#it's not like I'm making it super obvious I'm doing them I'm generic gym clothes n leaving out details that would make it too specific

[di3nt3s]

I got hired to make some illustrations for a book on ergonomics, and the way in motivating myself to do it is drawing the people doing the stretches to look like rgg characters.

[mellow-worlds]

The feeling of burning calories is the best thing ever. I've already been in ketosis for 50 hours this week and it's only Wednesday. I decided to climb up the stairs instead of using the elevator. It's nice. 12 floors, ez. I've really been enjoying that. I talked a lot to K today. About nothing important, but it was fun. Played chess against him several times, quickfire chess, and lost every time. Was a lot of fun though. Ngl Mask was there for some of the time and somehow, her presence kinda bothered me. She doesn't really fit into my new friend group. And yeah ever since I learned who Smz is and what they look like and how close they are....... yeah. I love the political/philosophical convos we have and even would like my other friends to participate or at least witness them, but that's it.I still feel a little exhilarated from the climb up the stairs. Feels so good. I need to exercise more in general, especially my upper body. Opting for the stairs is already a good beginning, though. It's crazy, P has stretch marks on his arms from how big theyce gotten (at least I suppose so). His bicep is intimidating lmfao. Also K... he likes to really lounge around and it makes it even more obvious how skinny he is. And ofc MiA, he's so slim but still pretty buff. I mean P and MiA go to the gym n stuff. Idk bout K, dint really think so. All I know is that I desperately need to lose weight. And progress feels so good. Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels n that kinda shit. I'm so intimidated by my new friends. Kind of my old friends as well... A is so small... and it's frustrating. I'm so jealous. Also MiS and T don't even care about their figure, I don't think. They are so skinny. Omg I'm aucg a jealous bastard. If I keep on working hard, eating little, I won't have to be jealous of them anymore. I should adopt the Greek notion of virtue. Either socrates' or aristotles, can't remember. Then not eating will be easy. Honestly, rn, it is. So far I haven't been having all that mich trouble.In general, there's so many really pretty people around me, it's frustrating. And theyre all dressed way better than I am. So frustrating. I should put more effort into my hair and my clothes and my everything in general. I feel so childish and stupid. Most importantly, I should lose weight. It'll make me look better in everything automatically. And I'll feel so mich more confident in the vicinity if my friends. I can't wait to have them notice how much I shrivelled down, almost vanishingly small. Hahaha that'll never happen but I can't wait to have them notice I lost a lot of weight. I firstly need to lose a lot of weight. But I'm getting there. I'll keep on working hard.Today MiA told me he was proud of me for doing this little history thing. Aaaaah he's so nice. And he always offers everybody food, especially K, he's so sweet. I said he doesn't really have a reason to ve proud of me and he said still, I dis a good job. I said thanks and laughed it off. He's the sweetest. I kinds suspect he said it because he might think/know I have low self esteem. Istg he's super kind. It prolky wasn't a comment tailored specifically to me but like it still made me feel special, especially the fact that I even had this history thing going on. I need to return this kindness somehow. It really makes me feel happy and special, what he said. The fact that he remembered this minute detail of my life.

[talkfantasytome]

Hi, I know you are very busy with your move, and I hope everything is fine with you. But I came here with a new proposal, of course if you feel like doing it, this is just a game, don't feel pressured, if this kind of ask bothers you in any way let me know. =)

So we talk about gwynriel, nessian and elucien meeting in social networks. But how do you think they would be based on an aesthetic?

One example, I usually think of elucien as hippies. Lucien with a bun on his head in a trailer and Elain environmental activist with crocheted clothes and a flower crown on his head. I can't go that deep with my thoughts, but I think it's a good example.

What do you think they would look like as a couple following an aesthetic? And how do you think they would meet and flirt with each other?

OMG - I do love these, nonnie. Really, this type of stuff, along with any ask stuff I reblog and prompts are just so wonderful to get! 😄

You are right, I do have a lot to do, both for the move and other responsibilities, but this was too good to pass up. 👀

I'm not sure I went exactly in the direction you were thinking in how I answered these, but it's where my mind went. LOL. I don't actually know, like, "standard aesthetics"...I just described my thoughts of how they'd be in general terms, how they might look and what that might mean for them as a couple and perceptions of them.

So! Let's dive into it...

Elucien

I have to admit, I don't really see them as hippies, but that's because whenever I hear hippy I can't help but also think of "free love", and I just don't see them vibing with that. 😂

They are day. The sun and the flowers that cherishes it.

For Lucien and Elain, I see more of a "modern classic" look, with a hint of "trendy". Not super trendy, they tend to stick more to classic looks, but there's some trendiness in their clothing that gives it that more modern edge and makes it more than just "classic".

As for how they might meet and flirt...trickier. Either they got set up, or they meet by chance, perhaps (again), Lucien needs to pick up a bouquet of flowers from a florist, and ends up in Elain's store. Honestly, just think Hallmark movie with these two. 😂 The flirting would be a bit shy at first, Lucien's testing the waters, Elain might not entirely know it, but it would become more obvious. However, it would still remain chaste and modest. Lucien would likely try to make Elain laugh, Elain would want to see him smile. That type of stuff.

Honestly, though, other than being a florist, I don't know if I really see Elain working. I don't mean that negatively, just that I could see them in a life where Lucien is the main provider while Elain just, like, handles everyyyyything else. Literally. Including the finances. They make that stereotype cool, though. Like, Lucien will not do anything without Elain's permission, he absolutely adores and respects his wife, and she is his partner in every way. He credits her to most of his success, and Elain knows she could do whatever the hell she wants and Lucien would support it. But she likes a simpler life, and Lucien reminds her that it's okay, and really shows her that she is loved for who she is, not who she could be.

Gwynriel

Now, these two are interesting, cause they're very much a Night & Day aesthetic.

Gwyn is bright, bubbly, open. She wears blues and greens, often paler and more subdued shades of them, and often with white. She likes linen pants and shirts with modest necklines, but are still generally tight, though she has some loose button ups she loves to tuck into shorts. And she adores rompers. Azriel, on the other hand, lots of navies and blacks. He's got a sharp-yet-casual style, which works well as Gwyn is also on the more casual side. He's not often in a t-shirt and athletic shorts, unless he's at the gym, just like Gwyn rarely wears her leggings out of the house. No, Az has got on his jeans or slacks. He likes thin pullover sweaters or quarter-zips. He'll wear button-ups, but not always tucked in, or even actually done up, since he's always got an undershirt on.

They'd either meet through Nessian, at the gym, or they'd pass each other a lot until Gwyn is finally like "hey! I see you all the time!" and Az is just in shock, like, "wait, you noticed me?" because he totally noticed Gwyn.

I think it would start out with Gwyn doing a lot of the flirting, but it would generally be a bit subtle, and far more, like, "fun flirting" vs. innuendo. And it would take Az a hot minute to realize what's happening, but he'd eventually catch on. And once he did, oof, it would become quite the game. Because he'd hit those innuendos and fluster Gwyn so much, and he'd nearly die every time she blushed bright red because it's just so cute. And Gwyn would get him back by pulling attention to him or calling him out on shit in front of his friends, but also just by being herself, because he always feels flustered around her.

I feel like they'd both have jobs that would require traveling to an extent, so when they're home they truly cherish their time together and spend very little time apart. Because they just missed each other. They always have a weekly game night, they go for walks in the park, and Gwyn is always checking out the local paper to see what's going on in town. And one day soon, they know they're going to be quitting their jobs or asking for a new role that will allow them to travel less so they can be home with their loved one all the more.

Nessian

This probably won't surprise you, but these two are both sunsets. (No, they're not Night and Night like the trend may have suggested. 😂)

They are, for themselves, a darkness that allows the light within them to shine, and a light that shows it cannot exist without the dark. But they are also that for each other.

Nesta is classic and professional - straight skirts, fitted shirts - during the week, but on the weekend she shifts into something more casual, and even goes a bit, like, bohemian? She just has fun with it. Maxi-skirts and crop tops, off-the-shoulder necklines, small t-shirts that she knots and rolls to show off a bit of midriff, and skirts that have a flow to them. And, of course, her workout clothes. She has very nice ones. Lulu Lemon sets of matching leggings and sports bras, things like that. Cassian also has very nice work out clothes, and when they jog together, they do sometimes appear to be matching in similar pullovers. But his style is definitely more laid back during the week. No ties, no suit jackets, just a standard button up, sleeves rolled to his elbows, with just a neat enough tuck. On weekends he's got on a well fitting t-shirt, shorts or jeans pending the weather, and probably his leather jacket. He and Nesta often look like they might be going to some concert or music festival, and even though they sound like they don't mesh, they do, because it's just a casual dress, them being themselves with the person they're safe to be that with.

So many ways they could've met, but I kind of like the idea of them actually working together. Maybe meeting because they get put on a project together, and at first it is like a war zone. But if you listen closely to their arguments, you'll realize that the war isn't actually about the project at all.

Cassian definitely starts flirting with Nesta first, and she knows he's doing it. But she initially thinks it's just to get under her skin...which it does. She decides to get back at him by wearing a particularly flattering skirt and blouse combination. The blouse has to be worn with a jacket or it'll move around too much. And yet, when they're in their meeting, on a call with a third person, she slides her jacket off and then bends to fix her shoe, and Cassian gets a view that completely derails him. And suddenly everything becomes a thousand times more intense. Innuendos and insults, soft caresses and total snubs, and just constant taunting.

At the end of the project, they all go out for drinks to celebrate, and either Cassian and Nesta just end up separated from the group, or they're just the last ones at the bar, but either way they're not at work, so it leads to... *wags eyebrows*. And at first they try to keep it casual, but it just doesn't progress that way.

They're keeping it quiet at work, keeping up a professional facade (though they told those who need to know, and since they aren't in each other's reporting line, it's not an issue), but there are still winks and taunts and little...gifts...for each other throughout the day. But at night and on the weekends it's hard to imagine anyone doesn't know they're dating, because it just seems so obvious, even if they're not right next to each other.

So, yeah, they both have two sides, and often it feels like only the other truly sees both. Their friends see the more casual side, their colleagues the more professional, but they see and love both equally, and love the full person all the more for it.

[theonlyjourneythatmatters]

So, let me preface this by saying that I did struggle figuring out food choices and how to get my calories in check. I struggled with a lot. But let me start from the beginning! This is going to be long- so buckle in. Also- get it out of your head that this is a "diet". This needs to be treated like a lifestyle change.

PHENTERMINE

I went to the Weight Loss Clinic in D'Iberville and got the Phentermine. It's not cheap by any stretch, but if you're like me and had zero energy or motivation, and you needed that jump start to get you started, it is worth it. The side effects for me have been mild. I barely slept the first week. They advise to take it early. I was taking it around 7:30-8:00 am. However, even though I barely slept, I did not feel exhausted and worn out the next morning- so there's that. It does make you sweat a lot, and if you're not eating enough, you will get shaky.

WATER WATER WATER

Water is a must, especially if you're taking the Phentermine. It can and WILL dehydrate you super quickly. Either buy a gallon of water to keep with you at all times, or invest in one of those large water bottles off of Amazon.

MEAL PREPPING

I did not wait to start eating better. The Dr at the clinic told me to focus on protein more so than anything else. So I did my research to find out what had the most protein in it. The obvious choices are meats- fish (very good for you, plus it has Omega-3 which is essential for heart health), chicken/turkey, and beef. I'm not a big chicken fan, but it is what it is.

Now, I love fruits and vegetables so paring the sides with the protein meals was not difficult for me.

Most vegetables are not very high in protein- they're also not high in calories. Raw, fresh vegetables anyway. A medium cucumber is about 4 calories. FOUR. WHOLE. CALORIES. For one single raw cucumber! Frozen or prepared vegetables are a completely different story. Fruit, on the other hand, can be high in calories- but the serving sizes are pretty decent.

Snacks were a little more tricky because my favorite thing to snack on is chips. And how many calories are in chips? A LOT. Too much for me to be comfortable giving up 1/3 of my caloric intake for the day, that's for sure. So, I opted for chicharrons and veggie straws.

You can absolutely tailor the meals to your liking- just be mindful of the calories and serving sizes.

Now, let's talk about actual meal prepping. Go ahead and get your eye rolling and sighs out of the way now. I felt the same way ya'll did. Meal prepping takes time. It takes planning. And most importantly, it takes dedication. This is a super important step that you do NOT want to skip if you're serious about losing weight.

For me, it helps when I'm at work because it prevents me from having to go to Taco Bell or somewhere to grab a quick lunch. And don't get me wrong- if you want Taco Bell for lunch, go get it. Do not deprive yourself of the things you want- but work it into your calories. Depriving yourself of the things you like is one of the major reasons "diets" fail. But I digress.

I went to Walmart and bought partitioned meal prep containers.

Just simple containers with clear lids. I'm sure you could find those on Amazon as well- but I didn't want to wait. I also went to dollar tree and got the round containers for my fruit.

BREAKFAST

My breakfast was something simple: cottage cheese and fruit. Some days I had the cottage cheese flips (that had fruit in jelly) and other day I just had a yogurt. Now, I got to Biloxi Nutrition and get one of their meal replacement shakes and that keeps me full all the way through lunch. My favorites are: Banana Nut Bread, Banana Pudding, and strawberry cheesecake. All of the shakes are 220-240 calories so they're great if you're trying to stay under- or if you've blown them on other meals, you could get one for lunch or dinner instead of breakfast. I also stopped going to Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks for a coffee in the morning. If I'm going to eat, I'll grab an iced protein coffee from Biloxi Nutrition. Very few calories and it tastes great.

LUNCH

I cooked all the food for 2 weeks' worth of lunch. I bought chicken and tilapia for my proteins, and black beans and squash/zucchini for my sides. The chicken and fish was cooked in the air fryer with no oil. I did season it with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, and some Slap Ya Mama! seasoning. I think I may have also put lemon pepper on some of them. I tried to mix up the flavors so I didn't get bored eating them- different flavors meant it felt like a whole new meal.

I also bought some steak medallions and shrimp. I did buy some frozen, premade veggies: broccoli in cheese sauce, a brussels sprout and carrot medley, and some butternut squash spirals.

I bought minute maid brown rice and mixed it with the seasoned black beans. This gave me a little more of a full feeling (carbs make you feel full) and added texture to the beans. Brown rice is better for you than white, but if you prefer white, you do you, boo boo!

The sweet mini peppers are just halved with cream cheese and Everything Bagel Seasoning (I found it at Walmart). Then I just had cut up strawberries and whole blueberries for something sweet. I started eating those with breakfast and that one container lasts me almost all day.

DINNER

Depending on my calorie count for the rest of the day, my dinners vary. This is a spinach wrap stuffed with 2 pieces of turkey bacon, 1/4 of an avocado, spinach, thinly sliced onion and cucumber, Bitten creamy strawberry dressing, and medium heat banana pepper rings. The cucumbers I allowed to sit in red wine vinegar and a little bit of canola oil while I prepared the rest of my dinner. And the peppers are the same as what I do for lunches.

Sometimes I'll have a big salad with a lot of added stuff (sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, lots of veggies, chicken, steak, or shrimp, olives, etc).

SNACKS

I usually eat trail mix, or the 100 calorie pack of nuts. I sometimes pair that with fruit, turkey bites, and/or a stick of colby jack cheese. I also enjoy chicharrons (BBQ is my favorite),

CALORIES

So I know I'm talking a lot about calories. So how do you figure out how many calories something has? Well, for starters, it's on the back of most packing along with the other nutrition information. Duh. But I would assume your question would be more along the lines of "How do I know how many calories are in my meal?" This has a simple answer. Get a calorie counter! There are plenty of free ones that you can use. I use MyNetDiary. Some of the options do want you to use the Premium paid service, but for the last 3 weeks, the free options have worked just fine for me. This app will ask you what your weight goal is, and will set a daily calorie intake for you based on your current weight, your goal weight, and when you want to reach that goal. It will adjust automatically based on your entries.

You can also link smart watches and smart scales to it.

On this app, you can track your calories by meal and snack. You can also track your weight loss, water intake, and goals. What I love about this app is it allows you to scan barcodes of the food you're eating and it automatically inputs the calories and nutritional information. AND it figures out the calories for you, based on how many servings you input. You can find the serving size on the package.

This doesn't work for everything, though. There are some things that you can't scan (restaurants, the drinks I get from Biloxi Nutrition). So with these, you can go online and search the calories or you can ask (Biloxi Nutrition has their values listed on their menu boards).

Portion control is imperative. Especially for calorie counting. It seems crazy that you can have only 3 mini pickles per serving- but pair it with a few almonds and a little bit of cheese and beef jerky and you have a low calorie snack and it's not going to feel like you're cheating yourself.

Log absolutely everything that you eat on the app. You may struggle for the first week but you WILL get it. It takes research and practice, and detailing your menu to the things that you enjoy.

GYM MEMBERSHIP

I got active. I joined the gym, and I actually go and work out. The best part of being active and doing workouts, is that it BURNS calories! What's so great about that? Well, let's say that the calorie app said you need 1500 calories a day to hit your goal weight in the time you allotted. You go to the gym and do a moderate workout on the treadmill or bike (or whatever). You burn 400 calories. Your 1500 limit just went up to 1900. Now, that doesn't mean you have to reach that limit- but you now have more wiggle room to eat something that may be a little higher in calories. The gym I go to has a separate app that you can download and scan the QR code on the machine- it automatically logs it so when I go to enter my exercise on the calorie counter, I can just pull the app up and see my total for the day rather than trying to remember it later on.

I don't get crazy with working out. I DO NOT go every day. The general rule of thumb is 30 minutes of moderate activity per day. Some weeks I go twice, some weeks three times. This also varies based on my schedule. However, when I go, I make sure to spend at least one full hour working out (So if I go twice, that's really 4 days; three times is 6 days, etc). So if you can't make it to the gym every day for 30 minutes, on the days you can go, double your time and do light activity during the days you're unable to go. 30 minutes a day seems like a waste to me- so I make it count when I do go.

One thing you have to remember: muscle weighs more than fat. So while you may see the scale rise in number (if you're focusing on muscle building), you will also see your clothing size shrinking. DO NOT let this discourage you! If you're working out and your clothes are loose but the scale says 5 lbs heavier, you're not failing- you're gaining muscle.

Also, learn to go to the gym by yourself, and be okay with the fact that you may not always have a companion to go with you. Sure, it's nice to have someone along with you- but you're never going to get anywhere in life if you're having to wait on someone to be with you in order to do what you want.

APPLE WATCH AND SMART SCALE

I also started wearing my apple watch every day. This keeps track of my heart rate and my step count (which you can also log on the app- I usually don't unless it's a workout day).

I purchased a smart scale that I can link to my phone. When I weigh myself, it gives me other measurements too. I purchased the RENPHO Body Fat Scale Smart BMI Scale Digital Bathroom Wireless Weight Scale, Body Composition Analyzer with Smartphone App sync with Bluetooth, 396 lbs - Black. It connects to my phone and keeps track of everything in the app. It shows me my BMI, body fat %, water, muscle mass, etc. It shows you how much weight you've lost or gained since your last weigh-in. It also shows how much your BMI has decreased and how much your body fat has decreased. You can set a goal on this app as well- but I haven't.

Another MAJOR thing about a scale- you're going to be tempted to weigh yourself every day to see if you've made progress. DO NOT DO THIS! This is a leading factor in why people fail with "diets". They weigh themselves daily- see no changes (or see the scale go up) and get discouraged. I'd suggest no more than once a week- twice if you must. I try to weigh myself every Saturday (since it was on a Saturday when I started this journey and my initial weight was taken the day before). If I want to see how my week is going, I MAY weigh myself on a Wednesday.

Here are some tips about weighing yourself:

Do not weigh yourself daily

Weigh yourself once a week

Weigh yourself in the morning- you weigh more in the afternoon/evening because you're carrying around everything you've had to eat and drink.

Weigh yourself naked. You'd be surprised how much clothes and shoes actually weigh.

Don't get discouraged by the number on the scale- again, if your clothes are fitting looser, then you're going in the right direction.

Also, please remember- you did not get to the weight you are over night and you're not going to lose it over night. If you're looking for a fast, low-hassle weight loss program, gastric bypass surgery may be more your speed.

WHAT I LEAVE YOU WITH...

If you made it to the bottom of this post, CONGRATULATIONS! I know it was a long read with a lot of information. You may still have questions and concerns- you may still be confused and unsure what your next step is. But the fact that you got to this means you're ready to start.

You've crossed the biggest hurdle, which is understanding that it's not going to always be easy to make the changes you need in order to see the weight loss you want. You're taking the first steps to a healthier, happier you.

If you have any questions or need any help, feel free to reach out to me. I will give advice and suggestions if I am able to help get you on the right path.