#throw some healthy things like fancy protein shakes in there

[blossoms-phan]

this is going to make me sound so insane and parasocial but my family used to live in the uk and sometimes I really miss specific things like the food/snacks/gen grocery stuff bc it’s still pretty familiar to me so sometimes I’ll just go on the tesco website and browse like im doing my normal grocery shopping and think “hm I wonder what dnp buy on the regular”

[weaselle]

cooking for people who have no idea what they are doing (or are just, like, real depressed)

Okay, I’m a professional cook, but also, I get depressed. This is the cooking I do when I’m depressed, because I need the simplest path to a whole meal.

This is not for vegetarians, because, while I wholeheartedly support people choosing vegetarianism, and also enjoy cooking for vegetarians, for me, the simplest path to a meal includes meat. Perhaps when I am less depressed I will work on options.

A lot of recipes focus on achieving food that is in some way special, using special techniques, or using a precise list of carefully measured high-end ingredients... and that’s not this, this is all the parts of cooking that are not those things.

First, shopping

Meats Starches Veggies Sauces Breakfast/Snack

For a whole week you’re going to want

3 kinds of meat, with five portions each. So, for example, five chicken breasts, 10 sausage links, and 2-3 pounds of ground beef. Other possibilities include pork chops, salmon, some kind of steak, whatever. 

You’re going to want up to 3 starches. Honestly I usually stick to just rice, but you can go with rice, potatoes, and pasta. If you want to use quinoa or polenta or something, thats on you.

And, you’re going to want about 3 types of vegetables, again, about 5 portions each -- and try to stay green. So personally, I usually get 5 medium zucchini, 2 medium heads of broccoli, and then either yellow squash or mushrooms. A bag of salad greens is also a good option, and I have an easy way to make a good salad, which I will do as a separate post.

Next pick something easy that works as either breakfast or a snack. For me this is a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, and a bunch of bananas. Sometimes it’s nice to have an additional option here, like cereal or yogurt. 

Last, you’ll want 2-5 sauces in bottles. I would definitely recommend a low sodium soy sauce be one of them, and maybe a BBQ sauce for the other. I usually also include worcestershire and sriracha but go with whatever you want, teriyaki sauce, A1, whatever you know you’ll eat. Hell, you can use Italian style salad dressing as a cookable sauce if you really want.

Oh, and If you don’t already have some at the house, you’ll need pan lube: butter and/or some kind of cooking oil. 

Okay! we’re done shopping! Affordability isn’t the main focus here, but is undeniably important -- I live in a very expensive area, this shopping trip is going to feed me well for a week and costs me about $100 bucks. When I was living in Alabama, it probably would have cost me more like $70. You won’t need to get stuff like the sauce and rice and peanut butter every week, so you’re definitely looking at a monthly grocery bill of something like $300 depending on where you live, and that’s not too bad. 

Prep

hell no, I’m depressed, the only prep I’m doing is putting two packages of meat in the freezer and the rest of this stuff in the fridge. You CAN box or bag each portion of meat separately so you can really alternate what you eat -- me, I’m gonna eat chicken for two or three days, then beef for two or three days, etc.

and listen, don’t fuck around with microwave settings or running water on things to defrost them. If you package the meat all up separately, just move a portion from the freezer to the fridge each time you cook dinner. Or, if you do like me, move the whole package when you go to cook your last portion of the previous stuff, and just deal with the fact that it will probably still be a tiny bit frozen when you go to cook next.

Tip: When you cook dinner, you’re going to make enough for lunch. That just leaves you one small meal - I often smear peanut butter on a peice of bread and wrap it around a banana like a taco - fast, easy, practically no dishes, relatively healthy

____________________________________________________________

Cooking (this is going to take about 25 minutes)

You’re going to need

ONE frying pan, medium size w/ lid ONE boil pot, medium size w/ lid knife, a spatula and a cutting board.

If you want to be fancy, you can include a big spoon. Looks like this

No matter what the specific ingredients you’ve chosen, the basic format is going to be:

Start your starch heat pan, put meat in the pan flip meat and add veggies, cover with lid remove meat and add sauce finish starch put everything on a plate while it is still too hot to eat and you are standing in the kitchen anyway, wash the like, 4 dishes you’ve gotten dirty. eat.

Okay, before you even get everything else out, start your starch. For rice this means rinse the rice and put it in the cold water and set it on high heat, for pasta this means put your salted water on the stove on high heat. For potatoes, you can use my perfect mashed potatoes recipe (I’ll do that as a separate post) or, honestly, you can wait until you’re halfway done with the rest of everything and microwave the sucker for like 8 minutes. I would never do that in a restaurant, but trying to feed my lethargic depressed ass? Absolutely.

easy rice: Fill your smallest coffee cup with rice, put it in the pot. Rinse. Fill the same cup twice with water, add to rice. Bring to a boil, give a good stir, turn heat all the way down, put a lid on it for something like 15 more minutes.

Okay, now lube your pan. Butter, olive oil, whatever. You’re probably looking at an amount more than a teaspoon and less than a table spoon of whichever you use. Personally I try to use as little olive oil as possible, so I pour a large coin sized amount (a quarter in the U.S.) into the pan, ear off a piece of the paper towel I’m going to use as my napkin for the evening, fold it up tight, and sort of paint the oil around so a little goes a longer way.

Pan lubed? Great, turn your burner on. highest heat will work but is not ideal, medium heat will work better but is still not ideal. Halfway between the two is perfect for chicken, a little hotter for beef, a little lower for fish.

Now remove two portions of your chosen protein (that way you’ll have tomorrow’s lunch too). By the time you get the packaging open and stuff, your pan is probably hot. If it’s not, let it get hot. You don’t want the oil to start smoking (warning, butter will burn faster than oil) but if you shake a single drop of water off your finger into the pan, you want it to sizzle.

If your pan is hot, put your meat in. The more you do this, the more you’ll perfect the timing, but you’re going to cook it for ~about~ 7 minutes before you flip it, maybe a couple minutes longer if it’s chicken or pork, maybe a couple minutes less if it’s beef.

Now that your meat is in, prepare your veggie. Rinse it off, cut off any part of it you don’t want to eat, and then cut what’s left into pieces the size of a large bite. Don’t worry, it’s going to get a little smaller when you cook it. Take your time, you’ll probably finish in less time than the meat needs.

Time to flip your meat? Great. Do that, and then dump your chopped up veggie in the pan. It does not matter at all if the pieces are not touching the bottom of the pan -probably most of them will not be, a bunch will be on top of the meat, that’s fine.

Put a lid on it. Now add your pasta to the water, or put your potato in the microwave, or check your rice. If following my perfect mashed potato recipe, mash now.

Rice tip, checking: eat a grain, you want zero crunch. If it’s not done and there’s no liquid, add a splash of water and stir. It it’s done or close to done, but it is still very wet, give it a big stir and leave on the stove with the lid off for a couple minutes.

Your meat still has like, at least 4 minutes, so rinse off your cutting board and chef knife, get out a plate, table knife and fork.

 Meat done? Great. Take the meat out of the pan, leaving the veggies in. Add sauce to the pan. I like to also use a little wine, because it’s usually already in the house, if you have some and want to, pour a large swallow of wine in the pan with the sauce. I’ll often mix a couple sauces, like worcestershire and soy (makes something similar to teriyaki) or hot sauce and BBQ

Stir the sauce around with the veggies. This, called deglazing, is an important step for two reasons, 1: it will get up a lot of the flavorful stuff that has stuck to the pan and make your sauce better, and 2: it will make washing the pan much easier. Okay, put the lid back on for one to two minutes, maybe stir a couple times. Basically you want the sauce to stain the veggies.

Your starch should be done, turn off the burner, put a portion on your plate, and stick the rest in a ziplock or tupperware or something. Go ahead and throw the second portion of meat right in there with it. 

Turn off the stove and scoop the veggies onto the plate, and pour the sauce from the pan over everything.

Now, while it’s too hot to eat, and you’re standing in the kitchen anyway, wash the pot, pan, and spatula. It should be very easy because of the way you used the sauce and because nothing has had a chance to harden. This usually takes me about 2 full minutes.

__________________________________________________________

OKAY! it’s been 20-25 minutes, you’ve got dinner and tomorrow’s lunch (just add another cut up veggie, pour a different sauce on, and put it in the microwave for two or three minutes) AND there’s no danger of dishes piling up on you :) You can even add “washing last night’s plate and fork for use tonight” to where you rinse the cutting board to really keep it full circle.

It’s not gormet. It IS accessibly healthy, affordable, and easy.

If you are extra depressed, forget the starch and use more veggies; this cuts what little work there is by up to half

Using this format, you can have three good meals per day and only spend 30 total minutes a day in the kitchen — including clean up! (dishes piling up tends to exacerbate my depression and makes cooking your next meal harder)

And it’s easy to give yourself a wide variety, from soy glazed chicken, zucchini and rice one night; to steak, mushrooms and pasta the next; followed by BBQ pork chops, brocoli and potatoes... I suck at math but there’s probably a hundred options

Just to recap, because I know I was very detailed and this might seem overwhelming, once you read through the above to answer any questions you might have, simply

-Start your starch -lube & heat pan, put meat in the pan, about 7 minutes -flip meat, add veggies, lid, about 7 minutes -wash knife and cutting board -remove meat and add sauce to veggies, re-lid, 1-2 minutes -finish starch, refrigerate extra meat and starch  -put everything left on a plate -wash pot and pan -eat.

[briarpatch-kids]

if you comfy with it, can you talk a little about your experiences with muscular dystrophy? i am suspecting it or something similar and just want to hear from people with it. ofc no pressure if too private etc!

Yeah, so basically I have mitochondrial myopathy which is under the muscular dystrophy umbrella because it causes progressive weakness and similar medical issues to muscular dystrophy, but it's not a "proper" one the way something like Limb-Girdle or Duchene are so your mileage may vary.

Growing up I always felt like I had to work a little harder than the other kids, I was always tired, and I'd get sick really easily and stay sick for a long time. I still was able to make up for things by sheer "you have no other option" willpower, combined with not being too sick yet.

I did well enough to pass military fitness tests at 18 and 19, but by 22 I had developed heart problems and dramatic exercise intolerance despite being very active. For years it looked like POTS and EDS to the point where I was misdiagnosed for a couple years. I was also having weird muscle twitches in my legs at night and the beginning of the muscle rigidity, but I thought it was just side effects from taking some hardcore psych meds when I was 20.

From there it kind of seemed like every time I'd get my shit together, horrible pain would set in and I'd start getting weird medical symptoms. Like, three months into it I'd be in 9/10 pain in my whole body, half delirious, and my whole body would be locked up in a muscle spasm. I once lost the ability to lift my arms over shoulder level for a month during finals week in college. That was a party.

The weakness is a lot more insidious, I thought it was the other medical symptoms until I got diagnosed. Because like, when your heart is beating at 180bpm, you need a sternum rub weekly to breathe from muscles locked, and you're swaying side to side while walking so hard you keep hitting door frames and bruising, you don't really notice that it's harder to get up and down than it used to. Or that maybe you're swaying side to side because you can't hold your whole body up reliably not because you're dizzy.

A lot of the other weakness related symptoms have been insidious. I have periods where I feel really tired and sluggish and like... Dim? Then I'd put on my CPAP for a nap and it would perk me back up. When we had a covid scare, my mother in law bought an oxygen monitor and it turns out during those times, my oxygen has been dropping to lower than what's healthy. (91-93 which is low enough to be concerning but not enough to need oxygen)

(EMETOPHOBIA WARNING) For the digestive issues it was more of the same, I just kind of lost my appetite, then it felt like I was "forcing food through" to keep things moving, then I started throwing up old food because my digestive system just kinda quit due to low power. Nowadays it's give or take, I can have a solid meal once in a while but I mainly live off milk watered down with coffee or protein shakes watered down with coffee. They're too thick without being thinned out and I'll be damned if I drink plain watered down Ensure instead of making a fancy coffee lmao (END EMETO WARNING)

A lot of it nowadays is realizing I can't go quite as far as I used to, meaning I can make it out, but I need help getting back. I'm trying to keep as much muscle as I can, but it can only really make you the strongest version of yourself rather than prevent muscle loss over time if that makes sense. I can push myself through a 3 mile wheelchair run, but I can't sit up reliably in my wheelchair without more support. Someday I won't be able to do the wheelchair runs, but when that happens there's powerchair football. (soccer)

[hhgossip]

HHHQ WEEKLY ASK MEME

RULES:

YOU MUST ASK AT LEAST ONE QUESTION TO EVERYONE WHO REBLOGS THIS AS WELL.

if asking on anon make sure you note what character is sending the ask

add sent, unsent, drunk text, sober text

credits to this ask meme here

[text] Are you lost?

[text] NO! That was a typo

[text] Did you buy it?

[text] I think I’m a mermaid

[text] I know it’s 3am, but come over and cook for me.

[text] Too lazy to booty call, so have this text instead

[text] Need to bury a body, it’s urgent.

[text] Are you sure there’s no monsters?

[text] It was an accident.

[text] lol fuk da police

[text] send me a picture and i’ll be home quicker ;)

[text] DO NOT READ THE LAST MESSAGE IT WASN’T MEANT FOR YOU

[text] Well maybe I broke my tongue!

[text] Please tell me you’re free today! I’ve got some big news today.

[text] Got a spare ticket, do you want to come?

[text] Do you have a spare mankini I can borrow?

[text] Is fancy dress allowed at the wedding?

[text] I was using my old baby blanket as a makeshift skirt because no pants

[text] We were banging then all I remember is coming down hard and smashing my top teeth off his forehead… I just rolled off and tapped out.

[text] Like alphabetically, I’d say a t?

[text] I’m sorry if throwing up in the back of your dad’s car ruined our friendship :(

[text] there is absolutely nothing wrong with two grown men staying up all night singing karaoke and drink out of juice cartons. don’t judge me.

[text] I found a door knob in my purse this morning, I hope whoever it belonged to doesn’t need it today.

[text] Do you know where I am?

[text] My wedding is in 5 hours and I have no idea where I am. Help!

[text] We played Rock Paper Scissors to see who would get a piggy back ride home. I’ve never been so broken.

[text] Is “head down ass up��� an appropriate way to say good morning?

[text] That is definitely not healthy, in fact I’m not sure it’s legal to send that sort of picture?

[text] There isn’t enough cookie dough ice cream at home, so I’ll be heartbroken tomorrow instead.

[text] Not sure if I took a nap or went to another dimension

[text] ABORT MISSION! ABORT MISSION! HE IS A TRIPLET, WE DONT NEED TO FIGHT OVER HIM WE CAN HAVE AN ORGY INSTEAD

[text] No no don’t leave me, who’s going to walk me home

[text] She wheeled me home in a trolley and sad she loved me, I think I win.

[text] My dick just got serenaded.

[text] I ate the whole wheel of cheese. Help.

[text] I’ve been hiding under the bed for the past 20 minutes, and now they’re getting into it and it’s a little too late for me to jump out and surprise them. So expect a live sex updates

[text] The fridge is fully stocked. I’m either hallucinating or this is a miracle

[text] I need you to help me clean the house because I have visitors in less than an hour???

[text] Your brother is at the front door- WHAT DO I SAY?!

[text] It’s all fun and games till someone says you’re so pretty they could punch you and they, you know, punch you

[text] I’m in A&E but I don’t really know why

[text] Went to bed with a 10, just about woke up with a 2 and a half

[text] I think I’m officially a homewrecker because his wife just walked in screaming and he said it’s not what it looks like. I mean what else could it look like? I wasn’t trimming his hairs with my mouth?!

[text] My night ended with me crying in a gutter, I hate you.

[text] He’s decorated the toilet with his urine. I never want to see him ever again, tell him he has 2 minutes to get out of our house.

[text] Don’t talk to me! You tried to trade me for a glass of wine and a cigarette!

[text] I promise I’ll get everyone to jelly wrestle with us xox

[text] I am armed with a crown, a sash and a bouquet of flowers. Don’t test me.

[text] I think I got married last night?

[text] I think I got married on impulse last night… and after looking a second time, I don’t think i’ve made any mistakes.

[text] My mouth tastes like poor choices

[text] I didn’t let go of the mechanical bull, but they had to pull me off because… it was rough just the way I like it and I think that showed?

[text] If I say it was accidental you’ll just say I’m lying

[text] There is an alarming amount of glitter in my… everywhere

[text] You’re my hero

[text] You’re the worst thing to ever happen to me, thank you

[text] Have you ever had a good idea in your life?

[text] Are we going to end up in the hospital again?

[text] It’s not a good night if I don’t end up crying into your mother’s lap.

[text] Mark my words, your dad will be my sugar daddy, he’ll marry me and you’ll have to call me momma bear and I will interrupt your sex life with condoms and condiments.

[text] I’m may be allergic to nuts, but not his.

[text] She high fived me out of pity

[text] You walked in wearing nothing but a beekeeper mask

[text] You just walked in, rated their performance, dragged in three other people to clap for them, then walked back out.

[text] You kept calling me baby Jesus and trying to see what wise men had to say about my hair…

[text] I am a responsible adult. I tied up my hair before I puked

[text] I am a responsible adult, I brought home a lost kitten and let it shit in your room

[text] I accidentally talked myself into a threesome, when did I become so smooth?

[text] It may or may not have been your sister…

[text] It may or may not have been your brother…

[text] If you’re not coming over with food, don’t come over at all

[text] Call me and get me out of this conversation NOW. My co-worker is talking to me about her birds having sex again…

[text] IM NOT TALKING TO YOU UNTIL YOU MAKE A PROCLAMATION YOU LOVE ME MORE THAN TACOS

[text] Buy me a helicopter, I will give you the last slice of pizza. pls. this is important. okay maybe the crust?

[text] Let’s never forget the time I met you while you were running down the street naked and in handcuffs.

[text] I tried to put lipstick on my eyeballs, help.

[text] I told her my cum counts as protein shake and she sent a text to my gran saying I ate her cat.

[text] If you don’t fuck me hard, rough, and senseless the minute we’re alone in your room, I’m returning you to the boyfriend store

[text] I accidentally sexted your mum, I’m sorry xox

[text] There can only be one screw up per family and I was here first. Get your shit together bro

[text] I feel like you’re pretending I didn’t bail you out of jail last night for trying to staple a cushion to the top of their car so you had a “comfy place to sit”

[text] You climbed the fence and then started crying because you were scared of hamsters, I really don’t know what you took, but you need a babysitter.

[text]  I wish we could all take a bath together. Not in a “let’s fuck” way. But in a relaxing drunk in the tub sort of “let me wash your hair” way.

[aforrestofstuff]

I'd like to know if you have any cooking skills headcanons!! Like, from who's able to make a absolute meal to who burns microwaved instant noodles.

I’ve done a few individual headcanons about cooking before, but I think it’s time for a refresher. You could call this... the main course.

Okay, enough of that bullshit. Here’s the hcs. Thanks for your ask, anon! ❤️❤️💞

Disclaimer: this shit is crack as fuck because I have very strong feelings about cooking lmfao. FOH don’t interact.

Tornado of Terror: She’d find a way to burn ice cream, honestly. She tries so hard (by god she tries) but her meals always come out as a convoluted mess with ingredients that have no reason being together. She eats her steaks well done and boils hamburgers. It’s a nightmare. She doesn’t really spend too much time in the kitchen, however, because she knows she sucks at cooking and because of this, makes 90% of her diet consist of takeout. But if she did spend more of her day cooking, she’d probably discover the recipe to meth accidentally. It’s that bad.

Silverfang: Stubborn old grandpa way of cooking. He’s got a handful of recipes that have been passed down for generations and he’s gonna carry those fuckers to his grave. When Garou was living at the dojo, the little bastard would try to make some changes to these recipes and Bang had to will every molecule in his arthritis-riddled body to not RKO this kid (not really, Bang wouldn’t hurt a fly). But I digress. He’s a decent cook, knows all the fundamentals and all of that shit.

Atomic Samurai: Can’t cook or bake for shit although he, of course, talks himself up like he can. The extent of his cooking knowledge is only within the realm of “shit you can roast over a campfire when your cheap ass can’t scrape together enough coin to pay the electricity bill”. But now that he’s got that S-Class paycheck and three other disciples to freeload off of, they pretty much cater to his every food-related need. He’s useless in the kitchen. Utterly fucking useless.

Child Emperor: Doesn’t know how to cook (little bastard ain’t even tall enough to reach the stove imo) but luckily he’s got that PHAT BRAIN so he can easily just build a Gordon Ramsey bot 3000 to replace his incompetence in the kitchen. His diet consists of Dino nuggets and microwaveable noodles so it’s not like he’s doing the world a great disservice by not learning how to cook properly.

Metal Knight: Same as Child Emperor except he’s a rich bastard and programs his bots to make that fancy shit with only the finest ingredients. He’s got enough cash from doing black market tech trades and building up his robo-army that this motherfucker could snort caviar for fun. He’s a real pompous asshole about it.

King: His mom taught him to cook a few things, nothing serious. He’s one of those dudes that doesn’t really know how to make much, but the few dishes that he does know how to cook are fucking BOMB. He’s got a cast iron skillet for making pancakes and everything, bitch is already halfway to being a chef himself. Other than that, however, he’s a ramen monster. His blood is practically pre-packaged bone broth.

Zombieman: I’ve said this in a previous hc but he’s a damn good cook. One problem though: he only knows how to make single servings of everything because he eats alone almost all the time. He specializes in meats. Bitch is a carnivore. He bought himself a set of those 500-dollar butcher knives so he can carve up cuts like a monster. He hemorrhages cash into fancy wood chips so he can get that smoky flavor juuuuust right. He’s got an Outdoor Chef setup on his patio. My mans is living the DREAM.

Drive Knight: He can eat but does he really need to? His cooking expertise is popping a new battery in. There you go.

Pig God: Oh my god if this man’s kitchen isn’t Michelin-Star quality. He eats a lot and he cooks a lot, it’s only natural. He’s got an indoor grill and pot chandelier and buys industrial-sized buckets of pickles and roast beef by the cow and— okay he just has a lot of food, alright? And he’s got that PHAT S-Class paycheck so my boy probably has a whole walk-in fridge just to put all the fucking food he eats. Bonus points if he hires a dishboy to work and a contractor to implement a three-sink dish station with “Clean-Rinse-Sanitize” stickers slapped on the steel, lol. But yeah, he cooks for 500 people at a time because he eats enough for 500 people at a time. Gotta maintain that figure, you know what I’m saying?

Superalloy Darkshine: He has. Oh my god— he has a full shelf dedicated to just. DOZENS OF JARS of whey protein. He has two blenders: one for fruit smoothies and one for protein shakes. His kitchen? Spotless. He knows how to cook and he eats like a bodybuilder (because he is one, duh) so he’s got that fridge STOCKED at all times. He cleans like he’s getting paid for it because nothing feels better than wiping down a gas stove until that bitch is spotless. However, his taste is garbage. He can throw down in the kitchen but does it taste good? No. Sometimes the ultra-healthy alternative to something isn’t always the greatest. He’s grown accustomed to putting zucchini in his cakes and almost damn well likes the texture of it, but don’t invite this guy to the potluck because he WILL show up with a vegetable nightmare that’s sure to make even vegans gag. Sorry bud, but nobody likes soy bacon.

Watchdog Man: furry ass.

Flashy Flash: I’ve said this before in a previous hc, but he’s pescatarian. He grew up on a coastal town before being sold of to the ninja village like a goddamned carpet and now fish is the only meat he eats. His cooking ability is about as good as one would expect from a homesless ninja. Like Atomic Samurai, he can throw it down over the campfire and still find a way to make a decent dish (in both presentation and taste) despite having limited knowledge and resources to work with. Bitch can whip up a five-star meal with some branches, a fish, and half a carrot like it was second nature. That’s about it though. He’s useless in an actual kitchen.

Genos: It’s canon. He’s a housewife. He only knows how to make the select few dishes that play an integral part in Saitama’s diet, though (because Genos can eat but he doesn’t really need to, so he only does it when he and Saitama are sharing a meal). Those dishes include things like: actual garbage. He cooks shit food. It’s not his fault. Saitama just eats like a fucking twat. There’s rats that live in the dumpster outside the restaurant I work in that have a better diet than him. Genos just works with what the poor bastard’s got and has gained a pretty mediocre grasp on cooking because of it. If he wanted to, though, he could easily be the best chef in all the land. Too bad he’s more focused on being an ultra-powerful speed demon.

Metal Bat: Tries his absolute best to cook healthy meals for him and Zenko when he almost always resorts to just popping a frozen pizza in the oven and calling it a day. I’ve said this before in a previous hc, but he eats his shit BURNT. Bitch like his steak well done, his yolks grey, and his chicken vaporized. The only exception to this is sushi because there really is no other way to enjoy it other than having it raw. Trust me, though. If there was a way to burn the fuck out of sashimi while still having it be sashimi, he’d find a way to do it and like it. But yeah, as I said: he sucks ass at cooking. He’s tried the tutorials, he’s bought the skillets, he’s sharpened the knives, but he just can’t fucking do it.

Tanktop Master: Same as Superalloy. They bond over gross-ass ultra-healthy recipes that only they enjoy. The Tanktop Gang loves him but they always kindly refuse to eat over at his house because they know he’s gonna try to make them ingest a broccoli loaf or some shit. He’s not too strict about his diet, though. He’ll chill out and have a pizza every once and a while, but only when he’s hanging out with the homies.

Puri-Puri Prisoner: He has a job in prison where he helps out in the kitchen for seventy-five cents an hour, but that’s about the extent of it. He’s got the bare basics down and could put together a decent meal for date night if he really tried (and had a damn kitchen to work with). On top of that, he can throw down some tasty prison food recipes, hand-crafted from the brick box itself. Ramen pad Thai, anyone?

Amai Mask: he’s rich as fuck, why does he need to cook? Bitch hired a chef and now all he does it drink skim milk and eat food from the top shelf. He couldn’t fry an egg if his life depended on it. Poor bastard doesn’t even know what a whisk is. And don’t even get me started on how much of a slob he is. The ten-minute process of making a single plate of spaghetti will have his kitchen in such a disgusting state that it’ll take him and a trusty Mister Clean Magic Eraser five hours just to clean it up. That is, if he even has the basic human decency to pick up after himself. He’ll probably just hire someone to do for him and then tip them a crisp 100-dollar bill for their troubles, only to make an even worse mess tomorrow.

Iaian: I’ve said this before in a previous hc, but yes: he can cook. It’s nothing special. He’s got a suburban dad sense of cooking where he, like King, can only make a select few dishes but makes those dishes taste magical. He’s got 0 utensils and shit kitchen to work with (because Kami’s place is probably like, centuries old on account of him still being a Samurai), but boy can Iaian whip up a feast like no other despite all that. It’s all protein-packed flavor bombs that look simple in comparison to, say, Zombieman or Metal Knight’s food, but it still tastes good all the same. Kama eats off of his plate all the time and it used to annoy him but they’ve grown so close that they might as well share forks at this point.

Okamaitachi: Can’t really cook, but they are a baking god. I don’t know much about baking but I know they’ve got a cupboard dedicated to their plethora of sourdough starters. They buy yeast by the pound and make enough bread to feed entire armies some days. Whatever the gang doesn’t eat, they donate it to the local homeless shelter and make it a habit to go out of their way performing good deeds that don’t always involve sword fighting (something Kami insists he instilled into them via his teachings— which is bullshit. Kama is just naturally good-hearted and sweet).

Bushidrill: Can’t cook or bake for shit but like Atomic Samurai and Flash, can throw it down on the campfire. Don’t let this man near any turkeys or pigs because he will spitroast the fuck out of them.

Fubuki: Okay, not only is she a great cook but she’s as dogmatic as a coked-out head chef. She and the Blizzard Group sometimes cook together in her massive kitchen (she poured all of her measly paycheck into it because by god, if her apartment doesn’t have a kitchen fit for a chef then it’s not worth living in), and she’ll be barking orders like a damn crow. She’s got the two-grand knife set, cast-iron everything, bronze accents on the sink, and the ability to deglaze a pan without starting a fire. She’s a natural. If she cooks for you, then that’s how you know she likes you. All in all, her food tastes and looks great. She’s a bit low on funds on account of being only Class-B, so she sometimes takes little shortcuts when plating her dishes, like using celery leaves in place of parsley and all that jazz.

Saitama: I’ve already said that his diet is absolute shit and part of that is due to being poor, but I will show mercy and say that he’s a decent cook. He only makes what he knows he’s gonna like and doesn’t leave any room for experimentation unless his budget allows it (which isn’t often). His kitchen only has the bare essentials. Genos has offered to buy him more equipment and even renovate the damn thing for him but Saitama refuses each time because then he’d have a bigass kitchen just for making a poor man’s omurice, and that would be a waste. His talent, though? Making a perfect omelet. He can fold the egg like a sheet with no tears and no brown spots. It tastes heavenly.

Mumen Rider: Ultra-safe in the kitchen. He doesn’t even own a knife sharpener because he’s clumsy enough to know he’ll cut himself the moment he even tries to use it. His pot handles all have coverings and he’s watched all of the food safety and fire safety videos out there. He could give a goddamned seminar on it. Food-wise, he’s a decent home cook. Nothing special. He does, however, share Superalloy and Tanktop’s nasty habit of over healthy-ing everything to oblivion and making it a tasteless, vegetative mess. It doesn’t matter if you invite him to the potluck or not because he’ll bring a cauliflower pizza anyway and y’all better fucking enjoy it or he’ll start crying.

Sonic: The same as Flashy Flash, minus the pescatarianism. He’d butcher a pig without blinking an eye, and often uses his katana in cooking (even though it poses like, 87 different safety hazards and is most definitely health violation). He can forage quite well and has taken a liking to wild mushrooms and berries over the years. It’s gotten so natural to him that he now knows by heart the specific time of year in which the wild berries are ripest, and which species of salmon inhabit certain streams on any given day.

Garou: Would burn water. End of story. His cooking is so bad and dangerous that everyone thinks he’s an arsonist when he really just starts fires on accident. Don’t let this fucker near a stove, for the love of god.

[viduregia-blog]

-- Prompt 01: Questionnaire

(content warning for: disordered eating, maybe substance abuse?) 

01. Tell us about your character’s name. Was it given to them or chosen? Does it hold any special meaning? If your character has aliases or nicknames, how did they get them and what do they mean?

Her birth name was largely picked because one of her moms thought it sounded pretty-- it’s not much deeper than that from an in-fiction perspective. 

And Uria Grata, the primary alias that she uses, is the name of a girl whose identity she stole... So it was picked for that reason LOL. Her second most used alias, Violet Waxbi, was designed to help her blend in among various different groups while on the job. 

Out of fiction, I’m a giant fucking nerd and adapted her birth name from that of a brood parasite (aka bird that puts its eggs in the nests of other birds), and her aliases are both plays on the name of the bird that this specific brood parasite takes advantage of. 

Also when she was a kid some of the other gang members called her Songbird (because i said so), and she still occasionally uses it as a call sign or whatever. 

02. What is your character’s relationship to their homeworld? Do they hold fond memories of it, or do they hate it? Are they still here, and if not, do they miss it?

i mean............... she’s definitely not still there! kinda sucks when ur planet goes boom but she’s coping ! sort of !! sure wish more of her family and friends had gotten off planet with her !! 

So mostly she tries to avoid thinking about Taris. But. There aren’t many positive memories of the planet itself, it was dirty and and oppressive and, later, war torn. Most days she didn’t see the sun, and good food was hard to find at the best of times. Memories of the people there are much more favorable, though, and sometimes she misses that. Sometimes she even misses the smell and everything just because it was so familiar. 

Getting off Taris was one of the best things she ever did, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt sometimes. 

Getting her family off Taris was just as important, even if it took a lot of convincing-- but with the Exchange taking over, even they could see that things weren’t likely to get better. A good quarter of the Hidden Beks had managed to find refuge elsewhere before the quarantine and Taris’ eventual destruction, Vidu’s family included. 

03. Describe your character’s relationship with those who raised them. Was it positive? Negative? Neutral? What sorts of ideologies were they raised with, and do they still stand by them now?

She loves her moms!!! and the other older swoop gang members that helped them raise her! Loves them so much she almost didn’t leave for Coruscant when she got the chance but they weren’t gonna stand for that... It was a very tearful mushy goodbye. 

Growing up, there was a lot of emphasis on loyalty and working for the good of the group, and she still carries that with her, though she’s expanded her gang to include the whole of the Republic at this point. Just one huge family. Also, a healthy dose of distrust for strangers. 

04. What is your character’s relationship with the Force? Is your character Force-sensitive? Whether or not they are, do they believe in it? Do they lean more towards the dark or the light or are they somewhere in between?

I mean maybe if you squint real hard there might be a hint of force around her but like....... Not enough to do anything with. Once in a blue moon she has a gut feeling abt something and it turns out right, but like, it’s probably just intuition? She does believe in it well enough, though-- like, she’s seen a few Jedi at work. They do fancy stuff that seems to support the whole force thing. She doesn’t think about it very much, but she knows it’s out there. 

If she had more sensitivity she would rest somewhere in the middle, though. She’s all about shades of gray. 

05. What three word would you use to describe your character? What three words would your character use to describe themself? What three words would someone close to them use?

me: determined, resourceful, scattered

vidu: i don’t have time for this (yes she knows that’s more than three words) 

del, sis agent: stubborn, protective, hot

06. Describe your character’s aesthetic. Do they tend towards fashion or function? Do they like to accessorize? How does this extend into their own personal spaces, such as their home or their workspace?

god she misses the days when aesthetic didn’t matter as much..... she spent her whole youth running around in whatever fabric she could throw on at the last second.... although occasionally she made the whole gang attend her “fashion shows” but even then, it was mostly her making her brothers and anyone else nearby dress up silly...... 

now, though, she has to dress up and accessorize properly as a matter of survival. if she doesn’t look the part, who knows what’ll happen? this applies to her apartment, too-- it very much looks the part. although, it and her desk are also Always some level of a total mess. there’s lots of shoving dirty clothes under the bed when someone comes to visit. 

07. What are your character’s vices? Guilty pleasures? Bad habits? Weak spots?

in her down time, she’s a real sucker for anything that feels luxurious. vidu almost never takes a day off, but u can bet when she does she spends the whole day in the bath!! u can also bet she spent most of at least one paycheck on super fancy soft sheets, and has more nice alcohol in her apartment than she does food.

she does have the unfortunate habit of substituting drink (alcohol, caf, experimental energy drinks, protein shakes, etc) for food, though, and most days she only eats once because she forgets so easily. she’s just not used to food being that easily accessible!! she probably never will be!! and if she’s not in polite company, chances are high she’ll scarf her food so fast it gives her a stomach ache... 

other bad habits: having zero relationships outside of work, and finding dares almost impossible to resist

08. Tell us about your character’s relationship with food. What are their favorites? Do they enjoy cooking? Are they adventurous? Will they eat absolutely anything or are they hard to please?

Oops i guess I talked about it a little in the last question, BUT.... yeah, she’s not great about food. As a kid it wasn’t always easy to come by, and now that it is she doesn’t know what to do with it. How do manage eating schedule?? How do GROCERY SHOP?? ???? ? No. If she doesn’t snag something at work then she’s either not eating or she’s ordering out. 

Pretty sure Vidu has never cooked-- that was more her brother’s thing. She’s not like, burn water bad, but.... She does avoid it like the plague. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t occasionally hoard food when she does remember to go shopping, though. There’s a lot of shit in her cabinets that never sees the light of day. 

In terms of what she will eat, though.... I mean she’s eaten things a lot grosser than anything you’ll find for sale on Coruscant. She can and will eat bugs off the ground on a dare. Let’s leave it at that. 

09. How does your character feel about engaging in relationships—romantic and / or sexual—with others? What is their history like? Do they fall in love easily? Are they constantly in and out of relationships?

Vidu’s never really been in an official relationship yet, and she’s dead set on keeping it that way until her single status stops being a career asset. At the moment, being able to flirt around without worrying about someone getting hurt is too important to risk a relationship. 

She will occasionally have a one night stand, though, when she’s not too busy. It’s just nice to indulge in the fantasy, sometimes. She's developed a number of crushes throughout her life, but has yet to follow anything through. 

Also it’s kind of a given, in her mind, that she’ll end up sleeping with someone for career favors someday, but it hasn’t come to that yet. 

10. What is your character’s pain tolerance like? Can they hold their own in a fight, despite injury? If someone hurts them with the aim of gaining information, how much can they take before they cave?

I mean she certainly doesn’t like pain !!! She’s also incredibly stubborn, though. So it ends up like this: she’ll whine for an hour about a stubbed toe, but she’ll keep working on a sprained ankle without saying anything to anybody (limping pathetically around the office and then straightening up whenever anyone comes into view..... Faster limping when they turn away). 

Also if she ever gets tortured, she’s already worked out that she’s going to take as much as seems plausible and then immediately start lying her ass off. Come up with a story and stick to it. Last just long enough that it would seem like she’d broken for real, and then start giving false information out the wazoo. With this method, she hopes to never actually find the limits of her pain tolerance cause she doesn’t know what they are and she doesn’t want to. 

11. What is your character’s weapon of choice? Are they more skilled as a melee fighter or do they have more skill with ranged weapons? What’s their fighting style like? What sort of training do they have behind them?

Vidu tries to avoid combat as much as possible-- even when things got bad on Taris she made herself useful by transporting supplies and doing basic first aid, rather than being involved with the fighting too much. 

That being said, she also has stupidly good aim. She’s been handling blasters for most of her life, and has spent a lot of time doing target practice, but has more limited practice with moving targets. It’s been more than enough to keep her alive in any combat situations that have come up, regardless. 

12. Does your character have any words or catchphrases that they say frequently? Tell us about how they picked them up.

When she took on her new identity, Vidu did a whole overhaul of her vocabulary. There was just too much that was indicative of where she came from-- now that it’s been a few years, she rarely makes slip-ups anymore. Also, given that 90% of her interactions are work related, she’s in customer service voice (and the stock phrases that go with that) like... Most of the time.

13. Tell us about a negative experience your character has had with either the Jedi or the Sith, and how this has affected their standing. Whether currently aligned or unaligned with either faction, if forced to choose, how would they side?

i mean the sith blew up..... her whole planet and a good number of people she considered like family. there’s no coming back from that, she’s gonna be down with sith till she dies. Outside of that, though, she’s pretty forgiving. See: going to work for the republic after they royally fucked up defending her planet. She hasn’t had many experiences with the Jedi outside of bureaucratic nonsense, but she would still pick them over the sith any day. 

14. How would your character react to seeing a relative or friend on the opposing side of a battle or mission?

I mean she’d certainly try to avoid fighting them until they had a chance to explain themselves. If it came down to it, her aim is good enough that she can generally fake missing people by inches, if she needed to uphold a cover but still wanted to let them get away. 

It would certainly warrant a good talking to later though!! 

15. Describe a memory that your character finds embarrassing.

That time her older brother talked her into sneaking out in the middle of the night to try out a swoop bike for the first time. It turned out it was broken and minorly exploded when she turned it on, naturally alerting all adults in the area. Her brother was gone by the time they got to the scene, but Vidu had tripped getting off and was dealing with a busted nose for too long to escape. 

It’s mostly embarrassing because she should have known better, her brother was always pulling shit like that. 

16. What goals does your character hold for themself and what steps have they taken towards achieving them? How far are they willing to go to reach them? What is their be-all and end-all?

Destroy the Empire. Not really. I mean yes, really, in the moments when she lets herself go really hog wild with the daydreaming, but. She doesn’t imagine that will happen in her lifetime. In the meantime, she’s content to aim for running the Strategic Information Service and getting it really set up to start crippling the Empire’s operations. 

Her steps have been pretty good so far, she’s already in a position of some mild authority within the organization, and she’s slowly building a network of powerful people that value her opinion. She’ll get there someday. The ends justify the means, in this case, so...... She probably wouldn’t stoop to murder but even that is a tiny bit questionable depending on who it is.

17. What is the one thing your character would change about their life if they were given the chance? What other lives could they have lived as a result?

Taris not being blown up would be..... nice..... Most of the things she would change are so far outside of her control that it’s not even really worth dreaming about, honestly. If Taris hadn’t been blown up, if the Mandalorian Wars hadn’t fucked them, if Taris hadn’t been a shithole in the first place-- it’s not worth thinking about. 

There’s a small, secret part of her that thinks maybe a nice calm life with her family would be okay, living under the radar on Bogden with them, setting up a chill lil smuggling operation. Would be great, even, but honestly even in her daydreams she knows that she would get bored of that really quick. She doesn’t know who she is without some kind of crusade. 

18. Living in such a high-conflict time, how does your character feel about doing what they must to survive? Will they hurt or kill others—either directly or indirectly—to protect themself and / or those close to them? If so, do they regret it when all is said and done?

As mentioned previously, she’s a big proponent of the ends justifying the means. If it’s to protect herself or others, she has no qualms about killing or maiming, and she’s done it before. For reasons less vital than defense there would be... Hesitation. She hasn’t been put in a position to find out, yet, whether or not she’d be willing to kill someone who’s not a direct threat in order to guarantee the success of a bigger picture goal. If she did, though, she would be torn up about it for a while. 

19. What is the biggest problem your character is currently dealing with?

Vidu’s job is consuming her every waking moment, right now. It’s a good distraction, honestly, from having to think about everything that’s been lost in the fighting. Her biggest problem right at this particular moment is that one of her agents didn’t return from a mission recently, and she hasn’t been able to re-establish contact for a good while, so she probably has to recruit someone knew to re-establish coverage in their sectors. 

20. Give us 3+ headcanons of any length or subject matter.

okay here we go again: 

1. Agents: Vidu’s first recruit was a smuggler named Del Kos, and her suspiciously well trained travelling companion, Scorpio, though he’s technically not on the payroll. Anyway, Vidu and Del get along really well and it’s actually terrible when they end up on the same planet cause Del inevitably gets Vidu drunk, and Vidu is both a lightweight and a really rowdy drunk, so Scorpio always has to step in and manage things or it ends with Del starting a bar brawl while Vidu goes full wrestling announcer voice and takes bets from her perch atop the bar. 

At the moment, Vidu also manages two other official agents, but I want to leave those open for later development so I’m not gonna go too much into them. 

2. Bike Skills: Vidu’s actually really good at swoop bike racing but she can’t tell anyone!! It would blow her cover!! But she is, at all times, dying inside that she doesn’t get to flaunt one of her biggest pride points. This only really becomes a problem when she sees someone watching a swoop race and can’t contain it anymore and becomes the most obnoxious sports fan right in their ear. 

3. Sexuality: The girl is a big ol’ gay, zero interest in guys, but flirts with them all the time to get what she wants. She can’t help it if they’re easily manipulated!! 

bonus. Give us a list of any length telling us why our “fave is problematic.”

is she tho...? i mean.... is she?

jk of course she is: 

she stole a whole ass identity and is living a lie she drinks more wine and caffa than she eats food she probably lets her agents get away with more than she should she’s working really hard to get everyone she works for wrapped around her finger doesn’t have any friends outside of work  crosses professional boundaries with the work friends she does have her apartment looks like a whirlwind went through it at all times so does her desk someone save her poor coworkers and the janitor

[langblr-o-kebek]

How to feed yourself cheaply when you live alone

It can be so frustrating and difficult to get used to living by yourself. Apparently cabinets don’t come magically stocked with spices and you have to buy things??? with money???? So here’s a few things I’ve learned along the way along with some links to other great posts that have information along this subject too.

1. Secretly assassinate a relative and collect inheritance

2. Find a sugar daddy

If 1 and 2 are options then the rest of this post is worthless to you, if they are not options, keep reading.

Your first visit to the grocery store Buckle up because it’s going to be the most expensive one

You need to stock your kitchen since you are not a roach and can’t just eat the wooden cabinets. Every kitchen should have some combination of the “basics” which will be your non-perishable pantry items-those things that your parents house seemingly never runs out of. 

The Basics

-Rice -Pasta (+any other grains you might like such as couscous, wheat berries etc.) -Flour -Sugar -Brown sugar (if you’re into baking like I am) -Baking Soda -Baking powder -Spices (for example, cumin, cayenne, oregano, basil, paprika, etc.) -Salt and pepper -Oats -Boullion or cans of stock -Cans of soup/packets of ramen -Coffee/tea

I suggest you buy these kinds of items in bulk if possible. If you have the space to store them, they will last you forever and items like these can make a meal that is supposed to be 1-2 servings into somethings thats 4-6 which I’ll explain later. Also, buying in bulk is cheaper per pound/100 grams (whatever system you’re using) so in the long run, you’ll save lots of money by buying one fat ass sack of rice a year instead of 15 every few weeks. Check your area for bulk stores, places that sell spices and grains by the weight. This will save you cash and can be more eco-friendly if you’re able to use your own bags/containers.

Tips for meals

It is so much cheaper to cook a larger amount of food at a time than making something for each individual meal. This is because for the most part, you can’t buy ingredients sufficient for one serving at the grocery store and you don’t want to buy something you’ll only use once and then the rest goes bad and bye-bye money. Making a meal that will last you 3-4 days is not only cheaper, but also saves time since after the initial cooking, all you have to do is reheat a little at a time later. You can take this a step further and use grains like rice, pasta and couscous to “cut” the food thereby doubling the amount of servings you have. Below are some really easy recipes that I use that last me days.

Things you can make at home for cheap

HUMMUS! Bc it’s a great snack, filling, healthy and is stupid expensive at the store and stupid cheap and easy to make.

-1 can of garbanzo beans -2 T of tahini (you can leave this out if you want, tahini can be expensive) -1 T lemon juice -1 clove of garlic, minced -Cumin, paprika, salt, pepper

Literally throw it all in a food processor and blend. If it’s too thick, you can add more olive oil or save some of the water from the beans and add that as well. If you do that, less salt will need to be added. If you use dried beans that you’ve soaked and shit you will need more salt.

If you don’t have a food processor, you can heat the beans up and smash it by hand, it’s more effort and it may be chunkier but it works. Same goes for immersion blenders.

Fun ways to shake this hummus up

-Roasted Red pepper: Chop 1/3 C of roasted red pepper and add. Replace some of the olive oil with some of the juice from the pepper jar.

-Roasted Garlic: Instead of mincing a garlic clove, expose the head of the garlic (lol) and rub with a little olive oil, making sure it gets into the cracks (lol). Wrap in foil and roast at 400 degrees (~200 C) for 30-35 minutes. Garlic should be nice and soft when it’s done. Roasted garlic is sweet instead of biting like raw garlic so using a whole head is okay and you won’t die when you eat it.

-Artichoke heart+black olive: Chop up one can of artichoke hearts with however many chopped black olives as you would like

-Pesto: Add in at least one tablespoon of pesto

Now the question is, how do I eat my hummus and the answer is, there’s actually a billion ways

-Put it on a sandwich or wrap! -Dip celery, cucumber, carrots, peppers in it! -Eat it with pretzels or tortilla chips OR if you’re a cheap bastard like me, make your own tortilla chips by cutting up some tortilla rounds, brushing them with olive oil, sprinkling them with salt and bake at 350 for 10ish minutes. I usually put mine into the oven right when I turn it on and pull them out when the oven is preheated bc I can’t be bothered to actually figure out a proper cooking time. Whatever, this is way cheaper than buying chips and they’re more filling. You can also make tortillas, it’s cheap and simple, I find they taste better, but it is slightly time consuming. Here’s a recipe. -Eat it with a spoon wgaf you live alone no judgement.

Coffee Creamer

Hell yes you can make this at home. The basic is about 1 3/4 cup of milk (whatever kind of milk, the more fat in the milk the creamier the creamer) and 14oz of sweetened condensed milk. You can also add in a few drops of any sort of extract/honey or some sprinkles of cinnamon/nutmeg whatever suits your fancy! Here is a bunch of variations. Also put 1/4 of a teaspoon of cinnamon per cup of coffee in with your coffee grounds in the filter for a cinnamon scented coffee.

Popcorn

Well, we all knew this one. But honest to god it is so much cheaper and healthier to pop popcorn using a bag of kernels than it is to buy a box of microwave popcorn. Just pour some oil and a tablespoon of butter into a large pan, add the popcorn and cook covered over medium heat. As soon as the kernels start to pop make sure you start jiggling the pan to keep them moving so they don’t burn and ruin your pan. I’m pretty sure you can put the kernels in a paper bag in the microwave too. Throw salt on it, or even cinnamon and sugar cuz why not.

RULES FOR GROCERY SHOPPING

1. buying in bulk saves

2. Don’t buy in bulk if you can’t use it all before it expires-like yeast! Most expiration dates are pretty generous and you can actually continue using the product beyond the date (this amount of time varies, please for your own safety please google it). Yeast is the only food I know of that is true to its expiration.

3. Avoid superstores when possible. Most of the time, you’re paying for the convenience. Superstores are often more expensive because you’re paying for the convenience of doing all your shopping in one place. 

4. Ethnic markets are almost always cheaper-especially for trendy things like Coconut oil (so cheap at indian food markets!!) Find Chinese, Arabic, Indian, Mexican food markets around you and split up your shopping accordingly. 

5. MAKE YOUR OWN BREAD, it can be very easy. Google it.

6. Off brand is just as good as the rest

7. Coupons, grab them in the front of the store if available

8. Just because something is a good deal doesn’t mean you have to buy it. I don’t care if orange juice is on sale, I don’t drink a lot of orange juice. You know what’s cheaper than something being 50% off? Not buying it at all. It costs $0.00 to be smart. 

9. Don’t make grocery shopping a habitual thing. By that I mean don’t go grocery shopping every Sunday or whatever. Go grocery shopping when you need to go grocery shopping. If it’s been a week but you can wait 4 more days, wait 4 more days.

10. Don’t buy fresh herbs, grow them. A packet of seeds is cheap. Plastic pots are cheap. Potting soil can be cheap if you can find a place where you can buy by the weight instead of a massive bag. Plant the seeds according to the packet. Things like basil need to be watered often. Things like rosemary and thyme are okay chilling a couple of days without it. Read the packets and google it. Also it’s so rewarding to watch your little baby plants grow. An herb garden costs $10 dollars at the most to make. Fresh herbs at the grocery store cost $2-6 per package. Fresh herbs make meals taste a million times better I swear to god it’s the best thing you can do for yourself. Growing herbs also helped me with my depression so bonus.

11. If shopping at a super store, as much as possible stay out of the “middle”. What I mean is, things you buy should come from the sections closest to the wall-these include the produce, meat, dairy and frozen vegetables. All the processed foods are in the middle and though some can be cheap, they’re not filling and you end up buying them a lot. Doing things like making your own hummus can keep you out of the middle aisles and it’s healthier. Things from the middle you may need though are tea, ramen, grains, soup, peanut butter. 

12. Plan your trip. Thoroughly look through your fridge and cabinets to see what you’re out of. I even keep a little white board on my fridge where I write what’s in the fridge and what’s run out. Write down what needs to be replaced/what you need for the next couple of meals. Do not stray from the list when shopping.

13. Go to Marshalls or Winners or whatever equivalent for things like olive oil, K cups if you have a Keurig (oh fancy fancy) and cool pink salt. They also have other kinds of oils like sunflower and avocado, and even sometimes protein powders. It’s way cheaper there and you can buy a liter sized bottle of olive oil for like 7 dollars when it would cost at least twice that at a grocery store. 

14. Do not have the same grocery list every week. Prices of things change, your list should reflect that. If you’re wanting to get some sort of fruit for a snack, don’t get apples every week. Get whatever is in season. The prices of fresh produce in stores and markets will reflect what’s in season (i.e. the cheapest things). Lucky for us Bananas are always in season and are a super cheap snack that people forget about. I often wait until they’re ripe, cut them up and freeze them to make smoothies. 

15. Don’t be afraid of tofu. It’s cheap as hell and once you learn how to prepare it, can be a fantastic substitute for animal proteins if meat/fish are too expensive.

16. Don’t forget, so many foods can be frozen. If something is crazy on sale, don’t be afraid to buy more than usual if you are able to freeze it. Here’s a list of things that can be frozen. TBH here, in Canada, I buy those big 3L bags of milk and store the little baggies in the freezer. 

Finally, go to Goodwill stores and thrift shops to find kitchen appliances, dishes, and cookware for cheap! The best 7 dollars I ever spent was on a crock pot. These stores have so many items that last FOREVER, like a good pan, or a classic cafeteria.  Don’t think you can’t cook because you can’t afford the equipment. Kitchen equipment doesn’t have to be a huge investment.

That’s all I have for today. Good luck out there guys.

[lovemesomesurveys]

[[ Random Survey Questions // By @x-hallie-x ]] 1. When was the last time you just wanted to be alone? What about the last time you really wanted to be around people? I’m someone who needs alone time. It doesn’t necessarily mean I’m upset or anything, I just like time alone. I like to put my headphones in and listen to ASMR and do some surveys, read, color, or whatever. However, I get in these moody moods most days and I like to be alone and not talk to anyone. I just keep to myself. It’s for the best cause I don’t make good company when I’m like that cause I’m not talkative and if I do talk it’ll be short and clipped. I feel like my negative energy will drain and consume you. I get like that when other people are in moody moods, so I feel bad for those who are around me when I’m in mine, which like I said, is quite often. As for the last time I wanted to be around people, I like to spend a lot of time with my mom. I can be a bit clingy. I don’t like being around people much these days apart from my immediate family.

2. Have you ever gone somewhere in your pajamas? What makes this acceptable or unacceptable to you? Yeah, quite often nowadays. It’s funny to me how I let myself go out the house these days when once upon a time I’d never go out in my pajamas or without makeup. The only time I did that was if I was really sick and going to the doctor. I just don’t have the energy or care enough to put the effort most of the time anymore. Not to mention, I don’t go out much except to the doctor. And to Wal-Mart a couple times a month.

3. Other than the usual things like IDs, etc, what do you always carry with you when you go out? I mean, just my purse with the typical things like my wallet and phone. The only different thing is I always bring my medicine with me.

4. If you were to go on a picnic, what type of setting would you prefer, what types of food would you bring, and would you bring anyone along with you? Picnics sound cute and all, but I’m so not an outdoorsy type of person and whenever I’ve ate outside like for a BBQ or something, there’s always the nuisance of flies and other bugs. It’s not enjoyable to me. How about an indoor picnic? lol.

5. What is one song you feel as though you sing particularly well, if any? Haha I can’t sing, but I do admit that I find it’s easier to sing along to alternative songs by male artists. *shrug*

6. Have you ever kept a mood chart or anything like that? Did it help you pick up any useful patterns in your moods? Nah.

7. What was the last lengthy task you completed? Hmm. I like to color a lot and the coloring book I have has pages that are quite detailed and take some time to finish. I finished one last night.

8. Do you look toward the future or focus more on the here and now? Are you good at being in the moment, or do you always feel drawn to worrying about other things? The future scares me and I just can’t think so far ahead when I have so much going on in the here and now to think and dwell upon. I have to just take it day by day. My mind always feels very scattered and jumbled and like it’s just racing all the time with all the million different thoughts. It’s hard to focus on things.

9. What does it mean to you to have empathy? Do you think you’re an empathetic person? An empathetic person is someone who feels and shares emotions of others. I do think that I’m a empathetic person. I can feel the mood of someone else and I’ll feel that way, too. It’s like I take on what they’re feeling. If someone is in a bad mood and/or there’s tension, I’ll definitely feel it. I hate seeing people hurting and upset.

10. What was the last thing you did that was particularly selfish? What about selfLESS? I feel like I’ve been really selfish these past couple years. I was going to just take a little time to focus on myself and my health, but things took unexpected turns for the worse at times and I’ve spent more time than I planned on. I’ve been so in my own head. I have completely distanced myself and have withdrawn from everyone. I haven’t been able to be a good friend or be there for others like I would like to be, and like I used to be. 11. What is something about your life that is currently beyond your control? Certain health things and such.

12. What is one small thing you could do to change about your life for the better? I could start taking better care of myself and doing things that I need to be doing that would help quite a bit. Simple things like drinking protein shakes and taking my vitamins, for instance.

13. What type of photography do you enjoy looking at? Do you take any photos yourself, and if so, what types of things do you prefer to photograph? I’m not a professional photographer by any means, but I like taking photos of certain things with my phone and I think it takes pretty good photos. I like to take scenic, nature-y type photos. I have a lot of photos of my pup cause she’s so darn cute. (: I enjoy looking at nature and scenic type stuff, as well as aesthetically pleasing photos.

14. Have you ever gone out for the black friday shopping rush? Did you enjoy it, or not so much? Or, what’s the busiest shopping day you’ve ever experienced? Nah, I don’t want to deal with the crazy crowds. There’s way too many people who take it way too seriously and it can really get out of hand. You hear so many stories about people getting hurt. It’s really not worth all that. I do my shopping from the comfort of my own home and it’s great. Many stores online have already started their Black Fridays deals.

15. Do you enjoy reading diaries or stories you wrote from when you were younger, or does it embarrass you? If you’ve kept them, was there a particular reason for hanging on to them so long? Yeah, I look back at my old diaries once in a great while. Most of it is pretty cringe-y. haha. It’s funny to look back on some of the stuff and see what has changed. Some of it is sad. I just find it interesting to read things from middle school and freshman/sophomore me.  I like looking back at surveys I’ve done, too, for the same reason.

16. What would you say was your first true hobby? What about your most recently developed one? Does playing Barbies count cause I was obsessed. As for most recently developed one, I’ve been really into coloring the past couple years in a few adult coloring books that I have. I got the fancy colored pencils and everything.

17. Is there one thing that throws off your mood more than others, whether it be lack of sleep, lack of food, heat // cold, etc? & when was the last time you felt especially cranky? Oh hangry is a real thing. Same if I don’t have my coffee. Being too hot makes me moody, too.

18. What are some ways you deal with stress? Are these healthy or helpful to you? I don’t deal with stress well, if at all sometimes. I try to just distract myself and avoid when possible.

19. What advice, if any, would you give someone else in your situation? I really don’t know, man. I can’t even seem to help myself.

20. In general, are you the type to feel comfortable giving advice? Has anyone ever come to you for advice and you had no idea what to tell them? I used to be the one my friends would come to for advice, and I always wanted to be there and help others whenever I could. Of course there were times when I didn’t know what to say, but I did what I could, even if that was just lending an ear. I used to be a good friend. 21. What is one common area of life in which you feel you have little to no experience (college, children, marriage, etc)? Relationships and having a job. I’ve never had a job, and I really have never had a relationship, either. I’ve had someone who we called each other boyfriend and girlfriend, but it really wasn’t a relationship. I had what I had with Joseph, but that wasn’t a relationship either even though it felt like it in some ways. I think looking back it’s just because that’s all I knew and I wanted it to be real and be something more than it really was. Obviously then I’ve never been married, so I have no experience with that and I don’t plan on that changing. As for children, I don’t have any of my own nor I do ever plan to, but I’ve been around children in my life so I have some experience with that in some way.

22. What kinds of things are you likely to complain about? Being hungry, feeling sick, being hot, my health.

23. Besides money, what is something you would like to have more of in your life? I would like to be passionate about something and just feel fulfilled in life.

24. What types of blogs do you like to follow? If you have a tumblr, how has your blogging style changed over the years, if at all? Well, apart from survey blogs of course, I follow various fandom blogs for like Alexander Skarsgard and other movies/TV stuff I enjoy. I also follow some food/dessert blogs, seasonal (fall and winter) and Halloween and Christmas blogs, and then just ones that post quotes and aesthetically pleasing photos and such.

25. Do you like to put any extra effort into your food in terms of presentation, or do you prefer to just put it on a plate and eat it as it is, no frills? Haha nah. I only make Top Ramen and things I can zap up in the microwave.

26. When was the last time you were mean or rude to someone else? How about the last time someone acted that way toward you? I get snippy in my moody moods. I can get salty as the kids say. I don’t even want to be around me. Whenever someone is like that towards me I’m just like wow, this is how other people feel when they’re around me when I’m in the moods, which I get in a lot. Not a fun thing to be around.

27. What kinds of things are most likely to make you lose your temper? Have you ever done something regrettable or embarrassing while angry? I’m not one to get angry easily, but there are a few times that come to mind where I was shaking mad. If I’m that mad, it was something big. I do get irritable, annoyed, and frustrated easily, but angry really takes a lot.

28. What has stood out about this day in particular? Has this day been an average day in terms of what you usually experience? Nothing really, but it’s only 1:10AM. So far it’s been pretty average, though.

29. How would you describe your current mood? Do you experience a lot of highs and lows or are your moods relatively stable? What is the most your mood has changed in a day? I don’t feel well, I’m tired, and I’m hungry. I’m going to eat when I’m finished with this, though. I talked about my mood a lot already in this survey and how I get in these awful moods just about everyday. Sometimes it’s particularly extra than other days. Sometimes it doesn’t last long, sometimes it lasts all day. I don’t get the highs, just the low-lows and the blahs.

30. Do you remember what it was that got you into taking surveys in the first place, or why you initially decided to stick with them? Where did you originally start out taking surveys? Are there any blogs you recommend (lol, I’m always looking for more surveys!)? I think I saw someone else post them on Myspace and it interested me. I was hooked ever since and I see no sign of stopping yet. @thedarkeststarsurveys @ssurveys @toomanysurveys9 @littlesurvs @suckitsurveys @surveysonfleek @joobean2107 are all great to name a few.

[streiknine-blog]

Task 001.

BUT RED WAS WHAT YOU WRAPPED AROUND YOU. BLOOD RED.

—Ted Hughes

BASIC INFORMATION.

Full Name: Vincent James Ouellet Nickname(s): Vin, Vinny, Strychnine, Striker; Strike Age: 28 Date of Birth: 13 February 1990 Hometown: Québec, Québec, Canada Current Location: Dertosa, California Ethnicity: white Nationality: Vincent is Canadian, but his mother was American, so he’s got dual citizenship Gender: cis male Pronouns: he/him Orientation: Vincent is bisexual — but also fun fact he’s never had sex Religion: agnostic — he doesn’t think too hard about it, but I could see him going for something like Roman Reconstructionalist if he actually put thought into it. Political Affiliation: (I don’t know stateside politics and neither does Vincent) Occupation: full-time Poison babey — see also: hitman Living Arrangements: he’s got a small apartment with sparse decorations — really what he was looking for when he got it was somewhere that he’d be able to relax and cook.

The kitchen is the most put-together part of the one-bedroom place, with well-loved pots, pans, and bakeware. A couple nice dishtowels in a white with navy stripes pattern hang from the handle of the oven, and a much more ragged bleach-worn dishtowel is usually seen on the counter (used for wiping up messes as they happen). Little (fake bullet) shell casing salt and pepper shakers sit on the back of the stove, along with a little porcelain rooster — “You have to have a rooster in the kitchen.” Vincent would say, “It’s good luck.” — which its paint is chipping from how old it is.

The living/eating area has a navy and grey rug that looks like he’s had it since he was in his early twenties (and, honestly, he has) and a dark-stained wooden table with four chairs — the insert to make it into a six person table for if he ever had the Poisons over sitting against the far wall, in plain sight — and just a single placemat, that is pastel and multi-coloured and looks like he stole it from a sixty year old’s kitchen décor, sitting on the table at all times.

He’s got a small, grey, apartment-sized couch that he likes to curl up an nap on, so there’s a throw blanket and a single pillow always on it.

Language(s) Spoken: English; French Accent: Light buzzing on ‘TH’, ‘Z’, and ’S’ sounds — a holdover from his Québécois upbringing; for the most part has a fairly neutral “Seattle accent” that he’s taught himself as a consequence of being around Americans and wanting to sound less ‘different’. Still has a light Québécois accent tinging his words.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.

Face Claim: Zane Holtz Hair Colour: dark brown Eye Colour: blue Height: 6’1” Weight: 220ish lbs Build: lorge Tattoos: n/a Piercings: n/a Clothing Style: Simple, dark sweaters (navy, forest green, maroon, black), white dress shirts (buttoned to the top), dark sports coats, charcoal or black slacks are the standard, but he’ll wear dark wash jeans occasionally. Usually the jeans are paired with a crisp dress shirt (in any of the sweater colours) that may be rolled to to the elbows. If he’s doing the sweater + dress shirt + jeans outfit, his favourite combination is his maroon sweater with a navy dress shirt. He thinks he looks fancy in it. He’s not opposed to wearing light, airy colours (like powder blue, or dusty pink) but he gets a bit self-conscious when he wears them — thinking that they don’t suit him well enough for him to pull it off. So he sticks to dark colours and neutrals. They’re easier to hide bloodstains anyway, and the white shirts can be bleached.

Fan of French cuffs but never wears them because cufflinks are easy to lose at a scene. When he’s not on the job he’s totally breaking out the French cuffs and his silver cufflinks. There’s the occasional t-shirt + sweatpants combo but usually reserved for when he isn’t going out anywhere/not seeing anyone but the other poisons or the flower he’s booked.

For accessories, he’s got a dark grey tungsten carbide band that he wears on his left ring finger.

Usual Expression: neutral, vaguely aggressive leaning. His eyebrows make him look mad when he’s not holding them up in some form of expression. Distinguishing Characteristics: I’d say his biggest distinguishing characteristic is that he is tall and wide — like not only is this kid over six feet tall, he’s jacked as shit too.

HEALTH.

Physical Ailments: needs glasses, and he’s nearsighted — it’s partly why he prefers knives to guns. Neurological Conditions: nothing I can peg but I’m sure there’s Something. Allergies: n/a Sleeping Habits: king of the cat nap, and honestly whenever he can knock out he’s gonna. He snores too. Eating Habits: he eats a Lot and he’s decently healthy… please see his favourite food section for a more detailed food thing. Exercise Habits: Boy loves to workout — gotta keep fit for murder, y’know? He’s fond of free weights, and bars… boy loves a heavy deadlift, and he’s gotta bench press his friends at least once. He’s also one to do sprints for his cardio, especially resistance sprints. Gotta go fast.

He works until it burns and he’s comfortably sore. Totally one to have a protein shake with oats added after a hard workout.

Emotional Stability: Vincent isn’t necessarily the most emotionally competent but he’s also not especially volatile. He’s got his moments — blind fury or just enjoyment of a kill can cause him to go a lil overboard. When he laughs it’s a whole body laughs — boy’s gonna feel things all at once if he’s going to feel them at all. Sociability: He likes to be with other people but he is just so painfully awkward. He doesn’t quite realize sometimes that he’s making jokes that aren’t funny and that he should stop making poisoning jokes to the flower that is eating the meal he prepped himself but, hey, we can’t be perfect and Vinny certainly isn’t. Body Temperature: I’d say he’s a slight onto the warm side — summer is hell for him. Addictions: can I say the high of a kill? But nah he ain’t a straight up murder-obsessed guy, he just really loves that feeling. In all honesty, he loves sweet things. Drug Use: Never Alcohol Use: Rarely drinks — he doesn’t like the feeling of being drunk/tipsy, but he will go for a lite beer or two, or a mixed drink that is “light on the alcohol, heavy on the mix, please.”

PERSONALITY.

Label: the aggressor; the cold-blooded; the loyalist Positive Traits: Fearless, determined, willing Negative Traits: Ruthless, detached Goals/Desires: his biggest thing is having a balance to things, it’s a driving force behind his actions. Fears: spiders — too many legs they creep him out. Hobbies: cooking, reading, watching movies Habits: absently rotates his wrists/cracks his fingers when he’s focused on something. Mutters in French under his breath if he’s trying to figure something out.

FAVOURITES.

Weather: cold, crisp winter day with large snowflakes floating down lazily — not a flurry, just pleasant and relaxing. Probably around -15C / 5f. Colour: navy and light blue Music: top 40 hits — 22 year old Vincent was the type to sing along to ‘Call Me Maybe’ in his car by himself. Movies: comedies, supernatural themes, French and Québécois cinema. Sport: Lacrosse; hockey (fan of the Canadiens and the Maple Leafs) Beverage: Hot chocolate!

He’s one to pick the drink up from a coffee shop on the way to an appointment, or to make himself a fresh one after he’s back home. He has several different kinds of it — from those hot chocolate wands, to tins of powdered mix, to single-serve portions of it for a on-demand coffee machine — and he’s not picky. He likes the sweetness of it, and, if he’s getting one from a coffee shop, makes sure to ask for extra chocolate sauce. At home it depends how tired he is. It’ll either be basic, with just hot milk and melted chocolate or fancier on his days off with tiny marshmallows or peppermint syrup. He especially likes to make hot chocolate for those he considers friends.

Food: He’ll give most things a try, honestly.

He’s definitely fallen back on the ‘pan seared broccoli with wild rice and baked chicken breast (with smoked paprika, thyme, and black pepper)’ as a basic dinner meal for when he’s feeling lazy. If he’s not feeling lazy the sky is the fucking limit. He’ll make everything from a whole chicken or a roast with accompanying veggies, to stir-frying tofu and veggies. For lunch he’s usually eating something he’s packed — quinoa, lemon-dill salmon, asparagus; rare steak, sweet potatoes, broccolini; Cobb salad with an extra hardboiled egg or two; homemade “instant” ramen in a jar — and for breakfast he’ll either just straight up have a protein shake with oats and fruit, or some of the egg muffins he makes every few days (mushroom, cheese, ham,, quinoa) or he’ll really go all out and have French Toast or waffles.

Homemade stovetop mac n cheese is a comfort food he likes if he wants something quick (25 minutes, start to finish), but if he’s gonna make a comforting meal to distract himself he’s totally the type to go with a braised lamb sort of deal.

Animal: dogs

FAMILY.

Father: Étienne Jean Ouellet (53); president of an insurance brokerage Mother: Lillian Grace Ouellet née Richardson (51); homemaker Sibling(s): none Children: n/a Pet(s): n/a Family’s Financial Status: solidly upper-middle class. Don’t you know the insurance business is practically a license to print money?

EXTRA.

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius; 13 February 1990 MBTI: ISTJ Enneagram: type 8 — the challenger Temperament: melancholic Moral Alignment: totally pegged him as a Lawful Evil — uses murder to get his ends tidy, but has a strong sense of needing balance for things. Not one to just willy-nilly McMurder. Primary Vice: Wrath Primary Virtue: Charity Element: Earth

[movingforwardsf]

best way to move yourself

                          How to Stay Healthy During a Move

There are studies that show that moving is one of the most stressful events a person will experience in their life. Here are some reasons why that might be true: heavy lifting, separating, organizing, donating, garage saling, finally throwing away your coke can collection, turning off utilities, turning on utilities, being on hold with the cable company, saying good-bye to old friends, oh yeah and UPROOTING YOUR ENTIRE LIFE! Let’s just say, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re moving. One of the first things to get tossed out along with your beloved coke can collection? Your health. It’s hard to stay healthy when moving. Moving shakes up your routine and muddles your habits. Exercise? Can’t. There are boxes on the treadmill. Balanced meal? No time. Have to get take out for the fifth day in a row. Sleep? Ha! Waaay too much to do for that. Yet these unhealthy tendencies that take over during a move only cause more stress, brain fog and a renewed addiction to french fries. Instead, read on for healthy moving tips that will keep you safe and sane during your move.

Hydrate Stress and moving might as well be synonyms. It’s easy to get caught up in all the gazillion things you have to get accomplished while moving. One thing to always keep at the top of your list is H2O. That’s right, water. According to WebMD hydration keeps stress levels down. Make sure to keep a water bottle with you at all times. Maybe add a lemon or some other fruit to make it more enticing to drink. It also helps to eat hydrating foods like fruits and vegetables. Did someone say watermelon break? Keeping caffeinated to speed up the move? Double your water intake.  Caffeine is a diuretic and can work against staying hydrated.  It’s also a good idea to keep a timer that goes off every hour to remind you to take five sips before continuing with the chaos of sifting and sorting. Anticipate Stressful Situations, and Manage it Appropriately You don’t have to Google it to know that moving is stressful. So instead of waiting for the stress to come at you, be ready for it and combat it head on! Start by scheduling time for yourself to take a break, read a book, smell the roses. While it may be hard to workout when you’re busy, exercise is a great way to channel your moving stress by sweating it all out. If you meditate, kick it up a notch and work in an extra ten minutes. If you don’t, try it. Even taking a couple of minutes to breathe deeply will help calm your nervous system. Eat a Balanced, Healthy Diet Why invite more stress into a move by stressing out your body? Instead, take care of your body by making sure to eat well when moving.  Resist getting takeout every night the week before your move. Stay fit when moving by stocking  the fridge with whole foods that energize you. Don’t have time to cook a fancy meal? Stick to “throw together” meals like stir fry, salads and pastas. These are easy meals that still pack in the nutrition. Don’t have time even for that? Throw some veggies and a protein in a crockpot on your way to work so it will be waiting for you when you get home. Now you have that whole hour that you would have spent cooking to work on moving. Now is not the time to crash diet or live solely on potato chips and grocery store sandwiches. It’s important to eat healthy when stressed so your body and brain get what they need to operate efficiently. Resist skipping meals and do your body a favor by feeding it what it needs to get through this move sanely. Sleep  .                       

Have you ever been so tired you forget why you walked into a room? Sleep. Have you ever stayed up too late trying to get things done that you find yourself on the floor at 3 a.m. drooling over old photos? Sleep. Have you ever started a pointless fight with a family member that later makes no sense? Sleep. Why make things harder on yourself during a move? Instead, well, you know, sleep.  Things will be clearer, happier and more productive in the morning!                                                                                               Take it One Snowflake at a Time Ever heard of the snowball effect? It’s when you take all the snowflakes (all the tasks that you have to do), put them all together, and suddenly, they form a giant snowball (your entire move).  That’s about the time when you decide to do nothing and take a nap. Not what one would call the best way to move yourself. Instead of letting procrastination win, deconstruct the snowball and eliminate one snowflake at time. Breaking things up into small, manageable chunks keeps you sane and productive during your move. Know Your Limits There you are with a whole house full of things that need to be sorted, cleaned, packed, sold, donated and moved. You stand before 50 million things, yet there is only one of you. Don’t get crazy. If it���s too heavy, get help to lift it. If you need a break, take one. If someone asks you for a favor, don’t feel bad about saying no so you can focus on your move. Know your limits and keep your boundaries. Prevent Injury and Stay Safe Last, but certainly not least, it’s important to stay safe and protect yourself from injury on moving day by following these healthy movement precautions: Use proper lifting techniques. Always lift with your legs by bending your knees and never with your back. Have bad knees? Let the movers do it or get help from a friend. Use proper equipment. Things like dollies, lifting belts, back braces, moving blankets, etc. can help you move heavy equipment safely. Wear proper clothing. Don’t wear anything that might get caught on a corner or a protruding nail. Wear long sleeves and long pants to avoid scratches and bruises. Always wear closed-toed shoes and make sure those laces are tied nice and tight! Conclusion While it’s easy to focus on the move and getting things done in a timely fashion, taking care of your health will help keep your stress levels low. If you need help, you can always count on the professional movers and Moving Forward to do all the heavy lifting for a safe and efficient move.

san francisco movers

[catherinecaycewrites-blog]

7 Playlists for a Day without Coffee or Sex, It’s all About You

Personally, no decent human being should ever go through the morning without at least one hearty cup of their favorite blend of morning java, but if it just isn’t your thing, or after that one cup, you need to power through your day, nothing speaks better to the mind, body and soul than music. Music speaks to the human spirit like nothing else can. It can alter your emotion with the simple change of 5 chords. It can lift your spirits, make you cry, fill you with rage for war, and soothe your soul. So, if you need to keep your pep up through the day without drowning in caffeine, the simplest way to complete this Herculean task is to create playlists for various times of the day to meet your unique needs.

Obviously, these lists are going to be diversified depending on whether you are male or female and your particular favorite genre of music. I like to think of myself as fairly open-minded and well-versed in all music styles from pop, rock, country, metal, punk, and rap and from every generation going back to the 60’s (No, I’m not that old, I’m just a music aficionado).

Breaking up the day, so that you’re always jamming to good tunes to get you through your workday, start your day with some lively wake-up and shake it up music that will put a smile on your face and get you ready for your day. 

7-9 am

I Prevail: Blank Space -  Don’t get me wrong, I used to jam out to Taylor’s Swift’s version, but once you’ve heard this version, sorry Taylor, there’s just no comparison, but don’t worry Taylor, you still made our lists. https://youtu.be/czb_CZfWko8 

Gwyn Stefani: Holla Back Girl – Fun, cute video too! https://youtu.be/Kgjkth6BRRY 

Rachel Platten: Fight Song – If you ever needed an inspirational song to get you going? Blare this one at level 10 and sing it out loud while either putting on your makeup ladies or (shaving – come on guys, you can do it.)  https://youtu.be/xo1VInw-SKc 

Skillet: Invincible – Rock it out and bang your head while you fix your hair. https://youtu.be/Qzw6A2WC5Qo 

Iggy Azalea – Fancy: A white girl’s fairly good attempt at pop and rap mixture gets you dancing around the room while you are getting dressed and keeps you moving. https://youtu.be/O-zpOMYRi0w 

Anna Kendrick – Cups: Made famous by Pitch Perfect, once really can’t help but smile and try to keep up with the hand motion and rhythm of this catchy tune; it will definitely keep you moving. https://youtu.be/cmSbXsFE3l8 

Eminem- Til I Collapse: I don't need a Transformer to make me move to Eminem, he always gets my butt hustling in the morning with his sheer talent of wordplay, meaning, and rhythm. https://youtu.be/ytQ5CYE1VZw 

Ed Sheeran – Castle on the Hill: Ed Sheeran has an iconic future ahead of him. He can do no wrong musically. This song has you dancing while happily reminiscing about every good moment you ever had, prepping you for a wonderful day.  https://youtu.be/K0ibBPhiaG0 

50 Cent – In Da Club: Like a lot of rap songs, I have absolutely no idea what 50 Cent is saying other than it’s My Birthday, we are dancing in the club, and it has a great dancing beat. The clean version works for me because then when I do recognize a word, it’s not an unnecessary curse word that I don’t know its reference. https://youtu.be/5qm8PH4xAss 

The Weather Girls – It’s Raining Men: So, just for pure oldies and shock fun value, I threw this goodie in. Most men will say they hate it, but they won’t bother skipping it as they gather their briefcases, and the women who recognize it will enjoy this blast from the past. https://youtu.be/l5aZJBLAu1E 

Survivor – Eye of the Tiger:  Those first four beats were superiorly orchestrated purposefully to light a fire under any listeners caboose and get them motivated to charge the hill! The theme song to many inspirational movies, and commercials, it is designed to get you're a** out the door.  https://youtu.be/btPJPFnesV4 

The Chainsmokers & Coldplay – Something Just Like This: While grabbing a quick breakfast, bite, or protein shake, this is a perfect song to move and hum along to. I also must say, that as an ex-English teacher I LOVE when pop-culture references historical or literary figures. This song refers specifically to Achilles and to Hercules, and if even one curious teenager looks up either of these figures to understand the lyrics better, I applaud the artist and am thrilled that a child had the courage to educate themselves! https://youtu.be/FM7MFYoylVs 

G-Eazy & Kehlani – Good Life (The Fate of the Furious): From the last in the Fast and the Furious series, the hip upbeat duo is a surprising find for me. Very upbeat catchy pop/rap song; Kehlani truly makes the song a hit; personally, I could listen to it without G-easy and enjoy it just the same. Her voice is a true harmonious pleasure to listen to especially in a rap song when lyrics can be difficult to understand, her voice is wonderfully crystal clear. https://youtu.be/FG9M0aEpJGE 

Steve Aoki & Louis Tomlinson – Just Hold On: As you’re grabbing your keys and heading out the door, this catchy little tune is a great reminder that if today is a rough or difficult day, “just hold on” it will be over soon. https://youtu.be/Vt4Tq89R8u0 

Walk the Moon – Shut Up and Dance: Getting you ready for your next playlist, or for the day, this is another great motivational song. I love listening to it when I’m having a down moment. I listen to just the chorus; when life is getting you down, when you have to do something you just don’t want to, suck it up, shut up and dance, and everything is going to be o.k. https://youtu.be/6JCLY0Rlx6Q 

You slide in the seat of your car pepped up and ready for a fantastic day at work, and we need to keep that momentum up, so while you are driving and while you are at work, keep these songs playing in the background to keep your energy levels burning without that caffeine buzz.

9-11 am

Five Finger Death Punch - Battle Born: One of the newer rock bands in the past few years, FFDP is one group that can always keep you pumped, and Battle Born will have you prepared for the battles at work once you listen to this song. 

Rush – Freewill: Masters of lyrics, rock legends Rush has no problem ever motivating anyone to do anything. Whether an old fan or a new listener, Freewill is the song to get you hooked to their legendary music and keep you moving through the day. 

Jessie J- Masterpiece: This song is 20, 30, and even 40 something's generationers tribute song. If you need a song to become your own personal self-improvement or growth song this is the one. Jesse J's dynamic, fun and hyped up song teaches us that you are never too old to keep improving on your own masterpiece. https://youtu.be/PTOFEgJ9zzI 

Avril Lavigne- Never Growing Up: Piggybacking on the idea of improving yourself, Avril’s song is a rebellious decree that no matter what age, you don’t “have” to grow up entirely. Hold on to some of the kid in you, it will keep you young and healthy. https://youtu.be/sXd2WxoOP5g 

Beyonce – Irreplaceable: For every human, male or female, that has ever been wronged in a relationship, Beyonce has written the quintessential upbeat and empowering "don't let the door hit you in the a** on the way out" song, proving to everyone, they deserve to be treated with respect, honor, and loyalty. https://youtu.be/2EwViQxSJJQ 

Big & Rich – Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy: Jumping around a bit, we throw some country in there with Big and Rich to get you feeling a little frisky. How can you help it? You have just booted your cheating partner out, and now you’re ready to get your country on and jump back in the saddle. 

Lady Gaga – Bad Romance: However, Lady Gaga is there to seductively and vigorously remind you, men, that no matter what happens, she will always be there for your bad romance and love. https://youtu.be/qrO4YZeyl0I 

Justin Timberlake – Can’t Stop this Feeling: While Justin dances his way into the hearts of the women, with his seductive eyes and smile, crooning how he can’t stop his feelings for you. 

Shawn Mendes – Treat You Better: These songs are designed to keep you energized and motivated, and how can you not be when Shawn’s words are ones you have sometimes longed to hear and to an upbeat tempo. https://youtu.be/lY2yjAdbvdQ 

Eminem – Lose Yourself: Just when you are feeling soothed, loved, and lively you are bombarded and shocked even more awake with an instant cappuccino shot of Eminem reminding you that now is the moment to grab life by the … reins. This is your moment, this is your day, continue having a great one and go to the meeting you need to, talk to the client, the boss, deal with a demanding situation with all the confidence you now have. https://youtu.be/_Yhyp-_hX2s 

Ed Sheeran – Galway Girl: You have successfully dealt with the first issue of the day, time to enjoy a moment with the lively, voice of Ed as he imaginarily grabs and squeezes your hand in celebration of getting over the first hump. https://youtu.be/87gWaABqGYs 

Imagine Dragons – Demons- Imagine Dragons assure you that they will be with you to help you along the way the rest of the day to help you face the rest of your work demons. https://youtu.be/mWRsgZuwf_8 

Kiss – Rock and Roll all Night: Old school, back when people knew how to rock and roll all night, KISS’s Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley will remind you or teach you and get you hyped up “real” rock style. 

David Bowie & Mick Jagger – Dancing in the Street: Once you've been properly schooled or reminded Rock icons David and Mick will take you out dancing just for a bit of fun and to confuse the heck out of you and to prepare you for the next fun upbeat hit.

Cyndi Lauper – Girls Just Want to Have Fun: There is no possible way to have an upbeat playlist sans caffeine without including this notorious and timeless pop classic to send you off to your next meetings or lunch hour. 

You’ve made it halfway through your workday, and you’ve vaulted over hurdles like an Olympic champion and all without extra java. You’ve got this. Music is your “green” way. You don’t need Monster, Coffee, or Red Bull, not when you have the power of harmonious spirited vibrations supporting your whole being into the next part of your productive occupational day.

11am -1pm

Dead Milkman- Stuart: When you get the next chance, perhaps on your lunch break, prepare yourself for underappreciated but righteously awesome funky punk. If you have even the slightest intelligent yet sarcastic, witty and dark humor in you, you will love this song and play it multiple times and for your friends if you already haven’t. 

Violent Fems- Blister in the Sun: Staying with a funky lunch, who doesn’t jump up and down when they think of big hands? It's impossible to be sad, tired or depressed to 80's dance-punk. However, stay too long in this genre, and no one is responsible for your hairdo the next day.  

Maroon 5- Animals: First of all, if you haven’t seen the video, on your lunch break, male or female, watch it. When did sadistically, stalker, slaughterhouse, blood fetish become so damn sexy? I’m not sure which is hotter, the thumping pulse and tempo or the two beautiful bodies intertwined in pig’s blood (huh?) It goes to prove that music can make anything sexy, the fact that the bodies are Adam Levine and his beautiful model partner have nothing to do with it. https://youtu.be/qpgTC9MDx1o 

David Guetta – Hey Mama ft Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha, & Afro Jax – One listen and good or bad, you will be stuck humming this dance beat in your head for days. Nicki Manaj is too trendy for her own good. https://youtu.be/uO59tfQ2TbA 

Taylor Swift – Bad Blood & Look What You Made Me Do: See Taylor, I told you, that you made the list. This is probably one of her best songs in a while. It's dark and edgy for her yet it still has a pop and faster-paced tempo that keeps you moving. https://youtu.be/QcIy9NiNbmo   https://youtu.be/3tmd-ClpJxA 

Ellie Goulding – Love Me Like You Do: Personally, Ellie is hit or miss; however, she made a center bullseye with this one. Just the slightest bit of a slower tempo, it still keeps you swaying. Time for a little digesting.

Fall Out Boy- Centuries: Don’t get too comfortable. Time to bring that tempo right back up and remind yourself that today, you are taking over the world.

Mary Lambert – Secrets: Oh My Gosh! In love with this song! It has everything a contemporary pop song should have including a public service message. Keep up the great messages tagged to phenom songs. 

ShineDown – Sound of Madness: Time for a little raging. Shinedown is another newer amazing thrash worthy hard rock band that you just want to rock out to.

Madonna – Material Girl: the key to your playlists are to constantly keep changing genres so your mood stays elevated. Madonna alone is everything anyone would ever need to stay elevated, and all of her songs work too.

Justin Beiber – Love Yourself: If you were to tell me I would like a boy band type of singer, let alone Beiber a year ago, I would have laughed. However, I have an out with this song; I heard it prior to knowing it was the Beiber, and it is catchy, so I fell in love with its appealing tunes and moveable melodies.

Michael Jackson – Beat It:  No playlist would ever be complete without the world’s most iconic and legendary performer, Michael Jackson. I selected Beat It for the simple message to remind yourself to never let anyone take advantage of you at work. Stand up for yourself and watch how fast people change their tune. 

Three Days Grace – Pain: The drum and bass line in this song along with the lyrics in this rock song get your head instinctively banging forward. Blood molecules rush forward steadily in a four-count mood stimulating jam.

Pitbull – Greenlight ft. Flo Rida, LunchMoney Lewis: A little odd rap song: however, what it lacks in oral originality, it makes up for in rhythm and fun progression. 

Gloria Gaynor – I Will Survive: Lunch is over, and this oldie but goodie happily reminds you that you are going to make it through the rest of the afternoon.

The next few hours are the most critical in the no oral chemical digestive stimulant part of the day. Right after lunch, your tummy is full, so your body is using energy to digest the food. The afternoon sun is warming the building extra, so either you may get comfortably warm or the office turns the temperature down and the cooler air cools your body’s temperature into a resting sleep state. Now is the time to stay alert. Your next playlist needs to be hard, heavy, maybe a little angry and dangerous to keep your fuel levels up.

1-3 pm

Halsey – Castle: We are going to start off with a little anger and sexual vengeance. Straight from The Huntsman, the blend of throbbing bass and angelic church choir background is a beautiful way to express not only The Evil Queen but any wronged person seeking vindication.

Eminem & Rhianna – I Love the Way You Lie Part I & II: In the spirit of staying a little bitter with adrenaline, no rap song does it better than the sexy blend of Eminem & Rhianna’s two songs answering each other back to back. 

Skillet- Not Gonna Die: If Eminem isn’t successful with his threats, Skillet reconfirms that no matter what happens to you, forcefully pull yourself through. Find your inner strength and know you will survive. 

Tyler Farr – Redneck Crazy: Just so we don’t go too dark, too quickly and send a biting e-mail, we can still maintain the heightened mood but a little lighter in a Country way. Going Redneck crazy is sometimes a healthier way to blow off steam. 

Halestorm – Daughters of Darkness: There are too few women in rock and metal, so when you find a badass b**** who brings the house down with her jams such as Lizzy Hale, you crank up the noise, even if you put in your earbuds, hiding in the bathroom stall, and you freaking jam. 

Buck Cherry – Crazy Bitch: Pretend you have a tummy ache if you must, just to listen to one more crazy and wild song to throw your adrenaline into overdrive.

Tu Pac – Keep Ya Head Up: He might not be the father of rap, but this soulful poet known throughout the world for his meaningful lyrics was definitely the king. Even if you hate rap music, you can’t hate Tu Pac.

Avenged Seven-Fold – A Little Piece of Heaven: Are you ready for a hyper, sick and twisted ride through demented-ville that will have you impulsively bebopping along with it? If you like silly, sick and twisted things, watch the animated video, seriously funny.

Marilyn Manson – Beautiful People: Speaking of sick and twisted visual things… I’ve never understood Manson’s look, but I love his dark techno sound; it speaks to my inner dark child. 

Kelly Clarkson – People Like Us:  One of her lesser known songs, it’s a little dark for her, but sends a great message and will really lift your spirits. 

Bonnie Tyler – I Need a Hero: After Kelly reassures you that you are not alone, sometimes you then just want a helping hand. Shrek and other media tools have used this great Classic Pop song as the perfect example to show that we all need rescuing sometimes. 

Bullet for my Valentine – Tears Don’t Fall: Even if we feel like we might fall, fail or mess up, never let them see you cry. Keep it together, only a few hours more. You are stronger than you realize, you have made it this far, bang on a little more.

Stone Sour – Made of Scars: Life has left you full of lessons and experiences, and you have come out the other end a better person because of it. Yes, you have scars inside and out. Wear them proudly; they are your rock badges of glory and all you have accomplished. 

Billie Idol – Rebel Yell: It’s 2:30, you might be feeling a little tired, you might be feeling challenged. What are you going to do? That’s right! Yell at life and tell it to, “Bring it, ‘More, More, More’”. You are a champion and will not be defeated. 

Kelly Clarkson – My Life Would Suck Without You: You might need some words of encouragement though. At this moment, take a break and call your partner, friend, child or anyone you love and can't live without and tell them how much they mean to you. Hearing their voice will make you feel better, it will release endorphins into your bloodstream, make you smile, and give you a natural high with a shot of energy, and if you choose, share this cute song with them.

MC Hammer – You Can’t Touch This: Even with its opening chords, you can tell that while the song isn't "Hammer Time", MC always brings the groove. Something about this dance classic makes you want to go up to your office friends or nemesis and put your hand out, singing "Can't touch this", and walk away laughing, feeling a bit refreshed.

You have made it through the hump. Way to go! Don’t you feel amazing? You should, and be proud, but now is not the time to slack off. Now, is the time to figure out a quick break period before you go home. It’s time to squeeze in some exercise and go for a medium walk around the building, up and down the stairs, something. Get a solid 15 minutes of cardio in, while jamming out to the next playlist designed to keep your spirits soaring.  

3-5 pm

Elle King – X’s & O’s; The first part of the list is upbeat pop created to get your butt moving. Elle’s sassy tune throws you in a confident mood and puts a stride in your step. 

Pink – Raise a Glass: Pure Perfection is found in Pink because she doesn't care what anyone thinks (new lyrics?). All her songs display her unique style, but none more than this one that encourages you to join her.

Maggie Lindemann - Pretty Girl: Newish to the music scene, Maggie follows Pinks lead with the same message but a fresh style. Keep strutting with this one. 

Blues Traveler – Hook: If you don't remember this one or have never heard it, get ready for an auditory explosion of music, allegory, and resonance mastery that you have to play it again and again. 

Grease – You’re the one that I want: I had to throw one musical in, and no one can resist Grease! Everyone knows it, and can’t resist singing along to Olivia’s and John’s duets. 

Little Mix – Black Magic – While searching around YouTube, I stumbled across the cute, teeny bopperish treasure that I couldn’t help but add because, well, it made me smile and want to move.  

Taylor Swift - Shake it Off: Almost ready to go back inside, so let's power up this last one with Ms. Swift one more time. Shake off all the stress and worry of the day; it's almost over, and a cold beer or drink is waiting for you as a reward for the day.

Linkin’ Park -  In the End: You are now back in your office, at your desk, or wherever you are stationed, pulling through the last hour and need to really feel the burn to pull through. Rest in Peace Chester Bennington, lead singer of Linkin’ Park, who died 7/20/2017, your music though will keep us going.

Saliva – Ladies and Gentlemen: As an advanced educated woman in her _0’s, I should not find a video with two females boxing appealing, so I have to blame it completely on the music. As mentioned before, the power of music is fierce. It has the power to convert the most formidable of opponents into allies. If music was a lawyer or a head of government, the world would be unified.  

Drowning Pool- Bodies: When you need a song to fuel your inner fire, here it is. The percussions engage you and envelop you, making you one with the metal sound. 

Harlee Steinfeld – Love Myself: You’re going to need to cool down a bit after the last one, so this pop song helps keep you up while calming you down. However, listening to the words, I’m convinced this a reply to Mr. Beiber; however, after doing research, the two singers are friends. Maybe she just got the idea off his song. Young pop singers???

Dr. Dre – I Need a Dr.: This song reaches out to the listener, speaks of human bonds, mistakes, life, and how you can ruin everything in seconds. Its profound, deep and rhythmic. The blending of voices telling the story is poetry in synchronization.

DMX – Party Up (Up in Here): DMX is another amazing storytelling rapper; however, this particular song is written purely to express getting one’s frustrations out. I think I must play this song at least twice a day.  

Martina McBride – Independence Day – Time for a little Country. The countdown has begun, and you have done phenomenally at work today. Martina belts out your freedom about to come. 

Dead Kennedys – Take this Job and Shove It: (cartoon factory whistle WHOOOO) The best 5 o’clock song for parting down the elevator and boogying out to the car. 

You made it through the workday without those chemical stimulants. I knew you had it in you the whole time. Now, time to prepare for the car ride home possibly prepping for dinner. If you get stuck in the grind, and you start getting heavy-eyed, just turn up the volume. There are some mellower, older, nostalgic tunes, mixed with hip new stuff. Listen, reminisce, learn, love, repeat. 

5-7 pm

Change – John Waite: We are going to start with the 80’s generation. Very few people will remember this (God, I can’t believe I’m saying this) 80’s oldie, some people might remember the artist (not to be confused with Tom Waites, and remember at the beginning when I said I had a wide range of music tastes); however, this great 80’s hit has one of the best timeless messages, so I continue to return to it and remind myself.

Rick Springfield – Jessie’s Girl: Staying in the 80’s Springfield was always on the charts. This Top Ten hit would be a hit even by today’s standards, but I’ll beat the person that tries to remake it. 

Quit it Millennials! Yes, the 80’s were the best, but you don’t get to live them by trying to remake them. You missed them, too bad. Janis died before I could see her in person, but I wouldn’t dare desecrate her memory by redoing Me and Bobby McGee. Off soapbox, back to playlists. (Big Smile!) 

Duran Duran -The Chauffeur: My favorite British 80's pop-rock band ever; however, I did not choose one of the megahits. If you know the band, but don't know this song, you must listen to it. Simon's voice is a sultry sin, and the keyboard notes are hypnotic. I think I went through ALL of puberty in the one playing of this song. I listen to it now, and nostalgically I am transported to an imaginary tropical oasis where all my fantasies are answered. 

Aha- Take on Me: Greatest keyboard rift of the 80’s. Every teenager with big hair sang the rift along with the words. The video made music animation famous, and it is impossible to be tired or depressed when listening to this song.

Fun – Some Nights: And a quick snap back to present day, but at least it is with a “fun” song, that became an instant hit. You will find yourself awake and singing along. 

Maroon 5 – Pay Phone: Another one of my favorite Maroon 5 songs; especially the version with Wiz Khalifa rapping in the center. 

Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody: Now, I’m taking you back in time again. If you do not know this song, you have lived under a rock your entire life, and it is time to come out and join the rest of the human race an experience the glory that is the Queen’s finest rock opera.

Don Mclean - American Pie: Here, ladies and gentlemen, again, is a song that if you don’t know, you should. It is a part of American pop culture music history. It is forever burned in the minds of millions across multiple generations. It’s referenced in English classes as one of the most symbolic and metaphorical songs, and the refrain will stay with you so that you too will sing it “until the day that you die”. 

Eagles – Hotel California: Another must know epic song, the Eagles are the sound of generations, and don't say, "but Hell froze over." To your elders, you sound like ---------s. Learn these songs younger generation; learn them by heart, and teach them to your children, so when someone says, "You can check out anytime you want, but you can never leave," you can contribute intelligently.

Abba - Dancing Abba: Swedish Pop Rock icons, all of the songs of this group became instant hits; they could not err. They proved it again to new generations with the stage performance and later movie Mama Mia. For decades people gleefully sing their songs; they had a “song to sing”, and they amazed the world when they did. 

Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama: In the 70’s Southern Rock became a popular genre, and nobody played it better than Skynard. Numerous hits mark them as Southern Rock Gods, but this one will keep you awake better than any coffee or even “sweet tea”.

Charlie Daniels Band- Devil Went Down to Georgia: Another Southern Rock genius, Charlie not only rocked the South, he rocked the globe, and this song will forever be branded in history because of a boy named Johnny and his hot golden fiddle playin’ fingers made you kick your heels up. 

Bee Gees- Stayin Alive: The other genre that kept the 70’s moving was Disco. Feathered hair and leisure suits were considered “cool”, and John Travolta made the movie that this song came from “hot”. Well, part of that sentence is true. 

Jimmy Buffett – Margaritaville: If you don’t know what a Parrot Head is, it’s time you learn. Any lover of Mr. Buffett’s island, tropical rock music that has ruled and entertained for almost 50 years is considered a Parrot head. 

You have made it home, you have had your first drink of the evening, and you have even had dinner. You are truly amazing. Look at what a kick-ass playlist can help you do. Now it is time for a little downtime, you time. Grab that second beer, glass of wine, water, or favorite beverage and find your favorite lounging spot. Sit out on the deck, cozy up in an overstuffed couch or chair, take a hot bubble bath and plug into these songs whose whole purpose is to keep you entertained, relaxed, yet alert because you know and love them so well you will sing along. Again, most of these artists are Music Legends from Decades ago, and if you are unfamiliar with them, it's time to be musically educated on what you missed out on. 

7-9 pm

Fleetwood Mac – Silver Springs: We start out our playlist with the goddess of 70’s Folk Rock. Stevie Nicks flows through time agelessly, she continues to sing, perform and seduce you with her voice regardless of the song, and this one is no different.

Elton John – Little Jeanie: The best and most unique styled writer, artist, and performer, for almost 50 years. Knighted by the Queen of England for his talent, Sir Elton’s creative genius is noticed in everything he does, and this song is no different. This song, once you know it becomes a part of your core being.

CCR – Southern Cross: When you’re ready to get lost on an ocean of eternal pleasant yearning for endless waters, skies and stars, to feel the pull of a cosmic force that connects you to the artist and the universe, then this is the song.

Zac Brown Band – Colder Weather: Even though Zac had already been established in the Country industry for a few years, it was this song that first caught my attention, from one gypsy soul to another I was caught.

Rascal Flatts – God Bless the Broken Road: Sticking with Country for a moment, as stated earlier, music has the ability to reach people’s emotions in a way that very few other things can. This song will not only reach the depth of you, it slowly glides over your skin, and down your back and down to your toes encouraging you to call your partner and tell them how much you love them.

Tracy Chapman – Fast Car: Tracy’s timbre is unparalleled. If you are unfamiliar with her work, start here and work your way through her albums, no other female artist creates a deep and rich quality that echoes memories across the ages.   

Jewel – Hands: Rolling from one deep song into another, Jewel reaches her audiences with her ability to reverberate her voice at key points.  All of her songs send chills and creates goosebumps that always amazes me.

Alabama – Song of the South: Don’t get too relaxed. Bringing back the Southern Rock, Song of the South represents the whole Southern Rock movement and will have you back rockin’ in a matter of moments.

Jimmy Buffet – Son of a Son of a Sailor: Slightly moving over to our oceans again, our lead Parrothead makes you want to leave dry land forever and take on the life of a pirate even if it is 100 years too late.  

James Taylor – Sweet Baby James: We couldn’t get through these playlists without a mention of Mr. Taylor, like many of the other iconic geniuses, his music is where legends are made. The imagery of this song sprays across whatever room you are sitting in as he sings his story to you. 

Phil Collins – Against All Odds: In 1984, the title movie came out. It was a romantic thriller film, and its soundtrack was nominated for a Grammy. This song was deservingly nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Once you listen to it, you will understand why. Collins’ music was everywhere for twenty years, and it was always a hit.  

Bread – Goodbye Girl: Another title song representing the movie from which it was written, this great 70’s song represents a 1977 comedy-drama film written by Neil Simon. The song’s lyrics are wistful and encourage the listener to believe in love.  

Air Supply – Making Love Out of Nothing of All: Many artists write and sing about love and pull at our heartstrings; that's the purpose of a love song. However, no other duo in music history before or since has mastered the art of the love song like Air Supply. Every song they laid track to was purposefully written to open your chest and pour every metaphor, simile, and allegory possible about love and coat your heart with them. You will ache, rejoice, weep, laugh, yearn, celebrate, and every other possible emotion associated with the word love when listening to their music.

Meat Loaf – Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad: Air Supply supercharged you with the greatest love song, and now Meat Loaf, the world’s greatest Rock Opera writer and singer will melt you with this epic song.

Righteous Brothers – Unchained Brothers: To finish off your day, playlist, and songs of love, I leave you with a love song from 1963 when love had a different meaning to people. It lasted forever, it really was eternal, people stayed true. It was a time before cell phones when you talked face to face and people communicated to work through their issues instead of relying on technology. It was a much simpler time in many ways, and maybe in many ways, it proves the point that ignorance is bliss, but doesn't some bliss in your life sound good?

TADA! We made it together! You made it without your oral stimulants and instead relied on the power of auditory emotional stimulation created by the only thing I know that can change the way a person feels every two and a half minutes (the length of an average song). We jumped from generations and genres, tempos and beats to create energy levels that were needed at specific times. Only music can do this. I challenge you to find more songs and add them to our playlists, remembering to add songs that only keep you supercharged and pumped up. PLAY ON!

[jarclave13-blog]

14 Fresh and Fast Smoothie Recipes

[Photographs: Carolyn Cope, Maggie Hoffman, Autumn Giles, Lauren Rothman]

Maybe you were given a fancy, shiny new blender over the holidays; maybe you've made a New Year's resolution to eat more fruits and vegetables; or maybe you just have a healthy appreciation for quick, tasty breakfasts. Whatever the case, we're big fans of smoothies here at Serious Eats, and we support your decision to consume more.

One of the best things about smoothies is how ripe they are for variation. You can make them with just about anything—our recipes call for fruits like bananas, mangoes, and blueberries, along with vegetables like spinach, chard, and even cilantro. To get the right consistency, you can also use all manner of thickeners, including yogurt, avocado, nuts, and plain old ice. The opportunities are truly endless, so we've rounded up 14 of our favorite recipes to start you off.

[Photograph: Carolyn Cope]

If you feel a bit intimidated (or grossed out) by the thought of a vegetable-packed drink, this smoothie, which pairs greens with sweet banana, pineapple, and mango, will ease you into the idea. Spinach will make the mildest smoothie, while sorrel is a little tangier, but don't worry—neither has the strongly bitter or earthy flavors found in some raw greens.

Gateway Green Smoothie Recipe »

[Photograph: Carolyn Cope]

If you aren't able to escape to a beach this winter, here's a balanced green smoothie to transport you there in spirit, at least. We make it with coconut water or pineapple juice, a banana and a peach, a few handfuls of spinach, cilantro, and a lime. Remove the peel and pith from the lime, and throw it in the blender whole.

Tropical Paradise Green Smoothie Recipe »

[Photograph: Autumn Giles]

Kale is a popular ingredient in green smoothies, but it can be on the bitter side, which is why we swap it out for milder chard here. This smooth, slightly tart, and lightly spicy concoction pairs chard with creamy avocado, tangy pineapple, and just a little bit of jalapeño. The result is filling, not too sweet, and perfect for a satisfying breakfast.

Spicy Chard and Pineapple Smoothie Recipe »

[Photograph: Lauren Rothman]

Rich and creamy avocados are one of our favorite ingredients for making vegan smoothies thick. In this recipe, sweet mango counterbalances the light savoriness of the avocado, while pineapple contributes acidity. We use just enough coconut water to help it blend, reinforcing the tropical flavor profile.

Avocado, Mango, and Pineapple Smoothie Recipe »

[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]

Equally appropriate for either breakfast or dessert, this smoothie pairs grassy matcha powder with banana and soy milk. By using unsweetened soy milk, you can adjust the sweetness level exactly to your liking with agave syrup. Freezing the banana before blending helps the smoothie get thick and stay ice-cold.

Vegan Matcha-Banana Smoothie Recipe »

[Photograph: Autumn Giles]

For our take on a Creamsicle in smoothie form, we turn to not oranges but kumquats, which we purée whole for a tart, complex flavor. Mango supplies sweetness, though, depending on how sour your kumquats are, you might need to add a little agave nectar, too. Cashews soaked overnight in water are the key to thickening this vegan drink.

Vegan Kumquat Creamsicle Smoothie Recipe »

[Photograph: Lauren Rothman]

Though fresh stone fruits won't be in season for months, using dried fruit allows you to enjoy this lightly peach-colored apricot smoothie year-round. Made by blending apricots with yogurt and orange juice, this drink gets most of its inspiration from mango lassi. But the bit of orange flower water mixed in is a nod to the Middle Eastern apricot drink qamar al-din—the water is powerful stuff, so 1/2 teaspoon should be plenty.

Apricot-Yogurt Smoothie Recipe »

[Photograph: Maggie Hoffman]

This mellow smoothie pairs the subtly sweet flavor of cantaloupe with bright lime juice, aromatic mint leaves, and plain yogurt. Cantaloupe can be hit or miss in the winter—if the fruit you've found isn't sweet enough, go ahead and add a little more honey.

Melon-Mint Smoothie Recipe »

[Photograph: Autumn Giles]

Kefir, a tangy, slightly effervescent drinkable yogurt, works great as a more nuanced replacement for plain yogurt in smoothies. But even better than pouring it straight from the bottle is freezing the kefir into ice cubes. The kefir cubes add body to this vibrant raspberry-mint smoothie, turning it cold and creamy without watering it down. Use full-fat kefir rather than reduced fat for the most flavorful smoothie with the best texture.

Raspberry, Mint, and Kefir Smoothie Recipe »

[Photograph: Autumn Giles]

Reminiscent of peaches and cream, this smoothie is made with tangy kefir ice cubes, ripe fresh peaches, and fragrant basil. There's no need to peel the peaches before adding them, since your blender will make short work of the skin. Basil might seem like an unusual choice, but its distinct aroma lends valuable complexity to the drink.

Peach-Basil Kefir Smoothie Recipe »

[Photograph: Autumn Giles]

This lovely kefir smoothie relies on sweet-sour blueberries and spicy fresh ginger for its flavor. Even if you have a high-powered blender, it's wise to grate the ginger before adding it, which will eliminate the risk of getting big, unpleasantly sharp-tasting chunks of the stuff in your drink.

Blueberry, Ginger, and Kefir Smoothie Recipe »

[Photograph: Lauren Rothman]

If you love smoothies but can't face the morning without your caffeine fix, here's a recipe that combines everything you need in one tidy breakfast package. This tasty drink blends a frozen banana with chilled brewed coffee and hazelnuts soaked overnight in water; the nuts add flavor, thicken the smoothie, and supply extra fat and protein to fill you up.

Coffee, Banana, and Hazelnut Morning Shake Recipe »

[Photograph: Carolyn Cope]

We don't tend to think of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as first-thing-in-the-morning fare, but I'll sometimes throw one together when I need to get out the door fast, and I'd bet I'm not the only one. To make it more recognizably breakfast-y, try turning the same flavors into a smoothie, blending up creamy peanut butter, raspberry jam, and frozen raspberries with cooked oatmeal and milk.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie Recipe »

[Photograph: Autumn Giles]

This recipe adapts the Puerto Rican holiday punch coquito—usually a combination of rum, sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk, vanilla, and spices—turning it into a vegan, nonalcoholic, but still totally delicious, concoction that's perfectly appropriate for starting your day. We start with coconut milk and frozen bananas, and then add a pinch of nutmeg, a traditional ingredient in coquito. Maple syrup gives the smoothie a caramel-like flavor that stands in nicely for rum.

Coquito Smoothie Recipe »

This post may contain links to Amazon or other partners; your purchases via these links can benefit Serious Eats. Read more about our affiliate linking policy.

Source: https://www.seriouseats.com/roundups/smoothie-recipes

[beatyoutothepunchline]

A Dumb Girls Guide to Dinner for One

When I was a kid, I was given "A Smart Girls Guide" a series of practical advice books created by American Girl for helping tween girls navigate the awkward transition from childhood and becoming a young adult. These books covered everything from friendship troubles to boys, manners, middle school, and sticky situations. (As if that entire phase of my life *cringes at the awkward 7th-grade first-day-of-school photo* wasn't one in and of itself). For being such a "smart girl" you'd think some of these things would have come naturally to me, but apparently not because I was given seven of these books by different family members. Most of this information (if not entirely lost on me) was eventually rendered irrelevant. I am no longer in middle school, my friendships no longer are angsty and problematic, I slowly acquired manners, and have given up on men. That being said, as I now make the transition from a college student to grown ass woman, I wish there was a series of books with advice on things like, What to do when it is just you... in an apartment and you hate cooking but should probably eat something other than a gigantic Rice Krispie Treat. Because, hahaha... that definitely isn't what's happening right now... As the old saying goes, you only learn by doing. And I've only ever used an oven when it was absloutly necessary for my survival or to impress a man (Which, unless you enjoy/know how to cook is a monumental waste of time, speaking from personal experience). Luckily though, I've managed to come up with a few "dishes" along the way that are quick and easy enough for my dumbass to get by. NOTE: Before I get too far into this, I just want to say that this is all stuff I've found works for me. You can swap out or add anything. I'm not saying this is healthy (God knows I could use some more fruits and vegetables) and it might not be for everyone. So take what you want and leave the rest. Breakfast: I am occasionally a breakfast person. Only when I'm hungover, am on vacation, or am near Wheatfields in my hometown of Omaha, NE. On these such occasions, I splurge and get the croque madame and sangria, or the Nutella crepes and fancy coffee. However, every now and again, there is that weird Tuesday morning I want to eat but want to be economical, and in that kind of situation, this is what I do: Peanut Butter/Coffee/Protein Shake --1 Chocolate Premier Protein shake. (Or any protein shake/power of your choice. I like this kind because they sell in bulk at Costco. It's high in protein, low in sugar and is Keto friendly for those folks out there that are into that.) --1 spoon of peanut butter. I don't measure. I use the au natural PB from TJ's because it's cheap and a little better for you than Jiff or Skippy, but you do you man. --3 shakes of cinnamon. --A splash of vanilla extract. --1 Cup of coffee. If you are fancy this can be some Cold Brew, but if you are cheap like me I'm usually good with sticking some day old Folders in the fridge the night before and throwing that in there. (Optional) --1/2 a frozen banana. Gives it a little something extra in the taste department and can work like ice cubes if nothing else is chilled or frozen. Because breakfast shakes, like soft serve, gazpacho, and revenge is a dish best served ice cold. Then just blend it together whatever way you see fit. The stick blender your mom bought you exactly for this purpose that up until last month you only used for margaritas, a food processor some family member gave you when you graduated high school as if you'd be whipping up pesto on a nightly basis. "What a score! Thanks, Aunt Karen!" A hand blender, a KitchenAid mixer (assuming you took this whole cooking thing to the max and want to pretend your Martha Stewart). A bowl and a fork or a Ziplock bag (if your broke and or don't want to make the investment and/or missed the arm day at the gym). Lunch: At this point in the day, I'm usually getting done with a class or am about to wind sprint to one because I'm running late. I wish I was one of those people that was motivated enough to precut my imperfect produce shipment on Sunday night and make five perfectly portioned salasd to put in mason jars and drizzle on a homemade dressing, but I would be BS-ing you if I said I did that. Honestly, I've made it through most of college on vending machine lunches and have been totally content, but at some point, my Cherry Coke and pretzels are going to catch up and I'm going to lose all my hair or something. So I've got a few things I usually do for lunch that are quick and painless. Recently I rediscovered the simple quesadilla (or in my weird family we call them...) Torcheetas --1 handful of whatever kind of cheese you like. I personally dig the "Mexican blend" from TJ's. --1-8 tortillas (depending on how hungry you are). Let's get real, there's a healthy way to make this and then there is a drunk at three AM way to make this dish. --Saracha (or whatever salsa/sauce you're into) (Optional) --1 serving of frozen peas (for vegetables) --1 serving of beans (for protein) --side salad? (I don't usually do this, but it's something my mom would do to make it extra healthy. Doesn't have to be fancy, just lettuce, maybe some baby tomatoes.) If you have time turn on the skillet on low, throw some oil in the pan, gently swirling it until it evenly coats the bottom until toasted to perfection. But if you're in a hurry or just incredibly hungry a microwave will do just as fine. Dinner: Again, if I'm being perfectly honest most nights it's two slices of pizza from the 7/11 next to my building and a green tea or La Croix I keep stockpiled under my bed like an extreme couponer. So I usually do that or if I'm feeling it I'll do a salmon sandwich (which sounds gross but can be made to taste halfway decent. --Do yourself a favor. Buy yourself a decent loaf of bread. None of this off-brand Wonder Bread nonsense. It's weak and if it doesn't entirely fall apart in your hands as you eat it, it will stick to the roof of your mouth. Wheat bread has some health benefits but is dry as hell, bland, and usually more sugar than you think. Buy yourself a nice sourdough. It'll put you out three ish bucks. --Get yourself some canned salmon or tuna. Target usually has a 5 for 10 dollar deal on the Starkist Tuna. Costco sells really high-quality stuff canned stuff like the Kirkland Signature Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon. But if you're like, "Ew, no. I don't eat anything from a can," then there's always stuff in the deli. If you happen to live in a big city, I highly recommend small mom and pop deli shops because they sell things you can't get anywhere else and it's usually a little fresher. --MUSTARD (to taste). Okay, for real though. Personally, I am a dijon fiend but the generic stuff will do the job. (But you went the distance so far, so why half-ass it now?) Toast the bread. (Again, this small step makes a world of difference in the final product). And assemble. Add a side salad, peas. (A vegetable of some kind?) Then get realistic and pair it with a beer or a scoop of Cherry Garcia (and by scoop I mean accidental pint :/ whoops) because you are human, and maybe because it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, your year... I'll be there for you cause I've been there too. Look, this isn't going to turn into a Julie and Julia type situation because I hate cooking. I find zero joy in it. But, I'd also like to eat something other than gas station delicacies until I die, so... I'm going to try a few things out. While I'm off burning tortillas, I'd love to hear your half-assed meals and how to make them diversify my menu.

[maricruzhackler-blog]

Huge Health Website & Complement Retailer

It is summertime! The protein supply of this product is not only distinctive but additionally it incorporates 5 grams of added creatine monohydrate. Such people often eat unhealthy food as they have high calories food in their inventory. The precise calorie and macronutrient content material of mass gainers differ wildly and there is quite a lot of debate as to whether or not a 1:1 ratio of protein to carbs is finest, or in case you ought to go as high as 1:4 or 1:5. Study the nutrient profile of foods you are eating to make accurate dietary decisions. It is very important realise that many genes concerned in muscle growth pathways are discovered as a number of copies because of paralogue retention following an entire-genome duplication (WGD) event at the base of teleost evolution ( Jaillon et al., 2004 ). In salmonids, another WGD event occurred at a later time and most of the ensuing paralogues had been also retained. Junk meals is trap food, designed to make you lose cash and achieve kilos. If you go slower, you could possibly exercise rather a lot longer, so you will find yourself burning extra calories and fat that way. But for individuals who wish to optimize their outcomes, get an edge on competitors, and speed up their fat burning potential, a fats burning complement is the best way to go. For professional advice on health program, diet information and nutritional supplements, is your own home that can assist you grow to be fit for all times. Despite the literature's limitations, the outcomes of this review remained consistent across subgroups, indicating that the general physique of literature has not shown a significant affiliation between HT and muscle mass. Following a plan created by an expert nutritionist or http://baraita.net/reliable-remedy-for-slimming/ dietitian is usually the smartest selection. For instance, chances are you'll acquire details about HMR Programs, find a local impartial HMR Program that is clinic-based or in any other case offers a "brick and mortar" program facility, use the "Contact Us" characteristic, sign up for advertising emails, inquire about changing into a licensed HMR Program provider, or make "guest" purchases of HMR Products, with out an Account. Because of this, the muscle mass will not be affected by catabolism, while additionally bettering the protein synthesis. So in Joe's case, he could be shooting for roughly 150g of protein, 70g of fat, and 505g of carbs per day. Should you do not observe this rule and seem to be having a hard time building muscle, heeding this recommendation could effectively turn issues round for you. A very good mass gainer supplement gives roughly seven hundred- 800 Kcal per 200 g powder, through nearly 140-one hundred sixty g carbohydrates and 28-36 g protein (plus some amount of fat). This product affords a whopping 1,250 energy in every serving, including vital energy to the weight loss program of intense weight trainers and athletes. Oh, http://penisvergroter-pillen-nl.eu/erogan.html and add the twin "greatest muscle building complement" to your program - protein and creatine. People who are obese or should not zero determine are body shamed, this might come as a surprise, but even thin persons are victims of physique shaming. The three Day Cardiac Diet has set menu plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner for three days. It's a identified weight gainer, which makes it an ideal selection for these people who have a thin body or low muscle mass. You needn't spend hours a day lifting weights to profit from power coaching. Secondly, good" pre-exercises comprise elements that make it easier to obtain your aesthetic goals by including essential muscle-building blocks such as amino acids. NOW Sports activities Carbo Achieve from Now Foods is a fancy carbohydrate muscle complement that's made with out synthetic components or sweeteners. Weight gainers are rich in fiber, which implies that it's going to help digest the strong foods that you will eat. The journey to muscle constructing and weight achieve could be difficult and that's why Mass Gainers are the holy grail to weight achieve. These supplements are designed to offer features just like Olympic heavy weight lifting levels. If you're a beginning bodybuilder, you may be taught to add 15 lbs (6.eight kg) of muscle. Full integration with Apple's Well being app for weight and calories. These days, the market is stuffed with merchandise that may help to increase bodyweight. It is a smart choice whenever you select Nutiva Organic supplement as your accomplice in gaining weight. Finally, now we have skeletal muscle tissues. Use your personal expertise to determine if dairy is a wholesome part of your eating regimen. Mass gainers are for individuals who need to give their muscle groups the very best circumstances to develop and broaden, and specifically for people who have bother rising their mass from regular dietary plan. Generally, quantity of protein intake per day must be between 1 and 1.5 occasions that of your body weight. As evidenced by the truth that people who haven't got ample access to protein experience muscle atrophy and infrequently waste away, insufficient protein is certainly a great system for losing muscle. Some individuals be a part of the health club to burn their fats fast while others begin tough dieting to restrict their energy intake, which typically, have opposed effects on well being. When one is ready to discover one of the best pure herbal muscle gainer complement pills for men and women then she or he ought to learn and understand correctly the routine which is required to be adopted whereas taking the supplement pills. Boosting digestion, relieving stress and boosting confidence degree are other well being benefits of consuming natural weight gainer complement capsules for women and men. Chocolate flavoured mass gainer protein is flexible in making protein shakes, smoothies and recipes. You want this Hardgainer train as a way to acquire muscle mass and construct your body. For girls, often it's easy enough to realize weight by including food or whey protein. It's a form of gradual digesting milk protein which improves the presence of amino acid in body. Together with any meal plan for weight loss, there needs to be some type of exercise regime for those who plan to succeed in your weight reduction objectives. The larger the rise in body weight, the smaller the relative contribution of SM to the load achieve. We are very satisfied with the healthy and tasty meals. Whatever the symptoms, eating disorders will be extremely dangerous, even if they have not brought about obvious weight loss. In line with Santiago, proscribing carbs is one of the largest errors individuals make when trying to construct muscle. During the second phase, you comply with an ultra-low-calorie diet of only 500 energy per day, along with HCG complement drops, pellets, injections, or sprays. Before anybody convinces you to invest lots of of dollars, here is what it is best to find out about four of the extra well-liked muscle-constructing dietary supplements. Here are four supplements that hardgainers can attempt. Leucine is a really particular branched-chain amino acid, thought to be the important thing that activates muscle protein synthesis by way of the switch known as mTOR. In this article, you will see that all the wanted info corresponding to a complete consumers information , Our High Picks and FAQ's to help you choose the best weight gainer In India. Optimum Diet Pro Gainer additionally comprises a pleasant mix of whey, casein, as well as egg protein, so this will probably be a good option for many who are likely to struggle with having an excessive amount of whey (lactose illiberal individuals) of their weight loss plan plan. For those who find that you simply're not gaining weight otherwise you're gaining an excessive amount of weight - specifically as fat - cut back your consumption. Probably the greatest issues about Dymatize Diet Super Mass Gainer is that it offers 7.7 grams of L-Leucine, which helps in activating the synthesis of muscle protein. Moreover, you might be supposed to eat wholesome foods in addition to mass gainers. Muscle mass is the physical measurement of the muscle; muscle mass are sometimes massive because of train and concentrated bodily coaching, but not completely. Recalls aren't enough to guard people from dietary supplements containing unlisted, unapproved ingredients. Reducing down on carbs is another simple way to improve the standard of your food regimen and further weight loss. It is advised that if you will use a mass gainer, it is best to consider using a blender instead of a shaker bottle. Optimum Diet's 100% Whey Gold Customary Protein gained the Supplement Of The 12 months and Protein Powder Of The Yr award for 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. In these situations, a high quality mass gainer can be the perfect answer for anybody who needs to stay on top of their food regimen - something that could be not possible otherwise. Totally Dosed Actual Meals Muscle Gainer is a premium lean mass gainer, formulated to nutritionally assist athletes searching for improved muscle restoration and lean muscle positive factors. The mix of non-GMO pea protein, organic brown rice protein, entire grains and sea vegetables makes it a dependable complement to develop lean muscle mass and promote its fast restoration. For a fast weight-loss recipe, throw together this farmers' market quinoa salad from Epicurious, which additionally options green beans, snap peas, broccoli, and pistachios in a Dijon dressing. Since VPA Muscle Gainer used the best quality whey protein, in combination with carbohydrates and creatine monohydrate, it's the splendid put up-exercise shake for maximum repair and development. It's not uncommon to find ​a vegan weight achieve powder with some wholesome fat thrown in for good measure. Have this combination two instances a day that can assist to reduce your body weight. Not solely does greeting the day with lively energy get your blood pumping and physique shifting, nevertheless it's also the best time in case you're operating for fat loss. A number of weight-acquire dietary supplements comprise loads of calories to assist people transfer up in terms of weight and muscle and eat greater than their average dietary intake without having to eat so much in several meals each day. Summary To achieve weight, eat not less than three meals per day and ensure to include loads of fats, carbs and protein. Some folks may also benefit from supplementing their eating regimen with creatine, caffeine, or each. Nevertheless it's vital to take the product's calories per serving and your personal calorie requirements under consideration when deciding how much product to make use of. Using mass gainers for optimum results. However to gain overall muscle mass, you want heavy lifting in the first place to stimulate progress. Whey protein supplies the physique with a excessive amount of protein and amino acids that assist to jump-start the anabolic process. Whey protein powder provides you an incredible quantity of protein without the empty calories. Kim grew to become good friends with Aline, and due to this, in her youtube video she is sharing the first 2 exercise videos from the burden loss program. It helps in getting a nicely trimmed body with lean muscle mass. Since fats conducts much less electricity than muscle, the current can measure how a lot body fat you may have. Maintaining a healthy muscle mass then gives your immune system with the vital chemicals it must preserve you wholesome and free from illness. Also, we'll be reviewing the top weight gainer dietary supplements available on the market. On long area journeys in prolonged weightlessness, astronauts undergo crippling muscle and bone loss. Well, in case your aim is to drop a few pounds, we advise following all the guidelines above, together with eating a low-carb weight loss program. To provide your muscle mass time to recover, rest one full day between exercising each specific muscle group. Most individuals who wish to drop a few pounds have greater than 12 pounds to lose. You will be able to tell exactly what number of calories you are consuming each day and what vitamins does your day by day eating regimen include. Extremely Mass Gainer comprises glutamine which supplies you energy and helps in fastening muscle restoration. Now, you don't only have a purpose, but a concrete plan on how one can really begin working in the direction of it. Mentally, it'll be a lot easier to motivate your self to grocery shop for wholesome elements, or head out for a stroll around the neighborhood then to lose 1.5 kilos," which is more summary. As a substitute, it may give your muscular tissues a fast restoration time with out feeling those aches and http://machinalansu.pl/kreatyna-skutki-uboczne-i-wplyw-na-organizm/ sores. It also helps in enhancing protein synthesis and dashing up recovery for http://laihdutustablettienfi.ovh/ higher acquire in fats-free muscle mass. Proteins like chickpeas and lentils preserve you feeling fuller for longer and help your muscle groups repair faster. Consumption of smaller meals at regular intervals is a superb pure means of losing weight. But when your paleo ancestors wished to eat, they picked up their looking weapons and walked, typically for days, to hunt for food. Too much protein will not improve the benefits or trigger you to develop muscle tissues more rapidly, and may have a unfavorable impact in your health in the long term. The majority of the calories come from the carbohydrates, http://paraagrandarelpenees.ovh/eracto.html which sit at a heavy 252 grams and the 50 grams of protein. This required quantity is fulfilled by including a mass gainer complement to the individual's weight-reduction plan. Supplements play an necessary position in including mass to our ectomorph frames, however diet is definitely going to play a a lot bigger role. No main unintended effects of ZMA have been reported, but there may very well be health concerns if the supplements are taken more regularly than the producer suggests. There's really no good definition of what a pre-workout supplement is—and a lot of corporations are just slapping it on merchandise as a result of it's ‘in' right now—however normally, it's a product that's intended to boost power ranges, usually although a mix of B nutritional vitamins, carbs, and antioxidants ," registered dietitian Jessica Crandall , R.D.N., C.D.E., a spokesperson for the Academy of Vitamin and Dietetics, tells SELF. Different analysis findings exist that relate peripherally to this threat description that should remain related to it. The physical inactivity and muscle unloading occurring in affiliation with spaceflight may end up in a lower in muscle mass, which in turn may be associated with an elevated susceptibility to insulin resistance (glucose intolerance). The more muscle mass you already have, the much less protein you'll want to eat. Lots of the diets folks swear by right this moment have been round in various incarnations for decades. Since 1987, Optimum Diet, or ON for short, has been a leader in creating highly modern, inexpensive, and efficient merchandise. A lot of people work out on weight lifting, nevertheless, many people have hassle gaining weight and construct muscle. Nevertheless, recognize that their muscle mass is accentuated by tans, vascularity, low body fat, and having finished push-ups proper before strolling onto the stage. Some folks prefer to use them to assist gas their workouts by consuming it pre-exercise, some wait till after their workout so their working muscles can soak up the nutrients and aid in recovery, and some folks really use a mass gainer shake in between meals (in essence like a snack) to increase their caloric intake for the day. True Mass makes a simple, tasty shake that helps you reach your fitness objectives by offering all the mandatory nutrients for lean muscle mass gains. It facilitates a speedy increase in muscle mass. If you wish to gain weight slowly and steadily, intention for 300-500 energy more than you burn each day in response to the calculator. Making protein a priority while participating in consistent resistance coaching has a optimistic impact on muscle growth and repair. It's worth noting, however, that as this food regimen plan is designed to help you shed fat and drop some weight, gaining muscle mass might be tough. These meals help to repair and build muscle tissues and work as an ideal pre and submit workout meal. You don't need to go greater than 4-5 hours with out eating, this can inevitably lead to you pigging out on a large meal which your body may have difficulty processing and it will slow down your metabolism. If you happen to overeat, your intestine shall be pissed at you and you're at-threat for gaining physique fats. I've to confess that I've spent a few dollars on the local GNC shopping for weight achieve supplements. Your weight-reduction plan plan will enable you speed up your muscle constructing process by providing your body with mandatory materials that will assist your body building acts or efforts. Even though it is principally marketed in the direction of athletes and bodybuilders, protein supplements generally is a helpful addition to your food regimen. The aim of this systematic overview and meta-analyses was to find out whether or not, in postmenopausal girls, HT (estrogen only or a combination of estrogen and progesterone) was related to a lowered loss of muscle mass (measured by lean physique mass LBM or fats-free mass), in contrast with not receiving HT, in relation to sort and dose of HT, observe-up period of examine, menopausal age of contributors, and sort of LBM measurement. For this reason many weightlifters take both beta-alanine and creatine , which notably improves efficiency within the sub-60-second realm and barely improves performance in the 60-to-240-second realm. Moreover, certain dietary supplements that help in fats loss like caffeine , yohimbine , and synephrine are maximally efficient when taken earlier than fasted exercise. We have now put collectively a comprehensive guide to be able to select one of the best mass gainer product to your needs. Once you're sleeping, your physique is basically fasting since you aren't taking in any energy for an extended time. Many individuals aren't conscious that there could be harmful unwanted side effects with numerous forms of nutritional vitamins and supplements. But for the typical energetic lady trying to shed extra pounds, the easiest way to tackle carb cycling is on a day-to-day foundation, Murray notes. WW, previously Weight Watchers , is one of the most popular weight loss programs worldwide. The muse of the LA Weight Loss plan to eat a calorie- and portion-controlled diet with more fruits, greens, lean protein, as well as much less fats, sugar, and salt is a healthful one general and per the recommendations of other health care organizations. Whey protein is by far the perfect out of all protein sort supplements due to larger absorption rates. Optimum diet weight gainer will ship your calories which you'll be able to depend during restoration. The reasons for these counter-intuitive outcomes are unclear and can in all probability stay so until assets grow to be obtainable for long-term, on-orbit examine of the skeletal muscle atrophic response to spaceflight. Although it ought to be implied, it is still a quite common false impression, so I would like to see it clarified that the one pound of weight achieve as a consequence of an additional 3,500 energy would only be realized if the consumer was already hitting their caloric requirement previous to integrating the do-it-yourself or premade gainer into their eating regimen. Anyone ought to converse to their personal physician earlier than including supplements to their regime, starting a new train program or dietary habits. ABSTRACT The Atkins weight loss plan is a low-carb weight reduction weight loss program. Such folks ought to select a mass gainer that comprises creatine, betaine, glutamine and MCT oil, as their objective is to take their coaching to the next stage," advises Sangram. A previous systematic assessment and meta-evaluation of 23 human studies has proven small, important advantages of HT in preserving skeletal muscle power, translating to approximately 5% higher energy in HT users compared with management members. Earlier than we transfer onto different products on mass gainers, allow us to contemplate the 5 most necessary questions on it. In this examine , cops got either whey protein or casein protein, put onto a excessive-calorie weight-reduction plan, and did resistance training. Filled with every thing it's good to improve your lean muscle mass, http://penisvergroter-pillen-nl.eu/el-macho.html MASS GAINER offers fifty three grams of protein (derived from one hundred% Grass-Fed Whey Concentrate), 750 energy, and 109 grams of fresh, natural, and efficient carbohydrate sources per serving. Weight gainers are designed that will help you achieve loads of weight so you'll be able to have the muscle mass you need. For most individuals, these dietary supplements are merely a manner so as to add extra energy and nutrients to your every day food regimen. That is true simply because a physique with no protein will not ever build muscle in any respect. If you happen to don't see changes within the first two or three weeks, think about upping your dose or switching up your mass gainer complement. A: There are no guarantees that a selected complement will assist you acquire muscle. You may additionally work with an area registered dietitian nutritionist to restrict potential nutrient deficiencies and talk about vitamin supplementation, as you won't be eating complete grains, dairy, or fruit, and http://baraita.net/weight-reduction-with-suppport-or-without-it/ will get rid of many veggies. You want your energy to come back from clear whey or casein proteins, advanced carbs, and healthy fat. Sometimes, an awesome macronutrient ratio to gain weight and muscle groups is 30% protein, forty% carbs, and 30% fats. The users can even depend on the obtainable 27 essential nutritional vitamins and minerals for strengthening their muscle mass and gaining the specified muscle weight. It is also essential to remember that utilizing the best muscle constructing supplements is only one a part of the muscle building equation. Then - and only then - can you tell individuals that you just gained 5 pounds of muscle with confidence. A third option is Creatine Phosphate with Glycerol which may also help your tissues retain more fluid and give you the bulk for bodybuilding. Intake of creatine supplements helps in enhancing muscle mass which in turn increase your physique weight. Most individuals are uncertain when they are confronted with the advantages that kre alkalyn creatine can provide for weight or power training. Findings from subgroup analyses by comply with-up period, time since menopause, research quality, estrogen dosage, and http://machinalansu.pl/ktory-krem-do-twarzy-gwarantuje-wysoka-skutecznosc/ LBM measurement type weren't statistically significant. Eat more fiber and less unhealthy fats than the standard American diet. Place the muscle groups underneath heavy stress and also you positive aspects will skyrocket. This critical mass gainer offers you with the instruments that you must pack on the kilos and help you to develop the physique you've got all the time wished. When you do not put together a weight reduction meal plan issues like stress, time limitations, cost and http://muskelaufbau-tabletten.eu/tabletten-fur-masse.html the overall hustle and bustle of everyday family life can lead you to choose a meal that takes no time or thought to arrange which might usually be an unhealthy option. To realize any significant amount of muscle progress, your body needs to realize protein stability by ensuring enough protein synthesis. We current to you Prime 4 information which you have to take into account before you buy a mass gainer therefore enable you to make the accurate selection. You will have heard the widely quoted statistic that ninety five% of people that shed pounds on a eating regimen will regain it within a couple of years—and even months. Many professionals and average health club go-ers look to build muscle with out the fats gain that a bulking cycle brings. Muscle fiber progress occurs as a result of a brief improve in the fee of muscle protein synthesis inside the fiber. Protein is not just for the carnivores among us. There are nonetheless choices for those who choose not to eat animal products, like this supp from Vega Sport. This implies an analogous macro profile to Severe Mass with a few additional calories (due largely to the added fats content). Bodybuilding Warehouse efficiency mass is an outstanding weight gainer that we highly advocate. MHP's new UYM XXXL 1350 is a nutrient dense weight gainer loaded with 1350 muscle constructing calories to create the perfect metabolic and hormonal surroundings for optimum outcomes. Universal Nutrition's Real Positive factors weight gainer is a whey-primarily based mass gainer that is specifically formulated with complex carbohydrates to stimulate lean mass features. Protein promotes the production of amino acids and different essential nutritional vitamins and minerals in your physique to help the growth of your muscle tissue. Running helps you preserve a calorie deficit by rising the variety of energy you burn. Different physique builders and pals are one other nice resource to find out about completely different exercises to gain muscle. In case you have a senior horse that's dropping pounds, it is best to consider using this weight gain complement from Manna Pro as it is very efficient. Nitric Oxide - another greatest complement for muscle achieve that can enhance energy as well as focus.Utilizing nitric oxide means more tightly targeted and in addition intense exercises as a result of this supplies efficient motivation and far more energy on its own. These products should also not be taken by kids, as their impact on physique and mind growth has not as of but been determined. A tropical aphrodisiac originating in Malaysia, tongkat ali (E. longfolia jack) is steadily gaining reputation as a complement for aspiring body-builders. Taking a mass gainer after your exercise might help with muscle restore. To check whether or not protein at the first meal of the day could assist folks to feel fuller for longer, a US-primarily based study in 2014 divided volunteers into three groups. For good outcomes, readers are really helpful to make use of the mass gainer as instructed on the label. A stomach fats weight loss program is just like a weight loss weight-reduction plan as a result of the final word objective is to accelerate metabolic course of, curb starvation and burn fat.

[selenasheil8992-blog]

The Ketogenic Diet And Bodybuilding

Now in order to are feeling a little skeptical, let me assure you this. From cereal boxes to weight-loss classes, the carbo-heavy food pyramid is all the 'feel good' news bulletins. According to the American Heart Association, the American Dietetics Association, as well as the American Diabetes Association, our daily intake of food should consist of 60 percent carbohydrates. Next in line are and also vegetables, then protein, milk products, which includes a small twenty to thirty percent of fats in the very number one. Though short, I 'm going to cover individuals that would say that smoothies are not healthy. In case you're on reduced carb diets than smoothies would certainly be a nightmare. Yogurt, milk (medium carbs and protein, so not bad), fruits; associated with carbs and sugars. For anybody who is on any Atkins or Keto Unlimited Reviews guidelines, than this in order to be awful for the body. While the sugars are considered good by many, and you will be getting a positive variety of vitamins and antioxidants, you will get the same from vitamin pills. Try to organize some 'leftover dishes' with your menu. Organizing will help you on a budget means you may have to go with almost issue. If half a cup of vegetables are left, don't throw them away. They can be put in a stew or a soup. Doable ! toss them into a frittata and even omelet. Or you can freeze the leftover foods like nuts, stock, bread heels, gravy, bacon grease etc. Things can double later generate other cuisine.

When you wake up, follow the instructions and also a shake very first thing in the morning. For breakfast, be another protein shake and eat a cup full of fruit perhaps a high protein meal. Eggs, bacon, yogurt, the organic and natural kind not the sugar packed yogurt, some fruit, or even vegetables if you would like. No carbohydrates or sugar of any kind, and simply low fat milk or water do you need more another drink other opposed to shake. Any time cold remaining spots, however, it is to label the containers very carefully, Keto Unlimited Reviews using freezer tape with a permanent marker. Try to prevent the older meals near the most to avoid having to throw away terminated wares. The 1 staple and well-known supply of protein as nutrition world is chicken white meat. Chicken breast has great vitamins and minerals. It contains high protein and little fat. 100g of chicken white meat contains 29.6g of protein, 7.7g of fat and zero carbohydrates. Chicken and beef are great foods regarding any ketogenic diet. Just about six weeks after delivering her daughter Honor, Jessica Alba famously lost 25 of her 40 lbs of baby weight. Perusing her diet, there is definitely not fancy or challenging about following this ketosis diet plan menu for women. Right now there are easy ways to kick within the flavor Keto Unlimited Review without changing this value. Examine these easy modifications to her to be able to create individual personal post-baby body plan. Actually new parent? You can still take benefit from these healthy ideas.Thinking ahead of time an entire week of healthy recipe meals works miracles technique generate dishes you'll be proud of, whilst keeping cost and time persistence for a nominal amount. Due to below are incredible tips you should use create healthy food regularly.

[florahecate]

Read More 25 Easy (and Cheap!) Ways to Lose 5 Pounds

The following post 25 Easy (and Cheap!) Ways to Lose 5 Pounds is republished from Eat This Not That by Eat This, Not That! Editors

A lot has changed since the days when a fat belly indicated a fat wallet. Now, people pay more for the healthy stuff while the least expensive foods are often the ones packed with waist-widening calories.

But just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t lose a few pounds without breaking the bank. To prove it’s possible, we checked in with some of the nation’s leading weight loss experts and asked them how to get lean for less. The following tips are simple things that fit easily into your life, won’t empty your wallet, and can help whittle down your waistline without emptying your wallet. Once you see how affordable it is to take control of the chub, be sure to check out 42 Ways to Lose 5 Inches of Belly Fat.

1

Cook in Bulk

Cook at home and cook in bulk, suggests registered dietitian Lauren Minchen. “Depending on how frequently you eat out, cooking your food at home can save you hundreds of dollars a month. And cooking in bulk is great if you’re time-strapped. It saves you time while allowing you to monitor the ingredients, calories, and portions in your meals. Win win win!” Not sure what to make? Soups are super easy to make and will last you all week. These 20 Best-Ever Fat Burning Soups are many of our editor’s go-tos.

2

Get Competitive

Register for a race or competition. They’ll cost you anywhere from $35 to $125 dollars, but the training aspect, which can last for months, is practically free. “There’s no better way to motivate yourself to get up from your office chair than knowing you have a race coming up,” says registered dietitian nutritionist Michelle Dudash. “Plus, running is one of the cheapest sports you can do because the only special equipment you need is good pair of running shoes and a training program, which you can get online for free.” Looking for a healthy way to recover after your workouts? Whip up one of these 23 Best Protein Shake Recipes.

3

Make Eggs Your Friend

“Eggs are very inexpensive and have been shown over and over to help with weight loss,” says registered dietitian Cassie Bjork. “What’s more, eggs are considered the most bioavailable source of protein, which means your body digests, absorbs and uses the protein in eggs better than in any other food in the world.” A pricey cut of steak can’t even claim that! To learn more about eggs’ magical weight loss powers, check out our exclusive report What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Eggs.

4

Buy What’s In Season

“If you are going to buy fresh produce, it’s important to know what’s in season and what isn’t,” says registered dietitian Leah Kaufman. Things that are out of season will cost you far more cash than produce that’s just hitting its peak. Registered dietitian nutritionist Sarah Koszyk agrees: “For the winter season, try Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, kale, turnips, persimmons, tangerines and kiwis.” Broccoli, berries, tomatoes and salad greens will be cheapest in the summer, while asparagus, cauliflower and spinach are easiest on your wallet in the spring. And if you’re curious which fruits and veggies pack the biggest nutritional punch, check out these 50 Healthiest Foods on the Planet.

5

Buy Frozen Foods

“Whether you’re on a budget or not, frozen vegetables are a great buy,” says Kaufman. “They’re cheaper than fresh vegetables and contain just as many nutrients.” Wondering how stocking up on the stuff can help you slim down? “Vegetables are vital for weight loss because they’re low in calories and high in fiber. Consuming fiber keeps you feeling fuller longer so you will feel satisfied and won’t be tempted to snack.” But fair warning, not all frozen foods are created equal: If you want those last five pounds to come off quickly steer clear of these 48 Worst Frozen Foods in America!

6

Ditch the Dollar Menu

Pre-made meals may save you time but they aren’t necessarily the healthiest picks and they’ll seriously cut into your budget. “By cutting back on pre-made meals, packaged, and processed snacks you’ll have a lot of room leftover in your food budget for the nourishing, real foods that fuel your body with the nutrients it needs for weight loss,” says Bjork.

7

Meal Prep—Even Snacks

“Grabbing a quick snack, whether it be a snack bar or a piece of fruit costs far more at a coffee shop, airport or gas station than it does at a grocery store or farmer’s market,” warns Dudash. To avoid spending unnecessary cash when hunger strikes, she recommends building a clean eating arsenal stocked with grab-and-go pieces of fruit, like apples, pears, and bananas.

8

Stick to Tap Water

“Don’t blow your budget on sugar-laden beverages that will only stand in the way of your weight loss goal. Instead, sip tap water. This simple swap will save you calories and cash, and supports weight loss by nourishing your cells and flushing out toxins,” explains Bjork. Can’t stand the taste of regular H20? Whip up a batch of one of these 50 Best Detox Waters for Fat Burning and Weight Loss.

9

Adopt a Plant-Based Diet

Research shows that switching to a plant-based diet not only promotes weight loss but also lowers your cholesterol, reduces hypertension and extends lifespan. There’s more good news: A meat-free diet can also save you thousands—yes, thousands—of dollars. “I recently switched from a moderate animal protein diet to a plant-based diet and so far I’ve saved about $40 per week, which will easily add up to savings of $2,000 per year,” says the owner of Naples Personal Training, Dr. Sean M. Wells. That’s enough cash to spend on a tropical vacation! (Hawaii, anyone?) Looking for an easy-to-made addition to your plant-based diet? Consider making some of these 50 Best Overnight Oats Recipes.

10

Make Mondays Special

Can’t imagine giving up your favorite burgers and fillets for good? Consider adopting Meatless Mondays—the campaign that encourages people to kick off their week sans meat. “I’m an advocate for Meatless Monday for both budgeting and ethical reasons,” says personal trainer Ajia Cherry. Although there are many vegetarian and vegan sources of protein, Cherry is a big fan of beans. “Beans, especially dried black beans, are inexpensive and contain heart-healthy antioxidants, filling fiber, iron and muscle-building protein.” Nutritionist Tammy Lakatos Shames, who’s also a proponent of going meat-free once a week, likes to swap ground beef for mushrooms. “If you’re not ready for a complete swap, you can start by mixing meat with mushrooms, it will boost your meal’s fiber and stretch you dollar further,” she explains.

11

See The World As Your Gym

Drop the excuses about how you can’t get to the gym—you can work out anywhere, really. “Shedding pounds and getting healthy doesn’t require a gym, boutique fitness studio or a CrossFit box,” says Wells. “Join a local soccer league or walking group or do bodyweight calisthenics at home. My next door neighbor loves to use his tree for pull ups and dips. If you’re willing to get creative you can save anywhere from $50 to 300 per month—that’s a car payment!” For more trim down tricks from the nation’s foremost fitness experts check out these 25 Weight Loss Tips From The World’s Fittest Men.

12

Pland Around Sales

Before scouring Pinterest for recipes you want to make, check your local market to see what’s on sale, suggests registered dietitian Ilyse Schapiro. “After you know what the best deals are, then plan your meals for the week. Also, sign up for a bonus card at your local market. Rewards programs can save you a lot of money in the long run.”

13

Don’t Take Shortcuts

“Skip the pricey pills and detox juices. They’ll cost you an arm and a leg and most of them don’t work,” warns registered dietitian nutritionist Marisa Moore. A cheaper, more effective solution? These 22 Best Teas for Weight Loss!

14

Think Local

“Not only is the food from a farmers market tastier, it’s cheaper, too,” says Schapiro. “Food bought locally doesn’t have to travel long distances, so the prices tend to be lower. And if you shop at the end of the day, you may get even better deals because the farmers want to get rid of their stock. For even more cheap ways to shed the pounds, check out these 40 Ways to Lose 4 Inches of Body Fat.

15

Shake Up Your Own Protein Drink

“Commercial bars and workout drinks can be very expensive. What’s worse, they offer little more to your body than what basic fruits, vegetables and nuts can provide,” says Wells. “Ounce for ounce, homemade smoothies or snacks will not only be cheaper but probably healthier for you, too.”

16

Repurpose Leftovers

You may not have enough leftovers to squeeze out a second meal, but that doesn’t mean you should throw the food out! “Wasted food is wasted money, says Schapiro. “Leftover fruits and vegetables can always be added to a smoothie or protein shake and vegetable and grain scraps can be added to a soup, a stir-fry, or omelet.”

17

Brew Your Own Cup

Love fancy coffee drinks? Learn how to make slimmed-down versions of your favorites at home, suggests Minchen. Not only will making your drinks save you thousands of dollars, but it will also help keep excess fat off of your frame, too. Our Healthy Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino Copycat Recipe is a great way to get into the make-it-yourself groove!

18

Tune to YouTube

Celebs may pay her the big bucks to whip them into shape, but celebrity trainer Kit Rich says it’s possible to get into your skinny jeans without spending a dime. “The cheapest and easiest ways to lose weight through exercise is by doing YouTube workout videos. There are a lot of fun and effective programs available for free!” And to see the results of your sweat session shine through even faster, check out these 7 Ways to Make Your Workout 500% More Effective.

19

Slip Into Your PJs

Getting a proper night’s rest is totally free and it offers major weight loss perks. “When you don’t get enough sleep, levels of the hormone leptin drop, which increases appetite. This surge in appetite makes comfort food more appealing, which can derail weight loss efforts,” explains personal trainer to the stars Jay Cardiello. “I tell all of my celebrity and professional-athlete clients to get between 6 and 8 hours of sleep per night.” Want to lose even more weight while you sleep? Check out these 30 Things to Do 30 Minutes Before Bed to Get Lean.

20

Order an Appetizer

The average restaurant meal contains a whopping 1,128 calories, according to a 2013 University of Toronto study of 19 sit-down restaurant chains. And those numbers have likely increased since then! To save money and calories while dining out, registered dietitian Yasi Ansari suggests ordering a healthy appetizer (like seared scallops, mushroom caps or a salad) or splitting an entree with a friend.

Looking for more ways to lean out? Be sure to check out these 20 Weight Loss Tricks You Haven’t Tried.

21

Make a List

“Spend a couple of minutes each morning writing out a list of reasons you want to live a fitter and healthier life,” suggests author of the top model fitness guide, Methodology X Dan Roberts. “It won’t be conscious, but doing this exercise will help you make better decisions when choosing food and snacks throughout the day.”

22

Don’t Be Swayed By ‘All-Natural’ Claims

Foods stamped with an “All Natural” label tend to cost more, but since the claim isn’t regulated by the FDA, it doesn’t really mean anything. “Instead, read ingredients and then decide which products are worth more of your hard-earned cash,” suggests Cardiello.

23

Swap Snack Bars for Fresh Fruit

“The average snack bar or bag of chips will cost you two dollars, but a piece of fruit will only cost you 50 cents. Stick with a piece of fruit to save calories, fat and cash on snacks,” says certified dietitian nutritionist Dana James.

24

Eat More Canned Tuna

There’s no doubt that protein sources like chicken breasts, tuna and salmon are healthy, but they’re not the most economical. For that reason, Dudash recommends buying the canned varieties. Not convinced? Consider this: A four pack of canned tuna from Walmart is less than $4. It doesn’t get much cheaper than that!

Eat This! Tip

Worried about the mercury in the tuna? Don’t be. Generally speaking, the smaller the fish, the lower the mercury level. Since canned chunk light tuna is harvested from the smallest fish, it’s safe to consume two to three times a week.

25

Use Your Non-Dominate Hand

Been a righty your entire life? Eat dinner with your left hand. “It takes roughly 15 minutes for your brain to realize that you’re full,” says Cardiello. “To give your mind time to catch up to your mouth, simply switch your fork to non-dominate hand. It may be frustrating, but it’s a simple and unnoticeable way to curb overeating and lose weight.” And for even more must-try slim down tricks, check out these 20 Weight Loss Tricks You Haven’t Tried.

The post 25 Easy (and Cheap!) Ways to Lose 5 Pounds appeared first on Eat This Not That.