Zahirah

Currently reading: The Amazons by Adrienne Mayor Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity by David Allen Come October, I am looking forward to the releases of The Autobiography of Jean-Luc Picard, and Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson.

I'm also in southwest Florida, though we got incredibly lucky this time around with Irma. I'm so sorry to hear about your current situation, I can definitely empathize after Charlie way back in the day. Especially with that hanging over you, it's hard to get back into the swing of things. You're absolutely right, small changes will sustain bigger ones. Being patient and compassionate with ourselves when life kicks us in the shins is hard, but it helps. Whenever you get up and going on here, I'd love to follow along.

It's all a process of figuring out what works and what doesn't, but it sounds like you've got the right idea. Just get yourself out the door doing something, then adjust and learn as you go. Kick ass!

Check out: The Angry Therapist https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Angry-Therapist/159106487485932 and SHFT http://blog.shft.us/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thisisyourtribe/ Following TAT (a licenced therapist and life coach) has been hugely instrumental in helping me on my own mental fitness journey. SHFT is a collective of life coaches that has changed my life. I also meditate regularly, see a therapist when I need to, journal, and try to build resilience and practice mindfulness through the research backed exercises at Greater Good in Action http://ggia.berkeley.edu/. I have a history of severe depression which has a tendency to rear it's head sometimes, so building resiliency has been incredibly helpful for me.

I have a bit of a similar problem, only I am 31 years old, lol. I live outside of my home country and eat very healthy, but whenever I return home my parents cook...and it's always the rice and pastas and desserts that kill me. My mom was a bit baffled at my change in diet and had a hard time adjusting to it as I hadn't seen her in almost a year and a half (my family lives in three different countries at any given point in time). I know that when I finally return back to the states next year and I am around my family more, I am going to have to make some changes to the way I approach food around them, and these are a few ideas I have come up with...hopefully they can help you out a bit too 1. Grocery shop, plan, and cook meals with my parents...this way I can make suggestions about things that might be more healthy and the subject will arise as something for us to naturally talk about. Also, parents like quality daughter time, so it kills two birds with one stone. Maybe ask your parents if you can be more involved in the process, or just take the initiative yourself one day and start inserting yourself into the process. 2. Cook for my parents. I think they'll appreciate this as a nice gesture too. Use a special occasion as an excuse if you have to- birthday, anniversary, etc. And when they ask why there's no rice, you can tell them (because empty carbs are eeeevil)! 3. Suggest a switch to whole grains. Brown rice instead of white (or even mixed to get started...baby steps!). Pasta substitutions like soba, shirataki, or zucchini noodles, etc. 4. Frame the way that you want to eat not as a diet, but as a lifestyle. I imagine it will be different from the traditional lifestyle your parents are used to, but they may appreciate an open dialogue in which you can potentially make some compromises and get creative. 5. Just be very open and honest with your parents. Tell them you don't want them to worry, but that this is a lifestyle change you want to make for the sake of your own health. Include them in the process by letting them know what you are doing and specifically why. Make them feel like their opinion and voice matters, and they may worry less. I hope this helps

I haven't had any physical symptoms like what you have described, but I do have just as difficult a time staying off the sugar and it ultimately is doing a huge number on my confidence...not because of the way that I look, but because I am disappointed in myself for not being more disciplined. I suppose that in itself makes me moody at times. Like @Evicious, I am trying to focus resorting to fruit whenever I get sugar cravings. Yes, they are still sugary, and yes, I eat a butt ton of fruit, but at least I am still putting something healthy in my body. I think once I can really solidify this as habit, I'll work on cutting down the amount of fruit I eat. I've realized cutting sugar out completely cold turkey isn't realistic, and is going to doom me to failure. So, I am taking baby steps.

I have been looking a little more into venues for publishing short stories, fantasy and sci-fi, and I was wondering if you had suggestions for magazines/anthologies. In the past I haven't read a lot of short stories but need to do more reading if I am going to work for writing for that audience, and wanted to see what you recommend. Thanks!

Windmills done with EC at the end of an intense lower body day. It was a bit like this one time I decided a shot of 151 after a long night of whiskey was the best idea ever, because, pride. FYI, worst idea ever. The power grip was a lot harder than I anticipated. No EC there.

Gah! That's what I don't have, lol. iphone? Shoot me a message- 08091395477 or leslie.wier@gmail.com

Fuck this week, fuck last week, and fuck everything about how busy I am. That is all.

Shizuoka is where Fuji is located! Shizuoka City is actually a really nice little city, would totes visit again if I had the time. August is the best time for me, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th weekends. Do you have Line? It's probably easier to communicate than here

I know a number of people who have made the trek and my Japanese is good enough to figure planning shit out ...possibly with some help... but I have the resources. I would love to do the sunrise hike as Zorch mentioned. I've been meaning to stop by a few places in Tokyo as well, the Ghibli museum being a bucket list item.

Due to some financial constraints because I am finally buckling down and sticking to my budget, I am going to have to reduce my weight training down to 3x/week. So, I am adding an extra HIIT session to make up for this day. 3x weights/3x HIIT per week. This week is the agility feat for the Rangers mini-quest, which means I'll be stretching 15 min. every morning also. Barely just got by with writing every day this past week. I was feeling super lazy on Sunday, so my mom suggested writing a haiku. This is a haiku. It was my mom's idea. I'm lazy. Thanks mom. Masterpiece. I had to think about it, so it fucking counts. Of course the whole budget thing means I am eating out less and eating less shit food, so there are benefits. With all bills, savings, and necessities taken care of except for a few weekly groceries like veggies, I have about $50 per week for the month. Challenge accepted.

Oh dude...protein bars as a movie treat...god what a great idea. This is happening at some point.

Upper body twice a week, lower body twice a week. Usually Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Friday.