#bmi full form how to check bmi

[diabetes-health-corner]

Understanding Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is a calculation based on an individual's weight and height. It is calculated by dividing an individual's weight in kilograms by the square of their height in meters (kg/m²). This simple numerical value is validated by research to estimate body fat levels. While BMI is essential for assessing potential weight-related health risks, one must consider a holistic viewpoint of a person before jumping to any conclusion.

Read more on BMI: https://www.freedomfromdiabetes.org/blog/post/body-mass-index-bmi/3957

[allfryam]

freshman 200 (freshman 15 part 3)

today was Jakes first doctors visit since he started college. This didn’t bother Jake. He usually loved the doctor. The doctor would say how healthy he was and to keep doing whatever he was doing. Today was a little different however. When the doctor came into the room Jake was waiting in, a small look of terror washed over his face. “Uhh” he said. Let’s start with your height and weight.

Jake went to the height station first. “6’ 1’’. Said the doctor. That was the same as last time. Then Jake stepped onto the scale. Jake watched as the number slowly climbed. As it neared 150, he expected it to stop. It did not. The number on the scale climbed all the way to 267 pounds. The concerned doctor wrote the number down. Jake was just confused. Was every scale broken or something? The doctor took Jake back to the room and sat him down the chair struggled under Jakes immense weight. “So. What’s going on?” Asked the doctor. Jake was confused. “What do you mean?” Asked Jake. “Well. You’ve gained over 100 pounds Jake. Your BMI has gone from 20.3 to 35.2. That puts you in the obese category Jake” Jake was stunned. He knew he might have gained a few pounds but 100? How could this happen? The doctor did lots of other tests on Jake and to his surprise, Jake was perfectly healthy. His blood pressure, cholesterol and heart were still perfect. The doctor had never seen anything like it. He told Jake that he most likely wouldn’t even have to lose weight. Infact, the doctor wanted to see how far this could go. He told Jake he would give him some pills to help his appetite. Little did Jake know that these would make his appetite even larger.

for the last few months of school. It seemed like everyone was trying to make Jake fat. With his new pills, he was like a bottomless pit. Jake hadn’t been full in weeks. He would spend the whole day stuffing his face with whatever was in the fridge. He would order food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Then he would invite people to his dorm to play video games. The only reason anyone would show up was to see Jake eat however. One time, Alex from down the hall brought over 10 large pizzas. This was like a snack to Jake. He would sit on his bed, completely naked, with a slice of pizza in each hand. Then he would tear through it like it was last meal. Sauce and cheese would coat his chubby face and grease would drip onto his round belly.

the scale in the form has broken a couple weeks ago when Jake tried to stand on it so he scheduled another doctors appointment. This time, the doctor looked quite happy to see Jake. They immediately went to check Jakes weight. 359 pounds. His BMI had grown to an enormous 47.6. The doctor inspected Jakes body. His smooth skin still didn’t have any stretch marks. It was fascinating. Jakes muscles had actually been stronger than ever. Lifting all of that fat was more than Jake had ever lifted. The doctor just examined Jakes body for an hour. He had Jake undress completely to get a better look. He rubbed jakes enormous belly and jiggles his giant moobs. His love handles were huge and spilled over Jakes wide hips. His thighs were the size of thick logs. Jake had even developed a third chin. “I think we need to put you on some stronger pills” said the doctor with an evil grin.

should I continue this story or create a new one? If you have any story ideas feel free to let me know.

[pbandjesse]

Today was a really nice day. It was full of activities. And my feet hurt and I'm really glad I'm in bed now.

I slept alright last night. But when I woke up at 8 I did not want to get up. I did not want to do anything. I heard James in the kitchen mixing their cookies. I just laid quietly and it was good.

I slowly would wake up and felt pretty good when I did. I checked my email and saw some from the title company so I texted James to come ask them what we needed to do. They came and told me that they were filling out the forms and I would have to do some parts once I was up. Sounds good. I went and got dressed.

There was not much I needed to fill out. Is this your first home? Address, etc etc. It is very exciting process but it is an incredible amount of forms and pieces of paperwork and all that kind of thing.

We had a lot of tasks to do today. No rush but the plan was to leave at 10. I would finish getting ready and James made me an egg salad toasted sandwich. And I worked on my knitting. I'm very close to being finished that. But the work continues.

We left here and headed to Hampden today go to the bank to make a wire transfer for the deposit. This was scary because while we have been working at this for a little while now (realistically I know our search has been very short compared to some people's journey) but this is the first time we have actually paid any money. And neither of us have ever sent a word transfer before so it was scary!! But the man who helped us was so lovely.

He is also working towards buying a (much more expensive) house and him, and the other two people who worked there congratulated us when we were finished.

We did have to call the title company to confirm the details and James got a money order and a word transfer confused and got a little flustered but we got it all sorted and it honestly didn't take long.

I had an appointment with away at 11. But we still had time to go to the wine source and pick out fancy snacks. Originally we were getting them for each other. Then we decided we would get them for ourselves and just give them to each other. We each got a few things and we will wrap them up for each other. It was silly but it was also just nice being with my husband and buying fancy snacks.

We went to awah and it was really nice to see everyone. They had a gift for me: a candle, some cookies, and a gift card for Amazon. So sweet. We chatted about my class and what's up and the possible house and all the excitement. On top of it being the week before Christmas! Wild. A house for Christmas???

While we were out the air quality test was happening at the house. And we confirmed the home inspection tomorrow. Which means we get to go see the house. I am going to bring a tape measure so I can have a better idea of the layout and not just from memory. I will also try to get pictures and videos.

We left there and decided to go to Pepe's for lunch. You know?? Pepe's?? Fun for the whole family??? This means nothing but me and James were laughing stupidly hard about this bit and I don't want to forget how much we were laughing and having fun.

We enjoyed our lunch at the diner. And then headed home. I texted with my dad about money and saving and the budget I came up with. We will actually have some move wiggle room in our budget which is pretty sweet.

I did a lot of knitting and sewing. James wrapped gifts. It was a really nice afternoon.

I would knit and sew until 5. And at 5 I got dressed in my Kristian the American girl doll outfit. Did my hair. Got all cute.

And then it was time to go to the BMI party!

And it was such a lovely party. I had so much fun talking to everyone and telling stories. Margaret caught us in the car before we left and she grabbed a ride with us there (her husband would come later and took her home). And I just had so much fun catching up and telling stories. Me, Gaby, her friend and Adam were screaming about conspiracy theories and I got to introduce them to the concept of the hollow earth which is one of my favorite. It is legit the silliest one.

Dinner and talking was fun. There were s'mores but the little fires they had were causing so much smoke that we were very afraid the sprinklers were going to go off. Had to open all the garage doors. But I was just running around and having a great time.

I loved seeing Meril and we took pictures. Everyone thought my phone clicked was so cool and a few people borrowed it. And I promised to get a link so other people can buy their own because. I even showed Stanley's wife on her phone so they could do it themselves. She would return it when they were done and I promised James would help Stanley get one too.

The voting for best desserts was fun and the raffles were really exciting. Jessica's daughter, Sofia, was able to be awake for the party this year (she was very new last year) and we became best friends. We were holding hands and jumping. Me, her, her dad, and Jessica all held hands and jumped a whole bunch and it was very silly. I held her for a little and we spun and we were very best friends now obviously. Jessica kept saying how much she liked me and I'm like. Incredible. I love little baby Sofia.

After lots more pictures and getting to tell people about the house, James was helping to clean up and then we were heading out. Almost last ones out.

I drove us home because James had a few beers. We listened to music to loud and danced in the car and it was very silly and very fun. And when we got back here I put on another song and we danced at each other. The mood was just. Fantastic.

I grabbed a shower. Sweetp bit me on the back of my leg??? Ouch! But now we are all just cuddled up in bed. And I am ready to sleep.

I don't have to drive out to camp tomorrow. We are volunteering to wrap gifts for the Y's angel tree. And then it is time to go to the home inspection!! Ah!

I really hope it goes well. There are some things that may be wrong that are fixable but the things I don't know like the electrical or the plumbing or the roof are the concerns for me. I did get a price for home insurance and because the house has a flat roof there might be a concern about insuring it. So I went on a long search about what we would do if it needs fixing. I just want to make sure we can handle whatever it is. I will not get us in a place we can't survive. And right now we have a budget for fixes but they have to be within reason. But I know a lot and I trust myself to make the right call. Can't be wishy washy on this one.

I am going to go to sleep now. I hope you all sleep great and having a good night. Until next time!!

[how2fit]

Losing weight involves many factors, but diet and exercise matter the most. What you eat and how you work out play a significant role in how quickly you see results. However, the fitness plan for women to lose weight is not the same for everyone. Your current fitness level, age, lifestyle, medical history, and gender can affect how long it takes to reach your goals. Pregnancy and the postpartum period initiate significant changes in the female body, so women should exercise with great care. Though heavy workouts during this period are not advisable, moderate physical activities, such as walking, swimming, or prenatal yoga, can have benefits. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. This article covers the basics of weight loss training for beginners, including tips on improving nutrition and a realistic four-week workout plan. The Basics of Workout Regimen for Women to Lose Weight Whether you’re building muscle through strength training or starting a fitness routine for better health, the basics matter. Here are a few key points to keep in mind when you begin a new fitness plan. Measure Your Fitness Level Assess your fitness level before starting a fitness program. Consult your doctor first if you are over 50 or have health issues such as high blood pressure, heart problems, or arthritis. Fitness includes four key elements: cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength, muscle endurance, and flexibility. Testing yourself helps you identify your strengths and areas for improvement.  To measure your fitness, track the following: Pulse Rate: Record your pulse before and right after walking 1 mile (1.6 km). Waist Circumference: Measure it just above your hip bones at belly button level. Body Mass Index (BMI): Calculate your BMI using your height and weight. Healthcare providers calculate BMI by dividing weight in kilograms (kg) by height in meters squared (m²). For most people, a higher BMI suggests more body fat. However, it may not always be accurate in some instances. Walking or Running Time: Note the time it takes to walk one mile or run 1.5 miles (2.41 km). Push-Ups: Count how many push-ups you can do with proper form. Women can choose modified or classic push-ups. Flexibility: Check how well you can move through the full range of motion in your ankles, shoulders, hips, knees, and elbows. Start Slow and Steady Start slowly and build your routine gradually. Increase your activity level by no more than 10% each week. Ideally, try to get at least 30 minutes of activity per day. However, if 30 minutes feels overwhelming, break it into smaller sessions. For example, start with a 10-minute walk a few times a week. As your body adapts, increase the time to 15 minutes, then 20, and eventually reach 30 minutes. Cycling Your Workout You don’t need to work your entire body in every session. Divide the weight loss workout for women into rotations, sets, and reps. Your training should follow a cycle. On separate days, focus on different muscle groups. Each day, do specific exercises targeting those muscles. A study states that moderate loads are more efficient for muscle development. Light load training requires more repetitions, which takes up more time than using heavier loads. Therefore, moderate weights strike a balance between effectiveness and time efficiency. Warming Up and Stretching Stretching helps improve flexibility, increase joint range of motion, boost blood flow to muscles, and reduce the risk of injury. It also prevents postural and joint misalignment issues. Avoid stretching cold muscles as it can cause injury. Warm up with a few minutes of cardio to get your blood flowing before you begin stretching. When you stretch, gently pull the muscle or joint in a smooth motion. Hold the stretch for about 30 seconds. For tight or inflexible areas, hold the stretch for up to 60 seconds. Calorie Deficit To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit by eating fewer calories than you burn.

Focus on consuming quality calories and managing portion sizes. Research suggests an intake of 1,000–1,500 calories per day, with a deficit of 500–750 calories, as an effective starting point. For those with severe obesity, transitioning to a very low-calorie diet should happen gradually and under medical supervision. Good Sleep Schedule Many overlook the importance of sleep in a fitness plan. Sleep plays a crucial role in building strength and muscle. Studies show that even a few nights of insufficient sleep could lower the body’s ability to build muscle due to reduced protein synthesis. To improve your fitness, prioritise good-quality sleep. Stick to a consistent bedtime routine and aim for seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. A Sample Workout Schedule The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity each week, such as brisk walking or casual cycling, along with two days of muscle-strengthening exercises. To help you build consistency, follow this sample seven-day workout plan. Repeat the same plan for weeks two, three, and four. Monday: Upper Body and Core These exercises target the biceps, triceps, and chest muscles. Perform 10 reps of each exercise. Complete three sets, with 1 minute of rest between each set. Bicep Curl Hold a dumbbell in each hand or a barbell with both hands. Rest your elbows at your sides and extend your forearms parallel to the floor. Bend your elbows to lift the weight to your shoulders, then lower it back to the start. Chest Press Lie on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand or a barbell with both hands. Keep your arms perpendicular to your body and palms facing forward. Push the weight up by extending your elbows, then lower it back down. Tricep Dip Sit on a chair or bench and grip the edge near your hips. Slide your butt off the chair, lowering yourself until your elbows bend at a 45- or 90-degree angle. Push back up to the starting position. Tuesday: Lower Body Perform 10 reps for three sets of each exercise. Rest for 1 minute between sets. Deadlifts Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Push your hips back, bend your knees slightly, and keep your back straight as you bend forward. Hold a barbell or dumbbell with both hands. Lift the weights by driving your hips forward while keeping your back flat. Lower the weights slowly back to the floor. Hip Thrusts Sit on the ground with your shoulders resting on a bench or stable chair. Plant your feet firmly on the ground. Push your hips up, squeezing your glutes until your knees form a 90-degree angle. Lower your hips back to the ground. Lunges Stand with one foot forward and the other back in a split stance. Keep your torso upright and bend your knees until your back knee is close to the floor. Your front thigh should be parallel to the ground. Push through your front heel to return to the starting position. Switch legs and repeat. Wednesday: Active Recovery Day Active recovery workouts include light exercises after intense workouts. These low-intensity activities help your body recover better than complete rest or sitting idle. However, skip active recovery if you’re injured or experiencing any pain. Foam Rolling Roll your calves, hip flexors, and pecs slowly until you find tender spots. The discomfort should feel like a 7 on a scale of 1-10, which is uncomfortable but tolerable. Hold the roller on that spot for 30 seconds to 2 minutes. If you feel numbness, tingling, or a heartbeat, reposition the roller. Stretching Stretch your calves, hip flexors, and pecs. Gradually move into each stretch until you feel a gentle stretch, not pain. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds to 1 minute, allowing the muscles to relax. Other Active Recovery Options Choose low-intensity exercises that keep your heart rate between 30% and 60% of your maximum. These include walking, swimming, cycling, jogging, or yoga.

These activities promote recovery without straining your body. Thursday: Strength Training Perform 12 to 15 reps of the first two exercises back-to-back, then take a 60 to 90-second break. Repeat this for 2 to 3 sets. Then, move on to the next two exercises and follow the same pattern. Dumbbell Press Squat Targets: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, and shoulders Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a 2 to 5-kg dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forward. Lower into a squat while extending your arms overhead. Return to standing, bringing your arms back to the starting position. Repeat for the desired number of reps. Ball Push-Up Targets: Triceps, chest, abs, shoulders Get into a push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart on a stability ball. Keep your back straight and abs engaged. Lower your chest toward the ball, pointing your elbows outward. Keep your abs tight and your head aligned with your hips. Push back to the starting position and repeat. Bulgarian Split Squat Targets: Hamstrings, quads, glutes Stand 2 to 3 feet away from a bench or sturdy chair, with the top of your right foot resting on the seat behind you. Bend your left knee to a 90-degree angle, keeping it aligned with your ankle. Hold for two counts, then straighten your leg in 4 counts. Repeat for one set, then switch sides. Dumbbell Clean and Press Targets: Shoulders, hamstrings, glutes, quads Hold dumbbells in front of your thighs. Keep the palms facing in. Lower into a squat, dropping the weights just above your knees. Pull the weights up to your chest while keeping them close to your torso. Stand upright, rotate your palms to face forward, and press the weights overhead. Return to the starting position and repeat. Friday: Light Cardio Begin with at least a 30-minute brisk walk. Skaters Start in a curtsy lunge with both legs bent. Position your right leg behind and across your body. Keep your left arm straight down and your right arm bent at your side for balance. Push off with your left leg to stand, bringing your right leg forward while swinging your left leg back and across. Switch your arms as you move. Move quickly, but avoid jumping to keep it low-impact. Low-Impact Jumping Jacks Start with your arms by your sides. Step your right foot out and raise your arms above your head. Keep your weight on your right foot. Return to the starting position. Step your left foot out, raising your arms above your head. Keep your weight on your left foot. Saturday: Strength Workout Dynamic Lunge Targets: Hamstrings, quads, glutes Stand with your feet parallel and shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells at your sides. Lunge forward with your right leg, bending the right knee to 90 degrees and bringing the left knee close to the ground. Push off the right foot explosively and return to the starting position. Switch legs and repeat. Opposite Arm/Leg Lift Targets: Back, abs, glutes Lie face down on the stability ball, with your hands and toes on the floor. Tighten your abs and glutes, and raise your left arm and right leg simultaneously. Switch arms and legs, then repeat. Step-Up Targets: Quads, glutes Place your right foot on a bench or step (choose one slightly above knee height). Push through your right heel to straighten the leg, bringing the left leg toward the right (don’t let the left foot touch the step). Lower the left foot toward the floor without letting it touch, then straighten your right leg again. Complete one set, then switch sides. Prone Jackknife Targets: Abs Get into a push-up position with your hands on the floor under your shoulders. Place your feet on the stability ball with legs extended and abs pulled in for balance. Slowly draw your knees in toward your chest without twisting your spine or shifting your hips. Roll the ball back to the starting position with your feet, then repeat.

Sunday: Rest and Recovery Take Sunday as your rest day to recharge. Choose what feels best for you: Active Rest: Do yoga or gentle stretching to keep your muscles flexible and prevent stiffness. Complete Rest: Relax completely, read a book, watch TV, or unwind on the couch. Both active and relaxed recovery days are important for maintaining balance in your weekly routine. Eating the Right Foods for Your Fitness Plan A balanced fitness plan is also about eating the right foods at the right times of the day. Get Plenty of Healthy Protein When following a fitness plan, especially one with intense workouts, including healthy protein in your diet is essential for muscle growth and repair. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is around 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, or 0.36 grams per pound.  Spread this intake evenly throughout the day. Good sources of protein include fish, chicken, turkey, eggs, dairy, lean meat, seeds, and nuts. Supplement Your Workout with Good Quality Whey Protein A workout plan combined with whey protein can produce noticeable results faster. Whey protein shakes are a convenient option if you don’t have time for meal prep. They are easy to make, available in different flavours, and provide 30 grams or more of protein per serving. Count on the Right Carbohydrates Around 45% to 65% of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates, especially if you exercise regularly. Focus on consuming complex carbs from whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans. These provide more lasting energy than simple carbs found in sweets and processed foods. Choose Healthy Fats Don’t view fat as something to avoid. Instead, see it as a key energy source for your body. A healthy diet should include enough mono- and polyunsaturated fats, with only small amounts of saturated fats. Add healthy fat to each meal: This boosts satiety and provides steady energy. Cook with healthy fats: Olive oil and avocado oil are great options for cooking. Snack on nuts and seeds: They offer a good source of healthy fats and make for a convenient, delicious snack. Include fatty fish in your diet: Fish like salmon, sardines, and bluefin tuna are rich in healthy fats and provide protein. how2fit Note Losing weight is a highly personal journey, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another. Factors such as fitness level, age, medical history, lifestyle, and gender all play a significant role in how quickly you can achieve your goals. The most effective weight loss plans combine balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and proper rest, and it’s essential to approach these changes sustainably. For a personalised approach that suits your body and goals, consider using a customised fitness plan. Experts at how2fit can guide you through a fitness plan tailored to your specific needs, helping you stay on track and reach your fitness goals effectively. The Final Word A well-rounded fitness plan should combine cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and active recovery days to avoid burnout. Before starting, it is essential to assess your current fitness level, especially if you have any health concerns. Moreover, the right fitness plan for women isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Visit the how2fit Store today to explore a wide range of products and services designed to support your path to a healthier you. With personalised nutrition plans and expert coaching, how2fit’s nutritionists will guide you every step of the way toward a healthier you. Frequently Asked Questions Q. How long does it take to see results from weight training for fat loss in women? A: The time it takes to see results depends on the type and amount of exercise you’re doing. When you exercise regularly and correctly, you may notice changes in about eight to 12 weeks. However, not everyone responds the same way. Some people may see results sooner, while for others, it may take longer.

Q. What exercise burns the most fat? A: No one exercise burns the most fat. The best approach is a well-rounded workout routine. Full-body exercises tend to burn fat faster because they use multiple muscle groups. Q. How soon can you see muscle growth after starter workouts for weight loss? A: Muscle growth takes time. You may start seeing changes in eight to 12 weeks. On average, people gain about 0.5 to 2 pounds of muscle per month. To see muscle growth, you also need to eat enough carbohydrates and protein, as these help your body repair and rebuild muscles after workouts. Q. When should rest days be included in a weekly workout plan? A: Rest days are essential for recovery and should never be ignored. Taking at least one rest day per week is key to maintaining a balanced fitness plan. If you’re new to intense exercise, allow yourself 2-3 active recovery days.  Q. Is cardio necessary in the workout for ladies to lose weight? A: Cardio isn’t mandatory, but it has many benefits. Research shows that people who do cardio lose a significant amount of visceral fat, also known as belly fat. Reducing this fat improves heart and overall health. However, the main factor in losing body fat is eating fewer calories than you burn. Cardio can support this process, but diet plays a key role as well. Q. What are some methods to monitor progress? A: Choose a tracking method that works for you, such as measuring waist circumference, body composition assessment or regular weigh-ins on a dependable scale. However, do the tracking without obsessing over it. You can notice improvements in your fitness, like better energy levels, mood, or increased physical capacity, rather than just focusing on the scale. Research Sources Optimal Diet Strategies for Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance The effect of acute sleep deprivation on skeletal muscle protein synthesis and the hormonal environment Loading Recommendations for Muscle Strength, Hypertrophy, and Local Endurance: A Re-Examination of the Repetition Continuum

[learnhowtocreatemusic]

Empowering Your Music: A Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming Your Own Record Label

In today’s music industry, artists have more control than ever before. You no longer need to rely on major record labels to share your music with the world. Becoming your own record label empowers you to take full ownership of your creative work, manage your brand, and enjoy the financial rewards of your success. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through how to become your own record label and take charge of your music career.

1. **Understanding the Benefits of Starting Your Own Label**

Before diving into the logistics, it’s important to recognize why becoming your own label is so beneficial:

- **Creative Freedom:** You have total control over your sound, image, and release schedule.

- **Financial Independence:** Keep 100% of your royalties, profits, and revenue streams.

- **Ownership of Rights:** Maintain ownership of your masters and publishing rights, protecting your intellectual property.

- **Direct-to-Fan Connection:** You can build a stronger connection with your audience without intermediaries diluting your brand.

2. **Step 1: Set Clear Goals for Your Label**

Starting your own record label requires having a clear vision for your music and business. Ask yourself these key questions:

- **What’s your label’s mission?** Define the kind of music you want to release, whether it’s just your own or includes other artists in the future.

- **What are your short-term and long-term goals?** Maybe your initial goal is to release an album, but in the long run, you want to sign other artists or start a merchandise line.

- **Who’s your target audience?** Understanding your listeners helps you tailor your releases, marketing strategies, and branding.

3. **Step 2: Choose a Name and Register Your Label**

Your label’s name is your brand, so choose something memorable, unique, and aligned with your mission. Once you’ve decided on a name:

- **Check Availability:** Make sure the name isn’t already taken. Check domain names for your website and search social media handles to ensure brand consistency.

- **Register Your Business:** In most countries, you’ll need to legally register your record label as a business entity. Common options include forming an LLC (Limited Liability Company) or a sole proprietorship. This protects you financially and legally.

4. **Step 3: Set Up Your Business Infrastructure**

As a record label owner, you’ll need to handle the business side of music. Here's how to get started:

- **Get an EIN (Employer Identification Number):** If you're in the U.S., you’ll need this to open a business bank account and file taxes.

- **Set Up a Business Bank Account:** Keeping your personal and label finances separate is essential for managing income, expenses, and tax obligations.

- **Accounting and Royalties Management:** Use accounting software like **QuickBooks** or a specialized music platform like **SoundExchange** to track your royalties and other revenue streams.

5. **Step 4: Secure Your Music Rights**

Owning your music rights is one of the greatest advantages of starting your own label. Make sure you understand the key types of rights:

- **Master Rights:** These are the rights to your recordings, and as your own label, you’ll own these 100%.

- **Publishing Rights:** These cover the composition and songwriting. Consider registering with a Performing Rights Organization (PRO) like **ASCAP**, **BMI**, or **PRS** to collect royalties for your compositions.

6. **Step 5: Build Your Release Strategy**

Now that your label is up and running, it’s time to focus on how you’ll release and distribute your music. Craft a solid release plan:

- **Release Calendar:** Plan your releases, including singles, albums, EPs, and videos, over a period of time to maintain consistency and build momentum.

- **Digital Distribution:** Sign up for a digital distribution service like **DistroKid**, **TuneCore**, or **CD Baby** to get your music on streaming platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. These services help indie artists and labels distribute globally.

- **Physical Distribution (if needed):** If you’re releasing vinyl, CDs, or other physical products, look into production and distribution channels like **Disc Makers** or **Kunaki** for small-scale production.

7. **Step 6: Create Your Branding and Marketing Plan**

Your label’s brand is how fans will recognize and connect with your music. Take time to create a strong, cohesive identity:

- **Logo and Design Elements:** Invest in professional logo design and graphics that reflect your label’s ethos. You can use tools like **Canva** or hire a freelance designer through platforms like **Fiverr** or **Upwork**.

- **Website:** Your website is your hub for all things music. Use platforms like **Squarespace**, **WordPress**, or **Bandzoogle** to build a user-friendly website where fans can stream your music, buy merchandise, and stay updated.

- **Social Media:** Establish a strong presence on social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter. Create engaging content around your releases, behind-the-scenes videos, and fan interactions.

- **Email Marketing:** Build an email list to connect directly with fans. Use services like **Mailchimp** or **ConvertKit** to send newsletters, release updates, and exclusive offers.

8. **Step 7: Monetize Your Music and Revenue Streams**

Once your music is out, it’s time to focus on generating revenue. Here are a few key avenues:

- **Streaming Royalties:** While streaming revenue can be modest, it’s still an important part of your income. Ensure you’re registered with a PRO to collect performance royalties.

- **Sync Licensing:** Your music can be licensed for use in film, TV, video games, and commercials. Platforms like **Songtradr** or **Musicbed** can help you pitch your tracks for sync opportunities.

- **Merchandise:** Selling branded merchandise (t-shirts, hats, posters) can provide a steady income stream. Use print-on-demand services like **Printful** to handle production and shipping.

- **Crowdfunding:** If you’re planning a big project like an album or tour, crowdfunding through platforms like **Kickstarter** or **Patreon** can help generate upfront revenue while engaging fans.

9. **Step 8: Collaborate and Network**

Running your own record label doesn’t mean doing it all alone. Networking with other artists, producers, and music industry professionals can help you grow your label and reach new audiences.

- **Collaborate with Other Artists:** Team up with artists for features, remixes, or joint projects to cross-promote each other’s music.

- **Attend Industry Events:** Go to music conferences, workshops, and networking events (in-person or virtual) to meet people who can help you expand your business.

- **Build a Team Over Time:** As your label grows, you may want to hire or collaborate with publicists, managers, or booking agents to take your career to the next level.

10. **Step 9: Keep Learning and Adapting**

The music industry is constantly evolving, so it’s important to stay informed and flexible. Here are some ways to keep growing your label:

- **Stay Updated on Industry Trends:** Follow music business blogs, listen to podcasts, and subscribe to newsletters that focus on the latest trends and insights in the music industry.

- **Analyze Your Data:** Use analytics tools on streaming platforms and social media to track your performance, fan demographics, and engagement. Adjust your strategies based on what’s working.

- **Invest in Yourself:** As your label earns income, reinvest in better gear, marketing, and promotional tools to continue growing.

Conclusion

Becoming your own record label is an exciting and empowering journey that allows you to take control of your music career. By following these steps, you’ll be able to build a sustainable and successful music business on your terms. Remember, it takes time and effort, but the rewards of owning your creative work and charting your own path in the industry are well worth it.

Take the leap, and empower your music today!

[timelesskaleidoscope]

"THE ADVENTURE AWAITS"

A developmental stage that is full of excitement. A colorful world that awaits to be discovered.

On a very humid Sunday afternoon, October 6, 2024, I have the opportunity to interview the very jolly and curious Xia, a 9 years old child about her wonders and journey as she walks and experiences the path of middle childhood stage. 

Xia is currently in 3rd grade. She is curious and full of energy. She recently underwent weight, height and BMI check in their school. She is the tallest among her classmates and has a normal BMI, which surely makes her happy.  Xia is very much interested in dancing and singing as well as playing sports such as basketball and running highlighting how great her physical balance, strength and coordination at a very young age. Xia is very active and has a strong physical body.

When it comes to cognitive development, Xia is interested in Mathematics. She said that her most favorite subject in school is Mathematics as she enjoys and is interested in numbers. Xia likes addition as well as multiplication and they are currently in the process of memorizing the whole multiplication table which she really enjoys doing. Xia is also hardworking and motivated in doing her assignments, studying and memorizing the lesson materials her teachers gave them. Xia is just like any other child, she also has a least favorite subject which is science. Her reasoning is that the teacher is so strict that instead of learning, she felt pressured to learn the lesson, which she does not enjoy very much, however, she is a determined child and is finding a way to love and understand the subject. Other activities that Xia enjoys are drawing and coloring as she enjoys looking at colorful and pretty things.

Xia is raised by a hardworking single mother. She is mature and responsible for her age. She tried to help her mother and older sister with house chores and is very understanding when her mother is stressed and tired. She gave her mother massages and is currently learning how to cook with the help of her mother and older sister.  

Xia is also a social butterfly, having friends from different sections in her grade. She likes interacting and connecting with other children as well as playing with them during lunch break. As a social butterfly, there are also children that often fought with her due to misunderstanding; however, she understands that she cannot please everyone and just avoid those who fought with her to maintain peace. Xia lives with her mother and older sister and sometimes visits her father. Despite being fully raised with a single mother, she receives full support from the people around her. She was also taught to be open to her feelings and can easily form relationships with other people. 

As of the moment, Xia is looking forward to the future. She wanted to be a doctor and is very excited about her journey in life. She is very much satisfied and happy with how her life is. Xia is a child full of excitement on her journey as she discovers the beauty of the world.

[susantaylor01]

HOW TO REMOVE FAT FROM THE BODY

Introduction

Obesity and excess body fat are significant health concerns linked to numerous conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Reducing body fat is often necessary for improving overall health and preventing these conditions. While fat reduction can be challenging, a combination of lifestyle changes, medical treatments, and sometimes surgical interventions can help individuals achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Lifestyle Modifications

1. Dietary Changes

Diet plays a crucial role in fat reduction. Consuming fewer calories than the body needs leads to the utilization of stored fat for energy. Key dietary strategies include:

Caloric Deficit: When a person consumes fewer calories than their body uses, they are in a caloric deficit. Fat loss results from the body having to use its stored fat as fuel as a result of this shortfall.

Balanced Diet: A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains provides essential nutrients while keeping calorie intake in check. Reducing the intake of sugary beverages, processed foods, and high-fat items is also critical.

Portion Control: Managing portion sizes can prevent overeating and help maintain a caloric deficit.

Macronutrient Balance: Incorporating a balanced proportion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats can aid in maintaining muscle mass while losing fat. High-protein diets are particularly effective as protein promotes satiety and supports muscle retention. 

2. Physical Activity

Regular physical activity is essential for fat loss. Exercise increases energy expenditure, helping to create a caloric deficit. Effective exercise strategies include:

Cardiovascular Exercise: Activities like walking, running, swimming, and cycling are effective at burning calories and improving heart health. Aim for 150 minutes or more per week of moderate- to high-intensity activity or both.

Strength Training: Building muscle through strength training exercises (e.g., weightlifting, resistance bands) is crucial because muscle tissue burns more calories at rest compared to fat tissue. Strength training helps preserve muscle mass during fat loss, which is important for maintaining metabolic rate.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): HIIT entails quick bursts of vigorous activity interspersed with rest intervals. This form of exercise can be particularly effective for fat loss due to its ability to boost metabolism even after the workout has ended. 

3. Behavioral Modifications

Behavioral changes are necessary for long-term success in fat reduction. These may include:

Mindful Eating: Overeating can be avoided by being aware of indications of hunger and fullness. Mindful eating also involves eating slowly and savoring food, which can reduce calorie intake.

Stress Management: Chronic stress can lead to weight gain due to increased cortisol levels, which promote fat storage, particularly in the abdominal area. Yoga, meditation, and deep breathing exercises are among stress-reduction techniques.

Sleep Hygiene: Adequate sleep is essential for weight management. Lack of sleep can interfere with hormones that regulate hunger and appetite, leading to an increase in caloric consumption. 

Medical Interventions

1. Pharmacotherapy

In some cases, medications may be prescribed to help with fat loss. These medications typically work by suppressing appetite, increasing feelings of fullness, or reducing the absorption of fat. Common medications include:

Orlistat: This medication reduces fat absorption in the intestines, leading to decreased calorie intake. It is often prescribed for individuals with a BMI of 30 or higher.

Phentermine-Topiramate: This combination drug suppresses appetite and is used for weight loss in individuals with a BMI of 27 or higher with weight-related conditions like hypertension or diabetes. 

2. Bariatric Surgery

For individuals with severe obesity, bariatric surgery may be considered. This surgical intervention is typically reserved for those with a BMI of 40 or higher, or 35 or higher with obesity-related health conditions. Common types of bariatric surgery include:

Gastric Bypass: This surgery reduces the size of the stomach and bypasses part of the small intestine, leading to significant weight loss.

Gastric Sleeve: This procedure involves removing a portion of the stomach, reducing its size and capacity, which leads to reduced food intake and weight loss.

Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding (LAGB): In this procedure, an adjustable band is placed around the upper part of the stomach, creating a small pouch that limits food intake.

Strange mountain tea removes 3lbs every 4 days

Conclusion

Fat reduction is a complex process that requires a multifaceted approach. Lifestyle modifications, including dietary changes, regular physical activity, and behavioral adjustments, are the foundation of fat loss. In cases where lifestyle changes are insufficient, medical interventions such as pharmacotherapy or bariatric surgery may be necessary. Achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight is crucial for preventing obesity-related health conditions and improving overall quality of life.

[hypercortical]

I'm really frustrated by narratives around OnlyFans related to income. Lately it's been really popular to among anti-sex work people to use statistics about OF income to dissuade people from seeing it as a viable form of work, and instead painting it as something that obviously won't be worth it. The statistics usually say something like "the average OF creator earns 150 dollars per month". which, yeah that's chump change. But for some reason everyone ignores the fact that this number doesn't account for the fact that many if not most OF accounts are probably idle, or posting infrequently because the user isn't treating it like a full time job. I want to know the average income of OF users who commit 20 or 40 or however many hours per week to their OF. I'd imagine an average looking woman below the age of 30 could easily get to top 1-2% on OF if they commit 20 or so hours per week. For example, right now I'm looking at discussion between OF creators on reddit. One person says she works about 2 hours per day on OF as a side hustle alongside her primary job. So like 10-14 hours per week depending on whether she does it weekends or not. And at the time of posting, she was a top ~6% creator. And I checked out some of her social media posts. This is someone who doesn't even post her face. She has a below average breast size, and she's skinny. Not particularly curvy in other ways either. Another user right below her said she's top 6% with 30-45 minutes of work per day. And it's hard to get clear numbers, but it looks like most sources corroborate that top 10% corresponds to about 1000 dollars per month. maybe top 6% are making 1500-2000 dollars per month. That's at least an extra 15k per year for a side hustle that takes like an extra hour each day. Sounds pretty worth it to me. Looking at some recent posts on the same subreddit r/OnlyFansAdvice, I can see that someone who is currently top 4% claims to currently be making $2500 per month, and she also does not show her face. (keeping in mind that % is ranked by income. Anyone better than top 4% is making more money than that). She doesn't say how many hours she works, but she said she posts one picture per day. One "full video" per week. And posts 3-10s gifs cut from her video into "20+" subreddits. each day. to me that sounds like at least 1-1.5 hours each day, plus however long it takes her to do a video, which I can't really guess at because I don't know how long or how quality her videos are. Scratch that, it looks like she does ~7min partnered videos. Static camera or male pov camera. No intentional lighting work, minimal editing. So that's gonna be at least 10-15 minutes of work. I can't say how much preparation is involved in the performers getting themselves presentable and in the zone, but I'd imagine no more than an hour. And then I can't imagine this minimal editing take more than 10 minutes. plus some time needs to be spent cutting it up into nice gifs, which i'm guessing can take up to an hour if a lot of thought is given, and lots of gif variants are selected. So that's like 10-13 hours per week, or 1.4-1.8 hours per day for a 30k gross yearly income. Now, she probably takes only a majority split with the guy. Maybe 70-30. so like 21k gross. And that's in addition to whatever her primary job is. I assume she has one because otherwise she just has tons of free time on her hands, and not the most livable income. So i'd say that's a pretty damn good side hustle. And that's for someone who doesn't show her face, has pretty average looking breast size. Not exactly skinny, but probably not overweight either (in terms of BMI). white. probably 25-35 (hard to tell when I can't see her face). And she probably doesn't spend any money on equipment. Maybe a little money for a rig or tripod to hold her phone. But certainly no lighting equipment, sound equipment, or cameras. (some fairly cheap lighting solutions could really boost the quality of her videos.)

I don't have any experience in porn, but I do have a bit of in videography/editing/filmmaking thanks to my dad (a director of photography), and some film classes I took, and sometimes seeing the quality of independent porn really makes me wanna give it a try just to see if I can do better from a video production perspective. And I also wonder just how much better video production lends to success. Like can someone who's a 6 make as much money as an 8 just by making the same amount of content, but with more professional video quality? I personally think some of the best visual erotic content i've ever seen came from non-porn films with erotic scenes, where the eroticism was given a very cinematic treatment. But for some reason I never see that in porn.

[sunfleurry]

I. 360˚

Hi there! I am reuploading this fic and this time I want to actually try because tbh I didn’t give af about pacing, editing, etc. as harrymoncheri

I’ve decided to scrap the original plot and make this a prompt-based project!

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy part 1 (the intro) of personal trainer!harry

Disclaimer: I write stories and use Harry Styles as a face claim. In no way shape or form does my writing reflect how I perceive the actual Harry to be. These are my characters, the face is just a bonus!

Warnings: This story will contain mature themes.

The parking lot itself was intimidating. Eden’s eyes remained wide in wonder as she took in the cars that couldn’t have been less than a couple hundred thousand dollars. When she won the year-long membership for a five-star gym through a raffle at her uni, she hadn’t thought about what to expect. From the outside, the gym looked quite small but as she walked in, the first thing that welcomed her was a set of gleaming black stairs leading to an underground facility.

Her shoes squeaked on each step down. She kept her gaze low to avoid tripping and embarrassing herself in front of the tycoons in gym gear and teenagers working out in custom name brand sneakers.

The receptionist smiled upon seeing her, his veneers a stark contrast against his brown skin. “You’re the one I just spoke with on the phone, right? Eden?”

She smiled and shook his hand. “That’s me.”

After having her sign a few papers, he led her to an office–a small room surrounded by glass walls with a view of the elevators. She soon learned that they led to lower levels housing the spa, pool and basketball courts.

While waiting for the manager to start the consultation, they sat and talked for a few minutes. Eden learned a lot about the receptionist. His name was Luca and his father owned the gym. He was a couple years older than her and studied at the same university. She was positive she’d never seen him; she would have remembered a man as beautiful as him.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting,” Luca said while checking the minimalist clock hung on the only wall not made of glass. “I don’t know what’s taking him so long.”

She waved a hand as if brushing him off. “Don’t apologize. I’m sure he’s somewhere around here doing what managers do best.”

“My manager isn’t in, actually. You’ll be speaking to one of our personal trainers today.”

She furrowed her eyebrows but nodded all the same. “Oh, okay.”

Luca’s face brightened as something caught his eye over Eden’s shoulder and he stood up. “Speak of the devil.”

Eden turned in her seat and her breath hitched as her eyes landed on a man whose looks, she imagined, would take over her dreams at night from that day forward. He was dangerously handsome in the simplest clothing– grey cotton joggers and a black t-shirt she noticed every personal trainer was wearing.

Her gaze trailed to his strong jaw, then up to where his chestnut hair curled around his ears in the most endearing way. When her eyes met his striking green ones, she felt heat creep up her neck at being caught blatantly ogling him.

“Eden? Did you hear what I said?”

She didn’t miss the smirk on the personal trainer’s lips as her head whipped towards Luca. “Sorry, what did you say?”

He gave her a knowing look. “I said I’m going to go back to the front. Did you need anything else?”

“Oh, um, no. Thank you for everything,” she bit her lip, fully aware of the trainer’s heavy gaze on her. It was hard concentrating on watching Luca exit the office only to pretend like the suffocating presence of the walking wet dream was fictitious.

The door closed on its own with a click that echoed in Eden’s head. The realization that she was in a closed room with the attractive man dawned on her.

“Nice to meet you, Eden. I’m Harry.” His voice was raspy and deep, the cells of her body vibrating to each syllable he uttered.

“Nice– “she cleared her throat as the word caught in her mouth. “Nice to meet you, too.”

Eden sat in front of the desk. The sky-blue cushion on the seat at first glance appeared uncomfortable, but as soon as her bum touched the fabric, she decided it was the most comfortable chair she’d ever had the pleasure of sitting on.

She started to get nervous when Harry did not say anything, only studied her face for a moment, before nodding to himself and opening one of the desk drawers to pull out a notepad and a Montblanc pen.

“First thing I’m going to ask you is: What are your fitness goals?”

Eden opened her mouth then closed it. “Umm. I guess to just get fit,” she said stupidly.

But he only nodded in encouragement. “Can you think of anything specific?”

“Build strength,” she leaned forward. “Endurance.”

He smiled, and she wanted to swoon at the dimple that appeared on his cheek. “Do you have a history with sports or fitness?”

“I used to dance,” she perked up. “Ballet.”

His face gave away that he was impressed, and she wanted to pat herself on the back. “You must be really flexible.”

She flushed. “Well, it’s been a while. I doubt it.”

“I guess we’ll have to work on your flexibility too, then.”

Her head snapped up, eyes locking with his. It was a fairly innocent statement and within context. But it was the tone he used. Subtle, but she didn’t miss it nor the mischievous glint in his eye. She gulped soundlessly and looked down at her leggings, pretending to pick at a loose thread.

He broke the silence. “Before I ask any more questions, are you okay with me training you? Or would you prefer a female?”

Eden’s lips rolled inward as she pondered his question. A part of her was dumbfounded at the fact that she even had to think about it. Of course she wanted to choose him. However, she promised herself no more distractions. She was there to get fit and take advantage of this free opportunity, not put herself out there for the second time only for it to crash and burn again.

“Female,” she said.

If she wasn’t watching him carefully, she would have missed the hint of disappointment on his face before it disappeared and was replaced by a look of understanding.

The rest of the consultation went by with Harry asking her a few more questions. She was getting much more comfortable and they both seemed to relax into conversation the more time went by. Harry finished off the meeting by taking her body measurements, BMI and fat percentage.

Eden later met Yaz, her personal trainer. She was a kind woman with long black hair just like hers, but it was straightened to perfection and didn’t seem to have a single split end. Harry had given his fellow trainer all the information he’d collected from Eden, and she did not waste time.

Eden was guided to an artificial turf where horizontal bars hung over their heads with different TRX ropes suspended from them. Yaz had her do basic exercises to assess what they needed to work on, but Eden could barely focus. While Yaz kept her eyes on Eden’s movements, Eden kept hers on the mirror reflection of the man who was walking around the weight area, greeting everyone. He seemed well-loved in this facility. The men greeted him like he was a future business partner, and the women tried maintaining his attention with flirty smiles. 

Yet, his attention was elsewhere. All he could think about was Eden’s thick waves and big brown eyes that gave away everything she was feeling. He wasn’t sure if she was aware of how easy it was to read her. The minute he walked into that office and laid eyes on her, he knew he was done for. Her red leggings and black sports bra left little to the imagination and he wasn’t complaining. He wanted to touch her, just to know what striking gold felt like.

Now, stopping in his tracks to watch her speak to Yaz, he caught her eye through the mirror and he couldn’t stop himself from smiling. His grin only widened when she offered a shy smile back before giving Yaz her full attention, cheeks blooming red.

He knew then that he was fucked.

***

Part 2

[geminidentitycrisis]

Fatgum x F!reader "What a Hero SHOULD do"

Whew.

You guys.

I've been gone a long while, life has been a rollercoaster, but I don't really wanna get into all that noise. Just happy to be in a good place right now.

That said, this was painful to write because I had planned the ending very differently...

I'm not officially in the bnha/mha fandom but, I just got into it recently and wanted to show some love to my favorite Pro!

Hope you guys like it!

I haven't written anything in a while, so please go easy on me...

_____________

(WARNING! Mild angst)

"Hey, Fat...can I ask you something kinda personal...?"

Fatgum glanced down at his young intern with an eyebrow raised, tilting his head in curiosity. "Huh? Oh, sure. What's on yer mind?" he gave an encouraging grin to put Kirishima at ease. The red head craned his neck to look up at his boss, his own mouth twisted into a small frown.

"Have you asked _______ on a date yet...?"

He stumbled a bit but keeps walking, caught off guard by the question, a slight blush rising to his cheeks. "Woah, where did that come from?!" he asked in return with a nervous chuckle. "Well..." Kirishima continued "You guys seem really close. The way you look at her when you see her-"

"Hahaha!" the burst of anxious laughter interrupted and Red Riot looked up at Fatgum again in confusion. "You're reading too deep into it, man! We're just friends! Heh..." Toyomitsu tried to act casually, but it wasn't working at all.

Kirishima pouted a bit, deciding to push a little harder.

"...but, I think she has feelings for you, too-" the blonde stopped walking and stared down at him, his blush growing darker and spreading across the bridge of his nose, cutting him off again. "Okay, let's change the topic, huh? Maybe we should go somewhere else for lunch..."

Eyes widening a bit, Red Riot raised both hands defensively and shook his head. "No, no! I'm sorry...I won't mention it again..." his expression became one of defeat and disappointment, shoulders slumping as he continued to walk, staring down at the sidewalk.

With an inward wince, Toyomitsu followed close behind, his own gaze dropping to the ground as well. Silence passed between the Pro and his sidekick for several minutes before Fatgum spoke up again.

"Honestly, she deserves better..." he mumbled.

This was a surprise to Kiri, his mentor was always inspirationally self-confident, it was disheartening to hear such a comment from the man he so deeply admired. He opened his mouth to argue, but stopped himself when he remembered that he had already promised to drop the subject.

He felt bad for bringing it up now.

_______ was a sweet lady, she was funny and friendly, vivacious and beautiful, generous, tough and a fantastic cook. All Kirishima wanted was to see them both happy together. When they spotted each other through the window of the diner, their eyes lit up, a smile instantly formed on their lips, they would practically start glowing.

She always ran to jump into his arms, hugging around his neck, never failing to say how she missed him. He caught her every time, hiding his face in her hair as he hugged her back and would say he had missed her too, but especially her cooking!

If that isn't true love, Kiri thought, then what is...?

They finally made it to the diner and stopped outside. Fatgum looked through the window, and when he didn't see ______ anywhere, glanced at Red Riot again with a frown. "Listen, can I count on you to keep that little conversation between us? I don't want ______ to know how I feel..."

"You're not sick, are you??" a soft voice piped up from beside Toyomitsu.

It made both of them jump, startled. Fatgum whipped his head around to see ______ standing there, instead of her pretty smile, her face was flooded with worry at the thought of her Hero being ill or injured.

The Pro forced a crooked grin as the blush returned to his cheeks. "N-no, no, I'm fine! How's it goin'...?" he stuttered weakly.

She was clearly not convinced, the concern in her bright (e/c) eyes only deepened. "C'mon...all this time we've known each other, you think I can't tell when something's bothering you...?" he started to panic a bit but Red Riot swooped in to save the day like the rising star he was.

"Aw, he just had a big breakfast, that's all...he doesn't wanna hurt your feelings if he can't finish lunch." Kirishima answered casually with a lightly teasing undertone, arms crossing over his chest. She looked from him up at Fatgum who responded to her questioning expression with a sheepish grin and shrug.

At this, her smile bloomed in place, eyes twinkling mischievously as she playfully elbowed his broad, squishy belly. "Oh, c'mon! When have you ever left here without takeout, even after filling up?! As if it matters..." she giggled, hopping up into his arms as always, chin resting on his shoulder as she nuzzled against him sweetly.

"I'm just happy you're okay...I missed you!"

Bending at the waist with his arms extended, the blonde caught her effortlessly when she hopped up for the hug, sighing and closing his eyes as he rises to his full height, squeezing the small girl gently.

"Ahh, I'm fine, I'm fine...I missed you too..."

Kirishima gave a soft smile as he watched the exchange, dropping himself into the patio chair where he always sat when they came to the diner.

When he set her down, ________ smiled from him to his sidekick. "Your food should be done soon. It's a new recipe! I hope you guys like it!" then she waved over her shoulder as she walked back inside. Exhaling softly, Fatgum turned to sit as well. He glanced over at Red Riot, blushing a bit, only for it to get worse when he notices the toothy grin he's being flashed.

"...Oh, knock it off..." the pro grumbles, arms crossing and lowering his eyes to the tabletop.

"I didn't SAY anything...~!" Kirishima taunted childishly, arms folding behind his head as he leans back and closes his own eyes. "You didn't have to, punk." Tai shot back in typical big-bro style, reaching out across the table to muss the teens perfectly sculpted hair. "Aw, quit! It takes 40 minutes to set every morning!"

Fatgum chuckled, eyes rolling.

After some minutes passed, _______ returned with another server, both carrying trays of food which they placed on the table in front of the two heroes. "Wow! It looks so good!" they said simultaneously, earning a laugh from her.

"Well, I hope you like the taste even more. It's a cheeseburger-tater-tot-casserole. Dig in!" wasting no time, Kirishima and Toyomitsu start chowing down, both groaning happily around mouthfuls of the meal and nodding in approval. "Mmm...!" _______ laughed again, giving a thumbs up.

"Glad to hear it! I'll be right back with your drinks."

She left again but came back quickly with two pitchers and a cup, putting them between their plates. "Yer an angel, _____." Fatgum said with a grin, taking one of the pitchers and starting to drink from it. Red Riot snickered quietly before sipping his own drink.

"Oh, I just remembered! Check this out!" she said cheerfully, reaching behind her neck and starting to untie her apron. Upon glancing at her and noticing this, Fatgums eyes grew wide and a dark blush pooled in his cheeks, choking slightly on the ice water. "...?!"

Kiri froze, his eyes getting big as well and blushing slightly.

She dropped the top, revealing...

A tank top. With a picture of a sombrero. It said "If you don't like TACOS, I'm NACHO type"

Red Riot started laughing, covering his eyes with a hand as he tipped back his head. "Cute, right?!" she asked enthusiastically, looking from one to the other. Smiling weakly, Fatgum gave a slow nod. "It's great...really clever..." he wondered if steam would rise off him if he poured the rest of the water down his neck.

"Yeah, I knew I had to have it when I saw it. Anyway," she started to fix her apron again. "I'll let you guys finish eating. Let me know if you need boxes and your takeout oughtta be done before you get done with those. Enjoy!" with that, she walked off.

The blonde watched over his shoulder as she left before sliding his plate out of the way, folding his arms on the table and burying his face in them.

Grinning, Kiri nudged his foot under the table. "DON'T. SAY. A WORD." this reply only got him to laugh again, head shaking as he resumed eating. "Whatever you say, boss..." the red head hummed.

Between them, they were able to clear their dishes, waiting by the front door for the takeout, both content and full of tasty food. "Alright, guys. Here ya go! I'm glad you liked lunch, lemme know when you wanna try it again." Tai smiled down at her when she came out, taking the bags gratefully. "Yeah, definitely. Will do!"

______ hugged Kirishima tightly, pulling him down to place a kiss on his forehead, surprising him and making him blush faintly since she hadn't done it before. "Be safe, young man, you hear me?" she demanded. He answered with a broad smile and a nod. "Gotcha!"

"Ooh, do I get one of those?" Fatgum asked half jokingly, blushing too. Some color rose up on her cheeks as well, giving him a warm smile as she reached up for the BMI hero.

He put down the food to pick her up again for another hug, chuckling softly when she pressed a tender kiss against his cheek. "Aw, that was sweet!" Kirishima called up to them, earning a swift kick to the ass. "Ow! Hey!" the red head complained, rubbing the spot.

He set her down carefully with a deep sigh. She didn't let go of his arms and he looked at her in confusion. "Please be careful out there, Taishiro...I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you..." he grinned, placing a hand on her head. "I will. I'll be back before ya know it!"

She pressed herself into his tummy, coming nowhere close to being able to wrap her arms around him but she gives him her best hug anyway. The pro didn't have to look at his intern to know he was smirking smugly. He hugged her back before stepping away to grab his bags again. "Well...see ya, _____."

He waved, smiling, then turned so they could head back out. They only took a few steps before Fatgum stopped and glanced back at her over his shoulder.

She was still there, offering another small smile and wave of goodbye.

"C'mon, man! Just go for it! You TOTALLY got this!" Kiri urged desperately. But he was still hesitant. It wasn't an issue of his own self-confidence, but his career. He was so busy that he would hardly have time for you, and the way Toyomitsu saw it, you deserved to be waited on hand-and-foot.

He dreamed about being with you, which meant his worst nightmare would be a villain or criminal using you as leverage against him. It was best to leave things the way they are. It's what he SHOULD do.

A real Hero isn't so selfish as to put their own desires ahead of the safety of those they cherish, he reminded himself. With a heavy heart, he forced a smile to hide the pain and waved back before looking down at the ground and sighing, eyes closing slowly.

"...I just...can't...

[airi-p4]

Ice Dreams - Chapter 2

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | …

Header art is traditional art drawn by me about one year ago - Full pic HERE.

Summary

Despite being very talented and loving to skate, Marinette is determined to quit Figure Skating after the lack of decent results and the great amount of stress and pressure on her shoulders.

On the other hand, Juleka and Luka are average skaters in pairs category who, after years of hard work, have finally started showing some good results. But suddenly, Juleka is forced to retire, leaving Luka at the verge of retirement because of his need for a partner.

Can Juleka convince Luka and Marinette to give figure skating a second chance? Can they form a bond strong enough to reach the top and accomplish their dreams? Could something more than partnership spark between them?

AO3

________________________________

CHAPTER 2: Luka

“C’mon, Juleka,” Luka said, finishing his warm up on the ice rink. “Today we’ll nail it! Are you read-”

*PLOF*

A sudden sound startled him: it was Juleka, his sister, who fell flat on the ice floor.

“Juleka! Hey! Can you hear me?” Luka panicked, rushing to check on her. She wasn’t moving. “Someone! Call an ambulance, NOW!”

___________________________

‘I can’t believe I didn’t notice,’ he thought, sinking between his shoulders. ‘I knew how she was getting more and more thin everyday, I noticed how her weight was lighter. I thought it was because I got stronger. I thought it was her make-up or her clothes. How come I couldn’t notice how light she weighs? Why couldn’t I help her earlier? Why did she have to end up in the hospital? Why am I such a failure as a brother? As a partner… After everything she’s given to me...’

‘Now’s my time to be there for her. This needs to stop’

“Juleka! You’re up!” Luka called, back from his thoughts when the sheets of her hospital bed moved and she slowly opened her eyes.

“What happened? Where…? What happened with practice…? Did I fail a jump...?” The girl asked, still numb. Luka moved his hand to press check on her and call for the nurse.

“No Juleka, you didn’t fall. You fainted” he explained, as the nurse entered the room to check on her.

“Fainted!? Why?” Juleka yelled, and was shushed by the nurse.

“Look. I’m sorry I didn’t notice earlier… It’s my fault”

Luka sighed regretfully and Juleka blinked at him. “Notice what…?”

“Juleka, listen: you’ve been diagnosed with an eating disorder” he said, and she gasped. “I know you’ve always been a picky eater but this… THIS is too much. Your BMI is too low... Look at you. You’ve lost so much weight! You need to stop dieting and eat properly” The nurse nodded and Luka nodded back as she left the room. Juleka’s mouth was still open in surprise.

“I… But I need to look thin… like the other girls… like all those great skaters…”

“No, Juleka, you don’t need to look thin, you need to be healthy. And you shouldn’t be a skater anymore if you can’t do that. From now on, I want you to focus on getting your weight back, on getting healthy again. You looked prettier before, Juleka. Don’t let stupid social standards decide how you should be or look like. Just be yourself. You know mom and I will always love you no matter how you look”

“But I do it for myself, not for others! I like myself more when I’m thinner… look at me, at all this fat. How can anyone say they like it? How could the judges like it? I’m hating it myself!” she cried.

“Well, I like it.” His words were honest and straight. “And I think most boys and girls or people in general would prefer that too.”

“You don’t understand!” she insisted. “I have to-”

“I do understand” He cut her. “You are ill. Your judgement is biased. You can’t see the reality. Do you want to be only bones? Do you want to die? Because I don’t want you to. That’s why I need you to promise me you’ll stay in the hospital until you’re healthy again.”

Juleka’s body jolted in shock. “What!? But, Luka! Our competitions! The skating! We finally made it to internationals this year...! I need to do it, for you too!”

“No. No more competitions or skating for you, Juleka. It’s your time to retire. Mom has already submitted your resignation to the Ice Skating Federation. You can’t skate anymore. You need to rest and get better, and to find a way to recover from your eating disorder”

“But Luka, what about you? You've worked so hard! We finally got a high enough score to get into international competitions. I can’t leave you alone now! What about your dream?” she insisted.

“That’s not as important as you are for me, Jules. I want you to be yourself again” he caressed his sister’s hair softly. “I’m sorry I didn’t notice earlier… I wish I could have helped you… I know you wanted to help me with lifts and my poor endurance and I was too focused on scoring that I couldn’t notice how these feelings were killing you from the inside. I don’t deserve to be called your partner”

“No, Luka. It was me who kept dragging you down! I can’t land my jumps because I weigh too much. I can’t jump high because of it either. It’s a miracle we made it to so far”

“You did amazing, Juleka. You really did and I’m grateful. But now: no more competition for you or for me either. It’s over. Time to find another goal. Both of us” he affirmed.

“No! Luka, even if I don’t compete, you should continue! Find another partner! Many girls would love to work with you! You definitely can accomplish your dream. You just need a more suited partner than me” The purple haired girl stubbornly continued.

“That’s impossible, you know that” Luka remained calm, closed his eyes and let an ironic snicker out. “I don’t get along with other people, I can’t bond with them. Girls? Boys? No matter what you do they always badmouth you about everything. Pure hearted people like you don’t exist, Juleka. I can’t team up with anyone else”

“Luka… But-!”

“This conversation is over” he cut her again, standing up and checking his phone. “I’m going to talk to the doctor and get you something to eat. Mom will be here by midday”

"Wait-"

*Knock knock*

________________________

“Juleka?” Luka checked the room. “Oh your friend already left? How are you? Did you eat everything?”

“Yes…” Her brother could see through her lie.

“Really? What’s this, then?” he pointed at the apple under her pillow

“Ah-”

“You need to eat this apple too, you won’t get healthy otherwise...” Luka said, holding the fruit to peel and cut it for her.

“I know but…” she mumbled.

“This is not a game. It’s serious, Jules” He insisted, offering a piece of apple close to her mouth. “Please…?“

Juleka turned her face away, disgusted. “No. Keep skating”

“We’ve already discussed this. No more skating. You need to get well. Eat” Luka frowned his eyebrows.

“I wasn’t talking about me. I was talking about YOU. I don’t want you to give up your dream...”

“You know I can’t skate with anyone else, Jules. Girls hate me. And I hate them. The best is to quit and focus on taking care of you” Luka insisted with the apple and his sister turned her face away again, using her hand to set his hand and the apple aside.

“But Luka! I found someone willing to be your partner, “ she informed. “You just need to give her a chance. To give pairs skating a second chance. Please…? For me…?”

“You know I can’t do that. It’s settled. I’m resigning tomorrow. The papers are ready and-” his hand moved closer again.

“But you don’t want to quit! I know you don’t! Just like Marinette doesn’t really want to quit either!” she yelled, and Luka blinked at her friend’s name.

“Marinette?”

“Yes, Marinette! We used to compete together when I skated in singles. We’ve been friends since then, even though she always won and I was good for nothing… She’s kind and talented. She has a pure heart, Luka. Just like yours.”

“I remember her,” he recalled. “Not much, but I remember how beautiful her skate was. She is far too talented to be interested in switching to pairs”

“She’s going to quit otherwise” Juleka affirmed.

“No way”

“I’m not joking” If it wasn’t for her conviction, he wouldn’t have believed her. “I think she really doesn’t want to quit, but she is determined to. Just like you don’t want to quit either. You just need to find balance in yourselves and you could be an incredible team. You just need to give her a chance…”

There was a moment when Luka seemed to consider the offer, but he cut his thoughts off. “... No. I can’t, Juleka. We came this far together. I can’t keep all the credit alone. C’mon, eat this for me”

“No” she refused again. “I’m not going to eat unless you give it another chance.”

“Juleka, stop being childish. You’re 15”

“I’m not asking much, Luka. Just one try. I beg you!” she slammed her hands on the bed. And stared at Luka with teary eyes, desperate to the boy’s surprise. “I want you to skate for me too…”

Luka found himself staring into Juleka’s eyes and how serious she was. It was more than rare for her to act this selfishly, so he ended up giving in to her request.

“Ok, one chance.” he sighed. “But you’re eating this apple right now”

“Ugh… Ok… For you… and for Marinette…” she let her mouth open for Luka to feed her the apple at last.

“Good girl” Luka smiled, relieved, despite his sister’s disgusted eating face.

‘One more chance, huh...?’

[sapphirewolf1122]

¡¿Por Qué Eres tan Flaco?! (Why Are You So Skinny)

Request/Summary: Fatgum/Reader fic where Reader owns a Latin restaurant that Fatgum frequents and reader sees him in skinny form and pretty much yanks him into her restaurant and holds him captive at a table that she fills with food for him and she pretty much mother hens him and by the end of it he's just like "marry me"

Word Count: 1,268

A/N: So this was a request by @gemstoneconstellations that I finally got around to; sorry for the long wait, hermana. Thank you to @crazythypoon for helping me with the translation, as well as your patience and encouragement. Also, this takes place in the Vigilante timeline; idk why I chose to do that, it just felt right. 

~~~~~~~~

Propping open your restaurant door, you started setting up the sign that listed your special of the day. Today, you were offering pernil relleno con mofongo with a choice of either maduros or arroz con gandules for a side. 

When you’d first decided to move to Japan and open a borinquen restaurant, most of your family had had their doubts and strongly discouraged you. Even you half-expected to be returning home after barely a year with your tail between your legs. But the response had been a lot better than anybody thought it could be; it helped that you had no problems learning the language. You had to admit though, your success wouldn’t have been half as great if it weren’t for your star customer. 

Right now, you were working on getting your liquor license. When it came time for the holidays this year, you wanted to be able to sell some coquito. You were even looking into getting some moonshine from home...God, you missed Puerto Rican moonshine. 

You also had some recipes you wanted to try out, but those you would run by your favorite customer. He’s been your biggest supporter since coming here and you liked to test dishes on him. But you hadn’t seen him in a while…

As a hero, it wasn’t abnormal for Fat Gum to seemingly disappear for days at a time. But you still worry, him being the brawler that he is. Last you heard, he was helping with some sort of investigation. Something about the instant-villain drug that had been circulating recently.

Sighing, you stood outside your shop, hands on your hips. Scanning the crowd, you started wondering whether to send out the cart today. The weather was good for it. Plus, it might be a good way to check up on Fat...ugh, perhaps you were obsessing too much. It’s not like you were his girlfriend…

Shaking your head at yourself, you turned to go back inside and tell your employees to prep the cart but the sight of someone stopped you.

Walking towards the shop was a man covered in bandages in a yellow hoodie, reminiscent of Fat Gum’s; it even had the signature black F and G on the bottom. In fact, with the mask, hair color, and the fact that he was currently munching on takoyaki, you almost thought it was Fat. 

Except he was too skinny. Everyone knew that Fat Gum’s quirk was fat absorption, so he had to keep his body fat percentage high. This also meant he had a pretty big appetite. The amount of times he had caused you to sell out from just a single visit…

Yes, there was no way this was Fat...he would have had to expel a great deal of energy in order to reveal his skinny form...but he was known to be a brawler…

The man had caught sight of you and, with a large smile, waved at you. Your eyes widened in horror.

Before you knew what was happening, you were running towards the hero, yelling at the top of your lungs.

"¡¿Que carajaro le paso a tu goldura bello! ¡¿Quien te hizo esto?! ¡Estas tan desperdiciado! Como pudiste ser tan inconsiderado de ti mismo. Tenias que venir directo a donde mi, te hubiera volvido a tu ser usual en menos nada! Esto es lo que te pasa cuando te pones a peliar en vez de defender, idiota. Ven te voy a dar tanta comida que nunca mas vas a poder volver flaco otra vez! Como pudiste dejar que esto pasara... " 

As you approached, Fat froze, out of shock or fear, you weren’t sure. “___, you okay? I can’t understand you, you’re not speaking Japanese. What’s wrong? Why aren’t you using your quirk?”

Your quirk was languages. After listening to a native speaker only a few times, you were able to speak the language perfectly yourself. It’s how you managed to get by in a whole new country. But when you got angry, you lost control and reverted to your own native language.

Once you’d reached the hero, you started inspecting him, poking at the large hoodie. Not a bit of fat left...in fact it was all muscle...shaking your head, you glared up at Fat Gum, momentarily regaining control of your quirk. “What happened?”

He shrugged, which only infuriated you more. “I told you I had a mission and the situation called for the full extent of my quirk. And before you say anything about brawling, there was a bomb; I had to absorb the explosion before people got hurt.”

The next part came out with a chuckle. “Y’know, I don’t think I’ve ever heard your accent so thickly before…your quirk normally masks it so well.”

Scowling, you replied, “That’s because you’ve never seen me angry before. ¡Vamos!”

With that, you grabbed him and started dragging him into your restaurant, grumbling the whole time.

"Idiota, te tienes que cuidar mas. ¡¿Y si un villano te encuentra asi! AHH!?, estarias indefenso ."

You ignored the bystanders gaping at you; they seemed to know better than to interfere though. There was something about an angry boricua that made others cringe in fear. Even Fat Gum accepted what was happening and stopped struggling. 

Once inside, you started barking orders at your employees. 

“Start preparing everything on the menu. And I mean everything! I want alcapurrias, todas las empanadas, sorullitos, emparedados, bacalaitos, tostones, las entradas y postres también! ¡Ahora!”

Knowing better than to argue with you, your staff got to it. Placing Fat Gum at a table in the back, you told him to stay, whether in Japanese or Spanish, you weren’t sure. But he seemed to get the message. With a stern nod, you waved one of your waiters over to get his drink order. While they did that, you went and closed the door, locking it. No one was coming in until you got this sorted. 

With that, you rushed into the kitchen, putting up your hair and grabbing your apron. You were going to make sure your gordo precioso was going to get the best there was out of this restaurant. 

You served him all of his favorites and more. You started with the aperitivos, then onto las entradas. You swelled with pride at the look on his face when you brought out the pernil relleno con mofongo. This wasn’t a special you served normally. You also went all out with arroz con gandules and arroz amarillo con habichuelas. 

After that, you moved onto desserts. Guava cakes, bizcocho de batata borinquen, flan in almost every flavor, tembleque, arroz con coco; even guava empanadas. 

It was hours before you finally stopped bringing out food. Watching as he finished the last of the desserts, you nodded in approval. He was finally looking like his proper self. 

“Feeling better, Fat Gum?” Though still kind of thick, your accent had lessened considerably now that you’d managed to regain full control of your quirk.

The BMI hero looked up at you, his usual large grin back on his face. “Greatly. And please ___, call me Taishiro, even Toshi.”

Your mouth dropped open. “B-but I thought first names were reserved for those close to you in Japanese culture. Forget nicknames.”

“Yes. And you have definitely earned that right. In fact, ___,  I have a very important question to ask you.” The grin suddenly disappeared from his face as he stood up, towering over you. But you didn’t have time to process the look before he suddenly dropped to one knee, his big hands grabbing hold of one of yours, practically making it disappear. .

“Will you marry me?”

Wait...what?!

~~~~~~~

A/N2: Please note that I though I was able to do the foods and such on my own, I had help with the large translations. Here are the English translations as I originally wrote them; the foods you can either ask me or Google. 

-  What the hell happened to your beautiful fat? Who did this to you?! You look wasted away! How could you be so reckless?! You should have come straight to me, I would have gotten you back to your normal self in no time...this is what you get for being a brawler...you’re coming with me, you idiot. I’m going to feed you and make it so you’ll never be skinny again. That you could let such a thing happen…

-  Idiot, you need to take care of yourself. What if a villain caught you like this, huh? You’d be defenseless…

Thank you for reading!

[asocier]

an in-depth health condition headcanon post

cw: contains mentions of mental illness/mental health, trauma, eating disorder, depression, suicide, and anxiety -- ask to tag. 

alison clair, 24, female.

           unspecified feeding or eating disorder ( undiagnosed ) -- exhibits behaviors such as restrictive intake of food, a disturbed self-perception of her body, and lack of interest in regards to eating, but overall eating behaviors “do not meet the full criteria for any of the disorders in the feeding and eating disorders diagnostic class” ( DSM-5; p.354 ), particularly because these behaviors do not typically persist for more than 3 months at a time and because alison is within normal body weight according to bmi measures. however, it is important to note that alison has a history of disordered eating behaviors stemming from her high school years, even if these behaviors do not usually last consistently for months at a time. 

          post-traumatic stress disorder ( undiagnosed ) -- exhibits a variety of symptoms both presently and in the past immediately following her sexual assault and forced prostitution such as:

reoccuring, distressing dreams related to the traumatic events she has experienced and intense psychological distress and physiological reactions at internal/external cues that are related to or remind her of her traumatic experiences

active avoidance of "distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely associated with the traumatic event(s)” and “external reminders ( people, places, conversations, activities, objects, situations ) that arouse distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely associated with the traumatic event(s)” ( DSM-5; p. 271 )

 negative changes in mood and cognition after experiencing the traumatic events, such as dissociative amnesia ( i.e. the inability to remember an important aspect of a traumatic events ), self-blame due to distorted cognition regarding the causes of the traumatic events, persistent negative emotional states ( e.g. shame, fear, guilt ), significant diminished interest in activities she originally enjoyed, and feeling of detachment and estrangement from others. 

hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, problems with concentration, and sleep disturbance ( notably difficulties falling asleep and staying asleep )

          it’s important to note that immediately following traumatic events ( 3 days to 1 month ), these symptoms would be classified as acute stress disorder. due to how long it has been since alison has experienced the traumatic events in her life, post-traumatic stress disorder is more appropriate, particularly because she continues to experience theses symptoms in present time. 

           genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder ( undiagnosed ) -- acquired ( “the disturbance began after a period of relatively normal sexual function” [ DSM-5, p.437 ] ) and mild in severity. symptoms include difficulties having sexual intercourse, pain during penetration, anxiety over vaginal penetration, and tension of the pelvic floor muscle. tension of the pelvic floor muscle can be a reflexive spasm ( i.e. vaginismus ) or, in alison’s case, “normal/voluntary muscle guarding in response to the anticipated or the repeated experience of pain or to fear or anxiety” ( DSM-5; p. 438 ). penetration in the latter case may be possible when she is relaxed and at ease with her partner. 

nate cain, 26, male. 

          reactive attachment disorder ( childhood; diagnosed ) -- exhibited emotionally withdrawn behavior towards adult caregivers, specifically not seeking comfort when distressed and being unresponsive to any comfort given when distressed. persistent social and emotional disturbances include limited positive affect and minimal social and emotional responsiveness to others. has experienced a pattern of extremes or insufficient care, including social neglect in the form of not having basic emotional needs met by caregivers, frequent change in primary caregivers, and being raised in unusual settings that make forming attachments difficult ( e.g. institutions with high child-to-caregiver ratios ). 

          disinhibited social engagement disorder ( childhood; diagnosed ) -- actively approached and interacted with unfamiliar adults with reduced reticence, did not check back in with adult caregiver after going off by himself, and was very willing to leave with unfamiliar adults with little hesitation. note, this is not due solely to impulsivity but also socially disinhibited behavior. these behaviors began after receiving insufficient care as described in the earlier bullet point ( i.e. social neglect, frequent change in primary caregivers, and being reared in unusual settings ). 

          oppositional defiant disorder ( diagnosed ) -- displays an angry/irritable mood ( loses temper often, easily annoyed, and is often angry ) and argumentative/defiant behavior ( often argues with authority figures or adults, defies or refuses to follow requests of authority figures or adhere to rules ) to individuals who are not siblings. oppositional defiant disorder is prevalent in families in which “child care is disrupted by a succession of different caregivers or in families in which harsh, inconsistent, or neglectful child-rearing practices are common” ( DSM-5, p. 464 ) and is commonly co-occurring with the next bullet point, conduct disorder.

          conduct disorder ( diagnosed ) -- childhood-onset type; exhibits a repetitive pattern of behaviors in which the basic rights of others is violated as manifested through the following ( all bullet points are pulled directly from the DSM-5 ):

often bullies, threatens, or intimidates others 

often initiates physical fights

has been physically cruel to people

has forced someone into sexual activity

often stays out at night despite parental prohibitions, beginning before age 13 

has run away from home overnight at least twice while living in the parental or parental surrogate home, or once without returning for a lengthy period

is often truant from school, beginning before age 13

the disturbance in behavior causes clinically significant impairment in social, academic, or occupational functioning.

           bipolar II disorder ( diagnosed; medicated ) -- exhibits both hypomanic and major depressive episodes. hypomanic episodes are distinctly different from manic episodes specific to bipolar I disorder such that hypomanic episodes are not as intense as full-blown manic episodes and do not impair social or occupational functioning as would a manic episode. additionally, individuals with bipolar II disorder typically spend more time in a depressive episode than a hypomanic episode. as such, nate experiences depressive symptoms for much longer than his hypomanic symptoms. it’s also typical for him to experience a period of normal mood in between each episode.  

          symptoms of a hypomanic episode include: elevated mood, increased activity and energy, irritability, inflated self-esteem/grandiosity, decreased need for sleep, increase in goal-directed activity, psychomotor agitation ( e.g. tapping foot, pacing room ), and impulsive/reckless involvement in dangerous or risky activities. 

          symptoms of a major depressive episode include: depressed mood for most of the day almost every day, diminished interest/enjoyment in most activities, hypersomnia  ( excessive sleepiness ), fatigue and energy loss, feelings or worthlessness, difficulties concentrating, and suicidal ideation. 

leah nguyen, 20, female.

          generalized anxiety disorder ( undiagnosed ) -- exhibits signs of excessive worry and anxiety on most days about a variety of events or activities. the worry is difficult to control and is associated with feelings of being on edge/restlessness, fatigue, muscle tension, and sleep disturbance, specifically difficulties falling asleep and unsatisfying sleep. the anxiety causes significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning, and oftentimes has a longer duration than everyday anxiety and usually occurs “without precipitants,” meaning with no prior cause. to elaborate, leah’s anxiety prevents her from engaging in certain social activities and from taking on new opportunities regarding school or work. she spends a lot of her time worry about a lot of things and sometimes decides to stick to what is comfortable than to venture out even if it is severely limiting to her and ostracizes her from her peers. 

          lactose intolerance ( undiagnosed ) -- possesses a mild inability to fully digest the lactose in milk. condition is still very manageable as symptoms only become evident after consuming an abundance of foods containing dairy. discomfort usually manifests in the form of cramps, nausea, gas, and bloating. a severe reaction can lead to diarrhea or vomiting. 

aito matsuoka, 26, male. 

          caffeine withdrawal ( undiagnosed ) -- has established prolonged daily use of caffeine in the form of coffee consumption. lack of or reduced caffeine consumption can result in the following within 24 hours:

headache

fatigue or drowsiness

irritability

difficulty concentration

nausea

[flowerslightning]

Wanna be a Game Character?

And now, who's up for a physical torture??

Inspired from Saitama's 100 days challenge, since this will only be for ' 7 ' weeks only, Im gonna name this workout challenge as "TIFA LOCKHART WORKOUT".

I like Lightning Farron more, but she has a God-like power. While Tifa is an ordinary girl who train her body to be in the same level as the hero. So I use her name for this workout. Besides, I want to have what she has - the agility, power and speed.

I.. Have.. No.. Idea.. My weight .. Has .. Increased.. A lot 😂😂😂 no wonder why I feel my body is heavier than usual. I didnt train a muscle during the quarantine and the last time I trained seriously with my coach was in January and then my intern shift interrupted most of my training seasons.

I got scolded by my coach for being weak and unmotivated today 😂😂 and today was be the last time I saw him bfore moving 500km away from my hometown bcause of this intern for 7 weeks. I need to get back to my usual figure before meeting him again.

Disclaimer : I'm not a coach nor someone who has knowledge in nutrition. I once used this method to reduce 8 kg in a very short amount of time for my sparring tournament and it worked (but previously the workout was a lot more intense than this). And my weight maintained for several years, not until my sleeping schedule got crazy from the past 6 months and I have to stay indoors 24hrs and eat midnight snacks almost everyday and 0 hrs of exercise for 3 months straight.

Hah-hah.

★Tifa Lockhart Workout★

Tifa has light build, superb strength, slim but fit figure, high agility and speed. She has abs but not the 6 pack type and her female appeal still maintained. A body where lots of women admire. While genetic does play a huge role in a person's body, but I believe Tifa does not have restricted diet but still train herself intensely. This workout should be light and easy to follow (well at least for me it is easy).

So, overall, the main objective is to regain power and speed. Which I assume I can achieve this by loosing weight and increase muscle endurance through out the 7 weeks self train. I will focus more on full body workout which involves cardio and strength exercises. [Pls note that I hate dumbbells and dislike gym. I like cardio and love pushups and plank]. So, this workout is really simple but effective (for me) and may torture ur mental a bit. It doesnt need equipment (but u need a jump rope)

★ Ready to go? Lets check the schedule first

F - Fasting | INT F - Intermittent Fasting

I will give myself 2 days rest to allow my body to heal. I have extra time doing the weekends, so I will push myself to do more workout. Doing the selected days, I will try to spend at least 2 hrs for weekdays and weekends at least 3 hrs.

★ Move on to the diet

I'm not a foodie person. So I can survive a day without eating heavy meal while still being active. I choose Mon and Thu to fast, and Tue, Wed, Sat for intermittent fasting. Fri and Sun are my super 👻 cheat days. And dont forget to drink ur water 3L/day. I like to add a few slices of lemon in to my plain water for no proper reason. I just like to watch the lemon floating inside my bottle 😂

Rice is our main dish and we often have it during breakfast, lunch and dinner. Rice is a form of high carbs, so Im gonna cut it completely from my diet, along with bar chocolates, sweet drinks, candies while still eating breads and cookies, less intake of salty snack and more in protein and fruits. And the rest, Im gonna eat it like usual but in smaller portion- noodle, kuey teow, oden, mee, oatmeal, etc.. Will be away from home for 7 weeks though, I'm a cheapstake to myself so I dont really spend money on food 😂

And i dont take any extra supplement. I hate drugs..

★ And here's what the activity will look like

Dont forget to do warm up! We usually rope jump for half an hour before stretching.

Since my only problem is my weight increased and I feel my muscle endurance reduced, I will immediately start at Level 3, then jump to Level 5 and then to Level 10. Im not an expert though, I just like to push myself to my limit and see how far I can still proceed.

If ure new to any type of exercise, pls try to do this activity level by level. Increase ur level every 2 weeks. Eg - Level 1 rpt 10x push up, 10 mins rope jumping, 1km jogging for the first 2 weeks | Level 2 rpt 20x push up, 20 mins rope jumping, 2km joggin for the next 2 weeks | Level 3 - and so on. Make sure to have 5-3mins rest before doing the next activity.

Agility workout aint fun without a partner, for me, at least. But, yeah, none of my female intern friends like sweat 🙃 so I have to train agility.all.by.my.self. (or probably will skip it and change to strength workout) Hmmm

Friendly reminder : Do it slowly but constantly. If u cant finish the 10x burpees, u can rest 2-3 mins every 5x. No need to push ur self too hard. Unless if ure stubborn like me, then have it ur way. Do this at ur own risk.

As a summary to this challenge ;

Right now, I am 166cm tall and 56kg. Perfect BMI u may say, but I feel heavy, unlike when I was only 54-52kg. Besides, I'm in class B sparring tournament. Cant let my weight be more than 54kg and less than 50

☆ Mission : Reduce weight - From 56kg to 51kg

☆ Objective : Regain strength, speed and muscle endurance

☆ Workout focuses : Full body workout - Cardio + Strength

☆ Time limitation : 7 Weeks

Keep in mind that this is not about trying to be like Tifa Lockhart, but instead, u may have abs and lean muscle like her through this workout (depends on ur genetic, routine and diet). If u want to reduce weight and bcome light like how I want it to be, then this simple exercise is for u.

Alright, that's it. Feel free to join my 7 weeks challenge ! If u participate in this challenge, do tell me ur result and ur experience. I'm eager to listen to ur story 😆😆

I will be in hiatus for 7 weeks straight. Was told the internet line at the village clinic is horrible. So, will come back on 23rd August. See ya guy later ! 🤗

[glentwj]

Wearable devices and the measurement of self (against others) (Glen Tan)

Crawford, Lingel & Karppi (2015) posit that wearable self-tracking devices and weight scales enable users a form of self-knowledge and agentic control through external measurements of their data. That is, data that reflect one’s weight or sleeping patterns is not only a quantifiable indication, but they also provide feedback to users such that they can regulate their daily activities to improve their lifestyle. However, in measuring individuals’ personal data, self-tracking devices use these information to sell to parent or third party data companies to market their products. In return, users are only provided with a small fraction of the data from the wealth of data fed to these devices, and they have no control over how the data is used. In doing so, individuals who wear these trackers are also unknowingly compared to others on a scale and measured against the biometrics of a ‘normal’ person. As such, the authors question the reliability of this comparison because what is ‘normal’ is subjective as people have different physical configurations. This statistical comparison around the ‘ideal weight’ could entail harmful implications when one’s weight deviates from normalcy. Such devices are also not entirely accurate because they may not capture rigorous activities like “cycling” when one is in fact working out. 

This reading relates to my experience of purchasing the Xiaomi Smart Scale. Tracking my weight on the smart scale does not merely provide a numerical value as in traditional weighing scales, but a platform where boundaries are blurred between public and private surveillance. Since I use the Xiaomi band and the weighing scale to track my daily habits, they allow me to connect to the ‘Mi Fit’ app which analyses my exercise activities, my body fat percentage, BMI, and weight – while comparing to other users of the device. The app that highlighted my weight gain of 1.60 kg and my weight being lighter than 46% of users are implicit reminders for me to keep my weight in check so as not to veer too far off from the ‘ideal’. Having this mediated self-knowledge from the wearable device and the weight scale, I agree with the authors that they confer a certain agency on my part to embark on a better lifestyle. This is especially so, since there is an entire sociality of knowledge, where our private data is constructed in relation to the standards of the community. In this regard, while I take this particularised knowledge as the self-evident truth of accuracy, it not only confers a “social and individual discipline” on part, but also leads to an increased internalized surveillance on everything my body chooses to undertake. 

Additionally, I agree that there is an “inherently uneven exchange” where users provide more data than they receive, while not having full information of how our data is stored and used. While we have given our consent to Xiaomi to share our data with other users, we are not privy to how these data are used by Xiaomi to be sold as valuable information. As such, since there is a lack of full transparency to users, users like myself are implicitly exploited from constantly engaging in free labour and by generating free data for these capitalist-driven companies. 

[sukunas-play-thing]

Could i request... fatgum with a quirkless s/o?

((Absolutely Anon bean! I'm hella freakin sorry for the loooooooooong ass wait I had a very very bad case of writers block but this new years I will upload any and all other Requests I received tonight to make up for this. Pls enjoy! I made it a scenario the song "Let Me Be Your Superhero" by Smash Into Pieces was the inspiration for this fic. is female since the gender wasn't specified. ))

//Fatgum: Taishiro Toyomitsu with a quirkless and shy reader//

Word count: 8022

Warnings: swearing, slight nsfw, blood, near death experience.

Taishiro was many things. A kind, sweet, understanding and down to earth individual. Never miss a beat for anniversaries, never shouted at you. Always had a calm demeanor around you.

Hell if he could give you the sun if you asked for it. He would. Your banter would leave people on the sidelines second guessing their own existence, but one thing was for certain. They knew the BMI hero had fallen utterly in love with you.

He'd laugh everytime he'd make even the slightest innuendo. Watch as your face contorted to that of a scowl (not an angry one!) And hide your blush that crept along your skin.

Waiting for him to come home usually was the hard part for you. Worrying every second of everyday for him to walk through that door with food or gifts that he'd unabashedly give you. Sometimes it consisted of you're favorite foods, movies, drinks, some sexy lingerie that complimented every curve, and dip of your thighs. Accentuating your hips and ass. The man lavished you as if you were royalty.

You never would miss a chance to surprise him with gifts. On his days off you both would compromise date ideas, some days you'd go out on the town dressed up, dance and eat. Other times you both would stay home and cook delicious food, occasionally throwing food at one another or feeding food to each other. There were times of heartache, his recent fight with a villain left him in his thin form. When you had visited him in the hospital you brought him takoyaki.

His face went from solemn to the widest grin you'd ever see. "I was. So worried about you."

You hadn't meant to say this out loud

But seeing him so worn and beat broke your heart, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear he reached out to you. Taking your small hand into his rather large calloused ones. Stroking the back as if he were holding porcelain.

Without uttering a word he'd brought you to his hospital bed and sitting you on his lap. Taking one arm to wrap around your frame, the other tucking itself under your legs so you'd be sitting sideways on his lap. This moment was met with no words just you and Taishiro and your quiet sobs. Holding your head in the crook if his neck while he shushed you. Cradling you, playing with your hair.

"I- I am not sure how much I can take Tai." You wailed. "What if one day you don't come home? What if-." You hiccuped. Clutching his hospital shirt for dear life and shaking violently.

"What if.. What if one day I have to cone here.. And identity your body!?"

Tai shuddered at the thought, shaking his head he wanted to speak out against such horrible words, to comfort and tell you everything will be okay. That he's okay. But he knows better than that.

He opted to just sitting there, let it you cry it all out. Because right now, he's alive and your alive to him that's all that mattered.

~~

((Please listen to Let me be your hero by Smash into pieces))

The only time you'd see him angry. Well, the rest is history.

It was a hot Saturday evening, sun was setting, the sounds of the bustling city echoing off buildings. People minding their own business, traffic tight as usual. Nothing out of the ordinary.

You sighed checking the clock on your phone. *"We'll it seems I'll be really late coming home to cook dinner."*

Few more minutes had passed and you were finally on the highway to head home, you heard sirens in the distance, looking at your review mirror to figure out where it was coming from you heard a horn from a large vehicle, right as you looked back towards the sound. You were struck hard by another vehicle that was coming from your left down a wrong way. Reflexively you moved your arm to shield your face from oncoming glass debris. You felt your car violently roll toward your right. Everything was Slow motion. Trying to get your bearings together. Even though your car was practically rolling down the road you had just driven on. Your car finally came to a stop, but it had been rolled upside down. Your body had been pinned between your seat and the dash that connected your wheel. It felt as if you'd lost consciousness, your vision blurred back and you were trying to get your surroundings together. You looked out your windshield that was mostly broken, feeling the wind coming through. You seen the vehicle that had hit you, it was just sitting there sirens still in the background you silently prayed it was all an accident and the person responsible would peer out.

But they never did. Soon the car engine had started back up and you could see a silhouette looking right back At you.

You getting hit was an accident, but the person behind the wheel was a villain trying to run from the police. And currently, your upturned vehicle was in their way.

You began to panic. Your hands rushing to pop the seatbelt and get out of this Pile of metal. But the seatbelt had jammed, you tried moving the steering wheel but no avail. Your eyes clouded and you felt hot tears spill as your heart rate increased upon hearing the vehicle rev multiple times.

"HELP. SOMEBODY HELP ME. PLEASE. " the vehicle began to move, tires burning as it picked up speed, hearing the gears be corrected. The vehicle was coming at you with full speed. Wiggling, banging your hands you tried desperately to get out of the way. Blood spilling from your head when you'd hit it upon impact. A Quirk would have been very helpful right about now

The first thought that came to mind was Tai. How his smile lit up the room everywhere he went. Laughing with him. Kissing him. Seeing him in the hospital.

You cried, and screamed thinking this was the end. Remembering your conversation before hand. Guess you were the one to not come home.

You seen a flash of yellow and black.

Heard a man scream ferociously. Before a loud boom had been heard. Shaking your car. Your eyes softened. It was Tai.

He jumped in the way and let out his spear he had held onto prior before the villain had ran. You saw him standing there victorious, smoke and debris flying around him as if time had slowed down. And for the first time, you thought you'd seen a real Angel. A bright glow emanated around his figure.

You begun to cry, but not from despair or fear. But happiness .

Your superhero had come to save you. Just like in the movies.

~~~

You were pulled from your destroyed car, paramedics telling you to take it as slow as you could, cradling your head in case of severe head trauma before laying you down on a stretcher. You looked to the side seeing Tai violently yanking the villain out the vehicle before slamming the man against the destroyed vehicles hood. Well. What was left of it. "Ya got your head in that ass ov'yours!? That women over there! You nearly killed her ya damn bastard." Taishiro was visibly shaking from anger. Coos coming to his aid to pull him away just before he went too berserk. He ran his hands through his hair.

"Tai." You called his head shot up and Ran to your aid. Holding your hand while your stretcher was hauled to the ambulance. Tears in his eyes. "M' sorry baby. Are- Are you okay?." He ran his hand down your cheek wiping away tears and blood. You nodded weakly. Eyes closing letting out a breath you thought you held for a long time

"I love you Tai. Thank you. My hero." You had lost consciousness again a smile still evident on your features. He got in the ambulance before the doors closed and headed to the hospital. You were okay. You were safe. And that's all that mattered.