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delilahxadams · 4 years ago

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DELILAH ADAMS || AISHA DEE

twenty-six year old. vehicle mechanic. born & raised in asteria.

death tw || affair tw || bullying tw

Full Name: delilah louise adams Nickname(s): dee, dee-dee Age: twenty-six Date of Birth: november 1st Hometown: asteria, nc Current Location: asteria, nc Gender: cisfemale Pronouns: she/her Orientation: biromantic and bisexual Occupation: vehicle mechanic Living Arrangements: two bedroom apartment downtown

Face Claim: aisha dee Hair Colour: dark brown Eye Colour: brown Height: 5'6" Weight: 120 lbs Build: lean, some muscle Tattoos: rose tattoo on left ribs ( see image above ) Piercings: ears ( once )

Label: the soiled dove ( someone who is sympathetic and full of hope. however, they can also be lost ) Positive Traits: hard-working, determined, warm-hearted, empathetic, stylish, resourceful Negative Traits: resentful, jealous, secretive, too-trusting, independent, irritable, Goals/Desires: continue to be financially independent, find out the truth about her father, fall in love, adopt a child Fears: more abandonment, Hobbies: working on cars, thrift store shopping, re-decorating the apartment, refinishing old items, plant mom Habits: swears while working, picks at cuticles, lazy sundays

Father: jackson adams ( deceased ) Mother: amelia adams ( deceased ) Sibling(s): half-sibling Children: none Pet(s): none Family’s Financial Status: middle class

Zodiac Sign: scorpio MBTI: ESFJ Enneagram: type 2: the helper Temperament: sanguine Hogwarts House: hufflepuff Moral Alignment: neutral good

PAST

Born and raised in Asteria, NC to Jackson & Amelila Adams

Mom passed away when she was young. ( no one knows this was due to a second pregnancy from an affair ). She was a stay at home mom so no one ever knew she was pregnant. They did their best to cover it up because of the scrutiny they’d face from an affair.

Grew up in the Eris District. They did not have a lot of money growing up. Her mother was a stay at home mom despite the bills needing to be paid. A medical condition kept her from maintaining a full time job. Her father has always worked as a security job at the local bank in time. It paid the bills, but they were never wealthy by far.

Has a half-sibling that no one is aware about expect herself and her father. She has never reached out to this half-sibling.

Delilah grew up with exactly what she needed and not much more. Having wants and frivolous items was simply not in the budget. They fixed things on their own and rarely reached out to help from others.

She grew up being kind and empathetic to others. Whether others had it worse or better than her, she did her best to befriend them. And didn’t want people to look at her differently for growing up with the bare minimums.

There were definitely people that teased her for wearing hand me downs or the fact that her mom would sew her own clothes, but Delilah wore them with pride. It was the only way to not be upset all the time from bullying about her lack of wealth and clothes.

Not to say she didn’t have friends. Regardless of how people treated her, Delilah was outgoing and kind to others. She couldn’t afford extra curricular activities like some of the other kids, but she was at every free event that she could attend to support her peers. Delilah, however, did join yearbook club in high school because it meant that she could attend more events for free.

She balanced her school work ( which was mediocre ), yearbook club and working as a waitress at nights to help pay the bills once she was old enough to start working. Delilah was no stranger to hard work and while she often let her school work fall behind, she felt that helping her and her father live a better life was something worth letting her grades slip for.

With the two of them having to do things for themselves, when Delilah saved up for her first car, it was not the best car. It was constantly needing work and well, it was not something she had money for.

Delilah began to learn from youtube videos and a generous mechanic down at the shop that was close with her father how to work on her car. He offered to fix her car for free, but Delilah refused, wanting to learn how to do it herself.

And so she did. Delilah began learning all the workings of her beat up car and quickly, the woman fell in love with being under the hood of a car. She quit her job as a waitress and began mentoring under her father’s friend for much less pay, but she was learning a skill that she felt like she could rely on for life.

With her grades being less than perfect, Delilah knew college was out of the question. And how would she afford it without burying herself in debt? The answer? She wouldn’t. Delilah chose to not go to college, staying in Asteria for work at the mechanic shop.

PRESENT

Since she was seventeen years old, Delilah has been working in Eris at the mechanic shop. Her father’s best friend has been teaching her the ropes. Once she was a few years in, she was hired as a mechanic full-time.

Delilah moved her and her father to an apartment downtown. It was nothing special but it was better than a home that needed more work than it was worth with a mortgage to default. Their apartment was two bedrooms and something that Delilah could afford with her salary down at the mechanics shop and doing side jobs around town for those who couldn’t afford to go to the shop.

In addition to paying for the apartment, once she started working as a mechanic, Delilah stepped up her fashion game. There were no more thrift store clothes, at least not for the sake of not having any money to spend on clothes. She knows that it materialistic but it makes her feel better about herself when she isn’t all greased up down at the mechanics shop.

She maintains friendships easily and while living with her father, she did not do a ton of dating. She did, but they would rarely be invited over to her apartment, as she felt it was disrespectful to him and their apartment together.

Roughly a year and a half ago, her father was shot in a bank robbery. He showed up at the wrong moment ( trying to be a hero ) and was shot. This destroyed Delilah in more ways than one. Her father was her entire rock, her entire life. It was always the two of them, for as long as she could remember. Her own memory of her mother was tainted from the affair, no matter how much her father tried to make it seem like it was his fault.

It sent Delilah into a tizzy, forcing her to focus solely on work just to deal with the pain of losing her father. Any relationships she might have had during the time were ruined by her grieving and inability to move on for quite some time. For roughly six months, all she did was work and work and work. She needed to save up enough money to move out of the apartment.

Living in the same apartment that she shared with her father was out of the question. In those six months of working a ton of overtime, Delilah managed to save and move into another apartment. It was still a two bedroom apartment where she currently has a roommate. Having a roommate isn’t financially needed but the offer was there and Delilah couldn’t turn it down

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

father’s best friend: this character taught delilah all that she knows about cars and being a mechanic. delilah has been working in the mechanic’s shop since she was seventeen years old.

roommate: six months after her father’s death, delilah needed to move into a new apartment. upon her move, she reached out to an ad for someone in need of an apartment.

half-sibling: this sibling was given up by jackson ( delilah’s father ) when ameila ( their shared mother ) passed away after giving birth to the half-sibling. jackson was unable to care for both children on his income and opted to give the other one up. delilah has learned of this, many years ago, but has never approached said half-sibling with the truth and they have lived in asteria their entire lives.

google spreadsheet masterlist

#( intro )#asteriaintro

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shortmania · 5 years ago

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Hi Shortmania! I send this ask for character design reasons. Do you have any headcanon heights for any of the HA! characters at their "The Patakis" age? I don't need all of them. Just Arnold and Helga will do nicely as a starting point. You can google mrinitialman if you want to look for something to have a better visual representation of what you have in mind Thank you for taking the time to read this regardless.

Well, first of all, thank you for the neat new resource, whoa. That is super helpful and I will definitely be using that in the future.

As for my headcanons, I’m a little nervous to say because I know they’re unpopular, lol. So little disclaimer there, but.

At age 15 (and likely the rest of their lives since growth spurts after 14 (female) and 16 (male) are rare):

FOR COMPARISON:US MALE AVERAGE: 5'9"US FEMALE AVERAGE: 5'4"

Arnold: 5'7"Helga: 5'6"Gerald: 5'10"Phoebe: 5'4"Harold: 5'5"Patty: 5'11"Stinky: 6'3"Sid: 5'6"Rhonda: 5'4"Curly: 5'12"Eugene: 5'3"

And those are the ones I’ve thought about and stand behind. I think most of these are pretty self-explanatory, they’re just based off their parents, but I’ll explain the ones I know most other fans are likely to be confused by. You can skip anything you’re uninterested in, Anon. ❤️I just like to be thorough.

It is controversial to propose Arnold and Helga end up about the same height–most everybody prefer one of them to be significantly taller than the other–but it’s… just not my preference, for a few reasons. The Shortmans are a tall folk, Craig has confirmed that, but I like to think the males on Stella’s side of the family run a little smaller just because the idea of Arnold tall seems strange. He’s been consistently small throughout his childhood, and even at age eleven didn’t really grow more than maybe an inch or two since the fourth grade. Specifically, I think Arnold’s namesake, Stella’s dad, was the same. That is to say, I think he was a shorter than average dude, and I like to think Arnold strongly resembles him. That’s a baseless personal headcanon, and I acknowledge that. Arnold could be a late bloomer. I just like him a little smol.

On Helga’s end of things, my reasoning is just that… Well, there isn’t really any wrong way to calculate Helga’s height because we know basically nothing about her roots apart from Bob and Miriam. And Miriam appears to be average-ish, maybe above, Bob actually isn’t too too much taller (maybe 3-4 inches, and 2-4 inches shorter than Phil who I imagine is about 5'12"-6'0"), and Olga’s either average or below since she’s noticeably shorter than Miriam, so it’s just easiest for me to headcanon Helga as a couple inches over 5'4". It’s safe, it’s comfortable, it’s funny because it subverts expectations a bit. But I will say this: Miriam’s family is from South Dakota, Bob’s probably is as well, and South Dakota boasts some of the tallest folks in the US. Bob is also some form of Scandinavian – Hungarian, German, Ukrainian, Polish, who knows – and men in those countries tend to float around the benchmark of 5'10", and women an inch or two below the US average. So, Helga could easily be tall. Helga could also be pretty short. I do enjoy it when people portray her as this hulking powerhouse of a woman who could lift Arnold with just one arm, it’s a high quality option I would like to see more of, but my thing is that I’m always trying to a) be realistic, and b) leave room for funny scenarios. And Arnold being literally just one inch taller than Helga and Helga being endlessly salty about it is hilarious to me.

Apart from all that, I hate to mention this, but: Helga isn’t consistently fed, and when she is fed, it’s usually with crap, so. When kids aren’t fed well or often, they don’t tend to grow quite as much as they might have otherwise. So, that is something to take into account. Moving on now.

About Gerald: thing is, there’s that stereotype of black men being absolute mountains because of basketball and I think that’s probably why most people see Gerald being like six feet, but… Gerald’s dad is a frugal numbers-obsessed business man. He’s nerdy. He’s kinda short. It makes a little bit of sense to me that Gerald might be tall-ish because for a nine-year-old boy, he is fairly big? But eh. I just try to split the difference, to honor both his genes and his onscreen rate of development, and I arrive at a little above average because the thought of Gerald being the sole Tol of his immediate family (taller than Jamie-O, especially) is funny to me, and I will always pick the option that is funny to me.

Aaaand both of Harold’s parents are tiny. I don’t really know why people always draw/write him tall--I guess it’s more attractive? he always refers to himself as big? he’s a part of the hulking bully/gentle giant archetype?--but people forget he’s 13 in-show and actually pretty small for his age. At least compared to, like, fifth and sixth graders. Wolfgang is at least twice his height, and I’m pretty sure Harold is older than him. This show is ridiculously confusing and inconsistent about age and child development, but, well. These are the only points of reference we have, so. Yep.

I love Patty… That’s it. That’s my reasoning. Let her tower over us all as she rightfully deserves.

I hope this was helpful! You don’t have to agree with me, of course, but I hope I at least gave a fair baseline for you to form your own conclusions. Thanks for caring about my dumb opinion, lol, and best wishes on all your projects.

#suprspeak #asks #jazzing #height #hey arnold #the patakis #i need to catch up on asks #i'm sorry if this took too long #i'm still working through things #may edit #take a shot every time suprsingr says ''tall'' or ''short''

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werevulvi · 6 years ago

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Tag Game

Tagged by: @just---curious

Nickname: Don't have any, I'm just Laura.

Zodiac: Aries.

Height: 5'6" (168 cm).

Last Movie I Saw: Crimson Peak (almost 2 years ago). I really loved it. Yes, last time I watched any movie was 2 years ago...

Last Thing I Googled: "radical feminism” just to look up what are kind of the complete general views (cause bad memory and needed some guide) so that I can make a comprehensive post about what my stance is on points, as to why I’ve recently become radfem. Haven’t gotten to writing that quite yet though.

Favorite Musician: David Bowie. Cause he was my only idol as a kid and teen and although I'm not so connected to him anymore, he just always has a special place in my heart. The only man who does! Ahaha. Just kidding, and not that way.

Song Stuck in my Head: "The Secret Germany (For Paul Celan)" by Rome. I listened to it on repeat all night so that's probably why it stuck.

Other Blogs: Not on tumblr but "mentalfrostbite.blogspot.com" is a blog I've had since 2010 and write stuff in. It’s in English too, at least since 2013 or something. Not posted much in it these past few months or so though. Now I've mostly been posting on tumblr instead. Cause I get more attention here xD.

Do I Get Asks?: Yeah, since I got a bit of an influx of radfem, detrans and lesbian followers these past couple of months I've gotten quite a lot of asks and I'm really happy to get them! Please keep them coming :)

Blogs Following: 140 that I'm following, and then I have 577 followers.

Amount of Sleep I Get: Uhm... how to explain... it can vary really a lot. I mean REALLY a lot, beyond the scope of my own understanding, but... on a very rough average 8-12 hours per time-of-the-day-I'm-asleep, which is not more often day than night, or night than day, and no order in that department either. Put shortly: my sleep pattern completely lacks any sort of coherency and is all over the place. It's sleep chaos. Hard to estimate.

Lucky Number: 13. I chose it when I was a kid cause I already then felt like I had an abnormal amount of bad luck in life, which I've kept feeling like and still do. And I chose it kinda ironically because it means bad luck, but I use it as kind of a lucky charm to turn the bad luck into good luck. Also I have a thing for “odd” numbers in general, and 13 has two odd numbers in it.

What I’m Wearing: A mint green tight t-shirt, purple velour hoodie, black sports bra, long and very comfy Indian style belly-dancing skirt (it's also very pretty with intricate golden print and has little bells that jingle when I move around... I'm so hopelessly femme), black panties and a huge dark grey men's fleece robe. Barefoot, no makeup, still no hair. Yes it is a hideosly composed outfit, but also says a lot about me as a person.

Dream Job: To never have to work, and no one ever telling me I should become mentally stable enough to handle having a job, and keep pressuring me to want a job. I don't. Stop trying to make me become a useful citizen. I live for me, not society. And I’m doing fine on my sickness compensation. There is not a single job in the world that I'd want to have. Not even a belly dancer at a lesbian only strip club... oh wait, that would be pretty awesome, actually!

Dream Trip: I don't care where to, I only really care who with and what we'd be doing. I never cared much for nature or places in general. Although for the past several years I've really wanted to travel to just any big city and party my ass off like it's the end of the world.

Favorite Food: Anything with chicken, but not too spicy. I love curry and garlic, rice, crispy potato stuff, bread, salmon, bloody beef with bearnaise sauce, sandwish cakes, etc. I like rich and heavy food, but also mild and light sea food.

Instrument: Harpsicord. It's the pre-destine to piano, that the rich over class played on back in the 1500's. Very rarely ever used in modern music, but some musicians of today add it for a cool effect. For example Emilie Autum does. But I also really love the accordion. My grandfather played it to me as a child, before he died when I was very young (around 5) and I've always loved the sound of that instrument ever since. It's mezmerising! Unfortunately the genres of music it's often played in are usually not to my taste. Nope, I want me some rock music played with accordion!

Languages: English is my second language, then also Swedish is my native language. I don't know any other ones, but a little bit of German. I casually consider myself bilingual.

Favorite Songs (as of right now): "Lost Jericho" by Arielle Bombasle and ERA, "A Woman's Heart" by Celtic Woman, "Te Amo" by Rihanna, "One Lion's Roar" by Rome, "Pax Psychosis" by Grendel, etc.

Random Fact: It took 2 months and costed over 60 bucks to change the number to my landline phone and make it a hidden number... all because I got phone-terrorised by some demented man who kept calling me 20+ times a day, not understand who he was even calling and it was driving me mad! No idea how he got my number, but yeah that's history now.

Describe Yourself With Aesthetics: Huddled up on a bench, smoking a cigarette, cold but holding onto a cup of hot coffee. Traces of lipstick around the cup edge and on the filter. Long skirt fabric twisting around the ankles in the wind, revealing rainbow coloured shoelaces on military boots. Squinting to avoid getting smoke in the eyes with sharp black and golden makeup around. Always tired and full of thoughts.

I tag anyone who wants to do this.

#tagged #questions and answers #sorry late

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thepuckishrogue · 6 years ago

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One of them tag game posts type deals

Rules: Answer 21 questions and then tag 21 people who you want to get to know better. [ignoring that bit b/c I always feel like I’m bothering people lmao]

Tagged by: @aspiratinganxiety A pretty awesome lady all the way around far as I can tell. Plus she write that Batfam good-good so if that’s your jam click here and treat yo’self! Thanks for the tag darlin’, you’re far too kind!

Name: Imogene [so named for my grandmother]

Nickname: Immy and a whole slew of things best not repeated [my friends/family members are terrible people who come up with terrible names >.>]

Gender: Female

Zodiac: Taurus

Height: 5'6″

Time: 1:37 PM

Favourite Musicians: Too many, but what’s been on repeat as of late is NSP, TWRP, Planet Booty, Artic Monkeys, PUP, The Correspondents, Nujabes, and Zion.T. Then of course there’s my trusty-dustys: Lady Day, Aretha, Parov Stelar, Billy Joel... [links lead to YT vids of my current favorites by the artist]

Song Stuck in My Head: Zion.T’s “The Song”. Well really the entire OO album is fire and it p. much plays on loop in my head tbh; no lie I end up listening to it at least twice a day. PUP’s “Factories” also always seems to pop into my head at least once a day and honestly I’m not too sure what that says about me as a person...

Last Movie I Saw: Miller’s Crossing. One of my favorite Coen brothers movies second only to Raising Arizona. So many good one-liners:

“I open my mouth and the whole world turns smart.”

“...cause ethically he’s kinda shaky.”

“I think they’re gonna kill me, Tom! Oh God, are you apart of this?!”

“And I’m tired of you givin’ me the high-hat!”

Last Thing I Googled: Zodiac signs lol.

Other Blogs: Nah son. I can barely keep up with this one most days lmao...

Do I Get Asks: Not too often, no. As of late most ask are usually coming from someone asking if I’m still working on the fic that shall remain nameless lol. Honestly I don’t really interact with too many people on this site because like I mentioned earlier I always feel like I’m bothering people. Ain’t anxiety grand? Though if you do get me to talking--dude...

Why I Chose this Username: Eh, aside from a love for Saint’s Row there really isn’t a reason. I was one of those people that used to change their username a lot back in the day, but since evolving I now feel the need to stay “on brand” as the kids say do the kids even say that?

Following: 517 I think? I’m too lazy to check but I think that’s what it was last time I looked. I’ve been on this site for the better part of a decade, I lived through the ask-blog era and I can guaran-damn-tee you that at least 100 of the blogs came from that alone lol. A lot of defunct blogs too, but I feel bad about unfollowing them because what if they come back and all their followers are gone? That’s just sad, right? Plus I also kinda get attached to blogs, you know in a sentimental way. I like going back to those pages, reminds me of what I was into back then; warm’n’fuzzies and all that jazz...

Amount of Sleep: Sleep is for the weak making me strong af b/c I usually average about 4 hours a night.

Lucky Number: I don’t really have one, but 24 is my favorite number so... Close enough?

What I’m Wearing: Some black skinnies, a plain black sweater, and some neon pink socks.

Dream Job: Either a caker or a bread maker--weird, I know, but I love to bake and making bread is like one of the most relaxing things in the world to me.

Dream Trip: I honestly don’t even know. Right now I’m so focused on moving out of this town that I can’t really see beyond that goal...

Instruments: I used to play the clarinet long ago when the world was young and I was pretty darn good at it too. I’ve actually been thinking of getting back into it, but those little shits are expensive and honey got bills so that hobby’ll have to wait for now...

Favourite Foods: Too damn many so let’s just go with my current craving: a full Thanksgiving spread. I’m gonna need these days to hurry the fuck up we got all these ingredients in the house and I’m one whiff of a Yankee Candle away from going in there and throwing down, I fucking swear...

Favourite Songs: Again, let’s just go with a current: “Vienna” by Billy Joel.

Tagging: Like I said, I don’t want to bother anyone so if you made it to the end of this post and you want to take a go at it feel free! And tag me if you’d like, I’m always down to learn more about you lovely folk.

#tag game #about me #nobody cares Immy

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smile-beautifuly · 7 years ago

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Alright so I was tagged by the lovely @resurrectedpxls, thank you so much!

Rules: Answer 30 questions and tag 20 people

Nickname(s): Crayola when I was a kid... that's it though. Lol.

Gender: Female

Sign: Pisces

Height: 5'6"

Time: 9:49pm

Birthday: 02/28 ... It's coming up but I'd rather just stay 21 😂

Favorite Bands: don't know that I have any....

Favorite Solo Artists: Sam Smith/ Adele

Song stuck in my head: nothing atm surprisingly but a majority of the time it's the bubble guppies theme song.. I live with 2 toddlers don't judge.

Last movie I watched: um? I have a terrible memory I can't even think of this... it was a Disney movie for sure.

Last show I watched: the Simpson's

When did I create this blog: sh... did I mention I have a horrible memory?

What do I post: random sims stuff. I try to make it mostly legacies but we all know how terrible I am at those.

What did I last google: ngl... how to write height 😂 I can never remember which one goes where lol

Other blogs: not any more.

Do I get asks: On really REALLY rare occasions lol

Why did I choose this URL: because I really wanted everyone to know they have a beautiful smile. Also to remind people to smile because we all have at least one reason to do so.

Following: 254

Followers: 415

Average hours of sleep: atm like 6-8 but once I get a little further in the quarter that'll change real quick.

Lucky number: 13

Instrument: is mayonnaise an instrument??

What am I wearing: a red political party shirt from my home country... it was my grandpa's he was campaigning and gave me a t shirt to sleep in. Also fluffy pj bottoms.

Dream job:____ literally insert answer here. Let me get back to you. When I was younger and thought I had everything planned out .. a lawyer. Then I recently decided teaching. Literally met a professor this past week and already he has changed where I want to go in life. Isn't crazy?? He just makes his career path sound so freaking amazing.

Favorite Food: pasta

Last book I read: ummm I want to say the darkening web

3 favorite fandoms: what? Lol. Like am I too old to know what that means? Jk...maybe

Gotham

OUAT

And can't come up with a 3rd.

20 people:

Don't feel obliged to do this, only if you really want to! Also I may have tagged some of the same people that Lottie tagged so...uhhh my bad.

@amixofpixels @pirouettingplumbobs @bellesgrotto @awolsimmer @romeo-and-simulet @pixelatedmuffins @frost-rainbowcy @theseprettylittlepixels @mdebunny @sunflowersim @fluffisims @vanillabeansims @slytherinpixels @slythersim @bubble-sims @tainoodles @cosysimmer @simside @unknownsimblr @bountifulberries @simbodyoncetoldme

#i get tagged

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withthedog · 7 years ago

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“get to know me��

Tagged by: @wclfmaiden

RULES: Answer 28 questions and tag at least 20 blogs you would like to get to know better.

Name: Tas

Nicknames: um... cant get much short than tas. Jess? Gender: NB

Star sign: Libra

Height: 5'6

Time: 9:32 PM

Birthday: October 4

Favourite bands: flogging molly, dropkick murphys, idk I listen to a lot of things

Favourite Solo Artists: why are these questions so hard?

Song stuck in my head: Feel it Still by portugal the man

Last movie I watched: Moana (I didnt have to change this one from the person who tagged me!)

When did I create my blog: This blog was made May 2016

Last thing I googled: bullet journal meal plan layout

Do I have any other blogs? yeah too fucking many. personal is @kinkyfuckeryoftas

Do I get asks: i havent been on this blog in a while but i used to sometimes

Why I chose my url: “I’ll do what he wants…or whatever he wants…with him…or…or with the dog…” “A false knight! Lord Tywin’s mad dog.”

Following: I dont look at these things

Followers: I dont look at these things

Average hours of sleep: 7.5

Lucky number: 42

Instruments: lol i am not musically inclined

What am I wearing: shirt that says “I do what I want”, jeans

Dream job: village crazy lady

Dream trip: England to meet kittie

Favourite foods: whisky

Nationality: American

Favourite song right now: Piata Mai Nei (Maori language version of Shiny from Moana)

tagging: you, reading this right now.

#ooc

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itsjaybullme · 7 years ago

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Everything Fit Women Need to Know About the Keto Diet

Carlo A / Getty

The ketogenic diet is on fire right now, in case you haven’t heard, and it’s because of people’s reliable weight loss while on it. As a Google search term, “keto” is now double the popularity of “Paleo,” which has leveled off and even decreased in the past year. Keto diets require most of your calories to come from fat (with low protein intake and even fewer carbs), which trains the body to utilize fat for energy rather than carbohydrates. Yet not everyone is on board, with some experts saying that it’s more trouble than it’s worth. There is so much emerging research and buzz about keto that we wanted to cut the fat to find out what it is and isn’t, and why this diet may or may not be effective for women who train.

The origins of the keto diet date back to the 1920s, when a faith healer developed the diet to effectively treat children with epilepsy. But when anti-seizure medications became available, the diet fell out of favor. High-fat diets gained new traction in the ’90s when Robert Atkins published Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution (which, although high-fat and low-carb, is not ketogenic). Fast-forward to present day, and the ketogenic diet has been legitimized as an effective therapy not only for epilepsy but also for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, glaucoma, and even cancer. But the real appeal for most people is the ability to achieve significant weight loss—a claim backed by several studies, including a review of research in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

[RELATED1]

It’s also become, debatably, healthier: We know a lot more now about fats than we did back in the 20th century. Early keto dieters didn’t distinguish between saturated fats or processed fats like canola oil and “healthier” fats like polyunsaturated-rich olive oil or saturated fats like medium-chain-triglycerides (MCT) oil that can curb appetite, increase satiety (feeling full), and improve triglyceride levels. Some modern keto diets are also heavier on whole foods and vegetables rather than packaged, processed foods, so the body benefits reach further. And now there are an array of keto diets, from the standard keto diet to MCT keto. (See “4 Keto Diets Defined,” below, for more.)

For a 140-pound woman who is 5'6" and moderately active with 20% body fat, her keto macronutrient ratios would be 76% fat, 19% protein, and 5% carbs. If monitored closely, this diet would eventually put her into a state of ketosis, in which the body produces ketones for energy from fat cells in the liver rather than using the typical energy source of stored carbs in the muscles. But compliance is hard—you have to measure your ketones daily so as not to have too many carbs or too much protein.

Another downside is that ketosis is often confused with ketoacidosis, in which blood levels of ketones get so high that the blood turns acidic. It can lead to potentially deadly symptoms in short order. Yet, under normal circumstances, with monitoring by a nutritionist and by checking your daily ketone levels, it can be done safely. So could the ketogenic diet be right for you? Here’s what some of the experts have to say.

4 Keto Diets Defined

1. Standard Ketogenic Diet (SKD): Beginner

Low carbs, moderate protein, high fat; fat types can include saturated fat or poly- or monounsaturated. Max is 25 to 50 net carbs daily depending on the person. (Three cups of kale has approximately 28 grams of carbs.)

2. Targeted Ketogenic Diet (TKD): Advanced

Carb limit is higher around workout times. Max is 25 to 50 grams of high-glycemic, glucose-based (not fructose-based) carbs 30 to 60 minutes before training.

3. Cyclic Ketogenic Diet (CKD): Advanced

Alternate keto days with carb-loading days, such as five keto days and one to two “refeed” days. On keto days, max is about 50g of carbs; on carb-loading days, it’s about 450 to 600g.

4. MCT Ketogenic Diet (MKD): Intermediate

The type of fat emphasized is medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) rather than other fats (mostly long-chain triglycerides, or LCTs, like animal fat) because MCTs produce ketones more easily; 30% fat from MCTs, 30% from LCTs.

See the next page for the potential benefits a keto diet could have on your body.

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Body Benefits of Ketosis

Experts agree that there are actually a few benefits to possibly going into ketosis, whether it’s to change your body composition, get control of cravings, or more.

1. Blood Sugar Control

Going keto may be useful for “helping to improve insulin resistance, as does exercise,” says Megan Roberts, the scientific director of Nourish, Balance, Thrive, an online health-coaching company. “It may also help improve conditions associated with insulin resistance like PCOS [polycystic ovarian syndrome].”

By cutting carbohydrate and protein intake, ketosis can also help with other diseases of high insulin, including type-2 diabetes, obesity, and Alzheimer’s disease, adds Jason Fung, M.D., author of The Complete Guide to Fasting. And for those who grew up in the era of “low-fat everything,” adding in healthy fats can help hormonal balance and brain health, Roberts explains.

2. Weight Loss

A growing body of evidence points to at least short-and medium-term weight-loss effects. A British Journal of Nutrition review of 13 studies (totaling more than 1,400 people) showed that those on a very low-carb keto diet (with less than 50g carbs daily) had a decreased body weight and blood pressure at studies’ end compared with those on low-fat diets. You can also see rapid weight loss on a keto diet because insulin causes salt and water retention in the kidneys, and lowering insulin on a keto diet can often produce fast water loss, says Fung.

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3. Appetite Suppression

“There’s no better diet than a ketogenic-style diet if you have always had trouble controlling cravings and body composition, aka once a fat kid, always a fat kid,” says Mark Bell, a champion powerlifter, owner of Super Training Gym, and author of The War on Carbs. An analysis of appetite studies in Obesity Reviews reveals that appetite does seem to be suppressed on low-energy, low-carb ketogenic diets, despite calorie restriction, which usually makes people ravenous. Surprisingly, even butter contains a fat-loss dynamo called butyrate, which has been shown to affect the gut-brain neural circuit by boosting metabolism, suppressing calorie intake, and raising fat burning, according to the journal Gut.

4. Endurance

“Keto diets train the body to burn fatty acids directly, which is often beneficial during prolonged training sessions and endurance athletics. Training muscles to use fat for fuel means the body is able to carry large amounts of fuel. Also, because keto diets are more satiating, they often lend themselves well to restricted time eating or intermittent fasting,” says Fung.

5. Longevity

A keto diet may add more years to your life, according to a study in the journal IUBMB Life. Researchers say that by reducing glucose, you may limit free-radical damage and decrease insulin/insulin- growth-factor-receptor signaling, which in turn boosts the FOXO (forkhead box O transcription factor) proteins, which raise antioxidant enzymes.

See the next page to figure out whether a keto diet suits your goals.

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Keep It Short (and Unsweetened)

Yet, if weight loss is your ultimate goal, some experts say keto is best kept for its original use. “It might help decrease the severity and incidence of seizures in epileptics resistant to medication, but for fat loss there are better options,” says Marie Spano, M.S., R.D., C.S.C.S., C.S.S.D., a sports nutritionist for the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, and Atlanta Falcons. Burning fat may produce more ATP (the molecule that powers you during activity), but during high-intensity exercise the body cannot produce ATP fast enough from fat to meet its energy demands, and your intensity will slow down, she explains. And some experts say there’s nothing magical about the ketogenic diet for weight loss. “Just because you’re burning ketones does not mean you’ll lose weight,” Spano adds.

Roberts agrees that keto is not a diet she recommends for the long term. “Women, especially those who exercise regularly, tend to do better with more carbs from both a health and performance standpoint. Our hormones are more sensitive than men’s, and when you top off exercise and life stressors, with a very low-carb, ketogenic diet, it’s often a recipe for burnout,” she explains.

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In fact, many of us simply can’t stay on a keto diet for too long. “The ketogenic diet is not sustainable for the majority of people, and it can be difficult to go on and off the diet easily,” says Spano. That could be partially due to the time it takes for the body to become fat adapted and start utilizing ketones, which for some can take several weeks. This stage is sometimes referred to as the “keto flu” (or carb flu) and simply is a sort of sugar/carbohydrate withdrawal phase that can be marked by fatigue, nausea, dizziness, brain fog, trouble sleeping, and stomach irritability. “It’s also not ideal for muscle gain, as the carb cutting interferes with the muscle-growth-signaling processes,” Spano says.

And to restrict something—carbs, calories, etc.—for too long and abstain from eating it forever is not realistic, Bell says. Instead, he says, “you should go through different time periods where you’re on different diets. If you’re looking for performance, and fat loss isn’t the most important thing, then a low-carb diet [as opposed to a ketogenic, which is very low-carb in comparison] is the way to go. But if your aim is to control body-fat levels and lose body fat, then a ketogenic diet is the way to go. Once your desired amount of weight has been lost, switch from a ketogenic to a low-carb diet.”

See the next page for tips on going keto the right way.

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How to Go Keto Correctly

Everyone’s ketosis-inducing carb levels will be different. But there are common ways to prepare for a keto diet, including setting realistic expectations. First, be aware that you may take a while to become fat adapted, which means possibly seven days to several weeks in a transitional state or possibly in keto flu. During that time, your performance in the gym will take a hit, Spano says.

Second, be prepared for the mental challenge of the cravings you may experience, Bell says: “Specifically with trying to train yourself to not eat carbohydrates, the single most important thing is to get the foods correct. And this process can take you almost an entire month, sometimes two months, just to get the rhythm and timing down, knowing when to eat and how much to eat; and knowing what to do when a sugar craving pops up.” You’ll need to be able to get past this adjustment phase to see benefits. (To help you get there, check out some recipes from Carolyn Ketchum’s The Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen)

To approach the diet more healthily than its 1920s origins, start with a macronutrient-agnostic, nutrient-dense, unprocessed-foods template, Roberts recommends. “This will make a huge difference for people coming from a standard American diet (SAD). From there, you can dial down carbs and increase fat to get into nutritional ketosis.” Note: Environmental factors can also impact how you respond to a ketogenic diet, Roberts says, especially if a SAD is accompanied by its partner in crime, the SAL (the standard American lifestyle)—lack of sleep, too much stress, and lack of social connection.

Also keep in mind that active people can get away with eating a bit more carbs timed strategically around their workouts and still stay in ketosis, Roberts says, like in a targeted keto diet (TKD) or cyclic keto diet (CKD). “But ultimately, make sure to get in enough calories, regardless of your macronutrient breakdown of choice,” she explains.

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Focus on Healthy Fats

The MCT keto diet (MKD) is one that uses a higher amount of MCTs than a standard keto diet (SKD). These are converted to ketones more quickly and are easier for the body to break down.

Also make sure to increase your intake of polyunsaturated fats, such as those found in walnuts and sunflower seeds. Research in the journal Obesity shows that when compared with subjects eating saturated or monounsaturated fat, those who ate polyunsaturated fats had decreased levels of ghrelin (the hormone that signals you to eat) and higher levels of peptide YY (a gut hormone that helps limit appetite).

Plus, “if your ketogenic diet is composed of [saturated fats such as] bacon, butter, cheese, and coconut oil, then your gut—and overall health—is going to be a lot worse than if you construct a ketogenic diet that is composed of plenty of colorful low-carb, nonstarchy vegetables, unprocessed fats, and quality protein,” says Roberts. That doesn’t mean all saturated fats are bad—it’s all about keeping things in balance with other fats in order for the gut to stay happy on a keto diet. “It’s also worth mentioning that genetics can impact how someone responds to a given type of fat,” Roberts adds.

See the next page for some important points to keep in mind if you embark on a keto diet and for Ketchum's Keto No-nos.

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It can be helpful to see a nutritionist throughout the duration of your diet to make sure your macronutrient (protein, carbs, fat) ratios are dialed in. You can also use a keto calculator like the one on ketodietapp.com to keep tabs on your intake. And make sure to monitor your ketones daily via urine stick, finger prick, or breath tests.

Maybe you’ll initially have great success going keto and then find down the road that you need more carbohydrates. Look for warning signs like poor exercise recovery, fatigue, low female hormones, low thyroid and/or missing/irregular menstrual cycles. These symptoms shouldn’t be ignored, says Roberts, since they may mean it’s time to rethink your keto diet strategy.

In fact, experts caution that evidence can be misleading. “If the keto diet is compared with poor nutrition, then absolutely it’s better, but if it’s compared with a well-thought-out, balanced diet, then, no, it’s not,” says Bell. “Most people would live longer if they ate fewer carbohydrates and followed some form of a low-carb diet. But given the amount of research on the subject in 2017, we know that carbohydrates are a superior energy source, even to ketones,” he adds.

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Ketchum's Keto No-nos

1. Don’t assume how many carbs are in a food—look it up. Many people are surprised to find out how many carbs an onion has, whereas most berries are surprisingly low-carb. And strangely, mollusks like oysters, mussels, and scallops actually have carbs, although they seem like they should be all protein. For packaged foods, always read the labels.

2. Avoid all grains, starchy foods, and sugars. (And yes, maple syrup and honey are sugars.)

Q&A With Ketchum

Q: What can put you back into ketosis quickly?

A: Bacon or anything that’s a fatty protein—eggs cooked in butter with a side of bacon really help. I feel full and less likely to go back to indulging. A day of eating that way, and I will be back in ketosis.

Q: Favorite keto food for athletes post-workout?

A: Chicken thighs or leftover steak; I love eating dinner leftovers the next day. When I come home from a tough CrossFit workout and am ravenous, I just grab these. Sometimes I am too impatient to even heat them up—I just caveman them right into my mouth. Good thing no one is watching!

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from Bodybuilding Feed https://www.muscleandfitness.com/muscle-fitness-hers/hers-nutrition/everything-fit-women-need-know-about-keto-diet via http://www.rssmix.com/

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