#i’ve been doing yoga and cardio

[pollen]

my bones hurt and i’m constipated. i want to get drunk

#fibro and motility disorder thingssssss all i have is tequila (enemy) #i’ve just felt so Bleh all day. i was going to do some cardio and yoga because thursdays are active recovery days but i’ve been craving #protein and fats so much today that i know i needed to rest because #i’m probably overtraining -_- so what. i love fitness i love fun i love endorphins i love being strong and having endurance and being able #to do things that i never thought possible with my body !! but i can only do these things if i rest and eat bagels and peanut butter #sometimes. idk i miss the movement. it’s good to challenge myself to have a day that’s more restful #and tomorrow i’ll likely feel so much better and have such a good workout because of it!! and i’ll be like Waow i feel so strong #everybody say thank you bagel and peanut butter

[hillbillyoracle]

Getting Moving When You’re Stuck in a Small Room

I like sharing my notes with people and I’ve heard from a few people that I am not the only person who is disabled, living with high conflict people, or just stuck spending a lot of time in one room generally. These resources are also great for people who are depressed or just need a low barrier to exercise generally.  

Framework: For me, movement is a bit like the old school food pyramid. The bottom is gentle cardio/walking, the middle is strength, and the top is stretching and enjoyable activities. I put most of my time and effort into maintaining a walking practice and less as I go up. It might help to know that walking done indoors generally takes longer than walking done outdoors. More frequent movement breaks throughout the day might be more helpful and bearable than one big chunk. 

Mindset: I think it’s also important to keep in mind that none of these are going to “fix you”. They’re not a thing to beat yourself up for not doing. Every time you choose to do a little more movement in your day, you’re planting a seed. You don’t lose that seed just because you didn’t exercise for the last several days, weeks, months, or even years. The more you plant, eventually some of them will sprout into fruitful benefits - but just planting one is better than not planting any. Because even one has more opportunity to bring you benefit - planting none can’t don’t do that. You planted that seed and nothing can take that away from you.

So here are some resources I use for getting more movement in with about 2′ x 6′ of clear space in my room (total space 8′ x 8′; full bed and book shelves).

Get Fit with Rick - Walking Workouts

Get Fit with Rick was my lightbulb moment. It was about a year into the pandemic. Conflict with my partner was keeping me from wanting to so much as pass her in the hallway to get to the door some days so I started researching what was possible to do indoors. So many workouts required equipment, were loud if you were in an apartment, or were boring as hell. 

But some how I stumbled onto Rick Bhuller’s walking workouts and it felt honestly a little bit life changing. It was something I could do with headphones in, quietly, in my own space. 

I like his music taste, he gives you variations so you can make it harder or easier as you need, and it doesn’t require much space. Some moves don’t work in my extremely small usable area now, but I can still get through most of the workouts without having to change much. His 5k step workouts are on the higher end of what he does so if you need a shorter workout he’s got you covered. 

While he does mention weight loss on occasion, it’s not his focus. He has a very positive coaching style that really just encourages you to have fun with it.  

Hybrid Calisthenics - Strength/Bodyweight Workouts

I fucking love Hampton. 

He’s got such a lovely energy and is an incredibly positive and resilient person. When it comes to this workout videos, he focuses building a foundation for healthy functional movement and preventing injury. He teaches bodyweight progressions and doesn’t make any one progression the goal. 

While his pullup methods might not work in a very small space, everything else has for me. I can do it all on a yoga mat that fits in my little walkway. For the pullups, I replace them with rows that I do with a milk jug filled with water to at least get something in. I might look into kettlebells as I get stronger. Hoping he’ll make a video at some point with some variations. 

I still struggle with strength training but I’m the most consistent I’ve ever been thanks to his positive and adaptive style of teaching. 

His website is probably the most accessible way to get into his content. 

Dayana Wang - Workouts in Bed

Content warning with her stuff that much of it uses dated and toxic weight loss language so if you find that triggering I would skip her videos. 

But if you can tolerate that, her bed workouts are really helpful! I did these when pain was keeping me from getting out of bed. I’d just follow along until I couldn’t anymore. I slept better and felt better and my flares were a little shorter as a result. 

Take care not to strain yourself with some of the moves. Depending on the firmness of your bed, some might not be advisable. 

She has some bed workouts for different areas - arms, core, legs, etc - so if you have an injury in one area, you can always follow a workout for the others. 

But overall, excellent resource for bedbound folks. 

Yoga with Adrienne - Yoga/Stretching

Who hasn’t heard of Yoga with Adriene at this point? 

She’s a favorite for a reason. She really does have videos for every skill level. I really enjoyed what I was able to complete of her 30 days of Yoga series that she has. It’s a great spot to jump in to her channel and get a sampling of her different offerings. 

What I most like to use her videos for are for stress relief stretches. I can’t really get into yoga personally but her hip, back, and neck progressions have been wildly helpful. Her bedtime yoga videos are also a treat. 

Hope this helps someone out there or at least saves them a little time! I really felt like I was wondering around in the dark on this a few years ago so I really hope this spares someone that experience. 

#exercise #studyblr #movement #health #wellness

[ravensmadreads]

Ok so hear me out…what if there was a gym au with all the boys…🤔

You meet Joel in the weights section. He helps you with your form and then helps you with your aches afterwards 🤭

Javi P is a cardio king, he’s gotta be able to run after all. You meet him at the treadmills but he has a better suggestion for some cardio you can do together 🫠

Dieter is in a dance or aerobics class. He’s good with a rhythm, and it always boosts his serotonin. He takes you out dancing afterwards and we know where that leads 😌

Ezra is doing yoga. He loves the stretch. He helps you perfect your downward facing dog form 😏

I can’t think of any other boys rn but…what if…what if I’ve been thinking too much about this…what if I opened a new doc…

GIDEON?!?!?!?!

*raven.exe has stopped working*

I'M DEAD???

Me @ this:

Okokok so hold on lemme catch up with your big beautiful brain!!

Joel is DEFINITELY weights. He's hovering behind you, acting as your spotter, and then he puts his gigantic warm hands all over you: "correcting your form darlin' ". he chats a mile a dozen about his girls as he distracts you while you wheeze your way through the last set! he blushes all the way to the tips of his ears trying to ask you out before he absolutely destroys your 🐈 in the car???

Omg YOU DID NOT JUST BRING SWEATY JAVI P INTO THIS IM CRYINGGGGGGGGG. I WILL DO CARDIO WITH HIM ANY DAY !! (Idk if i can keep up but i bet he can make me 😉😉) ok but he gets on the elliptical with that tight butt and he definitely catches you staring SHAMELESSLY.

Oooooh but you're so right about Dieter?? You know those Zumba or pole dancing classes??? YEP THAT'S WHERE DIETER IS. the man can move his hips!! He will absolutely one hundred percent give u a lap dance. Idec that im so far off your idea rn i just want his sweaty curls on top of me.

I haven't really dipped my toe in the Ezra fandom yet, but that blonde streak of hair is very distracting. And that voice 🥵🥵🥵 yes please bend me in a pretzel sir 🫠🫠🫠

What if you opened the google doc... what if i wrapped u in a blanket burrito and made out with you (with consent ofc)... what if i fed u snacks... what if i proposed marriage..

#i was thinking marcus pike needs to be in on this #maybe like the punch bag or advanced martial arts or something #i need him #im insane about him #to be fair im pretty much insane about everything #i had to do a 100 squats today (my trainer is sadistic) and i was absolutely picturing joel underneath me the whole time #<< nobody saw this though #max lord would never set foot in a gym #atleast not a public one #omg gideon WE FORGOT DIN #HES THE ONE WITH THE MOST DEFINED MUSCLES AND THE TATTOOS #HE KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT EVERYTHING BUT HES SO SHYYYYY #and he has this little kid who he pops in the office with a book before he works out for an hour #you have absolutely not tried to “accidentally bump into him” pre/post shower #i would climb him like a tree #ok im out #raven screams #joel miller x reader #dieter bravo x reader #ezra x reader

[csuitebitches]

The Best Workout that Changed My Body (Model Workout)

Growing up, I was a chubby kid. As a teenager, I was “skinny-fat” - I had a tummy but lean arms and legs. I have tried everything to burn that belly fat off; right from detox teas, waist clinchers, sports, Pilates, limiting my calorie intake, weight lifting, strength training, eating only health food for months, lemon water, even K-Pop stars’ diets… you name it and I’ve probably done it.

Then I finally found something that worked out for me. I stumbled across it on Reddit, and I shared it with my friends, not thinking that it would actually work.

Except that it did.

A friend who had gained 10 kgs because of her thyroid lost nearly 8 kgs in a matter of a couple of months. Another friend - who’s quite skinny and petite and struggled with weight gain - saw her body get more toned in just a couple of weeks.

So I decided to try it out as well - and I could actually see a difference in just a week’s time (as crazy as this sounds). A few pants I had that I always felt a little insecure about wearing actually felt LOOSE at the waist! I couldn’t believe it!

Now, for a little disclaimer. The person who created these workouts happens to train models. They are specialised in model training- reducing waist cm, hips is their specialty. HOWEVER. They were accused of filming their clients in their gym bathroom. Their spouse eventually took over the company. But that still doesn’t sit right with me. So that means that I will not be buying any of the company’s products, even though the work outs are really effective and require minimum equipment.

So I did a little bit of sleuthing - and found 5 out of 6 of their workouts for free on Reddit.

I’m going to share the link that I found on Reddit. I am NOT responsible for uploading the files. I have no role to play in it. These have been available on Reddit for literally years. I have no idea who the original distributor is, either. Also, these videos are quite old. I’m sure that the new ones are different from these.

The workouts range from 20-60 minutes (most of them are at 40 minutes though). The best part is that you can do these anywhere.

The only equipment you really need:

- yoga mat

- Slide discs/ wash cloths

- Ankle weights

- 3 pound dumbbells

Here it is (the link)

The nutrition guide:

(I have not come up with this. Do not hold me responsible if you do not agree with what the trainer says).

1. Calorie intake: 1600 calories

2. No juice, rice, pasta, potatoes, bread 2-3 hours before you workout. If you must eat, it has to be low calorie protein or lean (eggs, protein shake, lean protein, salad, vegetables).

3. No carbs after 3 pm.

4. Dinner should be protein and vegetable based.

5. No protein for 1-2 hours after workout. Fruit juice, fruits, vegetables and starchy carbs are fine.

6. Only treadmill for cardio. Slow jogs. No weights for lower body, outside of the program. No lunges, squats or deadlifts. Yoga and Pilates are fine. I personally do 12-3-30.

How I use this routine:

Monday: workout 1

Tuesday: 12-3-30

Wednesday: workout 2

Thursday: 12-3-30

Friday: workout 3

Saturday: workout 4 +12-3-30

Sunday: 12-3-30 / yoga/ rest day

I take 5 days off in a month during my period. These workouts are also not crazy intense (I’m used to playing sports and being active in general) so I’m fine doing it everyday.

What is 12-3-30?

Treadmill workout where:

12- incline

3 - speed

30 - minutes

#c suite #powerful woman #ceo aesthetic #personal growth #that girl #productivity #strong women #getting your life together #feminine energy #balance #model workout #workout #model #fitness #weight loss #body transformation #body #diet #work out #body love #body image #model fitness #cardio #hiit #feminine body #model body #Kendall Jenner workout #Victoria’s secret workout #vs Angel

[ros3ybabe]

Weekly Check In - November 12th, 2023 🎀

ugh I feel like I’ve been neglecting my blogs, and that’s not what I want to be doing!!!

I have finals coming up so soon, including exams and final papers (looking at you, psychology research paper). Not to mention I’m still working 5 days a week, classes 4 days a week, working out 3-5 days a week on top of all my adulting duties. It’s safe to safe I have been a little stressed lately, no doubt about that. It really got me bad because it was impacting my relationship with my boyfriend and the last thing I want to do is cause unnecessary stress and anxiety for him. I know I let my stress and anxieties get the best of me when I realized I was the one causing 98% of all of our arguments and issues this last few weeks. Luckily I was able to come to the realization that it had been my fault, so him and I talked it through and worked it out and I missed him that I would work both on myself more as well as work with my therapist and develop better coping strategies for times of high stress.

🩷 let’s recap this last week with some highlights! And then I will tal about my goals for the upcoming week!

I had to go talk to my PSYC TA about how far I’d fallen behind in the class and she was able to give me some encouragement and a lot of help and really set me on the path in the right direction, so I definitely have hope that I’ll pass this class with a B at worst, which is still an awesome grade!

I finally made it back to my cooking class and the professor was so kind, he told me it always upset his days when I’d miss class for the week and he asked me if was doing okay and how things were going. I think he’s in his 50s or 60s, and he’s just a very kind man, reminds me of my own dad. Has that typical old man dad humor and his cooking class has actually help me become more comfortable with my own cooking skills as of this semester. Definitely one of my favorite classes, and my classmates were the best too.

I registered for the next semester and I am sooo looking forward to the course load. Well, for the most part anyways. I have to retake Chemistry 2 as well as the lab but luckily the college offers a supplemental type of course to help with the actual class so that’s gonna be awesome. I’m also taking a sports medicine focused medical terminology course online, another once a week food focused course about food production, a psychology of emotion course (super super excited for this class), and I registered for a yoga class for the semester! I feel like having yoga twice a week will definitely help with stress and relaxation and just overall keep me on the right track health wise for the semester! I think I’m taking a total of almost 18 credit hours but other yoga class itself is 2 credits so it’s definitely gonna be an easier semester at least schedule and course load wise.

My work bestie had her baby shower! I can’t believe she’s 8 months pregnant with a little boy, he’s already so lucky to have her and her man as parents. She was absolutely glowing at her baby shower and I’m so happy that I got to go and support her. I’ve known her for going on three years already so it made my day to both be invited and get to see how excited she got when I went.

I bought matcha powder! (Amongst other health stuff, including some new gym gear for my lower body days) I have a mini traditional matcha set so I thought I’d finally use it no bought some matcha powder online! I’m super excited to try my hand at making myself matcha lattes. I even bought a milk frother so I’m a little excited.

I changed up my fitness goals and routine a bit. I’m still going to the gym 3 days a week for weight lifting, but now two of those are lower body days and the other is an upper body day. I’m also going to continue with my two days of cardio but on those two days I am also going to do some at home mat Pilates to help with my overall fitness, appearance, and health goals. I’ve heard that some lower intensity workouts are pretty good for women with PCOS so I thought incorporating that would be a good idea.

I’m Vitamin D deficient and I had no idea! I used to take vitamin D supplements at my old doctors request when I was a teenager but I stopped when I can rot college because I was no longer being advised to take it nor were my blood levels being check regularly so I figured ehh not a big deal but I recently got lab work done and yep, I am semi severely vitamin d deficient. So now I gotta look into different foods I can incorporate as well as a vitamin d supplement and more time in the sun!

I’ve been keeping up a decent skincare routine with a bunch of new products I bought and can I just say, the Anua Heartleaf Oil Cleanser is an absolute god send. I’m obsessed with Asian/Korean skincare. It’s done so much for my skin, I can’t recommend it enough!

overall, not a bad week this last week. this recap is for only (mainly) November 4th through yesterday, November 11th.

🩷 my upcoming goals and things for this week! (November 12th thru 18th)

Keep up with all my homework and turning assignments in completed and on time. I’m trying to finish the semester off strong, or at least as strong as I can. That just means it’s grind time and I gotta buckle down and get my school stuff done.

Insurance. I need to purchase insurance because the state I live in says I make too much to qualify for full coverage insurance which is an issue with the meds I take and the doctors I currently see, as well as my therapist. Adulting, yay!

Complete at least a draft and/or reel for my dietetics mentor by Saturday/next Sunday as the deadline was to have something sent to her by Monday at noon. So my goal is to have some drafts of content for her as soon as possible.

Work out at least three days this week. I’ve been consistent with going every week for the last four weeks but I haven’t been as consistent with how many days within the week that I’ve been going. So that’s definitely a goal of mine.

Look into a Pilates class/studio I can join by the beginning of next semester. I definitely want to take some classes to help with form and proper technique, but I think I want to give myself some time to build more confidence so that way I can give it my all in the future classes I take. Plus, my finances don’t exactly permit me taking Pilates classes at the moment. So my goal is to do some research now and then make a decision by mid January.

My boyfriend and I are hitting a year and a half together this week! Ahh I love him so much, I’m so excited for yet another milestone. Pretty soon we’ll be coming up on two years and I just couldn’t be happier. My man is my best friend, I’m so lucky and grateful that I have him in my life, especially as my partner <3

Attempt to make a matcha latte! My matcha powder comes in this week so I’m gonna try my hand at making my own matcha now!

Keep consistent with my skin care and self care. Also pick up journaling again this week as I think it’ll help me sort out my stressors and anxieties without harming my relationship with my man or my relationship with myself. Self care and working on my own well being benefit me in so many ways, I just need to keep consistent with it.

Restart my Duolingo and Busuu streaks as an attempt to get back into learning the Japanese language! Also begin to pick up Spanish again! Spanish is not too difficult for me to understand as a lot of people I’m around speak the language and I also took classes in high school and some in college. So I think splitting my time between Spanish and Japanese will be good and keep me from being bored and dropping my language studies altogether. I’m going to start with Spanish Duolingo and just go from there with it! once I get more comfortable with the languages I will start making small posts in those languages! Spanish will definitely come easier than Japanese tho, that’s for sure.

that’s all for this upcoming week! It feels like it’s going to be busy but next week is our break for thanksgiving so that’s one week of rest and relaxation and recovery for me. I won’t be spending the holiday with anyone but I don’t mind, it gives me a day to be mindful and grateful and just give me some time to myself that day, and for the whole week. Everyone who knows me in person knows I definitely need the time for myself. I think it’ll be very restorative for sure.

for those of you who follow my side blogs for my fitness, I’ll be posting to it here soon as well! I think I might update you on my current split and routine more in depth then what I mentioned here. And I’m going to drop a review of some of the new skincare products I’ve recently bought and tried as well! I’ll try to do a mid week update this week on this blog too!

til next time, lovelies 🩷🤍

#pink pilates girl #pink pilates princess #self care #self love #wonyoungism #self development #health & fitness #it girl #mental health #physical health #college studyblr #studyblr #study aesthetic #clean girl #girl blogging #girl blogger #it girl energy #that girl energy #that girl #college student #university student #coquettecore #coquette girl #green juice girl #language learning goals #langblr #japanese langblr #jang wonyoung #language learning #japanese language

[faithhopeloveandtherapy]

I’ve been doing yoga every day since Christmas // I’ve also been finding myself soooo hungry. Hmm could these things be connected?

Yoga is such a different thing I’ve not experienced before. My silly brain can’t make the connection that 30 minutes of yoga, holding poses and stretches as well as some low impact cardio, actually burns calories too. My brain apparently thinks only high impact cardio does that 🤷‍♀️

I’m honouring my hunger and eating all the snacks, despite it being an apparent mystery as to why I need them.

[queenofsimpsblog]

insecure - shuri x reader

A/N: YALL IM SO SORRY IVE BEEN MIA LIFE IS SUPER HECTIC RN BUT I GOT THIS IDEA SO

kinda wrote this for myself cuz self confidence is smth I’ve struggled with my entire life lol

shoutout to the plus sized girlies, we all gorgeous and deserve to feel like it <3

also just in case you forgot, you’re very pretty and i love you <3

@locoforshuri you alr knew i was gonna tag you <3

you gasped as the air was leaking in and out of your lungs. you trudged on the pathway while shuri was way ahead of you. you convinced her to take you for a run today, and regretted your decision moments after. shuri was easily able to run laps around the park while you felt like someone kicked you in the stomach repeatedly.

“so then i told okoye that maybe she should consider wearing something different so that riri wouldn’t—” shuri spoke and turned to look at you, but then stopped running when she realised you weren’t right next to her.

“over here!” you wheezed out from way behind her. you normally exercised but you did pilates and yoga. you hated anything related to cardio, especially running.

“sthandwa? are you okay?” she asked you and you managed to shoot her a smile, which soon turned into a groan. shuri sighed and turned back, squatting slightly and gesturing you to get on her back. you did as you were told and got on, gripping onto shuri’s shoulders so that you wouldn’t fall. she got back up and started jogging again. bast bless her new found strength. she resumed her rant about riri and okoye, but you found yourself zoning out.

the reason why you were exerting yourself so much was pretty simple. there was a big gala coming up in a few weeks, and you wanted to look your best for it. the last one was about 6 months ago, and you didn’t exactly have the best experience there.

*flashback brought to you by shuri’s smile which is SO CUTE*

it was a crisp autumn night, and the ballroom the gala was being held in was packed. people were roaming around, socialising, forcing themselves to laugh at some old white guy’s joke, drinking, eating, dancing. you and shuri looped your arms together as you went to talk to some UN members you recognised and were on good terms with.

you excused yourself to go to the bathroom, and while you were in the stall, you overheard some girls talking.

“did you see that girl with queen shuri?”

“oh yeah, what about her?”

“her outfit? eeeks, she way too big for a dress like that.”

“oh my god, yeah. i don’t get why she thought it was a good idea.”

“seriously! what is the queen doing with her? she should be with me instead.”

the girls laughed and left the bathroom. you left the cubicle and took a good look at your reflection.

your heart broke as you looked at the way your dress accentuated your body. those girls were right. you took some tissues and used them to soak up the tears so that it wouldn’t spoil your makeup. sighing to yourself, you left the bathroom to go find shuri.

*flashback over*

soon enough, shuri decided to end her run and walked back to the palace to take a shower. she set you down gently as you reached the palace doors, and made your way to your shared quarters.

“you mind if i shower first?” shuri asked you as you entered your room. “no sweetie, go ahead,” she smiled and kissed you, letting her lips linger on yours for a moment before grabbing a sports bra and boxers and retreating to the bathroom.

you stood by the large mirror in the walk-in closet, taking a good look at your reflection. your hands moved from your face, to your arms, to your belly and down to your thighs. your body was beautiful, but you couldn’t see that. all you could see was the imperfections those women commented on that night.

you hated it.

you hated how those strangers words had so much power over you.

before you knew it, the tears started coming in and you tried desperately to hold in your sobs. but you failed, and as shuri walked out of the bathroom and made her way to the closet to find an outfit to wear, she saw you staring at yourself and sobbing uncontrollably.

“hey, hey, what’s wrong?” she asked you gently, wrapping her arms to stabilise you and calm you.

“i’m ugly,” you cried out.

shuri was taken aback. she didn’t know what to say. she always thought of you as the most beautiful moment she ever laid eyes on. and it pained her to see you like this.

“no you’re not. you’re beautiful. why do you think you’re ugly?”

you were still crying, so it took you a couple minutes to pull yourself together. you told shuri about what happened at the last gala. rage filled her eyes, but it was quickly replaced with love.

“usana, what those women said is not true. not even close. you are the most beautiful person i’ve ever seen,” she gently took your hand and kissed every one of your knuckles, before moving to your palm.

“you remember when we first met?” she asked, trialing kisses along your arm and collarbone before moving to your other arm.

she giggled softly at the memory. “it was like time froze when i saw you. i could’ve sworn i heard violins playing in the background. it was like a movie scene. i knew then and there that i wanted to spend the rest of my life with you by my side,”

she then planted kisses on your belly, making you smile. “i don’t get why you think being skinny means being beautiful. beauty is so much more than that. beauty means having a good soul. a caring heart. and you have that, sthandwa,”

shuri then moved downwards to your thighs. she kissed them both and then looked up at you. “you’re gorgeous, y/n. please don’t ever say that you aren’t.” she stood up and brought your body closer to hers.

“and i love you. my heart is yours, always and forever,” she kissed you with so much love and adoration.

“i love you too,” you whispered and smiled, before kissing her again.

fuck those girls that talked shit about you. they were just jealous cuz shuri loved you, and not them. and nothing would change that.

#shuri x reader #black panther #wakanda forever #shuri #letitia wright #shuri x black reader #shuri x plus sized reader #plus sized girls deserve everything #i want shuri to be my gf so badly #queen of simps does it again

[sk-lumen]

Already That Girl: New Healthy Habits I've Adopted

I thought I’d share my latest habits so that it may hopefully inspire others as well.

Starting with the Scorpio Full Moon from 15/05/2022, I decided to challenge myself every day with new habits and routines that propell me in the direction of my goals, but also improve my wellbeing and mental health (we’re all about the holistic glow up here, ladies).

1. Matcha latte

I started drinking matcha daily, along with lemon water. I already drink black tea for the energy kick (or green if I don’t need extra energy) every morning instead of coffee, along with a glass of water. I tried matcha latte after being curiously spurred by all that girl reels on IG and honestly, I fell in love with it. I don’t resonate with running with the crowd for trends, but matcha is a good one. It has amazing benefits for your health, tastes great, and it’s also green.

2. Daily greens

Adding a big, nutritious salad to my lunch every day. Packed with goodies and topped with my favorite dressing: tahini + lemon. If you haven’t tried this combo, and want to incorporate more salads into your diet, you should definitely give it a taste.

3. Going to the gym with a trainer

Hiring a personal trainer and going to the gym 2-3 times a week has been a longtime aspiration of mine.

I have wanted to make going to the gym part of my lifestyle for a few years now, but after several failed attempts, I realized it had to be my way in order to be sustainable long term. I have high standards and expect quality for any service I go for, and as such have not been satisfied with the trainers I’ve worked with in the past (I can write a separate post on that if anyone is interested). Even so, I refused to give up!

I kept switching trainers until I finally found the perfect one for me, and I’m so happy I did. I know myself well enough that I do need a mentor to guide me. Worrying about researching posture, anatomy, movements, what to eat or how to formulate my workout plan, was not the way to go for me. I prefer an expert to do it for me, and all I have to do is show up and get the exercises done, so I can spend the rest of my time & energy on my other goals. Besides, having a mentor waiting for you at the gym, who motivates and uplifts you, makes a huge difference in creating consistency & good habits when you’re right at the beginning!

4. Jogging, long walks

Doing cardio (jogging, jump rope, long walks) at least once a week. I have found that cardio, particularly jogging, does wonders for my body and my mental health. It boosts mental clarity, alleviates anxiety, clears my head. That boost of endorphins is better than anything you can do in the four walls of the house, there’s only so much you can journal, blog or paint your way out of negative thought patterns.

I’m a nocturnal animal, so I knew that integrating jogging into my routine would not be sustainable long-term if I forced myself to do it in the morning. (Scheduling it for the evening when I don’t need to slather myself in SPF50 is also an appreciated perk.)

I’ve also been making it a focus to add yoga and stretching into my routine – daily if possible, but especially after strenuous workouts.

5. Leveling up my skincare

Using sunscreen, Vitamin C serum and retinol in my skincare regimen consistently. Vitamin C is a new one, but I’m enjoying La Roche Posay’s Vit C10 serum so far, after seeing it recommended by every dermatologist on Youtube.

6. More homemade food

Less takeout, more homemade food. Cooking is not a favorite pastime, but I love wholesome, home-cooked food made with love – it does have a different energy than when you just order in. I’ve been enjoying baking bread, looking up vegan recipes and just creating meals from scratch.

7. Rescheduling negative thoughts

Any negative thoughts after 9 PM are postponed until next day. No use stressing over things you can’t do anything about, and which may be caused simply by fatigue! All you need is some chamomille tea, a hot shower, and a good night sleep. Tackle tomorrow’s worries tomorrow.

✨ Read full article ✨

#glow up #selfcare #selflove #that girl #level up #sk lumen #lumen's diary #bosslady #bossbabe #it girl #dreamgirl #skincare #articles #writings #tips

[a-philanthropistswife]

Workout/Meal Plan

I’ve been super short on time and the importance of establishing a routine with cooking/Meal prepping has finally caught up to me. 

A few key things about my diet:

Pescatarian/plant based, low fodmap, high fiber

-1200 daily caloric intake

Monday, Wednesday and Friday

6am: Wakeup + put gym clothes on

6:30am: Cardio/Resistance gym class

7:30am: Shower and shine

8am: Coffee + chocolate protein powder shake

8:30am: drive to work

9am: emails + meetings

12:30p: lentil salad for lunch

3:30p: drive home/to the bf’s

4:30pm: fold laundry/do chores/relax

6pm: usually salmon bowl from tender greens no lie (Fridays are date/cheat night)

9pm: early to bed early to rise

Tuesday and Thursday

7:30am: Wakeup and shower

8am: Coffee + oatmeal 

9am: phone calls + coordinating client gifts 

12:30p: Mexican style black bean salad for lunch

1:30p: Catchup on emails or do some writing

3:30p: Drive to the bf’s

5p-6:30p: Hot yoga

7:30p: dinner most likely from whole foods

9:30p/10pm: bed

#fitness #wellness #food #i'm really trying to push myself to workout everyday but its a journey lol #i need to put together a body goals vision board that i can look at for motivation #gym motivation #clean eating

[ros3ybabe]

Current Weekly Workout Routine/Split 🎀

I’ve been doing a mixture of different kinds of YouTube workouts in my bedroom, but I have specific types of YouTube workouts that I do on specific days.

💕Here’s my current split 💕:

💗Monday - Abs/Pilates Abs

💗Tuesday - Lower Body/Lower Body Pilates

💗Wednesday - Cardio Dance/ HIIT

💗Thursday - Upper body + Core

💗Friday - Yoga or Pilates

💗Saturday - Pilates or Yoga

💗Sunday - Stretching

I always do some form of a warm up video before my workout and some form of cooldown afterward (except for yoga or stretching days). My goal is 30+ minutes of working out a day, not including my daily walks to work during the week. I pre plan my week of workouts every weekend so that way I can wake up in the morning and know what to expect. I also like to lay out my workout mat and clothes the night before. It helps eliminate the need to exert much willpower in the morning.

If you have any fitness YouTubers you like that do stuff like pilates, yoga, K-pop inspired workouts, or workouts for leaning out, losing weight, and toning up, please recommend them to me!

Some workout YouTubers I’m already familiar with are Chloe Ting, Lily Sabri, Pamela Reif, Yoga with Adrienne, Move with Nicole, Shirlyn Kim, April Han, Vivian Yuan, Madfit, Boho Beautiful Yoga, Hinafit, and Mish Choi. I’m open to any other recommendations!

Thank you!!

#pink pilates princess #wonyoungism #self development #that girl #pink pilates girl #it girl energy #wonyoung aesthetic #self care tips #health & fitness #physical health #mental health #workout #weight loss #self care #self love #chloe ting

[reincarnatedonthefirst]

Whenever I go to the gym, I do lower leg stretching after cardio. Flexibility is important to me because I used to take a lot of pole dancing classes and flexibility makes your poses look beautiful. So, flexibility is something I used to work for.

However, stretching is safest when your body is warmed up so I only ever get the opportunity to properly stretch when I’ve gone to the gym.

I’ll usually do hip-stretches after cardio and lately, I’ve been realizing that I can get deeper into my front split… even on my bad side! (if you’ve ever taken pole, yoga, or aerial acrobats, you know that one side, be it leg or arm, can often have difficulty in a particular pose than the other side).

I’m only a few inches away from the floor in my front split. I haven’t gotten this close to a front split in nearly nine years. I’m so excited I could cry. It’s amazing how the body can recover from poor health and injury if you give yourself time and care.

Pretty soon, I’ll be able to sit comfortably on the floor in my front splits. It’s something that I’ve wanted for so long that I’ve actually had dreams about it in my sleep! 🥹

#me #health

[dksw0rld]

A Few Things I’ve Learned Within the Last 6 Months

Within the last 6 months I have been trying new things and conducting research on how to elevate my life in all aspects. I’ve been doing trial and error with a few things in order to help me accomplish this goal. I have learned and changed a few things that have changed my life and I thought I’d share them in the hopes it will help others.

1. Cutting out meat was the best thing I could have ever done for myself

This lesson is number one for a reason!! I’m now a pescatarian, eating seafood around 2-3 times a week and then vegetarian for the remainder of the days and I can’t come close to fully describing to you how much this changed my life. My energy level is 10x higher, I’m losing weight much quicker than I ever have, my skin is clearer. I attribute me going to the gym much more than I did while eating meat to this as well. I’m so glad I made the leap. If you need a push, watch the documentary “What the Health” on Netflix. You’ll thank me after. Or maybe you won’t if you’re a meat lover.

2. Chasing after my goals scared

I came across a quote a few months ago that completely changed my perspective and quite honestly, my life. The quote is “Do it scared.” Simple but so dang effective. I had a certain goal I carried with me for a long time but was too scared to take action on because it was a huge goal but I saw that quote and after analyzing it for a week or so I took the leap and am now running towards my goal and I could not be more excited for the future. Taking action feels so good. You owe it to yourself to chase after your goals. It doesn’t have to be fearlessly like we always see people saying. You can chase after your goals and be fearful, just do not let fear stop you!! Be scared and do it anyways.

3. Focusing more on cardio for weight loss

Everyone’s body is different of course but it’s proven that cardio aids in weight loss. I used to hate cardio and truthfully part of me still does but I had a goal to lose weight and I realized running from cardio was hindering that goal. So I started prioritizing cardio in ways that I ENJOY or at least semi enjoy because c’mon, it’s cardio. I either go on walks outside in nature, on the treadmill on an incline or do the elliptical always coupled with dumbbell weight training. I feel so good, my energy is up, I feel so accomplished after my gym session and I'm losing weight much quicker!

4. Finding ways to enjoy working out 

This point kind of ties into number 3. Working out should not be viewed as a punishment or something you dread doing. It should be viewed as celebrating your body and the fact you’re able to move it. It should be about self-care and loving your body. Finding activities you enjoy that happens to move your body is key! For me that’s volleyball, walking / hiking, volunteering at the horse barn (if you've been around horses you know this is a workout LOL) ballet and barre, dancing workouts, Pilates, kickboxing and krav maga, and occasionally yoga. Once I started viewing working out differently and finding ways to workout that I truly enjoyed, everything changed.

5. Balance is the key

Honestly, this is something I’m still working on, but your goals are on the other side of discipline (and fear but ya’ll know that now). Motivation can only take you so far. Cultivating discipline is a huge key to unlocking your dream life, as much as some of ya’ll hate to be told. Getting up at 5 am to work out and meditate and reflect even though you’re tired, not eating the ice cream after dinner even though you’re craving it, going on that walk after work even though you feel like being lazy BUT balance is key. Sometimes it’s okay to eat the ice cream, it’s okay to give yourself a rest day. The real key (in my opinion) is finding a good balance between discipline and treating yourself and prioritizing rest. It’s hard to do and I’m still working on it but so far I have learned and achieved a lot by working towards finding the balance. I know I’m going to excel even more once I find my balance!

6. Reducing my skincare in the AM

Before, my skincare routine had a good amount of steps in the morning before work. My skin looked okay but it didn’t look like how I wanted it to. I did some research and saw that a lot of skincare professionals recommended doing fewer skincare steps in the morning so I decided to try it and maaann it has made a world of difference so far! Although my skin never really has a lot of acne, it can be super oily and have a lot of smaller bumps. After changing out some of my products with ones that had better ingredients and only doing a few steps in the morning, my skin has been glowing. I’m so glad I did my research and tried this. Your skin doesn’t need a lot done to it in the morning. Keeping it simple is best!

#highvalueblackwoman #dk #high value mindset #discipline #balance #things I've learned #growth

[awalkthroughstellis]

Colour Me Attracted

Warnings: Spoilers for Luke’s SR card “Timely Rescue”, slightly mature moments throughout the entirety, mild spicy ending (SFW), Trigger Warning for health complications (Robin’s heart condition acts up)

Rated 16+ - Robin is very ‘aware’ Luke

Summary: Robin is determined to keep up with her ever active boyfriend. Living with a heart condition has put a lot of limitations on her activities, but with hard work, she may be able to push past those limits. A game of paint ball might be pushing it a little too far, though…

My feet pounded against the moving track at a steady jog, my breath steady and my eyes locked on the treadmill’s digital clock. I was seven and a half minutes in to my ten minute goal, and while it’s taken me a while to build my cardio to this point, I couldn’t help but feel an early sense of pride. I’ve always kept up my fitness through yoga for the sake of a healthy heart, but now I have other reasons to seek better stamina. I have an active boyfriend I want nothing more then to be able to keep up with.

“Almost there, Peanut.” I mumbled. “Two minutes left now.”

The myna bird bobbed his head and ruffled his wings with a soft chirp in what I assumed was encouragement. I almost didn’t hear him over the sounds of virtual gunfire coming from the other side of the living room, where Luke was unwinding with a video game. He was both supportive and cautious of this new workout routine of mine, and tried to be present when I decided to push myself like this. While on one hand it felt a little extreme, on the other, I completely understood. While improving my cardio was great for my problematic heart, in a way, it was also encouraging it to-

The shock in my chest caught me completely off guard. I lost my footing, and with a sharp cry, landed on my hip and was pushed off the treadmill by the still running track. I was reeling in pain, both from the throbbing of the impact on my hip and the invisible kick to the chest. Peanut was squawking up a storm and rapid footsteps sounded like thunder rushing towards me.

“Robin? Baby, what happened?” Luke asked, sounding rather frantic as he crouched in front of me with an expression of petrified concern.

I inhaled deeply, paused, and exhaled before answering. “Pacemaker shock. I haven’t been shocked that hard in a while.”

With incredibly smooth movements, Luke scooped me into his arms and carried me to the giant green beanbag chair he was sitting in seconds ago. The seat was still warm with his body heat, the game on the TV still running even though the character wasn’t moving. He crouched in front of me again and took my left wrist into his hand, pressing his thumb into the skin just below the bone at the base of my thumb.

His brows pulled together to form a crease between them, but as he continued to count, that crease slowly started to fade. “Your heart is still going pretty fast. I’m taking you to the hospital.”

I grabbed his sleeve before he could go anywhere. “Hold your horses, Detective. Let’s monitor it for a little while before rushing to such dramatic measures, okay? I know I got shocked and all, but I was just working out. I’m sure my reset needs a little time to, you know, reset. Can you get me a glass of water, please?”

‘Reset’ is my lighthearted term for this kind of predicament. Luke didn’t look reassured in the slightest, but went to do as I asked regardless. He returned with a full glass and the blanket from our bed, draping it over my lap before handing me the drink. The water temperature was a little cooler then room temperature, no doubt something he did on purpose in attempt to slow my heart rate down without shocking it from something that was ice cold. Luke sat on the floor next to the chair and stayed there for the next ten minutes, re-checking my pulse every three.

“What’s the verdict, Detective Pearce? Am I spared of a trip to the hospital?” I asked after sometime, taking on a playful tone in attempt to ease his worries.

He didn’t reciprocate, keeping a serious tone. “It is at a normal resting rate now, but…”

“Luke,” Leaning forward a little, I cupped his cheeks between my hands. “I love you, and I’m so extremely grateful that you have so much love for me in return, but I have twenty-two years of experience here. This is nothing my body can’t handle. In fact, all this new exercise has made a difference. I don’t feel as drowsy as I usually do after a reset.”

Giving his lips an energetic peck, I peeled the blanket off and cautiously rose to my feet, testing the waters of my balance. Luke stood as well, matching my pace while holding his arms out, ready to catch me if I wavered. His patience and consideration made my heart swell and had me falling in love with him all over again.

I smiled up at him brightly. “See? I’m all good. I’ll be even better after a shower, and after I pass my physical exam later and get clearance from Dad, you and I will get to have fun shooting people with paint.”

Luke looked best with a smile, but right now, he looked almost pained. “Maybe we should reschedule. The air-soft arena isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.”

“No way. I’ve been working so hard to be ready for the opening weekend. I’m not gonna let something this small get in the way of our fun.”

“At least take a nap before you shower, just in case your body hasn’t fully recovered.”

I gave him a look. “I’m not bringing sweat into our bed unless it’s the fun kind. This is not the fun kind. I’ll leave the door open and sing so you can hear me. Or,” I batted my eyelashes. “You can come in and keep me company.”

His face flushed with a bright shade of red. Giggling at my success, I kissed his jaw and skipped over to my wardrobe, grabbing a change of clothes and winking at him before heading into the bathroom.

~~~~~~~~~~

The universe must have decided that we’re meant to be here today. The sun was shinning, the sky was clear and blue, a gentle breeze carried excited voices through the air, and tucked safely in my wallet was a note that cleared me for this kind of physical activity. The line was long but shorter then I expected, and while men mostly filled the queue there were a couple other woman here, too.

“They have so many game modes.” I stated, flipping through the pamphlet I picked up when we first got into line. “King of the castle, capture the flag, a treasure hunt… That sounds right up your alley. What do you think, Babe?”

Luke, who was standing behind me, placed a hand on my waist and started reading over my shoulder. “The Treasure Map can accommodate up to ten teams of two to four per game. Each team carries a piece of the treasure map. Collect all ten pieces to learn the location of the treasure. Each team is outfitted with a tracker that tracks the location of the map’s pieces. This tracker will be enabled fifteen minutes into the game. The team that reached the treasure within the allotted time wins.” He started drawing circles on my shirt with his thumb. “This one will have a lot of movement. Maybe we should-”

“Luke.” I spoke his name sternly. “You promised me that you wouldn’t be a worrywart. Besides, this is our best option, considering almost all of the other modes require at least a team of four.”

“I’m sorry.” I could feel the guilt rolling off of him. “I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Tucking the pamphlet under my arm, I turned around to face him and slid my hands into his, leaning some of my weight into my palms. The way he easily supported me was grounding, a reassurance that no matter what, he would be there to keep me on me feet.

“No, I’m sorry. I know I scared you the other day, and you have every right to be worried. I haven’t challenged my stamina like this in years. I want to do this with you though, Luke. I love how active you are and I want to be able to keep up with you so badly it hurts. I love your smile when you’re having fun, and I want to see it for myself more. I don’t want to let fear stop me from making memories with you while-” My eyes started to sting and a sob was quickly building in my throat. I cleared it away and shook my head. “I just want to have fun trying something you enjoy. So, let’s have fun today, okay? I love you.”

His cheeks turned a light shade of pink. “I love you, too.”

I didn’t realize we had gotten so close to the front of the line until a staff member was waving us through. We signed wavers, I presented them with my medical clearance, and then we were directed to the change rooms. Luke and I agreed to regroup by the practice dummies, which were within eyesight of the change rooms. Inside the woman’s room, a female staff member handed me a camouflage bodysuit and some protective gear while explaining how to equip it properly. It seemed simple enough. Thankfully I wore a short-sleeved grey t-shirt and black tights today, otherwise I would definitely overheat in this suit.

Feeling cute, I snapped a picture and sent it to a group chat that consisted of my fellow girlfriend’s of the NXX. My phone pinged with a message as I was re-tying the laces of my combat boots.

Anna: If Luke doesn’t jump you immediately after the game is finished, I will

Me: LOL I won’t complain if you 😏😂

Me: Marius might get jealous though

Harmony: It looks good on you! Have fun with the game.

Me: I will, but I’m worried Luke is going to be too anxious about me to enjoy himself. We’ve had a couple talks about it already, but he’s not just gonna forget it so easily. My handsome worrywart.

Harmony: I understand his concerns. I would be worried too, but no one knows your limits better then you.

Anna: ☝️

Anna: I’m sure Luke will calm down once he sees your having fun. Try not to stress babes.

Me: I’ll try. Gtg, ttyl.

Putting my personal belongings into a locker, I headed outside to meet up with Luke. As I headed towards the practice dummies I realized that most of the participants in the area were men, all of which looked experienced with this sort of thing. There was a small group of woman I passed, who were standing in a circle, giggling and talking in hushed whispers while pointing towards a particular man… my man.

The sight of him made me stop in my tracks and almost had my jaw on the floor. Just like everyone else he was dressed in camo, but on Luke it looked like the real deal instead of a mock military costume. The chest plate hugged his figure exceptionally and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. His hands were protected by fingerless camo gloves and were busy fiddling with a black rifle that looked incredibly realistic. Perhaps I should have felt jealous that those woman were gawking at him, but instead, I felt pride; pride that this handsome, talented, and loyal man committed himself to me.

I couldn’t help but feel like the most confident woman in the world as I strolled towards him. “If I had any idea you looked this sexy in military gear, I would have asked to see you in it sooner.”

Luke almost dropped his gun. I laughed and shook my head playfully, standing on the tips of my toes to kiss his cheek. Okay, maybe I was a little jealous.

The flustered look on his face suddenly disappeared. “Your armour is lose.”

“It is?” I looked down at myself. “Doesn’t feel like it.”

Setting his gun down on a picnic bench, he gave my chest plate a little tug. “It shouldn’t be lifting off of you this easily. Paintballs still hurt and can cause bruising, and we can’t risk one hitting your chest. Stand up straight and breath slowly, I’ll fix it for you.”

I did as he instructed, trying my best to ignore the desire building in me. Luke’s breath was rushing over the skin of my neck as he tightened the straps on my side, and it was making my heart pound. “This is nice and all, but I like it better when you’re taking clothes off me.”

He flushed again, turning a deeper shade of red this time. “Are you gonna be doing this the entire game?”

“Maybe.” I giggled. “Can you blame me? You know I find you attractive no matter what you’re doing.”

Finally finishing his adjustments, he straightened up. “How does that feel? Too tight?”

I pondered for a moment, doing some basic movements to test it out, then shook my head. “No, I’m good. Thank you.”

Luke flashed a charming smile. “Okay, then let’s get you familiar with a paintball gun.”

Luke picked out a gun for me that was a little lighter and easier to carry, then gave me a lesson on aiming and handling. I did my best to pay attention, but it was difficult when he was being so unintentionally distracting.

“Don’t place your hand too far up the barrel.” He spoke against my ear as he reached around me, his strong arms lingering in my peripherals as he slid my hand further back. “You don’t wanna risk the ammunition grazing your fingers, and don’t place your finger on the- good girl.”

I bit back a moan as a lustful shiver rocked my body. Luke had taken on a kind but serious and strict tone of a man with experience, and it was affecting me more then I ever imagined it would. I loved Luke in all forms but this… I really liked this.

“You’ve gone quiet. Are you okay?” He asked.

I could feel his eyes on me, but my cheeks were burning so much that I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. “I-I’m fine. Just focusing. Can I take a practice shot?”

“Yeah.” He adjusted, placing his hands over mine and using his arms to support my own. “These rifles are fake but they still have a little recoil to them. I’ll help you balance until you get used to the feel of it. The scope’s not perfect but it’s accurate enough so when you aim, aim for where you want to hit. Relax a little. You want to be firm, not tense.”

I took in a deep breath and released it slowly. “Does the closing an eye thing work?”

“For some. I use both to accurately gauge distance, but you’ll have to figure out what works best for you. Ready?”

Nodding, I took another breath, aimed at the vest on the dummy, and pulled the trigger. Luke was right about the recoil, but thanks to his support, I wasn’t thrown off balance too much. What did caught me off guard, though, was how aware I suddenly became of his strong body right behind me.

“Nice job.” He praised with a smile. “How did that feel?”

It took a second to form an answer. “Good, I guess. It went a little more to the left then I wanted, though.”

“The recoil threw you off at the last second. We still have some time to practice before the game starts.”

The next thirty minutes was spent this way, and thanks to Luke’s direction, I was finally able to handle the gun completely on my own by the end of it. A staff member gathered everyone together and led us to the playing field, and as soon as we were given our map pieces and backpacks, the buzzer went off and all ten teams went sprinting in different directions. Luke jogged a little ahead of me to set the pace, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he was conserving energy or if he was going a little slower for my sake. I wasn’t going to ask.

Luke suddenly slowed to a walk and let one strap of his bag slide off his shoulder. “Let’s stop here.”

I tilted my head a little. “Are you sure? We’re still pretty close to the start, aren’t we?”

He dug through his bag, not responding until after he had fished out a water bottle, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to me. “There’s no sense in running all the way to the edge of the arena. We don’t know everyone’s positions yet. Farther doesn’t mean safer.”

“I never thought of it like that.” I drank a little, then handed the bottle back to him. “So, what’s the plan? The tracker will activate any second now and the other teams will know exactly where we are. Should we hide our piece of the map and conceal ourselves nearby?”

Luke’s smile almost knocked me off my feet. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

We hid our corner of the map in a tree hole, then hid in a thicket of bushes within viewing range. I sat on the ground next to Luke and pulled the digital pad out of my bag. It turned on all by itself, showing the woods and where each team was. Teams One, Seven, Eight, Nina and Ten had covered a lot of ground and were basically at the borders of the playing field. Everyone else, including ourselves, was much closer in.

“We’re Team Six, right?” I asked, to which Luke nodded in confirmation. “Teams One and Two are closest to us, but they’re even closer to Three and Four, respectively. What are the odds of them going after each other first?”

“If their strategy is to take advantage of their geological locations, then the odds of them picking off the closest team is high. But, if they’re planning to eliminate the weaker teams first…”

I felt my shoulders drop. “Then they’ll come right for us.”

When the staff lead us to the arena, I took note of the other teams. The first thing I noticed was that I was the only woman. The second, Luke and I were the only team of two. Not only that, but if the other teams were scouting out the competition, they would have seen Luke coaching me during practice and realized I was new to this.

“They don’t see me as a threat.” I said, puffing my cheeks out in annoyance.

“If they knew how stubborn you are when you set your sights on something, they would think twice.” Luke said, trying to cheer me up.

I sighed and shook my head. Now isn’t the time to sulk on my lack of experience. Now is the time to get my head in the game. “Okay, so we have a target on our backs. We’re gonna need a plan.”

“Nah. I don’t need a plan to deal with the likes of them.” My handsome secret agent leaned over and kissed my cheek. “They’re amateurs. It’d be a disgrace for me if I had to lay down a trap for them.”

I laughed at that. “If I didn’t already know what you’re capable of, I’d accuse you of having an ego, Detective Pearce.”

Teams One and Two were starting to close in. While we should have been able to tell which direction they would be coming from, the team members carrying the map pieces stopped moving. Doing so meant the other team members gained the element of surprise and since everyone was dressed to blend in with the forest, I had no hope of spotting them.

I glanced at Luke, wanting to see what he was thinking, only for my breath to hitch in my throat. The way the sunlight trickled through the trees to highlight patches of his chestnut hair and fair skin made my mind go blank. The way the bicep of his bent arm bulged beneath his sleeves made my stomach flip. His narrowed brows, that glint of a cold look in his eyes, made my skin light up and tingle. A long time has passed since I’ve seen that look on him. Though, really, that’s a good thing; it means we haven’t been in any serious danger. ‘God, I want him so bad.’

He met my gaze suddenly, and I felt the glass veil between my consciousness and subconscious shatter. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” I answered in a rushed whisper, trying to ignore the burning sensation in my cheeks. “I just don’t know where to look.”

His cheeks rose a little with his smile. “Keep your eyes on your three o’clock. You’ll see them soon enough.”

Nodding, I shifted my eyes to the trees and struggled to keep them there. After a few seconds of silence something flew past me from behind, the rush of air tickling my hair as the grey canteen landed in a bush far off to the right. The rustling bush was answered with gunfire. ‘There!’

Luke and I fired back and it wasn’t long before every member of the rival team was splattered with paint. We used the same strategy on Team Two and the results were the same. Once they were dealt with, we ambushed the two members with the map pieces and grew from holders of one piece to three. I’m not sure if I actually managed to hit anyone in the crossfire, but even if I didn’t I was having a lot of fun trying, and seeing Luke enjoy himself, that was even more enjoyable.

The game carried on and after several more fights, we had six pieces of the map tucked safely into Luke’s bag. Since the first battle we’ve had to stay on the move, and by now, exhaustion kicking in. My calves were burning and my chest was starting to feel like a weight was sitting on it. I would have to keep an eye on that in case it got worse.

Luke, who was walking a little ahead of me, stopped suddenly. “Let’s stop here for a break.”

A sense of guilt attacked my gut. I was trying to pretend I didn’t notice how he had been slowly been shouldering more and more of the burden of survival, but now I had no choice but to address it. I know how bad he wants this win, and I’d feel awful if we lost because I convinced myself that I was ready for this kind of challenge.

I shook my head and forced what I hope was a reassuring smile. “I’m okay. Besides, we’ve got an even bigger target on our backs now. We should really keep moving.”

He gently caught my wrist before I could pass him. “Robin, we’re not gonna make it to the end if we burn ourselves out, Lovebug.”

“You mean if I burn myself out.” I huffed out a self-depreciating laugh. “I’m sorry, Luke. I know I’m not very helpful as a teammate in this sort of thing. You can easily win this thing without me, so how about I play bait and draw enemy fire? I’ll be out, but at least you won’t be slowed down anymore.”

A sad gleam appeared in his eyes. “Baby…”

Something caught his attention just then. Without warning, Luke grabbed me and pulled us both behind a tree with a thick trunk, which served as a shield to protect us from the paintball that just splattered the other side. That was way too close.

“Hide. I’ll take care of this quickly.” Luke ordered, flashing me a pleading look while checking the rounds in his gun.

I nodded, knowing now wasn’t the time to argue. I pulled a couple cartridges of pain from my vest and stuck them in the pockets of his. “Take these in case you need them. My gun should be loaded enough to defend myself if I need to.”

He touched my cheek. “I’ll be back soon.”

With that he made his move, drawing the opposing team’s attention toward him as I concealed myself within the short arms of several bushes and a large boulder. I did my best to keep my eyes and ears peeled, watching for any incoming attacks while listening out for Luke’s well-being. He’s been so quick at eliminating opponents up until now, but this time, it was taking him a lot longer. I suppose that’s to be expected, since we’re down to the wire and only the strong remain, but still, it’s only up to four opponents per team-

“Oh no.” I mumbled, fumbling through my backpack for the tracker, a key tool we haven’t been paying attention too.

My breath caught when I realized it wasn’t just one team Luke was taking on, but three. Judging by everyone’s position, he was locked in a battle with both Team Eight and Team Nine, and Team Seven was nearby. They must be staking out, waiting to ambush whoever won this brawl. Since Luke was holding onto the map pieces, they knew exactly where he was. I have to find a way to warn him. I could use our tactic from earlier in the game and throw something to catch the others off guard, but Luke wouldn’t be expecting it and it wouldn’t do any good to risk distracting him.

My palms were getting sweaty, and the longer I sat there, watching Team Seven’s advance, the more nervous I got. What could I do? I can’t charge into battle against them alone, I can’t make a move without distracting Luke… what could I do? Nothing. I couldn’t do a damn thing.

‘Stop that.’ A voice in my head said. ‘You didn’t spend so much time convincing Luke you were ready for this to just give up. Think.’

The gunfire around me suddenly quieted down. Luke must have handled Teams Eight and Nine, but Team Seven is about to descend on him before he could make it back to me. I had to tell him their location and I had to tell him now. With his battle currently over, I could throw something without the risk of diverting his focus.

“Not yet…” I mumbled to myself, watching Seven’s tracker approach. “Not yet… Now!”

With all my might, I chuckled a rock in the direction of team Seven and listened as more shots rang out. It worked in exposing their position but it also exposed mine and I just barely managed to fling myself around to the other side of the boulder before I could get shot. I wasn’t completely unscathed, though - red paint was splattered on my thigh. The rules didn’t count this as a hit since it didn’t splash my body armour, but it rendered me ‘injured’. I wouldn’t be able to move now without Luke’s aid.

Just when I thought Seven was going to round the boulder and take me out, Luke appeared and started firing at them. The team retreated, racing back into the forest the way they came.

“Are you okay?” He asked, slowly and carefully pulling me to my feet.

I nodded. “Uh huh. Actually, I’m better then okay. I think an adrenaline rush kicked in. What about you?”

I noticed the small red splatter on the side of his vest. If he got hit a second time, he’s out of the game.

“I’m alright.” Cupping my cheeks in his hands, he kissed me suddenly and wore a boyish smile when he pulled away. “You did so good, baby. Your timing was perfect.”

I couldn’t help but giggle like a high school girl as a daydream-like fog starting to cloud my head. “I’m happy to help.” Reality quickly set in again. “So, what do we do now? If you get shot again, you’re done, and there’s no way I can finish this by myself. I’m not even allowed to move without you.”

At Luke’s request, I dug out the tracker again. He stood behind me, glancing around to make sure the coast was clear before directing his attention to the device. “It looks like they’ve dug in behind this rock wall. Going around will take up too much time. We’ll have to attempt a frontal assault.”

I furrowed my brows. “They’re hiding behind a wall… how are we gonna attack from the front?”

All he offered was a smile before scooping me up and carrying me towards where Team Seven was hiding. After picking a particular tree, he set me down, climbed it and tied his belt from one of the higher branches.

“Get your gun ready, Lovebug. It’s shooting time.” Luke said, grinning as he motioned me over.

I blinked at him, confused. “What am I doing exactly?”

Wrapping an arm around my waist, he tucked me securely into his side. “I’m gonna swing us up, and you’re just gonna aim straight ahead and hold the trigger down. The wall doesn’t offer them any protection from this angle. Are you ready?”

My heart clenched with both warmth and guilt. Guilt from the knowledge that he could easily do this on his own, and warmth from the fact he was doing his best to include me in the plan.

Taking a deep breath, I gave a firm nod. “I’m ready.”

With what seemed like ease, Luke swung up up and gave me the signal to shoot. Just as he said, the members of Team Seven were exposed and every single one was splattered heavily with paint by the time we hit the ground. The players were good sports and handed over their map pieces without a fuss.

“We did it!” I exclaimed, throwing my arms around Luke in excitement.

He chuckled and patted my back. “Almost. We still have to put the pieces together and find the treasure.”

The scraps weren’t too small so piecing it together was rather easy. The new problem, however, was that the location of the treasure was five miles away and we only had twenty minutes to get there. There’s no way I would be able to run that far with my heart arrhythmia, especially not now that I was ‘injured’.

Making up my mind, I jerked my head in the direction of the finish point. “Go. Win this for us, Luke.”

His eyes went a little wide. “You want me to leave you?”

I nodded. “It’s not like there’s anyone else hunting us. You’ll make it in time, I know you will. Show me what you’ve got, Detective Pearce.”

I was expecting him to smile, to promise victory and go charging off, but that’s not what I got. His frown surprised me, but what got me even more was the whole he effortlessly tossed me onto his back and started running.

“L-Luke?” I stuttered. “Baby, you’re gonna exhaust yourself. I’ve had my fun, really. I’m okay with you taking this home for us.”

Because he was carrying my weight, his breathing was heavier and therefore, I could tell it was taking extra effort to answer. “I’m glad you’ve had fun today, but I’m still having mine. How could I say my fun was complete unless we finish this together?”

I sighed at his stubbornness. “Okay, but at least let me down for a second so I can dump this unnecessary gear.”

Luke stopped and let me down just as I suggested. I tossed my gun, dropped my bag, and ripped my armour and jacket off. Luke did the same, using the bottom of his shirt as a towel to wipe the sweat from his face. The way his abs glistened didn’t escape my notice, and I caught myself swallowing hard at the sight. The urges I had forgotten about were building again, and it only for worse when I climbed into his back again and felt his muscles working beneath my chest and stomach. I hope he didn’t noticed how tightly my thighs were squeezing his waist.

“We’re almost there.” I said, doing my best to encourage him to keep moving forward. “When we get home, I’ll make dinner. Whatever you want.”

“Yes!” Luke’s reply was short, but I’d rather that so he could focus on keeping his breath even.

“And I’ll give you a shoulder massage.”

“Hooray!”

I leaned in closer to his ear. “And… lots of kisses. Lots and lots of kisses.”

I had to tighten my arms around his shoulders as he suddenly found a new burst of speed. The treasure point finally came into view and with less then a minute to spare, Luke and I raised the victory flag. The game was officially ours, and as soon as we got home, I was gonna indulge in this man that let me call him mine.

~~~~~~~~~~

Eyes closed, breath broken, lips locked in a deep, starving kiss, I was completely at Luke’s mercy as he backed me through the door and practically slammed it behind him. He only broke away enough to peel his shirt off before descending on me once more, giving my hands more room to roam as he guided me across the third floor to our bed. His broad shoulders, firm abs, and sturdy biceps combined with the gentle touches of his hands was driving me crazy.

“Luke,” I moaned his name, pressing my body flush against his. I needed to be closer. “I need you. Please.”

He eased me down until my back was against the bed, taking hold of one of my hands and lacing his fingers with mine. “Are you sure you’re not too tired for this?”

I nodded desperately, looking at him with a pleading gaze and locking my legs around his hips. He didn’t make me wait much longer, and before long I was consumed by the loving waters that was Luke Pearce.

#tears of themis #x oc #tot luke #luke pearce