#exercise to reduce weight for men

[frownyalfred]

my dearly-held self-insert thing for the Batfamily is they’re highly trained gymnasts, athletes, fighters, etc etc, but even they despair when Bruce makes them do weighted Bulgarian Split Squats and I STAND by this

[fitnessmantram]

"Trimming the Spare Tire: Natural Solutions for Men Over 40"

As men age, it is common for them to notice changes in their bodies, with one of the most frustrating being the accumulation of belly fat for many men over 40.

This excess fat around the midsection not only affects appearance but can also lead to serious health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke.

The struggle to lose belly fat in men over 40 can be attributed to hormonal changes, specifically a decrease in testosterone levels, which can result in an increase in body fat, especially around the midsection.

Additionally, metabolism tends to slow down with age, making it harder to burn off calories and fat. This combination of hormonal changes and a slower metabolism can make it challenging for men over 40 to lose belly fat through traditional means such as diet and exercise alone.

However, there are natural ways for men over 40 to combat belly fat and improve overall health. Eating a healthy, balanced diet that includes whole, nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains can help boost metabolism and burn off excess belly fat.

Regular exercise, incorporating cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and flexibility exercises, is crucial for losing belly fat naturally.

Managing stress through activities like meditation, yoga, or spending time in nature can help lower cortisol levels, which can lead to weight gain around the midsection.

Adequate sleep is also important for managing stress and supporting weight loss. Natural supplements such as Java Burn and other weight loss supplement may also be beneficial for losing belly fat. It is essential to consult with a doctor before starting any new supplement regimen to ensure safety and appropriateness.

Overall, losing belly fat naturally requires a combination of healthy lifestyle habits, including eating well, exercising regularly, managing stress, and potentially incorporating natural supplements.

It is important to be patient and consistent with lifestyle changes, as losing belly fat takes time. By making sustainable changes to your lifestyle, you can improve your health, reduce belly fat, and decrease the risk of chronic diseases.

In conclusion, men over 40 can effectively lose belly fat and improve their overall health by adopting healthy habits and making positive changes to their lifestyle.

Take charge of your health today and say goodbye to stubborn belly fat Try Java Burn Today!

[petermorwood]

I have a sword question, if I may. Or more of a sword confusion Im seeking clarification on.

In my mind a fantasy european standard sword (that obviously doesnt really exist, but like, when a knight or someone in a story has an unspecified sword), I always imaged a straight blade with a triangular tip, both edges sharp cutting edges.

Then at some point I learned about eg scimitars that have a cutting edge and a ...blunt edge?

I was looking at your recent addition to the post about the Turkish sword, where you distinguish between an inner cutting edge on a sword v an outer cutting edge.

And then Im thinking of those enormous zweihander types that are all about momentum and do those even need a particularly sharp edge? They seem in dnd parlance to be a bludgeoning weapon not for slashing.

And while Im asking, like. Rapiers are very stabby weapons, do they have sharp edges at all or judt a sharp point?

I guess my overall question culminates something like "what parts of swords are designed for what damage and why? Is there anything all swords have other than blade and handle like can they all be used for stabbing or do some have very blunt points etc? Is it a big deal for a sword to be double-edged, does that necessitate specific training? Whats up with different sword blades?"

I realise thats a pretty enormous question that might be unreasonable to ask. Im happy with whstever response you are or arent willing to give. Hope you have a good day :)

Sharp edge / blunt edge is the setup on any kitchen or table knife you've ever encountered, and being able to put a hand on the blunt "edge" - usually called the back of the blade - not only helps when mincing herbs or garlic, but also features in some techniques of swordplay.

Other techniques employed non-blade parts of the weapon, using the pommel like a mace and the crossguard like a pick-axe.

*****

Whether swords should be straight or curved, single- or double-edged, was an argument which continued as recently as the early 1900s.

The last swords issued to cavalry for combat use (modern parade swords don't count) were both remarkably similar designs, straight-bladed for thrusting, adopted by the UK in 1908...

...and the US in 1913.

There was, of course, strong opposition from those who insisted cavalry swords should be sabres curve-bladed for cutting instead.

Equally of course, both sides failed to notice - or ignored, since a certain kind of cavalry officer was only bright as regards boots, buckles and buttons - the uncomfortable fact that machine-guns and repeating rifles had made the whole ta-ran-ta-rah "cut them down with your swords, men!" cavalry charge an exercise in futility.

*****

D&D, unless they've considerably upped their accuracy game, isn't much of a reference for weapon realism.

"Enormous Zweihanders" and other big swords such as the Montante were a lot lighter and more nimble than they'd seem from reading an encumbrance chart.

They had their own techniques to take best advantage of length, leverage and momentum and were indeed sharp. Given a choice between a sharp combat weapon and a blunt one, sharp makes far more sense.

In addition, a sharp blade is lighter than a blunt one simply through having less metal. It may only be a few grams of difference, but it IS a difference.

That's also the reason behind a fuller, the groove(s) along a blade.

They're not "blood gutters", tough and cool though that may sound, but a way to reduce a sword's weight while preventing its blade from getting excessively flexible.

Finally...

The re-enactor is wearing half-armour, but these big swords were also meant for use against unarmoured opponents. Bodyguards often carried them (they looked impressive) and those sweeping strokes could block an entire street while The Boss got away.

That's when an ability to cut rather than merely bludgeon makes all the difference. Determined assassins might try to rush a blunt sword, but a sharp one would give anyone second thoughts...

*****

Double-edged swords versus single-edged ones seem to vary depending on cultural preference - also on period of history and intended function.

Bronze Age European swords had straight or leaf-shaped blades with double edges...

...while Ancient Egypt had the curved, single-edged khopesh, a shape which also turned up in Ancient Assyria (this one's in the Metropolitan Museum, New York USA).

It's listed as a "sickle sword", an incorrect term which I wish would go away because sickles are sharp on the inside of the curve while swords like this - their grip-shape shows how they're meant to be held and swung - are sharp on the outside.

And just when "the Ancient Middle East used curved single-edge swords" looks like a handy generalisation, along come straight swords, one from Ancient Egypt...

...another from Luristan, now part of modern Iran.

This next one comes from Ancient Iberia (Spain), right at the other side of the Mediterranean. Evidence of trading links? Your guess is as good as mine.

Iberia went on to use the falcata, a short single-edged forward-curved sword.

Those extra bits round the blade are scabbard metalwork; the wood and leather scabbard is long gone. This repro shows how they would have looked when in place.

Iberia also used a straight double-edged sword which so impressed the Romans that they adopted it, refined it and used it for several centuries. Here's one of the several Roman versions of that gladius Hispaniensis (Spanish sword), double-edged, mostly meant for stabbing but capable of very effective cuts as well.

Here's my repro of a similar sword, the elegant "Mainz" pattern with its long point and waisted blade. Very pretty, and pretty wicked.

*****

"Curved single-edged swords are Eastern, straight double-edged swords are Western", is another generalisation that won't work.

Here are Eastern straight swords...

...and Western curved ones.

*****

Viking swords were all double-edged...

...except when they weren't.

*****

Many rapiers could cut. Smallswords, which came later, couldn't.

Earlier rapiers with broader blades cut better than later ones with narrow blades, but IIRC even the later Italian and Spanish rapier styles include cuts directed at the opponent's face and sword-arm.

I have a notion that the modern thing about cutting with rapiers is based (like back-carry) on seeing it done in movies. IMO - more about it here - that's actually more a modern stage-combat safety thing than a period real-combat move. A fumbled cut is bruising and unpleasant even with a "safe" prop sword, but a fumbled thrust into the eye-socket or throat with that same "safe" sword can be fatal.

Even those early rapiers wouldn't sever a head or limb - a finger maybe, hence the elaborate hand-protection of swept and cup hilts - but blood from a forehead wound running into the eyes was, and in boxing still is, an efficient way to finish a fight by ensuring the opponent can't continue. One of the duels in "The Duellists" ends this way.

This example is a bit optimistic, IMO...

...but a longsword (double-edged)...

...or a messer (single-edged)...

...was quite capable of disarming an opponent in a very literal way.

*****

Some swords had minimal points, being intended mostly for cutting. One example of this is the Indian khanda broadsword. The second example is also very clearly single-edged.

Another cut-only sword without a point (but with double edges) is the Richtschwert (justice sword)...

...though this was a single-function (and hopefully single-cut) tool rather than weapon, neither balanced for nor intended for combat.

Hope this has helped answer the questions!

[gardengnosticator]

kiss me through the phone

pairing: ellie williams x abby anderson

warnings: sub!abby, dom!ellie, phone sex, shameless masturbation, MEN AND MINORS DNI

To Abby, the gym was her sanctuary. A place not of rest, but of grit and sweat and pain and punishment, and it was where she felt a deeply affirming sense of peace within herself. When the weight of the world, of life itself could be reduced down to a select few exercises and weight allocations of meticulously recorded sets and reps. Friday was a particular favorite day of her week, “Legs”, the archetypal despised body part of every gym bro and yet Abby felt a deep, masochistic enjoyment in torturing every fiber of her thighs, hamstrings, calves and glutes. Partly because she got to spend the entire weekend nursing and recovering her still shaking lower half and partly because she knew how her girlfriend just absolutely adored her legs. 

Ellie Williams, the perpetual ass-woman. 

So Abby’s day progresses with its usual determined, militaristic pace. Squats first of course, the rack providing solace as Abby worked her way through every single set with the kind of grit one might muster to slay a dragon or other beast. Hamstrings curls follow, each movement paced, controlled, absolute sheer-focus and then… hip abductors. A cruel machine in which one would seat themself, and proceed to squeeze their legs together in a movement Abby affectionately referred to as, “the good girl/bad girl” motion. Due to its embarrassing nature, 99% of gym goers avoided this movement like the plague, but for Abby, it gave her a sense of territorial control that she could stroll over, strap herself in and “rep out these sets” like no one’s business since no one else had the guts to do so. 

It’s such a painfully dull exercise that Abby tends to relish this chance by scrolling through her phone and it’s a good thing she did as she catches a text notification from none other than Ellie. 

“babe where r u at??? ive been warmin ur spot on the bed for like an hour” 

Abby snorts, fingers already grappling with the screen of her phone as her legs continued their effort in contracting against the devastating weight stack she had opted to use. 

“So all you’ve done since I left has been roll over to my side of the bed huh?” 

Ellie is fast to respond. 

“nuh-uh! i had some of the coffee u left and i stared at a page in my sketchbook for 30 mins. then i went back 2 bed” 

“You know eventually you’re going to have to complete that piece, I’m not sure you can ask for an extension due to creative block.” 

“theyll give me one on compassionate grounds cuz im like a widow back here waitin for u to return from the war.” 

Ellie’s clinginess was something Abby adored. Ellie’s unfettered, unabashed and unironic appreciation of her existence definitely made Abby’s day most of the time. She shakes her head, squeezing one more rep out before texting out her response. 

“I’ll be finished up in 20 minutes and be home as soon as possible babe, you know how busy this place gets on a Friday.” 

The text is sent. Is seen. And Ellie’s response… takes a little longer than Abby expected. So long she had already decided to continue on with her second set. It’s a little shameful how quickly she checks to see who it was, as if it would be anyone else. 

“big day yeah? legs rite? u kno thats my fav <3” 

“Only your favorite because you refuse to admit that your groping does not count as therapeutic sports massage.” 

“nah its my fav cuz ur always so jittery n sensitive when u get back. lookin forward 2 sittin between ur thighs when u get home ;)” 

Abby thighs slam together with so much force the weight stack within the machine rattles loudly. Not loud enough to draw attention within a gym environment, but loud enough for her to become conscious of just how hard her heart was beating in her chest. She gulps, tongue nervously darting out to drag against her lips as she tries to regain her composure and finish up her set. 

“u always get home so tired n drained its cute. u never seem 2 turn me down as well so i guess u enjoy it 2?” 

Abby’s heart is beating against her ribcage like it’s an under-engaged zoo animal longing to tear apart a particularly bothersome toddler. She looks around, as if someone here could read her mind and delve into the part of her psyche that’s already imagining that beautiful lop-sided smirk dancing on Ellie’s lips as she descended between her legs and-

SLAM! 

Once again, Abby has decided to forgo the gym rule of not slamming the weights and has found herself with thighs tensed and firmly clamped together, yet the usual sensation of burning quads has been replaced by that of an aching hunger within her core. Her tongue darts itself out to drag across her lower lip, head turning to take note if anyone was staring. They never do. People here know better than to stare at Abby when she’s in the zone, even if right now the zone was decidedly not focused on working out. At least… not in this particular sense.

Abby scrambles her way out of the machine, her set long forgotten and her gym bag firmly being tugged along as she makes a quick walk to the showers, thumb already hurriedly grazing near Ellie’s contact on her phone screen.  

– 

Abby has absconded to one of the gym’s many shower stalls, the water running but not with the intent on scalding off her sweat and cleansing her for the walk home, no, merely trickling in the background to hopefully obscure her true reason for being in here. 

She waits, with her gym shorts around her knees and her phone pressed between her shoulder and ear as she bites her bottom lip. It rings. And rings. And rings until finally, relief, a drawl on the other end of the line to soothe Abby’s thoughts. 

“Sup..?” Ellie croaks out, the after effects of a sleep schedule to rival even the laziest of felines. 

“You’re callin’ early. Lemme guess, some asshole is curling in the squat rack again huh?” She giggles, good lord her giggle. Abby can picture Ellie now, eyes scrunched shut with a lopsided smirk as she snorts. It’s gorgeous. So gorgeous in fact Abby can’t help the way her free hand finds itself snugly compressed between her thighs, two fingers drawing their way back and forth through her folds as she stifled a groan. 

“I-I just wanted to check in. See if you wanted me to get anything to eat on t-the way back? Abby’s doing her best to remain stable, trying to keep her voice quiet and in check as she debauches herself in a public shower stall.

The line stays silent for a few seconds before the distinct click of a tongue can be made out. 

“That so…” Ellie’s voice is low, so low Abby can barely hear her, but she relishes every syllable escaping Ellie’s lips and Abby just melts. “If that’s it you coulda just texted y’know…” Abby wants to slap herself for making such a weak excuse. No, that’s not it. She wants Ellie to slap her, put her in her place like the bitch in heat she was being right now. 

“Jus’ wanted to hear you…” Abby whines out, eyes shut tight, her cheeks a bright pink as her fingertips ever so daringly push their way inside of her, breath hitching. Hitching so loud Ellie can hear her. 

“Poor baby missed me that much she just had to gimme a call huh? Cute.” Ellie’s tongue rolls the last part of “cute”, popping it out with such sultry venom Abby feels her knees tremble. She bites her down hard on her bottom lip to stifle another lewd moan, nodding her head furiously against her phone. 

“M-Missed you a whole lot…” Abby’s voice is defeated, her eyes just barely open enough to watch her hand continue to caress between her thighs, the tip of a finger just barely parting her lips to push inside of her as the rough skin of her palm found itself compressed against her aching bud. It’s enough to garner another whimper from her, back arching against the cool tile of the shower stall.

“Missed me or missed my tongue, that’s what I’m wonderin’.” Abby can hear the shifting of sheets over the phone, Ellie must be moving from the bed right now and that hurts. Abby wants nothing more than to be right there under those covers with her. 

“Put me on video. Now. I want to see you Abby.” 

It was rare for Ellie to break out into that tone. That commanding, domineering nigh-snarl that only ever seemed to come out when she was admonishing Jesse for hogging a joint or when Joel’s phone calls to check in on the pair got a little too frequent. It made Ellie sound so much bigger than she actually was, it made people respect her authority,  and most importantly it got Abby so fucking wet she was sure she had just tumbled back into the spray of the shower faucet. 

Abby does exactly what she is told, chest heaving as the hand that wasn’t busy pleasuring herself scrambled to grasp her phone, holding it at arm’s length as her thumb shakily finds its way to switch the call to video, and the sight that unfolds in front of her makes her body freeze. Ellie has not gotten herself out of bed, merelypropped herself up enough for the screen of Abby’s phone to present an immaculate picture unto her. 

Ellie is kneeling atop the mattress, her phone propped up on their shared bedside table, probably thanks to the copious amounts of half-read comic books Ellie leaves up there. For once Abby is grateful for the bedside mess, because now she gets to gorge herself on the sight of Ellie resting on her splayed out knees, clad in only a pair of black boyshorts and a gray tank top that so perfectly frames her toned waist. Abby whines like the bitch in heat she is and Ellie sneered. 

“Oh yeah. You certainly missed me.” Abby nods, completely undone by Ellie’s mere presence, the knowledge she was watching her do this, in public too, it only fuels the heat within her stomach, the aching between her thighs and the speed of which her two fingers curl against her gummy inner walls. 

Abby’s eyes are almost glazed over. She inhales sharply as she watches Ellie’s onscreen figure move slightly, leaning herself back so those slender fingers can rake their way up and down over her torso, tugging and toying with the hem of her wife pleaser. Abby’s mouth parts, her words all but falling from her throat as she begs, “P-Please, please, please Ellie… I wanna see so fucking bad…” 

She begs and she receives, the way Ellie begins to hike her top up and over her stomach, fingertips agonizingly slow as they trace their way over the defined muscles of her abdominals. If Abby was 5% less restrained right now, the poor girl would be straight up licking the screen of her phone in a desperate effort to taste Ellie’s pale skin. All she can do pump her digits inside of herself, the accompanying wet squelching sound of Abby’s sex as she continued to ride her own fingers. 

Even through the screen Abby gorges herself on Ellie’s most subtle movements, the way those bushy brows come to furrow on her forehead, the way the corner of her bottom lip rolls itself back as she chews on it, dark green eyes staring right through Abby’s soul as Ellie brings her top up to teasingly reveal her chest. Abby lets out a guttural moan, almost doubling over on herself. 

“Bet you wish you had stayed home today huh…” Ellie huffs out, her voice slightly muffled due to her distance from her phone, and yet its as if Ellie is right up against Abby’s back, and that combined with the way her palm was grinding right up against her quivering bud, slick with the drizzling shower, her sweat and the juices oozing their way from her folds causes Abby to grunt out Ellie’s name with each primal thrust of her hips down to meet her hand. 

“Fu-fuck… God I wish you were here Abs, you’re always so good when you get home from a workout. Just so fuckin’ soft and tired, love how you just let me treat you as my toy…” Ellie’s head is tossed back. One of her hands comes up to cup at her breast, the other pushes itself under the waistband of her shorts, a wonderful bulge emanating from her crotch as she rides her own fingers in tandem with Abby. 

“There ain’t nothin’ better than having you laying on the couch and letting me ride those thighs of yours.” Abby’s eyes are shut tight; if she stares at Ellie any longer she might pass out from the sheer lack of blood flowing to her vein as all sensory motivation focuses on curling her fingers right against her g-spot. Her breathing is ragged, her body coiled so tight she felt like she was either going to climax or perhaps burst a damn blood vessel as Ellie’s sultry drawl once again meets her ears. 

“Cum for me baby.” All Abby can do is obey, is crumble, give in to every firing synapse in her brain and ride herself out. She heaves with effort, every muscle contracting as the slick white ring of her arousal pools over the knuckles of her hand, body doubling over as she rides out her high. Eventually, after sinking to her knees Abby collects enough of her strength to open her eyes. Ellie had once again shifted, her face filling up Abby’s phone screen as a very smug, very pleased smirk grows on her lips. 

“Wash up and get your ass home, because unlike you, I haven’t had my fill yet.” And with that, the call ends and Abby just breathlessly laughs to herself, rolling her neck as she opens the stall door to see if she can safely put her phone away before properly showering. She huffs proudly to herself; looks like she's in for a very long night.

[saltysaltdog]

It's super funny how trans-coded Sam and Max are in the telltale games. Max is the more obvious one since there's men, women, and max symbols on the toilets in the bathrooms, but Sam as his own that are more subtle but stronger in my opinion.

In no particular order:

He has a stated fear of public bathrooms, in hit and run he goes behind a screen to put on a bungee jumping harness and helmet, he had a voice coach and a therapist, he describes his family reunions as awkward, says he feels jealous of other men's stronger jaw bones, he scolds Max for asking if Bosco was transformed into a girl cow, he's apparently incredibly sweaty with a strong smell, and his clones were described as "Zaftig" which is another way of saying voluptuous or womanly, which Sam didn't like. Also went to stewardess school???

Anyways. To me, this indicates that Sam is taking testosterone, as that causes excess sweating and new smells as second puberty occurs. But I don't think he's very consistent with it, he doesn't get the same results from exercise and his diet as Max does, and while it could just be max is max (and supposedly uses protein powder) low testosterone can cause weight gain and reduce muscle.

Not to mention, the neighbourhood they live in is supposedly 3 to 1 ratio of men to women, which is just meta commentary on their lack of introducing female characters. But including featherly as a rooster who can lay eggs, this indicates, if not new York itself, then their neighbourhood is known for having a lot of ftm transitions, which is funny to me. They accidentally coded the entire neighbourhood as transmasc. Though, considering most the neighbourhood is robots, this shouldn't be too surprising.

[doumadono]

Emergency request

Good morning!

I wanted to request a comfort fic With one of the following KNY men: Tsugikuni brothers, Muzan or Haganezuka. For over a week I've been dealing with immense lower back pain, I've been to an orthopedist and the painkillers he prescribed help me to some extent, but the pain is still there. I don't know if there is any serious damage, I didn't fall or injure myself in any way for it to happen, I have an X-ray in 12 days, but if it gets worse I'll go to the ER. So far it's suspicious that it's sciatica and overweight from my weight causing this pain. (As if my worsened mental state since November and the stress of failing a semester in college weren't enough). I just need a bit of comfort, I feel like I'm about to have another breakdown this year...

I hope it won't be too much for you to write something to cheer me up a little.

Buziaki, Kamila.

Warnings: female demon!reader Synopsis: following your transformation into a demon, you endure intense pain, and it's Muzan who offers you solace A/N: I'm truly sorry to hear about the pain you've been experiencing. It's understandable that this has been a challenging time for you, especially with the added stress of college. Please know that you're not alone in this, you can always reach out to me, and there are steps we can take to address your lower back pain. While you wait for your appointment, consider some gentle stretches and exercises that can help alleviate sciatica symptoms. Additionally, maintaining a healthy weight through diet and exercise can indeed reduce the strain on your lower back. I encourage you to reach out to a physical therapist who can provide you with a tailored exercise plan to manage your pain. I hope you find solace in this short fic. Writing for Muzan isn't my strong suit, but I gave it my all ♥

MASTERLIST

In the dimly lit chamber, you lay on your side, clutching a pillow to your chest to alleviate some of the pain in your lower back. The recent transition into a demon had been both thrilling and agonizing, leaving you in a constant state of discomfort. Tonight, it seemed like the pain was unbearable.

Just as you were on the verge of tears, the sliding door to your room opened silently, and a tall, enigmatic figure stepped in. It was Muzan, the Demon King himself. His crimson eyes locked onto yours as he approached your bedside. Without a word, he gracefully sat down beside you. His touch was surprisingly gentle as he lifted your trembling hand, examining it for any signs of distress. His voice, smooth as silk, resonated in the room. "You seem to be in pain, my dear."

You couldn't help but nod, tears welling up in your eyes. Muzan's fingers traced the contours of your face, his touch strangely soothing. "There, there," he cooed softly. "I can take your pain away."

With a flick of his fingers, a small orb of blood-red energy materialized, hovering above your lower back. As it descended, a warm, comforting sensation washed over you, and the pain began to subside. It was as if Muzan had the power to mend your very soul.

You watched in awe as he continued to manipulate the energy, kneading away the tension and discomfort. Muzan's gaze never left yours, and there was a warmth in his eyes that defied his reputation as a ruthless demon lord. "Feel better now, my sweet creation?" he inquired softly.

You nodded, a sense of tranquility washing over you. "Thank you, Muzan," you whispered, your voice filled with gratitude.

He leaned closer, his lips hovering over your forehead. He gently tucked a strand of hair behind your ear and whispered softly, "You have no idea how much you mean to me. You are my dearest creation, and I will always protect and care for you," he murmured before placing a gentle kiss on your forehead.

Muzan's crimson eyes never wavered from your form. Deep inside yet, a complex blend of emotions swirled within him. Anger simmered beneath the surface, frustration at how long it was taking for you to recover after the transformation. He was the demon king, and his creations should be strong, should adapt swiftly. His fingers, which had been tracing soothing patterns on your arm, tightened imperceptibly. Inwardly, he questioned whether choosing you as another Upper Moon had been the right decision. The Upper Moons were meant to be his elite, his most powerful creations, and your slow progress irked him. Yet, hidden beneath that veneer of frustration and anger, there was another feeling that Muzan kept well-guarded. It was a sense of conviction, a belief that choosing you as an Upper Moon had been not just a good choice but perhaps the only possible one. Deep inside, he recognized a great strength within you, a potential that had yet to fully manifest. There was a reason he had chosen you, a reason beyond what met the eye. He saw in you a future that held the promise of greatness, a strength that would one day rival even his own.

As you rested in Muzan's presence, the lingering concern about the pain after your transformation nagged at you. With a sense of trust growing between you and Kibutsuji, you mustered the courage to speak. "Muzan-sama," you began softly, "can you tell me how long this pain from the transformation will endure? It's been quite overwhelming, and I'm worried about what lies ahead."

Muzan's gaze never left yours, and his fingers continued to trace soothing patterns on your arm. He let out a sigh, almost as if he had been expecting this question. "My dear, the pain varies from person to person. Some demons adapt quickly, while others take more time. It perfectly normal, all you need to do is to be patient." He paused, his eyes flickering with a hint of sympathy. "But I promise you this: with time, the pain will lessen. Your body will adjust to its newfound strength and resilience. And I will be here to guide you every step of the way. You'll become a powerful demon, you'll grow stronger every day."

You nodded, feeling reassured by his words. It was comforting to know that Muzan, despite his intimidating exterior, was willing to offer guidance and support during your transition into a demon. "Thank you, my lord," you whispered, your gratitude evident in your voice.

He leaned closer, his lips brushing against your ear as he murmured, "You don't have to thank me, Y/N. You are mine, and I will ensure that you thrive in this new existence. Now, rest."

As you closed your eyes, wrapped in the comfort of his embrace, you realized that perhaps, in this moment, Muzan wasn't just the fearsome demon king but also a source of unexpected solace in your new life as a demon.

[evidence-based-activism]

slightly random but what do you think of the whole corset discourse?

I'm not completely positive about what you mean by "the whole corset discourse", but here are my thoughts and some research on corsets.

So, first, I consider corsets a part of "beauty culture", which definitely negatively affects women.

To identify feminist concerns for something like this, I ask first if it is functional and comfortable. Then I ask if it requires behaviors or standards that are not required of men.

So, for example, some relevant questions are: Does it cover everything you want covered or are you constantly having to self-monitor to maintain public decency? Do you have a full range of movement? Can you run, squat, and lift objects without it causing discomfort? Are you able to refrain from wearing it without feeling distress about your appearance? Are you able to wear it without feeling the need to engage in other beauty rituals?

If the answer to (some of) these questions is no, then it's a pretty strong indicator that it's enforcing harmful standards of femininity.

----

There is frustratingly little research on the effects of wearing a corset.

There is an interesting dissertation [1] that discusses much of the historical evidence, but much of this doesn't meet modern research standards. One chapter does review more modern work, which indicates corsets impair lung function, put pressure on internal organs, weaken trunk muscles, and may have other negative effects. In particular, she notes that corset use discourages exercise, and reductions in exercise are known to have significant negative physical effects.

She later [2] confirmed the reductions in lung capacity and found participants noted skin discomfort, back pain, and a need to reduce activity.

More recent research has confirmed the decrease in lung function, discomfort, and reduced exercise capacity for non-elastic corsets [3, 4] and waist trainers [5].

Expert opinion (i.e., from doctors), also indicates that (1) many of the "benefits" being claimed about corsets/waist trainers/shapewear are myths and (2) there are substantial negative effects to wearing them [6-8].

While we do need more and stronger empirical research, expert opinion aligns with the current research.

---

In conclusion, I think corsets (and similar items) are a part of patriarchal beauty culture. They most likely have negative effects on the human body, and they contribute to a culture of inactivity and objectification.

I hope this helps!

References under the cut:

Gau, C. R. (1998). Historic medical perspectives of corseting and two physiologic studies with reenactors. Iowa State University.

Colleen Gau (1999) Physiologic Effects of Wearing Corsets: Studies withReenactors, Dress, 26:1, 63-70, DOI: 10.1179/036121199805297827

Na, Y. J., & Kim, Y. H. (2011). Changes in physiological responses by the pressure of non-elastic corset. Fashion & Textile Research Journal, 13(6), 943-951.

Na, Y. (2015). Clothing pressure and physiological responses according to boning type of non-stretchable corsets. Fibers and Polymers, 16, 471-478.

Green, T., & Roby, A. (2018, October). The effect of waist trainers on breathing. In Respiratory Care (Vol. 63, No. Suppl_10, p. 3012838). Daedalus Enterprises Inc..

Nierenberg, A. (2022, May 20). The Truth About Waist Trainers. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/20/well/waist-trainers-weight-loss.html

Adams, Rebecca. “Spanx Are Literally Squeezing Your Organs.” HuffPost, 20 Jan. 2014, https://www.huffpost.com/entry/spanx-shapewear_n_4616907.

Manek, Nish. “The Hidden Health Risks Caused by Shapewear, Explained by a Doctor.” BBC Science Focus Magazine, 7 July 2024, https://www.sciencefocus.com/comment/shapewear-body.

[mitigatedchaos]

Great Men Surf the Tides of History

Does the fate of humanity rest in the hands of great men? Or are there only the inevitable tides of history?

thesis: great man antithesis: tides of history synthesis: great man surfing the tides of history

– our own TracingWoodgrains, 𝕏, 2023

From far away in the sky, a pyramid is a gigantic formation, yet from up close on the ground, a pyramid is made of many slabs.

[ @arcticdementor ]

Musk matters. The millions of "MAGA" voters? Don't matter at all, and never will.

The foundation of what is large is what is small. What is an elite? In a political system, an elite is someone who is in a high position of leverage. Leverage is produced using a formation. Formations are not unified wholes; they are composed of smaller parts, and generate force through synchronized actions.

The work of management is to reduce the context of a production problem until it can be divided into jobs that can be done by labor. The work of labor is to reduce the context of a production problem until it can be done by capital.

The nature of the world is that it is thick and high-dimensionality, while the nature of models is that they are thin and low-dimensionality. Everywhere in the world, there is the friction of time, space, and information. A production problem is divided due to limits based on time, space, and information.

When a production problem is handled by one person, it is subject to one agency. It is in tight synchronization. When a production problem is divided among multiple people, it is subject to multiple agencies. It is in loose synchronization.

Due to the loose coupling of a formation composed of multiple people, as well as limits on obtaining and processing information, leverage is not fully consolidated in a single executive. Rather, there exist nodes of intermediate leverage, positions within system with greater power than an outsider, but less power than the person at the top.

Obviously, power isn't best thought of as binary. It also isn't best thought of as a simple scalar, although that's better than thinking it as a simple binary. In terms of simple models, power is best thought of as an edge in a weighted directed graph, an arrow from one person to another with a number attached. I may control the HOA and have the ability to set the color your house is allowed to be. You may own the neighboring fitness gym and control what hours I can access the pool. We each have a power relationship with each other. Which one of us is "more powerful"? That depends on conditions.

"There exist only elites and nothings" is an overcompression of the power graph. There are gradations of power. There are directions of power. Officers. Intellectuals. Journalists. People at different positions within the system, with different levels of talent, which allow them to exercise influence in different ways.

In a market, consumers having demand for a product does not cause that product to automatically come into existence. Instead, it creates an incentive for an entrepreneur to come by, assemble a company or team (a formation), and create that product. If no entrepreneur comes by to create the product, then the product is not created, and if no product is created, then consumers cannot obtain it.

Consumers exercise a low amount of agency in this process, though not zero. Demand is generally diffuse. Many people take a small action (evaluating and buying the product). Production is concentrated. A small number of people take much longer or more intense actions.

War is a form of cooperative competition which destroys factories and tramples fields. It shatters weaker structures by killing the men who compose them.

Capitalism is a form of cooperative competition that builds factories and plants fields. Men work hard and fight together to produce loaves of bread, companies are destroyed, and to a first approximation, no one dies.

Under democracy, men put together formations and compete. What are voters in this system if not the territory over which they fight?

Which matters, Elon Musk, or millions of Trump voters?

Elon Musk provides cash, respectability (to some elites, intermediate officers, or factions), and a communication advantage in the cyberspace layer.

Millions of Trump voters provide millions of Trump votes.

Obviously, both of these matter. Winning the election moves Trump to a position of higher leverage within the system. This provides more power to his political coalition.

What will he do with it? I think he wants to surf the tides of history. On January 20th, he will be back on the beach, and once again dive into the water. He may wipe out and tumble in the waves.

[monstersinthecosmos]

can i ask what you mean re: disliking how the amc show deals with SA? (zero judgement ftr i just love hearing opinions about this show from other simple italian perv enjoyers. btw you're one of my favorite fic authors ever ever & i think abt gallows bird daily 🙈)

Obviously since you mentioned Gallows Bird in this very ask (thank you btw dskjglads I’m blushing) I’m not going to sit here and say people should never write about rape!!!!!!!!!!!  And I’ve been soul searching and talking this out with a friend today to make sure I’m not just being a hater and that I’m not having cognitive dissonance over the difference between writing porn (intentionally, intended as porn, labeled as porn) vs lazily throwing sexual assault at female characters for “character development”.

(putting this under a cut bc I'm not trying to hate on youse guys's show!!)

It's not that we should never talk about it, or never write about it, but I think it’s like any other storytelling where like, the framework and intention inside the text matters, and criticizing if it landed the way the creator intended is worth discussing. So like, I’m a fan of noncon smut fic, I won’t deny that. I also approach it in a context where I know I’m consuming smut, and it was intended as smut, and it belongs in its own lane. And I think, personally, I enjoy fics (which by nature are anarchistic and transformative) because they tend to be a commentary either on our culture or on the canon source material. Even when fanfics are PWPs that don’t go out of their way to talk about character arcs or make profound commentary on the canon, fanfic EXISTS as a commentary on canon in the first place, so it’s there by default.

So with AMC there’s a few things that really bother me about how they wrote Claudia in S1, and full disclosure I haven’t watched S2 yet, so take this with a grain of salt.

I don’t think it’s cool when a production team of mostly cishet men think that the only way to develop a female character is to have her raped. It’s lazy and it’s hurtful to the audience, and in this particular show it was not handled with sensitivity to make the story worth it. Like, what was the weight of the scene vs what it told us, and what was the payoff? Did the show earn this? (I personally don’t think it did.)

RJ himself said it was to “toughen her up” and that’s just, absolutely fucking nauseating to me, especially when it’s stamped with so many hallmarks of How Not to Write Rape. For example, the fact that they use it to tell us about LOUIS. It’s about LOUIS. It’s not about Claudia at all; we see her assault and the net result is seeing how it affects the MEN in her life. And even using her diary as a framing device for these moments, to tell it from her own words the best they can, it’s still about Louis. The pages being ripped out (in S1, idk how this lands in S2) are about protecting Louis. Claudia didn't remove the pages to protect herself, as far as we know--the men in her life removed them to protect Louis. Fridging a female character for the sake of developing the mens feelings is lazy and obnoxious, and in this story in particular it felt extremely unnecessary to the plot, and adding it at all just came across as gratuitous to me.

(Also, I can tell that this show is like, an exercise in slow burning, but, I just think the bar is really fucking high if they make this all mean something smarter but made everyone sit through this and wait 1.5+ years to get around to tucking it in lol. And like, idk what the pages could possibly say/how they will present it that will change my opinion, but RJ's comments can't be unheard so I'm not sure it matters and the trust simply isn't here, for me. Personally I don't have the patience to wait years for a show to close a loop like this but maybe you're more patient than me.)

I don’t want to get into a whole side essay about how gross I find the Claudia writing in general, but like, as a TLDR the way they aged her up only to reduce her to sex is just so fucking gross to me, and not like in a IT’S HORROR, IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE GROSS way, but in a This Is Kinda Fucking Sexist way. Especially with the sexist comments RJ has made about Anne Rice herself, while piggybacking her IP to make his show. But like, there were OTHER things about Claudia already. They already told us she came from an abusive background. She did not need to be raped for her to come home and recognize the abuse between her parents. Any number of horrific things could’ve happened to her out in the world, but the only way this team knows how to traumatize a girl is to have her raped.

And again I didn’t watch S2 yet so like, I’m not entirely sure how it shakes out, correct me if I’m wrong, but we find out now that it was prolonged and worse than what S1 showed us?

Like, why.

Who does the torture porn serve. We already got it, it was already horrific. We already got it. You’re overselling lol.

Claudia is already tough. She survived her dismal mortal life, she survived Lestat. She was brave enough to wander into the world, not just as a teen, but as a Black girl! She was already independent! In the book, she was the driving force behind helping Louis escape Lestat, and she was pulling the strings in getting them to Europe. The show has that material to pull from. We can see that she’s strong already. We don’t need more rape to communicate it. It’s lazy and gross. Especially when, in the same episode, they are able to traumatize Louis with horrific violence. The show knew how to use violence, mind gift manipulation, race and age and power dynamics in ways that did not involve rape, but still chose to have Claudia raped.

I don’t have an issue with stories talking about sexual assault but I think like, especially after Game of Thrones, we’ve had like, 10 years of media criticism mapping out how to write sexual assault successfully or respectfully, we’ve had endless commentary about how we can find other ways to traumatize women that do not rely on sexual assault, we’ve had endless commentary about how stories about sexual assault would be more effective if they were about the victim and not ultimately about the men in the story.  Like, enough of this already.

So, I’ll be curious to see how the show handles Armand’s sexual assault history, and if we see the writing handled differently because he’s a man, or because we have him directly on screen to tell us about it. This might reveal if this is a like, “only tool in the toolbox is rape” situation or a “women exist in fiction to be raped” situation. But if Lestat suffered at the hands of Magnus without being raped and Louis suffered at the hands of Lestat without being raped*, I have to ask why it was okay to have Claudia raped, why that was the thing they came up with, and while they can’t backpedal and fix the way RJ spoke about it during S1, they have an opportunity to be more intentional with the way they write it for Armand.

(*I do want to add that S1E5 being bookended by blood drinking was a hint that Lestat drinking from Louis during their fight was also rape, contrasted by the way Louis drinks from Armand in the beginning as ~ lovemaking ~; imo that could've been a more tasteful way to handle it in this universe specifically, when that’s the sex analog in the books. So like, yes in some ways Louis was raped by Lestat in this episode, but that also shows we respect Louis enough to have it symbolic vs Claudia’s being literal.)

But I just have a real bad feeling, the way they made Lestat WAY WORSE I just imagine they’ll do the same to Marius. And it’s sort of ironic that the show in a lot of ways exists in conversation with the book canon, like, the racial commentary feels at times like a commentary on the books’ racism, and I wonder what the decision making process was when they were picking which themes to correct, or comment on. Because a LOT of people criticize themes of rape and abuse in VC, and in some ways the show making it more overt feels like they’re putting a huge spotlight on it to acknowledge it properly, and in other ways, having Claudia raped feels like it’s going down the same path of insensitive, shallow writing.

And also, idk where I’m supposed to tuck this thought lol, but as an addendum I can’t not mention that I think it’s really fucked up that they’ve talked nonstop about how much they respect AR and the canon and yet had the analog character of her daughter raped. Like, in S1 they burn the tapes, in S2 they mock the plotlines as being a soap opera, and they have her daughter raped. Like, Claudia was the REASON for VC in the first place. IWTV is about Anne Rice grieving her daughter, and it sucks that the best way they could come up with existential cosmic horror for a teen girl vampire was to give her a perma-hymen and have her raped. It’s just gross, I don’t like it lol.

The first quote I saw from RJ when the show got announced, he said something like "IWTV was written by a grieving mother" -- not Anne Rice, best selling author who reinvented the vampire genre, but "a grieving mother." And it's just, idk. Rubs me the wrong way that he can reduce her that way and be this disrespectful for the character based on her daughter. =/

[darkmaga-returns]

Story at-a-glance

Americans today have significantly lower metabolic rates than their ancestors did, despite similar calorie consumption. In the 1940s Minnesota Starvation Experiment, lean men maintained their weight on 3,500 calories per day with moderate activity, while modern calculators suggest they should need only 2,000 to 2,400 calories

Research by Dr. John Speakman shows that basal metabolic rate (BMR) has declined significantly over time, while Active Energy Expenditure (intentional exercise) has actually increased, contradicting the common belief that we simply move less than our ancestors

Currently, approximately 73% of American adults are either overweight (30.7%) or obese (42.4%). This is a major public health crisis that cannot be explained by reduced physical activity alone

The dramatic increase in polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) consumption since 1909 (up 238%) has likely contributed to decreased metabolic rates, as these fats can downregulate metabolism compared to the saturated fats our ancestors consumed

Average body temperatures in the United States have been steadily declining since the Industrial Revolution, providing additional evidence of decreasing metabolic rates across the population

[techtow]

20 Easy Ways to Live Healthier: Weight Loss and Balanced Diet

Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your body hydrated.

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables: Incorporate a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables into your diet for essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Reduce Processed Foods: Cut down on processed foods and opt for whole, natural foods whenever possible.

Limit Sugary Drinks: Minimize consumption of sugary beverages like soda and fruit juices, as they can contribute to weight gain and other health issues.

Portion Control: Be mindful of portion sizes to avoid overeating and unnecessary calorie intake.

Include Protein in Every Meal: Protein is important for muscle repair and growth. Include sources like lean meats, fish, eggs, tofu, beans, and nuts in your meals.

Choose Healthy Fats: Opt for sources of healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil, while limiting saturated and trans fats.

Prioritize Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to support overall health and well-being.

Manage Stress: Practice stress-reducing techniques such as meditation, deep breathing exercises, or yoga to help manage stress levels.

Stay Active: Incorporate regular physical activity into your routine, whether it's walking, cycling, swimming, or engaging in sports you enjoy.

Take Regular Breaks:   If you have a sedentary job, make sure to take breaks and move around throughout the day to avoid prolonged sitting.

Practice Mindful Eating: Pay attention to your body's hunger and fullness cues, and savor each bite by eating slowly and without distractions.

Limit Alcohol: If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Limit intake to no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.

Quit Smoking: If you smoke, take steps to quit. Seek support from friends, family, or healthcare professionals if needed.

Stay Socially Connected: Maintain strong social connections with friends and family to support mental and emotional well-being.

Practice Good Hygiene: Wash your hands regularly, practice good oral hygiene, and keep your living spaces clean to prevent the spread of germs and infections.

Get Regular Check-ups: Schedule regular check-ups with your healthcare provider for preventive screenings and to monitor your overall health.

Limit Screen Time: Reduce screen time, especially before bedtime, to improve sleep quality and reduce eye strain.

Stay Sun Safe: Protect your skin from the sun's harmful UV rays by wearing sunscreen, protective clothing, and seeking shade when outdoors.

Stay Positive: Maintain a positive outlook on life and cultivate gratitude for the good things in your life. A positive mindset can have a profound impact on your overall health and well-being.

[lifewithchronicpain]

A new study shows a link between abdominal fat and chronic musculoskeletal pain, but even the authors admit that it’s unclear which one causes which.

The study, published in the American Society for Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine, found that abdominal adipose tissue (fat) is associated with chronic pain in multiple sites and widespread chronic pain. It also found that women were at higher risk for this association than men.

“Reducing abdominal adiposity may be considered a target for chronic pain management, particularly in those with pain in multiple sites and widespread pain," wrote lead author Feng Pan, PhD, Senior Research Fellow at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research in Australia. “The identified stronger effects in women than men may reflect sex differences in fat distribution and hormones.”

In layman's terms, they’re suggesting that chronic pain patients be told to lose weight. Especially if they are women.

However, further down in the study, while discussing its limitations, they admit that the research does not “address the issue of potential bidirectional causality.” In other words, they cannot say whether excess abdominal fat causes chronic pain, or whether chronic pain causes excess abdominal fat…

…While a specific link between abdominal fat and chronic pain may be new, the idea that fat could contribute to chronic pain by making people more sedentary and less likely to exercise has a long history.

However, as a patient who gained weight after developing chronic pain and being put on a number of medications that had weight gain listed as a side effect, I’m always extremely skeptical about which causes which.

Especially because I gained and lost weight multiple times over the 11 years that I’ve been in pain, and have never noticed either one impacting my pain levels.

In my experience, many doctors are quick to dismiss symptoms when they can blame a patient’s weight as the cause. Even when the excess weight was literally caused by medications they prescribed.

Doctors use studies like these to blame pain patients for their problems, while absolving themselves of any responsibility to help. Patients are told their pain is their fault, and if they’d just lose weight, they’d feel better.

Then, when losing weight proves predictably difficult, the doctor can throw up their hands at the whole situation and proclaim that the patient must not want to get better. In other words, doctors set an impossible standard for patients and then blame the patient when they fail to meet it.

As new weight loss GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and related drugs become more popular, it will be interesting to see how they impact conversations about weight loss and chronic pain. If the medications are as good as they claim to be at helping people lose weight, we might finally get some large-scale research into how losing weight actually impacts pain levels.

And if more patients are able to lose weight when their doctors tell them too, physicians may find that they have to do more than just tell their patients to “lose weight” when it comes to treating pain. (Full article at link)

[ezonwatch]

The Science Behind Calorie Burn During Exercise

Understanding how calorie burn works during exercise is essential for anyone looking to optimize their fitness routine, manage weight, or improve overall health. The number of calories burned during physical activity is influenced by a variety of factors, including the type of exercise, its intensity, and individual characteristics such as body composition and metabolism. In this article, we will explore the science behind calorie burn, how different exercises impact calorie expenditure, and the role of technology, such as a calories burned calculator and calorie counter watch, in tracking and optimizing your results.

What Are Calories?

Calories are a unit of energy that measure the amount of energy food provides to the body. When you consume calories, your body uses them for essential functions like breathing, digestion, and physical activity. The balance between the calories consumed through food and those burned through activity determines your body weight over time.

Factors Influencing Calorie Burn

Several factors contribute to the total number of calories burned during exercise:

1. Type of Exercise

Different exercises burn calories at different rates. Here are some common activities and their approximate calorie burn per hour for a 155-pound individual:

Running (6 mph): Approximately 660 calories

Cycling (12–14 mph): Approximately 600 calories

Swimming (moderate effort): Approximately 500 calories

Weightlifting: Approximately 220 calories

Yoga: Approximately 200 calories

High-intensity and aerobic exercises generally burn more calories than lower-intensity activities.

2. Exercise Intensity

The intensity of your workout significantly impacts the number of calories burned. Higher-intensity workouts elevate your heart rate and increase energy expenditure. For example:

Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS): Activities like walking or light cycling typically burn fewer calories per minute compared to moderate or high-intensity workouts.

High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): This training method alternates between intense bursts of activity and rest, leading to increased calorie burn during and after the workout due to the afterburn effect (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC).

3. Duration of Exercise

The longer you exercise, the more calories you burn. However, the relationship between duration and calorie burn is not linear; as you become fatigued, your intensity may decrease, leading to a reduced calorie burn rate.

4. Body Composition

Muscle mass plays a crucial role in calorie expenditure. Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest compared to fat tissue. Therefore, individuals with higher muscle mass will generally have a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR), leading to increased calorie burn during both rest and exercise.

5. Age and Gender

Age and gender also affect calorie burn. Generally, younger individuals tend to have higher metabolic rates. Men often have a higher metabolic rate than women due to greater muscle mass, impacting total calorie expenditure.

Tracking Calorie Burn

With advancements in technology, tracking calorie burn has become easier and more accurate. Here are two effective tools to consider:

1. Calories Burned Calculator

A calories burned calculator can help estimate how many calories you burn during various activities based on your weight, duration of exercise, and intensity level. These calculators can provide personalized insights and assist in setting realistic fitness goals.

2. Calorie Counter Watch

A calorie counter watch tracks your heart rate, steps, and calories burned throughout the day. Many models also offer features such as:

Activity Tracking: Monitor your daily movements and workouts to see how they contribute to total calorie expenditure.

Heart Rate Monitoring: Understanding your heart rate during different activities helps gauge exercise intensity and optimize calorie burn.

Integration with Apps: Syncing with fitness apps allows for more detailed tracking of nutrition and exercise, providing a holistic view of your fitness journey.

Conclusion

Understanding the science behind calorie burn during exercise empowers you to make informed decisions about your fitness routine. By recognizing how different exercises, intensities, and personal factors influence calorie expenditure, you can tailor your workouts to achieve your weight management and fitness goals. Utilizing technology, such as a calories burned calculator and calorie counter watch, can enhance your ability to track progress and stay motivated. Embrace the journey of fitness, and let the science of calorie burn guide you toward success!

[dr-smitagoelhomeopathyclinic]

*Dr. Smita Goel Homeopathy Clinic*

www.thehomeopathyclinic.co.in

Infertility case is increasing in all over world. The main causes of this is change our life style, foods, hight stress level etc. Around 10% - 15% is facing to infertility problems.

Causes in Men:

• Low sperm count: The man ejaculates a low number of sperm. A sperm count of under 15 million is considered low. Around one third of couples have difficulty conceiving due to a low sperm count.

• Low sperm mobility (motility): The sperm cannot “swim” as well as they should to reach the egg.

• Abnormal sperm: The sperm may have an unusual shape, making it harder to move and fertilize an egg.

• Genetic factors: A man should have an X and Y chromosome. If he has two X chromosomes and one Y chromosome, as in Klinefelter’s syndrome, the testicles will develop abnormally and there will be low testosterone and a low sperm count or no sperm.

• Mumps: If this occurs after puberty, inflammation of the testicles may affect sperm production.

• Hypospadias: The urethral opening is under the penis, instead of its tip. This abnormality is usually surgically corrected in infancy. If the correction is not done, it may be harder for the sperm to get to the female’s cervix. Hypospadias affects about 1 in every 500 newborn boys.

• Cystic fibrosis: This is a chronic disease that results in the creation of a sticky mucus. This mucus mainly affects the lungs, but males may also have a missing or obstructed vas deferens. The vas deferens carries sperm from the epididymis to the ejaculatory duct and the urethra.

• Radiation therapy: This can impair sperm production. The severity usually depends on how near to the testicles the radiation was aimed.

• Some diseases: Conditions that are sometimes linked to lower fertility in males are anemia, Cushing’s syndrome, diabetes, and thyroid disease.

Causes in Women:

• Age: The ability to conceive starts to fall around the age of 32 years.

• Smoking: Smoking significantly increases the risk of infertility in both men and women, and it may undermine the effects of fertility treatment. Smoking during pregnancy increases the chance of pregnancy loss. Passive smoking has also been linked to lower fertility.

• Alcohol: Any amount of alcohol consumption can affect the chances of conceiving.

• Being obese or overweight: This can increase the risk of infertility in women as well as men.

• Eating disorders: If an eating disorder leads to serious weight loss, fertility problems may arise.

• Diet: A lack of folic acid, iron, zinc, and vitamin B-12 can affect fertility. Women who are at risk, including those on a vegan diet, should ask the doctor about supplements.

• Exercise: Both too much and too little exercise can lead to fertility problems.

• Sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Chlamydia can damage the fallopian tubes in a woman and cause inflammation in a man’s scrotum. Some other STIs may also cause infertility.

• Exposure to some chemicals: Some pesticides, herbicides, metals, such as lead, and solvents have been linked to fertility problems in both men and women. A mouse study has suggested that ingredients in some household detergents may reduce fertility.

• Mental stress: This may affect female ovulation and male sperm production and can lead to reduced sexual activity.

• Surgery: Pelvic surgery can sometimes cause scarring or damage to the fallopian tubes. Cervical surgery can sometimes cause scarring or shortening of the cervix. The cervix is the neck of the uterus.

• Submucosal fibroids: Benign or non-cancerous tumors occur in the muscular wall of the uterus. They can interfere with implantation or block the fallopian tube, preventing sperm from fertilizing the egg. Large submucosal uterine fibroids may make the uterus’ cavity bigger, increasing the distance the sperm has to travel.

• Endometriosis: Cells that normally occur within the lining of the uterus start growing elsewhere in the body.

• Previous sterilization treatment: In women who have chosen to have their fallopian tubes blocked, the process can be reversed, but the chances of becoming fertile again are not high.

Homeopathy has very effective medicines for these problems. And they give good results.

[uncannychange]

Ethan Cody Frost had always been a stout fellow, but his weight had increased greatly over the last few years, and he wasn’t happy with his current size.

Try as he might, he could never lose any, no matter what diets or exercise plans he tried.

Then he found out about a clinic that, word of mouth, said did things no one else could do.

Ethan thought what he heard about the place sounded sus, but what could it hurt to check it out?

On finding the “clinic” housed in a chaotic little shop in a grungy part of downtown, Tiresias, Circe, & Proteus Body Sculpting & Life Rebuilding did indeed look “sus.”

“But I’m here, so why not check out what they have to say.” thought Ethan, so he went in.

What the three people he talked to had to say sounded to him impossible. One of the men, wearing dark glasses indoors, claimed they could give him significant weight loss. “In how many months?” he asked, “Oh, today.” was his simple and impossible reply.

“Today?” said Ethan. “All this?” he continued, gesturing to his body.

“Gives us a lot to work with,” said the woman, “More to mold, easier to reduce than build up.”

“What’s the cost going to be?” asked Frost, “We need you to do some little `tasks’ for us, that’s all,” replied the woman of the trio.

“What sort of tasks?” asked Ethan.

“This and that, They’ll make a hero of you, " said the second man, who sported hair in what Ethan thought used to be called “The Wet Look.”

"So it will make a man of me?” asked Ethan, being sarcastic.

“Not exactly.” Said the man in the sunglasses.

To his surprise, Ethan signed up for their clinic.

“Good, but first, some wine.” said the woman, handing Ethan a goblet filled with wine the color of a dark sea.

The wine was quite potent; things quickly went dim for Ethan Cody Frost.

The next day, after sleeping in at the clinic, Ethan found that the three were indeed true to their word.

They had reduced the weight of his body, well, not "his" body anymore.

They even saw that she had a new set of clothes for her new body.

Ethan thought he, no, she should start using her middle name, Cody, as that was a name that worked for boys and girls.

“Why not change your first name to Athena.” suggested the man in sunglasses. “Yes, that would be cute,” added the woman. “Now go complete your tasks!” commanded the second man.

With that, she was rushed out of the chaotic “clinic.”

On her way out, Cody had to marvel at her new body and look.

Then, as if by magic (what else?), some golden sheets of paper appeared in the inner pocket of her jacket.

The tasks of Athena Cody Frost had appeared.

[actvpeople]

Why Does Erection Disappear?

Men's health and sexual activity remain some of the most discussed topics, raising numerous questions and myths. It is believed that a man's ability to maintain an erection can persist throughout his lifetime. If there are issues, it’s important to explore the causes. The author reviewed a one-hour interview with a renowned urology specialist and prepared a summary of the most relevant points for you. Key Insights into Men’s Health:

1. Testosterone: The Key Role in the Male Body

Testosterone is a hormone that defines men’s health in many areas. It impacts sexual desire, muscle mass, bone density, energy levels, and emotional stability. Its active form, dihydrotestosterone, is essential for maintaining erections and libido.

Belly fat is testosterone's enemy. Fat tissue produces an enzyme called aromatase, which converts testosterone into estrogen. This creates a vicious cycle: more fat – less testosterone – poorer metabolism.

Age-related changes. After age 35, testosterone levels naturally decline by 1-2% annually. Some men experience this process gradually, while others notice significant changes that may require medical attention.

2. How to Check Testosterone Levels

Accurate testing methods are essential for understanding testosterone levels:

The most accurate method – gas chromatography or mass spectrometry, though these options can be expensive.

Accessible option – saliva steroid profiling provides reliable insights into hormonal balance without complicated procedures.

Timing matters. Testosterone levels peak in the morning, making morning tests more accurate. For a comprehensive view, follow-up tests in the afternoon may be recommended.

3. Erection as a Health Marker

An erection is more than just a sexual function; it’s a window into vascular health. Disruptions may indicate blood flow problems or underlying health concerns.

Morning erection as a key indicator. The presence of regular morning erections is a strong marker of hormonal and vascular health. Its absence could signal issues with testosterone levels or blood circulation.

A warning for heart health. Impairment in the dorsal artery of the penis (approximately 1-2 mm in diameter) might signal issues with larger blood vessels.

Act promptly. If erections suddenly disappear without an apparent reason, consult a specialist immediately.

A warning for heart health. Impairment in the dorsal artery of the penis (approximately 1-2 mm in diameter) might signal issues with larger blood vessels.

Act promptly. If erections suddenly disappear without an apparent reason, consult a specialist immediately.

4. Insulin Resistance – The Silent Enemy

Insulin resistance occurs when cells lose sensitivity to insulin, leading to elevated blood sugar levels. This condition is linked to fatigue, weight gain, and reduced libido.

Recognizing early signs: fatigue, "brain fog," drowsiness, and declining productivity.

Preventive measures: cutting back on sugar and fast carbs, staying physically active, and monitoring blood sugar levels regularly.

5. Hormone Therapy: Myths and Realities

Modern hormone replacement therapies offer safe ways to manage testosterone levels:

Depot injections. These ensure steady testosterone levels for three months with a single dose.

Tadalafil-based medications (Viagra analogs) enhance blood flow and support vascular health, offering benefits beyond improving erections.

For holistic support of prostate health and hormonal balance, consider natural remedies like ProstaVive 👉 Learn more here.

6. Depression and Libido

Mental health has a significant impact on sexual function. Depression, low dopamine levels, and chronic fatigue can suppress sexual desire and performance.

Effective solutions: a combination of psychotherapy and medication can help restore libido and overall well-being.

7. Preventive Measures: Enhancing Men’s Health

Physical activity. Regular exercise promotes better blood circulation and hormonal balance.

Monitor your weight. Men with a waist circumference over 94 cm are more prone to hormonal imbalances.

Prioritize sleep. Testosterone production primarily occurs during sleep, making restful nights essential for maintaining hormonal levels.

Conclusion

Men’s health isn’t just about testosterone. A holistic approach that includes proper nutrition, regular physical activity, mental well-being, and routine health check-ups is crucial. Monitoring hormone levels and making lifestyle adjustments can help preserve not only sexual function but also overall quality of life.

Balancing hormones, managing weight, adopting healthy eating habits, and staying active are the cornerstones of long-lasting health and vitality. Embrace these steps to live a fulfilling and energetic life.