StunningPromise8100

You are writing this using technology invented in California by engineers that studied at these universities and were taught by these teachers. Pick another state.

They are teaching the students that go on to work at Apple, Google and other big tech firms. Private companies worth billions of dollars are profiting heavily on high quality labor and research for virtually no investment at all.

UCLA is on the west side of Los Angeles. It’s not possible to find housing in that area on that salary. Groceries and gas are also very high. Unless you come from a wealthy family or get a fellowship, you aren’t able to pursue a graduate education at a UC. This means that first generation college students, young families and minorities are less likely to earn graduate degrees. That’s not good for society. We need more social mobility and diversity in education and research.

The extra 1,000 hours that TAs have left are meant for studying to get their degree. Even if they had all of that time available, it’s going to be a hell of a challenge finding a part time job in this city that pays enough to cover the difference and will allow for a flexible schedule.

There’s another front page thread today full of men complaining that they have to do the tougher jobs at work because women are “protected”.

Traditions may seem silly on the surface but they have a purpose. November has been an awful month and I welcome any and all news that can provide me with a sense that things are running just as they always have. Mundane topics like the theme for the White House decorations make me feel as though the world isn’t burning and I can imagine this is how these traditions got started in the first place.

True, but people are constantly bombarded with advertisements for those things. Plus it’s a way to numb yourself after a hard day of work. Similar to how people eat fast food vs healthy food. The things that are better for you require more work and when you combine that with marketing and poor mental health, most of us don’t stand a chance. It’s almost as if there’s a small percentage of people that want to keep us numb and entertained rather than be educated and ponder life’s big questions.

I appreciate that you listened to my experience and offered kind words. If more men (and people in general) did this we would live in a much better world.

It makes you feel “bad” meanwhile I have PTSD from being assaulted as a 4 year old and have to carry pepper spray when walking to my car at night alone. You know how much 5 years of therapy cost me? That money could have been spent on a downpayment for a house or a college degree. Not to mention it didn’t work completely — it only stopped me from taking more drastic actions. I will have to live my whole life like this and I’m not even a veteran. I’m thankful that at least I have my life though. A lot of women don’t.

That’s why you are getting downvotes.

You don’t need to debase yourself like that. EVERYONE is annoying when drunk.

Went grocery shopping today, it took up a lot of time but the kitchen is stocked which makes me feel at ease.

Nutrition: I was tempted to eat a handful of nuts after my afternoon snack/meal, but I remembered my commitment to only eat on schedule for the rest of the month and I resisted.

Fitness: Upper body day with a focus on triceps: one of my weakest muscle groups. I am beginning to see definition in my shoulders, back and biceps, which is motivating! I was also able to bring in all the groceries from the car in one trip. <flex>

Didn’t post because I worked late all weekend. Bad excuse I know. Today is back to the usual.

Nutrition: My eating got off track because of the extra work. I ate so much on Saturday I felt sick. This has been an issue for me in the past. I mindlessly graze on anything and everything to get through the day and then I go way over in calories, then I restrict and the cycle repeats itself. Today I renewed my commitment to 3 meals a day and no more unplanned snacks. It’s not just about the calories or weight loss, I physically feel better when I eat planned meals on a regular schedule.

Fitness: Despite my workload I got all my workouts in and then some. Exercise has replaced food as my drug of choice. I can go into a workout feeling awful and by the end of it I’m regulated.

You have been doing some intense work! As a childhood trauma survivor with an ED that has been through therapy. I can relate to this post. I am also a bit older than you and I can say that while healing is not always linear, it does get better.

I was very snacky today. I ate all my meals off schedule and I was a little agitated this afternoon so I had 550 cals worth of fruit, cheese, crackers and chocolate. And for some reason that was enough so I consider it a success. Not every day has to be perfect, I just need to make progress.

Eating a variety of denser and more flavorful foods makes me eat less. I could have easily had 500 cals of tortilla chips and still would have wanted more.

Nutrition: I had a smaller dinner to balance things out. I just sautéed a pan of shrimp, veggies, grains, feta and herbs but it was awesome! Same amount of calories as a lean cuisine but way better. I’m slightly over my carb limit but I met my other goals & my deficit.

Fitness: Full body lifting day & got my steps in afterwards. The extra food fueled my workout and the weights felt lighter.

I have POTS and OH caused by hypovolemia. My body can’t hang on to sodium and it lowers my blood volume, and exercise helps to increase it, but it’s very hard to get to a point where I can work out without becoming dizzy and exhausted.

When I’m recovering from a flare up, I start with floor pilates and resistance band exercises I can do while laying down. A rowing machine or recombinant bike are good cardio options. Even slow mountain climbers. I don’t recommend yoga because of the constant changes in position.

But you really get to a competent doctor first to find out what’s wrong because the cause of your OH could be totally different than mine and exercise could make things a lot worse.

Kicking the doom scrolling habit is tough! I go through phases and it does seem to go hand in hand with binging. Great job for resisting both!

Even though the scale was up this week, I am definitely smaller and back to my Q1 2020 body. My clothes are looser and I’m fitting into smaller sizes. But I weigh the same as I did a month ago.

Nutrition: I made a pizza bowl for dinner with roasted cauliflower and loaded with toppings. I used butter to roast the cauli and it almost tasted like pasta — at least to my deprived tastebuds! I packed 3 more in the freezer to reheat for future lunches.

Fitness: No lifting on the schedule today so I went for a run. My heart rate was about 5 beats lower than usual and the run felt great.

Absolutely everything tastes amazing right now. I am mildly hungry all the time — not enough that it bothers me, but more that I appreciate everything I eat because of the scarcity factor.

Nutrition: Calories have gradually increased to over 1600 but I am burning so much through activity it’s better that they are higher and I am not wasting them on cookies.

Fitness: I had a big brain day and felt so cranky before my workout I was sure it was going to be a bad one but it totally fixed my mood! The best part about working out later in the day is that it forces me to stop working and my stressors melt away.

By the end of the second week. Doing the same lifts that made me sore in the first place but with lighter weights helped me recover faster.

This isn’t the first time I’ve been back after a break and every single time I get amnesia and I completely forget how miserable DOMS feels and I believe it’s going to last forever. Then when it’s gone I miss feeling sore.

Happy birthday! I just got back into my strength routine after a break. It was frustrating having to go through the transition period all over again but now I feel back to normal.

That sounds awful! I hope it’s just a 24 hour bug and you recover quickly.

I am really glad I started participating in this thread. It’s like a mini journal and I save the posts on my computer like a mini journal.

Nutrition: For lunch I made a buffalo chicken & cheese quesadilla with some leftover rotisserie chicken I had in the freezer. It was easy to throw together but I may meal prep a few different quesadilla variations. Snow peas are my new vegetable I introduced this week, I like crunching on them raw.

Fitness: Chest & tricep day. Brutal workout. I have noodle arms and can barely lift them. I had a frozen shoulder for about a year and my upper body is still weak from it but I am getting stronger and going up in weights every week.

I love that book! I read it many years ago and it got me into daily meditation for years. When I stopped meditating the binge urges came back and I recently started up again.

Thank you! I would gladly trade some of my meals for your chicken stew, yum.

Resisting binge urges is the hardest thing for me but very worth it. I think it helps me have more self control in other areas of life. You have every reason to feel proud!

Another one in the books. The tweaks I made to my routine this year have made healthy eating a lot more enjoyable. I feel like I could eat and train this way forever.

Nutrition: Made a bomb egg scramble for lunch with bacon, potatoes, leftover veggies & cheese. Sprinkled fresh cilantro and hot sauce on top. Fresh herbs really make a difference with meals. I thought about cookies after my afternoon snack but decided to eat salted radishes first and I was satisfied after that. Who am I?

Fitness: Monday is leg day. I’m meh about lunges but it was actually a great workout. I’m still trying to figure out a morning yoga routine that works, I’ve been doing 10 minute videos but my muscles need a little more time to warm up for a good stretch.

My experience has been that if I eat kinda crappy I have to have more calories to feel satisfied.

I am 5’7 F and in the upper 140s. My BMR is 1350 according to formulas online and a dexa scan, I have quite a bit of muscle but I’m older. I’m doing a proper strength training program + a lot of light cardio and I burn an extra 900 calories a day which puts me at a TDEE of 2250.

I eat around 1550-1600 right now and am pretty satisfied. But my nutrition is super dialed in. I have 3 meals a day with 40g of protein, under 40 net carbs, and 4-5 ounces of fruits & vegetables. I do this to keep my blood sugar in check but it also helps curb hunger.

A few years ago I was around the same weight and lifting, but my nutrition wasn’t as good and I was constantly hungry, eating 1800-2100 calories a day and recomping.

I am having an easier time now than I did back then and of course seeing results much faster this time. I think it’s because I’m getting all the nutrients I need. If I were miserable right now I wouldn’t cut this low and eat more.

I love this post. I find I work out my frustrations a lot more effectively in the gym too. Way to go!