#im aware that’s always the case if the date/number is 11 but the fact that’s it’s one of 2 11 of the month that fall on a friday in 2022

[berlinini]

9 days before Nov 11 is Nov 3

6 days before Nov 11 is Nov 6

3 days before Nov 11 is Nov 9

….. incheresting

[crewhonk]

Only Happy Accidents (11)

YN is determined, on God, to let Steve have his day and not make it about herself for once.

Warnings: YN is dumb and in early labour, little smutty moment, Nat Knows Everything. y'all have had a fluffy lil series, but I'm about to angst it up and im not sorry

Only Happy Accidents (master list)

Songs: High As Hope Album— Florence and the Machine 

_______________________

July 3rd, Steve’s Birthday Party, Three Weeks and Three Days until due date, 9:15 AM

“You know. This view is something else.” YN piped up from the balcony of Steve’s old room at the tower. The room was massive and clean. The balcony was YN’s favourite besides the king bed, as it overlooked the treelike and training grounds that YN could watch the new recruits do morning laps or stretch out in the sun. “It’s nice to get out of the city for once.”

He hummed and came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her torso and swaying with her, hands on her swollen belly. She was wearing the prettiest little number he’d seen her wear since her wedding dress, and god, he’d married the most beautiful woman in the world. All of the worlds, probably. It was a simple white sundress that plunged between her boobs and stopped at the top of her stomach. A thin white piece of fabric cinched at the waist allowed for the dress to flare over her stomach and ass, and Steve really, really didn’t want to leave this room.

It was odd being back here— a stranger to his past life. The too clean surfaces of the room and bare walls which had never been cluttered with pictures haunted him and reminded of a person who he didn’t like. He liked the person he was now, though. Kind, sentimental, husband, almost-baby-daddy. 

It was odd being here, but Dr. Cho and Natasha insisted— they both wanted YN to be close to the delivery room and medical office in case something happened, and Steve, for once, encouraged Natasha’s overprotectiveness. 

“Have I told you I love you today, Wife?” He mumbled, lips teasing the bare skin of her neck. Her hair was tied into a bandana and off of her neck, and he loved the access it gave him. Maybe his favourite part of her was, in fact, the back of her neck. 

“A few times, but I could be reminded, Husband.” YN snorted, liking the way the word tasted on her tongue and how Steve held her closer when she said it. He felt her stomach move under his hands and a thrill like no other filled him from his toes to his nose. 

“I love you,” he whispered, kissing her shoulder. “I love you,” kissing her neck. “I love you,” kissing her jaw and cheek and finally, turning her head to face him, kissed her lips ad smiled. “I love you.” 

YN smiled and kissed him back, stepping away quickly and backing away from him and into the bathroom. “I know.”

___________________________

12:07 PM

Natasha prided herself on being observant. She knew Bucky was hiding something from her— not normal for him, but she trusted him enough to know that he would tell her when he was ready. She knew that Sam had been the one eating her snacks she specifically labelled. She knew Cho was seeing someone inside the compound. She knew things, and it was her favourite quality. 

So when YN walked in with Steve’s hand wrapped in her own, Natasha knew today was the day. 

It had taken a few strategic words on her part to get Steve to leave his wife’s side, but when he finally succumbed and moped off to find Sam and Bucky, Natasha followed YN to the snack table set up for the guests about to arrive for Steve’s birthday party and waited. 

“YN.” She said, and YN shook her head, shoving three finger sandwiches in her mouth and gathering a handful of cherry tomatoes. 

“YN.” She tried again and YN swallowed her food, eating a lemon square, and upon debating it, ate another. She looked at Natasha who was staring her down and YN raised on finger. ‘wait’. 

So, Natasha waited, eyeing YN’s stomach nervously. It was lower today than any other day she’d seen it— YN had always carried the baby high, but today it looked to be a completely different bump. Steve was sure to be aware, but since the due date wasn’t for another three weeks probably convinced himself that it was the dress YN was wearing that made her appear different. Steve was never someone who made assumptions about things this big. 

YN finished the cherry tomatoes in her hand and gulped down some punch, ate the slice of fruit she’d picked up and turned to Natasha. 

“I’m not allowed to eat in the delivery room, and I’ve been having light contractions since 8 AM this morning.” YN said simply and Natasha’s jaw dropped. Her hands immediately fell to YN’s stomach and somehow the skin and muscle even felt different. 

“You’ve been having contractions?” And upon YN shushing her loudly, dropped her voice. “And Steve doesn’t know?”

“I told him that she’s sitting on my bladder and I’ve been going to the bathroom and leaving the room often so I can carry out the worst ones.” YN said, looking at her husband who was laughing loudly with his friends. God, his world was about to be shifted upside down. 

“How far apart are they?” Natasha asked, and YN looked at her phone, nodding. One minute to go.

“I’m about to have another one in a minute if they’re regular, but right now they’re all at eighteen minutes give or take.” YN said, grabbing Nat’s hand and pulling her from the room. She walked quickly down a few turns and leaned against the wall, rocking from side to side and looking as if she was concentrating very hard on a spot on the other wall. 

“What can I do?” Nat said hurriedly. 

“Keep watch. I’m not letting this ruin Steve’s birthday party.” YN snarled through her teeth. They weren’t bad— just really bad period cramps, but they still sucked.

“YN. You are in early labour, we need to tell him.” Natasha hissed and YN straightened up, leaning the back of her head against the wall and catching her breath. 

“No. These past few months have been about me, and I just want Steve to be the centre of attention for once. He deserves it. Plus, I only started having contractions at eight this morning, audit’s noon now— I still have a minimum of four hours before real labour starts.” YN tried to reason and Natasha shook her head. 

“Can we at least go see doctor Cho?” Nat pleaded and YN, after searching her expression for any way out, nodded. 

“Fine.”

____________________________

1:00 PM

“So, you are in early labour, but you’re only about two centimetres dilated, but I’m not going to keep you here since you’re not in active labour.” Cho beamed, having grown attached to both Steve and YN throughout this process. She’d been a huge part of this journey, and felt as if she and YN had become some odd form of friends. 

“Told you.” YN joked at Nat as she helped the pregnant lady out of the stirrups and onto her feet. YN slipped on her slipper-flats and bowed her head as a smaller contraction made her belly tense. 

“Hey, I’m this kids aunt, so I’m going to make sure they’re safe.” Natasha rolled her eyes and smiled, nodding towards Cho who looked thoughtful. 

“What do you think the baby is going to be?” Cho wondered. “I have my guesses but It’s not my place to say.”

Natasha looked at YN, then, and down to her belly. A small, pale hand rested on the swell and Natahsa cocked her head. 

“Healthy, I hope.”

____________________________

3:16 PM

The party was swinging, by now. The music filled the common room as Avengers from around the world and galaxy filled the room to celebrate Steve Rogers. YN smiled politely as Carol Danvers looked fondly down at you, shaking your hand. 

“He’s a lucky guy, that Steve Rogers.” Her voice was low and silky and if it was Halloween again, maybe, just maybe, YN would have flirted back. 

“I think I’m the lucky one, honestly.” YN blushed and Carol smiled brightly. The conversation was that of small talk and not much else, but YN did feel as if she was the only person that mattered when Carol spoke— a quality of Carols that YN quite admired. Eventually, Carol was beckoned by Nick Fury, who had chosen a casual pair of sunglasses over his usual eye patch. 

YN could feel pairs of eyes on her the whole time she wandered around the room, and found that Wanda Maximoff, Pepper Potts, as well as Natasha and Carol all seemed to be in the know about what was happening. Wanda, likely because she was in YN’s mind, Pepper, because she’d gone through the same thing (and been just as stubborn), and Carol, because maybe, just maybe, YN was being less subtle than she thought. 

The contractions had since lost their regularity— coming at intervals from anywhere between five minutes and half an hour. It was disheartening, frankly, but seeing the was Steve seemed to be glowing was bearable. YN was leaning against the counter, just watching him from across the room and nursing another finger sandwich and water when he looked over. Peter Quill and Thor were both chatting with Steve, but when Steve caught her eyes, he excused himself politely and wandered over to her. He walked up slowly, and leaned against her lightly, kissing her soundly and making her toes curl. 

“You’re pretty.” He murmured, dopey smile on his face. YN snorted, and cupped his cheeks gently, kissing him again and brushing the tip of her nose against his. 

“You excited?” YN asked nervously, and Steve grinned widely cupping the sides of her belly. 

“I just want to meet him now—“

“Her.”

“It’s going to be a boy I know it.”

“I’m sure she wants to meet you just as bad.” YN smiled, and as she felt another cramp tighten in her stomach, kissed the breath out of Steve Rogers to distract herself. 

____________________________

7:07PM

The dinner plates had been cleared, and the party had settled into the couches— only a few remained. Those with children or living off-planet needed to go, so now, only a small group remained. YN ignored the stares of Wanda, Pepper and Natasha as she curled up into Steve’s side, rubbing her belly every time a contraction made itself known. She glanced at her phone again and noted the time— they were getting more regular now— an easy 16 minutes and they were also at a consistent pain level which was manageable but still uncomfortable. 

“You okay?” Steve whispered into YN’s temple and she nodded, settling against him as the contraction subsided. He kissed the crown of her head and rubbed her shoulder which was hidden under her brown leather jacket. 

“I’m wonderful.” YN returned and she wrapped her arm around his middle, throwing her legs over his thigh and sighing. 

“You waiting for something?” Steve asked, looking down at her phone, and she played it off, shrugging. 

“You caught me, I have a mistress. She’s getting a private jet and we’re running away together.” YN grinned and Steve made a sound in the back of his throat— somewhere between a guffaw and a snort. “She’s really into pregnant women too.”

“Too bad I’m not, huh?” Steve crooned and she ignored the way her stomach turned at his tone. 

“Too bad, indeed.” YN agreed and suddenly, Steve stood, holding a hand out for YN to take and tired back to the group when she stood, blushing furiously. “We’re going to head to bed, it’s been swell.” Steve smiled and the small group of people booed. 

“Come on, man the night is still young.” Sam protested, offering Steve another beer as an offering. Steve waved him off and wrapped an arm around his wife shoulder, carting them off towards the door. 

“That’s why we’re going!” 

______________________

7:15PM

Steve wasted little time in pressing YN against the door of his bedroom, hands skirting under her dress and tracing up the sides of her thighs. His touch was hot on her, goosebumps erupting over her skin in distinct trails. His lips were seared to her in an intense kiss, and he bent down and scooped her into his arms bridal style, making her squeal and clutch him desperately. 

“Steve! What’re you—!” YN tried, laughing as he tried to sexily take off his shirt but failing and looking like a damn dork. 

“I’m about to ravish my wife, and make sure she doesn’t run away with her pregnant-woman-loving mistress.” He joked, crawling over YN and kissing her neck, making her sigh and scratch his scalp. She spread her legs easily for him, and he fit between them like a puzzle piece. 

“Love this dress, couldn’t keep my eyes off of you the whole night.” He mumbled, moving her thin strap down her arm and following its path with kisses. “It’s look better on the floor though.”

And so he urged her to sit up, kissing her forehead gently before lifting the dress over her head and making his breath stop in his throat— god, she was beautiful. She was braless— the dress made no room for one, and her tits were swollen and soft and waiting for him to get his mouth on them and give them the attention they deserved. His lips were gentle on her— her skin had been wonderfully sensitive these past few days, and it never took much time for her to become putty in his hands. 

“Steve.” YN said, and he grunted against her, the taste of her warm in his mouth. She wanted to continue this, really she did, but someone else int eh room had another idea. 

“Say my name again, Sweetheart. Love hearin’ you say it.” He replied, pressing her onto her back and letting his hands drift lightly across her belly and to the apex of her thighs where he cupped her sex, and moaned. “Wet for me, huh?”

“Steve, wait.” YN said and Steve was in his right mind enough to pull back a little, looking into her eyes. 

“You okay, babe? Did I do something?” He asked, worry making his tone thick. YN shook her head and smiled, brow furrowing a little and looking at the side table where she saw her phone. 

“Check my phone please, and tell me the time.” She said, and his heart dropped to his stomach— was there really someone else?

“7:37.” He replied and she nodded, grabbing a pillow and rolling onto her hands and knees. She buried her face in the pillow and let out a low moan, somewhere from deep in her body that Steve didn’t realize she could even make. She rocked back and forth into the pillow, and Steve watched helplessly as he watched his wife’s body tighten and tighten until he thought it would break. 

“YN? What— What’s going on?” He begged and her hand shot out, gripping his forearm hard enough for him to be concerned— it didn’t hurt, but usually she was always so gentle with him, even when she was frustrated. “You’re scaring me.”

Eventually, she let her breath go and she melted into the bed, pulling her red face from the pillow and resting on her cheek, looking up at him. 

“I didn’t tell you ‘cause I wanted you to have one day where you were the centre of attention, but I’ve been in early labour since 8 in the morning and that was a damn strong contraction.”

And Steve, a man who had seen death over the period of a century, a man who has killed and run from the government on more than one occasion. Steve, a man who has saved the world countless times over and a man who was the bravest she’d ever met let his eyes roll into his skull and fall off the bed in the most dramatic faint YN Rogers had ever seen.

______________________

Tag List (send me an ask, ONLY. must interact with the fic more than a like): yesfanficsaremylife / notyourtypicalrose /  laurxn-robinson / disaster-rose / lille-kattunge / wwecrazed2010 / vxidnik / chewingoffmyfoot/ vitamingrant / captainamericasbeard / chrisgalore / songforhema / mmyepic / multifandommandy / tommyhoe / lostdarksoul6 / crist1216 / taeeemin / jaqui-has-a-conspiracy-theory / feelmyroarrrr / teller258316 / mrsdeanwinchester19 / qrangr / mariswritingforfun / nerdypinupcrystal / kittycatlover18 / laucontrerasv / printedpeterparker / @dumblani  / @captainomad / eversonaive / rainbowkisses31 / i-think-i-am-adorable / rainbowkisses31 / smalltintedgorl/ geeksareunique / jennmurawski13 / clutteredmind-emptythoughts / venezuelaanklemayonnaise

[infinitum-imaginaerum]

F.11 with Wonwoo, please.

Wonwoo | F.11 “I’m just glad you’re safe. I wouldn’t know what to do if I lost you.” 

Words | 6,060

Warnings |  SWAT!Wonwoo !!!!! Soft bath hours: implied nudity. Lots of kitheth, slight angst?

Notes | This prompt doesn’t belong in the fluff section??? but like??? whatever I guess??? so it’s like… idk 15% angst. Im sry but this is just not a fluffy prompt hahaa. And as I said, many kisses. Please check the status of the game in my blog description before requesting!

Send a bias, a section, and a number and I’ll write you a thing!

You’d met Wonwoo through the NIS, or the National Intelligence Service, when the two of you were just young trainees at the ripe age of eighteen. The two of you were among the best shots of your time, and quite quick on your feet. Your risk analysis was incredible for someone your age, problem solving skills; recon mission assessments were all but too weak for the two of you. It was if you had been training for this all of your lives; the field agent aspect.

Constantly, the two of you were competing with each other, though it was mostly in fun as you both were above and beyond excelling in your academy. You were just kids back then, looking on to bigger and better and more dangerous and riskier things, getting into the NIS. Not only was the security of the country to be put in your hands, but the most serious criminal cases often crossed your teams after graduating your academy.

Wonwoo went to the National Police Agency soon after the two of you had gone your separate ways, dropping out of NIS. The two of you still often worked together when dealing with the more serious cases, as he was a top-tier member of the SWAT unit. Outside of work, the two of you often met for coffee, discreetly discussing cases in the open even though it was highly frowned upon. Both of you had set up your own list of code-words to make it sound like you were talking about ordinary things.

Here you were, now, four years down the road after entering the academy, two years into your separate forces. You and Wonwoo had occasionally entertained the idea of a relationship in passing in the beginning years, mostly as a joke to one another, not that neither of you had feelings for each other.

Because, in the feelings department, the both of you were raging.

His smile was much more attractive, his laugh made your skin crawl in the best way; his eyes held the galaxies, and his touch—oh, his touch lit you up like nothing else. It always had, since you first met, but now it was magnified, tenfold, and goodness were you weak for a man in a bullet-proof vest. A weird thing to be wired about, especially in your line of business, they were a dime a dozen.

You remember the first time you saw him in his tactical uniform, though he was a little more of a show off about it than most of the others. He was a sniper, so he didn’t need as much mobility from the bagginess of the uniforms. Often, when you caught him after a call, he looked so incredibly dashing in a tight black turtleneck, his cargo pants belted to his hips securely, a bullet-proof vest peeking out of the cover he was supposed to be wearing.

As the old saying went, you loved a man in uniform. It just was odd, coming from someone who shared a similar uniform from time to time, when you weren’t prim and proper in a skirt-suit or something similar working actual files for the cases at the confines of your desk—the desk Wonwoo often invited you away from. He insisted on buying your coffee every single time as repayment for taking you away from that work. Sometimes, when he couldn’t take you away from it, he brought the coffee to you and closed the door to your office silently behind him.

Everyone knew something was up between the two of you, everyone at NIS and NPA. Most of them just assumed you were dating already; it wasn’t as if their assumptions weren’t in the right direction. Others knew the details of your struggles with one another—it was hard to commit to someone in your field, knowing the risks that came through every single day while on that job. Still, Wonwoo persisted.

Often, he invited you out for dinner, just the two of you. Most times, you rejected with a soft blush and the shake of your head, even as he reached for your hand, trying to convince you to go out with him. But sometimes, you agreed. He always took you somewhere really nice, the both of you getting dressed up to go out since it was few and far between. Those were the nights the two of you most adamantly considered a relationship, when he dropped you off on your doorstep to share a kiss, or two, or three, or more when you grabbed his sport coat to pull him through the front door of your home.

You never wanted to admit it to yourself, but you were fully committed to Wonwoo, even if your title didn’t say so. The fact that he stayed with you through the night when they became a little more passionate than the others, or that he was always checking up on you and bringing you coffee, or that he texted you every time he got back from an intervention to let you know he was safe was slowly shattering your non-title. He started staying over at your place more and more, some nights passionate, some nights sweet, either way, when he stayed over, he stayed in your bed.

One thing you may have loved more than seeing him in uniform, was seeing him bare. The warmth of his chest when you slept against him was surreal, despite its frequency. When you’d wake in the morning and peer at his bare back, you couldn’t help but fawn over him, innocently, more often than not. You adored the rasp in his voice, laced with sleep, when he finally would wake and hull you up against him, requesting five more minutes and melted at the sound of your chuckle as you combed through his hair, deeply inhaling your scent masked by his own as you usually dawned his shirts. Half the time he was at your place, half the time he was at his own, despite still paying rent to his roommate.

Today, he was off, which meant he was actually on call, but didn’t have to actively be in the office. He brought a large cup of coffee to your office, strolling through NIS as if he worked there, but he had the clearance, both from NPA and from you. He knocked on your door, listening to your sweet voice invite him in.

“Good afternoon, beautiful,” he uttered to you, lightly kicking the door closed behind him as he set your coffee in front of you.

“Good afternoon, handsome,” you replied, a soft smile on your face to match his as you gathered the coffee in your hands, thanking him with a chaste kiss as he planted his hand on your desk, on top of your case file, to lean over to you lips. It wasn’t enough for him, though; he rounded your desk to step between it and your chair and leaned back, resting on your open file to garner a look.

“How are your cases going?” he asked you, fully aware of exactly what he was doing, exacerbating the situation as he plopped his rear on top of said file.

“Well, I was reviewing them to see if I could find any leads…” you trailed off as he lifted one of his legs to fully rest on your desk, hulling it just a little higher than his other hip to open his legs to you. He often did this, attempted to distract you from what you were saying—when you forgot, he won, and would lean down to collect a kiss.

“Jeon Wonwoo!” you protested, but that didn’t stop his kisses from trailing away from your lips and down your neck to what he could reach from the ruffled collar of your blouse.

“Yes, honey?”

“Get your cute butt off my files,” you warned him, turning your head to nip at his ear. He pulled back, giving you a dazzling grin, innocently peering at you but you weren’t having any of it as you took his chin, cupping it with your index finger under his jaw, your thumb pinching it. “Don’t flash that dazzling grin at me, boy,” you continued, shaking his head involuntarily, softly from side to side, “even if you melt my insides when you call me that.”

“You just melt my insides in general,” he replied, causing you to push him away with a firm hand on his chest as he giggled, teasing you.

You rolled your eyes as he stood from your desk, doing as you asked to pull up a chair next to yours. He watched you cup your coffee, gingerly sipping from it now and again as he settled into his seat until he was gnawing at his lip, looking at you, getting a little shy which was unusual for him. Your brows rose in question, coaxing it out of him and he cleared his throat.

“Can I pamper my baby for a minute?” he asked you, watching you melt at the pet-name. It got you every single time, no matter which one it was, when he called you something cute like that. When you didn’t object, he reached down, palm skyward to motion with his fingers. Your tight clad feet pulled out of your heels, lifting from the ground for him to tug your legs across his lap. His wide palm smoothed over your shins, cupping your calf as he rubbed your legs down.

“I know you’re on your feet a lot, standing in front of that profiling board,” he whispered to you, setting his coffee down on your desk to caress both of your legs down to your feet, digging his thumbs in the arch of both of them. He watched your lips part, a relieved sigh falling from them as he released the tension in your feet, both from being on them and from being contorted in your heels. Your coffee was almost shaky in your hands as your eyes fluttered closed, his thumbs working into the bottoms of your feet and back up your legs.

“You spoil me,” you told him, mostly a whisper as you took another sip of your coffee, your eyes opening again to peer at him from under your lashes.

He winked at you, “Maybe I do, but only just a little bit.”

“Are you coming over tonight?” you asked him, watching his eyes lift to yours after drifting back to your legs. His hands rubbed you down as he thought about his response, taking a deep breath.

“Do you want me to?” he replied, slipping your legs off his lap before tugging your rolling swivel chair in his direction, leaning far over to kiss your lips once, twice, thrice—gentle closed-mouth pecks that had your heart fluttering for him, especially when his fingers touched your jaw, tilting your head up for him.

You nodded, eyes fluttering back open as he pulled away.

“I was thinking we could have dinner and a nice quiet night in.”

“Mm, how about after dinner we have a candle-lit bubble bath and a fine bottle of prosecco,” he suggested, a purr in your ear as he charmed your coffee out of your hands, a more desperate kiss he placed against your lips.

“You really do spoil me, Wonwoo,” you purred back against his lips. His soft chuckle was a symphony in your ears, his soft hands tugging at your waist, desperately wanting to drag you into his lap. Just as he was about to, your boss knocked and opened your door. Wonwoo wasn’t unfamiliar to him, as your boss gave him a salute before turning his attention back to you, mentioning something about the profiling of one of the cases that had been cold on your desk for a while. You turned in your chair to search for it, picking through file after file before handing it to him so he could review your work—something for a press conference.

Once the door closed, Wonwoo looked over at you with a grin, his fingers back to tug at your suit jacket.

“You’re my queen, I’m supposed to spoil you,” he finally replied, giving you a half-lidded look as his tongue teased the side of his lips.

“That’s code for I want to drag you into my lap,” you responded, rolling your eyes even as he continued to tug at your jacket, trying to do just that, coax you right into his lap. He chuckled, dropping his head to break the gaze with you.

“It’s not code for anything!” he added, his hands finally finding the attempt at your waist futile as they dropped from your coat. Despite that, you stood, surprising him a little bit. It would have been hard to drag you into his lap the way he wanted, considering your pencil skirt, but you gave him a little bit of what he wanted as you leaned over and placed both of your hands on his strong thighs, leaning over him to garner his gaze again.

His brows were raised in surprise as he looked at you, but soon relaxed when his eyes fell closed, one of his hands placed on the back of one of yours, the other cupping your jaw the instant your soft, supple lips met his in a kiss that had his heart pumping hard. His deep inhale through his nose had your heart pumping just the same. Seldom did you kiss him like this when it wasn’t at your house, but something in you told you that you should.

The hand of yours he wasn’t pinning against his leg rose for a moment to stroke your fingers against his jaw before trailing down his neck, over his shirt and against his chest where you lay your palm flat over his heart and before long, the hand that was pinning your hand to his leg was then pinning your hand against his chest, clutching it against his body.

His warm tongue touched against your closed lips, begging for a little more, just a little, and your lips parted for a moment to gingerly graze his tongue with yours before shyly breaking the kiss.

“What’s gotten into you? You never kiss me like this at work,” he breathed against your lips, and you were kissing him again, removing your hand from his leg to thread through his hair and tilt his head for you as you nipped at his bottom lip. Something desperate was screaming at you, but you couldn’t place it.

Wonwoo’s brow drew together—not that he wasn’t enjoying it, but something wasn’t right. He tried to ignore it, tried to ignore the way your tongue touched tentatively against his, when you were usually so fervent about him. Maybe it was the fact that you were at work, typically not too keen about being this unprofessional, even in the privacy of your office.

But that didn’t seem like it, either. He was becoming an anxious mess, mirroring your anxiety. He tried to break the kiss to ask you, muffling a quiet ‘baby’ against your lips, but you kissed it away, silencing him. Your right hand was furled in the front of his shirt, a sure-sign that something wasn’t sitting right with you, only confirmed when he pulled away—

“Sweetheart,” he begged, cupping your chin to keep you a short distance away, but still at his will, “stop.” His eyes looked into yours, looked between them as he tried to read your face, your breath was nervous, but he didn’t give you enough time to say anything as he turned you, plopping you askew in his lap and wrapped his arms around you to cuddle you close to him.

“Something’s wrong. You’re never like this; talk to me, what are you feeling?”

His chin resting on your shoulder was a sliver of solace, his arms tightly around you to drag you into his warm chest. You were askew enough that he could peek up at your face, on the edge of your shoulder, begging for your attention. Unable to come up with a good answer, you shook your head, fingers soft on his arms wrapped around you.

“I—I don’t know, Wonwoo; I’m nervous,” you finally replied.

“Talk to me, baby,” he pleaded. “What are you nervous about? Is it about me?”

All you could do was nod, slowly at first but more vigorously the more you thought about it.

“I have a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, all of the sudden. Instincts… took over and—”

Wonwoo’s phone started ringing, and you knew that ringtone like your death knell. He looked at you, wanting to ignore it to make sure you were okay, but it was duty calling and he had to answer it. You nodded for him to take it and, with you on his lap, shifted to dig his phone from his pocket and put it to his ear as his eyes met yours again. It was what sounded like his commanding officer giving him the details of a high profile situation which sounded vaguely familiar like the open case file that was on your desk.

Wonwoo swallowed hard as he finally looked back at you. “I’ll be stationed ASAP,” he spoke into the phone before hanging up. He could see the nervousness on your face; he almost never got called in, especially like this. You could feel your blood pumping through your veins, but for a different reason. His commanding officer already had a three cop body count and when he gave the news to Wonwoo, he cursed under his breath, his face showing the disappointment with the situation.

“It’s going to be okay,” he tried to soothe you, bringing your hand to his lips to kiss the back of it. “It’s going to be fine.”

“It’s the case, Wonwoo,” you told him, wanting to direct your attention to the open file on your desk, but he knew what it was, and he wasn’t going to let you look. He wanted your sweet eyes on him as he reassured you he’d return to you. He cupped your chin, making you look at him and only him as he stroked your fly-aways back with the fingers of his free hand.

“My stuff is in the car—”

“I’m going with you,” you interrupted, standing from his lap to slide your drawer open, grabbing the Glock in it before his hands covered yours, and wheedling it back out of your hand.

“You’re not,” he whispered from behind you. “You’re going to stay here, or you’re going to go home. It’s dangerous out there and I don’t want you needlessly tangled up in it. I’m the best shot they have, and someone unaccounted for. It’s going to be fine, I’m going to come home to you and we’re going to have a nice dinner and forget all about it.”

“Be on the radio with me,” you replied firmly.

His arms tightened around your waist after sliding your drawer closed, clicking the lock on it, as he buried his face in the crook of your neck.

“I’ll be listening.”

He could feel your heart pounding in your chest, feel your uneven breathing against his body, and feel the tremble in your bones.

“I have to go, baby,” he whispered in your ear.

“Please, be safe.”

Without another word, just a chaste kiss against your cheek, he disappeared with the promise he’d come back to you. He hadn’t even bothered close the door behind him, his coffee next to yours on your desk, the messy files of the case open and splayed across it. You took a deep breath, trying to calm your nerves—he was NPA’s best shot, and if he posted up properly like you knew he would, there would be no problems.

Still, you turned in your swivel chair to flip the small TV in your office on, turning to the live action news of the SWAT situation currently taking place down town, the situation Wonwoo was on his way to. Helicopters circled a building you were familiar with and you glanced at your drawer. You didn’t want to, but you heeded Wonwoo’s words. He would be back for you, he promised, but that didn’t settle the unnerving pit in your stomach.

Your boss pushed through your door, startling you, but he didn’t bother apologize before continuing with what he was going to say.

“There’s a SWAT situation—”

“I know,” you interrupted him. He looked around the office, noting Wonwoo’s absence and he looked at you, looked at the distress on your face. “He left about five minutes ago.”

“Go home,” he said, surprising you for a moment. “You’re just going to torture yourself sitting around here, helplessly, with all of the resources to go help him. But it needs to be just him, there’s nothing you can do. I can see the distress on your face—go home.”

It would have been what Wonwoo wanted. You grabbed your things, flipped the TV off, stowed all the files in the lock box which you shoved into your filing closet and headed out your office door, locking it behind you. You headed home without another word, trying to keep your mind off whatever could be going on and keep it on the reassurance he’d be okay.

You felt like you were going to throw up, trying to occupy yourself with what you were going to cook the both of you for dinner before realizing there probably wasn’t much at home. The grocery store was your first stop—an attempt to just continue the day as normal, as if you weren’t falling apart on the inside as you mindlessly perused the shelves for something to make.

An eternity you felt you spent in the store, only a thirteen item total in your cart. Your mind kept going to the radio; you begged to ask him how he was doing, what was going on, knowing he wouldn’t reply. That, and you didn’t want to distract him. You ignored it, putting your groceries in your car and headed home. An hour had ticked by since he left your office, and you wouldn’t dare turn on the TV. He would let you know when he was okay—and he would be okay. You sat on your couch after changing out of your work clothes, waiting impatiently, keeping the TV off. A little hard, you tugged at your hair, pulling it away from your face, trying to keep from going insane, trying to keep yourself grounded, trying to keep the pit in your stomach contained and keep the contents of it where they belonged.

You had prepared dinner for the most part, placing the proper ingredients in the crock pot. It was four forty-seven in the afternoon, and it would easily be ready by seven if he was back and ready to eat by then. You hoped, prayed even, that it wouldn’t be that long, that he would be back to you long before that. But the sun was quickly going down; visibility would no doubt get worse if there weren’t flood lights prepared for a stand-off.

Agony. Agony was all you felt as you fumbled with your phone in your hands for another thirty to forty minutes, considering giving him a call the more the time ticked by. You had dialed his number into the keypad, thumb hovering over the call button before you could hear the lock on your front door tumble from the turn of a key.

Relief washed over you as you tossed your phone onto the couch, leaping from it to get to the front door. Wonwoo hardly had enough time to drop his duffle bag in the entrance before your arms were tight around his neck, throwing your body into his to stagger him a bit off balance. It was a bit difficult for him to move as he wrapped his arms around your waist, sinking his face into your neck, his vest and cover restraining him a little bit. You could feel the firmness of his bullet-proof vest against your front, but that was much less of a concern than the warm liquid that smeared against your neck.

You were so concerned about him being home that you had transitorily forgotten to process the cut across Wonwoo’s cheek, hardly trickling blood, but enough to smear into your skin.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, probably talking about the blood as he held you close, feeling the entirety of your body against his, despite desperately wanting to tug you closer. “I told you I would come back to you.”

“What happened to you?” you whispered, trying to draw back to look at his face, but he wasn’t having it. He stayed nestled into the crook of your neck, holding you tightly.

“Nothing… nothing,” he whispered back.

“You’re smearing blood all over my neck, it’s not nothing,” you replied and he finally let you draw away. He reached into his back pocket for a handkerchief to clean the blood off your neck, ignoring your stare at his cheek, sliced from what looked like a tactical knife. When he seemed to be done, you snatched the handkerchief from his hand to clean his face a bit.

“I’m a little rattled… I don’t really want to talk about it.”

Your stomach about fell out of your rear—even though he was right in front of you, in the flesh, his words indicated there was a high possibility that he wasn’t going to return to you. You pulled entirely away from him, clenching his handkerchief in your hand as he unzipped his cover, revealing his vest that held two bullet casings centered on his torso, easily kill-shots.

The churning in your stomach came back as you brought your hand up to cover your mouth; the tears stung your eyes, but you pushed them away. He was there with you just like he promised and the casings stuck in the weave of his vest wasn’t going to change that. The grief on your face had Wonwoo’s insides tangling up.

“I—baby, I’m—”

“I’m just glad you’re safe. I wouldn’t know what to do if I lost you.”

He hurried to tug his cover off, his vest with it and dropped them both on top of the duffle bag, desperately wanting to feel you against him, to feel your warmth mingle with his own. Quickly and firmly, he tugged you in, pulling your whole front against him once again, but this time, it soothed the both of you to just revel in the warmth of one another. One of your arms wrapped around his neck, draping over his shoulders, while the other completely disheveled his hair, clutching him close as if he would disappear if you let go.

Wonwoo was counting his breathing, trying to calm the adrenaline still pumping through his veins. Clutching at the back of your shirt, his hands desperately tried to reel you tighter, letting your fingers carding through his hair calm him a little more as he began to walk to the both of you out of the entry way.

“I realized my mortality, today,” he said, more for himself than for you. You were always concerned about that, and you often expressed it. He tried to reassure you as if he was invincible, but you never fell for it. You knew of his mortality the same as his own—nobody was immune to a bullet. Despite that, you just nodded, understanding that he needed to get some things out but keep some other things in.

“It’s okay, you’re safe now,” you whispered back to him. He nuzzled deeper into your neck, no intention of letting you go any time soon. “It’s okay, Wonwoo,” you soothed, stroking down the back of his head and over his neck, hooking on his broad shoulder as you attempted to reel back from him again. You’d be having a word with NPA, with no real reason Wonwoo took fire as an add-on when they should have only called him with the necessary information for him to take the shot and be done with it.

In his eyes, you could see the cesspool of emotions. The fear, the relief, the contentment with finally being home; his arms were still tightly around your waist, but he’d let you lean back far enough to take both of his cheeks in your soft hands. Your thumb brushed just under his cut, which had stopped bleeding—barely a nick, though a long one.

“I had the intent of being the big spoon—”

Your thumb tugged at his bottom lip, silencing him almost instantly as you cupped his strong, sharp jaw.

“You don’t have to ask me for comfort; I will always take care of my man,” you finally replied, peering up into his eyes when his grasp around you finally allowed your feet back flat on the floor. His brow drew together, humming at your words—he loved when you called him your man. “Go run the bath, I’ll make sure the food stays warm,” you told him, dismissing him with a sweet kiss against his pleading and almost quivering lips.

You fiddled with the crock pot for only a moment; the food wasn’t quite done yet, but you had it programmed to low warm for when it went off. Faintly, you could hear the bathwater running in your master bathroom. He knew where everything he needed was at—the matches, the candles, the bubbles, the rose oil; he knew the temperature at which you liked the water and he laid out towels for the both of you. By the time you entered the bathroom, Wonwoo was already chest deep in the bathtub, clothes scattered across the floor as he eyed you.

In your hands were the missing pieces—two slender flutes and the bottle of prosecco he promised you, knowing that it was sitting in your fridge for a special occasion. This was special enough. He waded in the water a bit, finding the edge of the tile-encased bathtub to take the bottle from your hands as well as a cloth, also taking your lips with his in a sweet kiss. Quiet violin was playing in the background and the lights were dimmed. It was exactly as you had imagined when he offered you this earlier in the afternoon.

The bottle popped and he took both of the flutes, distracted with that while your clothes fluttered to the floor and you climbed the steps to settle into the hot water with him. Behind him was where you settled, as per his request, settling down with the water just under your clavicle.

“I changed my mind,” he uttered, crossing the tub to settle his back against the warmed porcelain wall and motioned for you with the finger still holding your flute. “I want to see the galaxies in your eyes,” he muttered to you, handing over your flute so he could help you settle over his lap. The scent of rosewater wafted through the air of the bathroom, mixing with the candles.

With your free hand you pushed his hair away from his forehead, brushing it out of his eyes before tracing his square jaw. His eyes never departed from yours, looking right into the deepest parts of your soul while his free hand entertained the small of your back, adjusting you on his lap so that everyone’s legs were comfortable. He delicately sipped his prosecco as your hand fell into the water, touching against his chest, against the love-bites littering his collarbones. He licked his lips, watching your eyes look them over, knowing you were the cause of all of those marks.

But those marks didn’t rile you or him, those marks reminded you of the blood under that skin, the blood that kept that flesh warm, the blood that kept your favorite human being alive and well in your arms right where he belonged. You couldn’t help but lean over and press a soft kiss against the cut on his cheek, and then his forehead, and then the tip of his nose before he was getting antsy, his fingers furling on your back as his lips tried to chase yours.

Your eyes fluttered closed with the anticipation of his lips, the sparks flew through your body when they finally met and your hand slid up to cup the back of his neck to tilt his head up just a little bit for you. His hand on your back tugged you into him, the skin on skin contact bringing a sigh out of his throat and against your mouth. He broke the kiss first, but rested his forehead against yours.

“Talk to me,” he pleaded, feeling the tension in your body he begged not to be there.

“I was scared,” you whispered to him, “I was right about my feelings. I felt like I was never going to get to kiss you again, back in my office. I—”

“I’m here,” he reminded you, taking your hand to put it over his beating heart. It was calm for you, the heart that belonged to you under your soft touch, his flesh warm and inviting—it was enough. “I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”

“I’m going to have a word with NPA, there’s no reason—”

“Baby girl?” he asked, interrupting you, not wanting to hear any more about it. You looked from the wall that had caught your gaze in your frustration, his voice uttering that name melting you back into him as your gaze turned to him. He clutched your hand against his chest, pressing it firmer, making sure you could feel the way his heart beat for you. He shook his head, “Be mad tomorrow. Right now, I just want to be with you.”

You softened, relaxing into his lap. He was right; there was no reason to be upset about it now and taking your frustration out on him. He was there, as he promised, and would go to bed with you and wake up with you. He kissed your jaw as you thought, trying to calm yourself down as you took the first sip from your flute. Despite wanting you to face him, he helped you turn, knowing you’d calm down cradled into his body. He settled you between his legs, letting your back rest against his chest as his lips lingered next to your ear, your head resting on his shoulder.

Wonwoo reached forward to touch your knee which just barely peeked out of the surface of the water; his soft fingers against your skin pulled the goosebumps out, even in the hot water.

“Did you know?” he asked quietly in your ear.

“Did I know what?” you asked, pinning his left leg between your hip and your elbow as you stroked the backside of his knee, listening to him purr into your ear.

“That I love you?”

You shifted against his chest, squirming against him with the sweetest smile tugging at your lips, your eyes fluttering closed as you pushed back against his shoulder.

“Did you know that I love you more?”

“Ah, I don’t think that’s possible. I love you the most,” he teased back playfully, kissing against your neck under your ear that had your head tilting away from him.

“I can’t wait until your lease is up and you move in with me,” you told him.

It was his turn to wiggle against you, creating small waves in the water as he wiggled you with him.

“I can’t wait to wake up to you every single day, not having to worry about what’s going on at home and splitting myself between two houses. I can’t wait to come home to you every single night and just crawl into bed with you whenever I feel like it, knowing my time is unlimited. I can’t wait until I can ask you what you want for dinner instead of you asking me if I’m going to come over.”

“Wonwoo,” you hummed through a soft chuckle.

“Yes, my lady?”

“Cheers to that, babe,” you said, holding your flute just high enough to clink with his.

“Cheers to you, darling.

[scarlette-joel-writing]

Erased Pt. 4

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Avenger!Reader

Requested by: Me. 

Warnings: Yall already know. 

A/N I think im just gonna give up with telling you how long this thing is gonna be. It will be done when I think its ready to be done LOL 

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5  Part 6  Part 7 Part 8  Part 9 Part 10  Part 11  Part 12 Part 13

~

The mind is a complex and vast place.

Filled to the brim with all of the conscious and subconscious things that you remember or know. Every fact that you have ever learned, every word that you have ever spoken, every memory that you have ever had is stored within your head. Memories that you don’t believe you have or believe that you might have forgotten are there as well. Every single moment of a person’s life Is stored within their mind.

It is just a matter of retrieving the information that you want. It’s a matter of sifting through the data to find what you need.

Let’s see if I can put it into simpler terms. The mind is like a huge, never-ending warehouse that is filled to the brim with rows upon rows of filing cabinets. And in these filing cabinets is every action you have ever done. Every word that you have ever spoken. Every date you have been on and every test that you have ever taken. All of these memories and moments of your life are stored in your head.

And all of your conscious knowledge. All of the facts that you know and the words that you can speak. All of the memories that you can recall. Those are all located in the 10% of the brain that humans can actually use. Everything you know is located in 10%. Just imagine what things are hiding in the other 90% in your subconscious.

And there is no organization to these memories. Every person is different and that means that every person’s mind is different. In some places it is well lit and clean and stable. And in other cases there are no lights and there are spiders and cobwebs everywhere. Some might have their brain organized chronologically or by the importance of the memory. Other might have the happy memories first or vice versa.

And in my case at the moment, my mind is black. Everything is black and I cant see or hear or feel anything. But I am acutely aware that I am still in my own head. I am aware that I am thinking but there is nothing to think of.

Where my brain differs from other peoples is in the fact that I can use all 100% of my brain. Kind of like that movie that came out a while ago with the woman who looked a lot like Natasha Romanoff, but not exactly. I don’t see strings of numbers like her. But because I can use all of my brain, I know everything that has ever happened in my life. Every word I have ever read. Every answer to every test that I have ever taken. I can remember names of thousands upon thousands of people, and I can see not only my memories but the memories that I have taken from other people.

Like right now. If I was a normal person and I had passed out, I would be dreaming. Or everything would just be black and I wouldn’t even know that I was passed out, but because I am who I am, I can still sense the outside world and I can still sense that I am somewhere different from where I usually am. Usually I like the quiet and the peace, but not when I cant control it. Not when I cant turn it off and go back to reality.

When I am not in control, things start to get a little shaky.

I close my mind’s eye for a second before I allow myself to “sit down” on the floor of my dark mind and cross my legs. If I cant help the situation that I am in. If I cant fight my way out of it, then I might as well take this moment to do a bit of meditating. Try to find some good out of all of the shit that has happened.

I am sitting there for almost 2 days, TWO FREAKING DAYS, when I can feel my outside body begin to stir. See, sometimes there isn’t really a connection between my body and my brain. I have a really strong mind that I can do a lot with but I have a really weak body that really doesn’t want to follow any rules that I give it. My brain gets hurt? It bounces straight back. My body takes a beating from a genetically enhanced super soldier that was trying to kill me? Suddenly it doesn’t want to function correctly. I don’t get it.

“Fuck,” is the first thing out of my mouth as I open my eyes to the bright eyes overhead. I can feel the pain radiating throughout my body and the way that my muscles twitch every few seconds from the complete and utter beating that they took almost 46 hours ago. I don’t even attempt to move. I just stay where I am and hope that it all goes away

“Y/N” someone says and when I open my eyes again and look down, I can just see that everyone in the complex is staring at me. Looking at me like I am a lost puppy. Cap, Sam, and Vision are on one side of me, Tony and Clint in front of me and Natasha, Wanda, and Bruce on the other side of me. I am down in Med bay, laying in a bed and it makes me wanna laugh. Looks like the roles have reversed.

“Hello,” I say as I take a deep breath, immediately regretting that decision because my lungs feel like a dagger went through them.

“Thought we had lost you there for a second. You have been out almost 2 days,” Sam says to me as he hands me a cup of water. Natasha pushes a button on the side of the bed to put me in a sitting position, an action that does nothing but cause me to writhe in pain, and then I take a sip of water. It feels like a glacier running down my throat and I love it.

“Oh trust me, I know exactly how long I was out,” I take another look around the room and I see that I completely skipped over the fact that someone isn’t present at my little “youre alive” party. “Where is Barnes? Still recovering from the beating I gave him?” I laugh. But I seem to be the only one. Suddenly no one will look at me. Suddenly the floor has become the most interesting thing in the world. “Guys. Where is Bucky?”

“He hasn’t left his room since you passed out, Y/N,” Cap says and I just give him a look that tells him that I am utterly confused.

“Yes, the boy seems to think that locking himself in a room and refusing meals is going to make you better,” comes Tony’s response. “Oh, and next time you decide you want to bleed all over a carpet, can you make sure that it is not my very expensive carpet? Thank you,” Tony takes a step forward, puts his hand on my leg and then gives me a wink. “But I am glad that you are okay,” and then he is gone.

Ah Tony. Always the closeted sap.

“Someone help me up. I need to go talk to bucky,” I am pulling out IV’s and tubes, trying to move the blankets.

“You are not going anywhere Y/N,” Cap says as he comes over and puts a hand on my shoulder. “You just woke up from a two day coma. Bucky can wait a bit,”

“I wasn’t asking, Captain,” I say as I shake his arm off of me.

“And neither was I. It was an order,”

“Then I guess it is a good thing that I am not really a part of your team, now isn’t it?” And with that, I pull myself up off the bed and take a few shaky steps to the elevator. My body doesn’t want to cooperate with me but I have to tell Bucky that this isn’t his fault. I hit the button and the elevator opens and then closes behind me a few seconds later. “Floor 27,” I say as we descend.

Walking is hard. And walking with bruises and cuts all over your body after not having moved for two days is even harder. I can feel the way that my shoulders sag and I hate it. I hate feeling weak. I hate feeling like I cant do anything. Even though my brain is running at top speed right now.

I get off the elevator and into the living room of Bucky’s apartment. It is clean and nice and empty. I make my way to his bedroom door, which I know is his because every floor has the same layout, and I knock.

“Go away, Steve. I am not in the mood,” I can hear his voice come from the other side and it sends a shiver down my spine. So small. So weak. So broken. All of those feelings and emotions flood through me as I stand there on the other side of the door. I have never heard him like that before. Never heard him sound so distraught. Could that really be because of me?

I knock again.

“Go away, Steve.” He doesn’t yell and he doesn’t seem angry. He just seems sad. So much sadness.

“Well, I am not Steve,” I say and then I can hear the flying of feet and the unlocking of the door before I am brought face to face with James Buchanan Barnes himself. Staring down at me with wide eyes. “And I am not going away. I am pretty hard to get rid of,”

“Oh my god, Y/N,” he whispers and then he wraps his flesh arm around my waist and pulls me to his chest. It knocks the wind out of me a bit but I let my shock overtake the pain at the fact that I am stood here, hugging Bucky Barnes. I can feel Bucky’s head nestle into the crook of my neck and it makes my heart begin to beat faster. “Oh my god, I am so sorry. I am so so so sorry. I cant believe that I did that to you. I cant believe that you almost died because of me. I am so sorry,” he keeps repeating over and over again. I just wrap my arms around his neck and rub small circles on his back.

“It isn’t your fault, Bucky. Im not mad at you, and I didnt come up here to get mad at you. I came to make sure that you were alright. The guys tell me that you haven’t been eating,” I pull him back from the hug to see the dark dark circles under his eyes. “And apparently you haven’t been sleeping well either,” he scoffs.

“How could I sleep knowing that you might not have woken up from me beating you?!” I just grab his hand and pull him back into the bedroom. Over to the bed. And then I make him sit. I go around to the other side of the bed and sit as well because my everything hurts and I am tired. “I did this to you,”

“No. Hydra did this to me. And tomorrow we will talk about a more permanent solution to the problem of you going all super soldier on us. But for tonight, I would really like to sleep,” I pat the bed next to me, and he hesitantly lays down. He keeps his distance, not that I mind too much because I don’t think that I am fully recovered from that hug earlier, but I look over at him and smile. “Ill make the memories go away,” I whisper to him with a soft smile and he looks at me with wide eyes.

“No, Y/N-“ he begins.

“I will make them go away for tonight. Just for tonight. No nightmares. No dreams. No any of that. Just a well-deserved rest that both of us need. Okay?” I look back at him with raised eyes and he nods his head and lays back against the pillow.

“Alright,” he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath and I do the same. I let my mind open to allow his thoughts in and he can seem to sense my presence because all thoughts go quiet. Not that I mind too much. I just myself drift off to sleep where there is nothing but blackness.

And the warmth of a body less than 2 feet away from me.

Taglist: 

@jacks-on-krack @tbetz0341 @haleypearce @buckybarnesappreciationsociety @zestygingergirl

[spacecaptaincartoon]

Journal #1 (11/4/19)

The events which catalyzed my break up were titanic thunder fuck levels of catastrophic. However, despite the inarguably terrible circumstances which have led to my break up i feel a pervasive calm that has spread through me. At times I feel an excitement and energy that i have not experience for a long time. This first and foremost leads me to believe that this was in fact the correct move to make. Breaking up was difficult definitely. It always is. This was no exception. However, the feelings i harbor post break up are very very different in this case. I will say that this time, I was the clear breaker-up-er and that always means you have a little more self esteem to stand up when the ship ultimately goes down. Its a crashed ship but at least you can say you crashed it and not that you were a victim in the wreck. Ironically she was the one who fucked up. Anyways. I feel pretty good. I’m excited to be able to flirt with women again. This was something that i was getting quite good at before i entered this hellish relationship, and while i feel like i probably had more energy and verve in my flirt game 5 years ago, I am more confident in other ways this time around. I’ve been giving out my number. this is something i was never able to do. I was way way too self conscious in my twenties for that. Another thing that is exciting is that i dont feel super compelled to be in a relationship. This is excellent because then i can focus on things that matter a great deal to my future. Such as career, making money, living space, and other business matters. 

Right now i am talking sorta not really with this one girl named Jordana. She is an Australian born architect that lives in Silverlake. She’s pretty cute but more than anything i gave her my number because she immediately made me smile the moment i met her. And it wasn’t with a funny quip or something or a witty statement, it was simply the way she spoke. Her cadence, the way she carried herself. She had a kind of slightly silly energy to her that felt positive and approachable. I have recently decided to follow my gut when it comes to women. Fiona...barf....was someone that i was never super duper attracted too but i got with her mostly because i felt super bad for her. Then when i was seeing Katie Kidd...swoon...and then tried to break up with Fiona, I made her cry...crocodile tears that triggered me into save a bitch state and I felt the need to not betray Fiona and stick with her. Flash forward 5 years later and it was the very worse decision of my life. Well that feels like an exaggeration but its more or less true.

I think about Katie a lot. I have for 5 years. I always went back and looked at her Instagram. Watching her progress, graduate, move to Australia. Things were really really great with her but there was a shred of doubt in my mind about her. As far as sexual chemistry there was no question, she was a fucking dynamo in the bedroom...oy...thinking about it makes me all tingly. But there was a weird energy at the end of her visit (probably because we were fucking so much that my hormones were a fucking cyclone) but there was certainly a shred of doubt. Now that fiona is out of the picture I’m afraid to contact her because it seems like im just trying to tie another knot and get into a relationship again. Though i doubt doubt doubt that we would even get togther again, i mean she’s like 18 hours away in Australia. But even still, its like take a fucking break Bob!

I do kinda want to get on a  dating site but the timing is still not right. I have to get an apartment and get settled. Also there are so many way more important things to take care of that dating would be hyper trivial right now.

Also I think about a phenomenon now that i’ve always been aware of, but now it seems more evident that i should work on this rather than date now. The phenomenon is that hot beautiful women dont give a shit about broke guys, even sweet, compassionate, and handsome guys. If the guy is living in a shitty apartment with a shitty job than that guy fucking gets no pussy. The only ones you can score are those in your general social hierarchy. This is something that i dont really want. I have always been searching for a really special hyper intelligent positive girl that is bonkers attractive. This of course has never happened unfortunately. However, just using the powers of observation there are a lot of incredibly beautiful and accomplished women that date schluby gross mother fuckers mostly because they are more stable and successful in their lives. Money = status= more viable as a mate. My goal in these next two or so years is to get a sweet nursing job and then start making some fucking money. Fucking money will be money for fucking. That’s crude but im thinking really crudely for this secret blog that no one will ever read. Of course though it isn’t my style to go around fucking a bunch of girls, I sorta tried it and it was very difficult on my morals. However, getting the job and the money would put me in a much larger pool with way more viable partners. I would loooove to date a nurse, or doctor, or some very intelligent and gorgeous person. Nursing school and working in a hospital would be such a good vetting process for finding a mate. This sounds so calculated and national geographic at the same time. but i dont really care. 

Other things that I am doing right now is I am doing breathing exercises every morning. These would be the Wim Hof breathing exercises that have me do rounds of rapid inhales followed by holding my breath for as long as a can without struggling too hard. This has proved to be very very beneficial. I have been feeling more open and less self conscious since I started doing these exercises. On top of that I’ve been doing these cold showers which have been really wonderful too. I’ve been doing the two of them in conjunction so i guess its hard so say which is giving me the most benefit but Its probably both. The showers are really nice and are getting me to a place where i am sincerely looking forward to them.

Going to the gym again, that is great. I’m going to try and put some muscle on and for the most part stay on a low carb diet. Keeping my blood sugar low. I’ve been drinking a lot of Kombucha...I think i need to calm it down a bit. Maybe only after workouts. Tomorrow is going to be a triceps and back day. Looking forward to it! I like lifting. I’ll be taking a little bit of creatine soon with my workouts but keeping it to a minimum. Giving me that extra bit of ATP.

Been studying Nursing stuff early before my classes have started. I SIGNED UP FOR CLASSES! HUZZAH! This is exciting even though i’ve only signed up for one class. Thats the only class i can take really. I cannot wait to do this damn thing. I’m going to fucking crush this so fucking hard. I’m going to work hard and be the most eligible candidate for the nursing program. No fucking around. Just working hard. Moving forward and progressing.

I’m done for now.

Side note, I’ve been sitting and feeling pretty good. My back isn’t hurting...fuck yeah. I’m doing something right. Maybe those squats or kick backs or something....KEEP IT GOING!!!

[topicprinter]

Hi all, I recently wrote this post about how Drip screwed over its most loyal customers and I thought perhaps /r/Entrepreneur would get value out of my lessons learned.----If you’re not familiar, Drip is email marketing software that’s pretty heavy on the marketing automation front. I won’t do them the courtesy of a link, so you’ll have to Google them if you want to check it out.They’ve been around since 2012 or so, founded by someone I trusted, but he sold the business to Leadpages a few years ago, and it’s been going downhill ever since.I’ve been using them for years as the backbone of two “side” businesses: IndieHive, which covers this website for freelancers and the related products and services that I sell, and Everleads, a curated lead generation site for freelance designers and developers.In 2016 and 2017, I really dug deep into Drip. I built out dozens of interconnected workflows to carefully shepherd my subscribers through various funnels and sequences with duplicate emails or annoying content that’s not relevant to them. I integrated my web front-end with their APIs so that I could customize the site for subscribers. I wrote bridging scripts to connect it to Mixpanel for analytics, and I used Zapier to hook Drip up to even more services. It was the heart of my entire business, and it was awesome.But throughout 2018, things started to go awry.I kept experiencing glitches in the workflows where people would get stuck on workflow steps that should be instant, like “remove tag”. Or people would end one workflow and start another, but not have any of the data that the first workflow had set. There were honestly dozens of these little glitches, but individually they were minor.Also troubling: deliverability started to slip. Not precipitously, and I can’t prove that it wasn’t just my emails, but I have heard from others that they were having issues with getting their emails into people’s inboxes in 2018.But the most egregious thing for all of this was that support was basically no help at all. I probably opened two dozen support requests in 2018 and I’m not sure they actually resolved a single one. We’d spend hours going back and forth so they could even understand the problem. Then they’d almost always say one of two things:“For a workaround, just insert a number of delays between steps in your workflows so that the system doesn’t get confused!” So all my workflows had little 5 minute delay steps to try and make sure things worked correctly. Which they still didn’t. Wtf.Or they’d just say they need to escalate to the developers and then I’d get an email weeks or months later from some random support engineer letting me know they were still looking into why the most basic functions of their software don’t work right. Awesome.Alarmed by this, I repeatedly researched alternatives throughout 2018, but nothing seemed worth going through the pain of migration and the risk of just having similar issues somewhere else. So I kept resolving to be patient with Drip and hope (pray) that they were hard at work at undoing whatever architectural disaster had led us here.And then…In early January 2019, while I was on a relaxing cruise with my wife for our 15th anniversary, I got an email from Drip:https://ryanwaggoner.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/drip-bullshit-pricing-email-2.pngSo basically: “Hey, we’re raising our prices in 12 days! You can keep your current price if you switch to an annual plan!”And if you read it carefully, there’s something pretty important missing from this email.It doesn’t say what the new pricing is**. Seriously wtf.**So I emailed to ask. They responded the next day (so now I have 11 days) to reveal they were doubling my monthly price.Drip raised my price from $184 / month to $368 / month with 12 days notice.That’s just about the worst way imaginable to treat your oldest and most loyal customers.And it was the last straw for me.Now, to be clear, I completely understand wanting to grow a company in a new direction, or thinking that you need to raise prices to reflect more value.But you don’t do it when your platform is half-broken, you don’t do it with 12 days notice, and you grandfather in existing customers, at least for long enough for them to migrate. Also, you tell them the price when you tell them that prices are rising.It’s hard to imagine how Drip could have been more disrespectful to their customer base than what they did here.So as of last month, I switched all my subscribers to ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign for Everleads and IndieHive, respectively. That’s thousands of dollars that Drip won’t be getting from me. I managed to get both setups completely migrated off just before their billing renewal dates, in one case with literal minutes to spare.It was a pain and required some late nights but it was worth it to deny them another penny.I’m not alone in feeling upset about this. Twitter was ablaze for weeks with people who were angry and bailing for greener, more respectful pastures. I’ve taken a sick joy in watching a lot of people migrate off Drip with much larger lists than mine.I also cancelled Leadpages in favor of Instapage. I was already unhappy with Leadpages, mainly because it feels pretty clunky and dated, they aren’t very responsive to user feedback, and they’re still missing some pretty basic things (like being able to pass form data to the thank you page. Seriously?).Side note: I was going to link to the Leadpages idea portal, but they apparently shut it down. Makes sense, since it was filled with hundreds of good ideas with many, many customer votes that had been ignored for years.Regardless, even if Leadpages was awesome, they own Drip and I won’t give another penny to such an unethical company that treats its customers so poorly.And this migration was a huge pain (which is what they were counting on), partly because of how complex my Drip setups were, but also because ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign are both pretty different from each other and from Drip. On the surface, they all do some of the same things, but once you dig in, things diverge, which made the migration especially painful.Drip is complicated. Stupidly so. In fact, it’s so complicated that there are a number of problems using it:It doesn’t really work. I mean, it does like 99% of the time, but that last 1% means that some of your subscribers are going to have a bad time. And it’s not just that their emails won’t show up. They might just get stuck in a workflow, or skip some emails in a sequence, or get things at the wrong times, or lose data, etc. And since this happens randomly, the number of subscribers who experience it accumulates over time.The customer support reps don’t really know how it works, because it’s too complicated. So you end up spending hours writing up descriptions of the problem and putting together screencasts to show how things don’t seem to be working, and the only response you get is that they’ll have to ask the developers.It encourages you to setup really fancy complex automations which, even if they did work, are way beyond what you actually need. Just imagine: you can do anything! You can track everything! You can have an unlimited number of tags and fields! Track and automate all the things!Your setup can end up being really brittle and deeply tied to the Drip architecture, which is a problem if you want to migrate off. And it’s hard to expand and modify over time without breaking all kinds of things for your subscribers who are in those automations.The setup is hard to document. It’s easy to end up with a large collection of documents and spreadsheets and screencasts to try and explain not only what you did, but why you did it.It’s hard to audit and debug when things go wrong. And things will go wrong. It’s hard to tell exactly what’s happening with your subscribers, where things went off the rails, and how to get it back on track without screwing things up further.In the end, Drip for me felt like a really shitty programming language. Technically possible to do almost anything, but so painful that in the end you wish you hadn’t bothered.By contrast, ConvertKit is simple. And yes, I think it’s too simple in places. I think there are some genuine gaps in the functionality that makes it a little too hard to get done the things you want.But I’m also aware of the fact that I’m coming from Drip and a really convoluted setup, so being forced to simplify is probably a good thing.And ActiveCampaign is not simple, but it’s powerful in a bunch of ways that Drip should have been. Additionally, it has the distinction of actually being, you know, functional. Crazy, I know.Also, ActiveCampaign apparently is more open to feedback than Drip. I posted a Twitter thread listing some things that I like about it and Jason VandeBoom, the founder of ActiveCampaign, setup a call with me to go over some of my feedback. And ActiveCampaign isn’t a tiny company; they have hundreds of employees and are much larger than Drip. It meant a lot to me that Jason would just jump on the phone with a random customer to see how they could improve.Meanwhile Drip’s emails aren’t even signed by an actual person. During this whole debacle, I don’t think anyone from Drip actually responded to anyone’s tweets or complaints. A couple days after the initial announcement when things were blowing up on Twitter, they sent this out another email that was basically "sorry, not sorry"Just like their price increase, all of their corporate communication just screams “We don’t care about you. Go away.”So I did.I’m actually really glad that I dropped Drip, after all that. Partly because of how much better ConvertKit and ActiveCampaign are as tools, but mostly because it taught me a lesson about how you need to be careful when you’re a small company about who you integrate with, because while your interests may align now, that could change at any point.But this rant has gone on long enough, so I’ll save that point for a future post.Disclaimer: just in case Drip decides to sue me (which would be so on-brand for them at this point), ALL the descriptions of Drip’s functionality, failings, and communications is to the best of my recollection and should not be taken as a literal word-for-word account.----Happy to answer any questions about my experience with Drip, ConvertKit, or ActiveCampaign. Would also love to hear anyone else's experiences with any of those (or others you'd recommend in the space of email-based marketing automation).Original post: https://ryanwaggoner.com/drip-pricing-review/

[oovitus]

How to answer the most common nutrition questions like a boss: A cheat sheet for helping anyone hone their eating habits.

If you love nutrition, health, and fitness — or you’re already a professional in one of these fields — you probably get a LOT of diet- and nutrition-related questions from friends, family, clients, and/or patients. 

That’s why we created this cheat sheet, with evidence-based, easy-to-understand answers to the most common questions, all of which are covered in our newly updated Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification program.

++++

If you’re a health and fitness professional, no doubt you get a ton of diet- and nutrition-related questions.

Heck, even if you’re just really passionate about health and fitness, you’re probably getting questions all the time.

Coming up with the right answers can be difficult, because:

The right answer depends on who the asker is. Young athlete? Middle-aged man? Sixty-something woman? Whether you’re actively coaching, or you just have a diverse social network, the questions will run the gamut.

There are so many facets of nutrition. Macronutrients, micronutrients, supplements, pesticides, GMOs… where do you start?

There’s a TON of confusion about nutrition “truths.” Is red wine saving your life, or killing you? What about red meat? Eggs? And how ’bout that new plant-based diet?

The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to any nutrition question.

However, if you build a strong foundation of nutrition knowledge, you can:

learn how to accurately determine each person’s individual needs,

understand how targeted nutrition can support their goals, and

get better results for them, confidently and reliably.

With this article, you’ll start to build that foundation.

Here we’ll cover:

what’s really behind the most common nutrition questions,

why each person’s unique physiology matters,

how each person’s situation can help determine your response,

how to handle diet trends (Paleo, carb-phobia, etc.), and

how you can incorporate this knowledge… starting today.

Of course, this “cheat sheet” is just a start. There’s so much more you can learn.

That’s why devote the entire first unit of our newly updated Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification — 300 pages, 8 chapters, 8 comprehensive video lectures — to the most crucial elements of nutrition science.

That includes the most up-to-date findings in cell physiology, digestion, energy transfer, nutrient biochemistry, and more.

And, in case you’re wondering, the other 300 pages, 9 chapters, and 9 video lectures are devoted to the art of nutrition coaching.

That includes the most up-to-date findings in change psychology and the latest things we’ve learned having coached over 100,000 clients.

So…

If you want to learn, we’re here to teach.

If you feel excited and inspired by what you learn today, and you’d like to learn more about the program, please put your name on our Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification presale list below.

We’re excited and inspired too.

We recently updated the program with the latest research, and enhanced it with a new workbook/study guide, over 35 new client assessment forms and questionnaires, and 17 brand-new animated videos.

The program opens up on Wednesday, April 3rd.

Since we only take a limited number of students, and the program sells out every time, we recommend adding your name to our presale list below. When you do, you get the chance to sign up 24 hours before everyone else. Even better, you’ll save up to 33% off the general price of the program.

Double win.

For now, let’s get started with some of the most common nutrition questions, including:

Question #1: “I’m new to this whole nutrition thing. Where do I start?” Question #2: “What’s the best diet to follow?” Question #3: “Is counting calories important for weight loss?” Question #4: “Should I avoid carbs?” Question #5: “Should I avoid grains?” Question #6: “What (and when) should I eat around my workouts?” Question #7: Should I drink less alcohol? Question #8: “Does the Paleo Diet live up to the hype?” Question #9: Should I do a detox or juice cleanse? Question #10: “Do sleep habits and stress really affect nutrition?” Question #11: How should I eat to get six-pack abs?”

Question #1 “I’m new to this whole nutrition thing. Where do I start?”

Answer: Let’s start by eliminating nutritional deficiencies.

This one is always interesting, because no one ever wants to believe they have nutritional deficiencies.

People might not want to hear it at first, but nutrition beginners don’t need a major diet overhaul on day one. They don’t need to “go Paleo” or “eliminate sugar.”

As their coach, your first step should be to open newbie clients’ eyes to the fact that they probably have one or more nutritional deficiencies (seriously — more than 80 percent of the population has at least one).

Until nutritional deficiencies are removed, the body simply won’t function properly — and that makes any health or fitness goal a lot harder.

So, to eliminate deficiencies, your first order of business is to help the person find workable strategies for rounding out the diet, so they get:

a bit more protein,

ample vitamins and minerals,

sufficient healthy fats, and

more water.

Tell them that you’re going to help them establish optimal eating habits one step at a time. Then talk through some strategies: Find out which of the nutritional areas listed above will be most challenging for them (for example, some of the beginners we work with don’t know how to cook meat). That’s the problem you’re going to help them solve first.

Once nutritional deficiencies are addressed, you can start to focus on things like food quality and portions.

What to say when the person seems impatient? Explain: “This process isn’t slow; it’s systematic. It focuses on the things that are in your way right now. Once they’re eliminated, progress happens fast.”

READ MORE:

The 3 steps I teach trainers and health coaches to fix any diet problem.

How to fix a broken diet. [Infographic]

What to do when you don’t like vegetables. [Article + infographic]

Question #2 “What’s the best diet to follow?”

Answer: There is no “best diet.”

As you emerge as a health, fitness, and nutrition expert, everyone’s going to want to know: Which dietary “camp” do you belong to?

The best coaches maintain a neutral position on this. If you can, strive to be a nutritional agnostic: someone who doesn’t subscribe to any one dietary philosophy.

Why? All dietary protocols have their pros and cons. What works best for one person won’t work best for another. Also: A diet that has worked best for someone in the past won’t necessarily be what works best for them moving forward.

Tell your client or patient that you’re going to help them find the approach to eating that works best for them right now, whether it be Paleo or vegan, high-carb or low-carb, tight budget or unlimited funds — or some blend of all of these.

The truth is, the human body is amazingly adaptable to a vast array of diets, so the best diet is the one that:

matches the person’s unique physiology,

includes foods they enjoy enough to follow consistently, and

is realistic for them in terms of life logistics and budget.

Indeed, you can make people lean, strong, and healthy on a plant-based or a meat-based diet. You can help improve their health with organic, free-range foods and with conventional foods. They can lose weight on a low food budget or an unlimited one.

It just takes a little know-how and a system for using the best practices across all diets.

READ MORE:

Paleo, vegan, intermittent fasting: Here’s how to choose the best diet for you.

Question #3 “Is counting calories important for weight loss?”

Answer: For many people, calorie counting may be more of a hassle than it’s worth. The good news: There is a better way.

Weight management is a simple equation: Eat more than you burn, and you gain weight. Eat less and you lose weight.

But the physiology behind “calories in, calories out” is actually much more complex and dynamic than most people realize. Plus, it’s imprecise; we estimate that there’s typically an error of up to 25 percent on the ‘calories in’ side, and on the ‘calories out’ side.

Beyond that, counting calories is an external system (outside of your body). In essence, people who count calories are less likely to see lasting results because they’re outsourcing appetite awareness to the food-label gods. To really win at portion control, coach your clients or patients on tuning into their internal hunger signals.

For these reasons, and more, we tell our clients that for most people, counting calories is a lot of work for very little benefit.

(Interestingly, most clients become elated when they realize they can get the body transformation they want without ever counting calories again.)

Instead of calorie counting, we recommend a hand-measure system for portion sizes. Here how it works:

Your palm determines your protein portions.

Your fist determines your veggie portions.

Your cupped hand determines your carb portions.

Your thumb determines your fat portions.

This system counts your calories for you, and gets your macronutrients lined up too, without having to do any annoying food-label math.

Plus, your hands are portable — they go wherever you go, making portion-sizing very convenient. In addition, your hands are generally scaled to your size — the bigger you are, the bigger your hands, so the more food you need and the more food you get.

Clients typically get the hang of this system within a week of learning it; then we help them monitor results and tweak as needed.

READ MORE:

Forget calorie counting: Try this calorie control guide for men and women [Article + infographic].

Can eating too little actually damage your metabolism?

The surprising problem with calorie counting. Part 1: ‘Calories in’ and Part 2: ‘Calories out’ [Infographics]

All about eating slowly (for appetite awareness).

Question #4 “Should I avoid carbs?”

Answer: No; but let’s make sure you’re getting the right kind of carbs.

Ask almost anyone what they need to do to lose a few pounds, and they’ll probably say: “Cut back on carbs.” As a professional in a health/fitness field, you’ve probably heard it dozens of times.

However, most folks would do best eating a moderate amount of quality carbs—whole grains (when tolerated), fruit, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans and legumes, etc. (We emphasize moderate, of course).

For men, this usually means about 1-2 cupped handfuls per meal. And women, about 1 cupped handful per meal.

Of course, the needs of each individual may differ, based on their size, activity level, goals, and genetics.

But, bottom line, carbs are not inherently fattening, especially whole food sources. And getting adequate carbs can help most clients exercise harder and recover better, optimizing progress.

Yep, this is a controversial position to take. But it works. And while avoiding carbs may facilitate rapid weight loss initially, we’ve found that it’s not practical (or necessary) for long-term success for most people.

READ MORE:

Carb controversy: Why low-carb diets have got it all wrong.

The ketogenic diet: Does it live up to the hype?

Question #5 “Should I avoid grains?”

Answer: No; most people trying to stay lean do best with a reasonable amount of whole grains.

Grain discussions are really trendy right now, as many people have suggested they’re dietary enemy #1 and should be completely eliminated. This is hot news as, just ten years ago, they were supposedly one of the healthiest foods on the planet.

From our perspective, grains aren’t as evil as they’ve been made out to be by the Paleo and Whole30 camps. At the same time, they aren’t the superfood vegans and macrobiotic eaters suggest either.

Bottom line: While you don’t need to eat grains, unless you have celiac disease or a FODMAP intolerance, there is absolutely no need to avoid them. (And even in those two scenarios, it’s only specific grains you need to worry about).

Most people follow a better, more health-promoting diet if they’re allowed grains in reasonable amounts, along with a wide array of other non-grain carb sources like fruit, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, lentils, etc.

Remember, it’s the ability to follow a diet consistently over time that provides the greatest results, regardless of what that diet is. And unless you’re intolerant, there’s no good reason to totally exclude certain foods, especially foods you enjoy.

READ MORE:

Settling the great grain debate: Can wheat and other grains fit into a healthy—and sane—diet?

Question #6: “What (and when) should I eat around my workouts?”

Answer: It depends on your goals. Let’s talk about those… then we can come up with specific recommendations for you.

If you train athletes, this is a really common question. But lots of non-athletes are curious too.

Contrary to popular media, most folks are best served by eating good quality whole foods in reasonable amounts, without having to focus on specific workout nutrition products or protocols.

So you can advise non-athlete level clients to eat a normal, balanced meal 1-2 hours before and after exercise. This will provide adequate protein and carbs to both fuel the workout and maximize recovery/adaption.

However, if you coach advanced, hard-training clients or athletes, tell them you’re going to help with their unique workout-nutrition needs.

Endurance athletes, bodybuilders, or those looking to maximize muscle gain could add a protein and carbohydrate drink during their workout. We usually recommend about 15 g of protein and 30-45 g of carbohydrate per hour of exercise.

Physique competitors, as well as people trying to maximize fat loss, could add essential amino acids (or branched chain amino acids) during their workout. We usually recommend 5-15 g of EAA (or BCAA) per hour of exercise.

In the end, rather than having one stock answer here, you need to be clear about who you’re working with.

READ MORE:

Best workout nutrition strategies: A useful guide for what to eat before, during, and after exercise.

Workout nutrition illustrated. [Infographic]

Question #7 Should I drink less alcohol?

Answer: If optimal health and fitness is your priority, consider reevaluating your drinking habits.

People may balk at that answer initially, but once you lay out the facts and make it clear that you’re not telling them not to drink, their ears will open.

There’s a lot of confusion about whether drinking is good for you or not. That’s mainly because the news media likes to play up new studies revealing the possible cardiovascular benefits of alcohol.

But the truth is, no one really knows who will benefit from light to moderate alcohol consumption. Meanwhile, any level of drinking (even “moderate”) comes with health risks that should be considered.

Heavy drinking — more than 7 drinks a week for women and more than 14 per week for men — increases the risk for a long list of health problems involving the heart, brain, immunity, hormones, liver, and metabolism.

But even light to moderate drinking can affect sleep, appetite, and decision making — which absolutely can have a negative impact on your clients’ health and fitness goals.

Still, drinking is an undeniable part of culture, and when enjoyed reasonably it can be delicious and fun.

Tell your clients or patients that you’re going to help them sort out their priorities to determine the best level of drinking for them. Then encourage them to track their drinking habits — and how their drinking habits make them feel physically and psychologically — for a couple weeks.

Most drinkers consume a lot more alcohol than they think, and when they stop to evaluate, many decide on their own that it would feel better to cut back.

READ MORE:

Would I be healthier if I quit drinking? My quest to understand the real trade-offs of alcohol consumption.

Question #8 “Does the Paleo Diet live up to the hype?”

Answer: Mostly, yes. But not for the reasons you think.

The Paleo Diet is one of the most popular nutrition approaches in the world right now. There’s no doubt that it works for many people. However, the reason it works has little to do with the story the Paleo proponents tell (evolutionary adaptation, inflammation, etc.).

Here’s the deal. Paleo does work for a lot of people because it emphasizes mostly whole-food sources of lean protein, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats.

However, while Paleo is starting to incorporate more high-quality carbs, grass-fed dairy, red wine, and other things that used to be “off limits” — the diet can still be too restrictive for some folks.

In the end, Paleo likely gets more right than wrong. And if people want to follow it, you can help them do it in a sane, reasonable, sustainable manner.

But for most, it’s unnecessary to follow such a strict dietary ideology. You can take the good from the Paleo approach and get rid of the silly dogma.

READ MORE:

The Paleo problem: Examining the pros and cons of the Paleo diet.

Question #9 Should I do a detox or juice cleanse?

Answer: Probably not; most popular detox diets don’t remove toxins or lead to fat loss.

Lots of people are worried about the effect of modern lifestyle factors like poor nutrition, sleep deprivation, stress, and environmental pollutants on their health.

So you probably get a fair number of questions about detox diets and juice cleanses, which have come into vogue as an efficient way to (supposedly) lose weight and rid the body of impurities.

But detox diets don’t clean out toxins or help you lose body fat. In fact, detox diets can work against these goals by bypassing the body’s natural detoxification systems and creating a feast-or-famine cycle of eating.

Among many problems, detoxes and cleanses often:

are protein deficient,

are extremely low in energy,

cause unhealthy blood-sugar swings,

cause GI tract dysfunction, and

lead to a yoyo of restrictive eating and overcompensation.

If doing a juice cleanse or detox diet helps a person get ready to make further helpful and sustainable changes in their life, OK. Just coach them through a cautious and monitored protocol.

However, we prefer helping them build life-long skills and incorporate daily practices to improve their health, performance, and body composition without extreme (and unsustainable) things like detoxes and cleanses.

READ MORE:

Are detox diets good for you? How a 3-day juice cleanse landed this dietitian in the ER.

Question #10 “Do sleep habits and stress really affect nutrition?”

Answer: Yes, but those effects vary from person to person, as do the best sleep and stress management strategies.

Sleep is just as important as nutrition and exercise when it comes to improving your health, performance, and body composition.

Clients and patients should be coached through:

creating a sleep routine, including having a regular schedule,

limiting alcohol and caffeine, especially in the afternoon/evening,

choosing de-stressing activities before bed,

setting an appropriate room temperature for sleep,

making the room dark,

keeping the room quiet, and

waking up appropriately, with light exposure and soft noise.

As for stress, it’s all about finding the sweet spot. Too much stress, or the wrong kind, can harm our health. Yet stress can also be a positive force in our lives, keeping us focused, alert, and at the top of our game.

It all depends on what kind of stress it is, how prepared we are to meet it — and how we view it.

Since stress affects the mind, body, and behavior in many ways, everyone experiences stress differently. Each of us has a unique “recovery zone,” whether that’s physical or psychological, and our recovery zone depends on several factors.

It is critical to teach people strategies and skills to view and handle their own stress load appropriately. The following can increase stress tolerance or diminish stress load:

meditation or yoga

outdoor time

snuggling a pet

listening to relaxing music

deep breathing

drinking green tea

READ MORE:

Hacking sleep: Engineering a high quality, restful night [Article + infographic]

Good stress, bad stress: Finding your sweet spot. [Article + infographic]

Question #11 How should I eat to get six-pack abs?”

Answer: First let’s explore whether a six pack is worth the trade-offs.

To answer this one, you first have to know if six-pack abs are really what your client wants. (And if they’re prepared to do what it takes.)

Getting ripped abs is a much bigger undertaking than most people realize. There are definite benefits to getting that lean (<10 percent for most men, and <20 percent for most women), but there are real trade-offs too.

Alcohol, processed foods, and desserts all need to be severely limited if you’re trying to lose fat and show off a washboard stomach. Social situations often become difficult. Other interests and hobbies may need to decrease.

However, if clients really want to get a six-pack in the healthiest possible way, they’ll need to follow these principles 90-95 percent of the time:

eat protein and vegetables at every meal,

include healthy fats at most meals,

eat a small amount of carbs post-workout only,

limit carbs at all other meals,

exercise intensely 4-5 times per week, and

get at least 8 hours of sleep each night.

Armed with this information, you can have an honest conversation about whether your clients want the six-pack badly enough. (Or if they’d settle for moderately lean and healthy without giving up some of the other things they enjoy).

READ MORE:

The cost of getting lean: Is it really worth the trade-off?

Here’s the cost of getting lean. [Infographic]

++++

In the end, yes, it’ll take some time to master these answers on the fly with a wide variety of people, but the only way to get started is to dive right in.

Remember: While you’re expected to know all the answers, you can’t be expected to know everything about every single person.

So use the answers in this cheat sheet as a starting point (I recommend that you do the deeper reading first), and then learn more with strategic questions about their particular needs and goals.

In the end, being the go-to coach for nutrition questions is about — yes — knowing the facts. But it’s also about meeting people where they’re at and garnering experience while you make the journey together.

If you’re a coach, or you want to be…

Learning how to coach clients, patients, friends, or family members through healthy eating and lifestyle changes — including how to manage energy balance — is both an art and a science.

If you’d like to learn more about both, consider the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification. The next group kicks off shortly.

What’s it all about?

The Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification is the world’s most respected nutrition education program. It gives you the knowledge, systems, and tools you need to really understand how food influences a person’s health and fitness. Plus the ability to turn that knowledge into a thriving coaching practice.

Developed over 15 years, and proven with over 100,000 clients and patients, the Level 1 curriculum stands alone as the authority on the science of nutrition and the art of coaching.

Whether you’re already mid-career, or just starting out, the Level 1 Certification is your springboard to a deeper understanding of nutrition, the authority to coach it, and the ability to turn what you know into results.

[Of course, if you’re already a student or graduate of the Level 1 Certification, check out our Level 2 Certification Master Class. It’s an exclusive, year-long mentorship designed for elite professionals looking to master the art of coaching and be part of the top 1% of health and fitness coaches in the world.]

Interested? Add your name to the presale list. You’ll save up to 33% and secure your spot 24 hours before everyone else.

We’ll be opening up spots in our next Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2019.

If you want to find out more, we’ve set up the following presale list, which gives you two advantages.

Pay less than everyone else. We like to reward people who are eager to boost their credentials and are ready to commit to getting the education they need. So we’re offering a discount of up to 33% off the general price when you sign up for the presale list.

Sign up 24 hours before the general public and increase your chances of getting a spot. We only open the certification program twice per year. Due to high demand, spots in the program are limited and have historically sold out in a matter of hours. But when you sign up for the presale list, we’ll give you the opportunity to register a full 24 hours before anyone else.

If you’re ready for a deeper understanding of nutrition, the authority to coach it, and the ability to turn what you know into results… this is your chance to see what the world’s top professional nutrition coaching system can do for you.

The post How to answer the most common nutrition questions like a boss: A cheat sheet for helping anyone hone their eating habits. appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

How to answer the most common nutrition questions like a boss: A cheat sheet for helping anyone hone their eating habits. published first on https://storeseapharmacy.tumblr.com

[oovitus]

How to answer the most common nutrition questions like a boss: A cheat sheet for helping anyone hone their eating habits.

If you love nutrition, health, and fitness — or you’re already a professional in one of these fields — you probably get a LOT of diet- and nutrition-related questions from friends, family, clients, and/or patients. 

That’s why we created this cheat sheet, with evidence-based, easy-to-understand answers to the most common questions, all of which are covered in our newly updated Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification program.

++++

If you’re a health and fitness professional, no doubt you get a ton of diet- and nutrition-related questions.

Heck, even if you’re just really passionate about health and fitness, you’re probably getting questions all the time.

Coming up with the right answers can be difficult, because:

The right answer depends on who the asker is. Young athlete? Middle-aged man? Sixty-something woman? Whether you’re actively coaching, or you just have a diverse social network, the questions will run the gamut.

There are so many facets of nutrition. Macronutrients, micronutrients, supplements, pesticides, GMOs… where do you start?

There’s a TON of confusion about nutrition “truths.” Is red wine saving your life, or killing you? What about red meat? Eggs? And how ’bout that new plant-based diet?

The truth is, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to any nutrition question.

However, if you build a strong foundation of nutrition knowledge, you can:

learn how to accurately determine each person’s individual needs,

understand how targeted nutrition can support their goals, and

get better results for them, confidently and reliably.

With this article, you’ll start to build that foundation.

Here we’ll cover:

what’s really behind the most common nutrition questions,

why each person’s unique physiology matters,

how each person’s situation can help determine your response,

how to handle diet trends (Paleo, carb-phobia, etc.), and

how you can incorporate this knowledge… starting today.

Of course, this “cheat sheet” is just a start. There’s so much more you can learn.

That’s why devote the entire first unit of our newly updated Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification — 300 pages, 8 chapters, 8 comprehensive video lectures — to the most crucial elements of nutrition science.

That includes the most up-to-date findings in cell physiology, digestion, energy transfer, nutrient biochemistry, and more.

And, in case you’re wondering, the other 300 pages, 9 chapters, and 9 video lectures are devoted to the art of nutrition coaching.

That includes the most up-to-date findings in change psychology and the latest things we’ve learned having coached over 100,000 clients.

So…

If you want to learn, we’re here to teach.

If you feel excited and inspired by what you learn today, and you’d like to learn more about the program, please put your name on our Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification presale list below.

We’re excited and inspired too.

We recently updated the program with the latest research, and enhanced it with a new workbook/study guide, over 35 new client assessment forms and questionnaires, and 17 brand-new animated videos.

The program opens up on Wednesday, April 3rd.

Since we only take a limited number of students, and the program sells out every time, we recommend adding your name to our presale list below. When you do, you get the chance to sign up 24 hours before everyone else. Even better, you’ll save up to 33% off the general price of the program.

Double win.

For now, let’s get started with some of the most common nutrition questions, including:

Question #1: “I’m new to this whole nutrition thing. Where do I start?” Question #2: “What’s the best diet to follow?” Question #3: “Is counting calories important for weight loss?” Question #4: “Should I avoid carbs?” Question #5: “Should I avoid grains?” Question #6: “What (and when) should I eat around my workouts?” Question #7: Should I drink less alcohol? Question #8: “Does the Paleo Diet live up to the hype?” Question #9: Should I do a detox or juice cleanse? Question #10: “Do sleep habits and stress really affect nutrition?” Question #11: How should I eat to get six-pack abs?”

Question #1 “I’m new to this whole nutrition thing. Where do I start?”

Answer: Let’s start by eliminating nutritional deficiencies.

This one is always interesting, because no one ever wants to believe they have nutritional deficiencies.

People might not want to hear it at first, but nutrition beginners don’t need a major diet overhaul on day one. They don’t need to “go Paleo” or “eliminate sugar.”

As their coach, your first step should be to open newbie clients’ eyes to the fact that they probably have one or more nutritional deficiencies (seriously — more than 80 percent of the population has at least one).

Until nutritional deficiencies are removed, the body simply won’t function properly — and that makes any health or fitness goal a lot harder.

So, to eliminate deficiencies, your first order of business is to help the person find workable strategies for rounding out the diet, so they get:

a bit more protein,

ample vitamins and minerals,

sufficient healthy fats, and

more water.

Tell them that you’re going to help them establish optimal eating habits one step at a time. Then talk through some strategies: Find out which of the nutritional areas listed above will be most challenging for them (for example, some of the beginners we work with don’t know how to cook meat). That’s the problem you’re going to help them solve first.

Once nutritional deficiencies are addressed, you can start to focus on things like food quality and portions.

What to say when the person seems impatient? Explain: “This process isn’t slow; it’s systematic. It focuses on the things that are in your way right now. Once they’re eliminated, progress happens fast.”

READ MORE:

The 3 steps I teach trainers and health coaches to fix any diet problem.

How to fix a broken diet. [Infographic]

What to do when you don’t like vegetables. [Article + infographic]

Question #2 “What’s the best diet to follow?”

Answer: There is no “best diet.”

As you emerge as a health, fitness, and nutrition expert, everyone’s going to want to know: Which dietary “camp” do you belong to?

The best coaches maintain a neutral position on this. If you can, strive to be a nutritional agnostic: someone who doesn’t subscribe to any one dietary philosophy.

Why? All dietary protocols have their pros and cons. What works best for one person won’t work best for another. Also: A diet that has worked best for someone in the past won’t necessarily be what works best for them moving forward.

Tell your client or patient that you’re going to help them find the approach to eating that works best for them right now, whether it be Paleo or vegan, high-carb or low-carb, tight budget or unlimited funds — or some blend of all of these.

The truth is, the human body is amazingly adaptable to a vast array of diets, so the best diet is the one that:

matches the person’s unique physiology,

includes foods they enjoy enough to follow consistently, and

is realistic for them in terms of life logistics and budget.

Indeed, you can make people lean, strong, and healthy on a plant-based or a meat-based diet. You can help improve their health with organic, free-range foods and with conventional foods. They can lose weight on a low food budget or an unlimited one.

It just takes a little know-how and a system for using the best practices across all diets.

READ MORE:

Paleo, vegan, intermittent fasting: Here’s how to choose the best diet for you.

Question #3 “Is counting calories important for weight loss?”

Answer: For many people, calorie counting may be more of a hassle than it’s worth. The good news: There is a better way.

Weight management is a simple equation: Eat more than you burn, and you gain weight. Eat less and you lose weight.

But the physiology behind “calories in, calories out” is actually much more complex and dynamic than most people realize. Plus, it’s imprecise; we estimate that there’s typically an error of up to 25 percent on the ‘calories in’ side, and on the ‘calories out’ side.

Beyond that, counting calories is an external system (outside of your body). In essence, people who count calories are less likely to see lasting results because they’re outsourcing appetite awareness to the food-label gods. To really win at portion control, coach your clients or patients on tuning into their internal hunger signals.

For these reasons, and more, we tell our clients that for most people, counting calories is a lot of work for very little benefit.

(Interestingly, most clients become elated when they realize they can get the body transformation they want without ever counting calories again.)

Instead of calorie counting, we recommend a hand-measure system for portion sizes. Here how it works:

Your palm determines your protein portions.

Your fist determines your veggie portions.

Your cupped hand determines your carb portions.

Your thumb determines your fat portions.

This system counts your calories for you, and gets your macronutrients lined up too, without having to do any annoying food-label math.

Plus, your hands are portable — they go wherever you go, making portion-sizing very convenient. In addition, your hands are generally scaled to your size — the bigger you are, the bigger your hands, so the more food you need and the more food you get.

Clients typically get the hang of this system within a week of learning it; then we help them monitor results and tweak as needed.

READ MORE:

Forget calorie counting: Try this calorie control guide for men and women [Article + infographic].

Can eating too little actually damage your metabolism?

The surprising problem with calorie counting. Part 1: ‘Calories in’ and Part 2: ‘Calories out’ [Infographics]

All about eating slowly (for appetite awareness).

Question #4 “Should I avoid carbs?”

Answer: No; but let’s make sure you’re getting the right kind of carbs.

Ask almost anyone what they need to do to lose a few pounds, and they’ll probably say: “Cut back on carbs.” As a professional in a health/fitness field, you’ve probably heard it dozens of times.

However, most folks would do best eating a moderate amount of quality carbs—whole grains (when tolerated), fruit, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans and legumes, etc. (We emphasize moderate, of course).

For men, this usually means about 1-2 cupped handfuls per meal. And women, about 1 cupped handful per meal.

Of course, the needs of each individual may differ, based on their size, activity level, goals, and genetics.

But, bottom line, carbs are not inherently fattening, especially whole food sources. And getting adequate carbs can help most clients exercise harder and recover better, optimizing progress.

Yep, this is a controversial position to take. But it works. And while avoiding carbs may facilitate rapid weight loss initially, we’ve found that it’s not practical (or necessary) for long-term success for most people.

READ MORE:

Carb controversy: Why low-carb diets have got it all wrong.

The ketogenic diet: Does it live up to the hype?

Question #5 “Should I avoid grains?”

Answer: No; most people trying to stay lean do best with a reasonable amount of whole grains.

Grain discussions are really trendy right now, as many people have suggested they’re dietary enemy #1 and should be completely eliminated. This is hot news as, just ten years ago, they were supposedly one of the healthiest foods on the planet.

From our perspective, grains aren’t as evil as they’ve been made out to be by the Paleo and Whole30 camps. At the same time, they aren’t the superfood vegans and macrobiotic eaters suggest either.

Bottom line: While you don’t need to eat grains, unless you have celiac disease or a FODMAP intolerance, there is absolutely no need to avoid them. (And even in those two scenarios, it’s only specific grains you need to worry about).

Most people follow a better, more health-promoting diet if they’re allowed grains in reasonable amounts, along with a wide array of other non-grain carb sources like fruit, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, lentils, etc.

Remember, it’s the ability to follow a diet consistently over time that provides the greatest results, regardless of what that diet is. And unless you’re intolerant, there’s no good reason to totally exclude certain foods, especially foods you enjoy.

READ MORE:

Settling the great grain debate: Can wheat and other grains fit into a healthy—and sane—diet?

Question #6: “What (and when) should I eat around my workouts?”

Answer: It depends on your goals. Let’s talk about those… then we can come up with specific recommendations for you.

If you train athletes, this is a really common question. But lots of non-athletes are curious too.

Contrary to popular media, most folks are best served by eating good quality whole foods in reasonable amounts, without having to focus on specific workout nutrition products or protocols.

So you can advise non-athlete level clients to eat a normal, balanced meal 1-2 hours before and after exercise. This will provide adequate protein and carbs to both fuel the workout and maximize recovery/adaption.

However, if you coach advanced, hard-training clients or athletes, tell them you’re going to help with their unique workout-nutrition needs.

Endurance athletes, bodybuilders, or those looking to maximize muscle gain could add a protein and carbohydrate drink during their workout. We usually recommend about 15 g of protein and 30-45 g of carbohydrate per hour of exercise.

Physique competitors, as well as people trying to maximize fat loss, could add essential amino acids (or branched chain amino acids) during their workout. We usually recommend 5-15 g of EAA (or BCAA) per hour of exercise.

In the end, rather than having one stock answer here, you need to be clear about who you’re working with.

READ MORE:

Best workout nutrition strategies: A useful guide for what to eat before, during, and after exercise.

Workout nutrition illustrated. [Infographic]

Question #7 Should I drink less alcohol?

Answer: If optimal health and fitness is your priority, consider reevaluating your drinking habits.

People may balk at that answer initially, but once you lay out the facts and make it clear that you’re not telling them not to drink, their ears will open.

There’s a lot of confusion about whether drinking is good for you or not. That’s mainly because the news media likes to play up new studies revealing the possible cardiovascular benefits of alcohol.

But the truth is, no one really knows who will benefit from light to moderate alcohol consumption. Meanwhile, any level of drinking (even “moderate”) comes with health risks that should be considered.

Heavy drinking — more than 7 drinks a week for women and more than 14 per week for men — increases the risk for a long list of health problems involving the heart, brain, immunity, hormones, liver, and metabolism.

But even light to moderate drinking can affect sleep, appetite, and decision making — which absolutely can have a negative impact on your clients’ health and fitness goals.

Still, drinking is an undeniable part of culture, and when enjoyed reasonably it can be delicious and fun.

Tell your clients or patients that you’re going to help them sort out their priorities to determine the best level of drinking for them. Then encourage them to track their drinking habits — and how their drinking habits make them feel physically and psychologically — for a couple weeks.

Most drinkers consume a lot more alcohol than they think, and when they stop to evaluate, many decide on their own that it would feel better to cut back.

READ MORE:

Would I be healthier if I quit drinking? My quest to understand the real trade-offs of alcohol consumption.

Question #8 “Does the Paleo Diet live up to the hype?”

Answer: Mostly, yes. But not for the reasons you think.

The Paleo Diet is one of the most popular nutrition approaches in the world right now. There’s no doubt that it works for many people. However, the reason it works has little to do with the story the Paleo proponents tell (evolutionary adaptation, inflammation, etc.).

Here’s the deal. Paleo does work for a lot of people because it emphasizes mostly whole-food sources of lean protein, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats.

However, while Paleo is starting to incorporate more high-quality carbs, grass-fed dairy, red wine, and other things that used to be “off limits” — the diet can still be too restrictive for some folks.

In the end, Paleo likely gets more right than wrong. And if people want to follow it, you can help them do it in a sane, reasonable, sustainable manner.

But for most, it’s unnecessary to follow such a strict dietary ideology. You can take the good from the Paleo approach and get rid of the silly dogma.

READ MORE:

The Paleo problem: Examining the pros and cons of the Paleo diet.

Question #9 Should I do a detox or juice cleanse?

Answer: Probably not; most popular detox diets don’t remove toxins or lead to fat loss.

Lots of people are worried about the effect of modern lifestyle factors like poor nutrition, sleep deprivation, stress, and environmental pollutants on their health.

So you probably get a fair number of questions about detox diets and juice cleanses, which have come into vogue as an efficient way to (supposedly) lose weight and rid the body of impurities.

But detox diets don’t clean out toxins or help you lose body fat. In fact, detox diets can work against these goals by bypassing the body’s natural detoxification systems and creating a feast-or-famine cycle of eating.

Among many problems, detoxes and cleanses often:

are protein deficient,

are extremely low in energy,

cause unhealthy blood-sugar swings,

cause GI tract dysfunction, and

lead to a yoyo of restrictive eating and overcompensation.

If doing a juice cleanse or detox diet helps a person get ready to make further helpful and sustainable changes in their life, OK. Just coach them through a cautious and monitored protocol.

However, we prefer helping them build life-long skills and incorporate daily practices to improve their health, performance, and body composition without extreme (and unsustainable) things like detoxes and cleanses.

READ MORE:

Are detox diets good for you? How a 3-day juice cleanse landed this dietitian in the ER.

Question #10 “Do sleep habits and stress really affect nutrition?”

Answer: Yes, but those effects vary from person to person, as do the best sleep and stress management strategies.

Sleep is just as important as nutrition and exercise when it comes to improving your health, performance, and body composition.

Clients and patients should be coached through:

creating a sleep routine, including having a regular schedule,

limiting alcohol and caffeine, especially in the afternoon/evening,

choosing de-stressing activities before bed,

setting an appropriate room temperature for sleep,

making the room dark,

keeping the room quiet, and

waking up appropriately, with light exposure and soft noise.

As for stress, it’s all about finding the sweet spot. Too much stress, or the wrong kind, can harm our health. Yet stress can also be a positive force in our lives, keeping us focused, alert, and at the top of our game.

It all depends on what kind of stress it is, how prepared we are to meet it — and how we view it.

Since stress affects the mind, body, and behavior in many ways, everyone experiences stress differently. Each of us has a unique “recovery zone,” whether that’s physical or psychological, and our recovery zone depends on several factors.

It is critical to teach people strategies and skills to view and handle their own stress load appropriately. The following can increase stress tolerance or diminish stress load:

meditation or yoga

outdoor time

snuggling a pet

listening to relaxing music

deep breathing

drinking green tea

READ MORE:

Hacking sleep: Engineering a high quality, restful night [Article + infographic]

Good stress, bad stress: Finding your sweet spot. [Article + infographic]

Question #11 How should I eat to get six-pack abs?”

Answer: First let’s explore whether a six pack is worth the trade-offs.

To answer this one, you first have to know if six-pack abs are really what your client wants. (And if they’re prepared to do what it takes.)

Getting ripped abs is a much bigger undertaking than most people realize. There are definite benefits to getting that lean (<10 percent for most men, and <20 percent for most women), but there are real trade-offs too.

Alcohol, processed foods, and desserts all need to be severely limited if you’re trying to lose fat and show off a washboard stomach. Social situations often become difficult. Other interests and hobbies may need to decrease.

However, if clients really want to get a six-pack in the healthiest possible way, they’ll need to follow these principles 90-95 percent of the time:

eat protein and vegetables at every meal,

include healthy fats at most meals,

eat a small amount of carbs post-workout only,

limit carbs at all other meals,

exercise intensely 4-5 times per week, and

get at least 8 hours of sleep each night.

Armed with this information, you can have an honest conversation about whether your clients want the six-pack badly enough. (Or if they’d settle for moderately lean and healthy without giving up some of the other things they enjoy).

READ MORE:

The cost of getting lean: Is it really worth the trade-off?

Here’s the cost of getting lean. [Infographic]

++++

In the end, yes, it’ll take some time to master these answers on the fly with a wide variety of people, but the only way to get started is to dive right in.

Remember: While you’re expected to know all the answers, you can’t be expected to know everything about every single person.

So use the answers in this cheat sheet as a starting point (I recommend that you do the deeper reading first), and then learn more with strategic questions about their particular needs and goals.

In the end, being the go-to coach for nutrition questions is about — yes — knowing the facts. But it’s also about meeting people where they’re at and garnering experience while you make the journey together.

If you’re a coach, or you want to be…

Learning how to coach clients, patients, friends, or family members through healthy eating and lifestyle changes — including how to manage energy balance — is both an art and a science.

If you’d like to learn more about both, consider the Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification. The next group kicks off shortly.

What’s it all about?

The Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification is the world’s most respected nutrition education program. It gives you the knowledge, systems, and tools you need to really understand how food influences a person’s health and fitness. Plus the ability to turn that knowledge into a thriving coaching practice.

Developed over 15 years, and proven with over 100,000 clients and patients, the Level 1 curriculum stands alone as the authority on the science of nutrition and the art of coaching.

Whether you’re already mid-career, or just starting out, the Level 1 Certification is your springboard to a deeper understanding of nutrition, the authority to coach it, and the ability to turn what you know into results.

[Of course, if you’re already a student or graduate of the Level 1 Certification, check out our Level 2 Certification Master Class. It’s an exclusive, year-long mentorship designed for elite professionals looking to master the art of coaching and be part of the top 1% of health and fitness coaches in the world.]

Interested? Add your name to the presale list. You’ll save up to 33% and secure your spot 24 hours before everyone else.

We’ll be opening up spots in our next Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification on Wednesday, April 3rd, 2019.

If you want to find out more, we’ve set up the following presale list, which gives you two advantages.

Pay less than everyone else. We like to reward people who are eager to boost their credentials and are ready to commit to getting the education they need. So we’re offering a discount of up to 33% off the general price when you sign up for the presale list.

Sign up 24 hours before the general public and increase your chances of getting a spot. We only open the certification program twice per year. Due to high demand, spots in the program are limited and have historically sold out in a matter of hours. But when you sign up for the presale list, we’ll give you the opportunity to register a full 24 hours before anyone else.

If you’re ready for a deeper understanding of nutrition, the authority to coach it, and the ability to turn what you know into results… this is your chance to see what the world’s top professional nutrition coaching system can do for you.

The post How to answer the most common nutrition questions like a boss: A cheat sheet for helping anyone hone their eating habits. appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

How to answer the most common nutrition questions like a boss: A cheat sheet for helping anyone hone their eating habits. published first on