#yes although it's usually costco that really makes me lose it

[moodring89]

Dragons & Bambi

 The above is inspiration :)

Pairing: Yoonji x Reader (F X F) Rated: M / NC-17 Genre: Gender bend!AU Warnings:  Light degrading, Possessive love, Jealousy, Anal play, Dildos, Face riding, Spankings     Summary: You were going to war against Yoonji. If she hadn’t cut and dyed her hair, she’d made for a stunning Mulan. Ah, yes. You could see it now. Yoonji – sneaking off into the middle of the night to fight on her father’s behalf, being sassed all damn day by an ancestral guardian, and getting trained rather poorly, by you, no less. No – damn it. You had to quit doing that. This is the sequel to Snow White & Bambi. I recommend reading it first, although it isn’t absolutely necessary.

Notes: 1. This will be the last of the Yoonji x Reader series. I loved writing it, but I’d put other ideas on hold to make this sequel, and I’d like to return to them. 2. There is a section in this story about polymorphic relationships. Yoonji is not down for it and neither is the reader, however that doesn’t reflect how I feel on the matter. Love is love and that’s it. I’ve written a polyamorous story with Yoongi x Reader x Hoseok on my ao3. It’s called SOAK. I’ll probably write more in the future. Sometimes readers will take what is written to base an opinion on the writer, but that’s not how things work. 3. Bad Dragon is real. It’s super real. I love the site. Those of you who are of age, definitely take a look. That being said, the Seadragon is real, too. 4. I edited this so fast, it probably sucks, but a promise is a promise :)   ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Dragons & Bambi It had all started with War, which wasn’t real original, but most of the best laid plans weren’t…all that fucking original. How the hell were you expected to play a four way game of War? Yoonji had two decks of playing cards, apparently. Your beautiful, stormy princess liked to gamble. You could tell by the way she effortlessly listed off card games you’d never heard of. Taehyeon herself only knew how to play Uno and you were only vaguely familiar with Black Jack. Jimin couldn’t bear to be typical, claiming that she was merely out of practice, but that she wouldn’t mind relearning Poker. Right. That was the moment when it was decided that you were going to war against Yoonji. If she hadn’t cut and dyed her hair, she would have made for a stunning Mulan. Ah, yes. You could see it now. Yoonji – sneaking off into the middle of the night to fight on her father’s behalf, being sassed all damn day by an ancestral guardian, and being trained rather poorly, by you, no less. No – damn it. You had to quit doing that. Today was supposed to be spent appreciating Yoonji’s cozy studio apartment and her new sleek, black Fazioli. She’d been saving up for the piano for so long, which was why she hardly ate at lunch, and lived off of Costco sized boxes of ramen. She’d played earlier for you and your friends, all parties had been entranced by the way her delicate fingers bent into each key, each stroke graceful and precise. You had to wonder if basketball was just a hobby and this was her real passion. A discussion for another time. Things had changed since thirty minutes ago, what with how your two friends and girlfriend were now sitting on her fluffy mint carpet, emptying their purses out in some sad attempt at upping the stakes. It was Yoonji’s suggestion, of course, since she was a goddamned criminal! You would make it a point to question her about her shady past. Perhaps on a day where you’d be down with losing your girlfriend, turning her in for bounty. You honestly hadn’t been expecting this outcome and you didn’t have any cash on you. You didn’t believe in the stuff anymore, using your credit card for literally everything. Yoonji stared at you, expectantly, “Well?” You zipped up your bag, defeated, “I’ve got nothing, unless we can throw in some tampons?” “Oh, Tampax or Playtex?” Taehyeon asked, seeming genuinely curious. “She wears Always pads, because she’s too afraid to use anything else,” Yoonji mused, thoroughly enjoying the flustered look that washed over you then, like the doom had settled in deep enough to take up residence. She shook her head at your friend, “The tampons are mine and aren’t to be used as currency.” Holly, Yoonji’s toy poodle, padded its way on over into your lap. Pouting as she spoke, your girlfriend shared an idea, “Why not just offer yourself up? Winner gets to do whatever they’d like with you.” Now that – that was interesting. Any kind of scenario where you would get to piss her off was advantageous for you, since Yoonji’s retaliation was often at times an experience. “Anything they’d like with me?” you reiterated, slowly. Yoonji stared between Jimin and Taehyeon. You could tell that she wasn’t in the least bit threatened by them, “I trust your friends, unless you don’t?” Taehyeon peered over at you pitifully, a small tremble to her bottom lip that made your heart sink with a heavy, tangible guilt you had no right to be feeling. Wow, your girlfriend sucked. “Of course I trust them,” you said, immediately. You then scooted towards Taehyeon, gingerly cradling her to your chest in an attempt to comfort her. Goodness, she was adorable. You hushed her softly, “I trust you, Tae-Tae.” Jimin was all too aware of the game that you were currently playing. Not the card game that was about to commence, but the, ‘let’s make Yoonji have regrets’ mind game. She scooped up her cards once Yoonji had expertly shuffled and dealt them out evenly, which – why was that so sexy to you? Jimin decided to go ahead and try her hand at acting, “Jeongguk’s still dying for that threesome, preferably with another girl. You wouldn’t mind helping me out with that should I win, would you?” “Looks like I don’t have much of a choice,” you said, trying your best not to cackle when Yoonji’s body grew stiff from out of your peripheral. She grew quiet then. Taehyeon covered her shocked gasp behind her deck, wide-eyed, “Unnie! I was just gonna have her reorganize my closet or alphabetize my games, or maybe walk Tanie a few times. So, like, okay, I was gonna make her do all of the above, but sexual favors? How could you?” Goddamn it, Taehyeon. Stop being so fucking cute. “Well, after the humiliation he faced during the whole cafeteria debacle a few weeks back, I’m sure that he’d be thrilled to finally get to have at least one of you…” Jimin sighed for the dramatics, looking less like soft mochi and a hell of a lot more like devil’s food cake. She stared hard at Yoonji, using the thugged-out version of her Busan dialect for the occasion, “…Jeongguk would love to play with your precious baby Bambi.” Oh, ho, ho, ho, Merry fucking Christmas. Jimin just delivered. “I’d just like to be invited,” Taehyeon joked, oblivious to the tension that was slowly consuming the air in the room, suffocating those of you who were clued in on the situation. The metaphorical storm clouds were just starting to roll in, casting a shadow that loomed overhead. “Play your cards,” Yoonji said, the tone in which she spoke with uncharacteristically light, as she maintained an eerily calm demeanor. If you were being honest, it was kind of terrifying, but in a way that also made you want to straddle her hips and start kissing her pale neck – wait, no. The game started with the four of you flipping your cards down in unison. It was law of the universe, which you both loved and hated. For some reason, things always seemed to go this way. You’d anticipated a couple of different outcomes, even though War was a game of chance. It required no skill to be played, zero finesse whatsoever. You thought Jimin would have her victory or that you’d end up a few dollars richer. Maybe you’d even become Tae’s personal dog walker, but no – it never, ever truly went the way you’d like it to, and the odds were never, ever in your favor. Because Yoonji had won and if you knew your girlfriend, she wouldn’t hold you to anything, especially since she already had you, right? And she often used you however the hell she pleased, so no real excitement there. Being extra petty about it, she refused any challenges for a rematch, using the excuse of it being late, and that she was tired, even though she usually doesn’t fall asleep until four in the morning, and it was only ten in the evening. The girls left shortly after that, being chased off by Holly, until they were out the door. You stood at the center of the room, rather awkwardly, while Yoonji quietly picked her Naruto printed cards up from the floor. You’d thought things would calm down some, but the tension had only amplified the moment you two were alone. After what had felt like an eternity of unbearable silence, you’d gathered up enough courage to ask her, “Am I staying the night or am I going home, Yoonji?” To keep yourself busy, you started nervously pulling at the Lord of the Rings sheets, making them neater. It was the extra set from your place that you’d given to her upon learning that she’d only had the Lord Nermal ones. No one should have to live under those conditions. An odd sensation hit your chest when she didn’t answer you at first. It felt like a hand had reached its way in and squeezed tight around your heart, Temple of Doom style. “Staying,” she’d said, finally. It killed you that Yoonji even had to think it over. How long had it taken her to decide that she wanted you there? You already knew what you did wrong, but that hadn’t stopped you from inquiring, “What did I do? Was it the Jeongguk thing? I know you don’t really know Jimin very well yet, but she’d never make me do something like that. It was only meant as a joke.” She looked at you, seriously, “Well, I didn’t find it funny, especially when Jeongguk had actually propositioned us.” So, that was it, then. You’d managed to really upset her, which hadn’t been your full intentions. Now you felt awful. “I don’t want him that way and it’s not something that I would ever let happen, because I…” She narrowed her eyes at you, waiting for the rest of that sentence. The word ‘love’ hadn’t come up yet, but it was true. You loved Yoonji. “I thought it was pretty obvious, considering that I’m with you.” “Yeah, that’s another thing,” she said, getting up from her spot on the floor. The way she started to pace gave away to how strongly she felt about it, how important it was to her. You steeled yourself for whatever the hell it was, as she continued, “I don’t understand how your friends can just give each other away so freely. Could you lend me out? Could you watch me fuck someone else? Could you do it? Would you risk me falling for someone else?” You took a moment digesting her words, “I’m not into polyamorous relationships or spontaneous three ways. So, no…I wouldn’t risk it, and I don’t really want to share you. I don’t want to care for anyone else this way…” She’d just opened herself up to you, so it was only right that you should return the favor. “Sometimes, I feel so much for you that it scares me? I’m really not used to it. ‘Kay, like Tinkerbelle, I think my heart is too small to love more than just one.” Oh, shit. Wait. “I meant, like, liking more than just one…” You covered your face, because one, it was fucking embarrassing, and two you were so close to saying that you loved her. You loved her too much to add another person and you were a selfish being with your own jealousy issues. Yoonji had always made you feel so secure in your relationship that you never had to show it, but it was there. Holly was one or two licks away from being homeless, piano skills or not. Yoonji’s hands were cold when she placed them atop of yours, gently prying them away from your face, so that she could look at you. There was a small smirk tugging at the corners of her lips, smug, “I love you, too, Bambi.” That was one way to break you completely. The words could now safely be shared between you both and she hadn’t even teased you about your ridiculous metaphor. Ah, Yoonji. You leaned into her and hid your face into the base of her neck. You could cry from the happiness, but you wouldn’t. Maybe you’d save it for tomorrow during your shower. Instead, you enjoyed the way she held you against her, slowly rocking you from one foot to the other. “I didn’t think you’d get this upset,” you sighed, somewhat shakily given all the emotions coursing through you at the moment. You smoothed your hands along her back, clinging like a koala. She smelled so fucking good, like fabric softener and that fancy brand perfume she always wore. “Really, I didn’t mean for it to go that far, but this talk had to happen.” You felt a chill run down your spine when she’d paused, chuckling dryly, “Were you trying to upset me, baby?” Too much time had passed to the point where the answer had become obvious. What was the use of denying it now? “Yes, but I regretted it the moment I realized that you were angry.” “Awe, but you got your way…” Yoonji said, slipping her fingers through your hair in soothing strokes, comforting and baiting you all at once, “…again. So, how am I expected to believe that you’re being sincere with me?” “Well, if you’d just…” believe me? There was no way out of the hole you’d just dug yourself in. You knew that – she knew that, as she gently pulled your head back so that you were staring up into two stones of onyx. Despite how soft the action had been, you knew that she’d felt tested, and that patience had been lost on her a long time ago. She commanded you, softly, “On your knees, sweetheart.” And the only reason she was soft, was because she knew that you would do it, regardless of the tone she used on you. Accomplishing this task meant you had to move slowly, due to the fact that she’d yet to release her grip on your hair. Once you were kneeling on the floor, she used her other hand to grab at the side of your face. Long, ring adorned fingers were splayed out across your cheek, roughly dragging her thumb over your bottom lip. “Open up for me.” The voice she kept using was notably rich and smooth like honey, which had its own pleasant effect on you, especially when it was obvious that Yoonji thirsted – fucking thirsted for you. You could see it in the way her drowsy catlike eyes settled on your mouth, while she waited. You parted your lips, her skin skimming past your teeth when she pushed two slim digits inside your mouth. Yoonji was all about sensation play – already hissing at the warmth she was met with, enjoying the wet velvet beneath her fingertips. Your brows creased when she pushed in deeper, her two fingers spreading around your tongue, mimicking the in and out motion of being fucked. She sighed, deeply, “Jeongguk would love this, wouldn’t he? He’d love nothing more, than to slide his cock inside your hot little mouth.” You whimpered at the husk in her tone, the implication of her words – Yoonji was still upset with you, and for that, she would be relentless. The saliva dripping down past your chin only served to spur her on, as she took a step closer, her legs pressed to your knees. The angle forced you to arch your back, small hands grappling onto the hem of her hooded sweatshirt for balance. She leered down at you, “Look at how well you take me. Are you sure you’ve never done this before? You’re making such a mess, Bambi.” You breathed through your nose, focusing more on suction, cheeks hollowed as you met each thrust of her fingers, slurping around them lewdly. Three was your limit when your jaw had started to ache and your scalp was screaming, when she gave a particularly hard tug at the roots. It was like the more you tried pleasing her, the more annoyed she’d become. “If I had a cock, I’d never stop fucking you,” she said quietly, removing her fingers from your mouth and bringing them to the curve of her lips. “The best part would be…” She slowly licked each digit clean of your saliva, pink tongue flashing, and curling. “…filling you up with my cum and if you spilt it, I’d just fuck it back into you with my fingers. I’d make you hold it in, until you’ve understood that you’re mine.” You swallowed at the lump in your throat, overwhelmed by the picture she’d painted for you. “This is going to be very difficult for you to hear and I’m sorry to have to disappoint you, but I really don’t want Jeongguk,” you said, resting your shaky hands on the tops of your thighs. “You and the fact the you’re a girl, everything…Your body is what’s attractive to me, especially your…” Your eyes stared past her lower stomach, hinting at it, because there was no cute way to say it, in your mind, anyway. Yoonji narrowed her eyes at you, sneering, “My what, baby? My pussy? It’s funny how you can’t even say it, yet you claim to love it so much…” She unbuttoned the top of her jeans, the black ones with the many tears in them. Being pleasured wasn’t Yoonji’s favorite part. There’d been truth to when she’d stated that getting you off, got her off. Whenever she came to you for release first, it was like a special occasion. You felt as the excitement pooled at the pit of your stomach, watching in silent enrapt as she started stripping down into her sports bra, and boy-shorts. Yoonji was a sight to behold. All fair skinned and delicately toned in such few places, and was softer in others. You moved onto the bed, kicking your lazy egg skippers off carelessly. The mattress shifted beneath her weight, as she joined you, your legs falling around her waist to pull her closer. ‘You can’t even say it…’ “I love your pussy,” you breathed out across her lips, bravado there and gone, as you hid into a soft kiss, teeth pulling at her lips the same way she often used against you, hoping that it would wipe her mind clear of your abrupt statement. Her breath hitched with a short laugh, as she removed the pillows from under your head, and tossed them behind her. You knew what she wanted just from that single move, that she would want you to eat your words. “Mm, you also love eating it, too,” she husked, confirming it your beliefs – gathering your hair into a knot at the top of your head, getting it out of the way. It was the small things that Yoonji did that reminded you that she was the one in control. It was how you both preferred it to be. Cupping your face for a short, soft kiss, Yoonji steadied her intense gaze on you, “…and I’m going to ride your mouth, however I want, for as long as I want.” “Come on, then…” you encouraged her, trailing your fingers down her sides and to her hips, guiding her forward. She was very careful when spreading her pale knees over your shoulders, leaning slightly so that you could pull her panties aside. The material was already soaked through with her arousal, the scent of her thick and heady – your mouth practically salivating, eager to taste her. She lowered her hips, slotting herself perfectly against your mouth, all firm and tight without any plausible escape then. The first taste was always satisfying to you, like sweetened salt on your tongue that you wanted to drink in. “Ah, fuck…” she hissed, one hand gripping your hair with the other twisted in the sheets, using both as leverage to grind down onto your tongue. You knew that it wouldn’t take much with Yoonji being so sensitive, even more so than yourself. She’d spiraled fast, coming in a myriad of shivers and filthy expletives. Yes, fuck your mouth, fuck her, and fuck you again. She hadn’t moved off your mouth, when she guided your fingers towards her dripping entrance, tilting her head back when you eased two of them into her slowly, one at a time despite how slick she already was from coming. You pumped your fingers in and out of her tight warmth, mindful of whenever she moved back against them. Her hand grew tight in your hair, “You’re so good, baby. You’re so, so, so good…” She was going to be the death of you… You moaned at the appraisal, the sound of it reverberating against her clit – her back curling, much like a cat’s, in response to the pleasure thrumming throughout her entire body. You dug your nails into her skin, knowing that anywhere you touched was bound to leave a mark, as was the curse of Yoonji’s pale skin. She groaned at the sharp sensation, as she started to undulate her hips in earnest, caught between the quickened thrusts of your fingers, and the wet strokes of your tongue. She’d chased her second orgasm, until she’d felt properly wrecked by it, trembling so hard that you had to hold her still. The guttural sound she made when you pulled your fingers from her made ache at your core, going from dull to acutely uncomfortable. She loosened her grip on your hair and leaned back, so that she wasn’t smothering you for the time being. You licked at your swollen lips, chest heaving for air. It wasn’t as though you were oblivious to the fact you’d been painfully turned on since the moment she asked you to kneel. You knew that inside your panties was an embarrassing mess. Your eyes closed, breathing out, “How do you always taste so good?” “It’s because I’m part peach and we aren’t done yet. I still want your tongue, so stick it out…” her voice was throaty and raw – doing things, doing things to you. And a part of you couldn’t believe what you were hearing, but you did as she asked, extending the muscle into a point as best as you could. Since Yoonji was taller, it was easy for her to sit up to align her soaked entrance with your tongue. She sank down, pulling at her bottom lip with her teeth at the soft, velvety intrusion. It would take much longer to do her in a third time, but you were enthusiastic. The shallow thrusts of your tongue hadn’t been enough to do her in alone, as she rubbed herself to completion. When she’d finally released, you soothed her through it, trailing the flat of your tongue against her slick, cleaning her in the same manner she so often did for you, enjoying the small jolts of her body, still over sensitized. She rolled off of you, throwing her limbs about wherever. Your girlfriend was gorgeous when she was utterly blissed out. Her skin was lightly covered in a blanket of sweat from the exertion, flushed a pretty pink from her ears down to her chest. Her nipples were painfully erect, visibly showing through the thin material of her sports bra. You wanted, but you were not permitted to have. So, you tried to focus on something else, finding that Holly was in his bed with his back turned, a paw placed on one of the keys to his mini piano, asleep. Thank god. After deciding that she wasn’t going to fall asleep easy, Yoonji tapped your arm. You looked over at her and were met with a thumbs up. Your heart was still racing from being engaged in sexual congress for what had felt like several hours with her, lips swollen and tingling as a result. You were so horrifically turned on to the point where you were half-tempted to ride one of her stuffed animals for relief. Thumbs up. “I’m gonna go shower,” she said, promptly patting the space between your legs, where you were practically throbbing. You covered your face with your arm, biting into the skin, because what the actual fuck? A slight curve of her fingers and she was firmly cupping you into her palm. Oh, my god. The way she pressed in revealed just how soaked you were, but there was no invitation sent your way, when she wordlessly abandoned you there. Was Yoonji still angry with you? At the thought of Jimin using you in a threesome that would never, ever happen? You laughed into the quiet of the room, thoroughly annoyed at the situation. It wasn’t a common thing, since Yoonji could do no wrong in your eyes, but this was just absurd. When she finally returned, her silver hair was mostly towel dried, and she was wearing her favorite black sheep pajamas, the pair that you’d secretly coveted. You’d only just managed to calm yourself down, when she slipped under the sheets. Before bed, she usually liked to enjoy the splendors of Reddit, pawing at you to look at whatever she found to be particularly hilarious, but tonight went differently. Instead, you were being engulfed by her slender limbs wrapping around you like vines. You grew still when you felt her mouth pressed hot and wet against sensitive shell of your ear, as she spoke quietly, “You lost the war, Bambi and now you’re all mine. I’ve already thought of what I’m going to do with you.” Oh, right. That happened. “Didn’t you already get what you wanted?” you asked, fighting chills when her breath fanned over your skin with every exhale. It was effortless for her to turn you on, which really wasn’t all that fair. “Like, three times?” Yoonji chuckled short, “You know I’d never let you off that easy.” “You didn’t let me get off, at all,” you grumbled, trying to push her hands away from you, when she pulled you to the wall of her chest. “You’re right, I didn’t and I’ve got news for you, baby. It’s only going to get worse, because I’m not going to fuck you,” she said, as she secured her arms around you more tightly, anticipating your frustration. “Not until I’m sure that you’re desperate for it.” You dared to ask, “Desperate for what, exactly…?” She nuzzled into you with her small nose, teasing the skin at the back of your neck, despite dropping words that were about to make you shudder, “For when I cum inside you.” What? ---------------------------------------------------- The war was ready to come to an end. You were grateful for that fact, having paid dearly along the way, always being reminded of your loss. At first, the thought of Yoonji not touching you was ridiculous. You’d thought that it would be impossible for her to adhere to such rules, but each day she’d proved you wrong, pulling back from your kisses long before they could deepen. You were allowed to get yourself off and you did – countless times, but it wasn’t the same. When would you be deemed as desperate enough? You’d even asked nicely the one day with ice-cream and Netflix prepared, but she’d dismissed you with a single look. Now, you couldn’t dance. Not at all, but that hadn’t stopped you from trying to seduce her, shyly looking away from the heavy scrutiny she’d fixed you with. Perhaps you should have worn something racier than Jimin’s cow onesie? You trailed the zipper down as your hips swayed mostly off rhythm. You hadn’t been wearing a bra beneath it, since the fabric was practically fitted to you anyway. Jimin was less curvy – still curvy, just less. The moment you were about to spread the material apart, she’d quickly grabbed your wrists, stopping you. ‘You really are the cutest, Bambi,’ she’d said, pressing a soft kiss to your nose, successfully deflating you. A few days later she’d finally told you that she ordered a couple things, special toys for your growing collection. The only thing that kept her from destroying you was time. You wondered what else you two could possibly need. Nevertheless, you waited – cursing Sunday when it had rolled around. The tension in your body was steadily building, until you felt as though you would collapse. Literally everything Yoonji did was sexy in some fucked up way or another. It could be something as simple as tying her shoelaces to slurping her ramen. Two packages had arrived the next day. You signed off on them, since Yoonji was busy with putting together a bookshelf, possibly to hold more of your things and not her own. Fixing and building things was something she did often, and was actually quite good at. You held up the boxes, showing them to her. The two were differed greatly in size, one of which had a dragon printed on it. “Your stuff came in,” you said, placing the boxes down on the couch. Holly pawed at the cardboard, confused and intrigued by its existence. “Can I take a shower or do you want my help?” She’d denied you several times already, claiming that the bookshelf was her project. “Go shower, baby,” she said, before stilling in her work, deciding on something. “You should take the smaller package with you and try it on for me.” You picked it up, finding that it was rather light. Perhaps it was clothing? You walked down the hallway and stepped inside the bathroom. Your clothes, along with two fresh towels were placed on the counter earlier. You used a pair of scissors from the sink drawer to cut through the packaging tape, feeling your way past the protective materials, and pulled out a small box. It read: Black Alloy Purple Jeweled Anal Plug? It was about two inches in height and one inch in width, so decently tiny, but you’d never worn a plug. The furthest Yoonji ever went was teasing the pad of her finger against your rim or catching you with her tongue when she sloppily ate you out. You weren’t adverse to the experience, not at all. It was simply just – new. The shower was longer than usual, as you spent a considerable amount of time washing, and rinsing the suds from your body. It’d been a full week, since Yoonji last touched you, which made you feel anxious and self-conscious all over again. You stepped out of the tub and into a towel, patting yourself dry. You skimped on lathering yourself up with lotion, when you’d only end up showering again later. It would have been better if Yoonji had assisted you with this, but there was probably a good reason why she hadn’t. Her lack of patience, her obsession with building that bookshelf, or perhaps her inability to stop once she started? You removed the plug from its plastic and inside the box was a sample packet of lube. It was a generous amount, despite its size, coating the bulbous tip of the toy and around your hole with it. Your fingers were already wet, as you slowly eased one past the tight resistance. You knew then that this was going to take awhile and it did – as you alternated between your pointer and middle fingers, releasing a shallow breath at the odd sensation. With more lube, you were able to push them both in, as you stretched yourself further with each thrust, until you felt ready for more. The cold, smooth feel of the plug made you shudder, as you teased it past your already drenched opening, and felt it catch on your rim. Pressure and warmth filled you up, when you slowly pressed the toy in all the way, the jewel nestled against your hole. You were trembling at the knees, laughing. You were honest to god laughing at how ridiculous the situation was, how such a small thing could completely destroy you. The fact that you were doing this for Yoonji as a punishment had you deliriously turned on. She’d reduced you to this state, leaving you pathetically desperate and needy – all according to her plan. You didn’t bother with getting dressed, settling for the robe that was hanging on the back of the bathroom door. It was fluffy and soft on your sensitive skin. Holly was waiting for you when you stepped into the hall, rolling over onto his back for love, which you passed up on – no matter how cute the little devil was, you weren’t about to bend down just yet. The main room was essentially the bedroom, with Yoonji’s bed against the wall with the only window in the room. And on it – sitting pretty and clearly waiting for you, looking almost twice as impatient, was your girlfriend. Judging from the unopened bags of screws and bolts on top of the written instructions, the shelf had been abandoned long ago. Probably the moment you’d turned the shower on. “I wanted to watch,” she admitted, her dark eyes following your every movement, wetting her lips like you were a meal. “The thought of what you were doing nearly drove me mad. I couldn’t even focus on that damn shelf.” You smiled, shyly, as you stepped closer, “What was in the dragon box?” “We’re going to be the proud parents of a baby fire dragon. The egg is under a heating lamp in the kitchen,” she bantered, not skipping a beat. “I’m thinking we can name it Pete, no matter what the gender, and teach our child to roast apples and sweet potatoes. We can live on a farm, sell them locally.” “Oh, yeah? I think Pete is a beautiful name for our fake dragon baby,” you said, bringing your hands to the tops of her shoulders, allowing her to pull you in closer by your hips. You were standing between her thighs, staring down at her, wondering if she could see how badly you needed her. “Bad Dragon is a company that makes very interesting toys,” she explained, while running her hands over the back of your thighs, gripping the flesh there abruptly, before she released you completely. It’d been too close to where you were already so sensitive and full from the plug. Your eyes closed for but a brief moment, trying to pay attention to her words. “There was a rather broad selection. Most of the wearable dildos were made specifically for cum play.” She drew the familiar straps of leather from behind her back, the dildo already secured. It was small in size and silver in color, shimmering with sparkles when she angled it to show you. Yoonji wasn’t into realistic textures, as you’d found out in the past. It didn’t matter to you either way, but the shape of the dildo was unusual – not human. From the base to the tip, its curves and ridges were enticing. “It’s called the Seadragon.” That made more sense to you. She then held up a bottle that contained a milky white substance. Snapping the cap opened, she poured a droplet onto her thumb. “It looks like cum and it’s sticky like it, too.” It was thick and webby when she tapped her pointer finger against it, showing you just how similarly messy it was to the real thing. You’d stayed quiet during her presentation, too hyperaware of how stimulated and sensitive you were to everything – wanting Yoonji to finally take you. Strap up and fuck you before you lose your mind. Her eyes stared up into yours then, her voice filled with heat, “Do you like it, baby? All of these fun things I bought for you?” ‘Baby’… Ugh, yes. You nodded your head in response, not trusting your voice not to sound like nonsense at the moment. “So, how do you wanna do this? You want me to dress up like Lego-ass or how about that weirdly cute bald creature who was obsessed with Frito’s magic cockring?” Gollum. Once this was all over, you were going to sit her ass down to watch the franchise from the beginning, starting with the Hobbit. You untied the front of the robe you’d borrowed and let it fall to the floor, tossing aside your previous apprehension, as you climbed onto the bed, ignoring the pressure below your tailbone. You were flat on your stomach, grabbing onto the cookie-shaped plush with the odd eyebrows. You looked over at her with all the adoration that you could muster, giving her your best look of faux-innocence, despite what was soon to come, “I wanna get fucked...” That was how Yoonji wanted this to go, right? The way her fingers curled into the sheets, almost in warning, made you continue. You bit at the side of your lip, teasingly, “I don’t want you to stop, until you’ve filled me with every last drop of your cum.” That was enough. She sighed out heavily, as though that single breath was the only thing keeping her anchored to all manners of self-control. Now it was gone. Yoonji stood up from the bed, arms crossing at her sides to pull her shirt off. Her breasts were so small that she didn’t bother with wearing a bra. Today was one of those days. You drank in the routine without shame, convinced that you’d never get sick of watching her get undressed. She discarded her panties from off the tip of her toe. “You have no idea how difficult it’s been trying to keep my hands to myself,” she said, her voice an octave away from growling. “That ridiculous dance you did the other day, even though we both know you can’t dance for shit, somehow got me wet after I’d just fucked myself in the shower.” The black leather straps cut into her pale skin, as she fastened it tightly around her slim hips. Moving out of your line of sight, she’d straddled your legs. You kicked them up, lightly knocking into her a few times, until she caught you by the ankles. Yoonji didn’t even have to verbalize for you to stop, for you to cease movement entirely. The Shooky plush in your arms had done little to prepare you for when her palms bit into your skin, the sound of impact startlingly pleasing to the both of you. Warmth radiated over your skin when she repeated the action, spanking you again. “A-Ah, Yoonji…” “I could do this all day,” she said, possessively grabbing at your ass cheeks on the third sting of her hands, spreading you wide until her eyes fell to the purple jewel against your rim – the area around it was pink, and wet still. “It looks sore, baby. Did you take your time prepping yourself? You’re practically dripping right here.” Beneath the plug, your entrance was glistening with arousal, walls clenching from just the light touch of air – at the fact that she was fixated on your most intimate places. Another firm slap made you jolt forward, even though there was no place to escape to. “Raise your hips.” She’d made enough room for you to do just that, but was unwilling to stop touching you. Black painted nails skimmed over your skin, pressing in hard until pink lines followed her every stroke up and down your sides and down the back of your legs. The bite of her nails was enough to make you beg, “Yoonji, fuck me, before I fuck myself.” “That’s not how this works, Bambi. You’re going to be patient for me,” she mused, her hand skimming down the cleft of your ass, taking the jewel between two of her fingers – watching the way your rim stretched when she’d begun pulling it out slowly. “…while I take my time introducing you to a new type of play. I’m gonna make you love it.” You felt so empty once the toy was removed, the heat you felt there gone when she leaned forward and dragged her tongue over your hole. You cried out, digging your nails into plush, “Oh, Yoonji, please…” No amount of begging was going to make her be more merciful towards you. You’d learned that lesson the hard way. Instead, she pressed the small tip of the plug back inside you, watching how well you swallowed it up, before thrusting the point of her tongue into you – wet and soft, determined to prod you as deeply as the alloy had done. She poured the milky lube over your rim, using the plug to catch it before it could ooze out, and pushed the toy back inside of you. She cursed low, “Fuck. I wish you could see yourself…” You whimpered when she started fucking you slow with it. The lube on your skin was a lot like cum, which only added to the appeal as she kept murmuring vulgarities about how good your pussy would look stuffed with it. The filthy sounds of each intrusion would have killed you, if you weren’t already dead. “It has no flavor, which is good…means it won’t muddle how you taste,” she said, teasing her tongue around the jewel, as she started tapping two of her fingers against it. Fuck. You could cry, it felt so good, but you needed to be touched where you ached the most, deeper – you needed more, but she kept avoiding the rest of your body. Bringing a hand between your thighs, you started rubbing over your clit in a familiar routine. You felt struck by the pleasure washing over you then. The extra stimulation felt so good, you could barely keep your eyes opened, snuggling further into the plush. Relief was within your grasp, soft sighs and moans flooding the suddenly quiet room. You hadn’t even noticed that Yoonji stopped what she was doing, until the slap came – the sound of it worse than the sting, when her palm met the tender flesh of your bottom. You’d already been sore from when she’d spanked you earlier. Each breath you took was shaky and uneven. Not bothering with apologies, you slowly withdrew your hand. “Not fast enough for you?” she asked, as she forcibly turned you onto your back. The sheets felt rough against your sensitive skin. The pain was a welcomed pleasure that you’d never had to openly clarify in order for her to understand. Getting Yoonji angry like this was a benefit for you. It was how you’d gotten yourself into this situation in the first place. She parted your thighs with the strength of her own and leaned so that her face was close to yours, her breath reaching your skin, “How’s this, then? You said you wanted to get fucked.” “I’m glad you finally heard me,” you breathed, sighing at how the heat and weight of her body felt so, so good, keeping you pinned to the mattress. She smirked audibly at your rebuttal. The sound was enough to send a chill down your spine, as she guided the dildo up and down between your slick folds, steadily driving you mad. A press of Yoonji’s finger forced some of the thick lube to spill out of the tip, as she continued coating you with every stroke. Punishment in its rawest form was Yoonji’s outright rejection, even though she was about to fuck you senselessly, thus giving you what you wanted, but she wouldn’t kiss you. She wouldn’t place her pretty kitten mouth where you needed it to be – on purpose. So, it would still be a win and loss, despite this entire evening being about you and your pleasure, and your new experience. She brought the curved head of the toy to your entrance and halted, allowing you to feel her there with a hand placed on your hip, holding you still. “You might be too small, baby,” she breathed, the tip of the dildo already stretching you so wide, despite how petite it was, she’d never given you more than you could withstand – her dark eyes flickering from where your bodies were connected to the furrowed expression on your face, as she started pushing into you slowly. Her hips didn’t let up, until you were filled to the brim. The added pressure against the plug inside of you was intense and made you feel deliciously full in both holes. “Fuck, Bambi…” she hissed out, teeth pulling at her bottom lip. “You always look so fucking good when you’re under me, eager to take whatever I give you, so greedy and willing to be wrecked by me.” She emphasized each word with a hard slam of her hips, making you cry out each time. “You always. Want. More.” The flat base of the dildo pressed more firmly against her swollen clit the deeper she pounded into you. Yoonji was meticulous in the way she paid close attention to how close you were by going off of the sounds you were making. She could read you very easily, familiar with all your obvious tells. The way your eyes fluttered shut, mouth parted – how soft sighs had turned into sobs. You were lost in the pleasure licking its way up your thighs, as you cupped your own breasts. She licked her lips at the action, digging her nails into the back of your legs, bending them far enough to capture a nipple into the wet heat of her mouth, sucking down hard enough to make you arch your back against it. You pulled her face to the side of your neck, gasping when you felt her teeth graze sharply over your skin. The new angle allowed her to thrust in deeper and more controlled. You were nearly there, muscles clenching tightly around both toys. “I-I’m so close,” you gasped, arms going around her neck to hold on. You fought your eyes to stay focused on the dark intensity of Yoonji’s half-lidded stare and physically trembled. Why must she be like this? She finally brushed her lips over yours, her voice broken. “I’m gonna cum.” The words were all for show, but you appreciated it. You careened in bliss and were held closely when your orgasm tore throughout your body – coupled by the liquid heat that had started to fill you. Yoonji’s cum gushing out of you as she slowed her hips, easing you through it. She drew back far enough so that she could look, the leather of the straps, and her lower stomach painted in the creamy lubricant. Each time she rocked forward, more of it came out from around the dildo that was still buried deep inside you. From the way she marveled at the mess, it was obvious that she’d found a new kink. Yoonji pulled out and watched as your raw pink walls clenched and unclenched, pushing more of the mingled release out. “That’s so fucking…” was all she managed to get out, before her fingers went to work on the straps around her hips, until it was dangling from off of one leg, quick to expose herself. She grabbed hold of your leg and brought it to the top of her shoulder in a way that was familiar to you. This was how she typically enjoyed fucking you. And Christ. You were still so sensitive. You turned slightly, so that she could fit better against you. It was then that you realized that your ass was completely covered in the thick lubricant. You could feel it as the air swept over your skin. Yoonji ran her fingers over the sticky liquid, gathering it up with her fingers, before rubbing it around the plug. The fuck… Just as she’d brought her hips forward into yours, she slid the bulb from your tender hole, and slammed it back in. Oh, fuck… Perhaps even you’d found a new a kink. She held onto your thigh, using it as leverage to firmly grind her clit against yours, the friction acute and perfect. Yoonji lolled her head to the side, somewhat lost in watching you from between sharp strands of silver hair. Each roll of her hips was aided by the fact that you were already so wet and slippery. The loud smack of skin meeting skin was absurd, as she continued riding you into the bed – all the while, driving the plug into you at the same quickening speed as her hips, reaching towards oblivion for the both of you. You curled your fingers in the sheets, throwing your head back as the pleasure coiled tightly in the pit of your stomach, threatening to come undone for the second time. Yoonji practically growled the moment she’d come, gasping your name over and over again breathlessly. It didn’t take much more after that, when a few more thrusts sent you over the edge, meeting her hips throughout the waves of pleasure claiming your body. For awhile you stayed like that, catching your breath and staring back at one another like you’d just been taken apart, and were now gradually being pieced back together again. This was the aftermath. She pressed a lingering kiss against the leg that she was holding, before placing it back down gently. Next she removed the plug, the oddly satisfying pressure gone. Min Yoonji was the type to be perfectly fine with cuddling you while covered in sweat and cum. However, you weren’t about that life. “We need to clean up,” you rasped, clearing your throat – you’d screamed so much. She’d snickered like she was proud of it, trying to act nonchalant about stifling the sound. You continued, “Us and the toys, so we can put them away, before Holly gets curious...” She complied once the logic had sunk in, but at a snail’s pace, picking everything up, and bringing it all into the bathroom. You treaded behind her softly, turning the showerhead on and tried getting it to the right temperature. She liked it to be scorching hot, the steam soon flooding the bathroom. You turned to tell her that it was ready and found that she was staring directly at you, giving you that look. The same kind of look that predators tended to give their prey just seconds before they pounced, and devoured them. Shaking your head at her, because no, no – you stepped under the spray. You sighed as you felt the tension leaving your muscles, eyes closing as you stood there allowing the water to hit your back. You hadn’t noticed that Yoonji had joined you, until you were being pressed against the cool tiles. Her hand kept you still, as the water soaked through her hair. It was her turn apparently. She nodded to you, “How was it?” You knew what she was referring to, as this was the first moment you both had to address it. How did you like anal play? How did you like being filled up with fake cum? Honestly. “I really liked it,” you confessed somewhat hushed, despite how it was amplified due to the cramped space. The moment she moved closer, you settled more against the tiles, knowing that this exchange would not be short. You laughed, weakly, “I’m so tired, Yoonji.” “Yeah, that’s nice, but I’m not really sure how to keep my hands off of you when you’re right here, all naked and wet, and open to anal play.” You wanted to argue that she’d been turned on prior to that fact. All you needed was to be in the same room as her and Yoonji was ready to have you again…and again. There was no control. You brought your head to her shoulder, perving in on her small breasts. She’d only come once, after waiting for as long as you had. Truthfully, you wouldn’t have been satisfied with just one, either. You suddenly clamped your fingers down on one of her nipples, drawing a gasp from her lungs. You weren’t very good at this, which was probably why she allowed you to reverse the positions without much apprehension. Her back bounced slightly from the impact of meeting the wall and for a second you feared for your life, when she chuckled low, crooking a finger to call you forward. In a minute. You reached up, which was ridiculous given your height, and grabbed the detachable showerhead. You turned the dial onto a more powerful setting, to where the hot water jutted out rather sharply, and you watched as she jumped when you sprayed her on the leg. “What the fuck!” she gasped, feeling the water slowly trailing upwards. “Stay still,” you said, somewhat warily, knowing that if she had it her way, you’d be filled up all over again. Besides, there was no reason to trust her, even as she nodded her head in compliance. Not even a moment later, Yoonji had already betrayed you, pulling you into a kiss that consisted of teeth and tongue. This girl…You groaned into her, turning the spray in your hand and pressed it between her thighs, letting the water hit her directly. You didn’t allow her to pull away for air, holding onto the side of her face. More sensitive when wet, you dragged her bottom lip into your mouth, tugging hard on it, until she winced. You moved the spray back and forth, when she took hold of your wrist, keeping you still – her breathing becoming harsher, her sounds more desperate. You wanted to hear her better, as you willed yourself to part with her soft lips. You caught droplets of water in their travel with your tongue, drawing hard circles into the side of her neck. “Ah, Bambi, fuck…” she moaned, sliding her slim fingers through your hair, keeping your teeth against her skin. “That feels so good. I want you to mark me…” What an odd request from Yoonji. You sucked bruises along her collarbone, painting her skin in colors of red and purple – the contrast so starkly noticeable given her skin tone. They wouldn’t be there for as long as the ones she’d left on you, but it was still satisfying. You continued down lower to her tiny breasts, your mouth big enough to cover one side completely, before going to the other – taking turns swirling your tongue around her sensitive nipples, each flick causing her hips to stutter. “I’m gonna come,” she breathed, rolling her hips against the turret of water. The hand in your hair pulled you back up to her mouth, kissing you firmly the moment she released, trembling in your arms. You immediately dropped the spray, replacing it with your thumb, so that you could rub her through it, aware of how sensitive she must be, and would need something much softer. Slow, needy kisses, as she licked into your mouth, thanking you without having to say it. Her touches burned your skin, as she dug her nails in. This too, was a new experience for you both. She was vulnerable to you, which was something you cherished. Yoonji wasn’t perfect. You knew that from the beginning, but you’d like understand her insecurities. You wanted to help her put them away the same way she tried helping you with yours. That was love to you. After rinsing off in the then lukewarm water, you put on one of her large shirts, and a pair of panties from your designated drawer that was part of her dresser. She was in a pair of shorts and a tank top, pulling at the dirty sheets, and spreading out her Lord Nermal set. You helped her remake the bed, before climbing into it. Holly jumped up, already familiar with the routine, and settled just below your toes. “Traitor,” Yoonji pouted at her dog, as she plugged in her phone to start browsing Reddit. You curled towards her, placing Shooky down into her lap, so that you had a semi-comfortable pillow. Her fingers were in your hair, lazily stroking through the strands, as she read over articles, “Wait, wait, listen to this one. ‘My girlfriend is obsessed with brand name clothing and accessories. Is there any way to make her happy without throwing down my soul? Why isn’t my dick enough for her?’ Maybe Hoseok wrote this article.” You laughed, sleepily, “That sounds like him. We should invite them over this Friday. I want to watch the Hobbit, so that you could actually know who you’re role-playing next time.” “I’ll probably hate it. The movie, the company, but yeah,” she said, moving her fingertips to the side of your neck, trailing softly. “Sounds good.” “We should invite Jimin, too.” “Seems reasonable.” “She’ll probably want her boyfriend there –” Her hand twitched upon your skin, pausing, “That isn’t gonna happen.” “You need to get over Jeon Jeongguk.” “We’re both nice and showered. So, let’s not rile me up,” she said, sparing you a glance away from her phone. That was what you lived for, though. Which was why tomorrow, you were going to send out a group text, ‘accidentally’ hitting the ‘JK’ contact on your phone. “I can practically see the fucking cogwheels turning in your head,” Yoonji accused, lightly nudging your head with her thigh. “Whatever you’re thinking of doing, know that I’m capable of much worse.” It wasn’t much of a threat. It was more like, the promise of fucking you just how you wanted it. “I’m offended, to be honest,” you said, removing the plush from her lap, and throwing yourself down dramatically onto your side of the bed. “I love you, even though you lied about there being a fire dragon baby in the kitchen. I had checked and everything. My dreams of becoming cartoon Maleficent are crushed now.” She placed her phone on the nightstand, before turning the light off. “That’s what I’m here for, to crush your fucking dreams. I love you, too, baby.” Yoonji kept to herself when she slept, prone to one position and staying there throughout the entire night. However, you’d gotten so used to sleeping beside her that you were comfortable with doing more – anxiety no longer present when lying down with her. In the dark, the silence was too loud for you to fall asleep. You instinctively moved closer – just close enough to feel the warmth of her skin radiating against your own. You leaned your face up towards her, searching for that good night kiss. Despite not being able to see anything, you certainly heard her smirk, when she closed the distance, and kissed you softly. “Good night, Yoonji.” “Mmph…” ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Fin~

[hornybastard34-blog]

Medifast And Nutrisystem Evaluations

I typically get questions about easy methods to get Nutrisystem for the most affordable or lowest worth. I switched back to consuming a nutritious diet of real meals and quickly shed pounds and felt better. I did the original Nutrisystem weight-reduction plan within the early 90s, again when the meals actually was horrible. It is a food plan plan designed by docs, particularly for folks with an energetic lifestyle who may not have time to prepare wholesome meals. While food regimen and train are the keys to dropping pounds and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for men and women, not every food plan plan is geared for or marketed to each sexes. You are proof that this diet actually does wok when you're decided and cussed sufficient to keep it up no matter what. Yes: For a meal-delivery weight loss plan system, Nutrisystem is more economical than Jenny Craig. If I have been planning to proceed with the NutriSystem plan, I do not assume I would buy the soup again, just because I can buy a single serving can of Campbell's on the supermarket for a fraction of the value. Promotional objects, savings plans, discounted items and automatic reorder are great approaches to help save cash on Nutrisystem. All Nutrisystem plans include help services together with online tracking and nicely designed meal plans and guides for eating in restaurants. But now they've also added a new program called NutriSystem Choose which contains a line of fresh frozen meals that may should be saved within the freezer. With Diet Chef taking all the trouble out of weight reduction, you'll quickly attain your purpose weight by having fun with all your favourite foods and eating higher than ever. If you do not need to have to fret about buying healthy objects and getting ready meals, both Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem are good decisions for food plan. These adults then take it upon themselves to put right the problem, usually at a considerably higher price than would have been encountered had the issue been nipped within the bud earlier in life. Simply accomplished Quick 5 and into the 28 day food plan and I also lost 7 kilos in 7 days thus far. It also needs to be straightforward to stick with this system due to the style of the food. The little packet of pancake combine price $1.ninety five, which is the price of a complete field of Aunt Jemima pancake mix. It will not work in the event you look for excuses to give up and blame the taste of the meals, the calorie limits, the associated fee and so on. There are three different meal plan choices available once you join Nutrisystem. We are sorry to hear that you weren't capable of get by way of to cancel your plan. We have now quite a few members in our group that comply with NutriSystem and love it. It actually depends upon the varieties of meals you might be used to consuming, and what helps you stay dedicated to a food plan plan. Nutrisystem claims you will lose as much as thirteen kilos and seven inches general in your first month, guaranteedalthough its own examine discovered common loss is 11.6 pounds and eight inches. I just finished 5 wks of nutrisystem and I've Been actually with the exception of three days out of this whole time!!! Contact with counselors is initiated by the customer and isn't regularly scheduled as a required a part of the program. This weight loss plan is not only made to make you drop a few pounds, it's designed to show your physique to get used to consuming less and to teach your brain to pay attention to what you are consuming all the time - even when you're not weight-reduction plan. The Nutrisystem takes the convoluted decision-making out of your hands relating to figuring out what to eat.

If you do not start seeing a drop in weight after another week, my advice is to get involved with a Nutrisystem counselor and discuss it through with them. Customers of Nutrisystem menu have skilled a number of points, although they aren't common. I ate a load of junk at all times Mcdonalds or pizza or takeout so my weight loss program wasnt ever good. I'm guessing you were not truly consuming on plan and following it properly since I am unable to see your food logs. The week before I tried NutriSystem, I had adopted the Taste Point weight loss plan which was very filling. The NuMi app is out there to Nutrisystem customers as well as the final population of do-it-yourself dieters free of charge. I just accomplished the First 5 on Nutrisystem but solely lost Close to 4 kilos. You merely select your meals every month, track what you've got eaten whereas on the program and enter your weight loss. I've used it myself, so you can read my Medifast product opinions to get an thought of what their food tastes like. As long as you stick to just them and do not go sneaking a pack of potato chips (if you think nobody is wanting), you'll drop some pounds with this program. I'd counsel contacting a nutritionist, and by that I mean a registered dietician, to help you map out a meals plan that can work with you. She checked out 5 of the most common diets and in contrast them based on the amount of weight claimed to be misplaced and the everyday price per 30 days. I finished 3 months on Nutrisystem just earlier than Christmas after I shrunk from a measurement 18 to a size 10! I was studying numerous unhealthy evaluations too, some of them just trying to promote it so I hear what your saying on that time. However, you will need to keep in mind that Nutrisystem is a weight-reduction plan program, and so portions will probably be a lot smaller than many shoppers shall be used to, and this must be adapted to. I simply signed up for the mens plan and I am really stoked about getting began. I will go over some of the details and particulars concerning the plan and in addition handle the issues that I simply talked about. I maintain the latest nutrisystem coupons on my nutrisystem coupon codes nutrisystem overview web site or you'll be able to check out -/ which not only has coupons, but additionally opinions, tips, videos, and a free nutrisystem e-book. A 2015 examine within the Annals of Inner Drugs evaluating various commercial weight-loss applications discovered that Nutrisystem members lost not less than 3.8 percent more weight after three months on this system than a management group that obtained training and counseling. The ladies's program accommodates about 1,200 energy and the men's comprises about 1,500 energy per day, but these numbers could change relying in your current weight, age, and activity stage. Shares of NutriSystem rose 9 percent to a brand new yr-excessive of $28.32 in late morning commerce on Nasdaq. It is significantly better to remain on the food plan for 8-12 weeks not just to lose all the burden it is advisable lose but additionally to educate your physique to get used to consuming smaller meals, healthier meals and not snack between meals. The company states that its mission is to provide a weight reduction program based mostly on quality meals and a nutritionally balanced meal plan. Nutrisystem solely prices $7 per day and have massive discounts like free meals for three weeks. But you'll have to be prepared to stay with this for four months, if you happen to plan to lose 20 pounds. I did the QVC deal and acquired the plan for lower than what it could value me to do good ones or lean delicacies. I started the weight loss plan 3 weeks in the past I lost 11 pounds the primary 2 weeks and nothing this week. The ingredients in Nutrisystem foods will support promote heart well being and may preserve you feeling fuller longer. The reality is, there's really only one place the place you possibly can constantly buy Nutrisystem products. You enroll and order by the Nutrisystem website You can also order by means of QVC or buy at Costco. Whenever you're choosing your weight-reduction plan plan, you will be despatched a complete entire month's value of food items. I went back to my very own weight loss plan (healthy decisions, and so on.) for the past few months and solely gained 5 back. You possibly can weight loss program and drop some pounds for much less cash with this meal substitute weight loss plan program than virtually every other available on the market right now. Personally, I assumed the weight-reduction plan lived as much as my expectations and for that it was worth each cent I paid for it. Okay, I hijacked your feedback you'll be able to have them back now, however some issues just have to be stated. I had NutriSystem on the spot pudding for dessert, which was very similar to Jello immediate pudding, though not quite as flavorful or sweet. I haven't exercised almost as a lot as I've wished too, however I've definitely caught to the Nutrisystem plan even if I've lacked the workout time. Separately, NutriSystem mentioned it additionally tied up with Wal-Mart's warehouse division Sam's Membership for its 35-day weight-loss program, which shall be accessible in late December. With all food regimen packages, especially people who present pre-made foods, you'll want to set your expectations appropriately. Of course, your whole value is perhaps barely different relying on the plan that you just choose and your flex food choices. Every program comes with detailed explanations of the stretches and workout routines you're presupposed to carry out. If that includes quite a lot of bread or pasta, pastry, sweet bars, cookies, cake, plus drinking soda (you understand the things and I am pretty positive most people understand it too), you have to minimize them out or at the very least reduce them down dramatically. I started at about 210 kilos and I used to be a size sixteen and in the present day I'm about 162 pounds and a measurement 10. The plan works however the issue is that some individuals do not understand it is not simply concerning the meals. On common, Nutrisystem runs about $eleven per day whereas Medifast runs about $10 per day. Uniquely Yours Plan - An extra 150 meals available (choose your individual - including frozen foods). Don't belief any weight-reduction plan that guarantees outcomes without exercise and/or modifications in consuming habits. Nutrisystem is a meal-delivery system that takes the difficulty and work out of cooking well being meals and monitoring macronutrients like carbohydrates, protein and fat. You can even save fifteen percent on the costs in case you go for the auto shipment/auto selection option in your plan meals. There are particular deals and reductions on the Nutrisystem menu listed on the official web site , including free delivery and reduced pricing. Although the meals are served in small proportions, NutriSystem Reviews say this weight-reduction plan is extra forgiving than others. But I completed a two month weight loss program with Nutrisystem 3 months in the past and so far I have not gained an oz of the 18 pounds I lost in that time! In the scientific research, the Nutrisystem SPRINT plan was compared to a do-it-your self (DIY) SPRINT group following the NIH SPRINT reduced calorie meal plan. The mushroom risotto is addictive and I would eat this even when I were not on a weight loss plan. Based in 1972, Nutrisystem has helped millions of people lose weight on its convenient portion-controlled meals. Each diets work.. they both make you drop some pounds however you must follow the maintenance program and proceed to eat healthy. Overall, the Nutrisystem eating regimen program may be very effective especially once you stick with its plans. So, you can get that assist you to wish from the Medifast help group, or from different individuals applying Nutrisystem inside the chat rooms. The other day, I received an email from a possible dieter who wanted to know what number of calories the nutrisystem meals contained. This is the reason why many users of Nutrisystem Weight-reduction plan have found it to not satisfy urge for food. Dieters often discover themselves choosing between the favored Jenny Craig program and Nutrisystem. Danish Quality Food plan was tested and authorised by Danish hospitals and clinics and was used to assist 1000's of people to shed weight. I really recognize the depth of information you present here and I observed you changed the adverts and among the info from Quick 5 to Turbo 10 since I final looked in. That looks real fascinating but you know I'll stick to my plan because it really works for me and that is all I would like. Examples are: the flex program; the common fundamental package; the vegetarian package; the diabetic package; the choose bundle; and the silver package deal. The group had beforehand researched the IAP enzyme by feeding it to mice already placed on a weight loss program high in fat.

[ittakesrain]

Brain Dump!

Been a while since I made a text-post, and my brain is a messy mush of shtuffff (good and bad and everything in between!), so I’m gonna deposit all my thoughts here:

Life is tricky, and shit goes up and down. Like, LIFE, not just my moods haha. Like, a few years ago (can’t even remember how long ago, two years?) my family had it tough when my grandma got sick. It was fuckin tough. Things got better, as they always do. And now things are tricky with my mom’s surgery, and my other grandparents, and lifeeeeeeee. SO yeah, that’s stressful haha

Work this week was hell. Mostly because of a student I work with basically just being, well, scary. Can’t say too much on the subject, obviously. But it made me anxious and stressed and just started my week with a lot of drama. 

On that note, I don’t even know if LIKE my job (that job, because I’m working two, and now that I’m not at Costco working 24/7, I have TONS more patience for that job, which is honestly good haha). But like, this other job, it’s just NOT my ultimate goal...to stay in this field, I mean. So why am I bothering? Especially bc I don’t get health insurance and I REALLY NEED IT come June.

I feel like I have no motivation. Like, in ALL things. Like, I’m motivated to a point. I feel like that isn’t the correct word to capture what I mean. I just, I plain DON”T WANT TO do a lot of things. Like, I don’t wanna waste my  goddamn time with shit I don’t wanna do. And that’s dumb, because we all have to do things we don’t wanna do. I’m not special and I’m not deserving of some privilege that says I can escape doing things I don’t wanna do. That being said, I learned in HIGH SCHOOL (a billion years ago) that my health and happiness come first. I learned that if things don’t serve those two things, to rid myself of the negativity. I guess I just need to find a balance.

I HAVE found balance in a lot of stuff since back in the day, so that’s good. Primarily, I found an eating balance. Because that was certainly an issue in high school, my anorexic days.

Although my friend got me into this shakeology thing (I was roped in even though I had my misgivings, only because of my aforementioned history)...and like, ugh I forgot how easy it is for me to lose weight. I’m not doing the program the correct way, at all. Which is stupid. I should be using the little containers, and sticking to one workout program. Neither of which I am doing. I have no clue if I’m eating enough. I spent so long not caringggggg about this shit. And yes, I’ve gained weight. And YESSSSS, yes I can pretend it doesn’t bother me, and that’d literally be fine. I still love my body. I like my rolls and my shape and my skin and my curves and the number is just a stupid number. But I wanna fit into shorts and bikinis, and the whole thing, you know how it is. I don’t wanna let myself use this shake thing as an excuse to be all eating disordery again

But then again, I’m stressed. And my brain made the connections looonggg ago that not eating helps control my stress. The process of making those connections took a while, but now that they’re there, I can jump right to that thought-process. And don’t ask me WHY, but I can still almost feel the potential “safety” of being in the act of losing weight

ALSO: I am a dumbass for even thinking all this shit, let alone typing it...in reality, I’ll go through this blip of a phase, and go back to eating like a normal human being, and that’ll be that.

I’ll get through the work- and life-related stress, I always do. PEOPLE always do, because that’s what people do.

Sidenote, anxiety sucks. Moods /bipolar things (how do I phrase that, I still don’t feel bipolar enough to claim that term  ugh idk)...they suck. I am taking my medication fairly normally (I usually miss four pills a month, which for ME is really good actually haha)

I dunno if a “mood thing” is coming my way or not, but I’m gonna try to keep my shit together either way. I can do it!!!! I got this.

On a more positive note, I had a really awesome night with my best guy friend, driving around listening to our awesome music and singing so loud that we both basically lost our voices and ahhhhh. I love these kinds of nights. I feel happy, music is awesome, and my friend is awesome. It’s like a kind of therapy or something, these nights, and it’s always more refreshing as it gets closer to summer. Dunno why. 

I’m also excited for work tomorrow, seeing my “mom friends” and telling them all about the drama of this week...and getting hugs and such!!! Yay <3

But with that, I think I’ll shut this thing off and get to bed. I’m still listening to Reel Big Fish pandora radio, and I’m happy.... but I’m gonna be exhaustedddddd tomorrow ugh.

Gnight.

[damonbation]

A Day In The Life of my Supposedly Frugal Stomach

Kicking Ass with Money is much like healthy eating and joyful living. It’s a series of daily habits that get you ahead, rather than a one-time heroic effort that fixes all your problems so you can go back to whatever you were doing before.

Because of this parallel, the subject of food is one of the nicest examples of Mustachian living, and one of the most powerful and efficient things to master.

Your eating choices will drastically affect your budget (especially if you are raising a family), but they also affect your health, energy levels, productivity, and happiness. The path a great life goes directly across your dinner plate, so it is important to take this shit seriously and not mess around with your nutrition.

I’ve written about food several times before, sometimes with a focus on recipes or costs or general principles. But people often don’t believe me – they think I am either lying about my family’s grocery spending, eating a diet that is poor in nutritional value, or at least spending an inordinate amount of time on meal planing and preparation.

The truth is none of these things, although the actual story may still surprise you. So I thought that instead of issuing vague commandments like the preacher I am, I could share my functional and (somewhat) affordable eating style, even though it’s unusual and surely not for everyone.

So I’ll lay out a single day’s nutrition strategy, and why I think it is a good one. And then you can choose whether to ridicule it on Reddit, or adopt any tricks from it that you like for your own family. Are you ready? Then let’s take a trip into the MMM kitchen!

Alongside the Table Saw, the Cutting Board is also a favorite tool.

The first bit of crazy is that when I’m home, I eat almost the same thing every day. My son eats exactly the same thing every day* for now, and Mrs. MM runs her own show, perhaps with a bit more variety than either of us. This is a unique situation in our family that is different from most, and it adds extra complexity but fortunately not extra cost. You play with the cards you are dealt.

Most Important is your Eating Philosophy

For most people, food is just an automatic routine. They eat whatever seems tasty whenever they are hungry. People with stronger passions (sometimes known as Foodies), spend a large part of their day and mental energy seeking out perfect ingredients and flavors and meals. And for many, eating is an addiction – food calls to them (epecially desserts and snacks), and they fight this addiction with varying degrees of success. People with a busy urban social life like New Yorkers get most of their food from restaurants, which throws both the nutrition content and the monthly cost into a randomizing hat.

The problem with all of these philosophies is that each is a huge gamble, with your life as the stakes. Because depending on your body chemistry and the foods you choose, you can end up anywhere on the health scale – I have met sweating car bound 25 year-old office workers who could barely stroll from the parking lot to the building, and also know a ripped 65 year-old carpenter who can still frame a three-story house by himself. The difference in the diets of these two men is as stark as the contrast in their physiques.

So my eating philosophy has always been that of the Engineer/Robot. Design each meal and each day’s food intake, according to my body’s current needs. Since my activity level changes drastically (yesterday’s mountain hike requires several times more calories than today’s work on this blog article), the food intake has to change accordingly. And since I don’t always get things exactly right, the mirror tells me when it’s time to make adjustments.

And finally, I’m a big fan of high standards and not fooling yourself. Stay lean and keep your body in condition to work hard. Learn to use the mirror, the measuring tape, and the scale as allies rather than generators of guilt and fear. If you’re not there yet, keep yourself moving in the right direction rather than being complacent. For example, if my abs get paved over with fat, I’ll adjust the variables below to go into fat loss mode until the problem is corrected. On the other hand, if I’m getting too skinny and trying to put on strength and weight, I’ll add the extra meals back in.

The Weird MMM Meal Plan

Breakfast

I have come to think of Breakfast as the time of Breaking the Fast.. but by now we all know that fasting is good for you, right?  So the design of your breakfast presents an interesting life-boosting opportunity: When you wake up, you’re already in a nice low-blood-sugar state, which means your body is beginning to think about burning fats as a source of energy (ketosis). This means that you can just prolong the fast by skipping breakfast and just enjoying some coffee or water, or take a softer approach and at least have a breakfast that is very low in sugar. So I do this:

Coffee with Whole milk and Coconut oil

A handful of mixed nuts

A few squares of dark chocolate (85%)

Subjectively, I find this breakfast is satisfying and delicious, but also keeps my body in low-sugar mode so I can begin a day of physical labor without hunger – and potentially work as long as I want, even skipping lunch and running on stored bodyfat if desired.

The end result is this nutrition profile:

At this point, you may be asking, “Wait, does Mustache really weigh and analyze his food?” – and the answer is “sorta.” While I endeavor to lead a relaxed, hippy lifestyle, the Engineer/Robot side is always in the background running the numbers. If you have at least a rough idea of the nutrition content of what you are eating, you will have a far easier time getting the results you want.

Mid Morning Snack

After breakfast, I usually bike downtown to a mixture of construction and weight training in the back “prisonyard” of the MMM-HQ Coworking space. After a few hours of this, I am ready for a bit more nutrition:

A giant salad

Plenty of water, or even the indulgence of a second cup of coffee

These big salads are a big part of my daily food expenditure and effort, but probably an even bigger part of my health. So they are definitely worth it. I make it easier by making salad in bulk every few days, and starting with a base of a pre-made $2.28 Kale Salad Kit from Sam’s/Costco. This provides a bunch of greens and saves much chopping. But I discard the crappy sugary dressing that comes with the kit and use my own olive oil-based dressing, also made in bulk from high quality ingredients also bought in buly, (like 3 Liter Jugs of olive oil!)

I may throw in a protein bar (30g protein, $1.00) to this snack, depending on the intensity of the work.

Lunch

After the midmorning snack, I am back out for quality time with the saws and ladders for a few more hours, which feels great on a relatively light load of food because the body is burning clean and lean. The low carbohydrate nature of everything I have eaten so far keeps the hunger level so low that I could even work right through and skip lunch if needed, or if I were trying to lose fat. But since I’m currently at roughly right fat level and not wanting to be any lighter than I am, I break at around 2PM for something like this:

I have been on a bit of a Tilapia binge in recent months, because they are almost too convenient and tasty and easy to prepare. So much so, that I jokingly refer to them as “marriage savers” – there is no need to fret over whose turn it is to prepare dinner, if something with such a good nutrition profile is always in the freezer and just 15 toaster oven minutes away from your tongue.

While the nutrition profile is good, they are still a bit of an expensive source of protein. $2.00 sounds like chump change, but the same protein can be had for under fifty cents from other sources like bean and rice combinations, eggs, or even whey protein supplements.

A cost difference of just $1.50 per person per meal, multiplied over a four-person family’s 372 meals per month makes a difference of $558 per month, or about $96,000 per decade after compounding.

Yes, that is a hundred grand, and this is just the difference between a semi-frugal $2.00 meal component and a fifty cent equivalent from, say, your crockpot.

Imagine, then, the effect that impulse grocery purchases like those little $7.49 packs of sushi would make, if you casually toss them in the cart on a regular basis? A decade of a family’s innocent-seeming Whole Foods indulgence could pay for a house outright, while leaving them no better nourished than wiser meal planning with bulk ingredients.

Put a crockpot and a Costco membership to good use, and just watch what happens to your bank account.

Now, I took that sushi picture on my own kitchen table, so we too are guilty of this indulgence. But we are long past financial independence, and even then it is a rare purchase. The overall lesson is just, again, to take this shit seriously – make sure you appreciate every food purchase above beans-and-rice level as a concsious luxury rather than just a habit. And if you are in debt, no sushi for you!

Dinner

Another typical dinner – main dish is based on potatoes/veggies plus fancy sausages baked into a cheese-laden casserole.

Around 3:30pm in the afternoon, I’ll walk or bike home from “work”, so I can be there when my son returns home from school – one of the biggest rewards of early retirement. One of us parents will cook him a homemade pizza at this point (I pre-make the personal size shells and keep them in stacks in the freezer), so he can recharge with about 480 calories from a delicious meal that costs only about 50 cents to make.

Then us Adults will usually collaborate to make something like pulled-pork tacos:

  On the side, we might add chopped fresh vegetables, more salad, or something more substantial as the appetites require. Like the filets, it’s not the cheapest possible way to get a meal, but at least it is reasonable. Also, we are omnivores, which is a more expensive and polluting way to get protein – but if you’re not badass enough to eat vegetarian you can at least make a substantial dent in your eco footprint by making beef your last choice of meats.

Adding it All Up

Although it took me quite a few hours to collect all this data on what I eat and add it up in a spreadsheet, the results have been quite interesting because I had never done it before. With just the stuff described above, I arrived at this point:

  And the numbers were a bit surprising to me, in the following ways:

I am spending a lot more on food than I thought. If all three of us ate the way I do, our annual grocery bill would be $8600, not counting additional indulgences or food for parties. Since our real bill is closer to $6000, you can see that I am doing more than my share of the spending. Then again, I do weigh more than both Little MM and his mother combined , so perhaps this is fair.

My base calorie level is about right for my age and height for a moderately active person, but on active days I need closer to 4000 calories (if you look up a 185 pound male “athlete” for the baseline)

My base protein level is also about right for moderate activity, but on highly physical or weight training days I like to boost that to one gram per pound of bodyweight.

So while everything in this article is detailed and accurate so far, I tend to eat a variable amount of additional food to meet hunger needs, scaling it all up and down depending on what the mirror says. I use one or more of the following boosts.

Boosts

Handfuls of Nuts (1 ounce worth, 160 calories)

Protein Smoothie (banana, peanut butter, plain yogurt, tiny bit of milk, ice, water, and vanilla protein mix – about 1000 calories and 40 grams protein)

2-3 simple eggs cooked in olive oil with a bit of cheese: 500 calories, 20 grams of protein, 50 cents or so.

Avocado toast: 3 eggs, some shredded cheese, avocado, all on a piece of whole wheat toast with butter. A truly decadent weight gainer of a snack, although quite cheap. Leave out toast if you are not trying to maintain or gain weight. 1000 calories, plenty of nutrients about a buck.

    *and while I won’t explain this in detail here, parents of children with his personality type will understand without question. It is something people do tend to grow out of as they get older and gain confidence with new experiences.

  from Money 101 http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2018/05/15/a-day-in-the-life-of-my-supposedly-frugal-stomach/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[andrewdburton]

A Day In The Life of my Supposedly Frugal Stomach

Kicking Ass with Money is much like healthy eating and joyful living. It’s a series of daily habits that get you ahead, rather than a one-time heroic effort that fixes all your problems so you can go back to whatever you were doing before.

Because of this parallel, the subject of food is one of the nicest examples of Mustachian living, and one of the most powerful and efficient things to master.

Your eating choices will drastically affect your budget (especially if you are raising a family), but they also affect your health, energy levels, productivity, and happiness. The path a great life goes directly across your dinner plate, so it is important to take this shit seriously and not mess around with your nutrition.

I’ve written about food several times before, sometimes with a focus on recipes or costs or general principles. But people often don’t believe me – they think I am either lying about my family’s grocery spending, eating a diet that is poor in nutritional value, or at least spending an inordinate amount of time on meal planing and preparation.

The truth is none of these things, although the actual story may still surprise you. So I thought that instead of issuing vague commandments like the preacher I am, I could share my functional and (somewhat) affordable eating style, even though it’s unusual and surely not for everyone.

So I’ll lay out a single day’s nutrition strategy, and why I think it is a good one. And then you can choose whether to ridicule it on Reddit, or adopt any tricks from it that you like for your own family. Are you ready? Then let’s take a trip into the MMM kitchen!

Alongside the Table Saw, the Cutting Board is also a favorite tool.

The first bit of crazy is that when I’m home, I eat almost the same thing every day. My son eats exactly the same thing every day* for now, and Mrs. MM runs her own show, perhaps with a bit more variety than either of us. This is a unique situation in our family that is different from most, and it adds extra complexity but fortunately not extra cost. You deal with the cards you are played.

Most Important is your Eating Philosophy

For most people, food is just an automatic routine. They eat whatever seems tasty whenever they are hungry. People with stronger passions (sometimes known as Foodies), spend a large part of their day and mental energy seeking out perfect ingredients and flavors and meals. And for many, eating is an addiction – food calls to them (epecially desserts and snacks), and they fight this addiction with varying degrees of success. People with a busy urban social life like New Yorkers get most of their food from restaurants, which throws both the nutrition content and the monthly cost into a randomizing hat.

The problem with all of these philosophies is that each is a huge gamble, with your life as the stakes. Because depending on your body chemistry and the foods you choose, you can end up anywhere on the health scale – I have met sweating car bound 25 year-old office workers who could barely stroll from the parking lot to the building, and also know a ripped 65 year-old carpenter who can still frame a three-story house by himself. The difference in the diets of these two men is as stark as the contrast in their physiques.

So my eating philosophy has always been that of the Engineer/Robot. Design each meal and each day’s food intake, according to my body’s current needs. Since my activity level changes drastically (yesterday’s mountain hike requires several times more calories than today’s work on this blog article), the food intake has to change accordingly. And since I don’t always get things exactly right, the mirror tells me when it’s time to make adjustments.

And finally, I’m a big fan of high standards and not fooling yourself. Stay lean and keep your body in condition to work hard. Learn to use the mirror, the measuring tape, and the scale as allies rather than generators of guilt and fear. If you’re not there yet, keep yourself moving in the right direction rather than being complacent. For example, if my abs get paved over with fat, I’ll adjust the variables below to go into fat loss mode until the problem is corrected. On the other hand, if I’m getting too skinny and trying to put on strength and weight, I’ll add the extra meals back in.

The Weird MMM Meal Plan

Breakfast

I have come to think of Breakfast as the time of Breaking the Fast.. but by now we all know that fasting is good for you, right?  So the design of your breakfast presents an interesting life-boosting opportunity: When you wake up, you’re already in a nice low-blood-sugar state, which means your body is beginning to think about burning fats as a source of energy (ketosis). This means that you can just prolong the fast by skipping breakfast and just enjoying some coffee or water, or take a softer approach and at least have a breakfast that is very low in sugar. So I do this:

Coffee with Whole milk and Coconut oil

A handful of mixed nuts

A few squares of dark chocolate (85%)

Subjectively, I find this breakfast is satisfying and delicious, but also keeps my body in low-sugar mode so I can begin a day of physical labor without hunger – and potentially work as long as I want, even skipping lunch and running on stored bodyfat if desired.

The end result is this nutrition profile:

At this point, you may be asking, “Wait, does Mustache really weigh and analyze his food?” – and the answer is “sorta.” While I endeavor to lead a relaxed, hippy lifestyle, the Engineer/Robot side is always in the background running the numbers. If you have at least a rough idea of the nutrition content of what you are eating, you will have a far easier time getting the results you want.

Mid Morning Snack

After breakfast, I usually bike downtown to a mixture of construction and weight training in the back “prisonyard” of the MMM-HQ Coworking space. After a few hours of this, I am ready for a bit more nutrition:

A giant salad

Plenty of water, or even the indulgence of a second cup of coffee

These big salads are a big part of my daily food expenditure and effort, but probably an even bigger part of my health. So they are definitely worth it. I make it easier by making salad in bulk every few days, and starting with a base of a pre-made $2.28 Kale Salad Kit from Sam’s/Costco. This provides a bunch of greens and saves much chopping. But I discard the crappy sugary dressing that comes with the kit and use my own olive oil-based dressing, also made in bulk from high quality ingredients also bought in buly, (like 3 Liter Jugs of olive oil!)

I may throw in a protein bar (30g protein, $1.00) to this snack, depending on the intensity of the work.

Lunch

After the midmorning snack, I am back out for quality time with the saws and ladders for a few more hours, which feels great on a relatively light load of food because the body is burning clean and lean. The low carbohydrate nature of everything I have eaten so far keeps the hunger level so low that I could even work right through and skip lunch if needed, or if I were trying to lose fat. But since I’m currently at roughly right fat level and not wanting to be any lighter than I am, I break at around 2PM for something like this:

I have been on a bit of a Tilapia binge in recent months, because they are almost too convenient and tasty and easy to prepare. So much so, that I jokingly refer to them as “marriage savers” – there is no need to fret over whose turn it is to prepare dinner, if something with such a good nutrition profile is always in the freezer and just 15 toaster oven minutes away from your tongue.

While the nutrition profile is good, they are still a bit of an expensive source of protein. $2.00 sounds like chump change, but the same protein can be had for under fifty cents from other sources like bean and rice combinations, eggs, or even whey protein supplements.

A cost difference of just $1.50 per person per meal, multiplied over a four-person family’s 372 meals per month makes a difference of $558 per month, or about $96,000 per decade after compounding.

Yes, that is a hundred grand, and this is just the difference between a semi-frugal $2.00 meal component and a fifty cent equivalent from, say, your crockpot.

Imagine, then, the effect that impulse grocery purchases like those little $7.49 packs of sushi would make, if you casually toss them in the cart on a regular basis? A decade of a family’s innocent-seeming Whole Foods indulgence could pay for a house outright, while leaving them no better nourished than wiser meal planning with bulk ingredients.

Put a crockpot and a Costco membership to good use, and just watch what happens to your bank account.

Now, I took that sushi picture on my own kitchen table, so we too are guilty of this indulgence. But we are long past financial independence, and even then it is a rare purchase. The overall lesson is just, again, to take this shit seriously – make sure you appreciate every food purchase above beans-and-rice level as a concsious luxury rather than just a habit. And if you are in debt, no sushi for you!

Dinner

Another typical dinner – main dish is based on potatoes/veggies plus fancy sausages baked into a cheese-laden casserole.

Around 3:30pm in the afternoon, I’ll walk or bike home from “work”, so I can be there when my son returns home from school – one of the biggest rewards of early retirement. One of us parents will cook him a homemade pizza at this point (I pre-make the personal size shells and keep them in stacks in the freezer), so he can recharge with about 480 calories from a delicious meal that costs only about 50 cents to make.

Then us Adults will usually collaborate to make something like pulled-pork tacos:

  On the side, we might add chopped fresh vegetables, more salad, or something more substantial as the appetites require. Like the filets, it’s not the cheapest possible way to get a meal, but at least it is reasonable. Also, we are omnivores, which is a more expensive and polluting way to get protein – but if you’re not badass enough to eat vegetarian you can at least make a substantial dent in your eco footprint by making beef your last choice of meats.

Adding it All Up

Although it took me quite a few hours to collect all this data on what I eat and add it up in a spreadsheet, the results have been quite interesting because I had never done it before. With just the stuff described above, I arrived at this point:

  And the numbers were a bit surprising to me, in the following ways:

I am spending a lot more on food than I thought. If all three of us ate the way I do, our annual grocery bill would be $8600, not counting additional indulgences or food for parties. Since our real bill is closer to $6000, you can see that I am doing more than my share of the spending. Then again, I do weigh more than both Little MM and his mother combined , so perhaps this is fair.

My base calorie level is about right for my age and height for a moderately active person, but on active days I need closer to 4000 calories (if you look up a 185 pound male “athlete” for the baseline)

My base protein level is also about right for moderate activity, but on highly physical or weight training days I like to boost that to one gram per pound of bodyweight.

So while everything in this article is detailed and accurate so far, I tend to eat a variable amount of additional food to meet hunger needs, scaling it all up and down depending on what the mirror says. I use one or more of the following boosts.

Boosts

Handfuls of Nuts (1 ounce worth, 160 calories)

Protein Smoothie (banana, peanut butter, plain yogurt, tiny bit of milk, ice, water, and vanilla protein mix – about 1000 calories and 40 grams protein)

2-3 simple eggs cooked in olive oil with a bit of cheese: 500 calories, 20 grams of protein, 50 cents or so.

Avocado toast: 3 eggs, some shredded cheese, avocado, all on a piece of whole wheat toast with butter. A truly decadent weight gainer of a snack, although quite cheap. Leave out toast if you are not trying to maintain or gain weight. 1000 calories, plenty of nutrients about a buck.

    *and while I won’t explain this in detail here, parents of children with his personality type will understand without question. It is something people do tend to grow out of as they get older and gain confidence with new experiences.

  from Finance http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2018/05/15/a-day-in-the-life-of-my-supposedly-frugal-stomach/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[financevisionary]

11 Retailers Where You Can Negotiate a Lower Price

In several components of the globe, haggling is a lifestyle. You would certainly never ever think about paying the sticker cost, as well as to be sincere, the store would be angered if you didn't try to negotiate.

In America, things are a little different. We have actually come to be made use of to just approving that the rate we see is the price we pay, with few exemptions. Yes, we'll work out on a house or auto, however then, we often prevent bargaining. Numerous major retail establishments will really take part in cost agreements, and will often offer you a far better bargain compared to the one you were expecting. You merely need to understand ways to play the video game. And also it goes without claiming - be polite as well as considerate the whole time. Requiring a discount rate will not acquire you anywhere.

1. Best Buy

Let's beginning with the one most people have asked me regarding. 'Can you really haggle at Best Acquire?' Yes, you definitely can, although the outcomes will certainly vary from shop to store.

First, you would like to shop towards the end of the month, between the 29th and also the 31st. Like a lot of retail stores, Ideal Buy offers its flooring supervisors sales objectives, and also they actually wish to hit them. By entering when they are down to the wire, you have a lot more haggling power.

Next, adhere to a couple of simple guidelines and you will get the bargain you want.

You will certainly obtain better price cuts on high-end things. A substantial $2500 TV or residence theater system has a significant markup, and also therefore, more wiggle room. If you go huge, start negotiating.

Ask for free offers to be included. If you're acquiring a computer, request a pack of blank DVDs. If you acquire a laptop computer, request for a complimentary bag or cordless mouse.

Focus on floor versions as well as open box products. I have actually had terrific success buying floor versions at massive price cuts. The wonderful thing is, you can buy the Nerd Squad protection on it, and they'll change it for a new item if they're unable to repair it. Open-box choices are additionally easy to haggle on, and 20 % -25 % off is fair. And if the packaging on a brand-new thing is harmed, request a savings. They will often give you 10 % off.

Bundle and also save. Purchasing a screen and also a keyboard? Request a savings on both. The very same goes for a TV and Blu-ray player, or a bunch of DVDs. If you are getting multiples, the shop supervisor has some discernment to offer you a deal.

Remember rate matching. If you see a reduced rate anywhere, Finest Get will match it. So just before you get, browse for the thing on your mobile phone as well as find the lowest rate online or in your area. After that enjoy the sales representative crumble.

2 and 3. Home Depot and Lowes

The leading two big box DIY shops are both susceptible to the fine art of agreement. Simply ask about Kyle James, a former Home Depot employee whose very own blog post at Rather Be Buying contains fantastic ideas for negotiating at that shop as well as a number of others on this list. Both Residence Depot and Lowes have very similar plans when it pertains to working out, as well as the following tips apply.

Scratches, dents, as well as dings provide you wonderful haggling power. On big appliances, many customers desire their new choices to be spotless. They cost a great deal of money, they must be ideal. That cares regarding minor dings? After a few months in your house with youngsters and also pets, those dings will certainly quickly appear anyhow. Look for scraped and also dented options when you desire a new device, and begin haggling. It's ruined products, and also the supervisors have wiggle accomodation. Also torn product packaging could acquire you a discount.

Get deals on bad lumber, roll ends, and off cuts. If you're developing a fence and also don't mind a few imperfect pickets or posts, snatch them from the shelf. Talk to a shop supervisor as well as ask for a price cut. You need to quickly obtain one, given that the lumber they can not market obtains junked, anyway. You can also obtain large amounts on roll-ends for carpeting and linoleum, and also off-cut timber and also other materials.

Floor models are additionally wonderful starting factors for settlements. Nows, you can acquire every one of your major devices from the hardware establishment, as well as they all have flooring designs that have been jabbed, prodded, and also typically utilized and violated by potential customers. However, they work merely great, most of them have actually never even been plugged in. Ask for a flooring design, at a 10 % -15 % discount. If they are not prepared to sell the floor versions yet, ask about when they are. You could also have the ability to place one on grip, if you are especially charming.

Take advantage of equipping errors. This doesn't always work, but if you see something you really want as well as the cost looks as well good to be real, it could possibly be a product that has actually been positioned in the wrong area. If it's a one off, neglect it. If the whole shelf is noted at $10, instead of $20, then it is a reputable angle for a savings. They valued it inaccurately, it's their mistake, as well as their loss. This occurs a lot at hardware establishments, specifically in some of the alleys with extremely comparable products at significantly various prices.

Price match. This is always a good choice. Now, Home Depot and Lowes appear to be a little tougher on this than other shops, and will call for proof of an item in stock in your area for a lower cost. Online price matching will certainly be way harder to achieve.

4 and 5. Sam's Club and Costco

Wherever you do your mass purchasing, there are some methods you could utilize that can help you improve rates. Bear in mind, just because you're currently obtaining a discount rate, it doesn't indicate the costs could not go lower. Your membership fees as well as the bulk purchasing formula are the reason the rates are low. The stores are obtaining this things economical, they make great earnings, and you can negotiate.

Know the establishment formats. Clark Howard, a consumer professional, states that the most effective handle both of these stores are on aisles 5, 6, and 7. Understanding this beforehand, you can visit to these areas and also speak to the manager concerning getting a lot of these goods for a discount.

Look for items going off that day. Whether it's fruit, meat, bread, pies, or vegetables, the supervisor will be very pliable towards completion of the day. They prefer to acquire a sale from you compared to throw it all in the dumpster.

Check the rates. For example, any items finishing in.97 at Costco are either marked down or on clearance, even if they don't advertise it. That means the shop wants them gone, and also gone swiftly. Understanding this can really help you when it comes time to request for a couple of bucks additional off.

Tires need to never ever be purchased price tag. The discount store rely upon you thinking that they will certainly have the most affordable rates around. This is a total misconception. With your smartphone available, bring up the rates of the same tires at locations like Discount Tire or Tire Rack.

6. Furniture Stores

There are big retail chains, as well as there are neighborhood mom-n'-pop businesses. Nevertheless, they both have one food in common: They want to negotiate on specific products, especially as the markup on furniture is so high. How high, you ask about? Try 80 %. A great deal of the stock is purchased overseas, delivered in, and also marked up to ridiculous quantities. Here are some settlement strategies you could use.

First, head to the back of the stores, or the clearance sections. You will certainly discover some products noted 'as is' or 'last one.' Well, this is a great place to begin haggling. They have actually marked down the stock due to the fact that they want it gone, and if you are ready to take it off their practical that day, you'll be doing them a favor. Do not acquire hoggish, it's currently low-cost, yet drop the rate one more 20 %. If you can, offering cash additionally helps.

They understand several of their products are not as high-grade as they construct out. Begin looking over the pieces like they're used vehicles. Examine the joints, the surface, explain the defects. As you make your case for the poor craftsmanship, you are preparing for a discount.

Buy more, obtain even more of a discount rate. If you prepare on remodeling the bed rooms, see if you could afford to buy everything at one time. If you're losing a great deal of cash, the furnishings establishment might work with you.

7 and 8. Walmart and Target

You could assume that the nation's two biggest merchants would not allow you haggle. Well, this isn't the case. There are times you could bargain, if you understand exactly what you're doing.

Like other stores on this listing, Walmart and Target will allow you haggle on choices that are damaged or dented. On harmed things, you can get a 13 % discount at Target. I checked out this, and it's a standard number that is usually supplied, especially if you obtained a damaged option from Target.com. So, if you are fine with the quantity of damage the item has, ask about for the discount rate. They will certainly commonly apply it appropriate there.

Food is really simple to negotiate on. Simply like in the discount store, Walmart and Target managers recognize that food that has actually reached its best-before-date is not going to be very easy to offer. That's why you'll often view those 'supervisor's unique' sticker labels on meat and seafood. Well, simply go and speak with a supervisor and request for a price cut on the meals. They will generally apply a financial savings sticker label right there. It can be anywhere from $3 off, to half cost. If it's in suspicious shape, or the packaging is attacked, you can usually obtain it for 75 % off.

Discontinued options are an additional great method to conserve money. You can locate out regarding them from sites, and armed with that know-how you can request for large price cuts. You will certainly also see them in deal bins. The establishment desires them gone, they will negotiate.

9. Pawn Stores

You've viewed Rick on Pawn Stars, so you understand the rating below. This is one of minority type of establishments that actively urges haggling, because of the nature of their 'buy reduced and also market high' version. They wish to involve you in agreements, however this naturally functions both means. You can acquire a deal, if you recognize how you can approach them:

Learn the pawn store discount codes, such as the codes from Pawn America. As soon as you know the trick, you are promptly provided a method to understand just how significantly the option can be marked down. Various other pawn establishments might have comparable codes, so do your homework.

If you're selling, make certain you referred to as long as you could about your option. Then, make sure you make the initial offer, knowing that it will be countered by a much lower offer. One of the very first guidelines of settlement is that the person who establishes the rate controls the bidding.

Don't over-negotiate. The pawn store proprietor is running a company, and has to make a profit from the things she or he purchases. Yes, they are prepared to bargain, but if you offer them half of exactly what the product deserves, they'll laugh you out of the shop. When they state 'final deal,' they suggest it.

10. Thrift Stores

As an individual which goes to thrift establishments frequently, bargaining is an excellent ability to have. Every thrift establishment is different, however having functioned behind the scenes at Goodwill, I could tell you that the pricing is extremely loosened. Some products are noticeable also reduced, as well as others expensive. Keeping that in mind ...

Look at the color-coded tags. If a color is on sale that week, it indicates it has been resting on the rack for a long period of time. Thrift shops have a high turn over, as well as intend to include brand-new merchandise continuously. These things prepare to visit something called salvage, which implies you have the capability to bargain the price.

Look very carefully at the condition. Is it scratched, nicked, or damaged? Does it work appropriately? Did you find snags or openings that the pricer may have missed? Just by directing those points out, you can get a manager to knock a few dollars off the price.

Use your mobile phone to raise the going rate of the choice you want. If they have overpriced it, they'll typically bring it to the cost you reveal them. After all, they get all of their choices completely free, so it's all profit for the charity.

Ask for discount rates on mass acquisitions. I lately got a set of 4 plates the same cost that three would have cost me, just due to the fact that I asked for a discount if I took them all.

11. Department Stores

Despite what you might believe, Nordstrom's, Macy's, Kohl's, and Dillard's are definitely ready for haggling. Supervisors are open to a little arrangement, as well as are even accredited to go 10 % here a competitor's rate. Here's exactly what you should do to make sure you are in the discount rate zone.

Price matching is key. If you locate a shirt or a set of shoes less expensive in an additional shop, bring it up on your smartphone. They want your company, as well as they have numbers to strike. The cost is not going to be much lower anyhow, and they prefer to have a lot less revenue than no sale.

Sales happen regularly. Ask if the item you're trying to find was just recently on sale, or if it is beginning sale once again soon. The establishment supervisor will certainly commonly give you recently's sale rate. You can likewise come back to a shop when the choice you acquired at full cost is now on sale, and also ask about for the distinction as a refund. They will often recognize this.

Once once more, scuffs, scratches, and dents are terrific bargaining points.

Use something called 'sticker label shock.' That implies you're extremely thinking about the item up until the clerk discloses the rate. If you are really startled, they will check into discount rates for you. Often, those price cuts can be considerable, particularly on fashion jewelry and also watches.

Ask for bonus to be thrown in completely free. If you purchase a fit, request for a shirt as well as tie.

The golden policy with chain store - ask for the manager. They have the authority to offer bigger discounts, and if you are very respectful, they usually prefer to demonstrate how effective they are by giving you a big fat discount.

Where do you negotiate price?

This write-up is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning individual finance and credit history card comparison site. Check out much more wonderful posts from Wise Bread:

10 Techniques You Should Gain from Great Hagglers

Conversation Killers: Exactly what's Holding You Back From Negotiating?

Deal Killers: 5 Phrases to Stay clear of When Negotiating

6 Ways to Trick Salespeople

5 Foods You Shouldn't Order on Amazon

[cristinajourdanqp]

Dear Mark: Erythritol and Weight Gain, Chicken Liver and Arsenic, and Tips for Laptops in the Sun

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions from readers. First, is erythritol, one of the more common sugar alcohols, linked to weight gain? According to a new study, it is. What should we make of the research? Next, I talk a good game about chicken livers, but there’s a new study that seems to show they’re big repositories of arsenic. Should you stop eating chicken liver? And finally, I give a few tips for improving screen clarity when working outside on your laptop in full sun.

Let’s go:

Mark, what’s your take on this new report that erythritol is associated with weight gain? I’ve been eating chocolate sweetened with it but am unsure I should keep eating…

http://ift.tt/2plP2dV

It’s a confusing report that gives the impression the more erythritol a person eats, the more weight they gain. They refer to erythritol as a “common sweetener” used by people trying to lose weight. “may actually have the opposite effect.” They discuss how it’s naturally found in fruits like watermelon and pears, and is added to stevia in the product Truvia. All in all, the implication is that using erythritol “may actually have the opposite effect”—it might make you gain weight.

But then the real story comes out: Erythritol is just a biomarker associated with weight gain.

Okay, so maybe high erythritol levels indicate an increased intake of diet foods, and these are just people trying and failing to lose weight. Then you look at the actual paper, and you realize that the authors have identified a previously-unknown pathway for endogenous synthesis of erythritol in humans. This is truly landmark. The prior consensus was that humans don’t make erythritol in the body.

Well, the pathway they identified is a glucose-to-erythritol conversion. That’s all we know. The people who gained the most weight were converting glucose to erythritol more than anyone else.

My guess—and it’s just that, a guess—is that these people were also eating the most glucose. I mean, glucose consumption is a fairly well-established risk factor for weight gain in the average sedentary human. It wouldn’t surprise me if college freshman who ate the most glucose also gained the most weight. It’s not like college freshman don’t gain weight. Most do, and those who do gain almost 8 pounds.

Another piece of evidence in favor of carbs and carb intolerance being the issue is that the students with the highest erythritol levels also had higher blood glucose levels at the start of the study.

I just saw this study about arsenic in chicken livers. Since you seem to be a big fan of chicken liver, I thought I’d ask your opinion. Should we stop eating them?

Great question. Thanks.

Yes, I am a fan of chicken liver. They’re mild (especially the pastured ones). They’re lower in vitamin A than ruminant liver, so you can eat them more often without overdoing it. They’re higher in iron, if that’s a problem for you. They’re also a rich source of folate, perhaps the richest. Chicken liver is a good introductory organ meat.

I am not a fan of arsenic.

The arsenic in these chicken livers was actually an arsenic metabolite—something that the body converts arsenic into. They were getting it from an infamous growth promoter called 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid, or roxarsone, which is an organoarsenic compound. The chicken eats roxarsone, it gains weight more efficiently, but it also produces a ton of arsenic metabolites and lodges them in its liver.

I have good news for people who eat chicken raised in the European Union (as of 1999) or North America (as of 2013): chickens raised in those countries aren’t allowed to eat roxarsone. The chicken livers in the study came from chickens raised in China, where roxarsone is still used. Good quality pastured chicken from the EU or NA should be completely safe.

The Wiley press release about the study has a hilarious title, by the way: “Poultry Feed with Arsenic More Problematic Than Assumed?”

I’d say so, yeah.

Anyone have solutions for laptop work outside? I’d love to work outside more, but the sunlight makes screens impossible to read.

Make shade. A beach umbrella is an easy option. Or even a regular rain umbrella held up between a couple rocks, positioned just so. Costco sells a good pop-up tent for a reasonable price, although you couldn’t stand and work under it. There’s also the laptop hood.

Find shade. I do most of my outside work under cover. Usually in my backyard with a canopy, but occasionally out in a park or forest under trees. For one it keeps the heat off you and your computer, thus extending the time you can spend working. If you’ve got any kind of tree cover nearby, go for that. You might have to drive an extra 10-15 minutes to get there, but that’s a small price to pay for the comfort and stimulation of working outside with perfect clarity.

Use an anti-glare screen protector. There are several available on Amazon. Read the reviews, as they seem mixed.

Invert colors. If you’re working only with text, inverting the colors—white text on black background—can help you see more clearly in sunlight. This obviously won’t work for graphic designers or anyone requiring full visual fidelity.

Increase contrast. Increasing the contrast on your monitor can also improve clarity in full sun.

Become one with your laptop. Eventually, we’ll all enjoy (or “enjoy”) direct neural links to our devices without physical interaction. We’ll “type” emails or “write” code without lifting a finger. A thought is all we’ll need. Everything will take place in our heads and, maybe, behind our eyes. Hell, if they can connect directly to our visual cortex, maybe our eyes will become vestigial organs. One can only hope!

Until that day comes, you can wear the laptop compubody sock. Just try not to do so within 500 meters of a school.

For anyone intrigued by outdoor laptop work but unsure of the benefits, check out this older post I wrote on the topic. Long story short is that it’s really, really beneficial for you. I may write more on this in the future.

That’s it for this week, folks. Thanks for reading, and I’d love to hear your take on the questions and answers in today’s Dear Mark. Take care!

[milenasanchezmk]

Dear Mark: Erythritol and Weight Gain, Chicken Liver and Arsenic, and Tips for Laptops in the Sun

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions from readers. First, is erythritol, one of the more common sugar alcohols, linked to weight gain? According to a new study, it is. What should we make of the research? Next, I talk a good game about chicken livers, but there’s a new study that seems to show they’re big repositories of arsenic. Should you stop eating chicken liver? And finally, I give a few tips for improving screen clarity when working outside on your laptop in full sun.

Let’s go:

Mark, what’s your take on this new report that erythritol is associated with weight gain? I’ve been eating chocolate sweetened with it but am unsure I should keep eating…

http://ift.tt/2plP2dV

It’s a confusing report that gives the impression the more erythritol a person eats, the more weight they gain. They refer to erythritol as a “common sweetener” used by people trying to lose weight. “may actually have the opposite effect.” They discuss how it’s naturally found in fruits like watermelon and pears, and is added to stevia in the product Truvia. All in all, the implication is that using erythritol “may actually have the opposite effect”—it might make you gain weight.

But then the real story comes out: Erythritol is just a biomarker associated with weight gain.

Okay, so maybe high erythritol levels indicate an increased intake of diet foods, and these are just people trying and failing to lose weight. Then you look at the actual paper, and you realize that the authors have identified a previously-unknown pathway for endogenous synthesis of erythritol in humans. This is truly landmark. The prior consensus was that humans don’t make erythritol in the body.

Well, the pathway they identified is a glucose-to-erythritol conversion. That’s all we know. The people who gained the most weight were converting glucose to erythritol more than anyone else.

My guess—and it’s just that, a guess—is that these people were also eating the most glucose. I mean, glucose consumption is a fairly well-established risk factor for weight gain in the average sedentary human. It wouldn’t surprise me if college freshman who ate the most glucose also gained the most weight. It’s not like college freshman don’t gain weight. Most do, and those who do gain almost 8 pounds.

Another piece of evidence in favor of carbs and carb intolerance being the issue is that the students with the highest erythritol levels also had higher blood glucose levels at the start of the study.

I just saw this study about arsenic in chicken livers. Since you seem to be a big fan of chicken liver, I thought I’d ask your opinion. Should we stop eating them?

Great question. Thanks.

Yes, I am a fan of chicken liver. They’re mild (especially the pastured ones). They’re lower in vitamin A than ruminant liver, so you can eat them more often without overdoing it. They’re higher in iron, if that’s a problem for you. They’re also a rich source of folate, perhaps the richest. Chicken liver is a good introductory organ meat.

I am not a fan of arsenic.

The arsenic in these chicken livers was actually an arsenic metabolite—something that the body converts arsenic into. They were getting it from an infamous growth promoter called 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid, or roxarsone, which is an organoarsenic compound. The chicken eats roxarsone, it gains weight more efficiently, but it also produces a ton of arsenic metabolites and lodges them in its liver.

I have good news for people who eat chicken raised in the European Union (as of 1999) or North America (as of 2013): chickens raised in those countries aren’t allowed to eat roxarsone. The chicken livers in the study came from chickens raised in China, where roxarsone is still used. Good quality pastured chicken from the EU or NA should be completely safe.

The Wiley press release about the study has a hilarious title, by the way: “Poultry Feed with Arsenic More Problematic Than Assumed?”

I’d say so, yeah.

Anyone have solutions for laptop work outside? I’d love to work outside more, but the sunlight makes screens impossible to read.

Make shade. A beach umbrella is an easy option. Or even a regular rain umbrella held up between a couple rocks, positioned just so. Costco sells a good pop-up tent for a reasonable price, although you couldn’t stand and work under it. There’s also the laptop hood.

Find shade. I do most of my outside work under cover. Usually in my backyard with a canopy, but occasionally out in a park or forest under trees. For one it keeps the heat off you and your computer, thus extending the time you can spend working. If you’ve got any kind of tree cover nearby, go for that. You might have to drive an extra 10-15 minutes to get there, but that’s a small price to pay for the comfort and stimulation of working outside with perfect clarity.

Use an anti-glare screen protector. There are several available on Amazon. Read the reviews, as they seem mixed.

Invert colors. If you’re working only with text, inverting the colors—white text on black background—can help you see more clearly in sunlight. This obviously won’t work for graphic designers or anyone requiring full visual fidelity.

Increase contrast. Increasing the contrast on your monitor can also improve clarity in full sun.

Become one with your laptop. Eventually, we’ll all enjoy (or “enjoy”) direct neural links to our devices without physical interaction. We’ll “type” emails or “write” code without lifting a finger. A thought is all we’ll need. Everything will take place in our heads and, maybe, behind our eyes. Hell, if they can connect directly to our visual cortex, maybe our eyes will become vestigial organs. One can only hope!

Until that day comes, you can wear the laptop compubody sock. Just try not to do so within 500 meters of a school.

For anyone intrigued by outdoor laptop work but unsure of the benefits, check out this older post I wrote on the topic. Long story short is that it’s really, really beneficial for you. I may write more on this in the future.

That’s it for this week, folks. Thanks for reading, and I’d love to hear your take on the questions and answers in today’s Dear Mark. Take care!

[fishermariawo]

Dear Mark: Erythritol and Weight Gain, Chicken Liver and Arsenic, and Tips for Laptops in the Sun

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions from readers. First, is erythritol, one of the more common sugar alcohols, linked to weight gain? According to a new study, it is. What should we make of the research? Next, I talk a good game about chicken livers, but there’s a new study that seems to show they’re big repositories of arsenic. Should you stop eating chicken liver? And finally, I give a few tips for improving screen clarity when working outside on your laptop in full sun.

Let’s go:

Mark, what’s your take on this new report that erythritol is associated with weight gain? I’ve been eating chocolate sweetened with it but am unsure I should keep eating…

http://ift.tt/2plP2dV

It’s a confusing report that gives the impression the more erythritol a person eats, the more weight they gain. They refer to erythritol as a “common sweetener” used by people trying to lose weight. “may actually have the opposite effect.” They discuss how it’s naturally found in fruits like watermelon and pears, and is added to stevia in the product Truvia. All in all, the implication is that using erythritol “may actually have the opposite effect”—it might make you gain weight.

But then the real story comes out: Erythritol is just a biomarker associated with weight gain.

Okay, so maybe high erythritol levels indicate an increased intake of diet foods, and these are just people trying and failing to lose weight. Then you look at the actual paper, and you realize that the authors have identified a previously-unknown pathway for endogenous synthesis of erythritol in humans. This is truly landmark. The prior consensus was that humans don’t make erythritol in the body.

Well, the pathway they identified is a glucose-to-erythritol conversion. That’s all we know. The people who gained the most weight were converting glucose to erythritol more than anyone else.

My guess—and it’s just that, a guess—is that these people were also eating the most glucose. I mean, glucose consumption is a fairly well-established risk factor for weight gain in the average sedentary human. It wouldn’t surprise me if college freshman who ate the most glucose also gained the most weight. It’s not like college freshman don’t gain weight. Most do, and those who do gain almost 8 pounds.

Another piece of evidence in favor of carbs and carb intolerance being the issue is that the students with the highest erythritol levels also had higher blood glucose levels at the start of the study.

I just saw this study about arsenic in chicken livers. Since you seem to be a big fan of chicken liver, I thought I’d ask your opinion. Should we stop eating them?

Great question. Thanks.

Yes, I am a fan of chicken liver. They’re mild (especially the pastured ones). They’re lower in vitamin A than ruminant liver, so you can eat them more often without overdoing it. They’re higher in iron, if that’s a problem for you. They’re also a rich source of folate, perhaps the richest. Chicken liver is a good introductory organ meat.

I am not a fan of arsenic.

The arsenic in these chicken livers was actually an arsenic metabolite—something that the body converts arsenic into. They were getting it from an infamous growth promoter called 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid, or roxarsone, which is an organoarsenic compound. The chicken eats roxarsone, it gains weight more efficiently, but it also produces a ton of arsenic metabolites and lodges them in its liver.

I have good news for people who eat chicken raised in the European Union (as of 1999) or North America (as of 2013): chickens raised in those countries aren’t allowed to eat roxarsone. The chicken livers in the study came from chickens raised in China, where roxarsone is still used. Good quality pastured chicken from the EU or NA should be completely safe.

The Wiley press release about the study has a hilarious title, by the way: “Poultry Feed with Arsenic More Problematic Than Assumed?”

I’d say so, yeah.

Anyone have solutions for laptop work outside? I’d love to work outside more, but the sunlight makes screens impossible to read.

Make shade. A beach umbrella is an easy option. Or even a regular rain umbrella held up between a couple rocks, positioned just so. Costco sells a good pop-up tent for a reasonable price, although you couldn’t stand and work under it. There’s also the laptop hood.

Find shade. I do most of my outside work under cover. Usually in my backyard with a canopy, but occasionally out in a park or forest under trees. For one it keeps the heat off you and your computer, thus extending the time you can spend working. If you’ve got any kind of tree cover nearby, go for that. You might have to drive an extra 10-15 minutes to get there, but that’s a small price to pay for the comfort and stimulation of working outside with perfect clarity.

Use an anti-glare screen protector. There are several available on Amazon. Read the reviews, as they seem mixed.

Invert colors. If you’re working only with text, inverting the colors—white text on black background—can help you see more clearly in sunlight. This obviously won’t work for graphic designers or anyone requiring full visual fidelity.

Increase contrast. Increasing the contrast on your monitor can also improve clarity in full sun.

Become one with your laptop. Eventually, we’ll all enjoy (or “enjoy”) direct neural links to our devices without physical interaction. We’ll “type” emails or “write” code without lifting a finger. A thought is all we’ll need. Everything will take place in our heads and, maybe, behind our eyes. Hell, if they can connect directly to our visual cortex, maybe our eyes will become vestigial organs. One can only hope!

Until that day comes, you can wear the laptop compubody sock. Just try not to do so within 500 meters of a school.

For anyone intrigued by outdoor laptop work but unsure of the benefits, check out this older post I wrote on the topic. Long story short is that it’s really, really beneficial for you. I may write more on this in the future.

That’s it for this week, folks. Thanks for reading, and I’d love to hear your take on the questions and answers in today’s Dear Mark. Take care!

[watsonrodriquezie]

Dear Mark: Erythritol and Weight Gain, Chicken Liver and Arsenic, and Tips for Laptops in the Sun

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions from readers. First, is erythritol, one of the more common sugar alcohols, linked to weight gain? According to a new study, it is. What should we make of the research? Next, I talk a good game about chicken livers, but there’s a new study that seems to show they’re big repositories of arsenic. Should you stop eating chicken liver? And finally, I give a few tips for improving screen clarity when working outside on your laptop in full sun.

Let’s go:

Mark, what’s your take on this new report that erythritol is associated with weight gain? I’ve been eating chocolate sweetened with it but am unsure I should keep eating…

http://ift.tt/2plP2dV

It’s a confusing report that gives the impression the more erythritol a person eats, the more weight they gain. They refer to erythritol as a “common sweetener” used by people trying to lose weight. “may actually have the opposite effect.” They discuss how it’s naturally found in fruits like watermelon and pears, and is added to stevia in the product Truvia. All in all, the implication is that using erythritol “may actually have the opposite effect”—it might make you gain weight.

But then the real story comes out: Erythritol is just a biomarker associated with weight gain.

Okay, so maybe high erythritol levels indicate an increased intake of diet foods, and these are just people trying and failing to lose weight. Then you look at the actual paper, and you realize that the authors have identified a previously-unknown pathway for endogenous synthesis of erythritol in humans. This is truly landmark. The prior consensus was that humans don’t make erythritol in the body.

Well, the pathway they identified is a glucose-to-erythritol conversion. That’s all we know. The people who gained the most weight were converting glucose to erythritol more than anyone else.

My guess—and it’s just that, a guess—is that these people were also eating the most glucose. I mean, glucose consumption is a fairly well-established risk factor for weight gain in the average sedentary human. It wouldn’t surprise me if college freshman who ate the most glucose also gained the most weight. It’s not like college freshman don’t gain weight. Most do, and those who do gain almost 8 pounds.

Another piece of evidence in favor of carbs and carb intolerance being the issue is that the students with the highest erythritol levels also had higher blood glucose levels at the start of the study.

I just saw this study about arsenic in chicken livers. Since you seem to be a big fan of chicken liver, I thought I’d ask your opinion. Should we stop eating them?

Great question. Thanks.

Yes, I am a fan of chicken liver. They’re mild (especially the pastured ones). They’re lower in vitamin A than ruminant liver, so you can eat them more often without overdoing it. They’re higher in iron, if that’s a problem for you. They’re also a rich source of folate, perhaps the richest. Chicken liver is a good introductory organ meat.

I am not a fan of arsenic.

The arsenic in these chicken livers was actually an arsenic metabolite—something that the body converts arsenic into. They were getting it from an infamous growth promoter called 3-nitro-4-hydroxyphenylarsonic acid, or roxarsone, which is an organoarsenic compound. The chicken eats roxarsone, it gains weight more efficiently, but it also produces a ton of arsenic metabolites and lodges them in its liver.

I have good news for people who eat chicken raised in the European Union (as of 1999) or North America (as of 2013): chickens raised in those countries aren’t allowed to eat roxarsone. The chicken livers in the study came from chickens raised in China, where roxarsone is still used. Good quality pastured chicken from the EU or NA should be completely safe.

The Wiley press release about the study has a hilarious title, by the way: “Poultry Feed with Arsenic More Problematic Than Assumed?”

I’d say so, yeah.

Anyone have solutions for laptop work outside? I’d love to work outside more, but the sunlight makes screens impossible to read.

Make shade. A beach umbrella is an easy option. Or even a regular rain umbrella held up between a couple rocks, positioned just so. Costco sells a good pop-up tent for a reasonable price, although you couldn’t stand and work under it. There’s also the laptop hood.

Find shade. I do most of my outside work under cover. Usually in my backyard with a canopy, but occasionally out in a park or forest under trees. For one it keeps the heat off you and your computer, thus extending the time you can spend working. If you’ve got any kind of tree cover nearby, go for that. You might have to drive an extra 10-15 minutes to get there, but that’s a small price to pay for the comfort and stimulation of working outside with perfect clarity.

Use an anti-glare screen protector. There are several available on Amazon. Read the reviews, as they seem mixed.

Invert colors. If you’re working only with text, inverting the colors—white text on black background—can help you see more clearly in sunlight. This obviously won’t work for graphic designers or anyone requiring full visual fidelity.

Increase contrast. Increasing the contrast on your monitor can also improve clarity in full sun.

Become one with your laptop. Eventually, we’ll all enjoy (or “enjoy”) direct neural links to our devices without physical interaction. We’ll “type” emails or “write” code without lifting a finger. A thought is all we’ll need. Everything will take place in our heads and, maybe, behind our eyes. Hell, if they can connect directly to our visual cortex, maybe our eyes will become vestigial organs. One can only hope!

Until that day comes, you can wear the laptop compubody sock. Just try not to do so within 500 meters of a school.

For anyone intrigued by outdoor laptop work but unsure of the benefits, check out this older post I wrote on the topic. Long story short is that it’s really, really beneficial for you. I may write more on this in the future.

That’s it for this week, folks. Thanks for reading, and I’d love to hear your take on the questions and answers in today’s Dear Mark. Take care!

[th3memories]

23

And just like that another Dayton year over and done with. I really do love being apart of winter rather than fall. Reasons why are just because I'm surrounded by a much tighter and friendlier group. It's as if we can all speak the same language front ensembles and drum lines. Even going to Dayton is even better. Although I'm going to talk about my first Dayton experience as a tech. So be prepared for long long stories. Read at your own desire. Honestly I think the one thing that irked me the most was that I was the only one my age during this whole trip. A fucking 19 yr old hanging with old ass late 20-30 yr olds. Basically no one else my age RIP me. It made me think am I supposed to act older or just be myself and not let any of that kind of attitude affect me. However I guess I ended up having to assimilate towards it. If you can beat them join them. Fuck. Let's just say I got my fair share of drinks but no bad affects. Well one thing is for sure ya girl ain't a lightweight. Anyways practice days were tiring, the kids had a freaking 9-9 like wtf is this drum corps?? I even ended up burning and peeling like wtf?!?! Aghhh and I wore sunscreen 😭 then came the show days those were fun semis was probably the best day for me. Thankfully the kids made finals went from 9th-7th-9th so made top ten. That day we were blue to watch some really great shows like holy fuck MCM is amazing or their show is just crazy. Pulse I like the music ish and the show concept idk it's always so engaging. The bird show was meh. Sorry jota jota you still played well. RCC was interesting to watch like very interesting kinda liked it more than broken city TBH. Idk broken city confuses me sometimes they have really nice samples and a few of my friends in the ensemble so that's cool. And yeaaaa idk maybe I'm just not that much of a fangirl anymore. In a way I think it just gave me the motivation to get out there and perform again. At the end of it all there was always just a lot of waiting around which is usually what happens I mean at least grateful for not loading anything or having to be chaperoned ALL the time. FUCK that. Idk one thing that sure did get me super heated was the fact that we were trying to get ready for finals. Obviously we came back to the hotel to get ready change and look nice. I got ready right on spot and I was just chilling waiting to go down. I saw the message that they were going down but at the same time no one ever posted the time to go downstairs so it was never clear. Anyways I heard my phone ring and boba lover was calling saying in his serious tense/ mad tone "do you wanna go to finals or not" and I fucking ran out the door. I swear to god to tried to play it off as he was joking but it was so obvious he was fucking pissed that we were gonna be late. And honestly it wasn't even my fault we were sitting in that van for a good 5 min after me because my roommate Anna was taking her sweet ass time talking to kmtobia about Coachella and shit and didn't get ready til last minute so honestly wtf. But idk I got the vibe he was taking it out all on me!!! So WTFFF man, I mean honestly I would take the blame if we were late, if the performance didn't go well, if someone got injured. YET NONE OF THAT FUCKING EVEN HAPPENED!!! God fucking damn. He barely talked to me kept giving me rude vibes and shit so fuck that man. For the rest of the night I hung out with LOL and Anna watching broken city's lot and chillin in the stadium. It was fun greeting the kids and stuff after it was over and also got to see cernie-kins. Another thing but this was just my jealousy side was the fact that the kids liked biffany a lot during this trip or especially the girl seniors. I think someone fucking said "there is finally a feminine side apart of the tech staff" and I was like WTF AM I NOT A FEMALE?!?!?! Some bitches. And idk I mean they said it doesn't count cause we played with you. Idk I guess but at the same time that was shitty for me. Ok back to Biffany. What I've learned is that yes she is very feminine with her super high voice, and all her flirty techniques like holy shit if there is any other flirt like my boss it's her. Not that it's a bad thing but that's just what I learned. But fuck those seniors love her AND it was her birthday?!? So then it made her even more popular the kids even got her a ballooon omfg. I never get that shit. I guess it makes sense because she always messes around with them and is with them also 24/7 making them clean. And maybe it's an age thing. Lmaoo I miss my open kids. O well. Third point it's just weird that I wanted to talk about was the fact that boba lover and biffany were pretty close on this trip. I mean her flirting skills were high but what surprised me was that he was reacting back to her in a positive way. It's so funny to think because he would talk shit about her before especially in Fresno holy crap. Now they acted like two little love birds that couldn't get enough of each other. Like shiiiiieeeeeet. Who knows. I guess he deserves happiness YIKES typing that made me sound hella rude. Everyone deserves happiness. Idk I don't want to be mad at him at the end of the trip. Let's just talk about boba lover. Honestly at the end of this trip I told myself I can be annoyed and mad at him but once we leave and depart I'll get over it and seem like nothing happened. It's just knowing him for so long I've realized he has more good moments than bad. It's just when he is in a bad mood it's hell for everyone around him. He stresses out Too fucking much especially when it's a show. Like that stress is gonna kill you man!!! He honestly couldn't even relax at bargos due to the amount of pressure he was feeling for finals day. Like fuuuuck dude ITS JUST BAND. Haha lemme just say this. Boba lover you were really sweet but your harsh mad personality makes people cry even me sometimes.... "welcome to your tape." HaHaHa jk haven't really cried yet from him just hella mad. Next up was BT only thing was that I get super annoyed by his speeches. HE ALWAYS drags on saying too much information and losing the kids attention. Like dude get your shit together you make fun of retardation yet you fucking act like one when giving speeches to the kids. took forever that I almost didn't get to talk to them before finals. Bish. It's ok I forgive u. Although as for positive moments I think I've really grown to like Mr. Costco. He is a great boss way better than meldaughter. Idk at the beginning I disliked him during fall but I've realized that he truly loves the kids and everything they have to offer. He always wants to make the show better be better he loves his mom, he can hold his liquor unlike dummy boba lover. He is well known in the percussion community very sassy yet polite and is just great overall. Pretty thankful to have worked with him. Also S/o to LOL for grabbing me a drink and just actually talking to me during different moments. It was cool to get to know you better through this trip. You're cool. Most fun moment was cheering a toast with Vinceiesha at the hotel and chillin at bargos overall. Damn right I can hold my own I turn red but I'm still good. Although what wasn't fun was getting pimples from traveling and being Stupid shit sick!!! All I kept doing was coughing and feeling the mucus in my throat. Not fun at all!!! Idk I can't really think of anything else. I did go on a spontaneous DQ run for ice cream. Wasn't bad TBH. I just needed a getaway from all the shitters. Six days together IS pretty long. But yea overall this was my big summarization and rant on the season, cause probably and hopefully foresure I'm not coming back to teach or at least not for awhile. Idk honestly I still wonder why am I still here I feel as though they don't even need me. Ugh I shouldn't be thinking that but ugh idk sometimes it happens and I feel shitty. Whatever.