#fancy expensive snacks and treats and pastries for themselves

[rxttenfish]

just kind of fucking losing my mind here going insane and getting worse and worse and not understanding why im having these reactions

ive basically lost all pleasure for food or. anything. really. so i just tend not to eat because i get nothing from it and most food tastes disgusting and inedible and at best it tastes like Nothing. and recently i HAVE been craving chocolate which is spectacular because i finally found a type of chocolate that actually tastes good again and not just like disgusting slop. but the only place that has it is an hour ago. and i cant drive.

so i ask my family to tell me when were going to that city again (because were rural) and then they just. dont. dont tell me. so i cant wake up in time for them to tell me theyre going or get ready to go myself or have any chance of going and getting it myself. and i tell them to please just get me the stupid chocolate then. and i swear they maliciously go out of their way to avoid getting it just going to the same store or even GETTING CHOCOLATE OF THE SAME BRAND THAT I CANT EAT (ITS NOT EVEN A SPECIAL KIND I JUST WANT THE NORMAL ASS MILK CHOCOLATE). and theyve been doing this for two months and getting more and more snide when i ask about it or wondering why i cant just eat other chocolate or why im getting upset at all.

and im just so out of it lately and it happened again today and i dont even feel like i can be upset because its such a small petty thing and just. aaaaaaaAAAAAAAA.

[awesomelyblind]

@waitlifted thread continued from the following AWESOME ask!

To be perfectly honest? Justice wasn't really sure how she had arrived in this land of vibrant rolling hills littered with colorful flowers and epic castles, where royals danced, commoners sung with joyful content, the aromas of fresh baked goods and the playful laughter of children all brought a sense of awesome tranquility over that of the ex-High Prosecutor; all of her sightseeing would lead her to the heart of Corona Castle, where a vast ball was being held (in honor or memory of something or someone? Justice really wasn't sure the specifics of it all, merely seeing it as an awesome opportunity to party and make friends!)

Of course, the demon screamed outsider (even putting the whole "horns and tail" thing to the side) based on the clothing she had been wearing: her trademark dashing look with sunglasses to hide her glazed pupils. Though she was blind, Justice could feel the odd stares coming from the citizens of the kingdom; some proved more on the curious side whilst others were more so on the judgmental side of the spectrum, for the awesome demon though? It didn't really bother her either way, after all it wasn't every day that a dashingly dressed demon girl casually strutted her way through your kingdom!

As such, it wasn't really a surprise that some of the royals/nobles were doing everything in their power to stay clear of this mysterious newcomer; and though she couldn't see the emotions on their faces, she could feel the energy coming off of them, even amongst the ones that screamed awesome vibes... they were overshadowed by a since of judgement and fear. She didn't pose an immediate threat, of course, so no guards would come rushing towards her in an attempt to drag her into the dungeon; this allowed her to casually see the sights around her and help herself to some expensive and fancy treats.

Nibbling on some sort of foreign pastry, Justice would turn in a specific direction and meet the gaze of another woman at the event; her energy seemed different in an all too intriguing way... almost as if it screamed the word adventure. Enticed by this prospect, the white haired woman would finish her snack with slight haste before walking over and extending her hand outward to the other.

"Care to dance?" she asked, her trademark smile oozing out charisma in hopes of drawing the other in. A moment or two would pass, Justice safely assuming it to be time for consideration; a notion that the demon wholeheartedly respected, and when her mind was made up and Justice felt the other's palm come to rest casually in that of her own... she couldn't help but think of the word success.

What would follow next would prove to be a simple affair rooted in Justice's partial experience in this sort of thing (thanks largely in part to that one particular night with Lucy.); the ex-High Prosecutor would respectfully place her left on the stranger's waist, whilst her right would lace its fingers through the other's and float gracefully at eye level; a moment would pass, before the two would find themselves routinely slow stepping from side to side.

"I'm Justice, by the way." the demon would follow up, figuring an introduction was sort of... necessary, though hers was not nearly formal enough for the event they were currently at (but then again, nothing about Justice was 'formal enough' [not like that bothered her.])

[lovehotelreservation]

Sweet and Easy

Summary: There was something so irresistible about Gintoki, a simple man of simple pleasures who never refrained from going all out when it comes to pleasuring you.

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: Reader/Gintoki

Hello everyone! Here comes a bit more spam from he who prefers sweet over savory~ Thank you to darling @hotdiodick for this request as I had a DELIGHTFUL time working on this prompt, especially once I found further inspiration from “Sweet and Easy” by Wonder Girls, which this one-shot is titled after!

I hope you enjoy!

**Warning: I know this seems silly (but oddly fitting) since this is a Gintama fic, but this one-shots contains spoilers for Persona 5!

—————

“…This is your treat, right?”

Suspicion in his eyes, Gintoki’s gaze flickered from your face back to the vast array of desserts currently situated on the table. They all looked so decadent, even if there were some so elaborate that he almost felt reluctant to eat any of them.

“This is my treat!”

You giggled, all while your admired his expression. Though his eyes were narrowed in scrutiny, you could see him trying to hide back his pure, utter glee to see all the sweets presented right before him.

“This isn’t a ruse, or anything…right?”

His finger hovered over one of the cupcakes, wondering whether he should swipe his finger at the frosting to taste, or remain cautious.

“It’s totally not a ruse!”

You reassured him, shaking your head. While Gintoki’s behavior was humorous to watch, you just wished he would indulge in the treats as you wanted him to do. As you spent the day dogsitting Sadaharu while he, Shinpachi, and Kagura were out fulfilling a request–a successful endeavor that was nothing short of a miracle–all you wished was to do was to indulge and splurge on sweets with your boyfriend.

His eyes snapped back up to meet yours, a stare that dared not to waver in its intensity.

“This isn’t some trap for you to take some long-harbored vendetta against me, correct? You’re not disguising yourself as a dear companion to me in order to seek revenge on your father, who looks like a bald Gendo Ikari, yeah? You don’t possess any Stand ripoffs like Hobin Rood or Kilo, right? I am in no mood to ever to dress like a stupid kitsune–I’m not into that sort of thing, for I am a man of simple desires like creampies, facials, spanking, humiliation, and ana–”

Gintoki was interrupted, his mouth muffled and suddenly full of a green tea-flavored bun.

Though your expression was affectionate, the grip of your hand on the dessert was not–how could you when he was listing kinks in the middle of one of Edo’s most lavish dessert shop, all while a wealthy-looking mother and child were passing by as they headed to their table, of which you motioned towards with your head. In response, you admonished him with a huff, “Gintoki, it’s just a date! What, I can’t treat my own boyfriend every now and then?”

Your boyfriend breathed against the bun, his eyes furrowed as he tried to work his mouth around the soft, slightly flaky texture so he may bite into it. Once he was able to get a decently-sized chew, he drew his head back, his eyes narrowed towards you as he spoke, even with food in his mouth. “Oi, you know I’m into that sort of thing, but in reverse. If anyone’s getting a mouthful of sausage bun, it’s going to be you.” He pointed his index finger towards you for emphasis, though seeing your lips curl into a grin and your eyes twinkle at the thought only made him gulp–bun included–and feel a rush of excitement.

Still, not to give in to you so easily, he continued, “Usually when people are nice to me, they have something they want–like money or revenge.”

“Well in my case–” Your expression softened, becoming tender as you slowly pointed at yourself, your lips becoming full and pouty. “–I just want your love, Gintoki. Is that too much to ask for?”

Gintoki’s hands flew up to his clothes as he let out a tremendous roar while leaping to a stand, his face immediately feeling and looking fiery hot. He noticed that your innocent expression remained, but with years of being your lover, he could see beneath that mask was a contortion of smug triumph. In the same regard from your end, you knew how there was nothing that he wished to protect more than the sweet smile on your face.

Or whatever relevant metaphor he would mention with utter seriousness while squaring off against the main villain of the current arc.

Which, honestly, you were truly the most formidable opponent he had ever had to deal with.

One who knew all his weaknesses, how to extort his vices, when he was at his most vulnerable state.

Truly this was why there was no one more perfect for him than you.

Teeth gritting together in a scowl, he hissed, “H-How dare you use such underhanded sweetness against me?!”

“Sir! Is everything alright?!”

His head shifted to the side, realizing that a flustered waitress was standing close by, with other nearby tables looked utterly startled by his outburst. From the corner of his eye, he could see your head turn—which, knowing you–meant you were about to utter out some excuse for his behavior. But as your mouth opened, he cleared his throat while reaching over to take the green tea bun from your hands.

“Ahh my apologies. I was just taken aback by the deliciousness of the restaurant’s cusine,” he droned as he plopped back down onto his seat, right before he took another bite while waving the waitress off with his other hand. “I’m a well-known Yip reviewer, so I was practicing my overdramatic write-up for later. Don’t worry, I promise to give as many thumbs ups to this place as possible. In fact, I’ll even ram it in, because I have a fondness for ana–”

“Angelic Parfaits!” You chirped suddenly, your voice tight and your tone high. Smiling a bit too cheerily at the waitress, you continued, “That’s the specialty of this place, right? Those really big ones that’s supposed to reach the heavens, or something like that? We’ll take the azuki one please!” Your expression becoming sheepish, you gestured towards your boyfriend with your hand. “He’s been looking forward to trying one for a while, so he’s just a little excited.”

As if it wasn’t clear from days spent together beforehand, at this moment, forever with you was something he greatly looked forward to.

Though the waitress still looked unnerved, she slowly nodded while taking out her notepad, scribbling your order. “V-Very well then.” She turned to leave, much like how the other restaurant patrons curiously stared a moment longer at the two of you before returning to minding themselves.

Gintoki immediately faced your direction. “I love you.”

Even with the playful exasperated sigh you released, your heart fluttered with joy, matched by the laugh you let out. “I love you too, Gintoki.”

His ‘suspicions’ of your intent cleared up, he held no restraint to feasting the tabletop-full of fancy, expensive desserts and sweets. There was no metaphor for this. He truly was an overgrown kid at a candy store. You couldn’t help but 'aww’ and coo over him practically weeping when the Angelic Parfait was brought out, sniffling how the two of you should elope because he doesn’t have the money for a wedding reception, hell let alone the ceremony itself. This man–however flawed and perverse he was–deserved so much, and nothing brought you as much fulfillment as seeing him smile.

Still, as nice as it was to watch Gintoki partake in his treats, you happily delved into your array of sweets, like the long strawberry and cream bun you just took a bite out of.

“Aah, this one’s so good!” You moaned, savoring the sweet taste of the berries and cool, fluffy texture of the cream. The pastry was artfully crafted, and truly it was a shame to have to ruin its delicious display. But with a flavor like this, there was no way you would ever be able to resist for long. Happily, you licked your lips from any excess cream that remained from your first bite of your bun.

…whereas the cream from Gintoki’s was shot out and landed right on a few other treats due to him suddenly squeezing it with intense force.

“Gintoki, so messy~” You let out a giggle, genuinely unaware of what your innocent actions just caused.

While your lover wanted to make a rebuttal, he just thanked Steel Ball Run Jesus that he didn’t make a mess elsewhere on his personage.

Needless to say, once the two of you finished your date, Gintoki was walking rather…stiffly on the way back to Otose’s Snack House.

Times like these made him thankful that his yukata draped loosely, especially around his crotch. Though, it was difficult to not remain hard while he thought back to you licking your lips, or how you enjoyed his playful threat of fucking your mouth. He wanted to laugh at himself. As he himself admitted, he was a man of simple pleasures after all–and there was absolutely nothing else in the world that could satisfy him as much as you.

But honestly, even with a night spent tasting and trying out the finest of desserts that Edo had to offer, it quickly dawned on him that there was something he had yet to have his fill of.

“I’m hungry.”

He blurted out those words while the two of you were standing in the middle of the Yorozuya’s main living area. The whole office was quiet–no muffled idol music, no snores that could echo endlessly throughout time–and Kagura’s and Shinpachi’s shoes weren’t to be found at the genkan, meaning the two of you were alone.

You immediately faced him, eyes wide and lips parted slightly in genuine astonishment, the latter of which all that he could focus on and long for. “You’re still hungry? Even with all the buns you were stuffing your face with?”

Gintoki didn’t say anything in response, but rather, showed it by seizing your hips and drawing you towards him. While you were first met by the familiar outline of his erect cock pressing against your front, you felt him then immediately grab your ass, his firm squeezes eliciting startled gasps out of you.

His head leaned forward, lips dropping by your ear as he huffed, his voice husky, “Why wouldn’t I be when you’ve been holding out on the best buns from me?”

Under different circumstances, you would’ve smacked him for such a cheesy line, but you were instead left weak in the knees as your boyfriend continued to grope you relentlessly, feeling his lecherous desire for you with every touch. His lips sought out yours, kissing you hungrily. You could feel the heat of his tongue probe into your mouth while he ground his erection against your front. He kept you in place, refusing to let you go until he had his fill, which, by that time, you were left in a daze, panting and flushed in the cheeks.

Before you could say anything in response to what just occurred, you were instead scooped up into his arms. Looking at his face, you could see the sultry smirk plastered on his lips as he chuckled lowly.

“Now it’s my turn to treat you~”

And then he carried you to the bedroom.

If your date was anything to go by, he surely was hungry by the way he tore and ripped your clothes apart like they were the fancy cupcake wrappers and ornate pastry liners from earlier. Though he had no shame with stuffing his face with all the sweets, he still maintained his manners–save for talking with his mouth full.

However, such composure was out of the question once he had his face planted between your thighs.

You were left to writhe and squeal while lying upon the futon, your fingers woven through his already messy perm as his tongue caressed your core in long yet quick strokes. His hands gripped your thighs securely, keeping you from moving around too much, therefore interrupting his meal. Pleasurable as this all was, it was when he would lift his half-lidded gaze to meet yours that made you want to tug on his hair even more.

His stare arrogant sultry, he had the tip of his tongue circling delicately around your clit, keeping this up until you were whimpering and begging for more.

Of course, when asked so nicely, he was eager to oblige, licking and kissing until your back arched and your lips cried out breathlessly. He never understood why some considered him to be a sadist.

This night was yours after all. Hence why he was preparing to spoil you further as he situated himself between your legs with his hard, aching cock in hand.

He admired the scarlet blush on your cheeks, a sense of pride coursing through him knowing that such a sight was caused by him, that you felt so good to be looking this way.

“Gintoki, you…glutton,” you teased amidst your shallow breaths, your lips fixed in a grin. “How can you just…keep going?”

Feigning ignorance, he shrugged, despite the smirk on his face, “I don’t know–how do you keep tempting me so easily?“

"Didn’t you call yourself a man of simple pleasure earlier?” You queried just as you took in an anticipatory breath. The head of his cock was nudged against the entrance of your slick core.

Eager for the warmth that would soon envelope him, Gintoki chuckled, even as he could feel his mouth water from feeling your wetness. “Heh, true. I guess I’m just overwhelmed, knowing that I’m treated to luxury every single day…!” His cock sheathed inside you fully with one thrust, his name uttered from your lips in one moan.

Heaven.

Positioned above you, covering–no, caging you with his body, his mouth sought out and captured your lips for a kiss. Feeling your legs slink around his bare waist, he grinned, taking that as invitation to grab onto your hips and start pounding away at your core. His cock pushing in and out smoothly yet with the ferociousness of his desire for you, your heat squeezing around him while serving as the perfect fit for his girth.

Could there truly be anything better than this?

Then again, feeling your fingers weave through his hair again, hearing you moan against his mouth, the sound muffled by his kiss–so delicate, so pure–it made him want to fuck you over and over, to do whatever it took to have you remain his.

His bedroom was full of noise, amidst the sigh and groans of names and him relentlessly hammering his cock inside you, in addition to the obscene slapping noise of his sweat-slicked hips meeting yours, his balls right against your ass. If Kagura or Shinpachi were to come home, what was transpiring between you both would be blatant.

Though this would be a good, relevant time to use the excuse of spontaneous mochi pounding in the bedroom.

A silly metaphor, but one that made him grin wickedly, urging and coaxing him to ravage you even further.

One could never be too lenient when a decadent dessert called for vigorous preparation, after all.

By now however, the two of you were far beyond the beginning step, soon reduced to clinging to one another tightly, bodies quivering, hips bucking and rolling against each other. Your names were uttered to one another through a kiss. In return to the heat that your slickness offered him, he–in return–poured the warmth of his seed in thick, messy spurts.

At last, Gintoki rolled off of you, landing by your side with a heave of a breath, his arm resting over his head. He glanced over at you, watching your chest rise and fall while waiting for your heart rate to settle.

Smiling affectionately, he moved to his side, leaning forward to kiss your cheek, your name spoked in a hum. “Thanks for the treat.”

Breathless as you were, the loving look in your eyes reflected his identically. Just as content, you giggled, “Anytime, Gintoki. I’d love to go back there with you again, really.”

He let out a noise of amusement, propping his arm up on his elbow, his head resting on his palm. “Oh, I didn’t mean that.”

You always looked so cute when you were confused. “Hm? Then–”

Gintoki’s grin was nothing short of perversion. “I meant the creampie. Give me another serving, would ya?”

You grabbed the pillow from beneath and prepared to smack his face. He only blocked your attempt with ease, tossing it away before he kissed you longingly once more. Even with your taste on his tongue, he knew that he would always be craving for you.

[richjapan]

#RichJapan - 2.0 - Tokyo

Fun-employed (when you’re having fun while unemployed because of a culmination of freedom + savings) since January 11, 2019. In late March 2019, accepted an offer to start another new venture on April 15, 2019. With two weeks to spare, I booked a trip to Japan. I knew my next venture would be the most challenging of my career so I chose Japan as a place to prepare my mind and body for the journey to come. Coincidently, it was also Cherry Blossom season (which only lasts about a week) in Japan.

Another reason why I chose Japan is because of how many great, deep thoughts I had last time I was there. This time I was hoping to go deeper down the rabbit hole of my own subconsciousness to find and define my purpose in life. During this trip to Japan, I read books and articles on this subject.

The last time I was in Japan I wrote a summary of each day in-the-moment. This trip, I did not have the time or energy to sit down every day to write, but I did compile notes each day of memorable experiences. Now that I’m back in San Francisco, I’ve decided to write a few entries to share with the world segmented by each city I visited.

Major update since this blog was written. I turned the Google Sheet which listed things to do in Japan into an app:

https://richjapan.glideapp.io

Observations:

- It’s hard to fathom how international travel was possible before smartphones. It’s mind blogging how everything is easier and faster with an iPhone in my hand.

- No one in Japan jaywalks. There could not be a car for miles in either direction, but people will NOT cross the street until there’s a green light for pedestrians.

- Japan’s snacks, sweets & beverages are on another level. The variety and quality of each treat is out of this world. I gained at least 10 pounds in less than two weeks. Is this the equivalent of Japanese Freshman 15?

- Japanese vending machines are like the 9th Wonder of the World. They are EVERYWHERE! I played a game of Pokemon Go while I was in Japan (”Gotta catch them all!)”. I was determined to try EVERY variety of beverage displayed in each vending machines I ran across. I would sometimes buy something new only to take a few sips and then throw it away. I could write a whole separate blog about my critique and ranking order of each beverage I tried.

- When I learned Japanese in college I learned the word “no” which is “iie”, but no one in Japan actually says “no” because it is seen as impolite. They use different variations of no.

- A couple of months ago I was in Brazil for Carnaval, but while in Japan I found it easier to read and pronounce Japanese than it was to do the same in Brazilian Portuguese. Maybe this is because words in Japanese are pronounced phonetically or because their words are pronounced syllable by syllable.

- I love listening to Japanese speak their language. They speak with such enthusiasm and, to me, it sounds very melodic. When I hear some Japanese speak it almost sounds like notes going up and down on a piano.

- Not sure if this was just for Cherry Blossom season, but Japanese put cherry blossoms (sakura) in everything and it tastes amazing. I had cherry blossoms in alcoholic beverages, tea, mochi, dumplings, donuts, etc and it was all sooo good!

- Uber has a presence in Tokyo, but it’s about 1.5x more expensive than cabs and even cabs are expensive. For instance, taking a cab 5 miles will cost you about $20. Without Uber, I forgot how much energy is expended when you have to walk from place to place or take trains. One day I walked 11 miles and on average I walked 7 miles a day in Japan.

- Japanese really take pride in their work regardless of the role. When I encountered train ticket agents, restaurant workers, retail associates, or any other service worker I was impressed by their enthusiasm to serve me.

- Japanese are very sexually repressed. For example: I’ve yet to see any public displays of affections and married couples sleep in separate beds. There are times and places where the Japanese express themselves sexually but it’s very underground and not spoken about publically.

- There’s always the most random American pop music playing in the background of bars, restaurants, and shops. Usually songs at least 15 years old.

- I found myself cringing every time I heard an American accent and doing everything I could NOT to mingle with Americans (or any Westerners). Americans abroad have the worst reputation (and for good reason). I found them to be loud talking, inconsiderate, culturally ignorant, and arrogant.

Memorable moments:

- I forgot how much I missed Japanese bathrooms. Japanese bathrooms are a microcosm of Japanese mindfulness. They’ve thought of everything and incorporated it into their bathrooms. 

Don’t want people to hear you pooping? They’ve thought of that.

Brought your baby in the toilet with you? They’ve thought of that.

Need someplace to put your umbrella? They’ve thought of that.

Need a deeper clean than just toilet paper? They’ve thought of that.

Don’t like the cold shock of a toilet seat? They’ve thought of that.

Need to quickly wash your hands after you’ve flushed? They’ve thought of that.

- Ate at a Chinese restaurant in Tokyo and tried new foods including: 1,000-year egg, pig ear, jelly fish, and. . .fried scorpion.

- Walked an area called “Grandma Street” on a Saturday morning. They close down a strip of streets every Saturday to spur community engagement. On this street are a bunch of shops and activities accommodating the elderly. Witnessed grandpa’s dressed in fancy clothes hitting on grandmas and took notes ;). This street is also where I discovered and fell in love with sweet potato pastries.

- Drinking with Japanese businessmen is like an episode of Mad Men. Conservative suits and ties, dim-lit bars, lots of cigarettes, binge drinking, and conversations too offensive for ultra-liberal San Francisco.

- Ate at a small, family-owned sushi place in Koenji neighborhood called Kiku Sushi. I was the only person sitting at the sushi bar. This position gave me the sushi chef’s and his mother’s full attention. They asked me questions about where I was from and what I planned to do in Japan. I spoke to them in my broken Japanese. They were so genuinely AMUSED by my stories. Everything I said was greeted by positive verbal and non-verbal communication. They were feverishly nodding their heads up and down, smiling, and giggling at everything I said. I was so amused by their amusement. Their warm, genuine intrigue, and hospitality really encapsulates Japanese culture for me and it was one of my most memorable experiences of this particular trip.

Learnings:

- You can buy a JR Rail pass when you land in Tokyo and available at the airport or select stations like Shinjuku. Also, I didn’t realize this when I was first in Japan in 2017, but JR Rail pass is not only good for traveling from city to city but also good for certain rail lines within Tokyo.

- According to a few locals I spoke with, Japan is NOT a Socialist country. I categorize a Socialist country by high taxes, free healthcare, free college, free child care, government-owned major industries. These locals said Japan does not have any of those things. Think of Japan as Collective Capitalism.

Places Visited:

- Kōenji（高円寺）- The thrift shop capital of Tokyo. Picked up a couple one-of-a-kind shirts. Thanks, Brian for the recommendation!

- TeamLab Borderless - An art exhibit made for the post-Instagram world. It was alittle bit like you were in the middle of the movie Fantasia. An internet meme that definitely lived up to the hype. We were there for two hours before they closed, but would recommend going earlier and staying longer. Thanks Ian for the recommendation!

- Kagaya - Wow. What an experience! Think Improv meets Sesame Street meets South Park meets Japanese cuisine. If you like irreverent,  random experiences make a reservation. As my friend, Dan who recommended says, “Don’t Google it! Just book a reservation and show up with an open mind.”

- Jazz Blues Soul Bar - Cool place with walls lined with old records and an eclectic mix of soul jams playing in the background, but too many Western tourists so I wouldn’t go back.

- Jiroumaro - Small restaurant where you stand-up and eat a super-tasty array of pieces of wagyu. Highly recommended!

- Odaiba Oedo Onsen - The DisneyWorld of Spas. Bars, restaurants, and spas. It’s an experience the whole family would enjoy.

- YAKITORI燃 - Best yakitori. Get the wagyu and ask for sake pairing recommendation from the manager (he's kind of a celebrity chef in Japan).

[seashellkittyatsunset]

A Pleasant Discovery

           It had been a long day of driving in the Regalia, and Ignis was more than happy to have the chance to stretch his legs. The royal entourage of Noctis, Gladio, Prompto, and Ignis had made the drive from Galdin Quay to Hammerhead to help deliver some sorely needed supplies as a favor to Cid and Cindy, and was now getting ready to set up camp. As a surprise, the trio of ex-Imperials of Aranea Highwind and her two subordinates Biggs and Wedge had accompanied them with their motorbikes. When asked as Gladio was packing up the last of the supplies at the port, Aranea mentioned that she wanted to make sure the parts for the new headlights that Cindy was making would get there in one piece. Though a little miffed for doubting the integrity of him and his friends, Ignis nevertheless welcomed the soldiers’ presence as they made their way to the garage. There had been a small herd of Garulas blocking the road, and with their help, the boys had no trouble clearing the way.

           Now, after picking up groceries for themselves and their guests, Ignis was grabbing the last bag out of the trunk. Gladio was with Biggs, setting up the tents and such, Prompto had accompanied Ignis while shopping but ran off with Aranea and Cindy soon after, while Noctis went to get firewood with Wedge, and Cid was dozing off in one of the camp chiars. Reaching into the depths, oddly enough there was one more bag than the man had anticipated; tucked away behind the parcel he now carried.

           “What the devil…?” he muttered as he bent low, bringing the bag out into the light of the late afternoon sun. It was a short, square box filled with an odd of assortment of pastries that he could only describe as donuts. Frowning, the advisor to the wayward prince knew that he had not purchased them with the other ingredients, leaving only…

           “Prompto…” A sigh escaped the man as he shook his head and made his way back to the now erected campsite on the outskirts of Hammerhead. The boy had an incorrigible sweet tooth, and must have sneaked the box in with their purchases when Ignis had had his back turned. No doubt the blonde gunslinger would try to gorge himself on the snacks with the prince, Noctis, and completely spoil their dinner. Setting the food down on the dining table, Ignis had gone to check on the stove when lo and behold, Prompto popped up next to him, Aranea and Cindy in tow after taking a tour around the camp with the energetic ray of sunshine.

           “Heeey, Iggy! Need any help?” The freckles on Prompto’s face were spread wide with his smile as he skipped up to the makeshift kitchen. Ignis wondered how on Eos he could have such boundless energy. And judging from the subtle glance the blondie threw at the girls, it was all to impress them.

           “It would have been nice having some help carrying this lot from the Regalia, but it seems you’ll have to settle for helping cook.” The girls laughed at Prompto’s sputtering and sheepish look, and Ignis allowed himself a small smirk. He definitely took any chance he could to mercilessly tease the youngest member of their four-man band. It was a bit of a small game to them, kept them knitted together through jokes and jibs.

           “If y’all need some more hands, I’ve two more right here!” Cindy, their loyal mechanic and friend, offered. Prompto had been smitten with her since day one of meeting her, and did everything he could to win her attention. Ignis sometimes wondered if she was just playing hard to get or if she honestly did not return the boy’s affections. Either way, she looked after the men as much as the Regalia and it was always a warm welcome from their travels.

           The ex-Dragoon of the Imperials stepped around from the back stove, a cheeky grin playing on her visage. “Got room for one more? I’m just as handy with a knife as I am a spear.” A wink and a laugh at Ignis’ shocked expression, and the deal was sealed. Aranea had a way of getting what she wanted and it always left Ignis bewildered as to how. Women were dangerous and Aranea seemed to be a master at it.

           Dinner thereafter was a quick affair as Ignis directed his three compatriots in the art of preparing their feast. Prompto was put on sauce and vegetable duty, Cindy on table setting and drinks, and Aranea on meat prep and grilling with Ignis assisting her in both. Aranea had not lied about her skill; easily slicing through the meat with precision as the bespecled man watched and transferred the pieces to the cooking area. He rather admired the camaraderie they had developed, and struck up an easy conversation with her as Prompto and Cindy did the same.

           Soon finished, with Noctis and Wedge having returned with arms full of firewood and having started a roaring fire and joining Galdio, Biggs, and a now-awake Cid, dinner was served to the delight of everyone. The steak and vegetables had come out excellently of course and the group was tucking in and chatting about random topics of their fancy. The advisor soon noticed his prince was pushing his vegetables to the side of the plate like usual. It always perturbed him that the young royal had such a strong distaste towards necessary nutrients. Shaking his head, he happened to glance back at the doughnuts that were still on the table and an idea sparked into his mind.

           “Prompto,” Ignis called over to the boy across the firepit. “Forgive me as it had slipped my mind, but what exactly are those confectionaries that you so readily slipped into the groceries?”

           The freckled youth had a look of embarrassment on his face again before responding. “O-Oh, those. Yeah, the shopkeep saw me eyeing them and said I just HAD to try them! She said they were called “poon-shkees” or something, but there was no way I could say no!” He rubbed the back of his neck as he spoke, nervous of the reproach that he could hear was about to come from the older man. “We haven’t really had a chance to have any sort of dessert stuff lately, so I thought, why not?” Prompto finally looked up, his blue eyes trying to search Ignis’ green for any sort of reprieve.

           Ignis surprised him and everyone else who was listening in with a smirk. “Well, if Noctis would be as so kind to eat some of his vegetables, I don’t see why we couldn’t enjoy some dessert.” Gladio barked out a laugh at Iggy’s clever gambit and was soon joined by everyone else.

           “What? Iggy, not cool!” Cornered with his companions finding amusement at his expense, Noctis seemed to mull over his decision before finally taking a bite of the asapargus and grimaced. The moment was memorialized with a flash of Prompto’s camera and more laughter. Ignis could only beam in triumph, and mentally filed away the tidbit for future use.

           Once the plates were (in Noct’s case, mostly) clean and placed to the side for washing, Prompto excitedly grabbed the box of doughnuts and started passing them out to everyone. He shoved one into Ignis’ waiting hand and another just as quickly into Aranea’s, who was seated to the advisor’s right. As the photographer dashed around to the next person, the man studied the pastry he now held. It was somewhat of an oval shape with powdered sugar dusted all over its surface. Taking a bite, he had an explosion of flavor in his mouth, the crème filling nearly gushing out by accident. Though it was his favorite flavor of chocolate, it was almost overwhelming to have so much in his mouth at once.

           A laugh at his side made him turn in his seat. Aranea had also taken a few bites of her dessert, but didn’t have nearly as much crème dribbling from her mouth. “You’ve got to take it slow, hotshot!” Reaching out before he could react, she deftly wiped the sugary goodness from his chin with her finger and stuck it in her mouth to lick it off. “Ooooh, you were lucky to get chocolate. I got strawberry.” Laughing again at the dumbstruck look on Ignis’ face, she gave a coy wink before turning away to strike up a conversation with Cindy.

           Ignis just sat frozen in his position, his once-bitten pastry laying forgotten in his twice-shy paralysis. He had no idea how to even start processing that not only had Aranea touched him without permission, but had done so with a brazenly flirty move in front of the gods and everyone. His brain was being so slow to bring him back down from La-La Land that another camera flash startled him out of his reverie.

           “Prompto! Delete that photo at once!” Tossing his treat aside into his chair, he made to go after the younger man who had skipped off giggling. Aware he was making even more of a fool of himself by giving chase, Ignis just couldn’t seem to care as he had to make sure such an embarrassing picture was not left for posterity. It did the trick of sending everyone into a laughing fit, and indeed, helped bring the group even closer in comradery. Ex-Imperials along with Lucian nobility and commoners alike delighted in the scene of the bespecled man chasing after the blond gunslinger. It made for a good end to a long day with good friends, good food, and good memories.

[organicdietguide]

Flexitarian Diet Healthier | Add Years To Your Life | The Flexitarian Diet

Flexitarian Diet Benefits: for Your Health...

What does being flexitarian involve?

Becoming flexitarian is about more than simply eating fewer animal foods and more plants. It’s also about optimizing health. The quality of your food choices is also important. Here are the main principles to follow:

Eat mostly vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds plus minimally processed oils.

Choose plant sources for most of your protein needs. You can also use protein powders made from pea, rice, hemp and soya combination of different plant proteins is best.

Secret Anabolic Recipes | Cook Healthy | Muscle Building Meals

Incorporate some or all the following animal-origin foods into your diet from time to time: red meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, dairy products including milk, cheese, and yogurt. I’ll look at this in more detail later.

Eat the least processed, most natural form of foods. As an endurance athlete, you might want to look at switching to sports nutrition brands that use natural ingredients and are vegan. In the UK I recommend Tribe and 33 Fuel.

Limit refined carbohydrates like white bread and white rice, as well as cakes, biscuits, pastries, and confectionery. Do this in the context of your sporting life, of course, sometimes low fiber foods are just what you need. And there may well be a time and place for a good quality cake!

Avoid junk food, poor quality fats too much added sugar, and highly processed meal options.

Plant sources of key nutrients

Flexitarian Diet Healthier | Add Years To Your Life | The Flexitarian Diet

Being flexitarian is not the same as being an omnivore (someone who eats all food groups) as, by definition, a conscious effort is made to reduce animal foods and increase plant foods. So, it’s important to know which are the best plant sources of key nutrients and incorporate these regularly into your meals, as you are unlikely to meet your requirements from animal foods alone if you significantly reduce the latter in your diet.

Protein: needed for strength, muscle recovery and to support almost every system in your body. Plant sources: beans, lentils, chickpeas, tofu, quinoa, nuts, and seeds plus the proteins found in wholegrain foods. Choose a wide range as not all plant proteins contain the full range of essential acids needed by your body.

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It is generally recommended that endurance athletes consume 1.2-1.6g of protein per kg of body weight per day, compared with 0.8g/kg for the general population.

This should be spread across your various meals or snacks each day, so the smaller amounts of protein found in plant foods can help you to do this. You can see the amounts of protein per 100g in various plant foods and compare this with foods of animal origin here.

Iron: needed to make red blood cells for oxygen transport and for energy production. The iron in plant foods is called non-haem iron, which is harder for the body to absorb than the haem type found in animal foods. But iron is found in a wide range of plant foods.

Belly Fat in Women

Some of the best sources are tofu, beans, lentils, chickpeas, cashew nuts, various seeds, dried apricots, dried figs, and green leafy vegetables.

Eat or drink a source of vitamin C (found in most fruit and vegetables) with these foods to improve how much iron you absorb.

Calcium: essential for bone health and also plays a role in muscle function. Plant sources include nuts, seeds, chickpeas (including hummus), tahini (made from sesame seeds), tofu, beans, lentils, green leafy vegetables, and seaweed.

Plant “milk” is usually fortified with calcium as they contain much less than cow’s milk. Check for this when choosing a brand.

Zinc: Important for the immune system and a healthy gut, as well as many other processes in the body.

Meat and dairy are the primary sources of zinc, but it is also found in the nut, seeds, beans, lentils, tofu, and chickpeas so some of these foods should be included in a flexitarian diet every day.

Omega 3 fats: these anti-inflammatory fats are found in certain plant foods but unlike those found in oily fish, the fats must be converted by the body to a form that can be absorbed.

This means that quite large quantities are needed. Sources include chia seed, hemp seed, flaxseed, seaweed, walnuts and pumpkin seeds.

What Is The Paleo Diet

If you are going to follow a flexitarian diet but exclude fish and seafood, I recommend that you take a vegan omega 3 supplement made from marine algae, such as this one.

Flexitarian Diet Healthier | Add Years To Your Life | The Flexitarian Diet

a great option for anyone who wants to adopt a healthier lifestyle because it emphasizes plants without being anti-meat.

Belly Fat in Women

Lowers Risk of Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes..

74 participants consumed the same number of calories for six months. Some went on a vegetarian diet, and others went on a diet that emphasized reducing sugars, refined carbs, cholesterol, and saturated fat.

Interestingly, people on the vegetarian diet lost more subcutaneous fat (the fat under your skin), subfascial fat (the fat that lines your muscles), and intramuscular fat (the type stored inside your muscles themselves).

The fat stored in your muscles can impact your metabolism and lead to insulin resistance (and even type 2 diabetes).

A study published in Diabetes Care cited specifically, flexitarians had a lowered risk of type 2 diabetes compared with nonvegetarians.

In addition, being overweight is one of the biggest risk factors for type 2 diabetes, and this same study showed that flexitarians had lower BMIs than nonvegetarians.

Helps With

Weight Loss

..

If you’re trying to lose weight, there a seemingly infinite number of eating plans and diets to choose from, and the Flexitarian Diet can be considered one of the most credible.

The simple lifestyle shifts in the Eat Sleep Burn ugly belly fat…

For one, if you emphasize the plant-based component of this diet by eating lots of fruits, veggies, and whole grains, you’ll likely feel full on fewer calories than you’re accustomed to, which makes shedding pounds almost inevitable.

Decreases Your Risk for Heart Disease..

The researchers concluded that substituting some of the meat in your diet with vegetables may be a simple way to lower the risk of heart-related death.

However, it’s worth noting that this study was not published in a peer-reviewed journal, and therefore credibility is limited.

It’s also worth noting that one case report and literature review published in the Journal of Geriatric Cardiology found that plant-based diets may be effective in preventing and treating heart failure.

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Contributes to a Longer Life..

Research also suggests that Flexitarians may live about 3.6 years longer than their carnivorous counterparts, likely as a result of the reduced risk of disease.

Adds to Feelings of Fullness.. Keeps You Well Nourished.. What is the Flexitarian Diet?

Before getting into the specific benefits of a flexitarian diet, it’s important to be clear on what it actually is.

The flexitarian diet was devised by a dietitian called Dawn Jackson Blatner, and the name is a combination of the words “flexible vegetarian.” This tells you the key fact about the diet: it’s similar to being a vegetarian but much less strict. You limit your consumption of meat but not entirely.

There are really no hard rules to follow or anything like that; it’s a more general approach that keeps some key principles in mind.

Mainly eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes.

Get most of your protein from plants rather than animals.

Eat meat from time to time.

Stick to the most natural form of foods, avoiding overly processed foods.

Try to keep any added sugar to a minimum.

This is really the core of the diet, but what it boils down to is that you’re essentially a vegetarian but you eat meat when it takes your fancy. In theory, this should offer many of the benefits of a vegetarian diet while being much easier to stick to in the long-term.

Flexitarian Diet Healthier | Add Years To Your Life | The Flexitarian Diet

The Benefits of a Flexitarian Diet

1 – Reduced Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Research has found that vegetarian diets are better for reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes than “diabetes-friendly” diets. This is expected to carry over to flexitarian diets to some extent, and indeed the review article mentioned above confirmed that there is a reduction in the risk for type 2 diabetes for flexitarians.

Since the classification of “flexitarian” is relatively new, there hasn’t been too much research on it specifically, but the results so far are strongly suggestive of a benefit.

2 – Better for the Environment Livestock is a huge source of greenhouse gas emissions, and going vegetarian or vegan is one of the best things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. While this would undoubtedly be better, switching to a flexitarian diet still provides some of the same benefits to the environment, depending on how much you reduce your meat consumption.

When you do eat meat, avoiding beef and lamb is a particularly good idea because farming these animals contributes the most to greenhouse gas emissions.

3 – More Affordable Although there is a lot of variation in how much people spend on food shopping, flexitarian diets don’t rely on special, hard-to-find ingredients or anything more expensive than what you’ll ordinarily buy. If you currently eat meat, it’s likely that you’ll actually save a bit of money by switching to a flexitarian diet, because you’ll be replacing the most expensive part of most meals with something more affordable.

Research has backed this assumption up, too, with vegetarians saving up to $750 per year on food. Of course, as a flexitarian, your savings won’t be quite this big but you will still save money.

4 – Benefits for Weight Loss Losing weight can be very challenging to achieve, and this difficulty has spawned a whole industry of fad diets and “one simple trick” type claims to help you get the body you want.

A flexitarian diet is an ideal solution in a lot of ways, though. The basic reason for this is that plant-based foods tend to be lower in calories, so incorporating more into your diet helps you feel full but still keeps your calorie count low.

Studies have confirmed this too, although the focus is ordinarily on vegetarians and vegans. For example, one review of existing research found that people who cut out meat lost 4.5 pounds/2 kg more than people who didn’t, over an 18 week period. Another review found that people with plant-based diets weigh about 15 percent less than meat-eaters on average.

The review article on flexitarian diets mentioned earlier also covers weight loss and finds suggestive evidence of benefits for weight loss. As expected, vegetarian and vegan diets were associated with lower weights and more weight loss, but flexitarian diets were better than ordinary omnivorous diets.

5 – Potentially Reduces Risk of Heart Disease As with many of the entries on this list, there isn’t much evidence on the benefits of a flexitarian diet for your heart, but there is a lot more research on vegetarian diets. The studies looking at vegetarians tend to find a reduced risk of heart disease.

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