sports over me”. With sports being the centre of most athletes lives, there’s a constant struggle of becoming the main priority in your boyfriend/girlfriend’s life. Dating an athlete with strong dedication usually means that they have to put their sport and training first, with everything else riding in the back seat. So, I wouldn’t personally recommend this to anyone who cannot deal with not being the #1 most important thing in their partners life. This can be tough when in a relationship with an athlete, as you can almost feel as if you’re not being valued, which sucks.

A strict diet usually means no alcohol or high-calorie foods

For all you foodies out there, dating an athlete is a big no-no unfortunately. Athletes are usually extremely dedicated in both the gym and in the kitchen. This means there will be no junk food, very little alcohol and more than likely a lot of bland foods and greens. I’d like to say that this is a positive thing about being a person competing in high-leveled sports, but I really can’t. Plainly put, it sucks.

Statistics have shown they are more likely to cheat

This is the biggest con of being in a relationship with a sportsperson. A study by The Independent showed that athletes who played certain sports have a higher chance of cheating, compared to the average joe. There have also been multiple cases where sportspersons have used their tight schedules as a way to hide their affairs/cheating. The sad fact is that sports-people are also more likely to cheat because they are usually relatively good looking and, therefore, just have the option and a bigger incentive to do so.

_______________________________________________

But keep reading,

we’re so close to the pros

of dating and athlete now!

_______________________________________________

Well, I will still drop a link here if you are interested in finding personality matching dates:Download CLiKD!

Athletes travel… A lot

Whether its for sporting tournaments, a simple league game or to access some new type of training, sportspersons are always on the move. Again, this links back to the overarching issue of dating an athlete. Time, or the lack of it. Travelling is both exhausting and takes up a lot of time. I’d personally recommend you give it a go, however, as the positives for dating an athlete are tremendous.

Now let’s get onto the pros of dating an athlete!

Again, usually they are in good shape and work hard to maintain their physique. A real blessing and a curse!

Have you always wanted to date the fittest and most attractive person you know? Chances are they’re a sportsperson (or just very lucky). So, there you go. The first positive of dating an athlete is that the physical attraction you feel towards one another is likely to remain.

Traditionally athletes are confident and outgoing

Being an sportsperson often forces a person to become confident, because you’re constantly competing, and competition grows confidence. This is definitely something you will want in your girlfriend/boyfriend. Insecurity is not a good look on anyone; as well as the simple fact that confidence is an attractive personality trait to have. Personally, I have found that dating an athlete results in their confidence and positivity rubbing off on their partner. Sportspersons are often good leaders, because of the responsibility that sports places upon you.

_______________________________________________

For all the women reading this,

you’ll never have to worry about

whether or not your

boyfriend is manly enough!

_______________________________________________

Dating App For College Athletes

You will get into shape!

In order to make time for each other when dating an athlete, you can try and go to the gym together. You might have heard the saying, “If you sweat together, you stay together.”

_______________________________________________

“If you sweat together,

you stay together.”

_______________________________________________

This way, you can both spend time getting to know each other better. Plus you’re able to get fit while doing so ( you basically get a free personal trainer this way!) This is a major perk of dating an athlete. You will also most likely feel pressured into eating healthier, as to not be embarrassed when they pull out their thorough meal plan. Though now that I’m reading this last point, I’m starting to see it as a negative… Moving quickly on!

Athletes are always competing, and are therefore ambitious and driven

When I used to list the things I was looking for in a potential partner, the most important thing I wanted was for them to be ambitious and to love travelling. When dating an athlete, you get both of these. I’m sure you agree that people who are driven foster good relationships. It isn’t easy to maintain and develop a relationship, but at least you stand a chance if you’re attempting it with someone who is willing to reciprocate the effort you put in.

Free tickets to their sports games

This one seems relatively self-explanatory. Free tickets for you and your friends to go watch them compete! Plus, maybe you can set your friends up with a teammate this way. This is simply one of the many perks of dating an athlete! What more could you want?

Dating App For Athletes

By Lars Engen

[solsarin]

how to find percentage of water in fruits and vegetables

how to find percentage of water in fruits and vegetables

Hello dear friends, thank you for choosing us. In this post on the solsarin site, we will talk about “  how to find percentage of water in fruits and vegetables“. Stay with us. Thank you for your choice.

Percentage of Water in Fruits

According to the USDA, a whole host of different fruits have very high water content.

If you’ve ever enjoyed a wedge of fresh watermelon, you’re familiar with its refreshing juiciness, which is due to its water content. This fruit is No. 1 in water content. Other fruits that are more than 90 percent water include strawberries, grapefruit and cantaloupe.

Peaches, Asian pears, blackberries, papaya, nectarines, plums, oranges, apricots, pineapple, raspberries, apples, blueberries and mangos are all more than 80 percent water.

Include These High-Water Vegetables

A variety of vegetables have a composition that’s 89 percent water or more, according to the USDA.

These include lettuce, celery, bok choy, radishes, cucumber, zucchini, watercress, tomatoes, green bell peppers, asparagus, portabella mushrooms, Swiss chard, okra, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and spinach.

High Water, Low Calories

In addition to replenishing your body’s fluids, the water in fruits and vegetables contributes one of two factors that make them such good choices for weight management. Water and fiber add bulk, yet don’t contain calories.

A higher percentage of both results in foods with fewer calories per portion. In other words, you won’t consume too many calories when you eat a normal — and filling — portion.

According to the Mayo Clinic, foods with high water content have lower energy density, meaning you can eat larger amounts of them while consuming fewer calories. The ability to actually eat a satisfying amount of healthy food while losing weight, versus limiting portions to restrict calories, facilitates weight loss.

Keep Yourself Hydrated

Not having enough water in your body, a condition called dehydration, can lead to serious health issues.

Symptoms of mild dehydration include dry lips and mouth. Moderate dehydration can lead to dizziness, lightheadedness, headache, reduced urine output, fatigue and muscle weakness or cramping. In severe cases, dehydration can lead to irritability, confusion, lack of sweating, rapid heart rate, fast breathing, cold hands, fever, blue lips and little to no urine output.

​Read more:​ The Consequences of a Lack of Water

Meet Your Water Requirements

Electrolytes, such as sodium and potassium, must dissolve in water before they can trigger muscle contractions and nerve impulses, according to the Mayo Clinic. Water helps regulate body temperature, protects your brain, cushions joints, transports nutrients and impacts blood volume.

The amount of water you need to consume changes depending on your activity level, the temperature and whether you’re losing excess water through sweat or urine. Under normal circumstances, women need 2.7 liters, and men should consume 3.7 liters of water daily, according to the National Academies for Sciences. This recommended intake includes the water you get from foods.

This Is the Weight-Loss Program That Actually Worked for LIVESTRONG.com Readers Across the Country

You’ve heard it a hundred times: Anything that sounds too good to be true when it comes to weight loss probably is. But when every weight-loss program out there promises undeniable results, how do you know which ones are legit and which ones are just marketing spin?

The key is looking at people’s real-life experiences, which is why we asked LIVESTRONG.com readers across the Unites States to share the weight-loss approach that worked for them.

One standout? Noom, the psychology-based weight-loss program that emphasizes adjusting habits to help people lose weight and keep it off. Keep reading to hear what three LIVESTRONG.com readers had to say about how this weight-loss approach fit into their lifestyles.

Michele Giannini | Clinton Township, New Jersey

Working long hours in an office environment for over 20 years and having two children, my weight had crept up.

I’d get really into a program and inevitably get injured. I had a high-stress job and life in general, and I noticed a year or two ago that even my workouts made me feel more stressed. I would get stronger and more fit, but generally not lose weight. Nothing ever felt right long-term. Nothing seemed sustainable.

In February, I saw an ad online for a free trial for Noom. I loved it right off the bat and signed up for a membership. I set my goal at 135 pounds, which was about 22 pounds from where I started. Once I reached that goal, I set another five-pound goal. In total, I’ve lost about 28 pounds, and my lifetime goal is to maintain within five pounds of my current weight.

The major

The major difference for me was the psychology behind Noom. The articles I’d read daily and the quizzes and self-assessments taught me so much. My thoughts completely changed regarding food and exercise. I learned why I ate the things I ate, and when, and how much. And because I am more concerned with movement over exercise, I’m enjoying walks and other gentler exercises that alleviate my stress rather than add to it. I feel so strong and healthy and I’ve never received so many compliments. The impact has truly been immeasurable, and I love how I’m now able to inspire others.

Nolan Carlson | West Fargo, North Dakota

I’ve tried a number of different diets, but ultimately they’ve resulted in short-term progress. I was looking for an app-based program so I always had it with me, and when I saw the commercial for Noom I thought I’d give it a try. I’ve been using it for about two months now, and I’ve lost 10 pounds.

Noom is different from other diets I’ve tried because it uses a plan based on caloric density. It doesn’t eliminate foods from your diet, but instead educates you on why certain choices are more beneficial for you than others. Noom also gets into the psychology and physiology of dieting and cravings — why your body signals you to eat at certain times, and why you feel urges to binge or grab something salty or sweet. Every day has reading lessons to help you make smarter choices, and you have the opportunity to share with a personal coach or a group.

Some of my favorite things about the Noom program are the daily weigh-ins, logging my food and the fact that I can still eat a wide variety of foods without starving myself or being on a non-sustainable diet.

The program works, but it still requires discipline. That’s the key to any diet. Any diet is only as good as the person willing to follow it. Much of my lack of progress is a result of me ignoring the lessons Noom has shared.

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Loretta Flynn | Warrenton, Virginia

I’ve been trying to lose 10 pounds all my life, with limited success. I was looking at weight-loss programs on the internet when COVID-19 first hit in March, and when Noom popped up, it said that they were giving free memberships because they didn’t want anyone who was struggling to not have a resource that could help them. Since many people didn’t have an income at that time, I thought that was really big of them to do. So I signed up and paid the fee as a donation.

fruit

In botany, a fruit is the seed-bearing structure in flowering plants that is formed from the ovary after flowering.

Fruits are the means by which flowering plants (also known as angiosperms) disseminate their seeds. Edible fruits in particular have long propagated using the movements of humans and animals in a symbiotic relationship that is the means for seed dispersal for the one group and nutrition for the other; in fact, humans and many animals have become dependent on fruits as a source of food.[1] Consequently, fruits account for a substantial fraction of the world’s agricultural output, and some (such as the apple and the pomegranate) have acquired extensive cultural and symbolic meanings.

resource: wikipedia

[lithium-lossr]

It’s been a while since I’ve posted but mostly because after the appointments I was exhausted for days on end and all energy accumulated was spent on my toddler. Finally though, after a long nap, I have mustered enough energy weeks later to update my little tag for myself before I forget anything.

So here’s an update for myself.

Last I posted was how anxious and frustrated I was with the American healthcare System since, without insurance, 15 years of my life was depending on 30 minutes.

When I went in for that appointment I ended up only having an EKG, not the orthostatic blood pressure I expected. Which is fine, just really shitty when travel time is north of three hours, but my doctor knew their EKG prices are FAR cheaper than my areas so no worries. This appointment was 12/31/19

The nurse on the other hand was rather condescending, I thought. Maybe it’s the autism not catching tones right but i dunno. Felt off. I expressed I knew the EKG procedure since I’ve had several in the past so she didn’t need to walk me through it. She broke terms down for me and I also explained she had no need since I have a strong history in human anatomy but also have had several friends & my own sister being nurses. TYPICALLY I have nurses feel relieved or kinda happy after explaining I don’t need them to baby step me. Normally allowing that knowledge be known opens to some great convos that don’t involved every single step they’re taking. I felt some of her finishing comments about me being a “good little ekg taker since I’ve had so many” basically felt invalidating. I’m sorry I didn’t have you explain the whole process out to me like I’m a newbie. That you didn’t have to remind me 100 times to stop moving or talking. Maybe THATS why you fucked up the wire order and put my calves on my arms & messed up the chest one with another. Because you didn’t talk yourself through it. But hey, who knows. I don’t.

Anyways,

My EKG came back and it showed enough for us to set up and orthostatic bp appointment.

I was unable to find the EKG Results on the portal but I’ve requested them and will be adding them to my tag to keep track of all this.

For my orthostatic bp appointment I thankfully had a much nicer nurse. She had me lay down and did me up with a cuff and finger pulse oximeter. My oxygen was 99% (not to brag or anything *debbie Ryan hair pushback meme* but it’s Rona SZN bb)

I just focused straight up & ahead. Throughout the whole lay, sit, stand transition she asked me questions on how I felt. Just like any day my symptoms were strong and immediately on sitting up my chest felt sharp and tight. Slightly light on my top half. More I had to support myself the worse I felt. Started to realize how much I support myself with walls, chairs, bars, anything to keep me from having to hold my own weight because this sucked. When I stood my heart kept hurting and my body felt light. My legs felt like they were literally draining. Like I honestly feel like I’m in some sort of Stephen King movie with how it felt the blood fall. Feet felt heavy.

The poor nurse sounded so concerned. Several times she asked if I was going to pass out and if I needed to sit then sit but I won’t lie. If it took me passing out I was prepared to because I’m SO TIRED of this debilitating BULLSHIT.

To give better context on results I’m about to drop (to anyone who actually might be reading this and care) on my orthostatic bp I am:

-24 years

-114 lbs (51.7kg)

- 5’7” (170cm)

My results (copy and pasted from the portal)

Orthostatic BP -

123 / 78 supine R arm adult cmchale1 01-12-2021

127 / 95 sitting R arm adult Abnormal cmchale1 01-12-2021

134 / 91 standing R arm adult Abnormal cmchale1 01-12-2021

Conclusion came to yes, it is POTS-

“Dr. R______ has reviewed your nurse visit and states: Her symptoms and vital signs are highly suggestive of POTS, or postural tachycardia syndrome. There are a variety of reasons this can happen, but the most common demographic is young, thin females. Often, nonpharmacologic treatments can be very effective. Specifically, high salt diet, aggressive fluids, and a daily exercise program with cardiovascular training (e.g. interval jogging - let me know if she needs more specifics). Also, doing things to increase venous return (squeezing the leg muscles a couple times) before standing up can be helpful. Sometimes, a beta-blocker like propranolol can be used as needed to help with high heart rates, but should only be used in the context of the behavioral strategies. I'm happy to send some in, if she doesn't get enough relief with the behavioral approaches! Let us know if you have further questions.”

Since dealing with this so long most of these things have already been in place. I’m a r/hydrohomie and even recently updated my bottle to a half gallon hydroJug since my quart was just useless. Always ALWAYS empty. I have a relatively salty diet but will be getting supplements to boost, I just don’t really know what to look at for SALT/sodium tablets. Like, the thought of them existing never crossed my mind until I read about sodium intake. As for working out I won’t lie, I chase a toddler (16m) around all day so I definitely TRY to get a nice workout in but I’m exhausted after them. In Maine we are below freezing temperatures and inside just don’t have much room so I try to hoop or do some palates or something to get my muscles working. I used to be such an avid walker when I lived in town. Even in the winter I’d just walk to the store. But now the closest store is 5 miles away on a busy road in tourist/farm land so needless today it’s isolating for someone who doesn’t drive. Even when the weather is nice I never NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH T I C K S. Northern Maine doesn’t deal with that. I saw my first tick at 19 years old 50 miles from my hometown. So not even something I had to worry about hiking in the woods up north. But HERE. PEOPLE KEEP A COLLECTION TO SEE HOW MANY THE CATCH EXCUSE ME.

Ugh that’s a tangent and a half but 🤢🤮 ticks

Little fucking paracites.

As for the medication, I’m glad that wasn’t the first thing she pushed on me. I LOVE having a D.O. over an M.D. Idc. If I have a choice I will pick a D.O. EVEYTIME. My goal is to eventually be off all pharms, even if right now it’s only Zoloft. After I stop breastfeeding I’m to add lithium back at a low dose and that’s just so much maintenance. Labs, med management, MORE refills. Adjustments. Sigh.

Adding also for anyone who does actuall read. I KNOW a cardiologist is who can properly diagnose me and help me more effectively than a D.O PCP. My pcp is literally just worried about my heart and that it was ignored so long. She also knows I have no private insurance and her office doesn’t take state. She’s worked with me in the most amazing ways to get me the best care for the CHEAPEST.

Her original plan was to have a holter monitor for 24hrs & ekg and go from there. I wasn’t able to get a holter to rent so unfortunately we had to relay on my Fitbit but I also got an finger pulse oximeter to track my symptoms especially when I felt them. I was suggest to also get a BP cuff but baby steps. I plan on ordering an electric arm bp when I can.

I had my EKG which clearly showed a need for a Ortho BP.

My overall plan was at LEAST get it addressed and in my records for when I eventually DO have to change PCPs for what ever insurance I can scramble up. That way my new pcp can see and maybe I can get in with a real cardiologist.

I’m just so damn grateful that my doctor listen to me. I love receptive doctors. Thank you Dr. R for being a Queen and not ignoring how I have to live and feel based on the words “I pass out randomly.” You gave your thoughts, I CHALLENGED them and you listened. Thank you. Thank you for not having a fragile ego and working on this together.