#they always make so may excuses because they like the dopamine of feeling rich by buying 100 cheep material items becuase cosplaying the

[cheri-translates]

[CN] Lucien’s Warm Morning Date (Eng Translation)

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a date which has not been released in English servers! 🍒

There is a call BEFORE this date which is important in establishing context: here

Valentine’s 2020 Collection: Gavin // Kiro // Victor

The date begins with MC waking up in Lucien’s bed 👀

She starts recalling the events of the night before... 

Turns out the drainage pipe in her house suddenly broke, and the person responsible for maintenance can only make it the next day.

Lucien: What do you plan to do tonight? If you don’t mind, you can spend the night here.

MC: No need, no need. I’ll feel even worse like this…

Lucien: What if I say that this is my form of gratitude for the cherries you gave me?

MC: I…

I look at Lucien’s smiling eyes and can’t seem to find a reason to refuse. I give him a light nod.

MC: Lucien, thank you! I’ll temporarily borrow your sofa for a night then!

Following the direction of my finger, Lucien looks at the long sofa in the living room and furrows his brows slightly.

Lucien: You should sleep in the bedroom.

MC: How could I do that! It’s unreasonable for the owner of the house to sleep in the living room.

Lucien: Who said that I was going to sleep in the living room?

Lucien leans over, a hint of slyness flashing across his eyes. Light laughter enters my ears. 

Lucien: I always can’t help but tease you. Did you forget that my house has other guest rooms? 

Back in the present, MC leaves the bedroom to find Lucien sleeping on the living room sofa

There’s a cup of cold coffee next to him, so MC guesses that he woke up in the middle of the night to work

She takes a look at one of the books on the table:

MC: “...tactile sensibility is located throughout the body. The level of responsiveness differs... this could be due to the differing distribution of nerves...” Response? Nerves? ...is this referring to the causal relationship between the two? 

I speak softly, trying to continue exploring this uncharted territory.

“Every part of the skin has incredibly rich and keen sensitivity, and will cause...”

MC: Rich and keen sensitivity? 

I lower my head and look at my own fingers. With a gentle rub, the smooth touch of the paper lingers on my fingertips.

I nod thoughtfully, and then touch Lucien’s sofa. 

This time, the touch feels different from the book - it has a soft, suede texture.

As though conducting my own tiny experiment, I reach out to carefully feel the items in my surroundings. 

The feeling of items which are usually taken for granted becomes interesting with my deliberate effort.

MC: What else can I test...

My eyes unconsciously drift over to Lucien. His breathing is as steady and even as always.

MC: As long as I don't wake him up...

Enraptured by an unknown emotion, I reach out to touch Lucien’s cheek lightly with a finger.

What travels from my fingertips is a soft touch different from all the other items.

My finger lingers a while longer before I carefully draw it back.

MC: ...Lucien? 

I try calling him, but his eyes remain shut, and there are no signs of him waking up.

At that moment, an even bolder idea bubbles from my heart.

I bend down and lean closer to him, doing my best to control my increasingly nervous breathing. It’s as though every cell in my body is trembling from this small “adventure”.

Lucien’s eyelashes cast a faint shadow, and it moves in a regular pattern along with his breathing. 

I purse my lips nervously. Even though I haven’t done anything yet, my cheeks heat up involuntarily.

It’s as though there are two contending voices in my head. I remain in this position, staring at him. 

Lucien: Are you going to keep looking at me like that?

MC: ...!?

Lucien’s voice breaks my train of thought. My body has no time to react, and I remain in this posture, looking at him dazedly with wide eyes. 

His eyes are clear and bright, without the slightest trace of tiredness or drowsiness. 

The signal in my brain is finally restored. I snap out of my daze and stare at him, at a loss. 

MC: When... when did you wake up!

Lucien: Hmm... from around the time you sat beside me.

MC: ...then why did you pretend to be asleep!

Lucien: I was too curious about what this inquisitive student wanted to do, so I chose to observe.

Lucien turns over, using both hands to prop himself up. He smiles and looks at me. 

Lucien: What are you going to do next? 

My pounding heartbeat renders me unable to calmly find a reasonable excuse.

MC: I... I just wanted to use this chance to take pictures of your sleeping face!

The hand I retracted digs into my pocket, and I realise that I had left my phone in the bedroom. In my panic, I can only extend both hands to form a picture frame pose.

Lucien nods his head thoughtfully, and the silhouette from the backlight casts him in a faint golden rim.

Lucien: Is that so? This is the first time I know that the photographer has to lean so close to observe the model.

MC: ...a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the model is necessary to produce good work!

Lucien: When you’re the one being photographed next time, I’ll definitely apply what I’ve learnt.

The corners of his lips lift, and his narrow eyes curve upwards. 

MC: There wouldn’t be a next time!

Pretending to be annoyed, I reach to cover his mouth, but he breaks free with ease, and encases me in his arms.

The arms embrace me unhurriedly, forming a gentle, soft, and inescapable shackle.

The breath around my forehead tickles, and I don’t dare to lift my head to meet his eyes. 

Lucien: It seems I should pretend to be asleep for a while longer, so I wouldn’t spoil this photographer’s plan of taking secret photos.

I lower my head, not knowing if the heat on my cheeks is a result of the sunlight from outside the window, or the warm breaths from his nose. 

Lucien: However, this kind of morning is not bad. 

His low voice enters my ears. Lucien lifts his hand and helps me tuck stray hair behind my ear. 

Lucien: Good morning, MC. 

After freshening up in the bathroom, MC heads to the kitchen to wash cherries

She's still blushing from earlier

The cooling touch of the cherries makes her think about how she almost touched Lucien’s lips just now 

Lucien comes in to check on her

Lucien: So these are the “extremely sweet cherries” you mentioned yesterday?

Lucien mimics my tone, and his breath falls onto my ears, setting off a touch of warmth.

I clumsily pick out a cherry from the bowl, shake off water droplets gently, and lift my hand to bring it to Lucien’s mouth.

MC: If you don’t believe me, give it a try.

Lucien lowers his head, his hair brushing against my cheek. He opens his mouth slightly, and bites the cherry from my hand. 

The tender touch is fleeting on my fingertips. 

MC: ...how is it?

Lucien nods, but doesn’t give me an answer. There is a narrow light in his eyes. 

Lucien: There is one thing I’m curious about. You’ve been touching different things since just now. Could you tell me why?

Following Lucien’s gaze, I lower my head to look at the cherry I have 'ravaged’ in my palm, and I react immediately. 

MC: This... this is because...

Thinking back to what I did just now, my tone turns hesitant.

MC: Just now, I saw one of your reference books on how tactile sensibility is everywhere, so I got a little curious. I’ve never taken notice of the tactility of different objects, so I just... found myself wanting to give it a try.

Lucien: Are you very interested in this area of research? 

MC: ...mm, you’re right! I might even find inspiration for a program from it. 

Seeing me nod vigorously, the smile in Lucien’s eyes deepens. He asks me in a joking manner:

Lucien: Do you require any assistance from me? I might have a lot of reference books you may be interested in.

MC: I’ll have to trouble Professor Lucien then!

Lucien smiles while nodding, and doesn’t continue with his questions. 

They sit together on the sofa and Lucien explains science stuff to her using the book she was reading just now

Brace yourself for Lucien’s science rant:

Lucien: The topic this time is the effects that physical contact via different parts of the body have on dopamine secretions in the brain. Also, whether dopamine can be used in reverse - to become feelings experienced by the body. 

MC: Dopamine... feelings...?

Lucien: Mm. In our brain, there is a substance called dopamine. It is related to excitement, pleasure, and similar positive emotions. 

The combination of unfamiliar and academic vocabulary leaves me wandering around in a cloudy mist. 

Lucien smiles, unconsciously smoothening my furrowed brows. His voice softens.

Lucien: Just listening to the subject can be quite difficult for one to grapple with, but the concept itself is very easy to understand. Let me give you an example. 

He takes up the blanket on the sofa, signalling me to give it a touch. 

Perhaps due to the concentration of my senses, both my hands are covered with warm velvet, bringing with it more obvious comfort than ever before.

Lucien: Do you feel anything special? 

MC: It’s very comfortable and makes me feel relaxed.

Lucien nods, reaching out to rub my hair out of habit. Then, following the curve of the back of my head, he strokes my neck. 

The hand pausing on my neck is warm. The heat travels past my hair and onto my skin. 

MC: This is even more comfortable...

The words are blurted out before I realise it. 

Lucien is stunned for a moment, and there seems to be a different kind of light in his eyes.

His actions do not stop, and he continues caressing my neck, as though smoothening the hair of a cat. 

Afraid that the topic would continue digressing to other places, I hurriedly pull us back to the academic problem we were discussing earlier. 

MC: So these feelings are evoked because of dopamine secretions? 

Lucien: You could understand it that way. Physical contact is one reason for dopamine secretions, so...

MC: It will cause people to feel pleasure!

Like a student rushing to answer questions in class, I complete Lucien’s sentence before he can finish.

It wasn’t so that I could be praised. It is only through this way that I can ignore our closing distance, and force myself to melt into the logic Lucien has combed through for me. 

Lucien: Exactly. You learn very quickly. 

Lucien looks at me, smiling and yet not smiling, and suddenly stops his movements. 

Instead, he exerts more pressure and holds my hand. 

Lucien: However, making contact with different areas channels different feelings. For instance, right now.

Sensing the pressure and warmth from his palm, my heart rate speeds up.

Perhaps due to the concentration of my senses, every action from Lucien makes me feel different from usual. 

In contrast to how his touch made me feel relaxed earlier, his fingertips now render me unable to suppress my rapid heartbeat. 

MC: It does feel different...

I cough lightly, and try my hardest to gather my messy thoughts. 

MC: When there’s a different feeling, the brain would also release different feedback, right? 

Lucien: Such an understanding is not wrong. Which is why I’m very curious - what are you feeling now?

I bite my tongue and look around, wanting to divert the topic. 

MC: If dopamine secretions are unquantifiable, then what are these charts? 

Lucien lowers his head, and the corner of his lips turn up with an almost undetectable smile. 

As though nothing happened just now, his fingers casually point at the book.

Lucien: These charts record body temperature, breathing rates, and brain activity. This is done to turn subjective feelings into data. With such an explanation, do you find it less difficult to understand?

After saying this, Lucien taps my forehead lightly. 

I unconsciously rub the areas he has touched, and I feel as though my senses have doubled in my brain.

Even this normal action leaves a strange warmth on my skin. 

Perhaps due to extraordinary strong dopamine secretions, I hide this atypical feeling in my heart, and relish its aftertaste. 

After this, MC reads books while Lucien works on his computer

She starts inching towards him because she finds him more attractive than usual under the sunlight

Lucien notices and asks if she’s bored, but MC tells him to continue with his work and not mind her

Lucien asks if she’s hungry

But she isn’t because she has eaten half of the cherries that she bought for Lucien

She feeds him a cherry and starts blushing because d o p a m i n e

Lucien: Only little children like grabbing things and sending them to their mouths.

Hearing the joke in his meaning, I follow up with a question, unconvinced. 

MC: Why is that so? 

Lucien: As compared to the hand, the most primitive way that humans perceive the outside world is...

Lucien pauses, handing me a cherry naturally.

Not knowing what to do, I give it a bite. Before I can swallow it, his thumb gently touches my lips. 

Lucien: Here.

MC: [blushing] ...

The sudden intimate touch leaves me at a loss, and my breathing begins to speed up. 

His finger is in no rush to move away. A delicate sensation follows the warmth of his fingertips, slowly turning into a sweetness that I've never tasted before. 

His gaze carries with it a warmth even more heated than the sunlight as it enters my eyes, and is sparkling. 

The shadow and breathing continue to approach, descending on my eyelids, and I am unable to move.

Lucien: Among all the different body parts, lips are the most sensitive.

He lowers his head and smiles slyly, exerting more pressure on the finger pressed against my lips.

The touch brings with it strong colours, as though vowing to its existence, engraving itself directly into my memory.

My ability to think rationally disappears in an instant.

The sap from the cherry spreads between my lips and teeth, and an unclear affection circles in my heart. 

I seem to have lost my sense of touch and taste. My entire heart and vision are occupied by Lucien.

...I want to feel even more of his unique flavour.

I straighten my back, giving him a light peck on the lips.

The noise that has been clamouring since this morning finally settles into a calm.

The pair of dark coloured eyes looking at me are stunned for a moment, before  ripples of waves start flashing across his eyes.

The satisfaction of having my wish fulfilled leaves a dazzling dizziness in my heart. 

I put some distance between us, and speak softly. 

MC: Today, you’ve been asking me about how I feel - touch, taste... then... what do you feel now?

Lucien’s breathing halts for a few seconds. 

His eyes, which always swallow me up when I’m not careful, are filled with complex emotions.

Seeing that he’s not giving me an answer, I summon my courage and draw closer to him.

In the next second, he suddenly grabs my wrist and pulls me towards him.

Lucien: Do you want to know my answer?

His low voice descends from the top of my head, like a soft yet inescapable net capturing me.

MC: I...

Before I can respond, my lips are dyed in warmth.

The most tender touch carries with it a temperature, and makes one want to submerge into it even more than any other feeling before. 

Lucien: Is this answer sufficiently clear enough? 

I can’t help but place my index finger on his ear, feeling a body temperature that is higher than normal. 

MC: This is also the influence of dopamine, right? 

Turbulent emotions surface in those deep, deep eyes. 

Lucien: ...mm, you learn very quickly. 

Even though this is a sentence that I’ve heard not long ago, his low voice stains it with a different colour this time. 

The hand that had lightly lit a cluster of flames on my skin earlier finally lands on the back of my head with certainty, causing me to lift my head slightly. 

This time, I cooperate and close my eyes. 

An undisguised possessiveness spreads to the adjacent skin. In the midst of our entangled breaths, every suck and tender bite are his branded markings.

Soothed by each other’s temperatures, our hearts beat at the same frequency.

MC: Lucien...

I mumble his name. 

MC: Actually, whether it’s because of dopamine or not, I feel very happy whenever I touch you. Right now, aside from you... I don’t want to think about anything else.

Lucien: ...

Lucien looks straight at me. His undulating emotions return to a calm, and carries a smile that I can’t quite understand.

Lucien: This time, I should be the one calling you 'teacher’.

MC: What...!

He clasps the back of my neck tightly. I have no way to escape, and can only gradually sink into this vortex. 

The next kiss is unrestrained, frank, and telling. 

It conveys the heart without the need for words. 

When Lucien finally decides to let me go, letting me lean on his shoulder to catch my breath, he presses the side of his face onto mine, which feels extremely hot.

His fond voice burrows into my heart, not allowing me to be distracted. 

Lucien: Because when it comes to this, only you can teach me.

The translucent curtains hang in front of the French windows, and there are a few clouds floating in the blue sky. 

The sunshine is really nice. 

🍒

🌸 MOMEMTS 🌸

Lucien’s Post: Resting time in the afternoon needs to be shared with the right people. 

MC: Is this afternoon’s tea black tea?

Lucien: You’ve guessed correctly. Do you still like it?

-

Lucien’s Post: Resting time in the afternoon needs to be shared with the right people.

MC: Rest day is truly meant for a complete relaxation of the body and mind!

Lucien: Is this the reason why you’ve chosen to look for me for afternoon tea?

-

Lucien’s Post: Resting time in the afternoon needs to be shared with the right people.

MC: If we have the chance in future, we can make our own refreshments!

Lucien: I’m thinking there’s no need to wait. The kitchen and I are ready.

-

Call after the date: here

A translated comic based on this date (NSFW): here

[florahecate]

Read More 17 Therapeutic Foods to Help Cope With Stress and Improve Your Mood

The following post 17 Therapeutic Foods to Help Cope With Stress and Improve Your Mood is republished from Eat This Not That by Sharon Feiereisen

When it comes to maintaining a healthy diet, being conscious and purposeful about what you’re putting in your body is paramount. You have to think of food as fuel. It’s okay to reach for something like chocolate on occasion—in fact, it will not only make it more likely you’ll stick to an overall healthy diet, it can actually boost your mood if you pick the right one. As a rule of thumb, low blood sugar, trans fats, and artificial sweeteners can cause mood swings and depression, while healthy fats and nutrient-dense whole foods can help combat stress and anxiety.

If you’re thinking it sounds like a junk-free diet may be the key to a better mood, research says you’re right. Here’s a look at 17 foods that might just be better than therapy—and your waistline will thank you, too. Discover them here and be sure to always steer clear of these 40 Habits That Make You Sick and Fat.

1

Walnuts

You probably already know that nuts are high in heart-healthy unsaturated fats, but when it comes to boosting your mood, you’ll want to pay particularly close attention to walnuts. “In addition to healthy fats the magnesium and omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts have both been shown to positively impact serotonin and dopamine levels (mood hormones),” says Tanya Zuckerbrot MS, RD, and the founder of the F-Factor Diet. “Balanced levels of serotonin and dopamine may help to prevent clinical depression.” She goes on to explain that magnesium helps regulate cortisol levels and promote feelings of well-being. “Psychology Today referred to it as “The Original Chill Pill” because of the vast research of magnesium in the prevention and treatment of anxiety and depression. Intrigued? Find out more with these 19 Magnesium Tips You Didn’t Know You Needed.

2

Saffron

Common in Persian cuisine, saffron is a spice that acts as a natural antidepressant. Research shows that saffron can be beneficial for people suffering from anxiety and depression. “A 2015 study assessed the efficacy of crocin, the main component of saffron, as a treatment for depression and found that it was more efficacious than placebo in the treatment of depression when given with an SSRI,” says Zuckerbrot. “Saffron has also been shown to have a positive effect on sexual dysfunction and is an effective treatment for the sexual side effects from antidepressants in men.”

3

Oatmeal

Oatmeal naturally changes your brain chemistry by creating your body’s feel-good chemical, serotonin, the mood hormone we just mentioned. “It will kick serotonin into high gear and help combat pain, decrease appetite, and produce calm or sleep,” say The Nutrition Twins, Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFT and Tammy Lakatos Shames, RDN, CDN, CFT and authors of The Nutrition Twins’ Veggie Cure. Make the most of oats by also learning about overnight oats, one of the biggest food trends.

4

Bananas

Cheap, compact, and easy to procure, bananas are one of the best pre-workout snacks. But its nutritional profile—even without the workout—lends itself to better moods. “Bananas are high in complex carbohydrates, which contain serotonin, the feel-good chemical,” says Zuckerbrot. “Complex carbohydrates also improve the transport of tryptophan into the brain, where it is converted to serotonin.” Zuckerbrot goes on to explain that bananas contain the amino acids tyrosine and phenylalanine. “Tyrosine leads to balanced levels of dopamine in the brain and aids in the reduction of body fat—and who doesn’t love shedding some fat!?—while phenylalanine is used to form tyrosine.” Bananas also contain vitamin B6, which helps convert tryptophan into serotonin.

5

Salmon

Like walnuts, salmon contains a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids, which are an important nutrient for the brain’s composition and functioning. Zuckerbrot points to a number of studies that have shown that inadequate doses of omega-3 fatty acids can increase the risk for neuropsychiatric disorders, especially those concerned with mood, memory, and behavior. Salmon is also rich in tryptophan, which is the precursor to serotonin, the feel-good chemical. She suggests trying lox/smoked salmon in the morning to get a boost of omega-3s and protein, which will help keep you feeling full.

6

Potatoes

Potatoes are superstars when it comes to creating mood-boosting and anxiety-fighting serotonin. “They’re also a good source of vitamin C, a vitamin that helps with serotonin production as well,” say The Nutrition Twins. Bonus: you might not think of them when you’re looking to get your fill, but potatoes can help ward off winter colds since one has 45 percent of the daily value of vitamin C.

7

Milk

Research has shown that people who are low in vitamin D have higher rates of depression and anxiety. It can be difficult to get your vitamin D naturally from the sunlight, especially in the winter, which is why you should make an effort to get your fill via fortified foods or a supplement. The Nutrition Twins suggest working milk fortified with vitamin D into your diet. You can pour it onto your cereal, add it to your smoothies, or use it as a replacement for cream in your cooking.

8

Mushrooms

“Mushrooms are a great—and underrated—source of vitamin D to help fight depression and anxiety,” say The Nutrition Twins. “In fact, they’re the only vegetable to naturally contain vitamin D! Some of the light-exposed mushrooms can provide 100 percent of the daily value for vitamin D, so add them to your salads, your omelets, your soups, stir-fries, and casseroles.” Speaking of soups, you’ll love these 20 Best-Ever Fat Burning Soups!

9

Kale

Kale is so readily available you really don’t have an excuse not to treat your body to this nutrient dense, low-calorie leafy green. “Like walnuts, kale contains depression-fighting magnesium, but it also contains copper, a mineral involved in essential cellular function and overall well-being,” says Zuckerbrot. “Copper stabilizes mood and can decrease the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s when consumed adequately.”

10

Spinach

Spinach and Swiss chard are also fantastic, nutrient-dense mood boosters. “Rich in magnesium, which helps to relieve tension and relax the muscles, we tell our clients to toss spinach in their salads and stack it in their sandwiches, wraps, and burritos,” say the Nutrition Twins. “Add a spritz of lemon juice or another source of vitamin C and you’ll boost iron absorption while you’re at it.”

11

Kiwi

Folic acid deficiency has been found in people with depression and anxiety, which is why the Nutrition Twins recommend that people eat kiwis if they’re feeling low. “Kiwis are also rich in vitamin C, which research has shown may help lower blood pressure and other physiological reactions to stressful situations.”

12

Broccoli

Broccoli is high in B vitamins, which may help fight anxiety. “Research suggests people with low levels of these vitamins are more likely to have depression and anxiety than those with normal levels,” say the Nutrition Twins. “Toss some in your pasta dishes, soups, and salads.”

13

Green Tea

Green tea is not only rich in antioxidants, but research has shown that it’s also rich in a depression-fighting amino acid called theanine. Opt for matcha, a powdered green tea, which has up to five times as much theanine as regular green tea.

14

Chocolate

Before you reach for more Hershey’s Kisses, note that we’re talking about pure (or near pure) cocoa. The more cocoa is processed, the fewer benefits it has. There isn’t nearly enough cocoa in milk chocolate to get any mood-enhancing benefits. In fact, foods high in sugar, saturated fats, chemicals, and additives, like most chocolate bars, will likely leave you feeling worse because they lead to sugar spikes and crashes. Try adding some pure cacao powder to your smoothies or chia pudding or opt for organic chocolate bars that use the fewest ingredients possible and high percentages of cocoa (70 or higher) while maintaining an appealing flavor profile. Say goodbye to added sugars—and goodbye to your belly—with Zero Sugar Diet! Order your copy today!

15

Chia Seeds

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid that helps boost your mood and promote restful sleep. The problem is that it isn’t naturally produced by our bodies; you need to absorb it from whole food sources. A great source is chia seeds. Chia seeds also get brownie points for being high in fiber, meaning that even if you consume them in something sweet—like chia pudding—they will be slowly absorbed into the bloodstream, helping to prevent blood sugar crashes. Plus, the fiber keeps you full longer.

16

Avocados

There’s a reason avocado toast has become such a staple, and it’s not just because it looks pretty on Instagram. Avocados are full of healthy fats that are not only good for your heart, but they help to absorb other nutrients in other foods you eat. Research has also shown that diets that are low in healthy fats are associated with stress, anxiety, and depression.

17

Blueberries

Folate is a vitamin that helps produce the mood-enhancing serotonin we discussed earlier. While it’s present in all berries it’s particularly high in blueberries. Blueberries also have anthocyanins (water-soluble pigments, these are the reason blueberries are blue), which help boost well-being. Anthocyanins have also been linked to decreased inflammation, which may also contribute to a decrease in depression. Again, all berries will have this effect, but it will be especially potent with blueberries. Stock up on these 30 Best Anti-Inflammatory Foods, too!

  The post 17 Therapeutic Foods to Help Cope With Stress and Improve Your Mood appeared first on Eat This Not That.

[andrewdburton]

The big fat truth: J.D. Roth interviews JD Roth

I’m not the only semi-celebrity J.D. Roth. For more than fifteen years, I’ve been receiving email and tweets and Facebook messages intended for the other JD Roth, the former executive producer of The Biggest Loser — and tons of other television shows.

Apparently the other JD Roth has a lot of fans. Actually, I’m one of them. I’ve been watching his shows since 2009, when season seven of The Biggest Loser inspired me to start my own weight-loss journey. When he published his book The Big Fat Truth in the spring of 2016, I read it the day it was released. I thought it was great, and wished that I could interview the author, but Kim and I were in the middle of our 15-month RV trip across the U.S. and I couldn’t make the logistics work.

In 2017, when I learned that Roth had created a TV version of The Big Fat Truth, I knew the time had come at last: J.D. Roth was going to interview JD Roth. Last August, we made it happen. (I originally published this interview at Money Boss a year ago; today, I’m moving it to Get Rich Slowly.)

Note: It can be tough to tell the two of us apart. We’re both 5’8″. We both have the same facial hair. We both have beautiful wives/girlfriends. And we both share similar underlying philosophies regarding success and personal development.

That said, there are some subtle differences between the two of us.

I spell my name J.D. Roth; he spells his name JD Roth.

I live in Oregon; he lives in California.

I have one producer credit on IMDB; he has 51 producer credits.

I have 22,030 followers on Twitter; he has 848 followers. (You should follow both of us, by the way!)

When I was younger, I looked so much like Star Trek‘s Commander Riker that some of my friends actually called me Riker! The other JD Roth was actually one of the final candidates for the role of Wesley Crusher.

For the purposes of this article, here’s how to tell us apart: When I write about myself, I won’t do it in the third person. I’ll say “I” and “me”. When I write about the fitness JD Roth, I’ll use proper journalistic form and refer to him by his last name.

The Big Fat Truth

“I’ve been watching your new show [The Big Fat Truth], and I really like it,” I told JD Roth at the start of our phone conversation. “I like that it’s less of a game show and more about helping participants address not only their health, but the other things they’re struggling with in their lives.”

“Yeah, it’s all interconnected.”

“Plus, The Big Fat Truth feels less produced than The Biggest Loser. There aren’t any weekly weigh-ins and there’s not dramatic music. It’s you sitting down and helping real people living their real lives facing real challenges — but still achieving real results.”

“Thank you.”

“In one episode, for instance, you have a couple analyze how they allow words to hurt them — how they use what others say as an excuse to make bad food choices. Or there’s the mom episode where you go over to Nancy’s house and it’s a mess. Her basement is a disaster, so you ask her to clean it up. I think you say something like, ‘Fix your mind and the body will follow.’ I love that.”

“All of these things in your life — your basement, your bank account, your belly — are a microcosm of what’s going on in your mind. Being ready to assess your inner life is probably the hardest part of losing weight. But it’s also the most important.”

“Here’s an exercise I’ve used in the past,” Roth said. “I tell participants to go home and clean out their bedrooms. If you want to lose weight, empty out your bedroom. Let yourself wake up to peace, organization, and calm. Give yourself this one oasis to escape from the chaos of life. This small step is a great place to start.”

From Desire to Transformation

“How do you help people move from desire to transformation?” I asked. “Many people want to lose weight, just like many people want to get out of debt. How do you move them from wanting to doing?” Before Roth could answer, I explained my own approach.

“I’m a big fan of the personal mission statement,” I said. “My goal is to get my readers to drill down to the things in life that are most important to them. I believe that if they’ll make decisions based around their core values, they’ll naturally be more motivated to achieve the success that they’re craving.”

“I like that idea,” Roth said. “A mission statement is important, no doubt. But I also think it’s important to celebrate the small stuff. I encourage people to look for three small victories every day. It’s the little steps, it’s the little promises that you keep, it’s the small victories that are game changers.”

He related an anecdote from his excellent TEDx talk about helping people learn to believe in themselves.

“I use this exercise with all of the people that I coach,” Roth told me. “I ask them to send me a list of small victories every day. As you might expect, most of these small victories are mundane. But sometimes they’re game changers.

“One guy, for instance, wrote that his small victory was this: ‘Today I tried, even though my trainer wasn’t looking.’ That might not seem like a big deal to the average person, but it was a big deal to me. It made me wonder where else this person wasn’t trying when nobody was looking. As a father? As a husband? As a co-worker? And here’s how this relates to motivation, to transformation.

“This guy realized the most important thing of all: ‘I’m doing this for me. I deserve it.’ He’s not losing weight for somebody else. His effort isn’t to please others. His effort is for himself. It doesn’t matter what other people see; what matters is what you see. When you try, you’re trying for you, not for anyone else. When you realize that, when you flip that switch, it’s so much easier to make the leap from desire to transformation because the motivation is there. It becomes intrinsic instead of extrinsic.”

“And did this guy lose weight?” I asked.

“He lost over 200 pounds,” Roth said. “But that wasn’t the best part. The external transformation was great, but even better was the internal transformation.”

Related reading: This anecdote is a perfect illustration of moving from an external locus of control to an internal locus of control. For more on this subject, check out my article on becoming proactive.

I Can and I Can’t

Roth believes there are two types of people: I Can people and I Can’t people. “If you don’t think you can do something, you won’t be able to. I Can’t is a self-fulfilling prophecy,” Roth says. “The bigger message is that you really are capable of doing things that seem impossible to you.”

“I agree,” I said. “I’ve seen this not only in other people, but time and again in my own life. When I’ve lost weight in the past, it’s always seemed daunting at the start. But I’ve made it happen. When I decided to get out of debt, that seemed impossible too. But by taking small steps and staying on course, I not only defeated my debt but also achieved financial independence.”

“Yeah,” Roth said, “I’ve seen similar mental shifts in the folks who have been on our shows. They start The Biggest Loser and it’s a struggle to stay on the treadmill for ten minutes, but by the end of the season, they’re able to run a full marathon. They never thought they’d be able to do it, but they can.”

“I love The Biggest Loser marathon,” I said. “Season seven of the show was a huge inspiration for me. It changed my life. I remember watching Tara Costa each week, watching how she went out there and just conquered whatever challenge came her way. So much mental toughness! For me, the most amazing moment was watching her pull the race car around the track. I saw that and decided that I wanted to be that tough too.”

“Yeah, Tara is amazing,” said Roth. “I ran much of that marathon with her, just off camera.”

“Watching her run the marathon in season seven inspired me to complete a marathon myself. It must have been May 2009 when that episode aired. I signed up for the Portland Marathon, and that October I did all 26.2 miles!”

“Congratulations,” said Roth.

Diet vs. Exercise

“What’s more important?” I asked. “Diet or exercise?”

“Well, you can’t outwork three bad meals a day,” Roth told me, echoing some sage advice from financial author Greg Karp: “You can’t outearn dumb spending.”

“You don’t lose weight through exercise,” Roth said. “You lose weight through a proper diet. But exercise is important for other reasons. Exercise builds muscle and contributes to mental health. Diet helps you maintain a healthy weight.”

“The mental health aspect is huge,” I said. “I have a tendency toward depression and anxiety. If I don’t exercise, things can get dark and gloomy. But if I make sure to remain active, I’m much happier with myself and others.”

“Exactly,” Roth said. “Nobody is hungry enough to eat themselves to three, four, five hundred pounds. Those hunger pains [sic] are actually other pains. They’re symptoms of something else. People develop these habit loops in which food takes the place of solving the actual problem. The number one thing I try to do is help people break their habit loops.”

For more on the concept of “habit loops”, check out this GRS guest post on how to change your spending habits from Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit.

In the past, I’ve encouraged GRS readers to “just solve the problem“. I advocate a six-step process to tackle the things you’ve been neglecting. Roth has similar advice, but he takes a simpler approach (which is better, I think). His three steps to solve any problem are:

Identify the problem.

Make a list of things you need to do.

Go do them.

“Do you think some people become addicted to food?” I asked.

“Well, food science is a real thing,” Roth said. “Foods are engineered to produce the perfect amount of dopamine to the back of your throat. Eating junk food makes you feel good in the short term. It makes you want more.

“It’s also interesting to note that the recidivism rate on drugs, alcohol, and food are identical,” Roth said. “A person who loses 100 pounds is just as likely to regain that weight as a recovering alcoholic is to relapse. It’s fascinating.”

Finances and Fitness

We wrapped up the call by talking about the similarities between physical fitness and personal finance. Yes, I know this is a topic that’s been beaten into the ground by money bloggers during the past decade, but it remains an endless source of fascination for me — probably because I’ve struggled with both money and diet in the past.

“Several years ago, I asked Suze Orman to be on our show,” Roth told me. “She came on The Biggest Loser to talk with our participants because I believe there is a relationship between fitness and finance. Like I said, it’s all connected.

“Anyhow, Suze said, ‘I’ll bet I can pick the eventual winner. Get me everybody’s FICO scores.’ So, I got her everybody’s FICO scores. Sure enough, those with the higher scores were the ones who had the better results.”

These days, Roth is financially independent. He sold his production company a couple of years ago, and now he’s semi-retired, much like me. “I’m only doing work that I’m passionate about,” he said. “I’m only working on things that are important. I’m in the fortunate position to be able to do a show for a start-up network on a subject that I’m passionate about — encouraging people to pursue a whole-food, plant-based diet.”

He paused for a moment. “I guess it goes back to my mission statement. I want to leave people better off than I found them.”

“That’s awesome,” I said. “That’s my goal too.”

Technical note: For some reason, I couldn’t get Skype to work for my phone call with the other JD Roth, which means I didn’t record the call. I had to take notes by hand instead of go back later to grab actual quotes. As a result, the conversation in this article is a reconstruction rather than a transcript.

The post The big fat truth: J.D. Roth interviews JD Roth appeared first on Get Rich Slowly.

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[spacequeenemily-blog]

on On-Line

i love On-Line. it's a good place to be me without the baggage of real life. it lets me network with people that are miles and miles away. on the internet i can assume my preferred identity and persona without judgement. i can meet people as Emily and the friends i make think no less of me for being a woman. there are people who have no idea what my birth name is and that's a wonderful feeling. you can get so much insight from other people's lived experiences. so long as you seek them out, you can organically engage with many differing viewpoints and issues you had no idea existed. a big trend i've noticed is an openness about mental health, on which millennial and gen z tend to be much more open and honest about due to the stigma behind it slowly but surely receding. there are pros and cons to this, but i'll save that for another day.

what i wanna talk about is why the internet and social media can be such an absolute drain. early 00s era posting garnered a reputation of Being Weird And Funny. more often than not, in communities, comedy was the be all end all. the early internet largely being nameless and faceless (an almost foreign world compared to today when one's online identity and "real life" identity are one in the same) predicated a large portion of its humor to making jokes about other people. not always malicious, but it did set a precedent. just like public school, you could become popular by putting someone down. Look At Me, I Am So Smart And Clever, I Have Obliterated This Fool. you dunk on a nerd by quote-retweeting them with some pithy joke, and the engagements roll in. the dopamine releases and you feel good that you were noticed. the issues with this are pretty apparent, but the real death knell for me is how this is weaponized in today's internet culture as a whole.

the correct way to deal with a bigot, someone acting in bad faith, etc. (read Nazi) is to refute their very existence. america's political climate for decades has been a shit-eating tepid centrist farce where all the supposed liberals can do is tut-tut and proclaim their moral superiority against a party that is deeply rooted in white supremacy and is gleeful evil. Nazis don't get a platform. unless you're the media, in which case you have to trip all over yourselves and send every reporter you have deep into the mythical Trump Country to prove a bias you already had against southern voters, who of course are the only people who support the monster, certainly not well to do middle class folks everywhere and the ultra rich and privileged. no, the Nazis are The Dapper Alt-Right. they deserve a platform -- after all, ours is a country built on free speech and that means so long as they are polite and follow decorum, they can twist their disgusting weasel mouths into a horrific reasonable-seeming tirade about desiring a white ethnostate and killing the jews who control the country. now it may be wrong, but it's their right, so all we can do is repeat an endless media cycle turning up our nose at them and doing nothing more than give them infinite credibility and a platform for more reactionaries with poisoned brains to join the holy crusade against caricatures of caricatures of falsehoods these buffoons have created because they didn't get to be the center of attention all the time forever. and now they are. hooray.

even self-proclaimed leftists and hashtag resistance dopes are born from the early online. you see a MAGA dipshit spew out some sort of vile 3rd grade understanding of the world and what do you do? well you call them a cockgobbler on a public platform and get Cool Guy Points. aren't you so clever. then, if the MAGA asshat shitheel has a platform (and a truly terrifying number of them do), you've now incited their groupies to spew vile trash at you. "the thought police are silencing good clean american views, and only you can help defend against the goddamn commies who want to burn our freedom to the ground by donating to my patreon." now RationalGamer45 is making an indescribable amount of controversy dollars while good people fail to raise enough on their gofundme to survive another day and die from a lack of insulin. and the onus is on you. don't give these fucks a platform. be better than that.

the worst part is it's not always dipshit MAGA chuds. it's so called liberal columnists and pundits. every two seconds the New York Times hires a bright young fresh new star to provide a unique viewpoint and she ends up being a terf or pals around with Nazis. Kevin Drum publishes another article where he jacks his own superiority off, blasting his credentials all over the idiot poors who are too stupid to order a sandwich at an italian shop. and from 20 different people every few hours, you will see Takes. a veritable sea of Takes from everyone you ever knew and everyone else you never knew. a hell of blue checkmarks going EXCUSE ME, GOOD SIR lasting an eternity. every precious childhood memory i have is slowly being eroded as i remember the names of your Jordan Petersons, BakedAlaskas, Bari Weisses, and a whole sea of others who dominate the moment because instead of giving them no platform, we instead dedicate days, even weeks, to making them The Discourse. it's enough to break a person. i know i've been broken by it. there's a reason the common refrain is something like "this hellsite has broken everyone's brains."