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meditationnearme · 4 years ago

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Is This Crazy New Treatment The Cure To Your Insomnia? - how do you reduce stress

NuCalm promotes itself as neuroscience-backed tension and sleep technology. In practice, though, it simply helped me nap. I recently awakened from a delightful 20-minute nap. Really, it was more of a 10-minute half-nap half-trance, preceded by ideas of what I required to accomplish today that slowly liquified into the types of non-sequitur visions that take place because earliest phase of sleep.

In some way, this was rejuvenating. For the last week, I have actually been checking out the NuCalm system. According to its website, NuCalm is "the world's only trademarked neuroscience innovation clinically shown to deal with stress and improve sleep quality without drugs." It includes a neuroacoustic software application app utilized for 20- to 120-minute increments, an eye mask and the abovementioned processing discs, and in practice includes listening to ambient, cinematic sounds (comparable to this) with your eyes closed and a sticker label stuck to your inner arm.

Each of the elements are designed to set off the body's parasympathetic nervous system, which aids with recovery and relaxation. The disc is created to launch gamma-aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter that inhibits cortisol and adrenaline. With this and the app, NuCalm halts your body's tension action and therefore the mental and physical toll tension can handle the body.

military, 49 sports teams and in over a million surgical treatments. Some dental offices even utilize it for clients who hesitate of the dental expert. NuCalm's 'bio-signal processing disc' Although the product is touted as a way of possibly healing the body from injury, addiction and physical concerns, it appears predominately useful for relaxation and anxiety.

By this procedure, my use of NuCalm was a success: After my 20-minute session this afternoon, I certainly felt far more refreshed and awake. While a few of my sessions kept me conscious the whole time, I at least felt a bit more relaxed than previously. At the start, I 'd believed I was supposed to treat the session like a meditation, preventing letting my ideas roam.

Why I was so focused upon events of this age during my session is a secret to me, but regardless, I think I still dropped off to sleep for about five minutes. Unusually enough, a FAQ section of the app states that memory recollection is a typical characteristic of "theta brainwave variety," and that recalling memories in this phase allows you to dissociate negative feelings from them.

Overall, NuCalm did enable me to take best little afternoon naps in a structured method. I am decent at sleeping as it is, but I do believe something about NuCalm, whether it be the discs or the noises or the timer, made those naps more effective than usual. One glaring problem with NuCalm, nevertheless, is its rate.

Perhaps as I keep utilizing it, I'll find that this is a totally reasonable expense for the advantage of much better relaxation, health and sleep. At this moment, however, I 'd pay possibly $10 a month. The app likewise requires some major upgrading, as it presently only uses 3 various session types (recharge, reboot and rescue) at differing lengths and with a rather cumbersome layout.

Instead, it feels rudimentary, with lesser parts of the app like the post-session debriefing FAQ totally nonfunctional. I have actually taken some fantastic naps this last week, and I'll keep utilizing NuCalm for this function. It's a nearly simple and easy way of fitting 20 minutes of pure relaxation into my day. Whether those bio-signalling dics do anything, I'm still suspicious in addition to a cleaner app, I 'd need to get a bit more trust in the science to pay $60 a month.

Magdalene Taylor is a junior staff writer at MEL, where she began working two weeks after finishing college. Her work is a mix of cultural analysis and service, covering whatever from reconsiderations of low-brow hits like Joe Dirt and Nickelback to modern disability issues, OnlyFans and the kinds of small concerns about life like why baby carrots are so wet.

According to the company, thirty minutes of NuCalm is equal to 2 to 3 hours of corrective sleep. The NuCalm website boasts that the de-stressing treatment takes simply 2 minutes to administer and less than 5 minutes to accomplish its effects, making it the extremely meaning of a quick repair.

With its sleek website and claims of high-tech, borderline-magic outcomes, I half expected my NuCalm experience to occur in the literal future or, at really least, a center that reeked of sci-fi vibes. I believe I was imagining a workplace that looked like the ship from Passengers and a large set-up reminiscent of the memory-implanting tech from Total Remember or possibly even a coffin-like pod directly out of The Fifth Component.

My NuCalm treatment was not administered on the set of a motion picture, but it also wasn't administered in a dental expert's workplace. On the early morning of my visit, I drove across Los Angeles to Santa Monica to the workplaces of an authentic medical professional to the stars, whose Hollywood customers includes starlets, authors and motivational masters, and who boasts know-how in energy medication, integrative medication and bioidentical hormone replacement treatment.

Rather, my NuCalm experience began in a (actively) dimly lit waiting room that looked more like the living-room of an eccentric, well-traveled college professor than a medical center. The doctor was fashionably late not with another patient, simply in getting to the office. While the tardiness might usually have actually frustrated me, here, it appeared like part of the experience, almost like a sneak peek of the outcomes of the high-tech treatment that awaited me.

Throughout a quick consultation, the physician discussed the NuCalm procedure and summarized the science behind it (more on that later). The gist of the system, I learned, was this: I would chew a tablet of gamma-Aminobutyric acid, or -aminobutyric acid (or GABA, for short), a repressive neurotransmitter suggested to decrease activity in my nerve system.

I would listen, through headphones, to binaural beat music music with two various balanced pulses that activates Alpha and Theta brain waves, which are connected with the very first stage of deep sleep and meditation. Likewise, I would be blindfolded. And, in Doc Hollywood's workplace, I would do all of this while lying on a waterbed although the waterbed, I learned, is not a standard or needed element of the treatment.

I was led to a small exam space (or, possibly, a large closet), where I was offered a big GABA tablet and told to chew but not swallow it while the medical professional marked time the binaural beats and connected the Biosignal Processing Disc to my wrist. Lastly, after what seemed like a much longer duration of time than it possibly could have been, I was informed to swallow the GABA vitamin sludge, which had the artificially sweet, fruity taste and distinctly milky taste and texture of Flinstones vitamins that are a couple of months past their expiration date.

The NuCalm treatment itself was completely pleasant. The music was calming but interesting (I've since registered for a binaural beats playlist on Spotify bless the web). The milky, orange-adjacent taste of the GABA tablet didn't remain in a particularly noticeable way. And the waterbed was warmed, that made for a relaxing place to lie down and rest.

What am I doing incorrect? Why don't I feel calm? If science can't make me chill TF out, am I just a lost cause? Perhaps if I do a body scan, I'll be able to feel the results. That's a good concept. I'm going to do a body scan. This will resemble mindfulness on steroids orange-flavored, healthy steroids.

I am broken. I was wrong. It was not practically over. Maybe it's the kind of thing you can't feel in the moment, however I'll observe a substantial distinction when it's over. I have a lot work to do. Stop thinking of work and being stressed. That beats the entire purpose.

I asked how typically he advised that individuals come in for NuCalm treatments and he stated that it differs, but that some individuals "need it daily." I couldn't help however think, based on my experience and the lack of concrete outcomes, that that appeared excessive. He handed me some research study further discussing the science behind NuCalm prior to rushing off to his next appointment, and I left sensation disappointed and a little anxious about my failure to feel less distressed through the treatment.

For the record, it's not. I discovered the experience to be a little New Age-y in practice, however the system really is based in science. Drawing from neuroscience research into the patterns the brain goes through throughout natural periods of relaxation, every component of NuCalm is created to simulate that process and prompt a stressed brain to switch gears to a more relaxed state.

NuCalm works specifically on the body's inhibitory system, the GABAergic system. This gadget is bio-mimetic in that it resets the naturally taking place negative feedback loop of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which when properly functioning is expected to shut down and stop releasing cortisol from the adrenal glands after the end of a stressful occasion.

Individuals in this state are physically not able to have a distressed reaction. Within moments of application, users will start to feel remedy for the 'fight-or-flight' considerate nervous system action and their tension hormonal agent (cortisol) levels will start to decline as the HPA axis is hindered." Here's a quick breakdown of the science behind each phase of the NuCalm process.

It's really the primary repressive neurotransmitter system in brain circuits. Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid is a relaxation neurotransmitter that the body produces naturally when we're preparing yourself to sleep, so the strategy of utilizing GABA supplements to signify the brain that it's time to relax makes good sense. What's not completely clear, nevertheless, is how effective oral GABA supplements remain in triggering those advantages.

While some studies have actually revealed that GABA can cross the blood-brain barrier, others have shown the opposite, suggesting a possible placebo result behind perceived benefits of the supplements. Researchers agree that more research is needed to figure out how useful GABA supplements really are. According to NuCalm's website, the disc "simplifies the process of triggering the parasympathetic worried system, by tapping into the body's Pericardium Meridian with specific electromagnetic (EM) frequencies." The disc (which, again, was a round sticker, about the size of a quarter, that was used to the within of my wrist) was, undoubtedly, my greatest source of apprehension at the same time, and NuCalm's official explanation of the science behind it highlights the most Brand-new Age-y vibes of the company.

It is hypothesized that if you can restore the frequencies that take a trip through the Meridians you can reinstate ideal physiology. Each NuCalm disc holds the EM frequency patterns of GABA and its precursors to provide a pure biological signal to your body. When put on the within your left wrist, at your Pericardium-6 acupuncture point, the disc sends a signal to the pericardium of your heart to trigger regional parasympathetic nerve fibers, which then transfer the signal to your brain telling it to increase vagal nerve output and start the process of decreasing the body.

In 2017, Gwyneth Paltrow's GOOP promoted a $120 brand name of bio-frequency stickers, leading to a short-lived viral moment for the tech. Sadly for proponents of the devices, the action wasn't fantastic, with Mark Shelhamer, previous chief scientist at NASA's human research division, significantly decrying the GOOP-endorsed product as "snake oil." Although the NuCalm site describes that "each disc holds the electromagnetic frequency patterns of GABA and its precursors to provide a pure biosignal to your body," it's unclear exactly how putting the sticker on your wrist sets off that shipment.

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#meditation for sleep

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bunkershotgolf · 5 years ago

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China’s Li Makes Full Use of Downtime During Golf’s Coronavirus Break

Haotong Li, the first mainland Chinese golfer to feature in the Presidents Cup, is making the most out of golf’s enforced shutdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The mercurial Li has used his extended time at home to plan for a quick return into the upper echelons in the world order after slipping out of the top-50 of the Official World Golf Ranking last year.

The 24-year-old has read books to enrich his mind, invested in fitness equipment and a golf simulator to get stronger and sharper and more importantly, donated US$142,647 from his Presidents Cup charitable allocation towards the Hubei Charity Federation for Covid-19 relief.

��I am very touched to see those workers who are going to the frontlines for assistance,” said Li, winner of the inaugural PGA TOUR Series-China Order of Merit.

Now a two-time European Tour winner, Li hopes his dedication will revive his form which has seen him notch only two top-10s in the past year. He also lost his two matches at the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club last December, which soured a highly anticipated debut as the first mainland Chinese golfer to qualify for the International Team.

“I have conducted a review of my whole career and had a lot of talks with my family and friends, trying to find out where I can do better in the future. And the more I think about it, the desire of getting back to play in tournaments grows. There’s one thing that I’m certain that this shutdown would only make me love golf more,” he said.

“I think the number one priority (during the shutdown) is to keep practicing because this is a great chance to adjust my swing and improve my skills.”

He reckons his decline in form has been self-inflicted. “I always wanted every shot to be perfect and apparently, that doesn’t help you when you are not in the best condition. So, this is what I’m working on aside from my golf techniques.”

Li added that he enjoyed reading Eckhart Tolle’s The Power of Now, a book which has sold over two million copies and translated into 30 foreign languages. It touches on the principles of finding one’s true and deepest self which piqued his interest.

“I’ve been reading books and learning new things which has been a good way to spend time. The Eckhart Tolle book is mainly about how to communicate with your deepest self and how to find your inner peace. Some opinions could be helpful, like how to focus on “now” and how this would help you get rid of some negative thoughts. But I have to say that I may not agree with all the points the author raised. Generally speaking, it’s worth a read,” said Li.

The golf break enabled Li to continue with a course in Sports Training by the Shenzhen University and he has also spent time competing with compatriot Ashun Wu on the golf simulator.

“I was be able to finish some college courses which I missed out in the past. And playing a few times on the CGA Simulator Challenge with my tour buddy Ashun was fun,” he said.

He misses the competition “a lot” and cannot wait to tee it up again to get the adrenaline flowing once more. “(I’ve missed) the cheering crowd, all my friends on tour, and mostly the exciting feeling that you get after making a nice shot during competition,” said the lanky Chinese.

The health situation has served to remind Li to value what he has achieved in his short but successful career thus far which includes the two victories on the European Tour. He won three times on the 2014 PGA TOUR Series-China en route to becoming the No. 1 on the developmental circuit.

“Luckily, none of my family and friends were affected by the virus directly. My mom been very cautious and when I was still out there playing on tour months back, she always shared tips with me and reminds me to wash my hands often and wear masks,” he said.

“We lost lives every day. All industries got hurt and people got worried about jobs and income. I believe we will get over this in the end as long as we stick together and help each other.”

Li is not giving up his dream of competing full-time on the PGA TOUR and returning for a second Presidents Cup appearance next year when Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina hosts the prestigious team competition.

“The PGA TOUR is a very challenging tour where you have to bring out your best game against the world’s top players every week to stay high up on the ranking. In the past, I’ve played some good rounds in major events but I would need to get that stability and be more mentally strong. This is what I’m working on right now,” said Li.

“The experience (at the Presidents Cup) is quite unforgettable and I still feel excited about that. I didn’t play in every round and I believe in our captain (Ernie Els) and every decision he made. Honestly speaking, I could have done better in those two matches which I played in but I didn’t and that is the most disappointing part of my first Presidents Cup journey. But as I said just after the tournament, I believe I can prove myself if I get a chance to play in the International Team again.

“I really loved the atmosphere of the Presidents Cup which you won’t know until you’ve been there. I didn’t have a great debut but I want to go back and prove myself.”

Note: Attached image is for one-time use only with this press release and must be credited to IMG. If you wish to unsubscribe from this email list, please reply with the subject title “Unsubscribe”.

#coronavirus #covid 19 #covid #golf #china #asia

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habibialkaysani · 5 years ago

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welp. I had my interview. it started off on a bad note not due to any fault on my part, but instead because I was given the wrong time in the email - I was told I had to be online at 2pm, but my interview slot was for 3pm. I didn’t question this when I got the email because I thought I just had to be online an hour earlier, because of the task I had to do. so I was on zoom, and nothing, for ten, fifteen mins. finally I emailed and asked, and they clarified within about ten mins that yes, my interview started at 3pm.

and idk if it was just me starting off on the wrong foot so to speak but I just felt uneasy from then. even before that I felt like this was just Not going to play out the way I wanted, and quelle surprise. I was right. I had to do a task first. the first bit was on google docs which was easy enough. the next bit was on google sheets which I’ve only used like three times, so I felt it was nowhere near as user-friendly as excel. (tbh it’s probably more that I have used excel a gajillion times and google sheets a handful of times, so I didn’t understand the functions as well) so it took longer and I couldn’t complete the third component of the task.

that was stressful enough. then I had my first interview with the panel I had met in my initial interview. it went okay at first, but I felt nowhere near as confident as in my initial interview. the star answers I was supposed to give just - did not come out. and I could tell I was rambling a bit. plus it didn’t help that none of these questions were framed in the “give me an example when” format which is how I operate best in interviews.

THEN. then. an interviewer asked a question. I started answering it and then had to ask him to repeat it. the same thing happened when it got back to that specific interviewer (there were three total). but the second time, I couldn’t figure out what to say. I just couldn’t say anything. I kept tripping up on my words and twice I put my face in my hands and said “sorry”. at the same point a splitting headache was kicking in which did not help. I mumbled something about how this is the first day I was fasting. one of the interviewers took pity on me and said I could have two minutes if I needed a break.

idk how I managed to, but I sat down two mins later after nearly hyperventilating and managed to give a proper answer to the question that was asked. they said then that to conserve my energy that would be their last question, and that then I could ask any questions I had. which I did, and that helped calm me a bit because I had those prepared at least. and I asked them and we got the conversation flowing and I wondered if maybe I could rescue this mess (bc at one point during above hyperventilation I seriously considered sitting down and telling them I couldn’t do it, that I had to go, that I should just end the zoom call).

at the end of the first interview I apologised profusely and thankfully the interviewers were really nice about it, and they said I didn’t need to apologise and that if I need another break before the next interview I could have that. I also know for a fact that they take mental health far more seriously so hopefully when they said that they meant it.

the second interview felt much more chilled, and was less about my competencies and more about who I am as a person, and how I could fit into the team. it was much smoother but I could tell it wasn’t quite as chilled as they were making it out to be, in that this would form part of their opinion of me as a candidate.

but. I don’t think I got the job. I don’t think I deserve it either. and honestly that feeling on its own makes me feel awful. I hate myself, and I hate my brain for short-circuiting on me when I needed it the most. I hate that this had to happen on the first day of a holy month for me. but I hope that I can move past this. and I will just try really hard to keep it together until monday when they let me know how I did. I don’t feel positive about it though. even with them being understanding - I’ve just seen when situations like this can be the difference between giving someone the job and not.

I don’t know if I’m ready to talk about this on chat yet. I will say if that changes.

#me.txt #jobhunt tag #negativity for ts #personal #please don't reblog

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sebastyansmith-writer · 5 years ago

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Her Name Was Arthur

Or:

Getting to grips with my first ever panic attack at 30

Note: The following is written chronologically. The relevance of these events only became clear after a lot of soul searching and personal psychological analysis after the fact.

Initially none of it was clear, but reaching back and finding the root cause of where I believe my panic attack came from helped massively with fighting through it and moving on.

I’ve had a few people ask for more information on this, especially those who have struggled with anxiety and panic attacks nearly their entire life. I think seeing someone process it all for the first time offers a unique angle. That’s what this post is about.

At age 5/6 our family cat gave birth to a litter of kittens. I was allowed to chose one and name it, and from that point it would my cat. Looking back this was the first meaningful instance of real responsibility, and even at a young age I understood its importance.

I chose a kitten and named her Arthur. I can’t remember if I knew her sex, or cared, but I certainly loved me some King Arthur.

How not to hold a sword

For the first time in my young life I had a charge, a living creature that would rely on me. Obviously looking back I probably wouldn’t have had to do much, but all the same I took it very seriously.

A few weeks later she died.

It was an illness no-one knew she had, and according to the vet – unavoidable.

According to my mother I was inconsolable. It took a hundred conversations to settle me, and I’m fortunate that my mother excels at emotional conversations.

I remember choosing the name Arthur. I remember the kitten dying. I don’t remember what she looked like, or crying at all. Apparently my mind decided to repress all that.

From that point on I didn’t properly connect with any of the pet cats we owned, though to such a degree that I didn’t notice until getting Ink and Bobby, years later.

Ink

Bobby

I loved animals. I practically lived off nature programs. But I had a deep, subconscious fear of being responsible for them.

This might sound all a bit dramatic but I was – and am – what some would call a delicate flower. Losing Arthur hit me hard.

It’s funny, I started talking about the above on a regular basis. Saying how relieved I was that I could open myself up again to pets, happy that I was able to let myself feel things properly, even at the risk of eventually losing them.

In retrospect this was my mind trying to draw my attention to another issue that would only become clear to me later:

It wasn’t just pets that I had began detaching from.

As a child I had a smattering of friends. I loved them, and trusted them, but when we moved away I was able to disconnect from them without much drama. They had been good people, and probably still are (this is long before social media so who bloody knows!). Yet I moved on without much of a backwards glance. When they didn’t show much interest I would leave.

Anyway, I carried on, I grew up, I was able to develop some brilliant relationships with people. Things were going really well. I grew into a happy adult and am lucky to count some brilliant people as friends.

As an aside: I think this was due to my up-bringing. My parents (and other parental figures) were superb. They installed so much strength and self-respect in me. That’s not to say I haven’t stumbled over the years and been an idiot – I have. Even so, I had an exemplary upbringing and I will always be thankful for that.

I still retained the ability to move on from people if things didn’t work out, or if they let me down. Looking back it could be something as simple as them not keeping to an arranged meeting time or place and I’d totally cut ties with them. Not socially, but I’d take away any level of trust I had in them.

This came instinctively and followed me into my mid twenties until I made a breakthrough.

I found myself trusting people again, really letting them in. Here’s the issue –

As children we learn how to let people in and how to block people out. It’s a system of trial and error which most take for granted as ‘learning how society works’. I don’t think I did that. I think losing Arthur had such a profound effect on me that I took the shortcut of distancing myself from others as a means of avoiding losing them.

On some level my ability to process trust issues stopped when Arthur died (bear with me on this).

So when I started trusting people, I did so as a child might, because that part of my processing hadn’t had chance to develop.

Someone who I deemed ‘special’ (super cringey, I know – I assure you this wasn’t a conscious distinction, but rather a subconscious one I’ve only recently identified) would be elevated to such a degree that they could do no wrong. They were perfect, they were above reproach. They could – wait for it – be trusted and relied upon! They wouldn’t ever let me down, why would they?

wow

Here’s where the healthy/unhealthy cycle begins. Through sheer dumb luck, and hopefully my own judgement, these few people never let me down. They were, and are, brilliant. My child-like projections of them were never shattered.

Until they were.

What happens when the psychological foundations of your mind that you’ve been building subconsciously your entire life begin to crumble?

I can only describe it as my brain short-circuiting. I have never had any mental health issues. I have always had a positive outlook and tend to take difficult things in my stride. I am not one to obsess, or to spiral. I was thus utterly unprepared for what was to come. All at once my mind seemed to collapse in on itself. I didn’t react like an adult, I reacted like a 6 year old whose kitten just died.

I couldn’t understand it. I kept saying ‘I don’t understand, I don’t understand,’ like an endless mantra. I was unprepared.

You see, on a level I wasn’t aware of, child me blamed himself for Arthur’s death. It wasn’t my fault, obviously, but we’re beyond normal logic at this point (keep up Neurotypicals!). Arthur had been my responsibility and she died. I internalised that and blamed myself for it.

Therefore, if I was to blame for the kitten, then adult Me was to blame for any upset caused by an individual elevated to my special little compartmentalised group of friendships. What should have been something I reacted to and processed relatively normally became a mental cliff which I promptly fell off. The two events became linked.

I tried to shrug it off as I would a regular upset and ended up crying uncontrollably in work. Fortunately my colleagues were superb and called me a taxi home. I did all the things I usually did to take my mind off it and that only made me spiral more. My thoughts were no longer my own, I felt hurt, confused, and more vulnerable than I have ever felt before. My sleeping pattern almost vanished. I would have moments of clarity, but they were quickly fog over again. I’d have good days, but always bad days would follow.

Keep in mind that you’ve had this story in order. At the point of the panic attack I didn’t understand where this reservoir of emotion had come from. All I kept doing was blaming myself and silently arguing myself until I could feel my thoughts falling apart.

Artist: Bryony Mulvill

I’ve always known panic attacks were real, often comparing them to a type of fit, but experiencing one firsthand opened my eyes. It is terrifying.

For all my strength as a person, for all my good mental health, one incident and my world nearly fell apart. Fortunately I wasn’t alone. My partner and my friends were there for me and they pulled me through it. No-one is an island.

Do you know what surprised me further? The anger. As part of my mental block with letting people in I also restrained a lot of emotion. For the first time in my adult life I felt angry. It was like a damn bursting. Every single emotion all wanted to be at the front but the anger? That bloody scared me.

It also pointed out something fascinating: as an adult I had never been angry before. Not really, deep-in-your-gut, truly angry. Y’know what? Being angry makes me want to cry.

Delicate flower, n’all that.

Fortunately a lifetime of good mental health kicked in with a vengeance.

I began exercising to give myself the impression of control over my life. I began taking B12 supplements to help with the fatigue. I also began talking about what I was going through, not just to people on social media and to friends/family, but to myself.

I started asking: Why?

I’d gone through hard things in the past. I’d felt pain and loss and sadness, so why now? That line of questioning uncovered everything you’ve been reading.

I love psychoanalysis. I love the idea of the human mind as a machine with cause and effect, with a little bit of chaos in there for good measure. Until recently I’d had little cause to direct this interest inwardly. It took two months to trace things back to the Arthur conclusion. Written down it might look silly, and to some degree it is:

Child doesn’t deal with losing kitten = adult doesn’t know how to process being let down.

It’s dumb, but it’s also an answer. Rather than endlessly repeating: ‘I don’t understand’ I now DO understand. More importantly, I can tell my 6 year old self that it wasn’t his fault. He couldn’t have known what was going to happen. I can resolve the relatively innocent incident of childhood trauma.

Not me and Arthur, but probably fairly accurate. Fuck I wish I remembered more.

You see, giving myself the answer provides me with a key. I’m no longer looking outwards for a solution, I can look inwards. And until recently my own head was the safest place for me to be. Like fuck I’m giving up that ground to anxiety. That territory is mine, baby.

I can also begin to work on how I view people, how I project onto them, and why I project onto them.

This has been a chaotic post, and to get the first hand journey experience you might have to read it backwards, from panic attack to naming a female kitten Arthur.

So there you have it. My first panic attack. Such innocent, naive little origins for something that could have so easily ruined me as an adult. Ain’t the human brain great/terrible.

Weirdly, I feel stronger and more alive than I ever have.

2020 is going to be amazing, I promise.

– Seb

Her Name Was Arthur Her Name Was Arthur Or: Getting to grips with my first ever panic attack at 30…

#2019 #2020 #king arthur #kitten #mental health #psychology

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mangohealth · 6 years ago

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The ABC Method of Easing Anxiety

Guest post by Debbie Hampton, author/blogger at The Best Brain Possible

Occasional anxiety is a normal, expected part of life. You might feel anxious when faced with a challenging project at work, before taking a test, or when trying to make a big decision. But when nervous feelings are common and not about something specific, that's not healthy.

For a person with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety rarely goes way and can get worse over time. The mental and physical symptoms can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, school, work, and relationships.

The Difference Between Worry and Anxiety

While worry and anxiety can both make life challenging, they are two distinct things occurring in different parts of your brain. You can experience worry without anxiety, and anxiety without worry. Very simply, worrying is thinking about something, and anxiety is feeling it.

Worrying occurs in your mind and involves your thinking brain, the prefrontal cortex, interacting with your limbic system. The limbic system is an ancient collection of structures located deep inside the brain which control basic emotions and instincts. The same brain circuits that allow your super-smart brain to plan and problem solve allow you to worry, but the limbic system adds an emotional punch.

These circuits activate too frequently and can get stuck in the on position, causing negative mental and physical health consequences.

Anxiety is physically based, shows up as bodily symptoms, actions, and behaviors, and primarily involves the limbic system and the brain's fear circuit. Oftentimes, anxiety doesn’t have a specific reason that you can pinpoint and just presents as a symptom, like an upset stomach or shortness of breath.

Worrying and Anxiety Have Beneficial Origins

Worry and anxiety developed for your protection. Both are really your brain’s way of learning from past experiences to try to steer you clear of potential danger in the future. Your brain’s number one priority is always keeping you alive. When something bad happens, your thinking brain notices what preceded the event and tries to figure out patterns and connections within that occurrence and to past bad experiences that might have predicted it.

When remembering a deadly predator’s territory meant the difference between life or death, worry and anxiety were evolutionary advantages which aided our ancestors. But today when your brain can find hundreds of reasons to sound the alarm daily and connect things that don’t have any correlation, these circuits activate too frequently and can get stuck in the on position, causing negative mental and physical health consequences.

People with an anxiety disorder are three to five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for a psychiatric illness.

In the book, The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time, Alex Korb describes it like this:

“Imagine you’re a baseball pitcher and you have a hat you always wear, and then one day you don’t wear the hat, and you lose the game and feel ashamed. Your limbic system wants to avoid that feeling in the future, so it notices, ‘Hey, I forgot to wear my hat. That must be the reason I lost.’ Even though not wearing your lucky hat probably didn’t cause the loss, once your limbic system assumes a possible connection, it becomes hard to unlearn it. From then on, not wearing the hat triggers.”

So even though worry and anxiety are a natural, even beneficial, feature of being human, learning to manage them is an essential part of mental health. When your mental resources are busy worrying, you can’t use them for other things. Worry keeps you from focusing on and putting energy into what’s really important, can make it harder to connect with other people, and can be just mentally exhausting! And anxiety is even worse. According to The Anxiety And Depression Association Of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental diagnosis in the U.S. and go hand-in-hand with depression. People with an anxiety disorder are three to five times more likely to go to the doctor and six times more likely to be hospitalized for a psychiatric illness.

The ABC Method of Easing Anxiety

Anxiety can be understood and lessened by remembering “The ABC’s of Anxiety.”

Awareness

The first step in decreasing anxiety is to become aware of it. When your brain observes something that it thinks is worthy of sounding the alarm, notice that your heart is racing or that your breathing has become shallow as it is happening.

This is really developing a sense of mindfulness. Mindfulness is simply being aware of what’s happening as it’s happening. This may sound odd. However, David Eagleman writes, in his book Incognito, “Almost the entirety of what happens in your mental life is not under your conscious control.” So, mindfulness is a way of learning to watch yourself think.

Science has proven, beyond any doubt, that a steady practice of mindfulness induces real beneficial changes in the brain.

Focusing on the here and now helps you to become aware of anxiety-producing thoughts and emotions, acknowledge them without judgment and realize they may not be accurate reflections of reality. Through practicing mindfulness, thoughts and emotions lose their power over your brain and body, and you can start to detach from them.

Science has proven, beyond any doubt, that a steady practice of mindfulness induces real beneficial changes in the brain. Studies have shown mindfulness to significantly improve a variety of conditions, including anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Belief

Next, evaluate the validity of the alarm. Consciously try to determine a causal link to an event or situation, past, present, or future. You may not be able to pinpoint a specific reason and that's OK. If you can, formulate a conscious belief about the anxiety-producing thing. If you can't, assure your brain that you are safe. There is no danger.

When an implicit memory gets called up in the present, you probably won't consciously know it’s a memory.

Beliefs are most often below your conscious awareness and based on implicit memories, which are made up of your past programming, wounds, and experiences. Implicit memory is sometimes referred to as automatic memory because it uses your past to remember things without thinking about them. When an implicit memory gets called up in the present, you probably won't consciously know it’s a memory. You may just experience it through emotions, behaviors, and bodily sensations, such as anxiety.

By practicing mindful awareness, you can lessen the control your subconscious has over you. Here’s your chance to interrupt anxiety-producing automatic negative thinking patterns by working with your mind to reframe thoughts and insert new beliefs that empower and encourage you.

Coping

Lastly, you respond to your beliefs with coping mechanisms. Coping can involve a subconscious, non-productive habit, like eating a pint of ice cream or totally avoiding the situation making you anxious. These are mindless, reactive behaviors from your past programming, which aren't helpful.

If you become mindful of your anxiety and thought processes, you can consciously choose to respond with a healthy coping mechanism, like going for a walk or writing in a journal. It’s entirely possible to change your coping mechanisms from negative bad habits to more positive routines which help decrease your anxiety in the first place.

About the Author

Debbie Hampton recovered from a suicide attempt and resulting brain injury to become an inspirational and educational writer. She is the author of Beat Depression And Anxiety By Changing Your Brain and Sex, Suicide and Serotonin: How These Things Almost Killed and Healed Me. She writes for The Huffington Post, MindBodyGreen, and her own website, The Best Brain Possible, where she shares lifestyle and mental health practices she used to rebuild her brain and find joy.

If you liked this post, you’ll also enjoy:

Stress-Proof Your Body and Brain

Healthy Sex Life, Healthy Brain

The Best Exercise to Build Your Brain

The posts on this blog are for information only. They are neither intended to substitute for a relationship with your doctor or other healthcare provider, nor do they constitute medical or healthcare advice of any kind. Any information in these posts should not be acted upon without consideration of primary source material and professional input from one’s own healthcare providers.

#brainhealth #mentalhealth #anxiety #anxietydisorder #mindfullness #meditation #mindful #depression #bestbrainpossible

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transdelgado · 6 years ago

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I'm dying bc I'm behind in classes and they have to be done tommorow and I also have finals tomorrow and its 12 am and I have 30 assignments to do why did I do this

so sorry that i’m getting around to this like a week late. i’ve had a rough time recently. this can be used for future reference

this has happened to me sooo many times actually. this is what i usually do:

1) make a list of all the assignments i have to do, by subject. next to them i put a realistic time estimate of how long each will take (or how many questions and stuff)

2) from each subject, select the ones that will take the least time. this will be your first “circuit” if you will. i know it’s counterintuitive and you may wanna do the longest ones first but just hold on.

3) start with one assignment. when you’re done, take a 10-minute break and go onto the next one. during the 10 minutes stretch, get some cold water, and splash some cold water on your face. if you’re hungry, have something w protein like a granola bar (nothing too big or it’ll make you sleepier lmao). the break sadly can only be 10 minutes because you’re in a time crunch so :/

4) make your way through your assignments like this, leaving the longest for last.

(also i’d avoid drinking anything that could give you an energy boost like coffee or energy drinks. you don’t wanna have a caffeine crush half way through)

5) try to finish as many assignments as you can. don’t beat yourself up if you don’t finish all of them! the reason why you should do the short ones first is that at least you’ll have some assignments done to take the next day.

if you can, ask for an extension. this can work well if you have a situation where you have, let’s say, 3 assignments due in one subject. two of them are short, and one of them is long. if you bring the two short done and part of the long one done (it can be just the beginning) you can ask the teacher for an extension and they’re more likely to give in because they see you’re at least you’re trying.

if the teachers don’t know the reason you’re behind, i’d talk to them and explain the situation. if it’s because of your mental health, you don’t have to go into too much detail. if it’s because depression you can say “i’ve been having a hard time dealing with my depression recently so it’s hard to get work done”. if it’s anxiety, you can explain how being so behind flared up your anxiety and now you feel like it’s too much.

universities can be a little stricter on this, but if it’s a relatively small class you could try going to the professor’s office hours and explain

(TW for suicide for this next paragraph). this past semester, a family member committed suicide. i had a lot going on that same week and that was kind of my breaking point. i had a research proposal due, but there was no way i’d be able to focus for long enough to have it done. so i went to the professors office hours and said i’d be absent from class and that i would appreciate an extension, but that i understood if she couldn’t bend the syllabus rules. turns out her husband is also in the military so it hit close to home and she was able to give me a week extension.

the key is to show them that you’re trying. most teachers aren’t there to fuck you over (in fact, if they try to fuck over too many students then they can get in trouble) so as long as you get some work done, i’m almost positive they’ll try to help you out.

i hope this gave you some ideas! this is a method that works p well for me. i wouldn’t suggest doing this more than once a week though! you need to rest and allnighters are not good for you. i understand that sometimes they’re necessary, but always be safe and try to limit the amount of them you do!

#trandelgado.answered #tbh maybe don't do this i'm so bad at like idk what im doing

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soysaucevictim · 6 years ago

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About yesterday and today’s stuff as well as summary of my last program experience, and plans for what to do next under the readmore - this time around.

Mar 20:

I had been up since a bit after 11AM.

Most of the day was spent watching YouTube and gaming. Also played some rummy with the family again. (Although I did consider cleaning the bathroom instead...)

As far as productive stuff went, did do some dishes, made some dinner, and did my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 2′ leg raise hold with EC. That took some willpower to keep going after the last minute. Got to trembling but keeping the breath steady is always helpful. :U

Second, Day 30 of the Full Circuit Program. Strength training. It was generally pretty easy way to end the program - squats, calf raises, and punches. Although I did try to mind my form, my knees were complaining a bit in the last few sets.

Last, Day 30 of the Touch Your Toes Challenge. As always, breezy and relaxing~

Did get to bed a touch too late last night, however. :P

Summary of Experience:

My trip through the Full Circuit Program was such a mixed bag. Wound up finishing this about a week later than intended, several instances of me doubling up (only pairing ab and flexibility days - any other combo would be over-training.). Combination of dealing with sickness, mental health dives (such as and not limited to Day 19), and poor time management really threw a wrench in my usual consistency. I do think this a worthy program to revisit down the line... when I have my ducks in a neater row. :P

I guess I’ll rank my most favorite to least favorite days again, too.

Tendon Strength / Flexibility - Hurts like hell pushing through them... but leaves the knees and hips feeling like butter afterwards. And I’ll always love ‘em for it! =w=

Ab Work (Crunch Variations) - I’d say most of it was wheelhouse stuff. Only downside were the instances where I had to hold my head up. But I’ll deal~

Cardio - a lot to like, but still not quite a fan of burpees or jumping lunges. Pffft! Also, I definitely had to mind my pace, I knew if I didn’t stagger my pace for stuff like the jacks, I wouldn’t be able to sustain them for the whole workout. :,D

Strength Training - these were pretty nice to do after the tougher cardio days - don’t leave you as bushed. (But fatigued? Definitely.) Lunges & push-ups are still not the most exciting/fun, but that’s how it is.

Ab Work (Plank Variations) - I’ve said my piece on these ones. Had to mod pretty much all of them to get through them. orz

I didn’t have much novel to say throughout the Touch Your Toes Challenge, other than it was a nice treat to cooldown with after some of the more intensive program days. (That and stepping outside to cool off further.)

What Next?

I think dialing things down with Cardio Go! Program. will be a good idea. And to get some strength training as complement - the Abs & Core Challenge.

Since my workout schedule went sideways during this last program and getting it done several days later than intended... I’m going to start on this stuff on the 23rd.

In the mean time, I’m doing some old DDs~

Mar 21*:

I’ve been up since a bit before 8AM.

Got to the facility, one of the first things I did while there was today’s DD. 2′ chest expansions with EC. Did this one while I was out at the facility again, an enjoyable exercise to wake up some more with, too! Counted 135 reps by the end. Got pretty challenging but I'm happy I kept the pace >1/sec, today! :D

I spent most of my time after that socializing, attending WRAP Group, and taking a short walk with another group of people.

Got home, spent the most of my day with the usual time wasters... and napping. I was too damn tired (sleep deprived and too much sugar). Also logging various things.

I did endeavor to do some old DDs, despite how late it was getting*. (Not counting others attempted but wasn’t feeling for ‘em. Wound up doing everything past midnight.)

Jan. 3, 2016 - 60 climbers. Pretty straightforward and easy for me to get done. I do enjoy these!

Jan. 9, 2016 - 200 turning kicks. Man that was fun and intense. Probably not helped by a false start due to misinterpreting it as SIDE kicks almost halfway into the quota. Pffft! I chose to split this into a string of 50/50/50/50 - no pausing to rest (probably only ~1-2″ at most).

Jan. 14, 2016 - 50 body saws. I did this before looking at the illustrated instructions... and I think I may’ve actually done 100... as I counted my “forth“ movements as a completed rep. Oops. That was really intense, but I decided to try to do it fast and drove most of my momentum in my feet/ankles. So it was [barely] manageable that way.

Jan. 16, 2016 - 1k punches. I switched stances at the halfway point, continuously punching for all of it. It definitely started to get a bit challenging near the end - but 1k is still easy enough in one go to say “I got this.“ Very fun and satisfying... my arms are probably going to be very sore in a day or two, though. :,D

Jan. 21, 2016 - 3′ calf raise hold. Was a bit confused since I already hit like on the OP. Unsure if I did this specific one before, but since my DD checklist didn’t have this one logged - I assumed I didn’t. This involved some swaying, wobbling, and trembling - but I manged to maintain focus on my balance. Very doable and enjoyable!

With that, I really should be turning in proper, soon... whew.

#adventures with fitness

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j0kers-light · 2 years ago

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His Lighthouse: Three Steps Back? (LedgerJoker x f!reader)

Three Steps Back?

series summary:

Y/n is an aspiring writer living in Gotham City and struggling to find her next muse. Her recent novel is getting all the buzz, earning her far more attention than she signed up for. But when a chance encounter results in her nursing The Joker back to health, will she find the time to write another best seller or will her own story become front page of the Gotham Gazette?

chapter summary:

Things are tense between Y/n and Joker but there’s hope for them yet! After a long self reflection session, you realize ignoring Joker isn’t best for your mental health or his. Moving forward to repair the rocky relationship you have with Joker, your worst fears are exposed, threatening all the progress you made so far. Will you take two steps forward or stumble three steps back in this unusual game you’re playing.

Author’s note:

It took forever to get this updated/posted since my carpal tunnel said, “you want to do what?” mild warning: Joker’s tsundere/yandere tendencies are showing up and out in this chapter and the next so be prepared for his wishy washy emotions. Also there is one sentence in this chapter that could be a trigger warning to death but this is Joker we’re talking about here. He’s a walking warning.

Without further ado I hope you enjoy the story! I’m off to write the next chapter!

Last Chapter | Next Chapter

For five awkward days you walked on eggshells around Joker in your own home.

You were unable to come to terms on what almost happened between the two of you, so you decided to pretend that it didn't happen in the first place. After you slammed your bedroom door closed, it took a good half hour to calm your nerves. A thousand questions swarmed you all at once, the most important being; did that seriously almost happen?

Unfortunately, yes it did.

Your fingers grazed your lips in a daze since they didn't feel like your own. Were you having one of those out of body experiences people talked about online? It certainly felt like it. Somehow Joker unplugged your brain from your body with just one touch.

You didn't want to think about how rattled you would have been if he actually kissed you.

If almost kissing him had you this discombobulated, you might've short circuited if he succeeded in his goal. He wouldn't get the chance to try again, you vowed to yourself.

Joker was clever. He wormed himself past your defenses in just a few day's time with minimal effort on his part. He played his cards just right to end up on top of you and dangerously close to locking lips.

When did you lower your guard around him? One minute you were guiding him towards the bed, the next he was making a pass at you. His weight pinning you down was the only thought on your mind and you felt like a fool for listening to his orders and staying put.

Why couldn't he just stay still (like he told you to do) and simply enjoy the moment?

You didn't hit the top light when you entered the room so the moonlight from outside was the only source of light inside the apartment. You were grateful you converted your former office into a spare guest room. No one was allowed in your bedroom and it wasn't very hospitable to keep Joker on your living room sofa and especially for two weeks.

This was the only accommodations you currently had, save for Barbara's room but it felt wrong housing Joker in there.

He was a secret and Barbara was the daughter of a detective. The probability of her finding evidence of Joker being here during her next sleepover was too high to risk. You didn't want to take any chances and chose the room down the hall from yours.

The bed in here wasn't as grand as yours, but it was still luxurious. It did its job and relaxed your bones as you waited on Joker to come to. Without a blood transfusion, he was more prone to dizzy spells until his body produced its own.

He did say he would consider moving off of you but a voice in the back of your mind begged him not to.

You had nowhere else to be. Fat raindrops raced down the windowpane and dark ominous clouds in the sky promised more rain overnight. It was a typical Friday night at your residence since you rarely went out like normal adults your age did. The rough draft on your computer could wait. As painful it was to admit, lying there with Joker was the highlight of your night. You wanted to stay a bit longer, that is, until he went and ruined everything.

Reality came crashing down the minute his hand touched your cheek. It was warm and clammy but it helped ground your senses to look deep into his eyes.

You never cared for the color green until you met Joker.

He made the hue come alive and take on a much deeper meaning. In less than a week, you saw the color in everything.

You couldn't get his eyes out of your head even if someone paid you to. How could something so dark and dangerous be so warm and inviting? Up close you didn't understand why the populace was terrified by his gaze; it was intense and gorgeous in your opinion. You could write essays on what you saw swirling within them.

Since his brief moment of rest, they lost their wild, dizzy haze and now held a hooded and sultry gleam.

You didn't hear Joker call out your name or see the concern flash across his jade orbs. You only registered when he grabbed ahold of your face and felt the scalding puff of air as his lips slowly inched closer to yours.

Those same hands that often ended lives without hesitation now held you with care. If it wasn't Joker, a terrifying, heartless monster in a purple suit, you might have thought the touch to be endearing, however it was anything but. In your mind his advances promised nothing but pain.

'Move, you needed to move!'

Your poor heart was beating so loud you couldn't think straight. The thunderous sound of it echoed out into the room and became your cue to move. You promised yourself to keep Joker at arm's length but that wasn't going as planned.

If it wasn't for your quick thinking, there was no telling what would've happened between you two. In that moment the only objective was removing yourself from the narrative. Find a way to get out and thankfully you did.

You escaped to your safe haven but Joker managed to breach its tranquility with the bold red stain imprinted on your palm.

Just what kind of lipstick did he use? You scrubbed for what seemed like hours until the physical reminder swirled down the drain. Only then did you feel the moment was behind you.

Out of sight out of mind, at least for now. You still had responsibilities as Joker's nurse but you would skirt around those duties to minimize contact with him. It was the only way to keep yourself safe. Whatever sick game Joker was trying to play, could not happen again.

Thank goodness his temporary bedroom was connected to the hallway bath so he could shuffle to and fro with as little energy as possible to relieve himself. If you had to continue ushering him to the bathroom multiple times a day, you would've grown grey hairs but in the same breath, you felt awful for leaving him to his own devices.

It was too soon for him to be moving around on his injured leg. He would get no time to rest and heal and that would prolong the time he needed to stay with you.

It was agreed upon that he would stay for two weeks until his stitches needed to be removed but you knew something would ruin that target date.

If you weren't such a big chicken you could continue nursing Joker back to health and allow him to get as much rest as possible but that risked him being in close contact with you and that was the last thing you wanted right now.

It wasn't the best idea to alienate yourself from Joker but confronting the situation head on was impossible with your current mindset. You couldn't stomach being near him or rather you didn't trust yourself being near him.

A full hallway separated you from the green haired clown but at times you felt he was in the same room with you, breathing down your neck.

His presence just wouldn't go away. He was practically bedridden but you found yourself jumping at every noise, thinking Joker was walking up on you. It was an unhealthy situation you put yourself in and it did a number on you mentally, but what could you do?

It's not like you could kick him out of your apartment. Your conscience wouldn't allow you to do that and you highly doubted Joker would let you live long enough to get him out of the bed.

You were stuck with him now. No take backies just because you couldn't handle your psychotic roommate trying to kiss you. Your life was forever changed after inviting Joker into it. You spent so much time dwelling on the present, you didn't think about the aftermath of what would happen after he was fully healed.

Would Joker spare your life? Would you get a thank you from him and finally return to normalcy without ever seeing him again? The mere thought was comical.

You knew Joker would kill you the moment he didn't need you anymore and the truth left a bitter taste in your mouth.

Were you that disposable to him? Once your usefulness was exhausted would you be cast out and discarded like trash? You put so much effort into his recovery process without any lasting results, it was definitely frustrating.

The plate in your hand sank back into the soapy water as your thoughts also sunk to a low place.

The afternoon city view from your kitchen normally helped quell any troubling thoughts but not today.

The pile of dirty dishes from making breakfast taunted your mind and did nothing to lift your mood. Avoiding Joker was wearing you down both mentally and physically. In your tired state, your thoughts were a plenty and you started to question your actions.

Just what were you doing? Was being a Good Samaritan the right thing to do in this situation?

Joker was a wanted criminal with a record as long as the Nile River and with a ledger forever stained red. Nothing you did would change that fact or the way he was. So why did you even bother trying to help someone like him?

Doubt and waves of regret were hitting you full force today. Your brain was so confused! You shook your hands free of the dish suds and wiped off the excess water on a nearby towel. You then dragged a hand through your curls, ignoring the baby hairs that soaked up the remaining moisture. The towel landed on the countertop behind you as you leaned back on the edge with a heavy sigh.

You weren't crazy, at least you didn't think you were.

You didn't meet any Arkham Asylum's admitting patient requirements. You just refused to fall for a guy like Joker. Simple as that.

You knew your heart and how easy it would be to let him in and develop feelings. It was too dangerous to go down that road with him and it was far too risky to continue tempting fate. You had to set up boundaries and distance yourself before it was too late. It took him a mere day to get you on your back, this next week and a half could not end up the same way.

You nodded to yourself; it was already Wednesday. You managed to last five days already with Gotham City's most notorious criminal in your guest bedroom without any other incidents.

That wasn't to say it was a cakewalk. You felt like an intruder in your own home dealing with Joker. Despite telling him to shout if he needed anything, you barricaded yourself in your room Friday night, refusing to come out, even for a late night snack despite your stomach's pleas for food.

A solid wooden door and an entire hallway separated you from Joker but it wasn't enough to calm your nerves. He didn't call out to you during the night and upon waking up, the door to Joker's room remained almost forbidden to approach.

It was cracked just enough to get a peek inside and see the edge of the cowhide rug and one of the two chairs within the room. You had to step in closer to see the bed and the occupant therein— and yes, you were dumb enough to risk getting caught.

Your bare feet barely made a sound on the hardwood floor as you tiptoed over to the king sized bed near the far wall.

Joker must've found the room's universal remote, for the curtains were drawn, hiding the Saturday morning sunrise from flooding into the room. Shadows were in full control here but it was just enough light available to catch Joker's slumbering face resting on a mountain of pillows. He didn't bother turning the bed down and slept on top of the covers like the uncultured person he was.

You shook your head in disappointment. What was the point in relocating him in here if he didn't use the bed properly?

Did you want to risk waking him up to tuck him in? Or was it best to leave him be? The decision was made for you as Joker shifted in his sleep and rolled onto his back.

Nope. Too risky— but now you could see him in all of his unnatural beauty.

You were glad he moved from that awkward position of lying on his side, the same one when you ran out the room last night. Did he move at all since then?

Now the pillows cushioned his body weight and allowed his face to be turned towards you. Although his oily hair hid his black face paint and eyes, you could still admire the subtle nuisances that made Joker attractive from this angle.

Without his waistcoat on, you could take in his dark green suit jacket that contrasted beautifully with the lilac honeycomb pattern dress shirt he wore underneath that he paired with a greyish plum colored tie.

Your hands subconsciously moved to unloosen it so he could breathe easier– only to hate yourself immediately afterwards.

You were supposed to keep your distance yet here you were touching him so freely! Everything about Joker was bad news but you were still drawn to him. You tossed and turned all night trying to make sense of what to do with your magnetic (and unhealthy) attraction towards Joker. Why deny yourself the inevitable? Could you trust yourself around him to try out the unknown?

The same way you trusted your imagination to create a story from a blank word document, you would trust your instincts on how to interact around Joker. You sighed and pulled the blanket from the leather couch over to cover up Joker's body.

Trying to tuck him in would disturb his sleep and the soft snoring coming from his parted mouth was made out of pure exhaustion. They sounded too cute, so you let him be.

Tip toeing back towards the door, you took one last look at the man asleep on your bed before slipping out of the room to begin working on your rough draft.

That was days ago. After that one-sided encounter, you only bothered Joker to drop off his meals, despite agreeing with yourself to let things evolve naturally.

You wanted to patch things up with Joker but every time you stood in the same room, you clammed up.

Not that he minded the standoffish energy. In fact you were under the impression he liked you fearing him. Whenever you knocked twice on his door, sharp green eyes pierced your soul and never looked away as you set his food down, gathered any leftovers or trash from the previous drop off, and shifted uncomfortably on your feet. You seriously felt like a stranger in your own home..

"D-Do you need anything else?" You would ask without making eye contact and of course the only response you would get was that vague huff of his. It was neither a yes or no response, just indifference.

It hurt to be snubbed by him but you did reject his advances. He probably wanted you dead but you stomached through the awkwardness and nodded to yourself.

"Alrighty.. um. I'll stop by once you're done with this." You waved at the serving tray. "You have the tv remote and.."

"Just go Y/n, I'm fine."

It was the only thing Joker would say to you. A clear dismissal. One that you obeyed with a heavy heart.

Maybe he didn't want you around anymore. He didn't ask for your help and you knew he struggled walking back from the bathroom, but you didn't speak up or offer him any assistance either.

You knew when you weren't wanted. Creating distance became second nature despite your burning desire in wanting to patch things up with Joker.

With another pitiful nod, you were on your way, only to return like clockwork to deliver him more food. Nothing more, nothing less.

That's what you wanted right? No unnecessary contact with Joker, no chances to strike up a conversation or give him the opportunity to try anything but the silence between you wasn't natural, it was forced, and it ate away at you mentally.

You were regretting your decision all weekend but your pride wouldn't allow you to address the problem that only worsened as the days passed by.

You spent your downtime cleaning up the apartment and catching up on other chores in between working. Now that Joker no longer occupied the living room couch, it was the perfect time to try and clean the upholstery stained by his clown makeup and dried up blood.

That ended up being a failure. Your eye twitched in irritation when none of the online hacks worked against the tough stains. You knew the thing was old (you purchased it at an estate sale on its last years) but after spending almost an hour with no visible results, you honored the antique for its service and turned to plan B. Buying a new couch online.

Dick and Barbara joked every time they came over about you refusing to upgrade to a more modern couch but you were committed to the aesthetic this one brought to your space.

This go around whatever new piece you picked out, it would be both stylish and comfortable to sit on.

You sat on the nearby accent chair and scrolled through your phone for a good couch, taking up a good chunk of the morning hour in the search.

You were thinking something velvet and mid-century in a cool blue to offset the rest of the eccentric pieces in your apartment. You wanted it to stand out but not be an eyesore either and went back and forth between an orange sectional and its matching blue option. One look around your space made you choose the blue sectional and you threw in a floor lamp to get free next day delivery.

Now that a replacement was ordered, you were in a better mood. Online shopping had that effect on you. After a good stretch from sitting for so long, you managed to push the old couch towards the far corner of the penthouse for the movers to take away and began cleaning the now open area.

Seeing all the dust bunnies where your old couch sat prompted you to upgrade your spot cleaning into a full deep clean that extended up reaching towards the ceiling.

For a brief moment you forgot you weren't alone in the apartment and blasted music from your record player to keep the positive energy going as you cleaned. It was late Wednesday morning and having already delivered Joker his breakfast, you had a few hours to yourself until it was time to start making lunch.

You found the ladder in the storage closet and began the climb to reach the rafters, but slipped on a step.

Your life flashed before your eyes. With a yelp, the duster fell out of your grip and hit the floor while you found your footing and calmed your racing heart. Times like this you hated having vaulted ceilings.

Elsewhere, Joker was finishing up the breakfast hash you made him when he heard the loud crash in the main room.

He tried his hardest not to panic as the silence dragged on but breathed a sigh of relief once he heard your sarcastic ramblings drift down the hall.

'Next time can you try a little more harder to kill yourself, Y/n? What a crappy way to die. What would mother think about you dying from dusting? I seriously need to hire a maid for this.'

Joker chuckled at your comment but stopped when he realized what he was doing. Why was he laughing? His humor was dark enough to get the joke, but he was still upset with you.

It would be a good thing if you died. He wouldn't have to worry about you and your fickle emotions but then you wouldn't be around and Joker kinda liked your company.

He also needed you around for another week or so. You were a terrible nurse, but your lack of morale could be blamed on his recent behavior.

Joker could tell you began to fear him after Friday night.

Normally that would be an ideal reaction, wonderful even! Who didn't fear him other than Batman? Joker preferred it when people feared him but not you. You were an exception.

He kinda liked your carefree smiles and cheerful presence. It made him feel normal, if only for a fleeting moment. He didn't know how to go about addressing the situation to bring back your happiness. You avoided eye contact with him whenever you dropped off his food and you didn't stick around for long. There were conversation starters queued up in his mind but once you entered the room, they evaporated like vapor.

All Joker could do was stare at you and hope that you would take the hint and strike up a conversation. But you didn't.

He didn't think he should apologize but the way you turned down his advances needed to be addressed.

He was under the impression you were attracted to him. The shy glances, snuggling up to him on the walk back to your apartment, heck you even complimented him a few times! So why in the heat of the moment did you deny him? Not like he cared that much about a kiss but he was a curious man by nature, and those plush lips of yours captured his attention since the moment he saw you.

So yeah he would admit, you couldn't die until he figured out what they felt like!

If only he had enough strength to get up and walk, then this awkward tension between the two of you wouldn't be an issue. But his leg felt like crap and he wasn't gonna bring it up and worry you even more.

Surely you would check it soon. If you didn't, then you were truly a terrible nurse and he would never let you hear the end of it.

You could cook so he would give you that. These past few days Joker felt like a pampered king dining on the various dishes you delivered to him. Overall he enjoyed your breakfast the most since you deemed it the 'most important meal of the day' and always made it with the intention of it being a heavy meal.

You magically knew what he liked and always had options for him if it somehow wasn't up to his palate.

Rich omelettes and authentic crepes, artisan sandwiches and nutritional bowls of all varieties, fresh meats grilled to perfection, paired with seasoned sides or fresh bread to dip into savory soups or his newest favorite, a hearty breakfast hash with a perfect runny egg on top.

You were spoiling him. He was still miffed about the lack of physical contact but you were making up for it with your food. Joker was convinced you were secretly a chef and not a YA author.

But despite all the gourmet dishes you served, he would not be silenced. He had to get to the bottom of why you were avoiding him and today was the perfect day to find out.

Joker was down to the last straw at being cooped up inside this room without your annoying, but addicting aura filling the air.

Seeing you for barely two minutes, just three times a day, was driving him insane. There was a perfectly good couch in this room for you to sit on and keep him company! He craved your company and this time, he wouldn't clam up when you stopped by.

You were staying, come hell or high water.

He occupied his free time until lunch by watching tv and smirked to himself when a news reporter broadcasted a segment of him still at large. It was fun to watch the city panic in fear as he relaxed in plain sight, but he sat up when a reminder for your latest tv interview flashed on screen.

He paused the tv and hovered over the description details. He didn't know this interview had aired so he needed to watch every second to add anything said to his pre-existing notes. Some would say Joker was obsessed– he just considered himself a huge fan of your work and wanted to appreciate all the content you provided.

Bonus points, he got to see your dazzling smile as you talked about your books.

"Huh. I guess they finally aired it. Took them long enough to decide on a day."

Joker was startled from his thoughts by your voice as you entered the room with lunch.

How much time had passed since he heard you cleaning? A glance at the wall clock confirmed almost an hour had passed. He really spent two hours thinking about you. He really needed to get out of his room.

It took him a nanosecond to realize you were actually talking to him. This was his chance to make things right!

Normally you didn't speak when bringing Joker his food, but today you created an opening for him to latch onto. Joker turned back to the tv and played it for a brief second so your latest book promo art was visible, and paused it again.

If he remembered correctly, the recent sequel in your series hit the bookstores earlier this year, making this interview release date way off. It was a good conversation starter so Joker tossed it out there.

"Why are they just now releasing your filmed interview? I thought.. you uh, finish-ed your book tour a few months ago?" Did he sound like a stalker for knowing that?

He hoped you answered the question regardless if he did. In fact, he needed you to. You flinched as you set the serving tray down on the nightstand and began fidgeting with the items on it. You bit your lip as you thought of an answer.

As Joker waited, he noticed a grater and a block of cheese on a small plate, next to a larger one that held some kind of pasta. He quirked an eyebrow at the array of colors it held and you must've noticed since you were quick to explain as you unwrapped the cheese.

"It's a Antipasto salad with fresh salami from a local deli tossed with rotini pasta, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas.. um and some other Italian veggies like artichokes, olives, and mozzarella balls that I made. From scratch! I-I hope you like it!"

You all but shoved a plate into Joker's hands and grabbed the cheese grater. "I have some Reggiano if you want or some olive oil vinaigrette that I made, or maybe toasted pine nuts to-"

"Y/n."

"Y-Yes Joker?" He hated how jumpy you were. He rolled his eyes and picked up the fork laying on the tray to stab a bit of everything you mentioned.

He knew he was making you even more nervous by stalling, but he loved the power he had over the moment. Joker wanted to savor it and keep you here as long as possible until he figured out what to say. But his eyes widened after tasting your pasta.

It was delicious on its own with just the right amount of crunch, flavor, and texture bursting on his taste buds. He knew the other toppings would enhance the dish but they weren't necessary. You outdid yourself yet again.

You swore you saw Joker smirk into his plate of food before he made eye contact with you.

It had been days since you saw his dark eyes look your way and having his undivided attention was overwhelming after such a long time without it.

He swallowed before rephrasing his earlier question. "What's the book interview about?"

Interview? What interview? Your brain did not want to function properly today. Joker caught you off guard.

You were so focused on the pasta you forgot about his question that started this little chat. Did you feel comfortable answering? It wasn't a short answer and you knew it would spark a long conversation if Joker had the patience to listen to it.

Is that what he wanted? Did he want to talk with you? But why now?

A part of healing was socializing with people and being cooped up in this room with only a tv for entertainment was bound to get boring after a while. You resist the urge to facepalm yourself because once again you stunted Joker's healing process.

And all to protect your feelings. This wasn't fair to you or him. There had to be a way to keep your distance from Joker while still fulfilling your duties as his nurse, while also being friendly. You thought over some ideas and smiled wide when you found a loophole.

Joker instantly noticed the warmth didn't reach your eyes. You were still holding back from him and he needed to know why.

You let out a shaky laugh and scratched your neck.

"Well.. my manager wanted to continue the media hype for the Will Hunter Bill series so she organized a few tv interviews to air after my book tour ended. If I'm still being mentioned on air, that means more people will buy my books. Any form of advertisement right now matters since I haven't dropped any new content in almost a year. There's been talk of a small live action series, but I highly doubt it'll get picked up."

He saw an article in the papers about it but thought it was just a rumor. "Why noT?" He asked.

You glanced over at Joker who was still eating but waiting on your reply.

You blinked and slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, much to Joker's glee. You never stayed this long before and he knew the simple act of you taking a seat was a big step towards repairing the awkward air between the two of you.

Now he just needed to keep the conversation flowing and not screw anything up until it naturally steered towards Friday's misunderstanding. He waved his fork in an exaggerated circle, gesturing for you to keep talking.

"Oh uh.. It won't be done in house. Which means, although I legally approve and give them my consent to create a show, it won't be my original content. They could change the entire plot just to suit their ratings and I don't want that to happen. I want any adaptations of my work to be as canon as possible, not twisted and botched just to make a quick buck."

You drew a pattern on the cotton bedspread with your fingernail until you snagged a loose thread away to play with during your explanation.

Joker hummed to himself before asking another question. "Have you uh.. talked about this to your.. manager?" He didn't expect your voice to raise in anger.

"I can't!" You huffed. "It's a miracle that someone wants to make a show in the first place so I'm in no position to be a picky Karen and restrict their usage. What if they get tired of my demands and decide they don't want to produce anything? Then I'll be blacklisted and placed in a far worse situation than I'm in now. Ugh, if only I schmoozed with those silver screen producers at that charity event earlier this year, then I could have a movie deal with creative license restrictions in place. Then they would have no other choice but to listen to me as co- producer. Everything would be on my terms."

Joker loved your little pout. He knew you were upset but your soft chibi cheeks puffing out in anger put emphasis on those plush petals you called lips. He knew staring was rude but your temper made you even more attractive in his eyes.

He never seen lips so naturally rosy like yours before. Such a beautiful shade of pink, he subconsciously leaned forward wanting just a little taste...

Joker cleared his throat and spotted the glass of water you brought with his lunch.

"You want a movie deal?" He asked in between sips. He was convinced you put spicy peppers in the antipasto, that, or you brainwashed him.

"Yes, or maybe an animated series. Either one really. If I stick to just literature, soon enough people will get bored and move onto the next bestseller. But movies are permanent and can easily be a franchise if it's successful in the box office. I'll be on set everyday to make sure my story is given justice on the big screen! Plus, I already know which actors I wanna cast so that's taken care of." You giggled, looking off to the side.

Joker was interested in hearing your casting list but he let it slide for now. He wanted your attention back on him.

"Is that what the in-ter-view is about? Discussing how your series could be adapted to.. ah, film?" He felt like he was conducting an interview of his own and loved every minute of it.

He once dreamt of interviewing you back when he was still imprisoned at Arkham and now it was actually happening. You seriously didn't know how much he studied your oeuvre in his downtime. He was more than a fan.

To you, talking about your work with Joker was just mindless chatter, but to him it was an experience to check off of his bucket list. Well– second to watching Gotham burn, but Rome wasn't built in a day. He could prioritize some things.

Joker stabbed a mozzarella ball, seasoned with black pepper and oregano, eyeing it carefully until you stole it right off his fork. He blinked in shock as you chewed and answered like nothing was wrong.

"Of course. I brought it up numerous times that I wanted a movie adaptation but I stayed humble about it, saying it would never get off the ground without proper funding. And it is the truth."

You were back to fiddling with the loose thread with a forlorn gaze that Joker didn't like. "You have plenty of rich friends, Y/n. Ask one of them to pay for your movie." He scoffed.

You flashed Joker a sour look. "Bruce and I are not friends.. but he would be interested in being a sponsor."

You pursed your lips mulling it over. "No, I don't want to use him like that. It feels wrong and I really shouldn't be venting about it to you." You rose from the bed and tidied up the serving tray, preparing to leave. "Finish eating your food and I'll be back later."

Wrong move. Bringing up your relationship with Wayne was a touchy topic. Joker would remember that fact for later but he didn't want you to leave just yet.

He was nowhere near breaching the topic about what had happened Friday night. He didn't know he spoke his inner thoughts out loud until you repeated them back to him.

"Y-You want me to stay?" You said.

"Uh. Yeah?" Joker's reply was a shock to you as it was to him. He was observant enough to notice your hesitation. "Stay and.. talk some more about your interview." Joker licked his lips and the action made him tense up.

He'd gone a while without refreshing it. In fact, he lost count of how many days it's been since he last applied his makeup.

There was no telling how bad it looked. It wasn't his first rodeo sleeping with his makeup on but he was never this careless with its upkeep.

You didn't comment on his appearance, leaving him no other choice but to check during his next bathroom visit. It would defeat the whole purpose of being a mysterious criminal if you saw his face without his signature makeup. Joker heard you sigh and gave you his undivided attention again.

"Is that even necessary? It seems like you were gonna watch it later." Joker blinked and remembered he asked you about the paused tv interview.

So you saw the cursor hovering over the record option. He could play along with your teasing. He was a jester after all.

"Why bother watching it if I can hear the story straight from the, uh, source? Your voice is uh.. nice to listen to so it's a win-win here."

Okay that was smooth. You had no comment after that. You pulled the slate grey chair from the couch area over and sat down, propping your face in your hands.

What harm was there explaining your interview to Joker? You reminded yourself to be nice to your roommate but also keep your distance from him at the same time. Finding a way to achieve both wouldn't be as stressful as flat out trying to avoid Joker altogether.

Joker was interesting to be around and you hoped the feeling was mutual. He was a tough puzzle, one you desperately needed to solve, before he left your apartment since he was unknowingly the muse for your latest wip. It would all come together in time if you cracked Joker's psyche. However one look into his dark, smoky eyes revealed the outcome to your dangerous game.

You were way out of your depth, but you would go down trying to understand Joker. Penning another bestseller was worth the risk.

So with a gentle smile and the patience of a preschool teacher, you took a deep breath and began recapping your interview to Joker.

It took longer than you anticipated.

What was originally an hour and forty-five minute long interview (including tv commercials) took almost two and half since Joker stopped you every five seconds to ask a question.

He battered you like a reporter and at one point you commented that he could put Vicki Vale out of business.

"Hmm, that noisy reporter should realllly keep her mouth shut. I'd hate to take her off the air all because of bad press."

Okay. So someone had beef with Gotham City's most popular female tv host. You knew he was thinking of ways to kill the poor gal by the eerie smile on his face and awkwardly looked away.

You didn't dare open up that can of worms and wisely steered the conversation away onto a different topic. "So...I'm assuming since your plate is empty you enjoyed today's lunch?"

"Lunch was fine, I enjoyed your company more."

You needed to stop taking his words to heart. Would it kill him to give you a compliment after you worked so hard cooking his meals from scratch? Wait, what did he say?!

You snapped your head up to meet Joker's dark gaze that was already focused on you.

How were you supposed to keep your distance when a kaleidoscope of green bore into your shocked e/c eyes?

Every shade of green from the lightest hue of mint to juniper swirled into one, blurring the lines of your decision to stay away. The angel on your shoulder screamed at you to run but the devil perched on your right encouraged you to stay just a little longer. What could possibly go wrong anyway?

You leaned forward in the chair so you could rest your forearms on the comforter.

"Joker, listen. I'm sorry for neglecting you over the weekend. It's just, oh how do I say this?" You chuckled and shook your head, making Joker eye you warily. "I've never had a roommate before and especially not one like you. I'm getting used to you being here and it was very rude of me to ghost you the way I did."

"Whatever happened between us Friday night can't happen again, you understand that right? I mean, you're a great guy, um I think, and I'm flattered you think that way about me but I-"

This was the exact opposite of how Joker planned this conversation to go. He felt his eye twitch in irritation (why couldn't you stick to the script that he imagined inside his head?) and held up his hand to stop you.

"Are you still hung up on something that happened five days ago? Sheesh Y/n, you reallly need to get out more." He sighed before reaching over to pat your head. "Don't worry that pretty little head of yours! For now on, I'll keep my hands to myself, bunny."

You swatted his hand away and hoped your ears weren't turning red. "I told you to stop calling me that!" You tutted and raised a hand to fix the hair he ruffled out of place. You were rocking a perfect twist out today and he wasn't about to ruin it by being a bully.

"What else am I supposed to call you?" Joker asked. "By my name?!" You replied back just as fast.

"Hmm, that's no fun."

Breathe in... and breathe out. You would not let Joker stress you out. He just said he would keep his hands to himself, so that checked off unnecessary contact off of your fear list.

He respected your need for space. You didn't have to walk on eggshells around him and drag around bags of tension whenever you were in the same room together. Things could go back to normal, well as normal as things could be given your bizarre situation. If only he could stop using that annoying nickname..

You eyed the clock on the wall and sighed at the time.

"Do you need anything else? Maybe some help to the bathroom?" You stopped mid sentence to scrunch up your nose. "Or perhaps some help getting to the shower?" Joker narrowed his eyes.

"Thank my wonderful nurse for taking such good.. care of me. She deserved five stars for her hard worK." Joker said sarcastically.

"Can you stop rubbing that in? How many times do I have to apologize for you to forgive me? I'm gonna go find some saran wrap to cover your wound." Before you could reach the door, Joker stopped you.

"Wait." You turned around only to find Joker looking off to the side, avoiding your gaze. "I need you to check it first."

"Check what? Check your bandages?"

Your lack of common sense was rearing its ugly head again. "Yes Y/n.. what else is there to check? It feels... weird."

That was odd coming from him. If you weren't mistaken, his pain tolerance was notoriously high. You walked back over to the bed and got comfortable near his right leg.

You slowly undid the tight gauze and dressing wrapped around Joker's leg and asked some probing questions. "Define weird, Joker. Itchy? Burning? Numbness–"

The last layer of gauze was removed to reveal the current state of Joker's wound.

It was all of your greatest fears amplified by one hundred. Somewhere in your amateur surgery, you goofed up and things went horribly wrong. Joker's wound turned your stomach. The stitches were swollen and were literally bursting at the seams in a sickly shade of yellow and green with dried up blood trying to ooze out from the cracks.

It looked like something straight off a cheap Halloween movie but this was a reality you and Joker had to face.

He leaned over to inspect his thigh and poked it out of pure curiosity. Some kind of pus leaked out and you gagged at the sound it made. You quickly covered your mouth and ran into the bathroom where you began to dry heave into the toilet.

Joker tried to stifle his laugh but failed. "I knew it! You areeee squeamish, Y/n! And to think you wrote a gory thriller that real life serial killers fantasize about recreating, but can't stomach seeing an infect-ed gunshot wound."

Joker's infamous laughter bounced off the walls, becoming louder and louder inside your head.

This was absolutely perfect. You hoped his wound wouldn't get infected yet here you were panicking on how to fix this without taking him to a hospital.

You couldn't be seen as his accomplice and Joker would be arrested the moment anyone saw him.

So many days without his recapture made everyone in Gotham paranoid and super vigilant. The GCPD made it perfectly clear anyone that came forward with a tip that led to Joker being apprehended would be paid handsomely and in this city, money motivated people.

You went out on Monday to get more groceries and things since you were cooking for two for the unforeseeable future, and it felt like everyone knew you were hiding Joker in your apartment.

From the random citizens on the subway, to the cashier at the store, it felt like everyone was judging you.

It made you antsy the entire time you were out until you made it back to your apartment floor. They couldn't have known right? There wasn't a giant sign on your back that read 'Joker is at my place!' but that's what it felt like.

Keeping him a secret was a lot harder than you thought.

You were always aware of your surroundings before meeting Joker but now your paranoia made you hyper aware of everything and anyone.

Weeks ago, seeing a GCPD cruiser wouldn't have bothered you, now the sight of one made you hide until the coast was clear. You felt like a criminal and in a way, you were. You were looking at a life sentence for just helping Joker and everyday that reminder was a tough pill to swallow.

That's why you had to fix this infection by yourself. Trying to involve others with Joker's recovery would make the situation even more complicated.

For a brief moment you considered calling your mother and asking her how to treat an infected gunshot wound and use the good old fashioned, 'it's for a book mom!' excuse when she asked what it was for.

Yes, she was a doctor, but a mother first and foremost. She would drill you with questions to make sure you were safe but she always answered your medical questions whenever the internet failed to educate you enough.

And since she was your mother, she would instantly pick up on the sheer panic in your voice and know your questions about gunshot wounds were not for some 'book character.'

You never lied to your mother before and you weren't about to start. She would ask who got shot and like an idiot you would spill the beans about your temporary roommate and then it would be game over.

Call mom, she calls GCPD, the police swarm your apartment, both you and Joker are taken into custody. You confess he forced you to heal him and after a call to your lawyer, you'd be given a deal to save your own behind. You could write a story about your ordeal and make a fortune off of it while Joker rots away at Arkham Asylum. Roll credits.

Nothing about that outcome sounded fair. Why did Joker always get the short end of the stick in life? Was he not worthy of a happy ending? Who were you to try and create one for him?

Nothing was coming up so you groaned and stood up to wash out your mouth at the sink.

Your throat was raw from trying to vomit and the oddly sweet, putrid smell from Joker's infection made you gag again just from thinking about it.

You felt horrible for not checking his bandages in five days. Did you forget everything from your volunteer work at the hospital?

You gave bacteria the perfect conditions to grow. You wondered when Joker started to notice the signs or, in his own words, started to feel weird.

Was there still bullet fragments inside the wound that caused his infection or did you not seal the wound properly? There were so many variables and being stuck at home was not the best way to tackle any of them.

Joker needed a medical professional at this point. Perhaps it was best to call your mother.

"Y/n! Did ya fall in or what?"

At least Joker was staying positive despite everything. You sighed to yourself and rinsed your mouth out for a final time before returning back to the bedroom to witness Joker trying to get off the bed.

"Woah! Where are you going!?" You rushed over and pushed him back down and propped his leg back up on the elevated pillows you had some sense in arranging five days ago. What good it did.

Joker grumbled to save face but allowed you to fuss over him without further complaint.

It was the first physical contact he received in a few days and he soaked it up like a sponge. He rarely received human contact so getting it from you was like a shot of Scarecrow toxin. No one ever cared about him but you did without any ulterior motives.

You did everything out of the kindness of your heart and he couldn't wrap his head as to why.

There were more cons than pros in helping him. Why were you helping him?

Your hand brushed his and the brief contact brought him out of his thoughts to catch only the end of your sentence. "Mind repeating that, bunny?"

You sighed. "Of course you weren't listening. I'm going to undo your stitches and look for any bullet fragments that could possibly be still inside your leg. It's the only thing I can think of that would make your wound react like this. Is that okay with you?" He glanced down to where you squeezed his hand and arched an eyebrow.

Were you stressing over this again? He hated when that melancholic aura wrapped around you. It made you even more annoying. Females and their ever changing emotions. Joker knew he said he would keep his hands to himself but he thought this was a moment where it was necessary.

Joker rested his hand over yours and tilted his head, "Does it looK like I care? I've been looking forward to trying out that orgy sized shower of yours and this uh.. whole infection thingy is delaying that adventure."

"My what?"

"Sweetheart. We both know a grouP of people can fit inside that shower of yours. Why deny its true purpose?"

Joker squeezed your hand while wagging his eyebrows underneath his white face paint. "The quicker you redo my stitches, the faster we can... shower."

You finally caught onto what Joker was saying. "You pervert! And to think I was seriously worried about you! You.. and the.. Ughh!"

Joker smiled as you stormed out the bedroom, mostly likely to grab your first aid kit and other supplies needed to begin his second home surgery.

A job well done in his eyes. He got your mind off of the negative and it was a win-win situation for everyone since he really... really, liked when you were angry.

Joker still sported a smug grin upon your return with the same old towels, washed of course, (thank goodness you didn't throw them out) and the same metal bowls as before filled with water.

Everything had a place either on the bed or on top of the little table you dragged in here to hold your tools.

The top light was on and you also plugged in a floor lamp to serve as a surgery light that you could move as needed. Joker thought you looked cute with your tongue sticking out between your lips during your intense concentration.

He considered cracking a joke but highly doubted you would hear it. You were in the zone to get this right.

"Okay, Joker I'm gonna start. Pulling out the stitches this early might sting, so I'm sorry in advance." You warned him.

"Does that mean I can hold your hand?" He asked.

Just to get back at him, you quickly pulled a stitch clean out with your tweezers. His loud hiss put a smile on your face but it was short lived.

"Do that again and your little uh book deadline? ThaT will be the least of your worries."

Lesson learned: never play tit for tat with Joker.

You nodded and set to work slowly undoing the surgical knots sewn into skin, while cutting out the excess. The smell made you gag a few times but you suffered through it. It became worse when the wound was open and you could see the pus and tainted blood desperate to escape.

"Ughh this is disgusting." You whined but cleaned the infected area and dug out the tiny suction device included in the first aid kit.

You always wondered what its purpose was: you learned something new everyday.

Meanwhile, Joker was gritting his teeth trying to tough it out. This was nothing compared to the shock therapy and inhumane treatment Arkham 'cured' him with. So why did he feel every tiny scrape, poke, and gust of air that touched his wound? He must've slipped with his poker face, since you stopped working.

"Joker.. my hands are a little busy but if you want, y-you can hold onto my shoulder." You threw personal space out the window and all but straddled Joker's right leg to work as closely as possible to his injury.

All it took was a tilt of your head and leaning forward to kiss Joker, but you weren't about to do that and curse your brain for bringing it up! He was very close and if he needed an anchor while you yanked his skin apart, your shoulder was an available option.

"I'd block your light." He noted.

You moved it from his left hand side to yours. "There. Now you don't have an excuse."

He watched you lower your gaze back to your work, humming softly.

How sweet of you to offer a shoulder to lean on but he refused to be seen as weak. It didn't hurt that bad but Joker decided to be selfish for once.

His hand fully engulfed your shoulder making you jump at first. It felt wonderful but you wanted to keep some boundaries in check. "D-Don't squeeze too hard."

He wouldn't dream of it.

Why did he agree to no physical contact? The shirt you wore slipped from your shoulder (or maybe it was designed that way?) into the crook of your elbow, letting the entire spanse of skin be visible to Joker's eyes. Just how comfortable were you around him?

An unknown male living in your apartment with you and this is what you decide to wear? Granted you were cooking and cleaning before you came to see him but the skin tight leggings and baggy, oversized sweater look was a bit extreme.

If he didn't know any better he'd wager you were trying to seduce him. It was the only explanation for the clothes that you moseyed around the apartment in.

Now that he looked closer, the Gotham University crest sparked his interest. You didn't attend college, or should he say– none of your blog posts and author bio's hinted that you did, so who's alumni gear were you wearing?

Why did that bother him? So what if you wore someone else's clothes? His thumb moved of its own accord, caressing the column of your neck and collarbone while he imagined you wearing something of his. Since when did he become domestic?

You pressed down too hard on his wound, earning a wince from Joker and you quickly apologized. "Sorry, this is the last one then I can start digging around."

All you received was a hum in reply.

You stole a glance through your lashes at Joker who was lost in thought with his gaze fixed on his hand that was on you.

You could tell his focus was not in this room but beyond it and you wondered what vexed his thoughts at a time like this. It wasn't any of your business so you ducked your head back into your work and that's how the following half hour was spent.

After the wound was flushed out with water you surveyed the damage— taking note of the pus that still lingered and which areas were more sensitive than others and moved to grab your tweezers. The floor lamp was brought closer and Joker admired the dedication you gave him.

It was cute to see how focused you got with things whether it be writing or cleaning out a gunshot wound.

He knew if the situation wasn't dire, you would have played some music for background noise. He liked your tastes so far and found himself humming along over the weekend when you listened to some music. He figured being an only child the silence could be deafening and in a way he could relate.

He too was alone for years and learned to fill the void with sounds of people screaming and explosions. You chose music, a normal option compared to his, but you two had some things in common.

"Oh my gosh, how did I miss this?"

Joker blinked and glanced your way when you pulled out a large chunk of brass for him to see.

You twisted it every which way in the same manner he did with the original bullet that you now knew was missing a sizable piece.

"No wonder your wound was infected! Joker, I'm so sorry for not being more thorough last time!"

The shell piece found a home in the metal bowl containing tainted water. You looked for any other remaining debris, this time not letting your anxiety get in the way of doing a thorough job.

Joker had to disagree. You were anything but meticulous during his first surgery. He too wondered how that big of a piece eluded you from before but didn't want to stroke your ego with a compliment.

He did not give them out all willy nilly, they had to be earned but you deserved a few just because you were Y/n.

That sounded as cringeworthy inside his head than saying it out loud. He hated being this soft, all for a girl.

Whatever happened to the Joker that scammed the local mob bosses of their money? The one who pulled off citywide heists like the mad evil genius he was?

This sad excuse of himself was now reduced to uncertain feelings and thinking about a girl! At least you were worthy of occupying his thoughts.

But why were you so likeable? Did you really brainwash him? Maybe you poisoned his oatmeal that day with some kind of love potion. It would explain why he couldn't hate you unlike everything else he did in this city.

Of course there were plenty of times he wanted to smother you with a pillow or stab you with a butter knife, or strangle you with his bare hands, but every time some unknown power steadied his hand. He couldn't follow through with his murderous intent when it came to you.

What made him not want to kill you? Why were you so different from the populace he could kill without hesitation? So many questions he was trying to solve and he would receive no help from you whatsoever.

All you gave him were little pangs to his heart whenever you smiled at him with that bubbly gleam in your eye.

"There! All done!" Like that. Just like that.

The room was stuffy from the steady rain outside but somehow your smile set the room alight with warmth and hope. Great, now you turned him into an optimist.

But there was something about the way you smiled. Any situation. no matter how grim, Joker knew if he saw that trident smile of yours, everything would be alright.

He wanted things to be alright with you.

"Joker? Don't just sit there, let's go! That orgy shower won't enjoy itself!" You rolled your eyes and pushed all of the first-aid kit stuff to the side of the bed.

He was stumped by your words. His wound was still open and you were already in the bathroom rooting around for towels and things, talking as if you were done here. Had you finally lost your mind?

"Uh.. Y/n. Ya lost me." He sat up when you returned, already urging him up with a firm hand on his back and another on his arm. "Care to explain your logic here?"

He waved at his exposed thigh and you slapped your forehead. "Oh sorry." He watched you warily as you began unbuttoning his suit vest, tossing it onto the chair.

Where was this going?!!

"You sir are gonna take a shower. That hot water at first will feel like a b___h but.." you stopped to tug his socks and tie off leaving him in just his original dress shirt and cut pants. "It will do wonders and clean out your wound better than I ever could. Once you wash all that blood and dirt off, I got you some clothes to change into and then you can finally sleep underneath the bed covers. How does that sound?"

You finished with a wink over your shoulder, disappearing into the bathroom.

Joker liked that idea a lot. He couldn't remember the last time he had a shower that stayed hot for the entire duration. You were truly spoiling him. Bumping into you in Chinatown was the best accident he ever made. A guy could get used to this.

You emerged from the bathroom with another beautiful smile of yours. "You ready?"

He couldn't resist teasing you. "Ah, are you showering with me Bunny?"

He chuckled seeing the color drain from your face. It was too easy to pick on you but it was his turn to be caught off guard when you replied.

"Well um sorta. I was thinking... It's gonna be difficult for you to stand upright during your shower so uh.. I'm gonna j-join you but not like how you're thinking that would be highly inappropriate and I'll keep my clothes on and I'll have my back turned away to give you privacy, not like you need privacy, wait! That's not what I meant!!"

You were also adorable when you were nervous. For a writer you managed to complete three run-on sentences all in one breath without passing out from embarrassment. You slapped your face and exhaled to calm your nerves and tried again.

"I'll support you as much as I can while you shower but NO FUNNY BUSINESS! I mean it, Joker!!" You pointed a finger at his figure shaking with laughter.

He eyed you up and down and nodded but you knew he wouldn't be able to contain himself when the time came.

"Freaking pervert. I'm going to change, when I get back, be ready, okay?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." He couldn't wait.

#ledger joker #ledger joker x reader #joker smut #joker x y/n #joker #batman #dc comics #smut #black!fem!reader #reader insert #romance #slow burn #yandere #a03 writer #cross posted on AO3 #cross posted on wattpad #his lighthouse

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talabib · 3 years ago

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How To Combat Worry And Have stress-free Life

Worrying is bad for your health and happiness. What’s more, it usually doesn’t achieve anything either. Not exactly an attractive package, is it?

But sometimes it’s just impossible to help yourself. You lie awake at night fretting, your mind and heart racing. Come morning, everything’s as you left it, except the bags under your eyes are that little bit bigger.

This is all down to our evolutionary hardwiring. Our ancestors’ survival depended on constant vigilance. Worrying was pretty useful when there was a good chance you’d stumble across a saber-toothed tiger!

Unfortunately, the human brain isn’t very good at telling the difference between a beast of prey and a board meeting – that’s what makes stress so common in today’s world.

But there’s a way to break out of this vicious cycle. Structured around a series of small steps that make a big difference, this is the ultimate guide to getting in touch with your rational brain and putting your worries behind you.

Worrying, anxiety and stress are all part of a cycle that can affect your health.

Have you ever found yourself lying awake at night, fretting about an upcoming presentation? Worries can quickly snowball out of control. The key to combating them is remembering this simple motto: “Stop before you spiral.”

Worrying is part of a cycle, where the next stops are anxiety and stress. More precisely, worrying is a mode of thinking that leads to anxiety. That, in turn, triggers your body’s survival instinct – a series of physical reactions that fall under the category of stress. These can include heart palpitations, dilated pupils and a tightened chest.

Worry, anxiety and stress form a feedback loop. Worrying is both a cause and effect of anxiety or stress, and the cycle can be triggered at any stage. Stress can lead to anxiety and worry, while anxiety can also cause worry and stress.

During a holiday in northwest England, Paul and his wife heard a seemingly vicious dog barking from behind a hedge. Fearing an imminent attack, the couple’s “fight or flight” instinct kicked in.

In other words, the barking caused stress while their fear of an attack caused anxiety. Fretting about finding a quick escape route made them worry. It turned out that the Paul had merely imagined that the dog was prowling around without an owner or a leash, as he felt immediately threatened by the unknown growls.

Once you get stuck in this cycle, it starts taking its toll on your quality of life. There are a number of physical symptoms. Stress weakens your immune system and leaves you more susceptible to illnesses, as well as decreasing your sex drive.

Mentally, the cycle robs you of the valuable headspace you need to make sound decisions. To put it starkly, stress makes you stupid, as you’re constantly reacting to a threatening world rather than acting rationally.

Most importantly, you lose the ability to simply enjoy the present moment when you’re stuck in this kind of feedback loop. When you’re constantly preoccupied by worst-case scenarios, you lose your sense of motivation and creative inspiration.

Now that we’ve seen how worrying is linked to anxiety and stress, we’ll take a closer look at the root causes of your worries.

Whether it’s past experiences or a fear of the unknown, confront the cause of your worries.

What’s worrying you? Is it a performance review at work? Or making this month’s rent? Worry comes in all shapes and sizes, but the root causes are often surprisingly simple.

One of the main reasons people worry is their past. Many worriers were conditioned to be anxious during their childhoods. Take your upbringing: your parents’ endless reminders to wrap up warm during winter if you didn’t want to “freeze to death” can take their toll.

There’s even evidence that worried parents can transmit stress to their babies during pregnancy!

Painful experiences are another common cause of worry. Whether it was a car accident or an abusive relationship, what happened to you in the past can shape how you deal with the world in the present.

Past experiences can often manifest themselves as hypersensitivity to potential danger. James’s daughter, for example, was bitten by a dog when she was three. Ever since, dogs have been a constant source of anxiety for her.

It means that one of the first steps to conquering your worries is becoming aware of the way events trigger memories of your past.

Then there’s the fear of the unknown – one of the most powerful causes of worry. Life is unpredictable. Jobs, careers and relationships are all subject to the whims of fickle fortune. That’s what makes stability, security and the familiar so comforting. It’s also what makes questions like “How am I going to pay the rent?” or “Will I ever be successful?” so agonizing.

The unknown is worrying because it’s beyond your personal control. It’s frustrating to feel like you don’t have your destiny in your own hands and have to rely on others.

Formula 1 drivers know all about this. The most stressful part of a race is the pitstop – it’s the one time they’re not truly in control. The outcome of the race suddenly depends on others doing their jobs properly.

But you don’t need to be a Formula 1 driver to feel like life is one big, stressful race. Uncertainty is worrying about whatever circumstances you find yourself in.

Luckily, there’s a way out. When you get to know yourself better and ask yourself why you’re worrying, you’re much more likely to be able to put things in perspective, and that’s a great basis for tackling your worries rationally.

Your rational brain tries to reign in the worries stemming from your primitive and emotional brains.

If you find yourself worrying away about something, blame your brain’s basic survival instinct. Humans are evolutionarily hardwired to detect danger and respond appropriately. That’s what happens when a species spends its infancy avoiding various predators.

Worry is located in the primitive and emotional parts of your brain.

The primitive brain is located deep within your subconscious and controls the “flight or fight” stress response. Its main job is keeping you alive, but it also monitors your nutritional needs and sex drive.

The emotional brain works together with the primitive brain. Together, they release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline during moments of intense stress, which boost your energy levels as well as feelings like excitement, anxiety and fear.

Worrying is part of the survival strategy of these two areas of the brain. By making sure you’re always on high alert, they keep you ready to fight for your life or flee danger.

That obviously makes a lot of sense if you’re battling for survival out on the savannah. In today’s world, however, you’re much less likely to encounter predators than a stressful board meeting.

But the primitive and emotional brains just aren’t very good at telling the difference between the two. As far as they’re concerned, one is just as dangerous as the other, which is why the human body overreacts to everyday events. In other words, these brains are serial worriers.

The rational brain, by contrast, helps keep worries in check. Located in the higher brain – or neocortex – it’s responsible for problem-solving, memory and other complex tasks. It’s this part of the brain that lets you accurately assess the world around you and make sound decisions on the basis of that information.

You can train yourself to tap into the rational brain when your worries are spiraling out of control. Think back to the last time you jumped to conclusions or overreacted, and ask yourself what someone who was more rational would’ve done.

One night, Paul and his friend became convinced that slugs had invaded their garden, and so they started sprinkling salt over them. But in the cold light of day, they realized that they’d spent hours salting leaves that looked like slugs!

That’s a great example of what happens when the emotional brain is in the driver’s seat. If they’d acted more rationally, they’d have waited until morning to see if their suspicions were well-founded before taking action.

Awareness is the first of three steps that’ll let you start tackling your worries rationally.

This exercise is all about increasing your self-awareness. Essentially, it’s a way of tracking a worry down to its source. Here’s how you do it: Ask yourself “Where is my worry coming from?” Next, sort your worry into one of three categories – situational, anticipatory or residual stress.

Situational stress is a form of anxiety related to what’s happening in the present. That could be anything from your health to a conflict with your spouse or coworker.

Then there’s anticipatory stress: This is the anxiety you feel when you’re thinking about the future. An upcoming exam, presentation or interviews are all likely to trigger it.

Residual stress pertains to the past. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a good example of a particularly severe form of residual stress.

So what does reflecting on the nature of your worry actually achieve? Well, categorizing your worries allows you to better scrutinize the source of your stress. It short-circuits mindless anxiety and puts you in a position to calmly ask yourself “Why do I feel this way?”

Once you start doing that, you’ll get a better sense of the kinds of things that trouble you most. That’s an important first step. Awareness means you’re already halfway to tackling the source of your anxiety.

Analyse your worries to understand their root cause.

First, the good news. If you’ve made it this far, you’re well on your way to confronting your worries head on!

Let’s start by sorting out the worries which are simply too hysterical to entertain. Once you’ve done that, it’s time to knuckle down and start doing something about the remaining worries.

The sorting process is all about reflecting on the root cause of individual worries. That means asking whether they’re historical, hysterical or helpful.

Historical worries are a form of anxiety that mirror your experiences in the past. Say you were mugged while walking home one night. If you find yourself worrying as you walk down a dark street, chances are that the prior experience is the cause of your worry.

Pretty rational, right? Hysterical worry is the exact opposite – it’s deeply irrational. It’s the kind of anxiety that makes you fret about shark attacks, plane crashes or contracting an STD from a public toilet.

Finally, there’s helpful worry – a form of rational behavior. This kind of worry is caused by reflecting on a real problem, such as a performance review at work or an end-of-year thesis presentation at university.

Now you’ve sorted your worries into separate categories, it’s time to ask what you can do about them. If you’re preoccupied by a historical worry, your best bet is to seek emotional support and move on.

Childhood trauma and failed relationships can leave deep emotional scars. In serious cases like these, it’s advisable to turn to a therapist, counselor, friend or colleague. Whoever you choose, the most important thing is to find an outlet for your emotions.

Letting your feelings out doesn’t just make you feel better, it also helps provide clarity about the source of the anxiety that’s been bugging you. More importantly, it sets you up to let go of old grudges and devote your attention to the future.

What about hysterical worry? The key here is to contextualize your anxiety by looking at relevant statistics and interrupting your own thought process.

You can always look up the data. The chances of being mauled by a shark – or struck by lightning, murdered by an intruder or contracting an STD from a public toilet – are vanishingly small.

You can also challenge your own thought processes by asking yourself how often your predictions have come true. Not that often? Perhaps it’s best to put the crystal ball away and free up some headspace for more important matters!

The final step to tackling worry is taking action and focusing on outcomes you can influence.

If you think the world is beyond your control, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. You’re actually much more influential than you give yourself credit for!

That doesn’t mean you can control everything, of course. The key is to identify the outcomes you do have some influence over and focus your energies there.

Take it from Stephen R. Covey, the author of the influential book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

In his book, Covey notes that everyone has worries. Some people worry about their health, others about work, relationships or the weather. The problem isn’t necessarily worrying, but the fact that so many people fret about things they can’t do anything about.

Think of the difference between worrying about a terrorist attack and a work presentation: you can affect the latter by working hard and preparing yourself properly, but there’s nothing you can do about the former

In other words, some worries can be addressed while others can’t. If you want to take action, it’s a good idea to start by assessing the nature of your helpful worries. Use a sliding scale of zero to ten – zero means you have no control whatsoever, while ten means you’re fully capable of determining the outcome.

Once you’ve done that, you can start ranking your worries. Focus your time and energy on solving the ones which rank highest in terms of your influence over them.

Assessing how much control you have is important because attitude is a huge factor. The more influence you perceive yourself as having, the more likely you are to take action.

McGee, experienced this firsthand a couple of years ago. The company he was working for was about to close down and let its staff go. Some of his coworkers were convinced they could shape their own future and began landing new jobs or starting their own businesses. Meanwhile, most colleagues who believed they didn’t have any control over their lives felt defeated and ended up taking lower-paying jobs.

But don’t just take his word for it. A scientific study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology confirms as much. It showed that optimistic people who regularly overestimate their influence are less likely to suffer from depression than those with a more realistic view.

In other words, there’s nothing wrong with thinking the glass is half-full. What’s even better is getting out there and filling the rest up yourself!

Your imagination is a powerful tool that can both trigger and alleviate worrying.

You’ve probably come across the old “imagine the crowd naked” trick that’s used to calm your nerves when giving a speech. There’s a reason it’s recommended so often – it really does work!

That’s a great example of how applying the powers of your imagination can help reduce anxiety.

No wonder – the imagination is a powerful tool. But it’s just as capable of triggering worry and stress as it is of calming you down.

Humans are pretty unique in this respect – no other animal experiences stress triggered solely in its mind. Hypothetical events don’t bother antelopes or whales.

The human mind, by contrast, can conjure all sorts of scarily real scenarios. Close your eyes and imagine giving a trainwreck of a presentation: maybe you spill your coffee, or the slideshow freezes, or you forget what you wanted to say.

Just thinking about this humiliating fantasy is enough to make you feel anxious, right? That’s because, as noted earlier, the primitive brain can’t distinguish between real stressors in the present and imagined stressors in the future. Hypothetical events trigger the same “fight or flight” reactions as actual events.

But the imagination can also be put to more productive uses. In fact, it’s a great assistant in the fight against worry and anxiety.

So how can you harness its positive powers? Instead of mulling over stressful outcomes to “what if” scenarios, ask yourself how you can influence the outcome.

Take a cue from a woman who went to a coach for life coaching. Anna became unbearably shy, nervous and worried whenever she had to speak in public. McGee asked her to pick a role model she could imagine herself as next time she gave a presentation.

During her next presentation, Anna imagined herself as Madonna, a self-confident woman who’s performed in public a million times. The trick worked. By channeling Madonna’s fearlessness, she was able to overcome her anxieties.

Another handy idea is to imagine four advisors you can ask for assistance in important areas like work, health and relationships.

Next time you find yourself worrying about a problem, turn to your counselors for assistance. What, for example, would the Dalai Lama say about this particular quandary?

And remember, just because Anna pretended to be Madonna, doesn’t mean you have to as well. Maybe you want to be Beyoncé, or Barack Obama. That’s the wonderful thing about the imagination – its powers are unlimited!

Change your personal worry triggers, stop trying to please others and learn to ask for help.

You’re usually your own harshest critic, and there’s nothing critics love more than anxieties. So lighten up and take a load off.

Easier said than done? Maybe, but there are some effective bits of advice you can start putting into action today.

Here’s a good place to start: stop putting yourself down!

Think of it this way: You wouldn’t tolerate someone else constantly criticizing and undermining you, so why should you put up with it just because you’re the one doing it? Self-deprecation is a surefire way of boosting your worries and anxieties.

That’s because it makes your problems seem insurmountable. As soon as you start doubting yourself, you lose your ability to look at the world rationally and make sound choices.

Imagine a professional athlete telling herself she shouldn’t even try something because she don’t have a chance of winning. It’s easy to see how that would affect her performance, right?

The next step is to stop trying to please everyone around you.

Worries are often rooted in personal relationships. People want to please their friends and families and avoid rejection, criticism or confrontation, and that often means losing sight of their own happiness.

Say you’re trying on clothes in a shop. What’s your first question – do you like the way that shirt looks or are you thinking about what your friends might think? That might be a trivial example, but the same frame of mind can determine your choice of career, school or partner.

Finally, learn to ask for help when you need it, rather than trying to go it alone.

Many people, especially men, tend to hide their problems, deny their worries or try to sort out their issues alone, and that’s often because they don’t want to appear weak. But as strong as that might make you feel now, it’s not a sustainable solution.

If you’re worried about something, swallow your pride and ask for help and advice. There are plenty of people you can turn to, whether it’s a partner, counselor, boss, colleague or trusted friend.

So that’s your roadmap to defeating worry, stress and anxiety. Time to kick back and start enjoying life!

Worry, stress and anxiety are part of a cycle that’s bad for your health and happiness. The best way to get out of this feedback loop is to analyze the source and nature of your worries. Once you begin categorizing them, you can sort out baseless and unhelpful worries and start doing something about the things you can actually influence.

#How To Combat Worry And Have stress-free Life

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classyfoxdestiny · 3 years ago

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Nik Dodani, Sujata Day, Kiran Deol on the evolving space for Indian-origin creatives in western cinema

Where once, being brown brought with it stereotypes and typecasting, now a new generation of creatives of Indian origin, including Sujata Day, Kiran Deol, Nik Dodani and Avantika Vandanapu, is effecting change in western cinema — with diaspora narratives and creating their own support structures

“The producers actually asked if I’m ‘100% Indian’,” recalls Sujata Day about an unfortunate audition experience for a major sitcom in 2018. The actor-filmmaker, along with four other Indian-American actors, was vying for the role of the fiancée of one of the show’s lead characters. “In response to the producers’ query as to whether or not I was ‘100% Indian’, I said, ‘My parents are from Kolkata and I speak fluent Bengali, so yes.’ But the fact that I had to defend my Indianness was very strange. I know I didn’t book the role because I clearly didn’t look ‘Indian enough’ to them.”

Also Read | Get ‘First Day First Show’, our weekly newsletter from the world of cinema, in your inbox. You can subscribe for free here

Day, during a video call with The Hindu Weekend, shakes her head as she talks about the then-and-now of South Asian representation in western film spaces. But the 37-year-old is not alone in her views of a culturally-stagnant cinema industry in the West. The industry boxed its South Asian actors and filmmakers into what they deemed acceptable. But in the past five years, creatives have continually expressed their dissent, announcing on social media, as well as during roundtables, protests and even stand-up routines that they are tired of the ‘identikit Indian’ roles.

More South Asian-origin actors, such as Dev Patel, Janina Gavankar, Rahul Kohli, Geraldine Viswanathan, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Kuhoo Verma, and Anya Chalotra, are shunning reductive roles in favour of fully-rounded characters that had long been reserved for only a few actors of colour.

For example, in Hulu’s Plan B, Kuhoo Verma’s portrayal as a sexually-curious teen who has to come to terms with the reproductive rights in her conservative state of South Dakota as she tries to purchase Plan B (morning-after pill) resonated with many women of colour. Prior to this, Indian girls were the one-dimensional personification of purity culture across western cinema. More recently, Dev Patel’s casting as the historically assumed-white Sir Gawain in The Green Knight turned the tables on the scope of open ethnicities.

Still of Sunny (Kuhoo Verma) and Lupe (Natalie Moroles) in Hulu comedy-drama ‘Plan B’ (2021) | Photo Credit: Hulu

The identity struggle is never easily reconciled. Take that episode of The Mindy Project where Mindy (Mindy Kaling) goes on a date with the ‘ideal Indian man’ but he, unimpressed by her lack of knowledge about India, says he “could never date a coconut — brown on the outside, white on the inside”. This lights a flare to the tough dichotomy the diaspora tackles every day while forging their identity; embracing their surrounding culture and holding onto tradition.

Some address this by not taking on the ‘Indian-origin’ tag. Verma identifies as a woman of colour, as her family moved to the United States from South India but, without dismissing her heritage entirely, prefers to be known as ‘just an actor’ in the industry.

Nik Dodani attends The World Premiere of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ presented by Universal Pictures at the Opening Night of The Toronto International Film Festival on September 09, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario. | Photo Credit: RYAN EMBERLEY/AFP

Meanwhile, actors and filmmakers including Nik Dodani, Day and Kiran Deol are also taking matters into their own hands — by either creating their own support structures for South Asian actors or producing their own films and taking them to international stages such as the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).

Festivals matter

Festivals have become a cornerstone for Indian filmmakers and actors. It is not just a networking opportunity but a platform for visibility. In mid-September, actor-filmmaker Deol’s short I Would Never premiered at TIFF as well as Dodani’s Dear Evan Hansen.

“Massive festivals like TIFF really help to legitimise a filmmaker and their support really helps to bring up international talent,” says Deol, who has received support from Sundance and TIFF in the past to get her short film made. “I hope that these festivals continue to be as inclusive. Big film festivals like Cannes and TIFF have been some of the places where I’ve discovered some of my favourite filmmakers, so it’s no small thing.”

Read More | Kiran Deol on ‘I Would Never’, a film for the #MeToo ages

A still from the 2020 short film ‘I Would Never’ starring and directed by Kiran Deol | Photo Credit: Kiran Deol

Meanwhile, Dodani, a deep admirer of Day’s “hustle” through the contentious industry, shares the festival circuit this year certainly feels different as well. “We are seeing more incredible filmmakers of colour; it’s a reflection of the power of our communities to get our stuff made and insert them into the conversation. The indie world has always been exciting because that’s where the films that push the boundaries exist, so we’re finally starting to see the financing start to follow the Black and Brown creators.”

Creating a community

The changes, however, are slow and not simultaneous; some generations of creatives will reap the rewards of those who have toiled for years in the murky industry. Things now could be looking up for casting as well as attention to details in South Asian roles and script. Avantika Vandanapu plays a young Gujarati high school student who is an ace coder and who, through a happenstance crush on a boy at school, discovers and nurtures talent for DJing.

Avantika Vandanapu as Rhea, in Disney Channel movie ‘Spin’ | Photo Credit: Kharen Hill / Disney

Vandanapu’s Telugu roots have seen her appear in 2015’s Brahmotsavam alongside Mahesh Babu and 2016’s Premam with Naga Chaitanya and Shruti Haasan.

The 16-year-old says her auditioning process for Spin was a far cry from the horror stories minority actors have experienced, and she owes it all to their resistance and perseverance over the years. “From the moment I saw the script, I was so glad Disney had not generalised the Indian ethnicity, but had narrowed on the specificities of the Gujarati culture,” she says. “Seeing an Indian girl written as someone who is comfortable in her identity rather than having an identity crisis was exciting.”

Of course, Vandanapu understands identity conflicts are a prevalent matter, but she hopes it is not the only narrative for people of the Indian diaspora.

Speaking on what catalysed change across the industry changing, he says, “This industry is white-dominated, and the Black and Latinx communities in Hollywood have organised and supported each other in ways that are so inspiring; we hope to replicate that. The conversation around inclusion and equity has been changing for a few years now, but has accelerated immensely after last summer. The Black Lives Movement is directly responsible for that; every community of colour in the US is benefiting from the work the activists have done over the years. The real test, if the industry starts walking the walk, is in the next five to ten years.”

Still of Evan (Ben Platt) and Jared (Nik Dodani) in Universal Pictures’ ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ (2021) | Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

On their own terms

One of the happy results of this movement is The Salon, co-founded in 2019 by Atypical and Escape Room actor Dodani, along with Bash Naran and Vinny Chhibber. “It started out as an informal way for us to connect,” says the 27-year-old. “Vinny, Bash and I were chatting and we found we all knew different folks in the South Asian film industry but not everyone knew everyone. For the first year, our goal was to just get people in the same room, to have the most basic form of community. Our vision is to help the next generation of South Asian talent.”

Read More | Nik Dodani on his cultural identity, and working on ‘Escape Room’ and ‘Atypical’

Day is not blind to the industry’s flaws either, one of the most prominent being its unwillingness to change. “Green-lighters in the film community were, and still are, slow, but now we are giving ourselves the green light,” she says.

So, the filmmaker pooled her money and directed, wrote and starred in comedy-drama Definition Please, which has been a favourite on the festival circuit in the US, having won ‘Outstanding Directorial Debut for a Feature Film’ at the South Asian Film Festival in America, and Best Narrative Feature at CAAMFest.

Told through the Indian female gaze, the indie film follows an Indian-origin woman who is living in the past glory of her spelling bee champion days while trying to move forward and dealing with her grief-stricken family. The film, which also stars Ritesh Rajan, succinctly explores themes of female friendships, familial pressures, mental health, and toxic masculinity in the Indian community.

Read More | Sujata Day on pushing through Hollywood bureaucracy and making ‘Definition Please’

Day was inspired by her long-time Awkward Black Girl and Insecure collaborator Issa Rae, explaining, “Very few people know of her first two web series; everyone thinks Awkward Black Girl was her first. But she never gave up and never let the system stop her from creating. And neither should we!”

The OTT problem

Day is currently in chats with streamers and distributors worldwide for Definition Please, and she confides with a laugh, “They feel that if they have Bollywood movies on their platform, they don’t need diaspora films. They think we are being represented already, which is wild to me because as much as I love the stars, that’s not our lives in the diaspora. We have very specific and interesting stories to tell.

During Asian-American Heritage Month (May) in the US, she noticed that streaming companies were putting out lists of Asian content on special servers and many were subtitled and foreign, but not a lot were content out of the US (or the UK). “They are handling Asian inclusion in a global sense that doesn’t make sense to folks in the diaspora. We should be able to hold them accountable and we bring these grievances up in meetings and they’re hearing us. Hopefully, they make some changes to shift their thinking.”

Money talks

Having travelled to many film festivals when it came out in 2017, Day’s eight-minute short, Cowboy and Indian (a drama-thriller about a Bengali bride who collapses in the street and is rescued by a cowboy) is now being made into a television series — made possible by a South Asian film executive reaching out to her. “It absolutely matters who’s also buying stories for production. We need representation there too!” she says.

Agreeing with her, actor-filmmaker Deol elaborates, “I feel like funding for filmmakers is always the 21-million-dollar question. This is true for folks of any colour trying to get their projects made.”

A growing space that is increasingly getting more funding is book-to-screen adaptations. Diksha Basu’s Destination Wedding, which was shortlisted for the Wodehouse Prize, is currently being adapted to a series. Meanwhile, Rakesh Satyal and Dodani have long been working on an adaptation of Satyal’s 2009 bestseller Blue Boy, which tells the story of a young gay Indian-American boy who is bullied through his school years. Dodani, who found the book to be a “full body experience” when he first read it, turns screenwriter for the film. “We’re trying to find the right home and financing for it. We want to make sure it’s done right and gets the right budget and talent,” he says.

So, while many creatives are more than happy to bid goodbye to ‘brownface’, casting appropriation and tokenism — as Deol sees it, this farewell is rather fresh — there is still a lot to look forward to and to demand in terms of inclusion.

“The changes showcase for me both how far we have come, and how far we have to go,” Deol sums up, adding, “I’d love to get to a place in representation where we have the room to tell extremely specific stories that don’t have to speak for the entire diaspora because there is enough variety in the shows and movies that get airtime, that there is a multiplicity of voices and points of view to choose from.”

It will be a frustrating wait for this level of change and some unfortunate barriers are inevitable. But as more creatives of colour vocalise their needs and rights, and also hold studios and casting agencies accountable, things are bound to change.

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Does Yoga Help Lose Weight

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Does Yoga Help Lose Weight

Yoga Instructors Are Tailoring Specific Programmes To Aid Weight Loss While Promoting Healthy Habits Amongst Young Indians

Fashion strategist Jasleen Chopra, 41, used to lead a hectic life, had made poor lifestyle choices and didn’t have the best of eating habits back in 2017. That was the year when she walked up to Mumbai-based celebrity yoga instructor Abhishek Sharma with the goal of weight loss. Chopra, who now lives in Chandigarh, used to go to the gym but no matter what she did, she found it very difficult to lose weight.

Yoga Is Not Just About A Few Poses That Strengthen You It Has More Benefits To Offer Such As:

Increased flexibility

Weight reduction

Stress management

Stress can have a devastating effect on your body and mind. It can reveal itself in the form of pain, anxiety, insomnia, and the inability to concentrate. Most times, stress is the main cause of weight gain. Yoga can help you cope with . Physical benefits of Yoga, combined with stress management, help a person to lose weight and maintain good physical and mental health.

Experts Agree: Yoga Can Help You Lose Weight Especially If You Do This Type Of Practice Maggie Ryan

Losing weight through yoga sounds almost too good to be true. On the surface, yoga seems like the polar opposite of a fast-paced high-intensity interval training circuit or a weightlifting workout, the two kinds of exercise usually recommended for weight loss. A yoga class leaves your body feeling totally different: refreshed instead of wiped out, loose and flexible instead of tight. It’s even good for your mental health, helping you deal with stress and anxiety.

HIIT, weightlifting, and cardio are fun and effective for weight loss, but they’re also not for everyone. If yoga sounds more appealing and weight loss is your goal, it’s natural to wonder if your daily practice can help you shed pounds.

Yoga To Lose Weight In 10 Days: Nothing But A Yoga Mat And Your Own Body Weight

Are you thinking of starting yoga to lose weight in 10 days? Here is a scoop on the best tips to help you attain your weight loss goals with yoga in such a short space of time.

Yoga is an ancient art that has taken the fitness industry by storm. Its numerous benefits drive more and more people to give this mind-body practice a try. Additionally, it is also loved due to its relaxing effect. It is one of the best forms of exercise to engage in when you are stressed, anxious, or restless. Another reason why yoga is gaining so much momentum is due to its link to weight loss.

There have been numerous debates about if and how yoga can help with weight loss. The truth is that yoga is considered an effective weight-loss tool. However, the problem lies in the pace of weight loss. More often than not, people want to see incredible results in too little time. For example, one may want to lose 10 pounds in 10 days or less. Is it possible with yoga? We have compiled the latest research in this post. Read on as we explore how you can use yoga to lose weight in 10 days.

How Many Calories Should You Expect To Burn After An Ashtanga Yoga Practice

The number of calories you burn during the yoga practice depends on the intensity of your workout.

And your weight also matters to some extent…

If you are willing to drastically decrease your weight, it is advised to practice strenuous Ashtanga yoga thrice or four times a week.

Remember that the quantity of calories you can expect to burn in a ashtanga yoga session depends on several factors like your sex, your age, your weight and morphology, and the duration of your practice.

In this table, you will find how many calories you can burn on average during an ashtanga workout:

How Does Yoga Help In Weight Loss 10 Yoga Poses That Burn Fat And Calories

Yoga has gradually become a lifestyle trend. In a chaotic world dominated by tech-leveraged rat races, peace of mind is an absolute requirement. Yoga studios around the country provides about 60-90 minutes of mental and physical balance which is essential for achieving peace of mind. But the question that riddles us day and night is, can yoga help with weight loss and toning? Research shows that a minute of yoga helps you lose about 3-6 calories. So a 90 minute session will help you lose about 80-360 calories only. But compared to other forms of exercises yoga has a higher success rate for keeping off the extra pounds while strengthening your core muscles.

Today we will extensively discuss about the benefits of weight loss through yoga. Globalization of yoga has helped it to evolve according to the different needs of people. In the past years we have seen the rising trend of hot yoga, power yoga and vinyasa which combine a number of other styles with yoga to increase the intensity of the activities per session which stimulate rapid weight loss.

Indirect ways in which yoga helps in weight management-

1. Practicing yoga regularly helps in lowering stress levels, this in turn reduces binge eating, over eating and stress eating which are the major reasons people put on weight in modern society.

2. Research also shows that people who practice yoga are more tuned to the necessities of their bodies and are better able to manage hunger.

Weight loss through yoga-

1. Power yoga

I Lost 85 Pounds With Nothing But A Yoga Mathere’s How It Happened I Lost 85 Pounds With Nothing But A Yoga Mat—Here’s How It Happened

The debate over whether yoga is an effective tool for weight loss has been discussed for years. Many believe that yoga is not fast-paced enough to burn the number of calories required for true weight loss. Others swear by yoga and say it’s an extremely effective way to shed pounds.

While everyone is different, I believe yoga is effective when it comes to lasting weight loss.

When I first rolled out the mat seven years ago, I was 85 pounds overweight. I was unhealthy, unhappy, and fueled by a passion for binge-drinking and pizza. When I first announced my mission to lose weight through yoga, I remember people laughing at me. “Yoga doesn’t help with weight loss! You have to bust your butt in the gym to get results,” people told me.

Less than one year after practicing yoga six to seven days per week, I lost those 85 pounds. Here’s how it happened.

The Best Power Yoga Poses For Weight Loss Include The Following:

Pawanmuktasana or the Wind releasing pose help you drop those extra fat from the stomach and the stomach region.

Trikonasana or the Intense side stretch pose helps to reduce the fat from the sides. It raises your heartbeat and burns calories.

Dhanurasana or the Bow pose helps you drop the excess fat from the arms and legs. It is very helpful to tone your body.

Garudasana or the Eagle pose is a perfect weight loss choice for those who want thinner thighs, legs, arms, and hands.

Eka Pada Adho Mukha Svanasana or One-legged downward facing dog- when combined with breathing, helps you tone your arms, hands, legs, thighs, and your abdominal muscles.

Bhujangasana or the Cobra pose is a great choice if you want to solidify your buttocks and to tone your abdominal muscles.

Navasana or the boat pose is the simplest Power Yoga pose for weight loss. It concentrates all the major muscles of your body.

Savasana or Corpse pose is the most important pose to end your Power Yoga workout session. Savasana helps your muscles relax and prevents muscle damage.

There are several other Power Yoga asanas that are very important for weight loss such as the Uttanpadasana or the Raised feet pose, Veerbhadrasana, the warrior pose, Ardha Chandrasana or the Half-moon pose, Paschimottasana or the Seated forward bend among others. Power Yoga is considered an appropriate intervention for weight loss and to prevent obesity.

Tips For Those Who Want To Transform Their Bodies With Hot Yoga

• Practice regularly, at least 3-5 times a week if you want to see noticeable results, especially in a shorter span of time.• Try not to eat anything 2-3 hours before hot yoga practice, or at least keep it to something light. If I’m feeling a little hungry before practice, I’ll eat some crackers or a handful of almonds to avoid feeling lightheaded in the hot room.• Drink lots of water – before, during and after practice.• Listen to your body. If you need a break, rest in child’s pose until you feel ready to continue . Obviously this will vary from studio to studio, so ask at yours to see what facilities they have and products/services they provide.

Overall, I’ve found hot yoga to be an exercise I enjoy and one that has surprised me with its swiftness in helping me reach my body goals. While I cannot say how effective it will be for everyone in terms of weight loss, with consistent practice I think it would be hard not to undergo at least some kind of body transformation and to experience many of the positive benefits I’ve listed in this post.

Have you tried hot yoga? What has your experience been like? Do/have you struggled with your weight and/or body image? What has helped you?

Power Yoga Gives You The Benefit Of Yoga And More Including:

Helps burn calories, a little more than yoga for beginners

It boosts your metabolism

It boosts your general well-being

Useful to build strength, stamina, flexibility, and tone your body.

It helps increase your concentration

It helps you relax as tension and stress are considerably reduced.

The most reliable form of Power Yoga begins with Surya Namaskara or Sun Salutation. You can perform the Surya Namaskara as a warm-up before you start your Power Yoga workout session, or Surya Namaskara in itself can be done as Power Yoga. Surya Namaskara has immense benefits as it concentrates on all the core muscles of your body.

Restorative Yoga Practices Have A Place In Weight Loss Too

Yoga can help you open up, stretch and recover from intense workouts, which is also an important part of reaching your fitness goals and losing weight. “Even the less intense, more stretch-focused yoga practices can help promote active recovery if done to counteract a more strenuous other forms of movement such as running or weight lifting,” Turner says. For yoga classes with a restorative approach, Turner recommends looking for classes labeled “deep stretch,” “restorative” or Hatha yoga.

Another, often overlooked, factor in weight loss is sleep and stress. Research shows that lack of quality sleep can sabotage your weight loss goals. Yoga can help you sleep better by helping you relax, reduce tension and keep stress in check. Not to mention that reducing stress and anxiety makes it easier to follow through with your healthy commitments.

“Yoga can have a profound impact on a person’s mental state by reducing stress and anxiety. That peace of mind can lead to making better decisions when it comes to food choices and diet, which can obviously affect your success,” Turner says.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

Yoga To Lose Weight In 10 Days: Evaluating The Best Poses

There are several poses you can try to fast-track weight loss. To make sure that you lose at least several pounds within 10 days, it is best if you try the poses described below. Additionally, it is best if you incorporate these poses into a workout routine. But always remember that diet is 90% of weight loss. Without further ado, here are the best yoga poses to consider for weight loss within 10 days:

How Often Should I Practice Yoga In Order To Lose Weight

Yoga should be practiced just like any other conventional weight loss exercise.

Normally, you perform between 45 minutes to one hour of physical training with cardiovascular exercises, abdominal exercises, push-ups, among others. The same should be done with the practice of yoga.

meditationweightlossyoga poses

Last update:25 January, 2020

Can I Combine Other Types Of Exercise With Ashtanga Yoga

Combining Ashtanga yoga with other exercises and making a comprehensive plan to target your weight is essential in achieving desired results.

Mixing alternative fitness training with Ashtanga can give a quicker result in terms of weight loss.

If you are practicing Ashtanga yoga twice a week, then keep one day for cardio, and experience the miraculous outcome yourself.

You can also add a Yin yoga practice to your weekly routine, another great yoga style that can help you in your weight loss journey.

Still curious? ? Here we discuss whether or not exercise is more effective for weight loss than eating healthy. Check it out!

The Right Kind Of Yoga Gives You A Great Cardio Workout

Put simply, in order to burn fat, you need to be in a calorie deficit, and adding cardio into your routine can help you achieve this. But, the key here is the right of yoga. There are multiple types of yoga, but not all are the most beneficial for weight loss or building lean muscle.

In order to achieve a great cardio workout from yoga, you need to practice fast flowing types of yoga such as Vinyasa or Ashtanga that involve strength building poses. Below I will break down which types of yoga are best for weight loss.

Yoga For Weight Loss: 9 Asanas To Help You Lose Weight

A five-thousand-year-old transcription by the Indus valley civilization on fragile palm leaves has paved the way to an innovative weight loss therapy. Yoga was mentioned in the Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns, the Rigveda. Researchers have traced yoga to over a thousand years ago, and its rich history is divided into periods of innovation, practice, and development. Yoga was refined and developed by the Rishis and Brahmans who documented their training in the Upanishads. This practice was later developed over several years to what now is practiced as Yoga. The discipline has 5 basic principles:

Frequently Asked Questions

Yoga For Weight Loss Can Actually Be An Effective Tool

Along with helping you lose weight, yoga raises your awareness and the way you relate to your body.

There are many factors that contribute to maintaining a healthy weight. When people practice yoga regularly, they become more in tune with themselves on a mental and physical level, which often results in a positive ripple effect in every aspect of their lives.

This includes making healthier food and lifestyle choices to ultimately reach their goal of weight loss.

Does nothing work for you? 3 Surprising Reasons Why You May Be Having A Hard Time Losing Weight

So to answer the question does yoga help you lose weight? you have to consider all the evidence. Yoga certainly help you lose weight and if you practice effectively and train your mind along with your body, yoga can be a powerful tool in your weight-loss journey.

All included information is not intended to treat or diagnose. The views expressed are those of the author and should be attributed solely to the author. For medical questions, please consult your healthcare provider.

Know The Difference Between Weight Loss And Inch Loss:

Keeping your best friend’s wedding in your sights, you start working out a month in advance so that you are picture-perfect on the wedding day. You are happy that you lost an inch here and there and are now ready to go. Once the wedding is over, you notice that those inches are back, thanks to all the binging at the wedding.

Those looking at weight loss should chalk out a proper plan and set small achievable goals for themselves. When achieved, these goals give a lot of confidence and act as fuel to achieve the next set of goals.

Key Factors That Play A Role In Weight Loss With Yoga

So regardless of all this information you have just learned, in order to lose weight, it really comes down to 5 things:

Consistency: In order to see any type of results practicing yoga, whether it be muscle gain or weight loss, you need to be consistent. You cannot decide to practice 5 days one week then skip two weeks and expect to see results. You need to consistently train your muscles and burn calories in order to create a deficit and lose fat.

A good starting point is practicing 3 times a week. Try to get in at least 30 minutes every time you practice and build up from there.

This in my opinion is one of the most important factors. Even if you practicing consistently, if you are barely putting in any effort, it’s as if you aren’t practicing at all. When you practice yoga, need need to put your all into it. If you aren’t feeling your muscles activating, your heart rate increasing, or breaking a sweat, you either are

not practicing the right type of yoga

not trying hard enough

No matter what you may have heard, yoga is not easy, but it is effective if you push yourself to put the work in.

Eating Habits: That whole “80% of weight loss happens in the kitchen” is actually true. You cannot decide to eat 2,000 calories worth of junk food while practicing yoga consistently and still be surprised you are not seeing results.

For some more needed motivation and information on losing weight with yoga, check out these articles:

It Helped Me Burn Calories While Gaining Lean Muscle

Although all types of yoga are effective when it comes to burning calories, improving flexibility and muscle tone, calming the mind, and providing a feeling of inner peace, if your goal is to lose weight, certain practices are more effective than others.

In order to burn fat and keep it off, I focused on power yoga and vinyasa flow.

These are both fast-paced flows that provide the perfect mixture of cardio and strength-training. The dual combination is a potent cocktail geared toward effective fat burning and increased lean muscle mass. These two types of yoga enable the body to burn anywhere from 400 to 600 calories per hour. This is equivalent to the number of calories burned during a typical hour in the gym!

Is Ashtanga Yoga Enough Exercise To Shed Some Weight

To get the right answer, we need to understand what exactly we need to lose weight.

Ashtanga yoga offers numerous physical, spiritual, and mental benefits.

But here we will focus on Ashtanga Yoga’s role in shedding weight:

Ashtanga yoga poses create internal heat and burns a lot of calories, sufficient enough to lose weight.

Ashtanga Yoga emphasizes muscle training and helps in proper weight management.

It relieves tension and reduces stress. Thus stops you from overeating.

It balances hormone production.

Best Yoga Poses For Weight Loss According To A Yogi

Although an ancient practice, yoga has many modern applications.

In the last century, the physical practice of yoga evolved into a popular form of exercise that benefits the body, mind, and spirit .

When practiced regularly, yoga may be an effective tool to help you lose weight, especially its more active style.

However, even the gentler forms of yoga help to reduce stress and increase mindfulness– both important factors in weight loss.

No matter the style, it is well known that yoga offers many health benefits.

Below we will explore how yoga can help you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.

Does Yoga Help You Lose Weight Types Poses And More

For many years, people have used yoga as an effective tool to enhance their mental, physical, and spiritual development to obtain the best version of themselves.

No doubt, it has many health benefits. But, does yoga help you lose weight?

Fortunately, if you’re a yoga lover, we’ve got good news for you. Yoga can be an effective weight-loss strategy.

The more active forms of yoga have been found to help people shed weight, and have been backed by many experts as well.

So, it is totally possible to slim down with yoga, based on the ways that it strengthens, stretches, and calms your body.

Without further ado, let’s break down how it can help you achieve your body goals and what are the best yoga poses for weight loss.

What Happens To Your Body When You Start Doing Yoga

A lot of things happen to your body when you start doing yoga, including:

1. You Will Become Mindful of The Type of Food You Eat.

When you start your weight loss journey, you need to make some adjustments in your diet plan.

The newfound awareness of your body as well as the detoxing exercise of yoga, you will suddenly realize you don’t want to fill up your body with junk foods.

And, this is the first step to a healthy weight loss.

2. You Will Get in Shape.

As we have already covered, yoga can help you lose weight. The moment you start stretching you will start burning calories.

Doing it daily will make you lose weight faster and get that toned body you always desire.

Unlike other types of exercises, yoga helps and allows you to manage your weight easily.

Daily yoga improves your metabolic system, which will increase the rate of fat burning. Thus, resulting in significant weight loss.

Yoga also promotes hormonal balance, making it easier to maintain a healthy body weight.

3. You Will Reduce Your Stress Level.

Aside from the physical benefits, one of the best benefits of yoga is how it helps a person manage stress that has many negative effects on the body and mind.

The incorporation of meditation and breathing can help improve a person’s mental well-being.

Yoga Can Help Improve Your Flexibility And Mobility

And in addition to the mental health benefits with yoga, you can also increase your flexibility, strengthen your muscles, and enhance your mobility.

“Many regular exercisers also don’t take adequate time to stretch so adding yoga can be a great way to increase flexibility while improving balance and strengthening those smaller muscles that you are likely not focusing on in typical workouts,” says Wilson.

What Were My Results After Three Months Of Hot Yoga

I only measured and weighed myself twice during this three-month experiment – on day 1 and on day 90. The reason being that I didn’t want to obsess over numbers, but focus on my physical and mental transformation as I was experiencing it.

My goal was to feel better about the way I looked and improve my own self-confidence, and this was never tied to a number for me. However, I did want to be able to track my progress in some way, and to be able to share my results with you in a measurable way.

The numbers ended up telling a very dramatic story.

In 3 months, I lost 4.3cm off the widest part of my waist and 6.2cm off the smallest part of my waist.

I lost 1.7cm off the widest part of my hips and a whopping 8.4cm off the smallest part.

My arms stayed exactly the same numerically, but they look totally different. They are more toned and muscular, and I feel so much stronger.

To tell the truth, I am actually no lighter now than I was when I started. However, my shape has completely changed.

I have burned a lot of fat into muscle and its distribution is now more flattering and in proportion to the rest of my body. As muscle is heavier than fat and I’m still the same weight as when I started, we can conclude that I actually did “lose weight” in the process.

I have also observed a number of other benefits from doing hot yoga:

• Overall strength – not just in my arms• Better balance• No pain or stiffness the day after

What Kind Of Muscle Can Be Built With Ashtanga Yoga

Ashtanga poses are generally performed in a flow, and your whole body, individual body parts, start taking shape with time.

A yogi needs to be clear about his or her goal, and depending on that, a yoga teacher can recommend the Ashtanga poses.

Poses like tree pose, warrior pose, chair pose, and bridge pose are well known for toning the muscles.

Ashtanga yoga helps you gain lean muscles and evenly distribute weight.

But if your role model is Arnold Schwarzenegger, then practicing Ashtanga will not be enough for you…

How Soon Did I Start Seeing Results With Hot Yoga

I started seeing noticeable results, including a significant decrease in my belly bulge, more toned arms and general improved strength, within 1-2 weeks of starting hot yoga. This was at a pace of 5 lessons a week and doing no other exercise or making any dietary changes.

Motivated by my quick results and how much better I felt about myself, I started to crave hot yoga. I found myself checking the time just to see if it was time for class yet.

The results just got better from there – my husband noticed it and my instructors noticed it – my recently purchased yoga tops already fitting more loosely around my middle.

Towards the end of my three-month experiment, I felt that changes to the naked eye had plateaued or at least slowed down, but I think this is only natural in any weight loss or body transformation journey. And despite my belly looking basically the same for a few weeks, it felt very different. When I touched it, I could feel the hardening muscles underneath and I knew they would show themselves with some more time and hard work.

In 12 weeks, I did a total of 45 lessons . That’s an average of 3.75 lessons a week.

How Much Weight Can You Lose In A Month With Yoga

You will lose around 3-4 kgs per month with yoga. Yoga is holistic affair. You need to do it long term but that does not mean that the results you will achieve will be late. The results are very fast. Also, you do not need to do all of this exercise in one day in order to learn how Yoga helps in weight loss. You can do this type of exercise every day . You can spend 30 -40 mins per day but make sure that you are consistent in the practice.And, if you do this, you will find that you will be very excited about being able to enjoy the new changes in your life and that you will not feel like you are starving yourself.

Yoga Can Help You Burn Calories And Build Muscle

One common misconception about yoga is that it’s not a “real” workout. While yoga has a reputation for helping reduce stress and tension, certain forms of yoga can be an intense workout that helps challenge your muscles and get your heart rate up.

“Yoga can be an incredible complement in a person’s quest to lose weight. From a physiological standpoint, yoga is exercise, and certain types of yoga can have an excellent cardiovascular and strength building effect in the body,” says Turner.

Yoga can challenge your muscles and help you build strength.

If you’re looking for yoga classes that can help you get your heart rate up to burn calories and help strengthen your muscles, look out for specific types of yoga that focus on those areas.

Some examples include:

Hot yoga classes are practiced in a heated room or studio. The actual temperature varies, but typically the room is heated to at least 90 degrees or more.

Power yoga:Power yoga is a fitness-based approach to practicing yoga. These classes will focus on strength and flexibility.

Yoga sculpt, or any yoga class that includes “sculpt” in its description can vary in the exact technique, but will often include light handheld dumbbells or other tools to add resistance. Some yoga sculpt classes will also add bursts of intense cardio.

: This style of yoga follows the same set of poses in the same order. The class is usually fast-paced and physically challenging.

Weight Loss With Yoga Starts From The Mind First

When a yoga journey begins, everything begins to appear in a different light, from a different perspective. Yoga starts by transforming you from the inside out. Thanks to yoga, we become more conscious about the environment, actions, and habits, and eating habits change. Realizing how they feel after eating certain foods, the individual wonders about the effects of nutrition on the body and tends to a more plant-based diet and reduce processed foods. So, it causes a healthier lifestyle and directs you to choose healthier food options. Thus, the answer to the question of whether yoga weakens begins to emerge.

Can Yoga Help Trim My Waist And Reduce Belly Fat Alyssa DodsonTeacher and Writer

Yoga teacher, world explorer, writer, recent San Franciscan, and part of the DoYou Editorial Team

Ever wonder if yoga can help trim your waist and reduce belly fat? One of our readers was curious on the topic, and she’s not alone.

Lots of yogis take their first yoga class as a compliment to their regular exercise routine, only to find out later what an amazing addition yoga is to every facet of their life.

Yoga is a great way to change things up, tone your entire body, and lose weight. If you are looking to focus on your waist and belly, even better! Yoga is the perfect way to trim down.

Here are my best tips for using yoga to reduce belly fat and trim your waist, including a few practice tips.

How Often Should I Practice Yoga To Lose Weight

Last update:25 January, 2020

Many who want to achieve an ideal weight search for the perfect physical activity to help. Of that sounds like you, we recommend that you practice yoga in order to try to lose weight in a different way.

To see results, the important thing is perseverance and discipline. All physical activities require a minimum daily or weekly commitment in order for the body to change and the person to begin to look and feel better. Yoga is not the exception; it also requires perseverance and effort.

However, don’t think that this discipline is only good for meditation and stretching the muscles; in fact, it also helps you lose weight.

But Which Type Of Yoga Is Best For Weight Loss

If weight loss is the overall goal, then the type of yoga you’re doing is super important.

“A more relaxing type, such as one of the forms of Hatha, may not crank up the internal furnace that much,” says Jonathan Amato, C.S.C.S. “In comparison, Bikram or could lead to a great calorie burn over a single class.”

17 Yoga Moves That Will Help You Sculpt Abs

Bikram and hot yoga involve increasingly difficult positions that cause your heart rate to soar. Add that to the stress of a heated room, and class-goers will burn more calories. In comparison, Hatha yoga—gentle poses and stretching exercises—requires much less physical exertion, making it great for all fitness levels. Hatha is also done in a non-heated room.

You also want to look for a class that incorporates “poses that focus on large muscle groups,” Pacheco says, in order to up the calorie burn. Think: lunge-like poses such as warriors one and two.

Yoga To Lose Weight By Strengthening Your Body

Yoga offers lots of asanas in countless flows or sequences. All poses provide different benefits both physical and mental. Also, more or less each poses provide a level of detoxification. While detoxification promotes body and mind gets purified, it directly causes weight loss. Although there are different types of yoga that are very effective when it comes to purifying, losing weight, enhancing flexibility, improving muscular posture, providing peace of mind, there are some other poses that do much better than others if your goal is burning calories losing weight.

Vinyasa yoga and power yoga flow movements, which burn more amount of fat and are referred to as slimming yoga in some sources, are known as the most effective yoga movements that lose weight. These two yoga streams provide a great mixture of both cardio exercise and strength exercises. This combination acts as a powerful cocktail for fat burning and gaining muscle. They keep the body burning up to 400 to 600 calories in every region of it. This equates to a typical hour exercise.

Urdhva Mukha Svanasana/ Upward Facing Dog Pose

This asana is also usually a part of Surya Namaskar. Begin with lying down on the floor on your stomach. Stretch your legs backward and keep your elbows beside your waist. The front of your feet and the inside of your hand shall touch the floor. Then slowly raise your upper body, higher by balancing it over your palm, up to the waist.

Stretch your forelimbs completely by putting the pressure on your palm and hold your pose. This posture helps to strengthen your spine and tone your arms. It is because, during this exercise, your upper body rests over your arms.

Running Routine To Lose Weight

Experts Answer: Can Yoga Help You Lose Weight

Each week, MyHealthNewsDaily asks the experts to answer questions about your health.

This week, we asked exercise researchers and nutrition specialists: Does yoga help with weight loss?

Beth A. Lewis, Associate Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Kinesiology in Minneapolis

“Regular yoga practice can influence weight loss, but not in the “traditional” sense of how we link physical activity to weight loss. Typically, weight loss occurs when a person’s calorie intake .

“Most individuals need to change both their energy intake and energy expenditure to lose weight.

Many yoga practices burn fewer calories than traditional exercise ; however, yoga can increase one’s mindfulness and the way one relates to their body. So, individuals will become more aware of what they are eating and make better food choices.

“Individuals may avoid foods that make them feel sluggish and lethargic . Instead,individuals will seek out foods that are healthier, which then may lead to weight loss.

“Additionally, many individuals eat more when they are feeling stressed and yoga can help combat stress, which can influence one’s energy intake.”

Dr. Lewis Maharam, fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine:

“Yes, and actually it’s become in vogue with a lot of celebrities like Madonna, Halle Berry and Jennifer Aniston. Yoga is a sophisticated tradition with physical, relaxation and breathing exercises. aerobic exercise is what helps you lose weight.

How Many Calories Does Each Type Of Yoga Burn

So of course there is no way to tell exactly, as it all depends on the amount of effort you are putting in. But as a reference, below are the general calories burned from Health Status per 60 minutes of practice based on a 150 pound person:

Vinyasa Yoga: 594 calories

Bikram/ Hot Yoga: 477 calories

Ashtanga/ Power Yoga: 351 calories

Hatha Yoga: 189 calories

Please keep in mind this if if you are using your MAX EFFORT. I know there are definitely times when I go to hot vinyasa yoga and not putting my all in that day, or the class is just slower, and I definitely do not burn anywhere near this amount of calories.

Also keep in mind your weight plays a huge role on how many calories you burn per hour. I suggest checking out healthstatus.com to use their calculator with your specific weight to check.

How Often Should You Do Yoga To Lose Weight

Practice yoga as often as possible in order to lose weight. You can do a more active, intense practice at least three to five times per week for at least one hour.

On the other days, balance out your practice with a more relaxing, gentle class. Hatha, yin, and restorative yoga classes are great options.

If you’re a beginner, start slowly and gradually build up your practice. This allows you to build up your strength and flexibility and prevent injuries. If you don’t have time for a full class on certain days, do a self-practice for at least 20 minutes. Allow yourself one full day of rest each week.

Combine your yoga practice with activities such as walking, cycling, or swimming for added cardiovascular benefits.

As part of your routine, avoid weighing yourself directly after a yoga class, especially if it’s a hot yoga class, since you may lose water weight during the class. Instead, weigh yourself at the same time each day.

Here are a few yoga poses you can do at home if you don’t have time for a full session.

Control Your Weight Before It Controls You:

Age plays an important role in weight loss too. If you are young, then the chances of you getting into the shape with minimal efforts are high, but it is tougher for those who are on the other side of thirty. Once you cross your thirties, special attention needs to be given to eating habits. Fats, carbohydrates, and proteins are the main contents of any meal.

Choosing them wisely over the different meals of the day will help you go a long way in achieving your goals. Complex carbohydrates and healthy fats can be a part of your breakfast but including the same for your supper might not be a great idea.

Also, tracking your diet can give you an idea of where your macronutrients are coming from. Remember to track each and everything that goes in. This will make you aware of what you are having throughout the day and will make you think twice the next time you reach out for your favorite cupcake. The more you educate yourself with food labels, the more you become cautious and make healthier choices. It’s all about awareness.

Surprising Ways Yoga Helps You Lose Weight

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure for more info.

The practice of yoga being an effective use for weight loss has been questioned for years. Can you really lose weight with yoga? The answer is YES, and with a lot less effort than you think. In this article we will discuss the science backed effects yoga has on the body that will help you meet your weight loss goals.

V The Posture Of Liberation From The Winds

This posture helps cure lower back pain while controlling the acidity level of the stomach. It helps tone the abdomen and hips.

Lie down on your back,

Curve your knees and bring them back to your chest while breathing out,

Apply pressure to the abdomen with your thighs,

On an exhale, raise your head to try to touch your knees with your chin, without straining the cervical, it is the upper back that works,

Breathe deeply and maintain the pose for two full breaths,

Back to the original position on an exhalation,

Repeat 5 times with a 15-second pause between each repetition.

With a regular practice of these five postures, the results should not be long in being felt!

Which Type Of Yoga Is Best For Weight Loss

Almost all form help in weight loss but power yoga is best. Yoga helps in many ways, but one of the things that can be used to help with weight loss is the practice of yoga poses.While the physical benefits of yoga are quite amazing, there are also mental benefits that can help a person lose weight and feel healthier. This is why yoga is often used to help people lose weight. can yoga help you lose weight ?Yes,with yoga, it’s much easier to achieve these goals.

In order to lose weight, it is important that a person is able to burn more calories than they take in each day. By using different types of exercises and other yoga poses, a person can burn calories and learn to manage their diet better. This can then help a person to lose weight and feel healthier.

Yoga is a way of life for many people and they have a passion for it. Yoga can help to strengthen muscles, reduce stress, and helps to keep you fit, it is a holistic approach to health.

can yoga help you lose weight and tone? If you want to lose weight, yoga can be the answer. This type of workout is an all around good thing to do. It can be done by everyone at anytime of the day and will not interfere with your daily schedule.

Can Yoga Help In Weightloss1500×2250

What Type Of Yoga Is Best For Weight Loss

There are various types of yoga—and some are relaxing while others are pretty intense. if you’re looking for more of a calorie-burning experience, Young recommends Vinyasa because it’s more athletic.

“It’s strenuous. It’s cardio-based. It’s literally moving constantly,” says instructor Olivia Young, founder of Box + Flow in New York.

You may have also heard this referred to as “flow” because the movements run together. Within Vinyasa, there are various other subsets, like power yoga.

In comparison, Hatha focuses on one pose at a time and includes breaks between movements.

You should become acquainted with movements like the downward dog, high plank, and low push up, commonly found in a flow sequence, says Young.

How Often Should I Do Yoga To Lose Weight

For the best weight-loss results, Liza recommended doing yoga three times a week. Continue to stay active and get your heart rate up on the other three to four days as well, whether through , weightlifting, or HIIT workouts of 45 minutes to an hour. And keep your nutrition in mind, too. “Exercise alone without dieting makes losing weight hard,” Jorianne said. “Weight loss occurs when you burn more calories than you consume.”

If you eat healthy and burn calories, though, the results will come, and yoga has a place in the process. Start with this 30-minute power flow to relax, rejuvenate, and work up a sweat.

Image Source: Getty / Thomas Barwick

/8setu Bandha Sarvangasana Or Bridge Pose

Step 1: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet placed firmly on the ground. Your legs should be slightly apart and arms resting by your side.

Step 2: Press the feet into the floor, inhale and lift your hips up rolling the spine off the floor.

Step 4: Press your shoulders and arms on the ground to lift your chest.

Step 5: Engage your legs and butt muscles to lift your hips higher.

Step 6: Hold this position for 4-8 breaths, then return to the starting position.

How Much Yoga Do You Need For Weight Loss

You cannot expect a huge amount of weight loss from Yoga as soon as you begin doing it. Many people start doing Yoga and expect to achieve results within a week. They get disappointed and quit doing it just after one or two weeks. It doesn’t work like that. Yoga needs as much time and effort as any other exercise. It requires regular practice.

It would be best if you were patient to achieve visible results. For weight loss, you need to practice Yoga as much as you can. But that doesn’t mean you will keep doing excessive Yoga. It needs to be in a limited and balanced amount. Excessive Yoga can lead to physical or muscular injuries.

You might experience pain in your joints. Perform gentle and relaxing exercises for your daily routine. You can try longer sessions and intense exercises 2-3 times a week. A regular practice can give you the answer to Can I Lose Weight With Yoga after a certain period.

Can Yoga Help You Lose Weight Answer Here

Yoga is an ancient practice that can amplify the positive connection between your mind and body. While there are many yoga styles, some focus more on strenuous movements and strength, and others focus on meditation and mental preparedness.

As part of a workout routine, yoga for weight loss is a no-brainer because it burns calories. And potentially, the most significant benefit of yoga is the opportunity to reinforce mental stability, which can relieve stress, especially in this pandemic, and introduce you to a better and healthier lifestyle.

Bottom Line

Which Practices Are Best For Weight Loss

If you’re looking for pure calorie burn, our experts agreed that fast-paced Vinyasa yoga is the practice to choose. “A good Vinyasa class will take you through a variety of movements, with a focus on integrating your core and weight-bearing on your hands and feet,” Lara explained. Imagine a classic flow from plank to triceps push-up to Upward Facing Dog — you’re getting a core burn, working your triceps, then using your arms to hold up your bodyweight as you stretch. This kind of weight-bearing move “increases heart rate and builds muscle,” Liza told POPSUGAR. The more muscle you build, the more calories you’ll burn even after you’re done exercising.

Power yoga is another good choice, Jorianne told POPSUGAR, though it’s more intense and better suited for people who are already in good shape. “In power yoga, there is less meditation and more of a focus on standing poses and faster-paced movement,” she explained. Your heart will pump even harder than in a Vinyasa class, which is good news for losing weight; Liza recommended aiming for a heart rate that’s 55 to 85 percent of your maximum to get the most calories burned out of a class.

I Teach Yoga and Do CrossFit, and These Are the 18 Core-Carving Yoga Poses I’m Obsessed With

A more gentle yoga class, such as Hatha, won’t burn as many calories. But it can benefit your mental health and decrease stress levels while helping you be more mindful, all of which have weight-loss benefits as well.

What Kind Of Yoga Helps With Weight Loss

If you’ve never done yoga before, be sure to start with beginner-level classes. You’ll burn the most calories in athletic classes.?? These styles usually start with a fast-paced series of poses called sun salutations, followed by a flow of standing poses which will keep you moving. Once you are warmed up, deeper stretches and backbends are introduced. Vinyasa includes many popular, sweaty yoga styles, such as:

: Ashtanga yoga is a very vigorous style of practice and its practitioners are among the most dedicated of yogis. Beginners are often encouraged to sign up for a series of classes, which will help with motivation. Since Ashtanga follows the same series of poses each time, once you learn the sequence, you can practice anytime at home or join a Mysore-style group, in which there is a teacher present but each student goes at their own pace.

Power Yoga: Power yoga is extremely popular at gyms and health clubs, though it is widely available at dedicated yoga studios as well.?? Power yoga is based on building the heat and intensity of Ashtanga while dispensing with a fixed series of poses.

: Vinyasa yoga done in a hot room ups the ante by guaranteeing you’ll sweat buckets. Be aware that Bikram and hot yoga are not synonymous. Bikram is a pioneering style of hot yoga, which includes a set series of poses and, indeed, a script developed by founder Bikram Choudhury.?? These days, there are many other styles of hot yoga that make use of the hot room but not the Bikram series.

How Much Weight Can You Lose Doing Yoga

Weight loss varies by person and is dependent on a variety of factors including your beginning weight, overall activity level, and diet. The number of calories burned doing it also depends on what type of yoga you do, for how long, and what your current weight is. To have yoga help you lose weight, Young recommends practicing yoga four times a week and pairing it with extra cardio, like shadow boxing or running.

How Men Can Get Started Doing Yoga

It’s natural to want fast results, but the most successful dieters lose weight slowly. recommends losing no more than one to two pounds per week.

Thinking Of Trying Yoga For Weight Loss

If you are serious about losing weight and getting fit, you might want to implement a 60-minute power yoga and/or vinyasa flow practice at least five to six days per week. If you want to follow my example, think about coupling your practice with a whole foods diet for optimal results.

So roll out the mat. Connect with your breath. Detach from that destructive inner voice. Tune in to your spiritual nature that connects every cell of your body to the universe. Liberate the soul. And get ready to bask in the glory of all the positive changes that are coming.

Adho Mukha Svanasana Downward Dog Pose

Adho Mukha Svanasana tones your whole body with a little extra attention to specific muscles. It helps to strengthen your arms, thighs, hamstring and back. Holding this pose and concentrating on your breathing engages your muscles and tones them, as well as improves your concentration and blood circulation.

Chaturanga Dandasana/ Limbed Staff Pose

Chaturanga Dandasana is one of the exercises performed during Surya Namaskar. To perform this asana, start with your legs and arms stretched in a plank position. Keep your spine and hip in a straight line. Now, tighten your core by sucking your belly inside.

Bring your body towards the floor without losing the straight posture. Balance your body with the engaged core and hold the pose. This pose helps to strengthen your core and maintain your balance. It can be beneficial to reduce and tone your belly. Chaturanga Dandasana helps to build your muscle strength.

Can Beginners Yoga Help You Lose Weight

The question of how can you loose weight with the help of yoga might arise if you are just beginning your weight loss or trying to keep it off.

If you are planning to go on a very strict weight loss program, then it might be a good idea to join a yoga class to learn more about the benefits of yoga and how to maintain a good weight loss program.

Yoga is also a great way to maintain your new weight and will help you get into better shape so that you can lose weight and look great.

If you do decide to join a class, make sure that you find a teacher that you will get along well with and who will make you feel comfortable with. Yoga is also a good way to learn new skills so that you will feel more in control of your body and can enjoy what you are doing.

Things To Take Care Of While Doing Yoga

Your should also be considered, because you need to make sure that it is healthy and balanced. If you aren’t, then you may want to talk to your doctor or dietitian to make sure that you are following a proper diet.

·2. If you’re going to start doing yoga, make sure that you choose a yoga class that is going to suit your level of physical ability. If you have a lot of experience, you might want to try classes that are a little more advanced, so that you can get the most out of the workout.

When you have lost weight with yoga, you’ll notice that your energy levels are up and your confidence is higher. Your weight will probably decrease as well, because you are burning more calories than you normally do. But, you still want to make sure that you keep up your weight loss. Even though you may have lost a few pounds, you should keep at it and never quit.

The thing to remember is that you have to maintain your weight loss. If you stop your weight loss after a few weeks, you may find yourself gaining all of the weight back. You need to continue working on it, and staying motivated.

Once you have lost weight with yoga, you can always get back on it by doing another class or trying another one. This is a great form of exercise for anyone and it really does have a lot of benefits. It has proven to be beneficial to a lot of people.

If So How Does Yoga Help To Lose Weight

There are many therapeutic to intensive yoga styles, reinforcing your central cores, including your overall muscle groups, increasing your flexibility, stability, and mobility.

Each yoga style offers unique benefits, so if your goal is to lose weight, concentrating on a fast-paced strength-based exercise is best. Yoga done in this manner has four main benefits that you should know.

Yoga strengthens your core and self-awareness.

While there is no cheat to lose weight in a day, strengthening your core is one major step to help you shed weight in the long run.

Your core is the home of all muscle groups necessary to stabilize your spine, keep your posture in the best shape, and improve your balance.

Therefore, by reinforcing your core, you are increasing your movements’ foundation to be more concise, which, in turn, makes you exercise more effectively without the risk of bodily discomforts.

Yoga is also useful in this matter because it also increases your self-awareness. You’ll learn how to use your muscles to precisely regulate your movements to achieve safer body fitness.

Yoga can help cut cravings for unhealthy foods and sugar.

One of the fantastic benefits of yoga is installing a sense of mindfulness. More mindful people are less stressed and less likely to seek comfort in food to binge eat.

Yoga can help protect yourself from stress, more-so, manage stress.

Yoga introduces you to a healthy lifestyle with better decisions.

Guest Post By Marilyn From Ink & Coffee

I’m very happy to collaborate with Marilyn from Ink & Coffee and share her blog post about yoga and weight loss. Marilyn is training to be a yoga teacher and health and wellness coach so she knows her stuff. As a self-confessed yogi I find it really helps me to tone, stay fit and improve flexibility. But does it really help us to lose weight? Here’s Marilyn to answer that for you ?.

Does Ashtanga Yoga Help You Lose Weight

Ashtanga yoga has been gaining popularity for the last few decades. Here in this article, we will help you answer one of the most asked questions: Does Ashtanga yoga help lose weight?

Last month I met Suzanne for the first time at a house-warming party. We started talking and liked each other’s company.

Amid a conversation, I passed her a compliment about her physique. She noticed how intrigued I was, so she took me to the side and showed me an old photograph of her.

Looking at the picture, I was astounded. In the photo, she was barely recognizable.

I quickly asked her the secret recipe of the drastic transformation, and she answered- Ashtanga Yoga.

Ashtanga yoga, also known as eight-limbed yoga, is mentioned in the Yoga Sutras by the sage Patanjali. It includes various asanas, which should be practiced with utmost patience and dedication.

Ashtanga Yoga includes a full-body workout. Intense asanas are done in this yoga practice that covers all your muscle areas, and therefore it makes for a great partner in the weight loss journey. You can expect to burn on average around 450 to 550 calories per 1h Ashtanga yoga session.

The vigorous workout improves your strength, flexibility, tones, endurance, and overall health, besides contributing to weight loss. It is a fast-paced yoga practice that enhances energy levels and overall physique.

But, how does Ashtanga yoga help in weight loss? Read further to find out.

Yoga Stimulates And Improves Digestion

Even though yoga has a positive and stimulating effect on all of the different systems within your body, including your cardiovascular, respiratory, lymphatic and endocrine systems, it has a very strong focus on the stimulation of your digestive system.

Your digestive system plays a key role in the breakdown, absorption and elimination of food and waste from your body. A sluggish and slow digestive system will hinder your weight loss goals by reducing your body’s ability to appropriately absorb nutrients and discard unwanted waste.

Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana Bridge Pose

Yet another asana with multiple benefits is the Sethu Bandha Sarvangasana or Bridge pose. It is excellent for glutes, thyroid as well as weight loss. The Bridge pose improves muscle tone, digestion, regulates hormones, and improves thyroid levels. It also strengthens your back muscles and reduces back pain.

/8here Are 7 Yoga Asanas You Should Do

When it comes to weight loss, yoga is not favoured by many as an effective workout to shed kilos. The low-impact exercise has undoubtedly gained popularity across the globe but is known mostly to increase flexibility and calm your mind. Contrary to popular belief, yoga can help to burn tons of calories and drop a considerable amount of weight. All you need to do is choose the right kind of yoga asanas and perform it correctly. Here are 7 yoga asanas that may help you lose more weight than any intense workout.

Proper Technique Is The Key To Success

It would be best if you were very careful while doing any of these yoga poses or any other exercises. Please give enough time to know how to perform these yoga postures and learn them properly. Before trying, know all the techniques of performing any exercise.

It would be best if you were very precise while doing these poses, or else you might end up hurting yourself. Many of the yoga poses require specific timings like morning or evening. Some of them must be done with an empty stomach. Everybody cannot do many postures. They are prohibited to people having any muscle injury or spinal problem.

An example being the Dhanurasana mentioned above. So please make sure to check all of the techniques to perform the yoga posture. Otherwise, you might end up hurting yourself, or you might not see visible results even after efforts. Once you grasp the technique, it can be a piece of cake for you.

Learn More About Weight Loss Fitness

Can Yoga Help You Lose Weight And Tone

In order to start using yoga for weight loss, you need to make sure that you are healthy enough to do it. You should always keep in mind to eat a balanced diet, get plenty of exercise and use a positive attitude.

can yoga help you lose weight and tone?YesYoga can help you get the results that you are looking for. It is an easy way to get into shape and get in good form so that you do not feel stressed out when you take your next step.

There are many things that go into learning how to lose weight. Yoga can give you the knowledge and skills that you need to have sure to lose weight. You will not feel depressed or stressed about how you look or what you feel about yourself.

can yoga help you lose weight? Weight loss is a big concern and one that many people have. The best way to lose weight is to start the right exercise.

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eagle-eyez · 3 years ago

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Shortly after the COVID-19 lockdown began, I found myself all alone in my Mumbai apartment. My roommates had all left, for some reason or the other, and it was just me. The first couple of weeks were easy, I was living my best life and channeling my inner Kevin McAllister with gleeful abandon, eating ice-cream in the middle of the day with not a care in the world. The next couple of weeks, however, were... difficult. There was a point at which my little 2BHK abode, which, on usual days, felt stifling and small, started to seem infinite. The walls began to loom over me, and the walk from the front door to my kitchen felt like a marathon.

I was slowly beginning to succumb to a strange brand of melancholy, the kind that only something like a global pandemic can bring about. In my desperation to exit this sinking quicksand feeling, I tried all sorts of distractions. I watched films that everyone had raved about, television shows that frequently featured on "Top 10 shows to watch if you're not an uncultured swine" lists, even going so far as to — and I shudder to say this out loud — listen to a podcast or two. None of that really worked, and my salvation would finally come whilst trawling through the bargain bin offers on the PlayStation store, in the shape of F1 2019.

Prior to this point, I'd never played an F1 game before, despite being an on-again, off-again fan of the actual sport. Also, my utter incompetence when it comes to racing games might have something to do with why I'd never dipped my toes into Codemasters' decades-long series. In fact, just minutes after booting up F1 2019, I was ready to quit. I was expecting a light, carefree racing experience, but instead, what I got was an ultra-serious, simulator-esque ordeal, with all manners of strange buttons and technical jargon being thrown my way. Despite this initial reluctance, I persevered, and over the next month or so, I obsessively played my way through pretty much everything the game had to offer, and in the process, somehow managed to stave off the lockdown blues (Just to make it clear, I'm not advocating for F1 2019 to replace any of the tools you would use to improve your mental health, please try therapy, it works wonders).

So of course, a year later, when the opportunity came to review the successor to the game that got me through the first few months of the pandemic, I lunged at it with both hands. After having played it for a week or so, I've come to the realisation that despite having sunk many, many hours of my life into this game, I have somehow not gotten any better. I might actually be worse at it than I was a year ago. The game, on the other hand, has improved significantly.

Gameplay and Graphics

While the gameplay of F1 2021 is not massively different from its predecessors, there are a few noteworthy additions that make it a more appealing and polished game than those that came before it. Chief among those is the addition of Braking Point, a "Drive to Survive"-inspired game mode that attempts to throw back the curtain and expose the seedy underbelly of a sport that features 20 millionaires driving around in circles really fast. We'll talk about Braking Point in detail a little later, but F1 2021 is not all about huge updates and big overhauls.

There have also been a number of smaller, more subtle improvements. For an inept hand like myself, the assists, in particular, were one improvement that stood out to me almost immediately. Having little green and red arrows to tell you when to brake and when to accelerate away is really useful, and while these features have been a part of the F1 series for a while now, you do have a slightly larger degree of control over them now.

The game also integrates the DualSense controller's ability to adjust the tension in the trigger buttons, but if you didn't know that before you started playing, you might not realise it at all. In fact, I only remembered that the game was supposed to use adaptive triggers when I was re-watching a teaser trailer that had come out in the build-up to the game's release. Turns out, there are different levels of sensitivity that you can apply to the triggers, and the effects of the default level are not very noticeable. Once I had amped it up a little, I really felt a lot of feedback from the controls, and it made racing a lot more enjoyable by adding a heightened level of tactile interaction.

When it comes to the graphics, there's been a marked improvement in quality, though I suspect that might have more to do with the capabilities of the PlayStation 5 than it has to do with the game itself. Opting to race in rainy conditions will dramatically transform the visuals, with the almost photorealistic soaked asphalt, crunchy gravel and overcast skies really adding to the immersive quality of the experience. In contrast, when racing on circuits like Bahrain, the swirling sand and bright, oppressive sunlight really replicate what it's like to be at that particular track, so much so that while playing the game, I was overcome with nostalgia, thinking back to when a 10-year-old me got a chance to watch the F1 at the Bahrain International Circuit.

Braking Point - The Star Attraction

In Braking Point, F1's new story-focused mode, you're given the opportunity to relive the experience of being a pimply lad in your 20s, trying to make it in a big bad world, through the lens of one Aiden Jackson. Jackson is a strong favourite to win the F2 title, and your first race as Aiden Jackson is the championship-winning season finale that propels you to a seat in Formula 1. Soon after, you're forced to come to grips with the fact that it's not all stars and sunshine in the big leagues, and that underneath the bells and whistles, there's a viciously competitive system that's out to get you.

Among the chief antagonists of this story are your vaguely older teammate Casper Akkerman (really, he could be either 28 or 50) who despises you for being a young hotshot talent, and a very charismatic rival Devon Butler, who just seems to appear out of thin air at the very worst moments possible to sow seeds of doubt in your mind.

Now, there's nothing particularly new or interesting about this storyline in and of itself. It does seem like a slightly plagiarised reincarnation of the Alex Hunter story from FIFA games of the past, even featuring almost identical motivations for the primary character and the antagonists. How it does improve on that, though, is in the execution.

Each character is fleshed out to just the right point, where we neither skim over their reasons for doing what they do, nor dive into their past in exhaustive detail. The interactions between characters, especially those told through the cutscenes, are all paced well, and at no point does the story feel like it's dragging. The only character whose backstory I wasn't fully satisfied with was Akkerman, whose past exploits on the circuit are mentioned only in passing, but it's not something that hampered my enjoyment of the story.

Speaking of Akkerman, another gameplay feature that I really enjoyed was that Braking Point allowed you to race as Akkerman in some races that had were more meaningful to his storyline than they perhaps were to the protagonist. This truly gives players an ability to walk a mile in someone else's shoes, and adds a further level of nuance to this story. It gives a sense of authenticity to the world that the game is trying to bring to your television screens.

This world is also expanded upon by little touches like the mails you get in your inbox, as well as a social media feed of sorts that you can view on your virtual phone. Some of these are quite intriguing, and often form little side stories of their own, over the course of several emails. A significant portion of the story is also told through the medium of telephones, with Aiden being constantly plagued by his mum and team liaison/mediator Brian Doyle.

I do have a couple of gripes about Braking Point. To begin with, since the cutscenes are so visually appealing and well-written, there are occasions outside the cutscenes in which the characters look a little like they've been possessed by a demon, with deadpan expressions and eyes that are cold and calculating. Now, if there's a murder mystery side plot in the pipeline, this is more than acceptable, but otherwise, it just takes away from the overall polish of the game. Secondly, Braking Point is short, even for a novice like me who needs four or five attempts to complete every race.

Career

The career mode allows you to play either as a racer (Driver mode), or as a racer/owner/manager (My Team mode) who juggles the responsibilities of being the man in charge in addition to having to race every weekend. You can play the career mode all by yourself, or, if you have a very, very patient friend, which I do not, you can play it in CO-OP mode, which allows you and your friend to play as teammates or rivals.

When you play the "My Team" version of career mode, you're given a much larger degree of control over the team, and you can dictate proceedings according to your wishes. I found it quite entertaining, both in terms of story and gameplay, and I got a real kick out of acting like the big boss man. It was a little daunting, however, and required a fair bit of googling on my part to understand the progression systems involved in levelling up your engines and gearboxes. Of course, I admittedly have a very superficial knowledge of such things, and someone who is more aware of the inner workings of the sport will likely love the technical side of it.

That's not me though. I'm no geek. I'm fast, I'm furious, and I live to race baby. Hmm, I feel like the 'baby' was a bit too much, but my point stands. I wasn't interested in the makeup of the car or in having to decide what gearbox I was going to use, I just want to smoke fools on the track, and playing the "Driver" mode is perfect for that. You can pick from any team on the F1 and F2 grids, and then compete over the course of a season, or even half a season, if you want. I started out with an F2 side, and found that the journey towards qualifying for the Formula 1 was pretty engaging.

Multiplayer

There are a number of ways in which you can experience the joy of multiplayer racing, from online sessions to local split-screen races. The online races work well enough, but it took me very long to find players to race against, with wait times of over five minutes on some occasions. Perhaps some of that can be attributed to this still being a very new game, and it will likely improve in due time. I also prefer racing with collisions turned off so that other racers are not tangible entities that can make physical contact with me. I personally feel like it's much less chaotic, and ensures you don't fly off the tracks/have your front wing fall off every time you hit someone, but it does also make the race a teeny tiny bit less entertaining.

The multiplayer mode in which I had the most fun, however, was the local split-screen multiplayer, in which you can face off against someone sitting right next to you. Over the course of the past week, my brother and I have waged war on several occasions, and I have emerged victorious on almost every occasion (I let him win one time out of the goodness of my heart).

Grand Prix/Time Trial

These two modes are essentially the most barebones modes available, and they allow players to quickly jump into action whenever they so desire, cutting out any and all semblance of story or plot. They're great for learning how the game works, and challenging yourself to better your previous performances time and time again, should you be so inclined. With the time trial mode, you can also experience every track that the game has to offer without having to complete all of them first.

TL;DR: F1 2021 is a must-have for fans of the genre, as it builds upon an already robust series with numerous upgrades. If you're looking for a more fun, light-hearted racing experience, however, this is probably not for you.

Game reviewed on PlayStation 5. Review code provided by the publisher.

source https://www.firstpost.com/tech/gaming/f1-2021-review-a-near-perfect-blend-of-significant-innovation-and-subtle-improvement-9828141.html

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