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xiolaperry · 4 years

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The Piano - Chapter 13

Summary: Belle French and her daughter arrive in New Zealand to an arranged marriage with Gaston LeGume. Gaston shows little interest in her or her piano and books. However, Mr. Gold is fascinated… (Rumbelling of the 1993 film “The Piano”)

Rating: E for smut, dark subject matter and violence.

Also available on AO3

Two days earlier...

Needle and thread in hand, Gold settled himself on the porch to wait for Belle. He sat outside, wanting to see her the moment she appeared. He wore his best waistcoat, shirt, and trousers. No cravat. There was no need to look overdone.

He sewed the buttons Belle ripped off with passion yesterday. She'd been glorious and fierce, and he hoped the buttons he reattached would be popped off again. He'd suspected there was a passionate nature underneath her self-containment. Bringing that out was a highlight of his life and a privilege.

The bright sun shone overhead when he finished his mending. Gold got out his knife and a piece of wood. A rough form appeared beneath his patient hands. A new cat for Tilly. He'd make her a whole cat family. Perhaps Belle would bring Tilly with her today. As much as a repeat of the previous day's activities would be perfect, seeing Tilly again would be enjoyable as well. She was intelligent and spirited like her mother.

He must learn to sign as soon as possible. He learned the language of the Maori, he could learn this. There was much to discuss and there was the problem of what to do about Gaston. But he wasn’t concerned. If there was anything he was good at, it was dealing. When two people want something the other has, a deal could always be struck.

As the sun tracked its way across the sky, disquieting thoughts set in. Where was she? Maybe Gaston had worked at home today. The light faded, and with it, his earlier joy was replaced with despair.

Darkness came. Gold contemplated the indifferent stars above and felt very small. Those stars had seen many things. They'd seen the dark deeds and deals he used to amass his fortune in Scotland. He'd been ruthless. They saw him find a measure of peace here in verdant New Zealand among the forthright natives. The bargaining skills he’d gained he used for their benefit.

But he hadn't gone soft. No, old habits die hard, and he did not make friends with his fellow settlers. He wheeled and dealed, always in his favor, and to the detriment of the unwary. And now here he stood, gazing up at the night sky, alone.

He woke up the next morning to Granny poking him with her crossbow. “Are you still drunk, Gold?”

“You're not going to shoot me, are you? No, I'm painfully sober.” He stretched, stiff from sleeping in the chair. Every joint ached.

“Then why are you sleeping outside?”

“Because I didn't want to sleep in my bed, obviously.”

“Something wrong with it?”

“No.” It would have broken him to lie in it and catch a whiff of her fragrance.

Granny peered at him over her spectacles and frowned at the sadness etched in the lines of his face.

“Let's go inside, and I'll make you breakfast. You'll never guess what Hira told me about Nihe.”

“You just want to eat my food,” he grumbled. Granny's gossip always made an adequate distraction. A fresh day brightened his outlook, and a tiny ember of hope still burned. She might come today. - - -

The stars came out again, and still she had not returned. His hope transformed into grim acceptance. He should have known. No one could ever love him. Especially not a vibrant young woman with her entire future ahead of her.

Now, with a grief so profound he could neither sleep nor eat, he knew he had to leave. She had moved on. He must do likewise.

Granny had no need to poke him when she checked on him the next morning. If he'd slept the night before, he wasn't aware of it.

“Oh, Gold.” She sighed. One look at his face told her no amount of gossip would help. “I'll make you something to eat.”

“Nothing for me, thank you. Please make something for yourself.” Granny squeezed his arm as she passed him. “On second thought, could you make me some tea, please?”

“I'll get it started right away.”

His tea had cooled enough to drink when Cora's small group arrived.

“Hello, Mr. Gold. So nice to see you on this fine day.”

Gold felt sorry for Reverend Hopper. He was a kind man, he cared and tried to “shepherd his flock.” But he was firmly under Cora's thumb. He doubted she allowed him to give a sermon without her approval of the topic. What the Reverend needed was a strong wife, to balance out his gentleness with some backbone. That would be the only way for him to escape being Cora's puppet.

Cora's haughty voice cut into his musings. “Aren't you going to greet us, Mr. Gold? Or has living among the savages caused you to forget all your manners?”

Gold put aside his tea and leveraged himself up with his cane. He made a courtly bow, extending his arm with a flourish. “Good morning, Reverend Hopper, Regina. You'll notice I don't include you in my greeting, Cora, as any morning with you in it could never be good.”

Reverend Hopper tried to salvage the visit, which was not going the way he hoped. “Mr. Gold, we are here at my suggestion. I want to spread Christmas cheer and greetings to everyone, and that includes you. Might we please come in?”

Hopper was making a valiant effort, he had to give him that. On any other day, he might have invited them in and played dutiful host. But this was not any other day.

“I appreciate the sentiment, Reverend. But Cora can take her bloody Christmas cheer elsewhere.”

Granny came out when she heard him raise his voice. “I see you have a visitor here already,” sneered Cora.

“Yes, I do. And I have much to accomplish today, so I'll bid you haere rā.”

“Come, Regina. I won't spend another second in this miserable man's rude presence.”

“Actually, a moment please, Regina. I'm leaving, and this will probably be the last time I see you. You have spirit, and there is good in you. Get as far away from your mother as possible and give that goodness room to grow. You'll be much better off.” He hoped she'd take his advice. It was the only way she'd find any happiness.

Regina removed a package from her basket and handed it to Reverend Hopper. He approached and placed it on the step.

“I'm sorry to hear you're leaving us. The Maori will miss your help. I wish you safe travels.”

“Thank you, Reverend. I meant no offense to you, it has been a difficult couple of days. But you're another who would do well to rid himself of that viper. Goodbye.”

Granny picked up the package to spare him the step down, knowing his leg must ache. They turned their backs on the trio and entered the house.

“Keep whatever that is. Knowing Cora, it’s probably poisoned.” He rubbed his fingers, uncomfortable with what he was about to ask. “Can you do me a favor?”

“Of course.”

“Can you make sure the cat is taken care of?”

“The cat? The little black one that comes around?”

“Yes. After I'm gone, see if Gaston will take it for Tilly. If he thinks it is his idea, he might let her have it. But if he doesn't, would you look after it?

“Yes, I can do that. You're really leaving?”

“Yes, I am. And thank you.”

“I'm sure you have a lot to do, so I'll go. But don't leave without saying goodbye.”

“I won't.”

Exhausted, Gold sat on the porch again. Thankfully Granny had asked no questions about the cat. He was too tired to explain.

A few minutes later Ebony herself appeared, weaving through the plants on dainty feet. She jumped into his lap and settled there, purring.

Gold scratched her head and ears. Her golden eyes closed to contented slits. He remembered the first time he saw her, a scrawny little thing, just skin and bones. The smell of his dinner cooking had drawn her, and she'd watched him with bleary eyes, hopeful for something to eat.

Hunger was a suffering Gold understood all too well, and he couldn't bear to let anything starve, not even a cat. He'd tossed it scraps of meat and after that, the cat was a regular visitor.

He'd found satisfaction in watching the cat fill out, her dull fur becoming glossy with health, her ribs no longer visible. But he never named her. No, naming was not for the likes of him. Then Tilly came along, and now she was Ebony.

Lost in his memories, his cat warm in his lap, he dozed.

He spent the next morning packing the few belongings he wished to keep into the saddlebags. The teacup and book were wrapped with care, the only two things he truly cherished. Gold saddled his horse. The Maori village would be his first stop. He would gift his land to them; it was theirs to begin with. And he wanted to say goodbye.

Granny was leaving with her crossbow, ready to hunt when he arrived. She surprised him with a traditional Maori greeting, the hongi. As she pressed her nose to his, she said, “I'll miss you, Gold. You've been a good friend to me.”

“And you to me. Haere rā.”

“Let's not drag this out. I wish you well Gold. Goodbye.”

He saw Kamira on his way to the village elders.

“Gold! Just the person I was hoping to run into,” said Kamira, speaking to him in his native tongue. “I have something to trade.”

“I'm not making deals today.”

Kamira pulled the gleaming ivory piano key from his waistband. Gold lunged for it.

“Give me that.”

“I found it. What will you offer me for it?” He knew Gold valued the piano the white woman had brought and thought he might make a good trade for this piece of it.

“Where did you find it?” His fingers tightened on the reins to keep himself from grabbing for it again.

“There's something written on the side, but I can't read English.” He pondered for a moment. “I'll trade you this for your knife.” Kamira had long admired it and Gold never showed any willingness to part with it.

“Deal.” Gold dismounted and opened his saddlebag. The knife, really more of a dagger, was ornate, a work of art. He pulled it from its sheath and it gleamed in the sun. They traded.

The words were difficult to decipher. They were written in flowing script instead of plain print. He concentrated. His eyes narrowed as he sounded out the words, his heart thudding in his chest. These might be the most important words he'd ever read.

“Dear … Gold … You … Have … My … Heart. Belle French.”

Tilting his head back, he laughed with joy. Hope rushed back. In his giddy relief, he did not think to chase down Kamira and ask how the key had come into his possession. Belle loved him.

He'd be patient and go home. No matter how long it took, he'd wait for her. She'd sent him a piece of her treasured piano that was her voice. No one had ever given him anything so precious.

The rain that fell on him as he rode did not dampen his spirits. He repeated the message to himself over and over, savoring the sound of the words, his heart so full of happiness he thought it might burst. “Dear Gold, you have my heart. Belle French.” He was still smiling when he reached his home.

Granny rushed out.

“Gold! I heard the girl, Tilly, screaming, and I came running. She has blood splattered on her. I took her inside the house. Get in here, quickly!”

#the piano #my fic #rumbelle #rumbelle fic

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missksguidelinestolife-blog · 5 years

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#¹ Crying is ok all of the time but is not ok sometimes

Ok first of all, What the f@#!?

When you are dragged, pushed or expelled like the little crotch demon you are from your birth-giver on the day chosen(by some big being in the sky) for you to receive(sometimes shitty i-would-have-preferred-socks type) gifts to commemorate the day for years afterwards, the first thing you do is f@#!ing cry!

Does anyone tell you to stop? No! You've just had one of the most traumatic experiences of your new life! Who wouldn't want to cry?!

{~A: I know I did~

~Miss K: I didn't ask for your input. When I came into the world I blessed you into the role of a big sister so those were tears of joy~

~A: They were tears of pre-grief of a perfect childhood ruined by sharing and sibling rivalry~

~Miss K: Look it was not all sunshine and daisies for me either, but I digress I need to finish writing this.~}

Crying was the first good sign! It meant you were born with a set of lungs. Lungs to breathe! Hooray for lungs!

As you get older though you're told to stop crying and start using your words and communicate "properly".

f@#! that.

Displaying emotions is perfectly normal and is as clear communication as any, crying is no different. CRYING IS OK ALL OF THE TIME!

However, the tough love belief that 'instead of crying you should do something about it' has a very fair point.

I am 21, and am currently dating a wonderful guy.

{~H8trs: Suuuure~

~Miss K: Oh hush, he's real and he's totally human~}

Now my gorgeous, brown eyed sack of dorkiness is a firm believer that there's never a proper reason to cry about things. Because crying is wasting the time you could spend fixing those things. He's not a monster of course and if it's something you can't fix like the loss of someone near to you of course it's to be expected you cry a bit but he believes that after you grieve you just get back up and keep on keeping on. Which is great. In theory.

I once cried because I had to peel potatoes. Of course now I look back I can see that there was more to why I was crying, hormones and all that, but at that point in time I just really hated the fact I had to peel f@#!ing potatoes! It was as if my mother had told me she'd run over the family cat, again. The tears poured out and I stood holding the same potato and the peeler asking why it had to be me for a solid 15 minutes. In that time I could have peeled all 7 and been on my way to taking over the world, but I was so caught up in feeling such pitiful sorrow for having to de-skin a legume that I continued to stand there instead.

I discussed this debacle with my sweet and he told me bluntly, it was pathetic. I hate to admit it, but the kid was right. It was. He told me that crying for something like that just wasn't ok, and suggested that if I was crying for more reason then just the potatoes that I could have just multitasked it and cried as I was peeling them. 2 birds - 1 potato.

I wish someone had pointed out to me sooner that in life you're allowed to cry but sometimes crying just isn't ok.

Lesson Learnt: When life hands you potatoes just peel them and cry at the same time.

#lifelessons #missk #suggestion blog #lifestyle #humour #potato #guidelinesforlife #gif #funny texts #funny #long reads #readthisnow #writer #writers

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mcueveryday · 6 years

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Lies (1/?) (Tony x OFC)

Title: Lies

Sequel to Bloodstream

Pairing Tony Stark x ofc (named)

Word count: 1,750

Summary: When you're friends with benefits, you're not allowed to fall in love. But when that "friend" (and boss!) is Tony stark, how can Olivia say no?

Warnings: Angst, so much angst. Implied smut.

A/N: So, there it is, people! The sequel to "Bloodstream"! It was going to be a oneshot, but it was too long, so I'm going to divide it in two or three chapters. I hope you like this, please review! Feedback is always good!

Olivia woke up on a bed that wasn’t hers. She was opening her sleepy eyes, when she felt a strong arm wrap around her waist. She smiled and hummed; feeling the arm’s grip grow tighter around her. She could feel his naked chest flushed against her equally naked back, fingers drawing circles on the skin of her stomach.

“I know you’re awake.” He murmured on her ear, his voice raspy with sleep, his beard lightly scratching the skin of her neck. She turned around to face him, placing her hand on his cheek.

“Hi.” She smiled looking into his eyes, making him smile back.

“Hey.” He replied, leaning in to give her a lazy kiss which she returned with pleasure.

For the past two months, Tony and Olivia had maintained a Friends with Benefits relationship. Just sex. No strings attached. And both of them were just fine with it. Until Tony suggested one night that it was very late and that she should stay the night. “I mean, you don’t want to wake your roommate up at 3 o’clock in the morning, now do you?” So she did. That one time thing became two, then three, then every night.

“Morning. Do you… uh, you want coffee or anything? “ Tony asked.

“I wouldn’t mind a cup of coffee.”

“Yeah? Okay, yeah. I’ll get it. Don’t get up.” He said when he noticed her start to sit up. Standing up, he picked up a pair of sweatpants and put them on, walking out of his room and made his way to his private kitchen.

Olivia smiled even wider and stretched, lying back down on the fluffy pillows of Tony’s bed. She couldn’t believe she’s even in this type of relationship with someone – let alone her boss – but she was quite happy about it. Yes, they weren’t a couple, but that didn’t mean Tony was nothing less than a gentleman. He sent her good morning and good night texts when they didn’t get a chance to see each other. Once, she received a bouquet of her favorite flowers at her office. The note didn’t say who it was from, but she knew who sent them when she read what it said.

“Enjoy them, princess.”

Who else would call her “princess” but the one and only Iron Man? She still giggled at the thought. He took her to dinner or had her over for movie nights at his suite when he wasn’t in a mission.

Olivia sighed and closed her eyes, a big smile making its way to her face. She had fallen, hard. The number one rule of a Friends with Benefits relationship was to not catch feelings, and she did just that. She had fallen in love with Anthony Edward Stark. It wasn’t that difficult to do so, either. He was a gentleman, he treated her like a princess, he cared for her; and he was amazing in bed, let’s be honest. She had seen, in those two short months, a side of Tony that not everyone had the privilege of seeing.

“Alright,” She heard Tony making his way towards the room. “It’s some Paris guava whatever mix. Expensive as hell, but you know, I think it’s worth it.” Tony said, a boyish grin on his lips; a mug in each hand.

“We’ll see about that.” Olivia said sitting up, not caring that the duvet fell off her chest.

“Here you go, love-“ He started, handing her the mug. “Liv! Liv, Liv… laugh, love… laryngitis, legume – look, I’m gonna go now. Conference is at 9 am…” Olivia blushed a bit at his mistake, a nervous laugh covering it while taking a sip of her drink.

“And… it’s an hour and a half till then, but I’ve got… plans… to go over.” He looked everywhere but at her, and grew silent.

She kept taking small sips of her mug; looking straight at him. Tony clapped his hands after a paused that felt eternal and took a deep breath. “Okay, great. Go team. And I’ll… see you later.“ He looked down and went for a hug; but stopped himself and patted her head, and left.

She watched him go, confused. What had just happened? Maybe the conference was important. But, Tony’s never gotten this nervous for a conference before. She finished her drink and got dressed; making her way out of Tony’s room. She left the mug in the sink and, when she couldn’t find Tony anywhere in the suite; left to her room to get ready for work.

She sat on her desk, checking some blueprints for some new invention Tony wanted for the team, and the TV on her wall turned on; the conference being broadcasted live. She wasn’t paying attention – something about the Spider man being introduced as part of the Avengers – she just needed the background noise. Besides, they hadn’t even started yet. They were 15 minutes late already and no sign of Tony or Spider man. There were a bunch of reporters; all talking at the same time; all asking questions and shouting at poor Pepper Pott, the CEO of Stark Industries.

Then; as if the seas had parted; flashes started lightening the room as Tony finally decided to show up. Olivia smiled and rolled her eyes at the scene, typical Tony to make a grand entrance. He addressed the crowd; making them quiet down.

Olivia returned to work, not paying attention to her boss; when she heard a collective gasp from the TV. She looked up and what she saw broke her heart.

Tony; on one knee; showing a ring to Pepper; who was as shocked as Olivia was at the sight. Reporters kept quiet, flashes going around as they took pictures of the next big news; all waiting for Pepper’s answer.

“What do you say, Pep? Will you make a decent man out of me?” Tony said with a smile so big and sincere; making Olivia not doubt his intentions.

Pepper; with tears in her eyes and a big smile; nodded her head yes, repeating the word over and over as Tony stood up. He slid the ring on her finger and hugged her; kissing her hard… and smiling.

Olivia sat straight in surprise; no longer paying attention to her surroundings. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, Tony and Pepper walking back slowly, her arm around Tony’s waist, his around her shoulders. Olivia couldn’t hear noise around her, not the shouts of the reporters coming from the screen in front of her; just the sound of her heart. She felt as if there was a pressure on her chest, crushing her into the ground. So this is what heart break feels like. She felt something sliding down her check and, when she went to wipe it out, did she realize it was a tear. She was crying and never realized it. And as if someone pressed a button, seeing that tear made the other ones go. She started sobbing, holding a hand to her mouth to muffle the sound so no one outside her office would hear her break. Her back shaking and eyes squeezing shut.

Tony made his way to his office two hours after the whole Spider Man conference show. He’s now an engaged man. Who would have thought that would ever happen? He proposed to the love of his life, the one woman who could stand his antics and hectic life. He was happy. There was a skip to his step, but he would have FRIDAY delete the footage if he ever skipped.

Opening and closing the door behind him, the lights turned on their own; and to his surprise, there was Olivia sitting on his chair with a drink in her hand.

“I guess congratulations are in order.” She said, not taking her eyes off the glass, moving it around in her hand. Tony looked at her, the smile on his face slipping into a frown sas she stood up and walked in his direction.

“I guess our arrangement is now over, right?” She said, straight face and killer walk, giving him the glass. She looked him in the eyes, and Tony felt as if everything around him just stopped moving. Time froze then and there, but he wasn’t getting the good feeling he normally gets with her.

Without taking her eyes off of his, she took a deep breath – which he noticed was shaky – and bit her lower lip, just the way Tony liked it.

“It was nice working with you, Mr. Stark.” She said, side stepping him. He turned around, following her with his eyes.

“You’re quitting? Because I got engaged?”

She stopped walking, not turning to face him. “I’m quitting because I realized my boss is a selfish asshole”.

When her hand reached the knob and was about to turn it, she stopped herself because of the words she heard next.

“What- what’s got you so ticked up, huh?”

Olivia turned around to face him then, not caring anymore about the tears pooling in her eyes anymore.

“I slept with my boss! What does that make me, huh? Some people would say I’m young and naïve, given your history; but most people would agree that I’m a whore! Yes, I’m a whore who fell for Tony Stark’s tricks. But you? You slept with your employee who is 20 years younger than you! Tell me,” she said, making her way towards him slowly, tears freely falling down her cheeks. “When you were sleeping with me, were you back with Pepper again?” She was now in front of him, craning her neck up to see him.

“Every time you fucked me, where you picturing her instead of me?”

Tony’s breathing was quick and deep, eyes hard on her; but kept silent. A silence that gave Olivia the answer she needed. She nodded her head, squeezing her lips together, then scoffed and looked down at her feet again.

“ I can’t believe I was stupid enough to think that…” She looked up at him again, seeing a mix of emotions in his eyes. She shook her head and turned around. “Nevermind. Congratulations on your engagement.”

With that, she turned around and walked quickly towards the door, stopping again at the door knob when Tony spoke.

“I thought you were more professional than to quit over a broken heart, princess. Guess I was wrong.”

She didn’t turn around this time, just sighed and finally turned the door knob.

“Good night, Mr. Stark.”

#tony stark imagine #tony stark angst #iron man #ironman #ironman imagine #iron man imagine #avengers imagine #tony stark fanfiction #civil war #civil war imagine #pepper potts #robert downey jr #robert downey jr imagine #rdj #rdj imagine #angst #tony stark x reader #iron man x reader #marveloccommunity

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davidfosterwallace2ndgromit · 4 years

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The Secret to Staying Healthy as We Age

There are some simple actions to help with this. Eat well and exercise will have a huge positive influence on your lifestyle. For a fast start add these five components to your diet. Soy to Handle Your Cholesterol Adding soy to your diet has been proven to significantly lower cholesterol, which can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, soy is high in iron, which many women desire. Some women also say that soy helps them manage hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause, although those benefits haven't been proven by clinical studies that are long-term.

However, its cholesterol-lowering benefits are powerful enough. Indeed, the perfect diet can lower cholesterol as much as medicine. You may add soy foods like tofu, soy milk, soy nuts, or green peas into your diet.

There are meal replacement shakes that have a high degree of quality soy. These are a quick and healthy way to boost your protein and soy intake. You can check this out at my site. Fiber for Your Entire Body Once upon a time our diet was composed mostly of foods loaded with fiber that helped keep our cholesterol and blood glucose levels low, and kept our bowels functioning smoothly.

Studies have shown that dietary fiber -- such as foods like apples, barley, beans, and other legumes, fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, oat bran, and brown rice -- obviously lower blood cholesterol.

High-fiber foods can also be digested more slowly, so that they do not cause spikes in blood sugar levels like white bread, potatoes, and sweets do. Of course, everybody knows that fiber helps keep you regular, but so do laxatives.

Fiber, however, has an additional plus: High-fiber foods help us feel full, which makes it easier to control weight. You could also have a fiber supplement like chitosan. Antioxidant 'Superfoods' to Protect Your Cells and Heart When you are thinking"superfoods," believe colour. That means foods that are deep blue, purple, green, red, or orange.

The carotenoids and anthocyanins that give the color for all these foods contain health-enhancing nutrients which protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer, and also boost our sense of balance, our memory, and other cognitive skills. Your"superfoods" colour chart should comprise:

* Red -- Red berries, particularly when cooked, are beneficial resources of lycopeine, which will help protect against cervical and prostate cancer.

* Deep blue/purple -- Eggplant, plums, blueberries, blackberries (strawberries, raspberries, and cherries come under this category too ) lower your risk of cardiovascular disease by helping the liver"sop up" extra cholesterol, in addition to enhance your mental functioning.

Calcium for Your Bones If you would like to keep your bones strong and reduce your chance of fractures as you get older, add calcium-rich foods like low-fat cheese and milk into your diet. If you choose a calcium supplement make sure it contains vitamin D which helps the body absorb the calcium. Magnesium keeps teeth strong, helps your muscles contract, and your heart beat.

Recent studies have shown that calcium may decrease your risk of colon polyps, and help you shed weight. Researchers at Purdue University found that women who consume calcium from low-fat dairy products or get at least 1,000 milligrams a day revealed a general reduction in body weight. Water for Energy and Your Skin Most individuals don't drink enough water.

You should aim for 8 large glasses per day. We are in need of water to flush toxins out, keep our cells hydrated, and keep our energy up. Water is also vital if you're eating high quality foods. Water aids fiber perform its job. Keep a water bottle with you constantly.

Have one in the vehicle, one at which you work and keep a jug of water on your seat at home. Your body will thank you for it. Exercise The exercise you do will change based upon your personal lifestyle. If you're currently not exercising, start slowly, build up slowly. Weight resistance exercises are important for strong and healthy bones. The easiest exercise is walking. Don't grab the elevator, use the stairs.

Swimming is a safe exercise for most people. Don't spend too long procrastinating over which sort of exercise you may do. Just begin some type of exercise today. Healthy Outcomes By following these simple actions you will improve your health. Cutting down on fatty and processed, quick food and carbonated beverages will help save you money. It will lessen your need for medical interventions. Your body will feel and look so much healthier and younger.

Healthy Living Starts With Commitment

A recent trip to my personal physician stirred ideas of what healthy living really means. The focus of the trip, as was mentioned on the last couple of visits, was my burden. I told myself a year ago I was taking it off my target list. It's been there for some time and I was not doing anything about it. You see, I am a yo-yo dieter.

When I'm good, I am terrific. I then take my eyes off the prize and slide back to where I don't want to be. Now the fact is staring me in the face. You understand the health benefits of maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle. Knowing something and doing something about it are two distinct things. This morning I woke up early and decided to coach myself back to a healthy lifestyle.

Not only with my burden, with life. With my doctor, we looked at my burden. Are there any other areas of my life that need a fresh look? Are there any areas in your life that need a fresh perspective? From time to time we need to take a step back and assess whether the automated activities we engage in on a daily basis are inventing the outcomes we need. Or, are there activities we will need to change to yield the results we all need.

Listed below are a few areas to explore:

1. Are you on track to living a healthy lifestyle for 2013? Have you ever had your age appropriate health screenings? Are you following your physician's recommendations?

2. What are a few of the pressures in your life? What can you do to reduce the negative impacts they have on you?

3. Are you currently carving time out for fun, rest, relaxation, and exercise?

4. Are you taking the actions to develop a healthy financial life? 5. What spiritual or religious practices can you incorporate into your everyday life to support you? Taking inventory of our lives supplies for the opportunity to grow, expand our experiences, and live more abundantly.

Healthy Living starts when you opt to make it a priority in your life. With that 1 change in perspective what is possible. Life comes alive. Now you're directing your actions, instead of your actions directing you.

Three quick tips to directing your activities:

1. Write down everything you truly desire in your life. This isn't a new approach, but how many of us really do it.

2. Review your goals daily at the beginning of your day. The action of reviewing your goals every day guides your actions. 3. Get support to remain on track. Tell a relative or friend what you need to accomplish in order that they can help keep you on track.

A mentor can help you brainstorm ideas, champion you, and hold you accountable for doing what you say you're going to do. Success in life is possible for anybody when the commitment is there.

#healthy tips #healthy living #healthy guide

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theadmiringbog · 7 years

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In this book, you’ll naturally look for common habits and recommendations, and you should. Here are a few patterns, some odder than others:

More than 80% of the interviewees have some form of daily mindfulness or meditation practice

A surprising number of males (not females) over 45 never eat breakfast, or eat only the scantiest of fare

Many use the ChiliPad device for cooling at bedtime

Rave reviews of the books Sapiens, Poor Charlie’s Almanack, Influence, and Man’s Search for Meaning, among others

The habit of listening to single songs on repeat for focus

Nearly everyone has done some form of “spec” work (completing projects on their own time and dime, then submitting them to prospective buyers)

The belief that “failure is not durable” or variants thereof

Almost every guest has been able to take obvious “weaknesses” and turn them into huge competitive advantages

Christopher Sommer, former U.S. National Team gymnastics coach and founder of GymnasticBodies

Coach Sommer dislikes the fitness fixation on “diet and exercise.” He finds it much more productive to focus on “eat and train.”

3 Movements Everyone Should Practice

J-Curl

Shoulder Extension:

Lift a dowel behind your back (standing), or sit on the floor and walk your hands backward behind your hips.

Thoracic Bridge:

Elevate your feet enough to feel the bulk of the stretch in the upper back and shoulders, not the lower back. The feet might be 3+ feet off the ground. Ensure you can concentrate on straightening your arms (and legs, if possible), holding the position, and breathing.

Good Goals for Adult Non-Gymnasts

The following goals incorporate many different aspects of strength and mobility into single movements:

Beginner: J-Curl

Intermediate: Straddle Press Handstand

Advanced: Stalder Press Handstand

QL Walk—An Unusual Warmup

Ag Walks with Rear Support

Pike Pulses

Cast Wall Walk

Dr. Dominic “Dom” D’Agostino, PhD

The ketogenic diet, often nicknamed “keto,” is a high-fat diet that mimics fasting physiology. Your brain and body begin to use ketones (derived from stored or ingested fat) for energy instead of blood sugar (glucose)—a state called ketosis. The diet was originally developed to treat epileptic children, but there are many variations, including the Atkins diet. You can achieve ketosis through fasting, diet, exogenous ketones, or a combination.

The primary resource, as you’ll come back to this: Dom’s top go-to resource for the ketogenic diet, including FAQs, meal plans, and more is ketogenic-diet-resource.com

Why Consider Fasting?

Dom has discussed the idea of a therapeutic “purge fast” with his colleague Dr. Thomas Seyfried of Boston College. Per Dom:

“If you don’t have cancer and you do a therapeutic fast 1 to 3 times per year, you could purge any precancerous cells that may be living in your body.”

Fasts of 3 days or longer can effectively “reboot” your immune system via stem cell–based regeneration. Dom suggests a 5-day fast 2 to 3 times per year.

I’d always been repelled by yoga: too much mumbo-jumbo, too little excitement. AcroYoga is a different beast.

Questions to ask

These can be modified for any skill or topic, not just sports. Just replace [SPORT] with what you want to learn, and track down your mentors. You can often find past gold and silver medalists willing to answer these via Skype for $50 to $100 per hour, which is an incredible steal and could save you years of wasted effort.

Who is good at [SPORT] despite being poorly built for it?

Who’s good at this who shouldn’t be?

Who are the most controversial or unorthodox athletes or trainers in [SPORT]?

Why?

What do you think of them?

Who are the most impressive lesser-known teachers?

What makes you different?

Who trained you or influenced you?

Have you trained others to do this?

Have they replicated your results?

What are the biggest mistakes and myths you see in [SPORT] training?

What are the biggest wastes of time?

What are your favorite instructional books or resources on the subject?

If people had to teach themselves, what would you suggest they use?

If you were to train me for 12 weeks for a [FILL IN THE BLANK] competition and had a million dollars on the line, what would the training look like?

What if I trained for 8 weeks?

Peter rarely eats breakfast and has experimented with many forms of intermittent fasting, ranging from one meal a day (i.e., 23 hours of fasting per day) to more typical 16/8 and 18/6 patterns of eating (i.e., 16 or 18 hours of fasting and only eating in an 8- or 6-hour window). Going 16 hours without eating generally provides the right balance of autophagy (look it up) and anabolism (muscle building).

“If you’re over 40 and don’t smoke, there’s about a 70 to 80% chance you’ll die from one of four diseases: heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, cancer, or neurodegenerative disease.

“There are really two pieces to longevity. The first is delaying death as long as possible by delaying the onset of chronic disease (the ‘big four’ above). We call that the defensive play.

“The second is enhancing life, the offensive play.

“[Studies] suggest to me that there’s something about highly refined carbohydrates and sugars—and potentially protein, though it might be for a different reason—that seems to raise insulin, which we know, by extension, raises insulin-like growth factor (IGF). And we know that IGF is driving not just aging but also certainly driving a lot of cancers, though not all of them.

“There is value in exercise, though, and I think that the most important type of exercise, especially in terms of bang for your buck, is going to be really high-intensity, heavy strength training.”

For Loose Skin or Stretch Marks

“There’s an herb called gotu kola that—I learned this from Dr. Mauro Di Pasquale, who was one of my early mentors—will get rid of what we call unnecessary scar tissue or unnecessary connective tissue. The truth of the matter, though, is that you will see zero progress for the loose skin for 6 months. So people say it’s not worth it, but I tell people, just keep doing it for 6 months. And then it’s almost like overnight. . . . “There are some compounding pharmacists who will make you a gotu kola bioabsorbable cream. That works a lot faster.”

On Good Doctors

“The length of time they spend with you on your first visit is probably your best indicator [of their quality].”

The Slow Carb Diet

The basic rules are simple, all followed 6 days per week:

Rule #1: Avoid “white” starchy carbohydrates (or those that can be white).

This means all bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, and grains (yes, including quinoa). If you have to ask, don’t eat it.

Rule #2: Eat the same few meals over and over again, especially for breakfast and lunch.

Good news: You already do this. You’re just picking new default meals. If you want to keep it simple, split your plate into thirds: protein, veggies, and beans/legumes.

Rule #3: Don’t drink calories.

Exception: 1 to 2 glasses of dry red wine per night is allowed, although this can cause some peri-/post-menopausal women to plateau.

Rule #4: Don’t eat fruit.

(Fructose → glycerol phosphate → more body fat, more or less.) Avocado and tomatoes are allowed.

Rule #5: Whenever possible, measure your progress in body fat percentage, NOT total pounds.

The scale can deceive and derail you. For instance, it’s common to gain muscle while simultaneously losing fat on the SCD. That’s exactly what you want, but the scale number won’t move, and you will get frustrated. In place of the scale, I use DEXA scans, a BodyMetrix home ultrasound device, or calipers with a gym professional (I recommend the Jackson-Pollock 7-point method). And then:

Rule #6: Take one day off per week and go nuts.

I choose and recommend Saturday. This is “cheat day,” which a lot of readers also call “Faturday.” For biochemical and psychological reasons, it’s important not to hold back. Some readers keep a “to-eat” list during the week, which reminds them that they’re only giving up vices for 6 days at a time.

Mini-parallettes

3 High-Yield Exercises

Pavel’s “Simple & Sinister” Kettlebell Program

One-arm swing

Turkish get-up (TGU)

Goblet squat

Do these three exercises in some form every day, and you are guaranteed to get a great return on your investment. The TGU is also excellent for diagnosing deficiencies.

“When in Doubt, Train Your Grip and Your Core”

“Strengthening your midsection and your grip will automatically increase your strength in any lift.

Among effective midsection exercises are ‘power breathing,’ hollow rocks, Janda sit-ups, hanging leg raises, and ‘hard-style planks.’ To do the last, hold a plank for 10 seconds under max contraction, not for several minutes. Hold it like you’re about to be kicked and breathe ‘behind the shield’ of your tensed midsection. For a challenge, consider putting your feet on the wall, a few inches from the floor.”

Kettlebell windmills

The Top Mobilizations to Do Every Day

“Here are a few things you should probably do every day:

Everyone can benefit from something that looks like the cow stretch (also sometimes called “cat-camel” in yoga classes). It’s a low-level static stretch that gets you into this extension pattern, and out of the other pattern of sitting in the rounded flexion position.

Spend as much time in a lunge as you can.

‘Smash’ your gut (i.e., roll on it) for downregulation before bed with a medicine ball.

Internal shoulder rotation is so crucial. Doing the Burgener warmup will help show you if you have full internal rotation of your shoulder.

“Don’t systematically shorten your kids’ heel cords (Achilles) with bad shoes. It results in crappy ankle range of motion in the future. Get your kids Vans, Chuck Taylors, or similar shoes. Have them in flat shoes or barefoot as much as possible.”

“What am I continuing to do myself that I’m not good at?” Improve it, eliminate it, or delegate it.

"When it comes to the future, it’s far more important to be imaginative than to be right.”

Alvin Toffler.

Honey + ACV: My go-to tranquilizer beverage is simple:

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg brand) and 1 tablespoon honey, stirred into 1 cup of hot water. This was taught to me by the late and great Seth Roberts, PhD. Some of his readers also noticed large and immediate strength improvements in exercise after a few days of using this pre-bed cocktail.

#4—Prepare “Titanium Tea” (this name was a joke, but it stuck) (2 to 3 minutes)

I prepare loose-leaf tea in a Rishi glass teapot but you could use a French press. The below combo is excellent for cognition and fat loss, and I use about 1 flat teaspoon of each: Pu-erh aged black tea Dragon well green tea (or other green tea) Turmeric and ginger shavings (often also Rishi brand) Add the hot water to your mixture and let it steep for 1 to 2 minutes.

Separately, add one of the following to your drinking mug: 1 to 2 tablespoons of coconut oil, which is about 60 to 70% MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides) by weight or 1 scoop of Quest MCT Oil Powder, which will give the tea a creamy consistency.

Try one or more of Chade-Meng Tan’s suggested exercises, starting on page 154. They are simple and brilliant.

With “Just Note Gone” we train the mind to notice that something previously experienced is no more. For example, at the end of a breath, notice that the breath is over. Gone. As a sound fades away, notice when it is over. Gone. At the end of a thought, notice that the thought is over. Gone. At the end of an experience of emotion—joy, anger, sadness, or anything else—notice it is over. Gone. This practice is, without a doubt, one of the most important meditation practices of all time. Meditation master Shinzen Young said that if he were allowed to teach only one focus technique and no other, it would be this one.

Loving-Kindness

In many of my public talks, I guide a very simple 10-second exercise. I tell the audience members to each identify two human beings in the room and just think, “I wish for this person to be happy, and I wish for that person to be happy.” That is it. I remind them to not do or say anything, just think—this is an entirely thinking exercise. The entire exercise is just 10 seconds’ worth of thinking. Everybody emerges from this exercise smiling, happier than 10 seconds before. This is the joy of loving-kindness.

Chris elaborates: “Generally, what all of this comes down to is whether you are on offense or defense. I think that as you survey the challenges in your lives, it’s just: Which of those did you assign yourself, and which of those are you doing to please someone else? Your inbox is a to-do list to which anyone in the world can add an action item. I needed to get out of my inbox and back to my own to-do list.”

Go to as Many Higher-Level Meetings as Possible

TIM: “If working in a startup environment, what should one do or focus on to learn and improve as much as possible?”

CHRIS: “Go to all the meetings you can, even if you’re not invited to them, and figure out how to be helpful.

In 2009, Chris did a charity bicycle ride with the Trek Travel team from Santa Barbara, California, to Charleston, South Carolina: “I had a phrase I kept repeating in my head over and over again, which was, ‘Tonight, I will be in my bed. Tonight, I will be in my bed. Tonight, I will be in my bed.’ . . . It was something I repeated to remind me that the pain of what I was going through was temporary and that, no matter what, at the end of that day, I would be in my bed that night.”

“Raise Prices”

This was Marc’s response to “If you could have a billboard anywhere, what would it say?” He’d put it right in the heart of San Francisco, and here’s the reason:

“The number-one theme that companies have when they really struggle is they are not charging enough for their product. It has become conventional wisdom in Silicon Valley that the way to succeed is to price your product as low as possible, under the theory that if it’s low-priced, everybody can buy it, and that’s how you get to volume,” he said. “And we just see over and over and over again people failing with that, because they get into a problem called ‘too hungry to eat.’ They don’t charge enough for their product to be able to afford the sales and marketing required to actually get anybody to buy it. Is your product any good if people won’t pay more for it?”

TIM: “What advice would you give to Marc, the 20-something, at Netscape?”

MARC:

“I’ve never for a moment even thought about that.

Basically, his entire thing is ‘forward.’

TIM: “So that’s how you feel?”

MARC: “Forward, like: We don’t stop. We don’t slow down. We don’t revisit past decisions. We don’t second guess. So, honestly, that question, I have no idea how to answer.”

“Strong Views, Loosely Held” For a long time, this phrase was in Marc’s Twitter bio.

Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life

Marc highlighted one takeaway: “He says the key to success is, ‘Be so good they can’t ignore you.’”

TF: Marc has another guiding tenet: “Smart people should make things.” He says: “If you just have those two principles—that’s a pretty good way to orient.”

“My goal is not to fail fast. My goal is to succeed over the long run. They are not the same thing.”

“To do original work: It’s not necessary to know something nobody else knows. It is necessary to believe something few other people believe.”

“Andy Grove had the answer: For every metric, there should be another ‘paired’ metric that addresses adverse consequences of the first metric.”

Arnold: “My confidence came from my vision. . . . I am a big believer that if you have a very clear vision of where you want to go, then the rest of it is much easier. Because you always know why you are training 5 hours a day, you always know why you are pushing and going through the pain barrier.”

Derek has read, reviewed, and rank-ordered 200+ books at sivers.org/books. They’re automatically sorted from best to worst. He is a huge fan of Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett’s business partner, and introduced me to the book Seeking Wisdom: From Darwin to Munger, by Peter Bevelin.

“What if you asked, ‘When you think of the word “successful,” who’s the third person that comes to mind? Why are they actually more successful than the first person that came to mind?’ In that case, the first would be Richard Branson, but ...

“What if Richard Branson set out to live a quiet life, but like a compulsive gambler, he just can’t stop creating companies? Then that changes everything, and we can’t call him successful anymore.”

Ricardo Semler, CEO and majority owner of the Brazil-based Semco Partners, practices asking “Why?” three times.

I believe you shouldn’t start a business unless people are asking you to.

“From the early days of WordPress, we would always think: ‘Okay, if we do X today, what does that result in tomorrow, a year from now, ten years from now?’ The metaphor I think of the most—because it’s simple—is the dog chasing the car. What does the dog do if he catches the car? He doesn’t have a plan for it. So I find it just as often on the entrepreneurial side. People don’t plan for success.”

The normal QWERTY keyboard layout was designed to slow down human operators to avoid jams. That time has passed, so try the Dvorak layout instead, which is easier on your tendons and helps prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. Read The Dvorak Zine (dvzine.org). Colemak is even more efficient, if you dare. Within Automattic, Matt has held speed-typing challenges, where the loser has to switch to the winner’s layout. So far, Dvorak has always beaten QWERTY.

Search YouTube for “Best of Liszt” (Halidon Music):

“Franz Liszt is one of the great romantic composers of piano literature. He was really held as the super-virtuoso of the 19th century.”

As Tony recounted, Buffett told him,

“Investing in yourself is the most important investment you’ll ever make in your life. . . . There’s no financial investment that’ll ever match it, because if you develop more skill, more ability, more insight, more capacity, that’s what’s going to really provide economic freedom. . . . It’s those skill sets that really make that happen.”

This echoes what Jim Rohn famously said, “If you let your learning lead to knowledge, you become a fool. If you let your learning lead to action, you become wealthy.”

Doesn’t Always Have to Be Hard “I have come to learn that part of the business strategy is to solve the simplest, easiest, and most valuable problem. And actually, in fact, part of doing strategy is to solve the easiest problem.”

Reid’s First Principle Is Speed

“We agreed I was going to make judgment calls on a range of issues on his behalf without checking with him. He told me, ‘In order to move fast, I expect you’ll make some foot faults. I’m okay with an error rate of 10 to 20%—times when I would have made a different decision in a given situation—if it means you can move fast.’ I felt empowered to make decisions with this ratio in mind, and it was incredibly liberating.”

“I think we need to teach kids two things: 1) how to lead, and 2) how to solve interesting problems. Because the fact is, there are plenty of countries on Earth where there are people who are willing to be obedient and work harder for less money than us.

Altucher

“We all have, let’s say, two or three dozen massive pain points in our lives that everyone can relate to. I try to basically write about those, and then I try to write about how I attempted to recover from them.”

To me, the quote above explains how James went from unknown to millions of readers faster than most writers gain a thousand readers. James made his specialty exploring his own pain and fear, and he shows the light at the end of the tunnel without ignoring the darkness in the middle.

Some of my most popular blog posts since 2007 have been the least time-consuming but the most uncomfortable. To produce these, I usually ask myself: “What am I embarrassed to be struggling with? And what am I doing about it?”

If you can’t get 10 good ideas, get 20 ideas.

On the Value of Selective Ignorance, After Working at a Newspaper

“You’re basically told, ‘Find the thing that’s going to scare people the most and write about it.’ . . . It’s like every day is Halloween at the newspaper. I avoid newspapers.”

TF: Many productive people do the same, including Nassim Taleb.

1,000 True Fans

To be a successful creator, you don’t need millions. You don’t need millions of dollars or millions of customers, clients, or fans. To make a living as a craftsperson, photographer, musician, designer, author, animator, app maker, entrepreneur, or inventor you need only 1,000 true fans. A true fan is defined as “a fan who will buy anything you produce.” These diehard fans will drive 200 miles to see you sing; they will buy the hardback and paperback and audio versions of your book; they will purchase your next figurine, sight unseen;

Here’s how the math works. You need to meet two criteria: First, you have to create enough each year that you can earn, on average, $100 profit from each true fan. That is easier to do in some arts and businesses than others, but it is a good creative challenge in every area because it is always easier and better to give your existing customers more, than it is to find new fans. Second, you must have a direct relationship with your fans. That is, they must pay you directly. You get to keep all of their support, unlike the small percentage of their fees you might get from a music label, publisher, studio, retailer, or other intermediate. If you keep the full $100 from each true fan, then you need only 1,000 of them to earn $100K per year. That’s a living for most folks. 1,000 customers is a whole lot more feasible to aim for

Here are some specific phrases that he uses, which I’ve borrowed, and you’ll notice that pseudo-commands are sometimes more effective than questions:

Prompts to Elicit Stories (Most Interviewers Are Weak at This)

“Tell me about a time when . . .”

“Tell me about the day [or moment or time] when . . .”

“Tell me the story of . . . [how you came to major in X, how you met so-and-so, etc.]”

“Tell me about the day you realized ___ . . . ”

“What were the steps that got you to ___ ?”

“Describe the conversation when . . .”

Follow-Up Questions When Something Interesting Comes Up, Perhaps in Passing

“How did that make you feel?”

“What do you make of that?”

General-Use Fishing Lures

“If the old you could see the new you, what would the new you say?”

“You seem very confident now. Was that always the case?”

“If you had to describe the debate in your head about [X decision or event], how would you describe it?”

Every single thing in your company breaks every time you roughly triple in size.

You get to 10 people, and everything kind of breaks again. You figure that out, and then you get to 30 people and everything is different, and then 100 and then 300 and then 1,000.

His dad, a very successful entrepreneur, gave Chris advice when he was a freshman or sophomore in high school: “I distinctly remember him saying not to worry about what I was going to do because the job I was going to do hadn’t even been invented yet. . . . The interesting jobs are the ones that you make up.

“That’s something I certainly hope to instill in my son: Don’t worry about what your job is going to be. . . . Do things that you’re interested in, and if you do them really well, you’re going to find a way to temper them with some good business opportunity.”

#Tools of Titans #Tim Ferriss #book review

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Jillian Michaels says these 11 weight loss tips will help you lose weight and keep it off

New Post has been published on https://weightlosshtiw.com/jillian-michaels-says-these-11-weight-loss-tips-will-help-you-lose-weight-and-keep-it-off/

Jillian Michaels says these 11 weight loss tips will help you lose weight and keep it off

Healthista has called upon the ultimate weight loss guru. Jillian Michaels shares 11 ways we can lose weight and keep it off for good

If there’s one woman who knows a thing of two about diet, fitness and weight loss, it’s Jillian Michaels.

The 46-year-old fitness guru is well known in the fitness world after her ten year gig as a trainer on NBC’s hit weight loss show The Biggest Loser – and for her abs of course.

Not only that, but Jillian has trained well known celebrities such as Pink, Julia Roberts, Amanda Peet and Sarah Paulson to name just a few. Jillian has also created many successful workout programmes, such as Bodyshred, Body Revolution, Jillian Michaels Killer Abs and most recently the Jillian Michaels App.

Jillian has trained well known celebrities such as Pink, Julia Roberts, Amanda Peet and Sarah Paulson

As a renowned fitness and nutrition expert with a keen interest in healthy living since the age of 18, Jillian has amassed an Instagram following of 1.3 million, where she shares her expertise, fitness tips and workout videos, as well as inspirational life quotes.

The TV star has built a fitness empire around empowering people who want to lose weight do so in a healthy and sustainable way.

So who else could we have reached out to other than Jillian for some advice on how we can drop the pounds and keep them off for good? Here are 11 diet and fitness tips from the one and only Jillian Micheals…

#1 HIIT and resistance training burns the most calories

HIIT training is extremely effective for getting lean and losing weight quickly, especially when done in conjunction with resistance training. Both these training types burn the most calories, during and after the workout.

That’s why I design my programs so that the individual trains each muscle group twice a week with two days of rest before training that muscle group again.

So a training schedule for my clients would look something like this:

If someone is a fan of traditional cardio, I advise that they do this up to two more times a week, but they must take at least one day off, preferably two. So that means they have Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday open for cardio.

#2 Don’t consume more calories than you burn

The reason most people don’t see results when they think they are doing everything right is because they aren’t creating a calorie deficit, even if they think they are.

Either someone will think they are eating healthily, but still eating too much, or they will be eating less, but not doing enough exercise meaning there isn’t enough of a calorie deficit to lead to steady weight loss.

That’s why counting calories is important. Even if you don’t like to do it, if you want to lose weight it’s a tool you need to get used to.

weight gain, weight loss, weight maintenance are all an energy equation

Look at it this way, weight gain, weight loss, weight maintenance are all an energy equation. Yes, there are certain foods that can affect your metabolism, but not in a hugely significant way. This is not an opinion of mine. It’s scientific fact. It’s called the law of thermodynamics.

This means that energy isn’t created or destroyed in a vacuum. Food has calories and calories are units of energy. Consume more energy than you burn in a day and it will be stored as fat. No matter how healthy the food you are eating is.

And remember that eating for health and weight loss are not the same thing. There have been numerous studies whereby doctors and scientists have simply reduced someone’s calories but let them eat the same garbage and they still lost weight.

Is it healthy to eat crap – no. But eating less crap will help you lose weight. Ideally you want to be eating healthy foods and you should not be overeating.

A post shared by Jillian Michaels (@jillianmichaels) on Aug 3, 2020 at 11:00am PDT

#3 Choose exercise that you enjoy

Exercise and the ‘right’ type of exercise depends on the individual. Ultimately, the most effective form of fitness is the one someone will show up for.

So if you love dance class, spinning, walking or jogging, then do it. Whatever you choose, do it consistently.

That’s why I design programs to blend multiple types of fitness, from HIIT training, weight lifting, yoga, metabolic circuits and so on. By trying a variety of different exercise, you are training for every modality of fitness – strength, speed, power and flexibility.

It’s wise to change up your workouts too so you don’t hit a plateau or cause injury from doing the same movements repetitively. I advise that you add a couple of different types of workouts to your training every two weeks.

A post shared by Jillian Michaels (@jillianmichaels) on Feb 13, 2020 at 12:45pm PST

#4 Fitness apps are designed to help you reach your goals – use them!

The great thing about fitness apps is that you can access them on any device, any place, any time, anywhere – your phone, tablet, apple watch and your TV.

Plus, nowadays the technology allows for a completely custom experience whereby you can personalise a program for the client.

When someone downloads the Jillian Michaels App they can tell me their fitness level, workout of choice, time frame, available equipment and I am then able to customise a workout for them as an individual.

The great thing about fitness apps is that you can access them on any device

Or they can use any of the programs I’ve already created as they are all available on the app. Whether it’s my entire DVD library or any other programs they would want to use (HIIT, weight lifting, yoga, kickboxing, kettlebells), it’s all in there.

Even the meal plans are totally customised, from food preferences, calorie allowance, servings you want to make and more.

Fitness apps really are helpful, and they are often way cheaper than a gym, so make use of them.

#5 Balance and common sense are the key to success

I believe in balance and common sense, and keeping it simple.

By balance I mean, don’t over eat and move your body up to four times a week for around 20 to 30 minutes.

And by common sense I mean look at your food choices. Don’t eat garbage more often than you eat healthy foods.

#6 The 80/20 rule works

I live by the 80/20 rule, and that’s because it works.

That means I make sure 80 per cent of my food comes from healthier choices such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, ocean caught fish, legumes and grass fed beef.

don’t go over the amount of calories you burn in a day

Then the 20 per cent of my food choices consists of a glass of wine, a piece of pizza or some ice cream. This way I am making sure I never over eat. I eat as many calories as I burn in a day so around 1800 to 2000 depending on whether or not I trained that day.

As long as you don’t go over the amount of calories you burn in a day you won’t gain weight – this is an extremely effective way of losing and maintaining weight. It’s how I’ve kept myself fit while being a mom of two and running a business.

A post shared by Jillian Michaels (@jillianmichaels) on Apr 7, 2018 at 1:44pm PDT

#7 Eat more whole foods and try fasting overnight (for at least 12 hours)

I always aim to eat foods in their most whole form and try to avoid eating fake garbage, and it’s what I advise my clients to do also.

By garbage I mean fake fats, processed grains, refined sugars, preservatives, food colouring, pesticides, hormones and meat raised with antibiotics and hormones. Of course we can’t avoid this all the time, but try to limit the amount you do eat.

Personally I do the following: I eat every three to four hours (breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner) over a 12 hour period and I do an overnight fast of 12 hours. That means if I eat my last meal around 8pm, I won’t eat again until 8am.

I always aim to eat foods in their most whole form and try to avoid eating fake garbage

Not everyone follows the same diet though, and there are different diets for different people such as, vegan, gluten free, vegetarian, omnivore, and even Keto. That’s why the Jillian Micaels App includes registered dietitians who optomise nutrition no matter what meal preference the client chooses.

As much as I would love to tell a vegan to have some grass fed beef once every two weeks it’s the equivalent of telling someone to believe in a different God. It’ll never work. So instead my team looks for any potential nutrient deficiencies and works hard to combat it.

#8 Think about your WHY

My job is to help people find their ‘why’. People can tolerate the how (the work and sacrifice associated with the goal) if they have the why.

I have many ‘whys’ – from being a role model to my kids, to feeling strong and confident in my own skin, leading by example for people who follow my programs, living to be 100, meeting my great grandchildren and the list goes on and on.

So tell me, what is your why?

A post shared by Jillian Michaels (@jillianmichaels) on Sep 12, 2018 at 9:48am PDT

#9 Don’t drink your calories

Remember the common sense I mentioned above? That includes the simple things like don’t drink your calories.

Water, tea, coffee and milk is allowed but avoid fruit juice, soda and kombucha as they are often full to the brim with sugar and additives.

Don’t get trapped into believing those fad juice diets will work. They are complete crap and hold potential threats for your health in the long term. Remember, common sense eating.

Alcohol in moderation is fine and even has health benefits, but if you are looking to lose weight, try not to consume more than four glasses a week.

A post shared by Jillian Michaels (@jillianmichaels) on Jun 27, 2020 at 12:31pm PDT

#10 Supplements are a great addition to a healthy diet

Supplements – this is where I can get a little nuts. I believe that even though it’s ideal to get your nutrition from your food, our diets often aren’t varied enough and in some cases the soil our food is grown in can be depleted of nutrients.

So, I supplement to make sure I’ve covered all bases and to make sure my body is getting all the nutrients it needs to be as healthy as it can be.

Supplements – this is where I can get a little nuts

I take a greens powder with adaptogens and antioxidants, krill oil, a symbiotic (pre and pro biotic combo), multi collagen with MSM glucosamine chondroitin and if I get sick I take an immunity blend with everything from garlic and acerola to ashwaganda and elderberry.

I love the Alaya Naturals brand because they are privately owned. All their formulas are heavily researched and their ingredients are organic and ethically sourced from top quality.

#11 Stop comparing yourself to others

I will never be five foot nine and I have a small butt and no boobs – sigh. I will never look like someone else but who cares about looking like someone else anyway?

You can be the best version of yourself though and that’s what matters. Be you – that’s what makes you unique and special.

Image by Don Flood

Jillian Michaels, health and wellness expert and creator of the Fitness by Jillian Michaels App.

This content was originally published here.

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jesseneufeld · 5 years

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Dear Mark: Homocysteine, Some Kefir Questions, and the Stress of Worrying

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering a bunch of questions from readers. The first one concerns another inflammatory marker, homocysteine. How could CRP be low but homocysteine be high? What could cause that? Next, I answer a barrage of kefir questions, including ones on kefir carb counts, pasteurized kefir, and water and coconut kefir. Finally, I address the elephant in the room: stressing out about your diet.

Let’s go:

How do Homocysteine levels figure in this equation? I have C-reactive protein under 1, but Homocysteine levels of 15, slightly high. Seems odd one so low and one a bit high.

Both indicate elevated inflammation, but they can have different causes. There are many nutrient deficiencies and interactions that go into elevated homocysteine levels—that’s why they indicate inflammation. What are they?

It all comes down to methionine. That’s the essential amino acid most abundant in muscle meats, the one most of you are getting a ton of if you’re eating a standard Primal, keto, or carnivore diet. We use it to perform cellular communication, regulate gene expression, repair cells, and build new tissue. It does some really important stuff, but it needs several different co-factors to work properly.

B12 and Folate—Vitamin B12 is a major one. So is folate. In fact, I lumped them together in one section because they are co-dependents. Vitamin B12 requires folate to do its job. Folate requires vitamin B12 to do its job. Both vitamins are necessary co-factors for methionine to do its important cellular work. Without either one, methionine builds up and contributes to homocysteine.

They even tested this in a controlled human trial. Giving a big dose of methionine without increasing B12 or folate increased homocysteine levels. Supplementing with B12 and folate protected against the methionine-induced increase in homocysteine.

Riboflavin—Some groups may need extra riboflavin to deal with homocysteine levels.

Glycine—After teaming up with the B-vitamins to do the gene expression and cellular repair/buildup, any excess methionine combines with glycine to form glutathione. That’s the body’s main antioxidant, and it’s very helpful to have. If you have low glycine levels/intake, then any leftover methionine goes into the homocysteine cycle.

B6—Vitamin B6 is also used to mop up and convert into glutathione any excess methionine after methylation.

Betaine—Similar to glycine, betaine acts as a buffer for excess methionine. In fact, high intakes of methionine deplete the body of betaine, while supplementing with betaine reduces homocysteine levels.

Choline—Choline is another methionine buffer. High methionine increases the need for choline, while adequate choline or supplementation reduces homocysteine.

If you’re missing those co-factors, methionine fails to assist with cellular communication, gene expression, cellular repair, or new tissue formation. Instead, it generates homocysteine.

For a primer on obtaining adequate B-vitamins, read this post. Meat of all kinds, eggs, organ meats, seafood, dairy, green vegetables, and even legumes are ways to obtain them.

For a primer on obtaining adequate glycine, read this post. You can get it through collagen, gelatin, bone broth, or bone-in, skin-on meats with a lot of gelatinous connective tissue.

To get enough betaine, include some beets and/or spinach in your diet. Wheat germ is the best source, but most of you aren’t eating wheat germ (nor would I recommend you start).

To get choline, eat egg yolks. That’s the single best source. If you’re not going to eat betaine-rich foods (beets, spinach, wheat), eat extra choline; you can make betaine from choline.

Isn’t there a relatively large amount of carbs in kefir, when consumed in quantity?

The fermentation process digests most of the lactose present in milk. The sourer the product, the lower the residual lactose. The sweeter the product (or even just less sour), the higher the residual lactose. At any rate, I wouldn’t worry too much about the carb content of kefir. It’s assuredly lower than advertised, and probably low enough for even keto eaters to incorporate at least a little.

There are even lactose-free kefirs that will be definitely near-zero in carbs. If that’s the case, it will be prominently displayed on the label.

Mark, don’t they at least partially”clean up” kefir? Does it really contain all that good stuff, or is pasteurized?

Commercial kefir uses pasteurized dairy, but the fermentation takes places after pasteurization. This means the finished product is fermented with living bacteria (and yeast, in the case of kefir).

I’ve never seen a commercial kefir that pasteurized after fermentation. If you’re worried, you can always get your own kefir grains and make your own kefir. It’s pretty easy and delicious.

Kefir – I just did a test of dairy and it definitely gives me a reaction. I’d love to read your take on water kefir though I’m not pleased that the recipes use sugar. What about coconut milk kefir?

Don’t worry about water kefir that uses sugar. All the sugar gets consumed by the kefir grains, leaving little to no residual sugar for you. You can tell by the taste (and I admit I’m no fan/expert of water kefir, only because I can tolerate dairy kefir). If it’s sweet, it contains sugar. If not, it doesn’t. Even if it has some sugar left, it’ll be far less than indicated on the label.

Coconut milk kefir is a good option too. Again, I prefer the dairy kefir, but I see nothing wrong with coconut milk kefir. I even put up a coconut milk kefir recipe some time ago.

Funny you mentioned to drink bone broth (for the glycine) to help with sleep. I have been keto-carnivore for 9 months and recently realized that the high level of histamines in bone broth was giving me insomnia. I can eat most foods that contain a moderate level of histamines, but canned fish and long-cooked bone broth have derailed my sleep on carnivore.

If that’s the case, straight glycine can work. That’s what several studies actually used to improve sleep in humans—isolated glycine.

Collagen may also work for you.

Could all this be too much worry from being obsessed with checking if they are doing the keto diet “right” ?

Ha! Yeah. That’s the issue with a certain subset of the Primal/keto crowd. Worrying about every little thing until it becomes a stressor. Ketone numbers running through the head as you lie awake. Waking up at 2 AM to test your urine. “Did I remember to Amazon Prime the MCT oil?” Wondering “Is the olive oil in my canned sardines truly the highest quality olive oil?”

Then there’s the true classic: stressing out about the stress you’re inducing from worrying about your diet. Educate yourself, but don’t forget to enjoy life. There’s only so much diligence we can orchestrate without losing the forest through the trees.

That’s it for today, everyone. Take care and be well, and make sure to leave any comments or questions down below.

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lauramalchowblog · 5 years