#golden crunchy halo | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

thephantomofthe-internet · 4 years

Text

Candy Hearts and Paper Roses

Steve Harrington x Carol’s Sister!Reader, Tommy x Carol

Word Count: 7,251

Warnings: Pregnancy, Smoking, Body Shaming, Swearing, Marriage

Author’s Note: Did y’all know that Carol’s last name was Perkins? Or that Tommy’s was Hagan? I didn’t! I also thought Tommy was more of a Hanson. Well, whatever.

Tag List: @madkskillz @moonstruckbucky @hotstuffhargrove @scoopsahoyharrington @thechickvic @alex--awesome--22 @lilmissperfectlyimperfect @so-not-hotmess @hawkeyeharrington @sunflowercandie @kaliforniacoastalteens @songforhema @mickmoon @spidey-pal @buckybarneshairpullingkink @baebee35 @myrealloveissleep @allfandomxreader

You found out that Carol was pregnant before anyone else did. You found the test in her closet, in her black high heel. It was your own fault, she scolded when you confronted her with the test, you shouldn’t have been trying to steal her lavender turtleneck when she told you that you couldn’t borrow it.

Maybe she was right. Then again, you weren’t stupid enough to let Tommy Hagan knock you up less than a month after graduation. Tommy Hagan was beyond stupid. Carol wasn’t the brightest bulb in the box either, but you’d always assumed she wouldn’t let herself get caught up. Guess you were wrong.

Both your families freaked. A wedding was planned, a tiny diamond put on Carol’s finger, and her college fund spent on a tiny, run down shack of a double wide. She wasn’t going to college anyway. She wanted the baby, she could raise it on her own. Tommy wasn’t going either, not that he ever wanted to. The air force was the right place for him, that way he didn’t have to be there for the kid, just like his old man. A grotesquely nuclear army family. Maybe Carol would sell Avon, get her cosmetology degree once the kid was in school, cut hair at Marie’s shop. Maybe Tommy would excel at flying fighter planes, maybe he’d teach flying. Or move to commercial flight like his dad did. You hoped that they’d have an okay life.

You hoped even more that Carol wouldn’t pick ugly bridesmaid’s dresses.

Your mother insisted that Carol make you her maid of honour. “She’s your baby sister!” she cried from her seat on your family’s ugly floral couch. The two of them had been planning out a guest list and you made the mistake of walking past on the way to the kitchen.

“I promised Tina that she could be my maid of honour! She’s my best friend!” Carol whined. She was three months by then, her pregnancy just beginning to show.

“Tina will be happy just to be a bridesmaid. But your sister is family and we put family first. You’ll make your sister your maid of honour or you’ll have no bridesmaids at all.” Your mother warned, moving the paper doll representing you up to the bridal party. Carol had really spent too long on making her table diagram.

“Mom! That’s completely unfair, you can’t do that!” Carol cried, her red hair whooshing around her head.

“Carol, your father and I are paying for this wedding. If you want to do it your way, you’ll get a job and fork over the dough to pay for it yourself.” Your mother replied harshly. Carol shut her mouth after that, crossing her deer like arms over her chest.

It was settled. You’d be the maid of honour with Tina and Macy trailing behind you. Tommy would have his brother and Mason Pruitt in his party, with Steve Harrington acting as best man.

“Tommy’s brother isn’t his best man…” Carol muttered as your little group walked into the bridal shop in Hawkins, Nana’s Bridal. The weather was just beginning to turn cold, leafs turning brown and crunchy at your feet.

“And I can’t stop him. He’s not my son.” Your mother chuckled, examining the make of a white polyester nightmare on the sale rack. All of your shopping was to be done on the sale rack. Your parents weren’t putting much money into this wedding.

Carol insisted on shopping for hours, to the point where Tommy and his party waltz into the shop to meet the group for lunch and found Carol crying in a puffy, whipped cream looking dress with chintzy flowers blooming out of the neckline, held on by clear glass beads at their centre. Apparently Melanie Moore had just bought the same dress and she’d seen everything in the shop and nothing was perfect. Tommy just laughed at the scene, elbowing Steve and Mason in the ribs, whispering about how stupid she looked. You’d never seen a girl in a wedding dress hit their groom, but then again you’d never imagined your sister as a bride. Maybe the image would’ve been more expected if you ever thought she’d get married. Your mother broke up the scene, telling the Carol to go get changed so she didn’t ruin the dress. That she’d wear her old wedding dress if she didn’t want to pick one.

Carol chose the floral nightmare when Tommy wasn’t looking. Melanie wouldn’t be seen in it until after her anyway. The group went off to lunch without a word. Carol and Tommy went back to being lovey-dovey sweethearts. Tina rushed off to gossip with Macy. The parents huddled to regroup and cope with the scene. Suddenly, you were alone.

You turned to Harrington out of desperation. He looked about as exhausted as you were. “How’d suit shopping go?” you asked, drawing Steve’s attention immediately to you.

He chuckled, leaning down to whisper in your ear “Don’t tell your mom, but we didn’t go.” You looked up wide eyed. Steve smirked “Yeah, we all own black suits and white dress shirts from other things. We’ll get matching ties when we know what you’re wearing.” He nodded to Carol, who was gripping onto Tommy’s arm, pointing out a horrifying mustard yellow velour dress with matching bolero. You cringed, hoping she was making fun of the dress rather than genuinely choosing it as an option for her friends. You really hoped she wouldn’t put you in it as punishment.

“Pray for me, Harrington.” You replied with a wry smile, bouncing ahead to join your mother, hoping she’d slip you one of the unlabeled white pills she was taking, or at the very least an Advil.

Steve watched you go, your own hair moving with every step you took. The light caught the strands, haloing your crown in golden light.

Yeah, he was fucked.

Carol’s little sister wasn’t exactly someone he’d usually pay attention to. He’d known you since you were a little kid, with scraped knees and ripped tights. You were a wild little thing, always chasing after him and his friends, trying to impress the older kids in your paisley pilgrim dresses and shiny Mary-Jane’s. You were a little girl, then a stroppy preteen who didn’t want to hang out with her older sister but wanted to do the same things she did, then, out of nowhere, you had grown up. Standing tall, haloed in light, keeping up with every punch her older sister could throw at her, laughing all the way. You weren’t the little girl who cried when her teacher’s were mean or her sister abandoned her on the playground and you weren’t the middle school kid with dirty ripped jeans and a moody attitude. You’d grown into someone new. Someone who intrigued him. Someone he couldn’t stop staring at, even when Mason smacked him in the back of the neck and tried to engage him in football talk, Steve kept his gaze and focus on you and you wide grin. Shining in the sunlight, radiant and proud and beautiful.

He felt like such a creep. He was perving on his friend’s girlfriend’s younger sister.

But he couldn’t escape you. Every weekend, as the wedding date grew closer and Carol grew bigger and bigger, he saw you. The wedding was set for Valentine’s Day, another note of pure cheese for the nuptials.

You weren’t insanely focused on Harrington. You had too much damage to try to control. Your mother and Carol seemed hell bent on torturing you, although your mother seemed to be unaware of the pain she was inflicting on you. They wanted to deck out the hall in pure white and pastel pink, candy hearts on the table in glass bowls and a mix of real red roses and paper ones as centrepieces. The whole thing was going to look like a slightly more expensive version of the Valentine’s Day parties your homeroom classes had in elementary school. The bridesmaid’s dresses were the worst part.

You, Tina, and Macy were dragged back to Nana’s Bridal shop in town, with Carol and Tommy in tow. You were not impressed with Carol’s grabs. It turns out she really liked that awful mustard velour nightmare. Your mother had to hold her back, although her only reasoning was that it didn’t match the colours. They had to be pink or red to match the colours of the wedding. The boys had to have matching ties to the dress colour. It had to match. It was a Valentine’s Day wedding.

You vowed to yourself that you’d never be this cheesy.

Carol spent the appointment torturing you, putting you into the ugliest pink dresses she could find purely to laugh at you. Everything was awful and itchy and smelt like plastic. You wanted to crawl into a ball and die. While Macy and Tina wowed the crowd in the nicer, more refined dresses, you were the frumpy ugly duckling.

The last dress Tina tried on was the choice. Tea length salmon pink polyester with a high boat neckline and soft layered cap sleeves. The dress was plain and simple, no excess sequins or crystals. It was also on sale, which meant your mother jumped at the dress; telling Carol that she could put little fabric flowers on the waistband to match hers. She still pouted.

“Ma, that dress isn’t going to work. It’s going to look terrible on Y/N.” she snapped, pointing her stubby nail at you. You were still dressed in a similar pink dress, although this one had a white lace appliqué to cover your cleavage. You felt your face heat terribly, tears brimming in your eyes. Macy and Tina refused to look at you and Tommy had long ago went to use the phone at the front desk.

“Here, Tina go change and Y/N, go try the dress on.” Your mother instructed. Tina turned on her heel and headed back into the dressing room. You sighed, following behind the salesgirl as she returned you to your own poorly lit dressing room. The salmon dress came into your dressing room quickly and you slipped it on. You looked yourself over in the mirror, wiping the tears that had built up in your eyes as you looked yourself over. You thought you looked fine, but you knew in your heart that Carol was going to shoot you down no matter how good you looked in it. You took in a deep breath and stepped out of the dressing room, heading back out to see your family.

As if on cue, the bell over the front doors chimed and Steve Harrington’s chipper voice sounded by the entrance. Tommy and Steve joined the group. You looked down quickly smoothing your skirt.

“Now, you see Carol, she looks fine.” Your mother said “Y/N, turn around show us the whole picture.”

You rolled your eyes, but obeyed, turning slowly to let the material swirl around your ankles.

“Ma, she looks like one of those ballet dancing hippos from Fantasia. Y/N needs a wider skirt and more details to hide her-” This was what you expected from Carol. Her not so subtle jabs at you were poison dipped. Usually, you could handle her, but today it was too hard. Tears began to well up in your eyes again, which you quickly tried to hide, turning to look yourself over in the mirror as if you were looking over what Carol was saying.

“Wow, you look great Y/N.” Steve cut in with a grin. “The colour looks great with your hair.” Everyone turned to look at Steve, confused or surprised or annoyed. You turned to look at him as well, surprised. You didn’t expect a compliment from Steve, much less over your looks.

“I agree, Steven. Y/N looks wonderful. Carol, this is the dress. This is what we’re going with. We’re not getting two dresses. You like this one, we’ll do this one. We can add a flower to the waistband, they’ll be wearing jewellery.” Your mother added, standing up to squeeze your shoulders comfortingly. You smiled up at her as she sent you away to change. Dress shopping was over, thank god. You heard as you left your mother add “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all Carol. You’re too hard on her.”

“I’m just trying to be helpful, mom. I don’t want her to go out there and look like an idiot.” Carol retorted. You couldn’t see her face, but you felt the sneer digging into your back, her hatred never stronger than when she was told that she was in the wrong.

When you came back out, everyone was impatiently waiting for you, chatting absentmindedly. Your mother announced that the group would come back for a fitting in two months time, in January. Your mother wrapped her arm around your shoulders. She told the girls to find nice jewellery and matching shoes for their dresses and the boys to get their salmon ties and to remember their tie clips. Everyone was sent on their way from there, Carol and your mother leaving you in the dust.

You felt a firm tap on the shoulder. “You wanna go for a drive?” You met the eye of Steve Harrington and his lopsided grin. You chewed your lip, thinking for a moment, before nodding.

Steve and you drove in silence for awhile before stopping on the edge of town. The weather had gone cold and the wind had picked up in the wheat fields, blowing softly into a tan blur. You and Steve sat in the front seats, staring out the windshield in silence.

“So…what’s up with your sister? Is she always this much of bitch or is it the hormones?” Steve asked softly, cracking his window. You reached into your purse, pulling out a pack of cigarette and lighting one, offering the pack to Steve.

You puffed out a cloud of smoke, chuckling to yourself “She’s always been a mythic bitch…just usually not so much in public.” You said, offering Steve your lighter.

“Why does she do that? She used to bug Nance too I just don’t get it…” Steve asked, lighting his cigarette and bringing it to his lips, passing you back your lighter.

“That’s just girls, Harrington, if you’re not their friend and they notice you, you’re an enemy.” You replied, looking out the window at the empty field in front of you. “We can’t have any competition.”

“Why’d she think you were competition?” he asked, turning his attention to you, resting his arm on the gear shift.

“She’s always been the pretty one, and now she’s fat. She can’t handle it.” Pregnancy hadn’t brought Carol the glow everyone promised. Instead, it gave her acne and swollen feet and greasy hair. It didn’t even make her boobs bigger. She had just reverted into herself in middle school, except with a baby growing inside her.

“She hasn’t always been the pretty one…” Steve muttered. You turned to look at him, your brow furrowed in an intense stare. Steve simply shrugged in response.

“Well, she’s always thought that she was. And now she’s pregnant and having her dream wedding and it’s still not what she wants. I don’t know what she thinks is gonna happen once she’s married.” You smirked, turning to ash your cigarette out the window.

“Carol and Tommy have always gone back and forth, ever since the seventh grade. They’ll be fine.” Steve shrugged.

You frowned “I don’t know, I mean with a baby in the mix…they can’t just break up and make up easy anymore. There’s too much at stake now.” You replied.

“Yeah but they’ll make it work.” You raised your eyebrow at him, watching him carefully “Tommy’s gonna take it seriously. They both will.”

“I’ll believe it when I see it.” You crossed your arms over your chest, flicking the butt of your cigarette out the window. You both went silent for awhile, but something was eating at your mind.

“Why’d you step in today?” you asked.

“Huh?” Steve looked over at you again, more focused on the growing line of ash about to tip into his lap.

“With Carol, she was ripping me a new one and you stepped in. Why? It wasn’t your issue to deal with…” you clarified, picking at the skin around your nails.

“I mean…she was being mean and I didn’t want to listen to it.” He replied. You nodded to yourself. That answer made sense.

“I meant it, you know.” Steve added “You look really pretty.”

“Oh…” you breathed, looking down at your hands “Thanks, Steve…”

“No biggie.” He grinned. You really didn’t know what to do with yourself. He thought you were pretty. How were you supposed to react? He was Steve! Sure, you had a crush on him when you were a kid, but now? Now you barely felt like you knew him. And yet your heart was pounding in your chest. Maybe you just hadn’t gotten a good compliment in awhile.

Or maybe a part of you wanted his approval. You’d had a crush on him when you were young, he broke your heart without knowing it. Now, you were equals. Maybe that was it. Or maybe the crush never left.

Steve drove you home after that, letting Hall and Oates drift you back into your personal circle of hell. When you arrived in your driveway, you popped open your door and climbed out, leaning into his cracked window.

“Thanks for the ride, Harrington.” You said, adjusting you purse strap on your shoulder. You wondered if you looked like a hooker. You hoped not.

“No problem, thanks for coming out with me.” He replied, leaning his elbow on the inside of the door. “I’ll see you around?”

“I’m pretty sure I’ll have to.” You giggled, turn on your heel and running up the driveway. You pulled open the front door, stepping into the warmth of your house, rubbing your hands together to bring the feelings back into your fingers. Carol had the fireplace going in the living room, feet propped up on the tapestry covered stool as she flipped through a copy of Glamour magazine.

She looked up when she heard the door close and she frowned when her eyes met yours. You tried to just go upstairs, but Carol snapped her fingers at you. “Hey.” You turned to look at her, not stepping down from the stairs.

“Leave Harrington alone.” She snapped, slapping her magazine closed.

“Why does it matter to you who I hang out with?” you asked, crossing your arms over your chest.

“He doesn’t like you. He’s being nice. Don’t get it twisted in your sad little head that he’d like you.” Carol replied with a smirk.

You didn’t bother to reply, simply heading upstairs and slamming your door. Of course Carol had to ruin it. You have one nice thing, one uplifting moment in an otherwise awful day, and she had to take a crap on it. She couldn’t just let you have anything. That would be too easy for her. Carol couldn’t let you have anything, what else would she do with her free time.

You knew that Carol was just bored and trying to stir shit up, but a part of your mind wouldn’t let it go. Steve didn’t like you. He was just a nice guy. You refused to let yourself get caught up in any sorts of hyper inflated one-sided romance made up in your mind.

Luckily for you, most of the wedding prep from there on didn’t involve the whole group going. In fact most of it didn’t even involve you. Your mother took over planning, dragging Tommy and Carol to bakeries and to meet the pastor who’d do the service. Tommy wanted his drunken uncle to do the service, he was a boat captain and Tommy didn’t understand that a boat captain can only perform a wedding on a boat at sea and that he was in the middle of the country.

Your mother tasked you with the all important job of making flowers to pin onto the bridesmaid dresses. She gave you enough money to buy the supplies and sent you on your way with a beleaguered sigh, turning her attention to Carol who was whining over her bowl of Captain Crunch. Apparently, she was craving pickles and salt and vinegar chips and the house was out of both.

You took yourself down to Main Street. The date of the girl’s fitting was inching closer and closer and you were more than nervous to go back in to try on dresses. You knew Carol would be on your case if the dress fit even a little bit incorrectly. Even if it was too big, she’d be pissed at you for something. It had only been a couple months, and you were certain that you hadn’t gained or lost any weight since trying on and sizing the stupid nightmare. Who wanted to wear a dress in a colour named after a fish? Salmon was not an appetizing colour. It drew the mind to dead fish sliced up on a plate.

You pushed open the door of your favourite fabric store. In a small town full of old ladies, there was a huge market for sewing stores. Yours was Sylvia’s Sewing Supplies, its owner gave you discounts and slipped you new patterns whenever you came in. You relished in the warmth of the shop. Hawkins had frozen over in November and hadn’t even gotten close to thawing out. Your favourite cashier, Marie wasn’t in, so you slipped into the aisles to find what you needed. You needed a fabric that would stand out against the salmon pink of the dress, flat topped pins, and a bit of wire to give the fabric some body. You grabbed your pins and the crafting wire, before heading to the sale section for fabric. You’d need something lightweight and clean, with no distinctive or big pattern, and little stretch. You found a thin cotton material with bit of pink sparkle and bought a yard. You’d use some leftover magenta coat buttons for the flower’s centre.

You left the shop with a grin, plastic bag swinging in your hands as you headed back towards your family’s home. You were proud to have gotten all your supplies for under the budget your mother had given you.

You’d barely made it past Melvald’s when a familiar maroon car came swerving to a stop next to you, Steve Harrington leaning out the driver’s side window. “Hey! Perkins! Where ya headed?” he asked.

You waved at him, edging closer to his car. “Oh nowhere really, I thought I might go up to King’s Street.” You said, clutching your coat around yourself.

“Whatcha buying?” he pointed to your shopping bag.

“Wedding stuff, I’ve been given a job. Woo hoo…” you pulled a painfully fake grin, using your free hand to do a bit of a jazz hand.

Steve laughed, shaking his head “Well, come on get in.” he said.

“Oh no, that’s alright Steve, I don’t mind walking.” You replied. Carol’s words rang loudly in your ear.

“Perkins, its freezing. Get in the car before you turn blue.” Steve said, leaning over to pop the passenger’s side door open. You shook your head, jogging around the car to get in, if only to escape the cold and keep from someone taking off the door. Steve drove off quickly, crossing town a bit too fast for your liking. You directed him towards Tom’s Curio shop; a sort of thrift store meets pawn shop on the edge of town, closer to Kingsville than Carmel. You liked Tom’s; it was the closest thing to a thrift store you could get in town. It had been open since Hawkins was founded and Tom still stood behind the counter every day.

You dragged Steve along with you inside, instructing him to park close to the front door. “Alright, what’re we looking for?” Steve asked as he pushed open the heavy front door.

“We are looking for something shiny to pair with my bridesmaid dress.” You replied, waving politely to Tom, who was haggling with a customer at the desk. You weaved through the racks to the back case, filled mostly with costume jewellery. The good stuff was at the front, locked away and protected by Tom’s stern gaze and the shotgun he kept behind the counter.

“Ah, I need a tie clip anyway, wonder if they’ll have anything good…” he said, following behind you up to the well lit case. The case itself was filled with a variety of plastic beads in every colour, from fake pearls to giant rainbow baubles that your grandmother used to wear. There was some rhinestone on silver plated copper pieces, most of which had their copper showing or rhinestones missing. You weren’t insanely impressed.

“What about that one?” Steve pointed at a set of sort, pale pink plastic beads.

You cringed “If I have to wear grandma beads, I’ll freak out.” You replied, eyeing down the long case. Something caught your eye. A small silver chain with a little pink flower in its centre. “Hey Tom!” you called “Can I get a hand in the case?”

“Case’s open, it’s all junk in there anyway!” Tom called back. You slipped behind the desk and slid open the glass panel. You gently pulled out the necklace, examining it in natural lighting. The silver didn’t seem to be rubbed off or chipped and while the pink flower had clearly had it details rubbed off, you liked it more because of it.

“You want me to grab a tie clip? I see one that isn’t faded or ugly.” You said, eyeing a plain silver tie clip at the end of the counter.

“Sure, I should own one anyway.” Steve said. You grabbed the clip but your arm was just a bit too short, it slipped from your fingertips. You groaned, sidling over to where it fell. You reached for it and found two clips instead of one. First was the tie clip, but the other piece was more interesting. It wasn’t another tie clip but instead a hair pin. A straight clasped pin with blue stones and a singular stone shaped like a small flower bud at its centre. It clearly wasn’t something worth any money, but it was pretty and the details were intact.

You lifted yourself off the floor and closed the glass. You handed Steve his tie clip and dusted off your jeans, the knees now white with dust and dirt. The pair of you paid for your pieces and headed into the snowstorm that Hawkins had become. He drove you home slowly, excessively careful in the changed weather. But when he turned down your street, you stopped him.

“You can drop me off here.” You pointed about eight houses down from yours. Steve was driving at a snail’s pace and you were getting antsy.

“What? No way, Perkins. The weather’s shit and the sidewalks are icy. Those little sneakers aren’t gonna do you much good in this weather.” He chuckled, nodding at your dingy white Reebok sneakers. He wasn’t wrong, but he didn’t see the inherent problems Carol was going to cause.

“Carol’s going to cause a scene if she sees us together again.” You countered, grabbing your plastic bag off the ground.

“Why does she give so much of a shit about you and me?” Steve asked, parking in your driveway.

“I don’t know, pregnancy hormones are crazy, apparently.” You sighed, popping open the door. You were barely out in the snow for a moment when your mother came rushing out the door.

“Steven!” she called “Y/N, tell that boy that it’s not safe to drive home in this. He’ll stay for dinner.”

Fighting this request would not end well. You sighed, turning your attention back into the car “Steve, my mom is insisting you stay for dinner. It’s too bad for you to drive back home, wait it out inside.”

“It’s not that bad, I’ll be alright.” Steve replied with a shrug.

You rolled your eyes, smiling softly “It’s not a request, Harrington, come one.” You turned on your heel and your smile grew as you heard the ignition turn off and Steve’s door open and shut.

“Thank you, Mrs. Perkins.” Steve said as he passed your mother by.

“It’s no trouble at all, Steven, we’re happy to have you.” She replied, shutting the door behind the three of you. Carol was again sat in the living room with the fireplace going, gorging herself on salt and vinegar chips, laid out on the couch. When she saw Steve, she sat up as fast as she could, her stomach protruding much more at five months than it ever had before.

“Steve! What’re you doing here?” she beamed, adjusting herself in her mountain of pillows.

“Oh, I found your sister stuck in the storm, I drove her home.” Steve replied, pulling off his navy blue coat and kicking off his damp sneakers. Carol’s bright smile dropped into a frown as she eyed the pair of you. The silence was thick and tense enough to slice with a knife.

“Well…I’m going to work on the flowers. I bought some nice material, I’ll make a test one for you to look over, yeah?” you said, lifting the grey opaque bag as if to prove you went shopping. Carol nodded shortly and you ran off as fast as you, abandoning Steve to her clutches.

Working on the flowers proved to be much easier than you thought. You plugged in your small sewing machine at your desk, plugging the foot peddle into the machine. You pulled in your hot glue gun as well, plugging it in. Then, you drew out your petal shape. You decided to have a five petal flower and to make the shape similar to a heart, with a rounded cupid’s bow at the top of the petal and a bit of a point at the end. Then you cut your fabric into five even strips, folding the fabric over, and setting the excess aside. You used your fabric chalk to copy the image onto the fabric five times. You cut out your hearts and set them aside. Then, you used a pair of wire cutters to break off five pieces of similar lengths. You hot glued each piece of wire onto five of your ten hearts and loaded in your thread as they dried. You placed two hearts back to back and sewed around the edges and turned them inside out. Then you hot glued the other half of the heart to the wire. Repeat four times, the wind the wires together in a circle, hot glue the flower to the pin and glue the button to its centre. Bam. A flower. It looked alright too.

With a proud grin, you bounded down the stairs. Steve and Carol were sat in awkward silence, which you easily broke. “Alright, Carol this is the first one. What’d think of the fabric and design?” you handed her the pin “I tried to make the petals look like hearts, to sort of fit the theme-”

“They’re fine. They’re just to add something to the waistband. You don’t have to think so hard about it.” She cut in, handing you back the flower. In an instant, you were defeated by Carol.

“Alright then…” you muttered. You went to leave, but Steve’s voice caused you to stop in your tracks.

“Think I can give you a hand?” he asked, hopping to his feet.

“Oh…I’m alright, keep Carol company, I’m sure she enjoys it.” You said quickly.

“I’m fine, go ahead Steve, I’m sure Y/N can put you to some kind of work.” She drawled, watching you with a sneer.

You sighed, bounding up the steps. Steve followed close behind. You kicked open your door, pushing a pile of notebooks to the side as you let him into your room. “Alright, sit there and cut out petals. I’ll do the rest.” You pointed to your bed, then pulled out your own desk chair and flicked off the light above your needle.

“Alright,” he rubbed his palms together and looking over the pile. “What am I going here?”

You leaned over to him in your chair “Alright take your pattern, pick a place on the fabric,” you pointed to the white chalk “Draw the pattern out on the fabric, then cut it out.”

“Alright, I got this.” He said. You nodded turning back to your machine as a small pile of hearts began to grow. You made steady, silent progress, until Steve broke it.

“Why do you let her push you around like that?” Steve asked.

“What do you mean?” you replied, not looking up from your machine.

“You were clearly proud of the pin and she dismissed it. Why couldn’t she say it was nice?” Steve asked.

You chuckled “God, you’re such an only child…” you mutter, gluing your wire onto your first heart and sewing pieces together. “That’s how older sisters are. They all wanted to be only children and then some baby brat came along and stole all the attention. She’s disliked me from the day I was born.”

“And she can’t be nice for five minutes?” Steve countered with a matching chuckle.

“Like I said, blame the hormones. Usually, she’d just ignore me. Now, she needs me to make stupid little flowers for her wedding.” You replied, flipping out your first heart and gluing it shut.

The pair of you made five pins in about an hour, laughing and talking all the while. Steve was a nice guy. You had a lot in common, mostly in your annoyance with your peers. Steve was much more normal than you remembered, much more relaxed and easygoing than the hyper kid who ran circles around you and his friends on the playground. He was a bit of a grown man now. Maturity looked good on him.

Your mother fed the family and Steve was gone quickly, the snow settling fast. Just as quickly as Steve left your house, January passed you by. You spent the month in full wedding mode. You and your mother were high strung. It didn’t help that Carol was rounding seven months pregnant and a nightmare to be around. You spent your free time hiding in your room.

By the time the date came around, you were more than happy to be over everything wedding based. You didn’t care if Carol was marrying a man child and she was pregnant with the next spawn of Satan, you just wanted everything to be done. The dresses fit, the ties matched and were clipped, the wedding dress fitted to Carol’s massive stomach, the caterer’s had the food ready and the cake was iced and cooled. All that was left was to marry them off.

The morning of February 14th, 1987 was one of pure chaos. Tina and Macy had slept over with Carol, although you weren’t into to their bridal pampering. Carol was flashing around her bridal box, full of everything she needed. She was more than ready to be married. You all headed to Marie’s Beauty Parlour to have your hair done at eleven o’clock that morning, yours and Tommy’s mother giddy to be getting rid of their children. Your mother had bought the mustard velour nightmare for herself to wear. She had her hair curled in ringlets and pinned away from her face. You and the other bridesmaid’s were put into tight, poufy bouffant hairstyles. Carol’s being the highest and poufiest of them all. Then, you all waited around while Carol had her makeup professionally done. The rest of you would have to do your own makeup, which you were happy with when you saw the outcome of Carol’s.

The group dressed and did their makeup back at your house, trying to match each other’s makeup. Macy and Tina were deadlocked in attempts to outdo each other. You finished yours first, not worried about overpowering their makeup. You slid into you salmon dress and, at the nagging of your mother, pulled on a pair of pantyhose before putting on your matching wedding shoes. You pinned your little flower pin on your right side and clasped on your necklace, jabbing a pair of tiny silver hoops into your earlobes.

A scream from Carol pulled everyone’s attention to her. She was found crying on the floor in her white wedding lingerie, screaming up at your mother “Where is it?!?”

“What’s wrong, ma?” you asked, stepping through the small crowd and touching your mother’s shoulder.

“Great-grandma Petra’s wedding tiara!” Carol moaned. You looked to your mother with a confused expression. You’d never met your great grandmother. She died before you were born.

“I told you, honey, she was buried with it. I don’t have it.” Your mother said, pulling your sister off the floor “Your mascara is running, honey, you have to stop crying.”

“But now I don’t have anything old and blue!” she cried, letting her mother put her into the stool at her vanity.

“We’ll find you something, let me look through my jewellery box, I’m sure I can fine something-” your mother tried.

“I’m already borrowing your pearls, I can’t get any more luck from you.” She sobbed, her breathing getting ragged. She was going to hyperventilate if someone didn’t do something. You ran to your room, grabbing the blue hair pin off your desk. You had intended on wearing it in your own hair, but the bride needed to be appeased and the conversation needed to be over. You brought the pin into your mother’s room.

“Here,” you held out the pin to Carol “I bought it for myself, but you can wear it. It’s vintage, so it’s old, and it’s blue.” Carol took the pin cautiously, examining it with watery eyes.

Her whole face broke into a wide smile “It’s perfect, Y/N, thank you!” she held out her arms, pulled you into a tight hug. You let her hug you like she meant it. Maybe she did. You weren’t going to forgive her for everything because she was nice to you once. Giving her your pin was just what got you all to the wedding.

The ceremony started on time, which was a shock to you. Stood outside the church, Tina and Macy fussed over Carol veil, which was attempting to blow away in the icy wind. You heard the music start and, on cue, Mason and Kenny opened the doors, Steve and Tommy waiting at the altar. You gripped your roses tightly, making your brisk walk up to the altar. Steve was watching you far too intensely for your liking. You lowered your gaze and made your way to the front. He was too handsome to look at anyway.

The vows went fast, the ceremony was kept short. Everyone at the wedding knew it was a shotgun wedding before they even arrived and nobody really took it seriously. The applause was polite as Tommy and Carol headed to back down the aisle to their getaway car. Steve sidled up to you as you headed down the aisle out of the church.

“You wanna get out of here? We’ve got like an hour to kill for the happy couple to take photos.” He asked, grabbing the crook of your arm and looping his through it.

“Sure…” you muttered. You made it outside, trading your bouquet for your winter coat and following Steve over to his car. You drove out to his house, because it was closer than yours and neither of you wanted to join the festivities there anyway.

“You look…really beautiful, by the way.” He said as he pulled into his driveway.

“Thank you…” you replied shyly, not meeting his eyes “You look really handsome.”

“Thank you…” Steve smiled. He led you to the front of his house and let you into the empty, dark house. You’d never been to Steve’s house, much less without anyone there besides you two. You kicked off your heels, relishing the comfort of being flat on the ground again. Steve’s hands came to your waist and spun you to him carefully.

“Steve, what’re you doing?” you whispered. Something about the scene made you feel like you were sneaking around. Maybe you were. Somewhere in your mind Carol was still watching, hinting, assuming the worst of you. She already thought you were a slut for even hanging out with Steve.

“Well…I was going to kiss the prettiest bridesmaid…” he grinned, leaning down to you.

You pulled back “Why?” you asked, placing your hands on his chest to push him away.

Steve’s hands fell away. He looked at you closely, and then let out a sigh. “Because…I’m crazy about you, Y/N, I can’t stop thinking about you. I thought, well I figured, you felt the same but if I’m wrong I mean tell me now-”

“No! I mean I don’t know…Carol already thinks I’m a slut I don’t want to add to it, I mean if she found out about this…” you replied quickly.

“Y/N,” Steve reached for your arm, pulling you a bit closer. “Can’t you see that she’s just jealous of you? You don’t have to plan your life around her.”

You looked at him sceptically. He didn’t know Carol the way you did. He didn’t live with her. “Steve, it’s never been that simple. You can’t just say that she’s jealous or crazy and move on.” You scoffed.

“Y/N, what are you afraid of?” Steve grabbed your hand.

“I…I’m afraid that…she’s right. That I’ll never be as good as her or as liked as her. I’m afraid that you only like me because of her. That you’ll move on the second you get bored or that this is some elaborate game you and your friends are playing. Like when we were kids and you would play those awful pranks on me.” You explained, looking away from Steve. You felt ashamed of your emotions, of feeling small and useless, like the child you were so certain you’d grown out of being.

Steve swallowed, stepping back again, looking you over with a worried expression. “You are…so different from your sister. And that’s the best thing about you. Carol is Carol, but you? You’re indescribable. You’re so amazing, it kills me. And I would never treat you like the way we used to. We were kids, and I’m so sorry we hurt you. But I would never treat you like that again.”

You inched closer, watching his expression curiously. He looked almost hurt by your words. You didn’t regret them though; you needed to say them to be understood.

“I know that, Steve, I just” you let out a heavy, thick sigh “I’ve always been scared of everything, you included.”

Steve’s face broke into a small smile “You don’t ever have to be afraid of me.” He murmured, his hands coming carefully to your cheeks, running his knuckles up and down your cheek. His lips came gently down to yours. This time, you didn’t pull away. You didn’t want to. Fuck Carol, fuck her stupid ideas on who you were and her damn ugly wedding to a massive idiot. You were allowed your happiness. You were allowed to have Steve. And he’s exactly what you want.

217 notes · View notes

nezumionice · 4 years

Text

a quick force bond snippet that i ended up cutting from the next tsarito chapter,,, i wrote this during a 2 hour free period during school while trying to get rid of my writers block so i guess that's why it's a little trashy (in context)

She remembers the first time the bond had connected them while he was off-world, he’d proposed it and she never even noticed.

“Where are you?” she’d asked curiously, squinting at the sunlit glint bouncing off his hair, casting a golden halo around his head even though it’s night time where she was.

She stood in the middle of a field of grass, shrouded in natural darkness, but Ben’s figure shone brighter than the moon and stars combined.

“None of your concern,” he replied but with good humour. “Feels enlightening to steal your line for once.”

She grinned and reached up to tousle his dark locks. Because she couldn’t help it. Because she never can. Because they’d been on a basis where they could ruffle each other’s hair or pinch each other’s arm whenever they wanted. (Where they could be happy together.)

“Scared I’ll come find you?” she teased.

Ben delicately plucked her fingers from his hair, smoothing one gloved thumb over the back of her palm. “You don’t scare me.”

“Pity.” She faked a pout, so badly that Ben choked on his effort to suppress a laugh.

“You’re ridiculous,” he scoffed, but his split-second smile was real. It seemed to make him glow even brighter. “I wish you would, though.”

“What, scare you?”

“No,” he said. “Find me.”

It sounded terribly like a request, and immediately her thoughts fled to Snoke’s flaming throne room. She withdrew her hand from his. “Ben, we talked about this.”

“I know, I know,” He was quick to reassure her. “I meant- I’m not…”

He took a breath.

“I’m alone. The First Order isn’t with me.”

Rey raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. “What’re you up to, Supreme Leader? Defection?”

“Oh, you wish,” Ben said defensively. “Supreme Leader needs some fresh air every once in a while.”

“Fresh air?” Rey smirked. “I find that hard to believe.”

Ben held out his hand. “Come here. I’ll show you.”

He guided her a small distance away, and then reached up to an object placed somewhere overhead. He plucks it, literally, out of thin air, and places it lightly in her palm.

It’s a strange green fruit she’d never seen before. Not that she’d seen that many fruits; only the ones on Takodana. She held it closer, observing it with wide eyes under the light that Ben was emanating, reflected from wherever he is.

“You can taste it,” said Ben. “It’s fresh.”

“Oh,” Rey frowned. “Do I just…”

“Bite it, yeah.”

She blushed furiously at her own inexperience, for so simple a thing as eating fruit, but nevertheless she did as he said.

The result was glorious. The inside of the fruit was both crunchy and juicy at the same time, its juice tangy and sweet on her tongue. She closed her eyes in the pure ecstasy of it.

“Gods,” she groaned, through a full mouth. “I would kill for a tree of these.”

She blinked her eyes back open to catch Ben watching her - no, watching her mouth – like he wanted to drown in the moment forever.

“Maybe,” he murmured, his face sporting a yearning, far-off expression despite being so close to her. “One day, I could bring you here.”

Rey sighed. “As a prisoner? As an Empress? I don’t think so.”

Ben’s eyes snapped up to meet hers, and suddenly she was the one drowning in his warm brown eyes.

“No,” he said simply. “Just as you.”

He’d vanished before she could comprehend what he was implying.

#that was a terrible place to end #it feels weird and unnatural #well im not using it in the story anyway #do with it what you will #tsarito #the skywalker actually rises in this one #star wars fanfiction #tros fix it #fix it fics #the rise of skywalker #reylo #rey #kylo ren #ben solo

10 notes · View notes

madeleinegettingfit · 5 years

Text

Hey there, So after the disappointing cinnamon buns, I wanted to try a different kind of keto dessert and I present to you a keto skillet cookie with peanut butter and chocolate chips. I used my oven safe non stick pan for this recipe, but you could also use a cast iron skillet.

Add 4 tbsp butter and 1/2 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy) into a microwave safe bowl and microwave long enough to mix them together thoroughly (about 30 seconds)

Once mixed together, add to the bowl:

3/4 cup erythritol

1 1/2 cups almond flour

2 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp xantham gum

Mix until fully combined, then add sugar free chocolate chips and fold into the dough. I used about 1/2 a cup, but use what you like.

Press dough into oven safe skillet and cook for 20 minutes at 350°, or until the edges are golden and the inside is cooked through.

Let cool before cutting and then serve with your favorite sugar free ice cream. I added halo top chocolate chip cookie dough, so delicious!!!

#keto #recipe #ketosis #food #recipes #keto recipe #keto safe #keto food #keto recipes #ketogenic #keto meal

42 notes · View notes

writersshippingcorner · 3 years

Text

Jyth - Mourning

[Word Count: 1,957 Pairing: Jesse x Myth (romantic) Warnings: Some angst and comfort.]

Waves lapped at the shore. Fish burbled and swam along the river’s bank, drifting from one side to the other in peace. Tree leaves swayed ever-so-gently, offering a natural symphony to the gentle bubble of the river. Myth was staring at her phone, eyes glued to the last photo she had ever taken with her family. It had been so many months... At least they were smiling.- Her brother had finally gotten his server up and running, her sister was actually advancing in her photography degree, her father hadn’t been sick in ages, and her mother was without stress.

They had all been there to laugh with her outside the house, having each been drenched. Plastic littered the pavement to their home in spots, surrounded by a blast of water from the contents they had held. Everyone was in their swimsuits... Everyone was smiling... Even her.

And then this had all happened. She knew that, as any sane adult, she had to go out on her own at some point- but like this?... She could still hear the words of the Admin- Fred-, echoing inside her mind. She couldn’t blame God, couldn’t blame Romeo, couldn’t blame anyone but herself.

That fact alone had her slumping down to her knees. The image of her smiling family was nearly a poison, slowly wearing away at her sanity as the seconds ticked by.

“...once you do this, you will be the Codebase, and going back to whatever world Xara took you from....” A block formed in her throat- thankfully not a literal one. It was more like when one swallows a big chunk of something, and it begins to block off their airpipe. Myth choked for a moment, feeling a silver tear fall from her face. She didn’t want to become an adult so fast- to become what she knew everyone in her old world became eventually.

The sun was nearly mocking with its quiet heat, helping to keep her from freezing over. It was near-madness, this place.- But there were a few redeeming qualities... She reached out, letting her fingertips brush the top of the river’s surface. The ripple effect was minute, fading ever-so-quickly from knowledge within the current when her hand was pulled back. The phone was pulled closer to her.

Myth moved it to the YouTube app, grateful that she still (somehow) had WiFi in this strange world of blocks and humans.... She hit a song in her recent history, skipping by the ad and letting the tune wash over the whispering world. Myth rested, eyes drifting along the flowing water current. Everything seemed to fall away in that moment, leaving her with... A strange peace.

It wasn’t the kind of ‘happy peace’, but it wasn’t necessarily a sad peace either... It was just... Peace. For a time, she just... Sat there... Long after the song had faded out, just letting the world’s own music drift over her. She was here. There was no going back..

“Myth?- It’s gonna be dark soon, what’re you doin’ out here?” That voice was familiar- a very, very familiar one. It was a hint scratchy, but filled with a boyish need for adventure that she had grown to adore over the past several months. Myth breathed out slowly, reaching one hand over to grab her phone. Indeed, her shadow had elongated, going over the stream and eradicating her reflection.

“.... I was lost in thought. Sorry, Jesse.” Myth pocketed her phone, standing up to turn and face the other. Jesse was a decent tan-peach, where Myth was more a pale tone. His glimmering emerald eyes looked into her own hazel gaze, trying to find the deeper meaning. His mouth was pressed into a faint frown, before he nodded. He took a step closer, the scent of the mines echoing off his white button-up shirt and red straps. In the shadows, his golden buttons nearly seemed like dull coins. Sunlight reflected off the top of his head, causing an almost-brown halo of a lens-flare. This world certainly had its strange occurrences, Myth gave it that.

He was a bit filthy, with dirt stretching up and down his clothing and skin. The male- much like most in this world- was decently athletic, thankfully not to the horrific point of ‘heroes’ in her old world. It was more... Real, somehow.- That nearly made her giggle, but the will to smile just... Wasn’t there. A particular smudge of coal rested just above one of his eyes, but he didn’t seem to notice. Myth stepped closer.

“What is it?- Did I forget to do the top button again?” Myth shook her head. She slowly moved a hand forth and up- Jesse was a solid foot or so taller than her- and wiped at the smudge. Some of it came away, but a bit of it smeared. She smiled, but... It nearly felt hollow. Not quite real. It was a lie, and that thought alone had her dropping it milliseconds after it was raised.

“... I wanted to get some of the dirt off.” Her words were but a mutter. She had no right to speak as she did, she knew that- but the energy to be more positive just wasn’t there. Jesse’s hand reached out, resting on her shoulder while a small grin appeared on his face. Myth wanted to call it adorable or cute, but she didn’t desire causing Jesse embarrassment... Not at the moment, at least.

“Thanks, Mythie.” Jesse’s hand slid down her arm, pausing when it was resting in her hand. “... Wanna walk back to Beacontown with me?” The two were still looking at each other. That accursed grin... Myth knew that if she looked too long, her face would heat up. She inhaled slowly.

“.... Sure.” Jesse’s grin widened a little bit. “... That grin is gonna be the death of me, block-boy...” Myth shook her head while Jesse moved to begin the walk back to Beacontown. Their shoes quickly landed on a crunchy path, moving sharp rocks the size of pinpricks underneath them. They weren’t too terribly deep in the woods, but it was in a thick section, with oak and birch trees stretching up around them, save for one path that they could follow out- shrouded now in shadow.

“I would hope not.” Jesse did not look back, but she could nearly hear the mirth in his voice, bubbling up from within like a smile she couldn’t see. A thought crossed Myth’s mind.

“... Do you mind if I put on some music?...”

“Of course not.” Myth used her free hand to reach into her pocket. She pulled up YouTube, hitting the first song playlist that came up. The song echoed through the woods, faint but kind. The two walked in silence through the shadows, every now and again illuminated by the sun as it punctured through the leaf cover.

It was funny how the world’s physics were all at once Minecraft and not.- Sunlight could go through leaves and reflect off things, the ‘Minecraftians’ looked like humans... And yet, everything else was blocky (save their tools, thank heavens). They all had ‘inventories’, which had been... The stranger part of Myth’s first adventure in the world.

She had to be honest to Jesse about what she was doing.- The idea hit her smack between the eyes, barely giving her a second of thought to process. Of course, she wanted to tell him- but how was she supposed to tell him that she was mourning her family? She had picked this world, this life- of course, at the time, it had been heat-of-the-moment, but... Sometimes...

“.... I was thinking about my family.” There was a beat of silence. “.... I just... Miss them, sometimes...- I know, I picked to stay here, to help- but....” Myth paused. She’d already said too much. Jesse’s hand slipped from her’s. She slowed to a stop. Her hands retracted back to herself. Jesse stopped an extra step or so ahead. “.... I mean, I know, if I didn’t- but my parents... My siblings- everything I was ever-... Ever working toward...” Myth lowered her sight to the ground. “... I gave it all up.... I gave it all up, and sometimes... I just... Can’t be happy.- Because I just get so sad- so scared and alone and afraid- and I think ‘what if I shouldn’t be here’, ‘what if I made the wrong choice’, ‘would everyone hate me if they knew’...”

She sniffed. Great. Sniffling. That object was back in her throat, now daring to choke her words before she could finish. Myth ran a hand under her nose.

“... I don’t want to mourn for them in public... Because I think everyone would just get mad..- And while I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I went home, I know I wouldn’t’ve, but- I just- it’s- compli-cated...!” Myth closed her eyes. Salty liquid dripped down. She could nearly imagine it hitting the gravel path beneath her shoes. There was someone walking.- A crunch of the ground. She knew it was getting closer- even with her slowly-failing hearing, she could tell.

Myth was expecting a quiet ‘no’, or maybe just silence before the other turned and walked away. Her head was ducked, the admission she’d just offered feeling like a thousand pounds in her heart. Jesse probably hated her now, didn’t he?- They were supposed to be Minecraftia’s heroes, and here she was, mourning a decision made to save them all.

Arms wrapped around her- gentle and slow. She hiccuped.

“.... It’s alright to mourn, Myth...” Jesse’s voice was soft. The music was still going on around them, filtering into the air. “... It wasn’t an easy choice to make...” A head rested on her own, nestling itself into her hair. She could feel warm breath, and a chest pressed against her. A heartbeat... Slow, soft. “... It’s alright to be sad...”

“.... Y-you... Don-n’t ha-te....?” Myth hated that her voice warbled so. It was a sign of weakness in her mind, a toxic representation of a softer side she didn’t let the world see. Jesse kissed the top of her head.

“.... I could never, Myth...” She raised her head, opening her eyes. Her eyesight was blurry, hindered by her own sorrow. Not that it would do her much good, staring into the white of Jesse’s shirt. “... We’ve been through the Nether and beyond, together..” His arms began to unwrap, the gentle heartbeat she’d been hearing fading away as Jesse let her go. “.... Mourning is a part of life... Everyone’s so grateful for the sacrifice you made... I’m sure they would understand.”

Myth nodded her head faintly. The tears were tracking down her face, and she sniffled yet again. Heaven, she probably looked like an awful mess.

“.... Th-han-nks, Jes-se...” Ah, still stuttering. She pulled in a half-breath, even that fractured by the emotion that was pulling her in two. “... S-sorr-ry, I- prob-bably look t-terrib-ble right now...” Jesse chuckled.

“No, you look gorgeous.” His hand was back in her own. “... Let’s get back to Beacontown... And then we can both clean up.... Deal?” Myth, for the first time in probably a few hours, found a small, genuine smile crossing her face. She wiped at her tears with her arm, before offering a breathy, hesitant laugh.

“.... Y-yeah.” They began walking once more, but this time... Just a hint closer than before.

She knew she would never reset her choice, even if it meant her world was essentially dead to her... But it was nice... To know she had a shoulder to cry on, when it got hard to think about.

“.... Cookies for dinner?”

“...... Y-you kn-now me too well-l...”

#[like me better when I'm with you: jyth]#angst and comfort #jesse x myth #oneshot #jesse x oc #mcsm oneshot

1 note · View note

ouraidengray4 · 4 years

Text

A Million (OK, About 60) Words for Sugar

Design by Dana Davenport

It’s been a rough decade for sugar. The sweet stuff has a dark side, as emerging research suggests it may play a role in weight gain, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and liver disease.

While it’s not all bad, most people are eating waaaay too much. The typical American eats 17 teaspoons of added sugar every day. That adds up to… wait for it… 57 pounds of added sugar per year!

That’s about 1/3 cup per day, in case you’d prefer to just scoop it out of the bag and eat it by the spoonful, Mary Poppins-style.

And while research suggests that sugar consumption has been decreasing across the board, cutting added sugar can be really difficult because it has about a billion ingredient label aliases that allow it to slide by undetected.

Here’s a guide to what exactly added sugar is, the many names for added sugar, and some easy ways to cut your added sugar intake.

Sugar 101

Let’s go to sugar school real quick. Carbohydrates are made of long chains of individual sugar molecules. (Yup, even the carbs in foods that don’t taste sweet, like potatoes, pasta, and rice.)

Here are the key players:

Glucose. This is the sugar your body burns for energy. Your body can also convert the other types of sugar to glucose.

Fructose. Fructose is found in fruits and vegetables (alongside glucose), and it’s actually metabolized in your liver, much like alcohol. Research suggests large amounts of fructose (like those found in processed foods and soda) may contribute to a condition called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Yikes.

Galactose. Galactose is the sugar molecule found in dairy products like milk and yogurt (along with some glucose).

For a fun science experiment, bite into a saltine and let it sit on your tongue without chewing or swallowing. After a minute or so, you’ll start to notice a sweet taste. This is because your saliva contains an enzyme that whacks individual sugars off each end of the carb chains that make up the cracker. The More You Know!

So, what’s added sugar?

Glucose, fructose, and galactose are all naturally occurring — mostly in grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds, and dairy products.

But added sugars are the ones that are added to foods or drinks during or after processing.

That would include the sugar that’s added to things like cake, candy, ice cream, soda, and so on. It would also include the sugar you put in your oatmeal, tea, or coffee; the syrup you drizzle on your pancakes; and the chocolate syrup you occasionally squeeze from the bottle directly into your mouth.

While naturally occurring sugars have been part of the human diet for… well, forever, really, added sugars are a fairly recent development — especially in the huge quantities we have access to today.

Research suggests there’s a connection between added sugars and obesity, and they’ve been linked to increasing rates of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, and even depression.

IDing added sugar

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, added sugar should make up less than 10 percent of your daily calorie intake. The World Health Organization (WHO) has even more stringent recommendations, urging that it’s best to limit added sugars to less than 5 percent of your daily calorie intake.

Luckily, food manufacturers now are required to disclose the added sugar content of foods on the nutrition label, which makes it a bit easier to identify sources of added sugar in your diet.

This is a GREAT thing, because there are more than 50 names for sugar that can show up on ingredient labels, making it really difficult to ID added sugar without the assist from the nutrition label.

The many, many names of added sugar

Most common added sugars

Here are some of the most common sugars you’ll run across:

Sucrose. Sucrose, which may also be called table sugar or granulated sugar on food labels, is 50 percent glucose and 50 percent fructose. This is the stuff you buy at the grocery store.

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS). HCFS has taken a lot of heat lately, and many companies are moving away from using it. It used to be extremely common in processed foods and sodas, but its higher fructose content (hence the name) — about 55 percent — makes it potentially more taxing on the liver than plain ol’ sugar.

Agave nectar. If you consider yourself remotely crunchy, then you’re probably familiar with agave nectar. Like honey, it wears a major health halo. But since it’s about 85 percent fructose, it’s probably not much healthier than other types of sugar — especially if you’re consuming it in large quantities.

Fruit juice. Fruit juice is a natural sweetener, but it’s still considered an added sugar. It’s really common in “healthier” products for kids, like gummy fruit snacks.

Honey. Honey is another natural sweetener that contains glucose and fructose. Although it definitely has some health benefits, it’s still considered an added sugar. Consuming large amounts of honey will have similar effects to table sugar on your body.

Other added sugars

But that’s not all, folks! There are more than 50 (no exaggeration) more words for sugar that you may find on ingredient labels. Here’s a whole mess of ’em:

Barbados sugar

barley malt

barley malt syrup

beet sugar

brown sugar

brown rice syrup

buttered syrup

cane crystals

cane juice

cane sugar

caramel

carob syrup

castor sugar

coconut palm sugar

coconut sugar

corn sweetener

corn syrup

crystalline fructose

date sugar

dehydrated cane juice

demerara sugar

dextrin

dextrose

evaporated cane juice

free-flowing brown sugar

fructose

fruit juice concentrate

glucose

glucose solids

golden sugar

grape sugar

honey

icing sugar

invert sugar

lactose

malt sugar

malt syrup

maltodextrin

maltol

maltose

mannose

maple syrup

molasses

muscovado

palm sugar

panela

powdered sugar

raw sugar

refiner’s syrup

rice syrup

saccharose

sorghum syrup

sweet sorghum

syrup

treacle

trehalose

turbinado sugar

yellow sugar

Easy ways to slash your added sugar intake

Limit the main culprits. The most common sources of added sugar for Americans are sugar-sweetened drinks, candy and pastries, and ice cream. You may also want to switch to unsweetened ketchup and sugar-free spaghetti sauce, as these products are often weirdly loaded with the sweet stuff.

Use alternative sweeteners. There are plenty of great alternative sweeteners on the market. We’re fond of stevia, monk fruit, and erythritol. (It’s not all rainbows and unicorns, though: Studies suggest some alternative sweeteners may negatively affect gut bacteria and increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. But more research is needed.)

Retrain your taste buds. If you’re used to having honey in your tea or sweetened cream in your coffee, there’s no need to ax it right off the bat. Just start using a little less and continue decreasing it over time. Within a few weeks, you’ll be used to a less sweet taste.

And remember, you don’t have to completely remove added sugar from your diet. That would be pretty tough, actually. Just make it a point to minimize your added sugar intake. ’Cause you know what? You’re sweet enough already.

tl;dr

Many foods naturally contain sugar (think fruits and veggies, grains, and milk), but added sugars are those that are added to foods during or after processing (think cake, candy, soda, and the sugar in your coffee or tea).

Added sugars have been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, fatty liver disease, and a bunch of other health conditions.

For optimal health, the WHO (not the classic rock band, the other one) recommends limiting added sugars to less than 5 percent of your daily calorie intake.

Nutrition labels are now required to list added sugars, which is helpful because sugar has more than 50 different names that you might find on ingredient lists.

To limit your added sugars, you can check those food labels; decrease your intake of soda, candy, and processed snacks; use alt sweeteners like stevia; and retrain your taste buds to prefer less-sweet foods.

from Greatist Health RSS Feed https://ift.tt/3kxI65S A Million (OK, About 60) Words for Sugar Greatist Health RSS Feed from HEALTH BUZZ https://ift.tt/3dZoqW0

#Greatist Health RSS Feed

0 notes

abiteofnat · 7 years

Photo

CINDY’S WOOFTOP WAS A HIT...

Cause you can’t help going up there without emitting a “WOOF!” from the views, the foods, the tunes, and the unbelievably hip-yet-understated atmosphere. Atop The Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, a “Venetian Gothic” building from the 1890s (So old! So Cool! Read more about it here), sits Cindy’s Rooftop- better known as the holy ground of fancy drinks & after-work shenanigans. This is not where you bring Aunt Sally from South Dakota when she comes to Chicago to see the Big City; this is where you bring your insanely fashionable and cool mom for her, uh, 45th birthday dinner and where your dad may walk in and find you sitting at the Hamptons-lake-house-chic wooden tables drinking a glass of fine Villa Maria Riesling because everyone is 25 minutes late and you CANNOT sit in Cindy’s without a glass in your hand.

Fun fact: I drank that same wine three weeks ago when I walked out of my last DePaul University undergrad class e v e r and my wine-loving, wild-eyed best friend Sophia essentially made us gallop to Cindy’s for a $14 drink to celebrate a couple hundred thousand dollars worth of tuition DONE! We stood on the balcony that overlooks the entirety of Chicago’s best parts, from Millennium Park to where the museums all sit along the water and a million boats & buildings in-between, and suddenly as we sipped wine and discussed our favorite university memories fireworks began shooting off the end of Navy Pier and created a beautiful display of glittering light in the sky. Is that not the city- which was my campus, as DePaul loves to say- sending me off into adulthood with the best goodbye??

Anyway, back to Mum’s celebration and discussion of libations. Once the party had arrived we settled into our favorite family activities: discussing the surroundings, the people, and of course the menu! Cindy’s offers an interesting mix between “vintage, beach-town chic” and “Anthropologie home section” so it’s a lot of soft tan & striped pillows, pebbled plates in soothing seaside colors, and then a lot of exposed wood and rope detail. But in a building from a very elegant time, so it’s done tastefully and for socialites that would have enjoyed it just as much in their whalebone corsets and hairpins as they did in ASOS rompers and wedges. The menu- ugh, this menu was made with my family in mind. Since we all stay pretty pescatarian (outside of chicken that the rest of them eat), we struggle to find places with plenty of options to share and taste amongst each other without it all being “salad.” Cindy’s got us covered though. After watching it go by a thousand times, the Bucatini Carbonara was mandatory. Imagine the most beautiful bowl of thick, spaghetti-like noodles cooked al-dente and tossed in crème fraîche & pecorino romano with peas stirred in; the texture was unreal. The sauce was thick but not too rich, the peas were the perfect punch of sweet and refreshing against the drama of the ground pepper, and the cheese on top must be straight outta Italy’s best cheese place because holy fuck. I could have just eaten that with a fork and been down ditty down down down.

We also got the Burrata- pictured- that came with a halo of “heirloom cucumber, seasonal citrus fruit, winter chicories, spiced pecans, citrus vinaigrette” (courtesy of their menu which worded it perfectly) and came with a grilled ciabatta that tasted like how bread should taste. The bread slathered with some salty, succulent burrata and then toped with a cucumber, greens, and a sour as heck grapefruit slice was one of the most delicious things I’ve ever bit into. The Crunchy Lettuces that were also part of our appetizer played into this; served in a thick peppercorn dressing and almost like a heavy plate of grub itself, the shaved carrots and roughage served as a great compliment to the light and very dessert-y feel of the burrata. This dish was the one my mom was most apprehensive of as it arrived due to hOW dressed with dressing it was, but then she ended up being the one using the excess to garnish EVERY OTHER PART OF THE MEAL. It was that good! We finished out the meal with some salmon fillets served on kale and cooked up just as salmon should be: smoky, cooked well, and flaking onto the fork easy breezy. I love love love how simple a good piece of salmon is; the buttery, crunchy exterior and a soft, flavorful inside reminds me why more people are vegetarian. Meat IS good! But that lil piece of salmon is just as far as I’ll go on these fancy splurge days. Sorry Salmon Sam :(

All in all, we were absolutely shocked by how incredible the level of food was. With views like Cindy’s offers, and the fact it’s in the heart of downtown along where a million offices are and where high class travelers staying in the dozens of local hotels can wander out for a night of wine and flirtation with coworkers, it’s a gold mine. They don’t actually need to be creating such well-done and carefully curated food, but they do, and it’s really amazing to know that some places just CARE about the dining experience of the customers. I get worried in big cities where people will go out to dinner even if the sky is falling- and where deep dish is considered a high-ticket item. Vom. I am very thankful to Cindy’s for the wonderful service (we put our waiter through hell with the amount of specifications we have and also because we’re very loud and cannot decide what to order to share when it is time, like ever) and also because I carried in a dozen Firecakes Donuts as they are Mum’s favorite and they immediately whisked them away to a cooler place AND served them on a slate platter WITH CANDLES FOR US! And brought them out for a birthday surprise! It was beyond wonderful and worth way more than the BYOD (bring your own donuts) fee they charged per head for us to do that.

Go to Cindy’s for that anniversary dinner coming up, for post-work drinks to impress your friends, to show off that new dress that’s begging for somewhere to go, and most importantly- FOR THAT FUCKIN’ PASTA OH MY GOODNESS. We left dinner for a sunset walk around The Bean feeling happily full and having had a great family birthday dinner, which is something I am always grateful to be able to do.

Should you think, “wow this is great for (insert occasion here)”, follow these tips!

1. MAKE RESERVATIONS FOR DINNER. This isn’t even a question mark, it is an exclamation point. We made 5 p.m. reservations and it was already pretty buzzing when we got there, and we were very thankful for a table amidst the amount of standing drinkers. It only got more full.

2. On that note, GO EARLY. You will want to see the city from when it’s entirely sunny and alive to when the sun is going down and the entire place is filled by the golden hour. It is so, so beautiful and you have a better chance of being on the outside patio for at least a few minutes while waiting for food to arrive.

3. SHAKE SHACK IS LOCATED DOWNSTAIRS. Unless you’re also planning to BYOD, grab a chocolate concrete with chocolate truffle cookie dough on your way out. Cute end to a date, too!

Until Next Time, Happy Eating!

-Natalie

#foodblog #chicago #chicagofoodblog #yummy #tasty #burrata #nicedinner #nightout #occasion #wine #happyhour #lunch #dinner #birthday #foodies #rooftop #summertime #summertimechi

1 note · View note

cambionverse · 7 years

Note

hello i am here to ask questions since i just reread everything and i dont wanna leave these characters for a little while longer. so. ben has his truck but what CARS would the other two have like. if they had cars what would they be???? Also: daemons. have you guys done that before?? if not: do that. anyway u guys are: literally the best bye

RAGS we love you so much I hope you know that. THANK U FOR STICKING AROUND :’)

Cars:

When Claire first left home, she was driving Amelia’s car, which was probably some uninspiring Honda Civic or something. That car met a tragic end shortly thereafter. Until she met Ben, she mostly hitchhiked, but she does know how to hotwire cars so if she needed to she could steal one (that’s what she did at the end of Synchronicity). If she could choose her own car, she’d want something small and fast—maybe something where she could put the top down and let the wind blow everything else out of her head. I don’t know shit about cars but whatever @lenaluthar suggests is probably correct.

Jesse learned to drive on the Simms’ all-terrain Jeep, and he never really did get the hang of it with Oliver leaning over his shoulder to twitch the wheel and giving instructions through a cigarette the whole time. Half the time the Simmses weren’t even driving on roads, so he’s a bit too used to driving over crunchy uneven ground and accidentally smacking wildlife in his path of terror. You know what Jesse would actually want to drive? A fucking motorcycle. They are basically the parkour of motor vehicles. He stole a Ducati during his exile years and had the time of his life going around curves too fast and popping wheelies and generally being a menace, at least until he drove it off a cliff in a fit of panic.

If Ben hadn’t inherited Dean’s truck, Marie would probably have gotten him something compact and sensible with good gas mileage and then we would be in Cathy’s Prius AU.

Daemons:

We did sort of address this with our Hogwarts AU, since the animals we picked for their patronuses would also be our picks for their daemons (Jesse: mountain lion, Claire: harpy eagle, Ben: a doge). HOWEVER since Liz has never read HDM we haven’t done a long post about it and I (cally) have some feels I would like to share on the subject!!

1. When Jesse enters the shack, he gets caught in the trap, but his daemon doesn’t. He tells her to run, save herself, and of course she doesn’t listen because they are hurting him but then one of the Simms daemons tries to pin her to the ground. Jesse’s daemon doesn’t like fighting but she has teeth of her own, and claws, and she darts out the door and Jesse thinks maybe she’ll get away until she hits that limit and both of them cry out at the bond between them pulling taut. A wolf daemon bites into the scruff of her neck and drags her back inside where they throw her in a silver cage. Everyone knows that possessed people’s daemons get creepy but Jesse’s still seems normal, and that gives Oliver pause, but Elias reminds him that they hadn’t noticed anything wrong with Charlie’s daemon either. At first the Simmses focus their efforts on Jesse’s body—it’s bad enough for her having to watch her human scream and bleed and heal up and then scream again. But towards the end, when Oliver finally gets sick of how nothing is making any difference and the demon in Jesse refuses to get out, he drags Jesse’s daemon from her cage. Holds her, with his own two hands. And cuts her throat.

(She doesn’t die. Oliver will wish she had.)

2. Daemons get creepy when their humans are possessed by a demon—their limbs don’t quite move right, they echo words just a second or two out of time. When a human body is possessed by an angel, the daemon is subsumed. A cloud of glittering golden Dust forms the halo by which you will know them, and in the emptiness where the daemon once was, there the angel makes its place. (Claire’s daemon was whispering no, no, there must be another way, but Claire was young and afraid and she said yes.)

Most vessels never get their daemons back. They walk through the rest of their lives with blank faces, blank eyes, forever limned with the remains of the soul blown apart by celestial intent. But some, if they’re strong enough, can remember their old shape, their old purpose; some manage to reform themselves from the Dust. Claire’s daemon wasn’t settled, before Castiel came. When he comes back, newly-made and furious, the first sound she hears is his wings.

3. Why didn’t Ben notice that his mom’s daemon wasn’t himself? His own daemon is pressing against his lap, whining like a kicked puppy, and it takes him three tries to tell her to shift into a mouse and gnaw through their ropes. Don’t move, says Lisa’s daemon, though Lisa herself is still slack against her bonds. Her eyes twitch behind the lids. Don’t move. And Ben listens to his mother, tucks his daemon close to his heart, waits for Dean. He doesn’t see the bit of black smoke that wisps from the daemon’s nostrils in the dark.

Ben’s daemon settles the moment he hears Dean say, your mom didn’t make it. She howls, the saddest sound you can possibly imagine, and Ben buries his dirty tear-streaked face in her dark fur and knows that she will never take on any shape but this one.

#cambionverse #asks #spacegaysian #jesse turner #ben braeden #claire novak #daemonverse #listen you guys I have so many feelings about daemons it pains me #BODY HORROR #SOUL HORROR #GIVE IT TO ME #also lol #the cars portion of this post brought to you by tumblr user lenaluthar #at this point 'don't @ me' might as well be cathy's spn tag #but there are some A+ posts I scrolled past looking for that prius post #best fans #headcanons

8 notes · View notes

qualitytacolover · 5 years

Text

18 cutest pigtails for short haired girls

New Post has been published on https://www.easypromhairstyles.com/18-cutest-pigtails-for-short-haired-girls.html

18 cutest pigtails for short haired girls

Short hair braids are a hairstyle that is cut along the length of a neck to the length of a shoulder by twisting together hairpieces in various patterns. A work of art that will last until your coronation is a fun way to enhance your shorthair hairstyle!

We saw some interesting textures from the braided hairstyles of pop icons Indya Moore, Zoë Kravitz, Miley Cyrus and Lorde, and saw their beauty ideas give their looks an extra boost!

There are a lot of great ways you can pull off a braided mane. Tennessee barber and hairdresser Alex Pelerossi makes all kinds of hairstyle on chopped hair and even plays with different hair colors that are incredibly charming!

From side straps and braided ponytails for a casual or sporty look to halo braids and braided buns for the special times when you need a confidence boost, these folds are a fun fix for your clothes if you want to grow up for each day !

Say goodbye to a boring look! Below you will find the best and most adorable patterns of braids for short hair!

For little girls

How would you describe this look?

This style is a combination of Dutch lace braids (1st and 3rd row), classic Dutch braids (middle row) and rope wraps. I love this style for many reasons. First, it can be done on shoulder-length hair. I think some parents are worried that they will not be able to put funny braids on their child when they ask for their hair to be cut, and that shows that it is feasible! Second, this style is versatile. You could add different elastics to combine with an outfit, but if you want a sophisticated look, you can combine the braids into a half ponytail and put them in a bun. After all, this style is ideal for school, a sporting event or an elegant occasion!

Any advice for someone considering it?

I would recommend to spend at least 30-45 minutes styling time as the braiding takes some time. After moistening the hair, I always use herbal essences Set Me Up Spray Gel on the spot that I'm going to braid. It keeps the fly-aways down and smells great!

Get ready for many compliments! Everyone always loves to see a fun pattern for a hairstyle!

Braids for short hair with pony hairstyle

How would you describe this look?

This is a very boho, chic, yet simple, updo! What I love about this look is that it radiates strange vibrations. There is softness in the hair, but it is also detailed and complex. Whether you are looking for a casual or sophisticated hairstyle, this look is perfect! That's why I love this up-style so much!

Any advice for someone considering it?

When considering this look, it is important to know what you are working with. For example, hair texture – knowing whether the hair is fine, medium or coarse will give you a good guide as to which products you should use.

Another thing to consider is the face shape of the individual to flatter him as best as possible! After all, it's important to just have fun with your hair and work in the direction the hair wants to move.

With this specific updo and model she had very mediocre structured hair. She helped to make my job easy! I have used all the Aveda products to create this seductive style. The use of dry shampoo helped the hair get some chippings and was not so slippery, so the hair got a certain texture and better hold.

Another product that was a must for me to achieve this look was Air Control Hairspray. I love to use this product in every updo because it is a flexible and portable hair spray. This will allow you to smooth the hair but still make it easy to form without being too hard or crunchy. If you want to create this style with someone with finer hair, it is important that you use products that give texture and volume. I would even recommend using a light paste for the mesh to get a complete and detailed braiding.

Another tip to create this look is working in sections. Using smaller sections gives you more control over the hair. Working from the back to the front, you can then pull out parts on the front if desired!

After the look was done, I went in with a firmer hairspray to keep everything in place! Whether that style is for a casual frame or a special occasion, it's perfect.

Half-high French braid

How would you describe this look?

This look is effortless – whether you go on date night or a bridesmaid, this is a perfect option. My favorite is how easy it was to achieve with loose beach waves and just two simple French braids. It's a simple staple look that anyone can pull!

Any advice for someone considering it?

This is a simple look that is enhanced with texture sprays (my favorite is R + Co Balloon & Trophy) and dry shampoo (R + Co Death Valley). It's perfect for some dirty hair that just needs a little cheek!

This short praise was perfectly structured, blond and pretty dense. If you are looking for a cheeky look and have shorter, medium-density hair, this is the look for you. With over-long hair, the options for special occasions are pretty slim, so this is the best option for someone who does not want to commit to all weddings!

Dutch braids

How would you describe this look?

My favorite thing about this look is the texture added to the hair and the funny braid. It's a very versatile hairstyle that can be either dressed or dressed, depending on what your life demands.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Make sure you have more time to get involved in the styling process. Short hair is not always easier to care for, especially depending on the hair structure and density! The customer in this photo has fine hair, but much of it!

We used a flat iron to create waves and curls in the whole head. You will also want to be sure to invest in proper hair care to get your hairdo home! We started with a heat shield from Redken called Hot Sets 22, using Wind Blown Hairspray from Redken, Kenra's Texturing Spray, and Puff Me Texture Powder to get the grip on the loose border!

Headband braid

How would you describe this look?

This look is fun with a little splash of boho. It is perfect for a wedding or party.

My favorite thing about this look is that you can pin it up or down. The fact that the fishtail braid gives the style so much texture and dimension means you do not have to worry about the features.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Check your hair color and texture. Braids will appear more and more on blonde hair than on brunette hair.

Braids for very short hair

How would you describe this look?

It is a nervous and funny Kurzhaarfrisur.

Any advice for someone considering it?

This look is for the funny and generous customer! I never know what I get when I show up at a bridal party. Her hair was a bit long and she knew she wanted a braid. This pull-through braid is fantastic for longevity because I use rubber bands. I wanted her hair to last in the heat and for the next few hours.

What made it even more fun was her hair color!

crown braid

How would you describe this look?

It was a lot of fun to create this quirky braiding look for my guest! I wanted something that had the feel of a boho-chic style, but that still felt elegant and would be something my guests could wear every day of the week.

The dimension in her hair reinforced the look of the braid, and the loose curls tied the whole look together. I love that this is a style that would be perfect for an event or outing, but also perfect for an everyday style.

Any advice for someone considering it?

My guest had some dimension in her hair, which gave the impression of a more structured styling. When styling we have proceeded very minimalist. We used heat protection along with a volumizer and finished the look with a hair spray with firm hold.

We've also pulled together a lot to give her a more relaxed and structured style. I started the braid about two inches farther than its normal part, so most of the braid was in the front and in the middle, looking at this style straight up and to the side. To achieve the loose curls, I took 1-inch sections and rolled them with my Babyliss curling iron. I let the curls cool completely before shaking them out.

If you want to get more textured looks, it's important to remember that the curls do not have to look perfect because they run counter to the look you're looking for. This look is designed to be versatile for any lifestyle and occasion.

Braids for short natural hair

With the advent of many techniques, enhancements, and the like, natural hair is now more valuable than ever. Be sure to use a protective style like this short hair braid.

With pearls

This look spreads Queen Cleo Vibes! The golden beadwork integrated into the braids makes everything better, especially your bronzed chocolate skin.

For toddlers

You do not have to be a young bridesmaid just to try. This short hair update for toddlers looks so tempting that it is effortlessly suitable for everyday wear.

Braids for curly short hair

It is only reasonable that a short undercut hair with natural curls must also be a pigtail treatment for something fun. This is one of the coolest braids for curly, short hair that every powerful woman has to wear from time to time.

Unique braids

What's weirder than these needle-rail braids for short-haired ladies? These unique braids will make you style your hair just to try it out.

For shorthair African American

The idea of a bob haircut that revalues him with tight little pigtails is clever. This is such a glamorous transformation for short-haired African American girls. The golden highlights are the additional wow factor for the style.

Braids for short hair Black girl

These box braids for short-haired black girls put the term "easy" a new meaning. With the sweet lavender ribbon and the small silver hair jewelry pieces, these tissues always make the children ready for portrait photos.

Braids for short black hair

Who can resist this kind of braids for short black hair? Every single edging is neatly woven and twisted, which can be killed by black girls and ladies without sweat.

For black girls

For black girls with these pretty braids, you'll stand out among all the ladies who've got a bob haircut like yours. You will also love these Box Braids Slash Fux Locs as protection for your hair.

Cute Dutch braids

Are you crying for a beautiful half-finished braided hairstyle for a big wedding anniversary? These one-sided sweet Dutch pigtails will make a scene, and everyone will like it! Combine it on hair dyed with ultralight ash blonde balayage and add beach waves on the tips. Even if you are intentionally trendsetters at a boho event.

Braids for thin short hair

One of the rules to become the queen of boho-chic fashion is pulling up a hairstyle that attracts as much attention as those angular Dutch braids for thin short hair. With a few hair accessories, your blond balayage and ombre hair will surely surpass other women's hairstyles, even if you have a fine, thin head of hair.

0 notes

easynaturalhairstyle · 5 years

Text

18 cutest pigtails for short haired girls

We saw some interesting textures from the braided hairstyles of pop icons Indya Moore, Zoë Kravitz, Miley Cyrus and Lorde, and saw their beauty ideas give their looks an extra boost!

Say goodbye to a boring look! Below you will find the best and most adorable patterns of braids for short hair!

For little girls

How would you describe this look?

Any advice for someone considering it?

Get ready for many compliments! Everyone always loves to see a fun pattern for a hairstyle!

Braids for short hair with pony hairstyle

How would you describe this look?

Any advice for someone considering it?

After the look was done, I went in with a firmer hairspray to keep everything in place! Whether that style is for a casual frame or a special occasion, it's perfect.

Half-high French braid

How would you describe this look?

Any advice for someone considering it?

Dutch braids

How would you describe this look?

My favorite thing about this look is the texture added to the hair and the funny braid. It's a very versatile hairstyle that can be either dressed or dressed, depending on what your life demands.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Headband braid

How would you describe this look?

This look is fun with a little splash of boho. It is perfect for a wedding or party.

My favorite thing about this look is that you can pin it up or down. The fact that the fishtail braid gives the style so much texture and dimension means you do not have to worry about the features.

Any advice for someone considering it?

Check your hair color and texture. Braids will appear more and more on blonde hair than on brunette hair.

Braids for very short hair

How would you describe this look?

It is a nervous and funny Kurzhaarfrisur.

Any advice for someone considering it?

What made it even more fun was her hair color!

crown braid

How would you describe this look?

Any advice for someone considering it?

Braids for short natural hair

With the advent of many techniques, enhancements, and the like, natural hair is now more valuable than ever. Be sure to use a protective style like this short hair braid.

With pearls

This look spreads Queen Cleo Vibes! The golden beadwork integrated into the braids makes everything better, especially your bronzed chocolate skin.

For toddlers

You do not have to be a young bridesmaid just to try. This short hair update for toddlers looks so tempting that it is effortlessly suitable for everyday wear.

Braids for curly short hair

Unique braids

What's weirder than these needle-rail braids for short-haired ladies? These unique braids will make you style your hair just to try it out.

For shorthair African American

Braids for short hair Black girl

Braids for short black hair

Who can resist this kind of braids for short black hair? Every single edging is neatly woven and twisted, which can be killed by black girls and ladies without sweat.

For black girls

For black girls with these pretty braids, you'll stand out among all the ladies who've got a bob haircut like yours. You will also love these Box Braids Slash Fux Locs as protection for your hair.

Cute Dutch braids

Braids for thin short hair

18 cutest pigtails for short haired girls

0 notes

halosnacks · 2 years

Text

How healthy is Freeze Dried Papaya & Pineapple?

Studies suggest that an average individual is supposed to consume about 3.5 servings of fruits and vegetables in a day out of which 1.5 servings are set aside for fruits and the remaining for vegetables. This is required to maintain overall physical health and keep your bones, muscles and all your internal organs healthy and thriving. But studies also suggest that due to lifestyle issues, lack of availability, poor quality of food available and general lack of liking towards these healthy foods, under-nourishment is prevalent because barely anyone actually consumes the required amount. This is where the fresh and genius idea of freeze-dried fruits comes into play.

Freeze dried fruits are all about the farm to fork approach, but with a slight detour in between. The hand-picked fruits from across the country undergo a process called lyophilisation. This is where the water content inside the fruit is frozen and then immediately vapourised via sublimation- the process of converting solid directly into gas. So, the end product you’re left with is dried fruit that are crunchy and airy.

Now, this is where the common misconception comes in. It is commonly believed that along with the water, all the nutrition is also removed from the fruit. This is not true. The best part about freeze dried fruit is that you get to enjoy a true snack (in terms of the crunch) that is packed with good health, all because it is just fruit that has been freeze dried. After the water is removed, only the nutrition remains tightly packed inside the fruit pieces, making them all healthier. So, you get to enjoy the perfect blend of taste and health, with the cherry on the cake being how much it resembles a regular crunchy snack. So, you want to know how healthy they are? Just as much as regular fruit!

WHY YOU SHOULD BUY FREEZE DRIED PAPAYA AND PINEAPPLE

HALO is a brand of freeze-dried fruit snacks that strives to give you your new favourite snack. We are a 100% natural, vegan and gluten-free brand with snacks that are not baked or fried, just freeze dried. Our range of freeze-dried fruits include strawberries, pineapple and papaya, strawberry and banana, mango and golden apple. If you’re looking for freeze dried papaya chunks or pineapple chunks, we’re here to tell you that you can get both in one packet. It is the ultimate sweet and sour combo!

Freeze dried papaya chunks are rich in energy-boosting calories and carbohydrates, dietary fiber, good fats and proteins. They are also rich in Vitamin A and antioxidants, making them great for eye health. The amount of fibre in them is also known to aid digestion and Vitamins C and E help in maintaining skin health. They are also known for flushing the toxins out of your body and are recommended to diabetes patients due to their natural sweetness. This way, the craving for artificial sweeteners reduces, thereby keeping their diabetes levels in check.

Buy freeze dried pineapple because they’re known to have several health benefits. Packed with the goodness of Vitamin C, dietary fibre, protein, carbs and Vitamin B6, this will make a comprehensive addition to your diet. The antioxidants present in it helps boost your immunity and keep diseases at bay and the fruit is also known for its contribution to digestive health. They improve your overall body health and keep you fresh and active.

Buy freeze dried papaya and pineapple from HALO for a wholesome addition to your day. It will seamlessly become a part of your daily food intake and you will find yourself enjoying the refreshing crunch, flavour and texture of the bite-sized fruit pieces.

WHY HALO IS THE BEST OPTION FOR A HEALTHY SNACK FIX

There are no added preservatives or sugar in these snacks. The taste of each bite is unique because it is all-natural, with just the water content removed.

The natural sweetness and the crunch reduce your craving for an oily snack like chips or sweet treats. These snacks keep your unhealthy cravings at bay.

Oily snacks fill up your stomach for the time being and make you hungry more often, leading you to binge on them more. But these snacks are made up of real fruit, so you will feel full and reduce your untimely food intake throughout the day, especially in between meals.

These snacks are great to experiment with. You can add them to your cereals, smoothies and even top your yoghurt or ice cream off with them. You can make protein bars and homemade protein laddoos too, the possibilities are endless. If that’s not your forte, you can simply enjoy them straight out of the packet.

Because the microbial reactions have been cut due to the absence of water, these fruits don’t rot. They last longer than fresh fruit, for months together. So you can enjoy seasonal fruits in snack form all through the year.

The lightweight snack comes in attractive zip-lock packaging. So you can carry them and munch on them anywhere when you feel a bit hungry or fatigued and store the rest for later. Your quick health boost is ready!

Buy HALO freeze dried papaya and pineapple today and see the difference in your diet and health. They are healthy, tasty and crunchy– all set to be your new favourite snack!

#freeze dried papaya and pineapple

0 notes

oovitus · 6 years

Text

Manufactured deliciousness: Why you can’t stop overeating (plus 3 strategies to get control).

You know the feeling: One salty crunch turns into 100, and suddenly you’re licking the cheese dust and wondering: What’s wrong with me?

Actually, it’s normal to feel like you can’t stop overeating certain things. Today’s hyperpalatable food is creating a modern-day food crisis — one that’s leaving us feeling sick, out of control, and constantly craving more.

Here’s how it works, plus 3 ways to overcome it.

++++

It’s happened to us all.

After a frenzy of lustful grabbing and furious crunching, we find ourselves at the bottom of a jumbo bag of chips.

“How did that happen?” we ask fuzzily.

“What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I stop?”

But, before going into full-fledged self-loathing mode, consider this.

Processed foods are scientifically engineered to be irresistible and easy to gobble up in large quantities. If you can’t stop, the chips are doing their job.

(In fact, someone at Frito-Lay probably got a promotion for that recipe.)

That’s why, in this article, we’ll explain exactly how junk food is designed to make us respond with compulsive, manic, gotta-have-more snack sessions.

Even better, we’ll arm you with three useful strategies for examining your relationship with processed food and taking control of overeating.

Because, if you feel out of control around certain foods, you’re not crazy.

Even healthy eaters feel out of control around food sometimes. Even if we value nutrition and want to take care of ourselves, some foods can make us feel… kinda possessed.

Know what I mean?

You show up to a potluck with quinoa salad goals and find yourself inhaling a plate of chips, cookies, and some chocolate-peanut-butter-marshmallow thing that some devil, um friend, made.

You reach into the freezer to have one spoonful of ice cream and suddenly you’re mining the caramel swirl, then the nut clusters, then the brownie chunks, and then… your spoon scrapes the bottom.

You just want a bite of your friend’s french fry, but you find yourself elbowing her out of the way so you can steal all the fries, plus the burger too.

Even with the best intentions, the pull of certain foods is so strong that it can leave us feeling powerless.

If you’ve felt this, you’re not alone (and you’re not broken).

Certain foods are actually designed to make us overeat.

If you’re overeating, it’s not because there’s something wrong with you or your willpower.

Here’s the truth: There’s a whole industry dedicated to creating food that’s hyperpalatable — food that’s so tasty it’s nearly irresistible.

Your body and brain are responding exactly as they’re supposed to. It’s supposed to feel almost unnatural to stop eating these foods!

But we’re not talking about food like celery sticks, whole brown rice, or baked salmon filets.

(How often do you hear yourself say, “I ate sooo much steamed asparagus! I just couldn’t stop myself!” That’s right. You’ve never heard yourself say that.)

We’re talking about processed foods.

Processed foods are foods that have been modified from their original, whole-food form in order to change their flavor, texture, or shelf-life. Often, they’re altered so that they hit as many pleasure centers as possible — from our brains to our mouths to our bellies.

Processed foods are highly cravable, immediately gratifying, fun to eat, and easy to over-consume quickly (and often cheaply).

Processed foods will also look and feel different from their whole food counterparts, depending on the degree that they’re processed.

Let’s take corn as an example.

Boiled and eaten off the cob it’s pale yellow, kinda fibrous, but chewy and delicious.

Corn that’s a bit processed — ground into a meal and shaped into a flat disk — turns into a soft corn tortilla. A tortilla has a nice corny flavor and a soft, pliable texture that makes it easy to eat and digest.

But what if you ultra-process that corn? You remove all the fiber, isolate the starch, and then use that starch to make little ring-shaped chips, which are fried and dusted with sweet and salty barbecue powder. They’re freaking delicious.

That corn on the cob is yummy. But those corn-derived ring chips? They’re… well they’re gone because someone ate them all.

Let’s take an even deeper look

The food industry has a variety of processing methods and ingredient additives they use to make food extra tasty and easy to consume…. and over-consume.

Here are a few examples:

Extrusion

Grains are processed into a slurry and pass through a machine called an extruder. With the help of high heat and pressure, whole, raw grains get transformed into airy, crispy, easy-to-digest shapes like cereals, crackers, and other crunchy foods with uniform shapes.

In addition to changing texture and digestibility, the extrusion process also destroys certain nutrients and enzymes, denatures proteins, and changes the starch composition of a grain. This lowers the nutrition and increases the glycemic index of the product.

Emulsifiers

Used to improve the “mouth feel” of a product, emulsifiers smooth out and thicken texture, creating a rich, luxurious feel. Although there are natural emulsifiers, like egg yolk, the food industry often uses chemical emulsifiers like Polysorbate-80, sodium phosphate, and carboxymethylcellulose.

Emulsifiers are often found in creamy treats like ice cream products and processed dairy foods like flavored yogurts or neon orange cheese spreads.

Flavor enhancers

Flavor additives like artificial flavoring agents or monosodium glutamate (MSG) allow food manufacturers to amplify taste without adding whole-food ingredients like fruits, vegetables, or spices. This is useful because artificial flavoring agents are cheap and won’t change a product’s texture.

Coloring agents

Color strongly affects how appealing we perceive a food to be. No one wants to eat gray crackers; add a toasty golden hue and suddenly that cracker is a lot more appealing. Coloring agents, like Yellow #5 (tartrazine) and Red #40 (allura red), are added purely for the look of food — they don’t add nutrition.

Recently, many large food corporations have been switching to natural foods dyes, like beet powder or turmeric, to color their food products after some correlations emerged linking artificial coloring agents to behavioral problems in children.

Oil hydrogenation

Natural fats eventually go rancid, changing their flavor and texture. In order to render fats more stable, hydrogen atoms are added to fats (usually vegetable oils) so they are less vulnerable to oxidation.

Food manufacturers use hydrogenated oils because it means their products can stay on the shelves for longer without changing flavor or texture. However, the consumption of hydrogenated fats, or trans fats, has been linked to increased rates of heart disease.

How processed foods trick us into eating more than we meant to.

There are four sneaky ways processed food can make you overeat. Often, we’re not even aware of how much these factors affect us.

That’s why, awareness = power.

1. Marketing convinces us that processed foods are “healthy”.

Processed foods come in packages with bright colors, cartoon characters, celebrity endorsements, and powerful words that triggers all kinds of positive associations.

Take, for example, “health halo” foods.

“Health halo” foods are processed foods that contain health buzzwords like organic, vegan, and gluten-free on their label to create an illusion, or halo, of health around them.

Companies come out with organic versions of their boxed macaroni and cheese, gluten-free versions of their glazed pastries, and vegan versions of their icing-filled cookies.

You’ll see chips “prepared with avocado oil,” sugary cereal “made with flaxseeds,” or creamy chip dip with “real spinach.”

The nutrient content of those foods isn’t particularly impressive, but the addition of nutrition buzzwords and trendy ingredients make us perceive them as healthier.

Marketers also choose words that relate more broadly to self-care.

Ever notice how many processed food slogans sound like this?

“Have a break.”

“Take some time for yourself.”

“You deserve it.”

Words like “break” and “deserve” distract us from our physical sensations and tap into our feelings — a place where we just want to be understood, supported, soothed, and perhaps just escape for a moment.

Health buzzwords and emotional appeals can make us perceive a food as “good for me”; it seems like a wise and caring choice to put them in our shopping carts, then in our mouths.

And if a food is “healthy” or “we deserve it,” we don’t feel so bad eating as much as we want.

2. Big portions make us think we’re getting a “good deal”.

People get mixed up about food and value.

We’re taught to save money and not waste food.

We’re taught to buy more for less.

Given the choice between a small juice for two dollars, and a pop with endless refills for the same price, the pop seems like better value.

What we don’t calculate into this equation is something I like to call the “health tax.”

The “health tax” is the toll you pay for eating low-nutrient, highly processed foods. If you eat them consistently over time, eventually you’ll pay the price with your health.

When companies use cheap, poor quality ingredients, they can sell bigger quantities without raising the price.

But what’s the deal?

Sure, you’ll save a buck in the short term, but you’ll pay the health tax — through poor health — in the long term.

3. Variety makes us hungrier.

Choice excites us.

Think of a self-serve frozen yogurt topping bar:

“Ooh! Sprinkles! And beer nuts! Oh, and they have those mini peanut butter cups! And granola clusters! Wait, are those crushed cookies?? And cheesecake chunks??! YES! Now on to the drizzles…”

Before you know it, there‘s a leaning tower of frozen dessert in front of you.

Or think of those “party mixes” — pretzels and corn chips and cheesy puffs and barbeque rings — all in one bag! The fun never ends because there’s a variety of flavors and textures to amuse you forever!

When we have lots of variety, we have lots of appetite.

It’s hard to overeat tons of one thing, with one flavor, like apples.

How many apples can you eat before, frankly, you get bored?

Reduce the variety and you also reduce distraction from your body’s built-in self-regulating signals. When we’re not so giddy with choice and stimuli, we’re more likely to slow down, eat mindfully, and eat less.

4. Multiple flavors at once are irresistible.

If there’s a party in your mouth, you can guarantee that at least two out of three of the following guests will be there:

Sugar

Fat

Salt

These three flavors — the sweetness of sugar, the luxurious mouthfeel of fat, and the sharp savory of salt — are favorites among those of us with mouths.

I never hear my clients say that they love eating spoonfuls of sugar or salt, or that they want to chug a bottle of oil.

However, when you combine these flavors, they become ultra delicious and hard-to-resist. This is called stimuli stacking — combining two or more flavors to create a hyperpalatable food.

For example:

The satisfying combination of fat and salt, found in chips, fries, nachos, cheesy things, etc.

The comforting combination of fat and sugar, found in baked goods, fudge, ice cream, cookies, chocolate, etc.

The irresistible combination of all three — heaven forbid you stumble on a combo of fat, salt, and sugar — a salted chocolate brownie, or caramel corn with candied nuts, or fries with ketchup!

Food manufacturers know: When it comes to encouraging people to overeat, two flavors are better than one.

In fact, when I spoke to an industry insider, a food scientist at a prominent processed food manufacturer, she revealed the specific “stimuli stacking” formula that the food industry uses to create hyperpalatable food.

They call it “The Big 5.”

Foods that fulfill “The Big 5” are:

Calorie dense, usually high in sugar and/or fat.

Intensely flavored — the food must deliver strong flavor hits.

Immediately delicious, with a love-at-first taste experience.

Easy to eat — no effortful chewing needed!

“Melted” down easily — the food almost dissolves in your mouth, thus easy to eat quickly and overconsume.

When these five factors exist in one food, you get a product that’s practically irresistible.

In fact, foods developed by this company have to hit the big 5, or they’re not allowed to go to market.

When processed food manufacturers evaluate a prospective food product, the “irresistibility” (the extent to which a person can’t stop eating a food) is more important even than taste!

Just think about the ease of eating whole foods versus processed foods:

Whole foods require about 25 chews per mouthful, which means that you have to slow down. When you slow down, your satiety signals keep pace with your eating and have a chance to tell you when you’ve had enough. Which is probably why you’ve never overeaten Brussel sprouts (also because, farting).

Processed food manufacturers, on the other hand, aim for food products to be broken down in 10 chews or less per mouthful. That means the intense, flavorful, crazy-delicious experience is over quickly, and you’re left wanting more — ASAP.

Restaurants use these “ease of eating” tactics, too.

A major national chain uses this sci-fi-esque trick:

To make their signature chicken dish, each chicken breast is injected with a highly flavored sauce through hundreds of tiny needles. This results in a jacked-up chicken breast with intense flavor hits, but also tenderizes the chicken so it requires less chewing.

In other words, there’s a reason that restaurant chicken often goes down easier and just tastes better than the simple grilled chicken breast you make in your kitchen. Unless you have hundreds of tiny sauce-needles (weird), that chicken is hard to recreate at home.

This is why I rarely talk about willpower when my clients come to me struggling with overeating. If you’re relying on willpower to resist these foods, you’re fighting an uphill battle.

The solution isn’t more willpower. The solution is educating yourself about these foods, examining your own relationship with food, and employing strategies that put you in control.

Let’s take an even deeper look

Our love of certain flavors has very primitive roots.

So does our desire to load up on calories.

Once upon a time, food was not so abundant. Not only was food challenging to obtain — through effortful scavenging and hunting — but it was also not reliably safe.

That leaf over there? Yeah, that could be poison.

Those berries? They might give you the runs or make your throat close up.

Therefore, our ancient ancestors evolved some survival instincts along the way.

For example, sweet foods tend not to be poisonous. Therefore, we stored a preference for sweet, starchy foods in our brains to keep us safe.

Babies and children are particularly attracted to sweet foods, probably because their immature immune systems are less likely to recover from eating a poisonous plant, and their immature brains can’t tell the difference between dangerous bitter green (like hemlock) and safe bitter green (like kale).

Therefore, kids’ attraction to sweet (read: safe) foods is a built-in mechanism to prevent death by poisoning.

Fat is also a preferred nutrient, as it’s high-calorie and would be a jackpot for our often-threatened-by-starvation ancestors.

While most foods our ancestors ate would have been fibrous and low-calorie (roots, greens, lean meats), fat would have been a highly prized treat.

Imagine, as a primitive hunter-gatherer, stumbling on a macadamia nut tree. The yield from that tree might provide enough calories to feed your tribe for days!

As a result, we stored another preference in our brains: fatty, calorie-dense foods = yum / stock up!

Today, of course, we don’t have to run and dig and hike for nine hours to get our food. Instead, we can just roll up to the drive-thru window and order a combination of flavors we’re primed to love — maybe in the form of a milkshake and a cheeseburger — and enjoy it while sitting in our car.

Evolution’s gifts now work against us.

So, now you see why processed foods are so hard to control yourself around.

But what can actually you do about it?

Up next, some practical strategies to put you (or your clients) in the driver’s seat.

3 strategies to find your way back to a peaceful relationship with food.

It’s one thing to know in theory why certain foods are so easy to over-consume, but it’s even more valuable to discover for yourself how food processing, certain ingredient combinations, marketing, and even easy accessibility affect you and your food choices.

So, it’s time to get a little nerdy, try some experiments, and learn some strategies that will help you improve your relationship with food, get healthier, and just feel more sane.

1. Get curious about the foods you eat.

We’ve established that processed foods are designed to be easy to eat.

For a food to be “easy to eat”, it has to be:

broken down easily (less chewing), and

low volume (doesn’t take up much physical space).

So:

Less chewing + Low volume = More eating

Chewing takes time. The more we have to chew something, the longer it takes us to eat, giving our fullness signals a chance to catch up.

That feeling of “fullness” matters a lot too.

When you eat, your stomach expands. It’s partly through that sensation of pressure that your body knows you’ve had enough. Processed foods deliver a lot of calories without taking up much space, meaning you can eat a lot before you realize you’ve overdone it.

Experiment #1: Observe as you chew.

Yup, that’s right. I want you to count your chews.

Note: Don’t do this forever. I’m not trying to turn you into the weirdo who no one wants to sit next to at the lunch table. Just try it as an experiment to get some data about how you eat different foods.

First, eat a whole food — a vegetable, fruit, whole grain, lean protein, whatever — and count how many chews you take per mouthful. How long does it take to eat an entire portion of that food? How satiated do you feel afterward? Do you want to eat more?

Then, next time you eat something processed, count how many chews you take per mouthful. How long does it take to eat that serving of pasta, chips, or cookies? How satiated do you feel afterward? Do you want to eat more?

Make some comparisons and notice the differences. Contrast how long eating each of these foods takes you, how satiated you feel after eating each of them, and how much you want to keep eating.

How will you use that information to make food choices moving forward?

2. Notice the messages you’re getting about food.

Food manufacturers use creative marketing strategies to imply processed foods are healthy. And even if you know they’re not, they have other ways of getting you to buy them.

Here’s an example:

Ever notice that the produce section is the first area you pass through in grocery stores?

Grocery stores have found that if they put the produce section first, you’re more likely to purchase processed foods. This is probably because if you’ve already got your cart loaded with spinach, broccoli, and apples, perhaps you’ll feel better about picking up some ice cream, cookies, and crackers, before heading to the checkout line.

Let that sink in: The supermarkets we all shop in several times a month are designed to make you feel better about buying foods that could negatively impact your health goals.

The good news? Simply being aware of this trick can help you bypass it.

Experiment #2: Evaluate your pantry.

In this experiment, you’ll examine the foods you have in your home and the messages you’ve been given about them.

Note: Keep in mind that this is a mindful awareness activity. You’re not doing this to judge yourself or feel shame about the food choices you’ve made.

Look at your pantry with curious (and more informed) eyes.

Step 1: Look for “health halo” foods. Do you have any? If so, why did you choose them? Was it the language used to describe it? Was it the packaging? A trendy “superfood” ingredient? Is it organic, gluten-free, sugar-free, Paleo, or something else?

Step 2: Read the nutritional information. Once you’ve identified the “health halo” foods, take a closer look. Is your “healthy” organic dark chocolate peanut butter cup all that nutritionally different from that mass-market peanut butter cup? Chances are, it’s just different packaging.

Step 3: Count how many varieties of junk foods you have. If you love ice cream — how many flavors do you have? If you peek into your cupboards, are there cookies, popcorn, candy, or chips? Without judgment, count the total junk food variety currently in your home. Generally, the more options you have, the easier it is to overeat.

The takeaway?

You’ll be more aware of the particular types of marketing you’re susceptible to, which you can use to make more informed food choices.

You’ll also have a better idea of which treat foods you prefer, and by reducing the variety of them in your home, you’ll cut down on opportunities to overeat.

3. Look for patterns.

We often use food for reasons other than physical nourishment.

For example, if we feel sad, we might reach for a cookie to comfort ourselves. Temporarily, we feel better.

The next time we feel sad, we remember the temporary relief that cookie brought us. So we repeat the ritual. If we continue to repeat this cycle, we may find our arm reaching for the cookie jar every time we feel blue. We’re not even thinking about it at this point; it’s just habit.

Habits are powerful, for better or for worse. They can work for us or against us.

Luckily, we have control over this.

All it takes is a little time and an understanding of how habits get formed.

All animals learn habits in the following way:

This leads us to our next experiment…

Experiment #3: Put the science of habits to work.

If you want to break the habit of overeating, you can use this trigger, behavior, and reward loop to your advantage. Here’s how.

Step 1: identify your triggers.

A trigger can be a:

Feeling. We might eat more when we’re stressed, lonely, or bored. Food fills the void.

Time of day. We always have a cookie at 11am, or a soda at 3pm. It’s just part of our routine.

Social setting. Hey, everyone else is having beer and chicken wings, so might as well join the happy hour!

Place. For some reason, a dark movie theater or our parents’ kitchen might make us want to munch.

Thought pattern. Thinking “I deserve this” or “Life is too hard to chew kale” might steer us toward the drive-thru window.

When you find yourself eating when you’re not physically hungry, increase your awareness of your triggers by asking yourself:

What am I feeling?

What time is it?

Who am I with?

Where am I?

What thoughts am I having?

Keep a journal and look for patterns.

And remember: Overeating is generally problematic when it’s chronic — those pants are feeling pretty tight after most meals — or when episodes of overeating are particularly intense, like during a binge. So don’t get too worried with isolated episodes of overeating. To differentiate overeating from binge eating, keep in mind that binge eating feels disassociated, out of control, hard to stop, and usually comes with feelings of shame and guilt.

If, in observing your eating patterns, you discover that you may be dealing with compulsive bingeing behavior, then recruiting a doctor, therapist, or other qualified practitioner to help you navigate your feelings around food is likely the best course of action.

Step 2: Find a new behavior in response to your trigger(s).

Once you’ve identified your triggers, try associating new behaviors with them. These should support your health goals and feel good. If the new behaviors aren’t rewarding, they won’t be repeated, so they won’t be learned as habits.

In order to find the “right” new behavior, it’s helpful to know that when we eat, we’re trying to meet a “need.”

So when you brainstorm new behaviors, find something that meets that need — be it time in nature, some human connection, a physical release, or just a break from your thoughts.

For example, I had a client whose trigger was talking to her ex-husband. She felt angry when she interacted with him, and some furious crunching on chips temporarily made her feel better.

She eventually replaced the crunching with a punching bag session or by stomping up and down the stairs. Both activities were effective at relieving tension, but unlike the chips, they supported her goals.

Step 3: Practice.

Every time a trigger pops up that compels you to eat, replace eating with a healthy feel-good behavior.

Repeat this loop until the new behavior becomes a habit that’s just as automatic as reaching for the jar of peanut butter used to be.

Let’s take an even deeper look

Not all “feel-good” habits are created equal, in terms of their physiological effect on the stress response.

According to the American Psychological Association, the most effective stress relievers are:

exercising / playing sports,

reading,

listening to music,

praying / attending a religious service,

spending time with friends / family,

getting a massage,

walking outside,

meditation,

yoga, and

engaging in a creative hobby.

The least effective stress relievers are: gambling, shopping, smoking, eating, drinking, playing video games, surfing the internet, and watching TV / movies for more than two hours.

Although we may use the second list as “stress-relievers” — because they feel so good in the short term — they don’t actually reduce stress effectively.

This is because these habits rely on dopamine to give us a “hit” of pleasure. Dopamine feels rewarding immediately, but because it’s an excitatory neurotransmitter, it actually stimulates adrenaline and initiates the stress response.

In contrast, the first list of habits boost neurotransmitters like serotonin, GABA, and oxytocin, which calm down the stress response and induce a feeling of wellbeing.

Although these activities aren’t initially as “exciting” as the second list, they’re ultimately more rewarding and more effective at relieving stress long-term.

It’s not just about the food

As a dietician, I know how important nutrition is. So it might surprise you to hear me say the following:

It’s not all about the food.

Structure your diet around colorful, nutrient-dense whole foods, but also remember that a healthy life is not about calorie math or obsessing over everything you put in your mouth.

A healthy life is about giving time and attention to our whole selves.

Eating happens in context.

Pay attention to your mindset, your relationships, your work, and your environment.

When we’re well-nourished in other areas of our life, we’re less likely to use food as a cure-all when we struggle.

So if there’s one more piece of nutrition advice I have, it’s this:

Be good to yourself.

Not just at the table, but in all areas of life.

What to do next

1. Be kind, curious, and honest.

When we fall short of our ideals, we think that beating ourselves up is the fastest way to improvement. But it’s not.

Criticism and crash dieting may work in the short term, but can damage our mental and physical health in the long term.

Because overeating is already a painful experience, as you consider how these behaviors show up in your life and how you might address them, please be:

Kind: Be friendly and self-compassionate; work with yourself instead of against yourself.

Curious: Explore your habits with openness and interest. Be like a scientist looking at data rather than a criminal investigator looking to blame and punish.

Honest: Look at your reality. How are you behaving day-to-day around food? The more accurate you are at perceiving yourself, the better you can support yourself to change.

With this attitude of support and non-judgment, you’re more likely to move forward.

2. Use the “traffic light” system.

Precision Nutrition has a great tool for creating awareness around food that I use all the time with my clients. It’s called the “traffic light” system.

You see, we all have red light foods, yellow light foods, and green light foods.

Red means stop.

Red foods are a “no-go.” Either because they don’t help you achieve your goals, you have trouble eating them in reasonable amounts, or they plain old make you feel gross.

Often, red light foods are processed foods like chips, candy, ice cream, and pastries. Red foods can also be foods that you’re allergic / intolerant to.

Yellow means proceed with caution.

Yellow light foods are sometimes OK, sometimes not. Maybe you can eat a little bit without feeling ill, or you can eat them sanely at a restaurant with others but not at home alone, or you can have them as an occasional treat.

Yellow light foods might include things like bread, crackers, pasta, flavored yogurt, granola bars, or seasoned nuts. They’re not the worst choices, but they’re not the most nutritious either.

Green means go.

Green foods are a “go.” You like eating them because they’re nutritious and make your body and mind feel good. You can eat them normally, slowly, and in reasonable amounts.

Green foods are usually whole foods like fruits and vegetables, lean animal proteins, beans and legumes, raw nuts and seeds, and whole grains.

Create your own red, yellow, and green light food lists.

Everyone’s list will be different! You might leave ice cream in the freezer untouched for months, whereas another person might need a restraining order from that rocky road caramel swirl.

Once you have your list, stock your kitchen with as many green light foods as possible. Choose the yellow foods you allow in your house wisely. And red foods are to be limited or eliminated entirely.

At the very least, consider reducing the variety of red light or treat foods.

Take some pressure off your willpower and surround yourself with foods that support your goals.

3. Put quality above quantity.

It’s tempting to buy that jumbo bag of chips because it’s such a good deal.

But remember: Real value isn’t about price or quantity so much as it is about quality.

Quality foods are nutrient-dense and minimally-processed. They are foods that you like, and make sense for your schedule and budget.

Quality foods may take a little more preparation and be a little more expensive up-front, but in the long run, they’re the real deal, and have a lower “health tax” to pay later in life.

4. Focus on whole foods.

Whole foods will make it easier to regulate food intake and will also improve nutrition.

We can almost feel “high” when we eat processed foods. Whole foods, on the other hand, are more subtle in flavor and require a bit more effort to chew and digest. Instead of feeling high, whole foods just make us feel nourished and content.

Whole foods are generally more perishable than processed foods, so this will require some more planning and preparation. So schedule some extra time in the kitchen — even ten minutes a day counts!

In ten minutes, you can cut up some veggies, boil some eggs, cook some oatmeal, or marinate some chicken breasts to make the following day go smoother.

While this might sound like more work, it’s rewarding. A closer relationship with food often means more respect and care for it too.

5. Find feel-good habits that support your goals.

Make a list of activities that you feel good doing. You might find that you like certain activities better than others depending on your feelings, the time of day, or your environment.

When you feel triggered to eat when you’re not physically hungry, choose an activity from your list.

This could be some gentle physical activity, fresh air, social interaction, playing a game, or a self-care ritual like painting your nails or getting a scalp massage.

The point is simply to disrupt the cycle of trigger > eat > reward, and replace eating with an activity that supports your goals.

6. Slow down.

If nothing else works, and the idea of taking away treat foods totally freaks you out, just do this:

Slow down.

Allow yourself to eat whatever you want, just eat slowly and mindfully.

Slowing down allows us to savor our food, making us satisfied with less. It also lets physical sensations of fullness to catch up, so we know when we’ve had enough.

Bingeing can feel stressful and out of control — by slowing down, we help ourselves calm down and take back some of the control.

7. If you feel like you’re in over your head, ask for help.

Sometimes we need support.

If overeating is especially frequent or extreme, or if you have health problems related to overeating that you don’t know how to manage, seek the help of a coach, nutritionist, dietician, or counselor who specializes in disordered eating behaviors.

There’s no shame in receiving support. The best coaches and practitioners often have their own support team too.

Want help becoming the healthiest, fittest, strongest version of you?

Most people know that regular movement, eating well, sleep, and stress management are important for looking and feeling better. Yet they need help applying that knowledge in the context of their busy, sometimes stressful lives.

That’s why we work closely with Precision Nutrition Coaching clients to help them lose fat, get stronger, and improve their health… no matter what challenges they’re dealing with.

It’s also why we work with health, fitness and wellness professionals (through our Level 1 and Level 2 Certification programs) to teach them how to coach their own clients through the same challenges.

Interested in Precision Nutrition Coaching? Join the presale list; you’ll save up to 54% and secure a spot 24 hours early.

We’ll be opening up spots in our next Precision Nutrition Coaching on Wednesday, July 18th, 2018.

If you’re interested in coaching and want to find out more, I’d encourage you to join our presale list below. Being on the list gives you two special advantages.

You’ll pay less than everyone else. At Precision Nutrition we like to reward the most interested and motivated people because they always make the best clients. Join the presale list and you’ll save up to 54% off the general public price, which is the lowest price we’ve ever offered.

You’re more likely to get a spot. To give clients the personal care and attention they deserve, we only open up the program twice a year. Last time we opened registration, we sold out within minutes. By joining the presale list you’ll get the opportunity to register 24 hours before everyone else, increasing your chances of getting in.

If you’re ready to change your body, and your life, with help from the world’s best coaches, this is your chance.

[Note: If your health and fitness are already sorted out, but you’re interested in helping others, check out our Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification program].

jQuery(document).ready(function(){ jQuery("#references_link").click(function(){ jQuery("#references_holder").show(); jQuery("#references_link").parent().hide(); }); });

References

Click here to view the information sources referenced in this article.

Avena, N.M, Gold, M.S. (2011). Variety and hyperpalatability: are they promoting addictive overeating? The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 94(2), 367-368. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.111.020164.

Drewnowski, A., Shrager, E., Lipsky, C., Stellar, E., Greenwood, M.R. (1989). Sugar and fat: Sensory and hedonic evaluation of liquid and solid foods. Physiology & Behavior, 45 (1), 177-183. doi: 10.1016/0031-9384(89)90182-0.

Kessler, David A. Your food is fooling you: How your brain is hijacked by sugar, fat, and salt. Roaring Book Press, 2012.

Mozaffarian D, Katan MB, Ascherio A, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC (2006). Trans Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease. New England Journal of Medicine. 354 (15): 1601–1613. doi:10.1056/NEJMra054035.

Provencher, V., Polivy, J., Herman, C.P. (2009). Perceived healthiness of food. If it’s healthy, you can eat more! Appetite, 52(2), 340-344. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2008.11.005.

Rolls, B.J., Drewnowski, A., Ledikwe, J.H. (2005). Changing the energy density of the diet as a strategy for weight management. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 105(5S), 98-103. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2005.02.033.

The post Manufactured deliciousness: Why you can’t stop overeating (plus 3 strategies to get control). appeared first on Precision Nutrition.

Manufactured deliciousness: Why you can’t stop overeating (plus 3 strategies to get control). published first on https://storeseapharmacy.tumblr.com

0 notes

thehungrykat1 · 7 years

Text

History in Style at Rizal Park Hotel’s Cafe Rizal

Manila has seen its fair share of history, from the Spanish period up to the American colonization and its brief Japanese occupation. While we can’t really say that the present is much better, sometimes, it’s nice to look back at old photographs and think about those golden years of Manila with its old-world charm and sophistication. There are few remnants left of those colonial years, but one historical building has recently made its way back to life, and is now a stunning reminder of Manila’s elegant history.

The Rizal Park Hotel is the new reincarnation of the former Army Navy Club, the country’s first exclusive social club which was originally built in 1911 and designed by renowned architect William Parsons. This five-star boutique hotel has been carefully restored and promises to be one of the most iconic and picturesque hotels in the country. It is located on T.M. Kalaw Extension in Malate, Manila, just a few steps away from the Quirino Grandstand and Rizal Park. I have passed by this area numerous times before, so I was really surprised when I finally saw the restored building in all its previous glory.

I visited Rizal Park Hotel a few weeks ago to try their dinner buffet which was highly recommended by one of my titas. I had only heard about the Army Navy Club in magazines and historical articles, so I was really amazed when I saw its beautiful and enchanting facade and interiors. The brightly-lit central octagonal lobby is truly an amazing feature, together with its black and white flooring plus the grand staircase which were all meticulously restored by hotel owner Simon Lee Paz, even if would have cost less to just put up an entirely new section. This is probably the most Instagram-worthy area in the city.

Rizal Park Hotel was officially opened on July 26, 2017, with President Rodrigo Duterte and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts recognizing the hotel for its efforts in the "preservation, protection and promotion" of Filipino heritage. It currently has 76 rooms but Phase 2 will be opening soon with an additional 34 rooms plus a grand ballroom that can fit 1,200 guests. It will also house a new casino plus a Chinese fine dining restaurant, together with a gym, spa and a roofdeck infinity pool looking across Manila Bay. Rizal Park Hotel is the manifestation of what life and elegance the Army and Navy Club had more than a hundred years ago. It is definitely a trip down memory lane for those who still remember how life used to be.

In charge of making sure guests experience the magic of Rizal Park Hotel is General Manager Juan Paolo Sumera, who envisions a personal and intimate encounter for everyone who visits this gorgeous boutique hotel. After taking a few photos around the colorful lobby, it was time to try the dinner buffet at Café Rizal, their all-day dining restaurant on the ground floor.

I can’t believe that this same area used to be a soldier’s lounge during the American era, but it has now been transformed into a very elegant and classy dining restaurant. Cafe Rizal offers a lineup featuring international cuisine with a fusion of classic and modern flair. Western, Chinese, Japanese, and local selections are partnered with a special ala carte menu.

Just outside Cafe Rizal is the beautiful Courtyard, an al fresco cafe suitable for quick lunch or coffee breaks. The Courtyard has its own ala carte menu and promos for those who want a more chill and relaxed vibe.

But I was here for the dinner buffet so it’s time to head over to the buffet stations. Cafe Rizal has an open-theatre show kitchen right in the middle where you can see some of your a la minute requests being prepared.

Diners can start at the Bread Station offering assorted breads that you can also request to be toasted.

The Cheese Station looks very appealing with a variety of cheeses that you can pair with fruits, cookies and biscuits.

They also have a selection of hors d'oeuvres and appetizers including Shrimp Cocktail, Egg Sandwich, Chicken Fingers, and Deviled Eggs. I just took one small glass of shrimp cocktail because I wanted to reserve my appetite for the heavier and more delicious main courses.

The Japanese station has some delectable sushi as well as tuna and salmon sashimi. I think I had two plates of salmon sashimi for myself.

Tempura is always a favorite so I also made sure to get a few pieces of their plump shrimp tempura. Some more items at the Japanese station include Chicken Teriyaki and chawanmushi.

Diners can find many other dishes scattered all around the buffet area. For those who prefer local Filipino favorites, they can indulge in Kalderetang Baka, Seafood Sinigang, and Kare Kare.

The main attraction at Cafe Rizal’s buffet would probably be the Carving Station with its endless servings of meaty delights.

The Bagnet is a deep fried crispy pork belly that Filipinos simply love eating. This savory pork dish is always so tempting, especially with its crunchy pork skin that crackles with every bite.

But my attention was more focused on the big slab of Rib Eye Steak that was just waiting for me. I asked the server to cut a slice and to have it seared just a bit to release those juicy flavors.

I can honestly say that this is one of the better buffet steaks I have tasted, served with vegetables and your choice of mushroom or red wine gravy. The beef was so flavorful and grilled nicely, with a small portion of fat that you can eat without feeling guilty.

They also have a Grill Station where you can have your orders of shrimp, squid, tuna, chicken satay, pork barbecue, and others items cooked fresh from the grill.

One of the surprising areas at the Cafe Rizal buffet is their Chinese Station. This turned out to be my favorite area because of the amazing dishes I found all over.

Start with their dimsum offerings which include hakaw, pork siomai, Japanese siomai, dumplings, spareribs, and chicken feet. I always go for the shrimp dumplings first and I have to admit that I ate 10 pieces of their yummy hakaw that evening.

You can also ask for a bowl of noodles which you can customize according to your liking.

It was the main dishes at the Chinese station that really impressed me, most especially their Garlic Prawns. These huge prawns are deep fried into a golden crisp and I really enjoyed eating the entire prawns from head to tail.

The Homemade Tofu Fungus is also an interesting and colorful dish. The silky tofu combines with the soft fungus for a healthier alternative.

Another classic Chinese dish that we have grown to love as our own is the Patatim. This meaty pork knuckle is braised in a sweet thick sauce and it is so melt-in-your-mouth tender.

Other dishes displayed include the Steamed Lapu Lapu and the Soyed Duck which are also quite delicious and noteworthy.

For desserts, Cafe Rizal also has a comforting lineup of sweets and pastries to choose from. Three types of cake were on display including Raspberry, Vanilla and Chocolate cakes. Assorted brownies, cupcakes, and parfaits are also available including eight different flavors of ice cream plus a halo halo station. That should ensure that everyone will leave with a big smile of their face.

Cafe Rizal is offering its buffet this month at a promotional price of P1200 nett per person for weekday lunch and P1500 nett for weekday dinners. Rates for weekend lunch and dinners are also at P1500 nett. It’s a great time to explore the Old Manila charm at Rizal Park Hotel and enjoy the bountiful buffet at Cafe Rizal. Hopefully, I’ll get to see and experience more of this enchanting hotel once the new phase opens this year. I’m sure it will be just as lovely.

Cafe Rizal

Rizal Park Hotel, South Road Drive, T.M. Kalaw Ext., Ermita, Manila

804-8700

www.rizalparkhotel.com.ph

www.facebook.com/RizalParkHotel

#CafeRizal #RizalParkHotel #ArmyNavyClub #Buffet #Restaurant #Cafe #HistoryinStyle #Manila #Historical