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who-is-page · 2 years

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🍂September Website Update🍂

The title of this post might be a little misleading-- redesign might be a better way to put this beast of an update! Every single page on 3 Dragons and a Dog has received some sort of change, with many pages being added or phased out entirely.

TL;DR of what's been changed: The Writings page has destroyed and instead split into three separate pages divided by author, we added a Lectures tab with links to all our lectures, the Resource Masterlist has been divided into 5 separate pages with links now having descriptions to them and being significantly more legible, the Therian Guide beware got updated, and also we now have a Guest Book (go sign it!)

For a complete explanation for all the changes to the site, see the readmore below. But I honestly recommend you just go ahead and check it out yourself! Remember to hard refresh (Ctrl+F5) your browser when visiting the updated site!

HEADER + FOOTER:

Added a Guest Book tab!

Writing tab is now a drop-down menu and not clickable by itself

Resources tab is now a drop-down menu and not clickable by itself

Removed Search Bar from footer because it's broken

HOME:

Added more Social Media buttons.

Added a visitor counter and last updated section.

Changed background.

Adjusted it so that the page should, hopefully, be more accessible on phones and tablets.

ABOUT

Updated Noel's linked page in the "Meet The System" section.

Updated Page's linked page in the "Meet The System" section.

Changed background.

WRITINGS

Divided all listed writings by author.

Each new page contains the author's bio, picture, and links to their social media.

Each page also contains separate backgrounds and color schemes.

Adjusted everything so that the pages should, hopefully, be more accessible on phones and tablets.

LECTURES

Has a clickable "Lecture List" that will take you to the specific lecture on the page.

Has an "Info" box that links to OtherCon, explains what software/hardware we use for these lectures, and links to our YouTube channel.

Added Anti-Otherkin: A Symptom of a Greater Problem lecture video, Google Slides presentation, and audio-only video.

Added Abnormal Instincts: Statistics and Solutions lecture video, Google Slides presentation, Google Docs lecture script, audio-only video.

Added So You Want to Write a Book on Otherkin lecture video, Google Docs lecture script, and links to Orion Scribner's website and House of Chimeras' website.

Adjusted it so that the page should, hopefully, be more accessible on phones and tablets.

FOLCINTERA

Changed background.

RESOURCES (overall)

Divided the original masterlist into five separate pages.

Added necessary disclaimers to the top of each page.

Added brief descriptions of what each page contains.

Increased font size for accessibility.

Changed background.

LARGE WRITING COLLECTIONS

Removed Eristic.net and the Wildpath Library, due to feeling that they did not necessarily fit into the description listed on this webpage.

Updated FromFiction's link to its current one.

CREATIVE PROJECTS

Added a clickable list at the top for each subsection (Comics, Zines, Literature, & Games)

Removed Shifters from the Comics section, because I was unable to verify that it was actually made by a were.

Converted FTMPD and other LB Lee comics/zines/lectures to a single link used in multiple sections that connects to LB Lee's list of free comics, zines, one-pages, lectures, and prose as posted on their website.

Added Jakkal's Black Tapestries, The Realm of Kaerwyn, and The Delta Project to the Comics section.

Changed The Forest Voice's and Otherzine's links in the Zines section, as the previous links to the original places the zines were posted have since gotten deleted.

Removed Brave Sparrow from the Games section, because I was unable to verify that it was made by an alterhuman or with alterhuman experiences in mind.

Added Loyal Dog to the Games section, which was directly inspired by Brave Sparrow.

FORUMS

Removed Kinmunity from the forum list due to the admin claiming that they were deleting the site and all its contents with no warning. The admin has since backtracked and is now framing this as just a "site update," but given that the site has been nuked multiple times in the past by its leadership, I can no longer recommend it in good faith.

Added Draconic, a forum for dragons that's been active since 1998 (holy shit)

Added Dragon's Landing, a new ProBoards forum for dragons.

Added The Obsidian Spire, a forum for any nonhuman-identifying individuals, including otherkin.

Added Wilder Trails, a ProBoards forum aimed at animal identities, including therians, theriomythics, fictherians, animal extranthropes, animal-hearted folks, and animal-linkers.

THERIAN GUIDE BEWARE

Changed title of "Therian Guide Beware" to "LycanTheory & Therian Guide Beware"

The Beware now has a "last updated" date text.

Added that LycanTheory left Therian Guide.

Added information on LycanTheory and his partner Jade starting the Therian Underground forum, a forum aimed specifically at zetas.

Added information on some of the reactions to TU/Werelist's advertisement for it, given that both LycanTheory and Jade both nuked their Twitters after leaving their respective spouses and packing up their dogs (and possibly kids) to go be with one another, which makes it hard to find links and information. People's real-time reactions/ads help to prove that the TU stuff is indeed real, even if the Tweets about it no longer exist. If you've got those original announcement tweets archived on a site somewhere, let me know.

Added DustWolf's quote about "60% of all Therians are zoo and all Therians are welcome on Therian Guide[.]" Also, that's a completely made up statistic, for anyone wondering.

ALTERHUMAN GLOSSARY

Added disclaimer

Added links to other glossaries that people should check out, with brief descriptions

Added "How to Use" box detailing the best way to use the web page

SHIFTING GLOSSARY

Added disclaimer

Added section asking people to link me with terms, with links to my Tumblr and Twitter

OLD RESOURCE MASTERLIST

Added disclaimer at the top detailing that the page is no longer receiving updates and links to the new pages

#otherkin #alterhuman #therian #fictionkin #the beware is now in a drop down menu because we are thinking of adding a second beware for someone in the near future

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ageless-aislynn · 2 years

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Ugh. So sorry to have dropped off the face of the earth these past couple of days. We’ve had a ton of power outages and then, when the power WAS on, our Internet kept going down.

So, I’ve been having a ton of power-free, Internet-less fun, as you can imagine.

Anyway, will be trying to catch up on everything I missed. The only good thing: I still can’t get down that dang Coastal Highway section of ODST on Legendary (the LAST LEVEL ZOMG I JUST WANT TO FINISH PLEASE HELP ME PATRON SAINT OF VIDEO GAME PLAYERS IF YOU ARE OUT THERE). But if I would’ve been playing and been winning and almost got to the end and then BLAMMO power outage so it didn’t count...?

So at least I was spared that, lol.

I actually took a break from playing on Legendary and went back and played the entire game through on Easy because I do truly love it! The visuals and the soundtrack both combine to make the most amazing atmosphere!

youtube

I mean, just listen to “Deference for Darkness” and you’re right there with the Rookie in the dark and quiet Mombasa Streets, exploring the devastation and searching for clues as to what happened to your team - but beware of stumbling across enemies as you go! Just beautiful.

Link to entire playlist, if you’re interested. 💖

I was so stoked that they added the Acrophobia skull to ODST, so now you have the ability to fly but... they didn’t lift the invisible barriers or the dang death barriers oh c’mon so you can’t go up very high or out of bounds very far. *SAD FACE* I was really looking forward to exploring around at greater lengths like you can on Halo 2 (which I still consider an almost perfect game in so many ways in my very limited experience *chef’s kiss*).

Anyway, like I said, I’ll be trying to catch up on things today and if I seem to miss something, don’t hesitate to let me know! I’m also getting back to writing. On the menu we have...

...in the Halo section: “15 Minutes” Chapter 6 and “Recreation” Chapter 3. And over in the ZOMG I just want to finish these WIPs they’re so old and I feel so guilty that I didn’t get them done section aka The Flash: “Guardian Angel” Chapter 3 - 5 (estimated) and “Cupid’s Kiss” Chapter 3 (conclusion).

I’ve quietly closed off any other Flash fics that I originally intended to add to and have temporarily shelved WIPs that were never posted, like “Try” (aka The Big Beast of ReverseSnowThawne) and “The Price” (Frosthunter). Those last two really bug me because I honestly do love them and I think they’re worth finishing but I’ve just lost my mojo for the Flash. I know what I want them to say but when I work on them, they sound lifeless and cardboard and it just makes me feel frustrated. I still hope to one day come back to them. “Try” has 3 chapters done but I didn’t want to start posting them until I knew for sure I was going to finish it. Conservative estimate on that one is something like 25 - 30 chapters, it’s a BIG story with actual worldbuilding and the like so it’s a large commitment that I didn’t want to flake out on. 😥

“The Price” has a grand total of one (1) person who said they’d like to read it and, darn it, that’s enough for me to wish I could get it done. 😕

Ah well, I can only do my best, right?

Anyway, if you read all of this, here, have a delicious, freshly baked cupcake!

...or have a hug...

...or just a friendly nod of acknowledgement, whatever works for you! Have all 3, if you’d like!

🤗💖

#about me #electricity is a wonderful thing that you miss when it's gone #i love you internet #please don't leave me #ais is writing #ais is an amazing gamer /s #the /s is earned because of how badly coastal highway is kicking my butt #this is my game tag #halo odst #halo: odst #ageless aislynn

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healthtips108 · 3 years

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Everyone has a desire to rid themselves of their weight as quickly as they can. I wish that I had a magic wand that I could wave over every obese person out there and his/her excess fat would be gone forever. This simply is not the case. Here are some easy to follow weight loss tips to help you slowly and methodically get to your goal. So I hope you enjoy reading these 9 weight loss tips.

Weight Loss Tips #1: Want It!

In order to be successful at weight loss you have to want to lose the weight. You must commit to this want, not just say that you want to lose the weight. The best way to commit to losing weight is to make a goal, write it down, then stick to it.

A goal does not have to be just about the weight you lose or want to lose. You could write a goal using your body measurements or percentage of body fast lost, or it may be your desirable clothing size. Set your goals in a way that they are attainable. For example, I want to lose 15 pounds by Christmas or I want to drop 2 dress sizes by my sister's wedding.

Once you have set your larger goals, you need to set smaller ones to make sure you are on schedule to achieving your long-term goal. Keep track of your goals by using a weight loss chart, a food journal, or an exercise chart. Keeping a journal is the best way to track the foods you eat, the amount of water you take in, the amount of daily exercise, and to daily write out those goals. You can even track how you are feeling throughout the day. This will help in knowing whether you are eating because of a particular mood or not. Keeping a journal is good way to stay committed to your weight loss.

Weight Loss Tip #2: Keep it in the Kitchen

The of the worst habits that people have is not eating at the kitchen table. They are either standing to eat while doing other things or they are in front of the television. Experts say that generally people who eat while watching television eat larger servings of food. Our focus is on what we are watching, not what we are eating.

We need to move away from our family rooms and back into the kitchen. During this time eat slowly and spend some time with your family. Talk to the spouse and children. Pay attention to what you are eating as well as how much you are eating. When you eat slower, your stomach will have the time needed to signal you that you are full and you will not have over-eaten and feel miserable.

Weight Loss Tip #3: Throw Out Temptation

In order to remain faithful to your weight loss regime, you must remove all temptation from your cabinets, freezer, and vehicle. Replace the candy and fatty foods with the right foods. Sugar-free gelatin and pudding is a wonderful way to take care of that sweet tooth in a correct portion without adding a lot of calories. Low-fat popcorn or low-fat flavored popcorn is another wonderful replacement to fatty snacks.

Try not to eat unhealthy snacks for a couple of weeks. Keep a bag of crunchy vegetables, like carrots handy to help with hunger. Most crunchy veggies tend to satisfy you more and are lower in calories.

Weight Loss Tip #4: Find Support

Weight loss is a challenge alone, but with a partner, it will seem much easier. Look for a weight loss support group on-line or a forum. Facebook even has support groups. If you prefer, not to have someone on-line then start your own support group in your home or someone else's home. Otherwise, all weight loss companies offer a support group or sometimes a little one-on-one counseling.

Your support groups can include family, friends, coworkers or even your neighbors. Your group could be as large or as small as you like. Ask everyone you know to support you in your weight loss endeavors with some encouragement.

.Weight Loss Tip #5: Stop Bad Habits

Most learned or old habits are hard to break. It's time we make a change. We do not have to eat everything that is on our plate. Most of grew up knowing that we must eat everything on our plates because there are starving children in Africa. It is okay to leave a little food on our plates every now and again.

We need to listen to our bodies and stop eating when we are full. We must eat smaller portions of our food. We need to avoid having seconds. Try to eat 6 small meals instead of three large ones. Eat breakfast, have a morning snack, eat lunch, have an afternoon snack, eat dinner, have an evening snack.

When you eat out at a restaurant either order from the children's menu or ask when you order for the waitress to bring you a to go box. When the food arrives, place half or more of the food into the to go box.

Weight Loss Tip #6: Add Variety

You need a little variety in your life. This goes for food too. You will get bored eating the same thing week in and week out. Once this boredom hits, you will slip back into your old habits. Eat a little something from each of the major food groups, including fruits, vegetables, protein, dairy, whole grains, and fats.

In order to stay energized, eat five to six small meals everyday. This also helps your metabolism. Eat a protein with most meals, including eggs, beans, lean cuts of meats as well as fish. We need to try to eat a minimum of five servings and up to nine servings of fruits and vegetables daily. If you are watching your sugars, also watch the amount of fruit you are consuming. You really need to eat more vegetables than fruit. Also you need to eat a variety of both fruits and vegetables. Don't just eat the same foods daily. Remember the key is variety.

The bread, pasta, and cereal you consume needs to be whole grain. If you have never had whole grain pasta, then mix with regular pasta and gradually add more and more whole grains until you are used to it. It holds true for bread especially if you make your own. The complex carbohydrates and high fiber in whole grain bread and pasta help to speed up your metabolism. The dairy products you consume should be low-fat or fat-free.

Also make sure you are eating good fats, such as olive or safflower oil. Your body needs a certain amount of the good fats. Make sure that you read your labels and stay away from foods that have trans-fats. Trans-fats are extremely bad for you.

Weight Loss Tip #7: Satisfy the Sweet Tooth

On your weight loss journey there will be times when you will crave something sweet. If you want it then have a small piece of whatever you are craving. It is better to have a small piece of it than ignoring your craving and then bingeing because you have deprived yourself from it for so long. Don't get into a habit of eating this way daily though. It is okay to give into the craving from time to time, but not daily.

Weight Loss Tip #8: Watch What You Drink

Of course the number one choice to drink is water clean of chlorine. You need a minimum of six glasses of good water. You can also drink green tea. Consumption of green tea can help with weight loss.

Several people do not track or think about the amount of calories in their beverages. A regular flavored cola has more than 100 calories and 10 teaspoons of sugars. Fruit drinks are also high in sugar and calories. Switch to diet drinks and drink more green tea and water.

Beware of your alcohol consumption. Most alcoholic drinks have lots of sugar and are high in calories. Alcohol turns to fat and sugar in your body. Limit how often you have a drink. Save it for special occasions and try to consume lower calorie beer or wine.

Weight Loss Tip #9: Get Active

Getting active is an import key to weight loss. We need to get moving if we want to lose weight and keep it off. However, sometimes when you start an exercise program, you go from couch potato to exercise fanatic. You want to gradually start the exercise regime over time.

Start off with just walking. Walking takes no special equipment other than a good pair of shoes. Walk at a pace that is good for you and walk for twenty minutes, three times a week. As time goes on, walk a little faster and add more time. You can add strength training twice a week. Start with something light like two cans of soup then gradually move to light hand weights.

Exercising will burn excess fat and calories. The strength training helps build lean muscle mass. The more lean muscle mass you have the more calories you burn due to your higher metabolic rate.

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webmarket01 · 4 years

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40 Weight Loss Tips for Over 40 | Eat This Not That

New Post has been published on https://weightlosshtiw.com/40-weight-loss-tips-for-over-40-eat-this-not-that/

40 Weight Loss Tips for Over 40 | Eat This Not That

There are certain things everyone over the age of 40 should be doing to guarantee that the second half of life’s big game is as exciting as the first half. After all, once you hit 40, your body begins to lose muscle mass, the lean tissue that helps you burn fat and calories; women drop about half a pound of muscle per year after crossing 4-0, according to Pamela Peeke, author of Body for Life for Women. That’s why 40 tends to be the dividing line between those who are headed for a long, healthy lifetime of lean, and those who are headed for an early (and probably much larger) grave.

To keep you in top shape, we’ve uncovered these 40 essential weight loss tips for playing your second half perfectly.

Ditch the Yo-Yo diets.

The cabbage soup diet? Really? Just no. Restricting calories and losing body fat too quickly can wreak havoc on insulin, leptin, ghrelin and other hormones, prompting a surge in hunger and a slump in metabolism. These effects can last for more than a year, even after the diet is abandoned, according to a 2011 study in the New England Journal of Medicine. Yo-yo diets also prompt a decline in dopamine, which means you’re left feeling unmotivated and sluggish.

Educate yourself before eating out.

Eating out is a treat and is probably something you’re doing because you deserve it—maybe it’s your birthday, you’re celebrating a family member, or just getting together with old friends. But letting yourself indulge doesn’t mean you have to be completely blind to just how deceptive many restaurant menu options can be. From breakfasts that have more sugar than seven Snickers’ bars to pastas that have more saturated fat than 50 eggs (yes, 50), it’s well worth your time to read up before you go out.

Take your sleep really seriously.

Over the years, you’ve probably had moments where being able to get by on very little sleep was almost like a badge of honor. But as sleep medicine progresses and people are learning more about sleep health, the ties between your Zzzs and your LBs on the scale are becoming clearer. Losing just an hour of sleep each night for three days can prompt a surge in the hormone ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, and a slump in the hormone leptin, which tells us when we’re full, says Norfolk, Va.-based clinical psychologist Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., co-author of The Sleep Doctor’s Diet Plan. Deep sleep, on the other hand, fuels the production of the fat-burning human growth hormone (HGH).

Stop reusing your water bottles.

You think you’re being economical or environmentally friendly, but you’ll want to start avoiding those plastic bottles in the first place. A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to toxins like bisphenol A (BPA), organophosphate pesticides and phthalates may be fueling weight problems. “We are starting to see a lot of human studies showing an association between the presence of chemicals and obesity,” says University of California, Irvine, researcher Bruce Blumberg, Ph.D., who coined the term “obesogen” to describe such toxins. A 2011 Harvard study found that adults with the highest concentration of BPA in their urine had significantly larger waists and a 75 percent greater chance of being obese than those in the lowest quartile. Reusing plastic bottles with BPA adds to the risk because temperature changes and the gradual breakdown of the plastic will increase the rate of the release of the chemical.

Go mason jar crazy.

Nope, we’re not just talking about Pinterest-y D.I.Y. decor tips. Some of the healthiest food trends out there right now suggest using mason jars—namely, mason jar salads and overnight oats. While eating salads or oats out of a mason jar may make you feel good, it’s what you put in them that will make you look good—and earn you a flat stomach. We aren’t saying you have to toss out your Tupperware; we’re just saying you might beat boredom and find slimming down all that much easier.

Start Instagramming your food.

Speaking of social media, it’s time to take a cue from those iPhone-crazy millennials because it might just be the weight loss boost you want! Holding onto that food memory may help you eat less at breakfast…and lunch…and dinner. An analysis on a number of “attentive eating” studies printed in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that if people recall their last meal as being filling and satisfying, they tend to eat less during their next meal. Researchers found techniques like writing down or drawing meals (and even keeping food wrappers and receipts!) to be particularly beneficial.

Be pessimistic for a moment.

Picture this in your mind: You’ve dieted and worked out for the past 10 years and you’re fatter than ever. Your health is in shambles and you’re hopeless at resisting food temptation. You know better, but you look and feel unhealthy. It’s that kind of “negative fantasizing” that researchers say paradoxically provides powerful motivation for weight loss. According to the Zero Sugar Diet, a study in the journal Cognitive Therapy & Research revealed that obese women on a weight loss journey who had the most positive fantasies—showing off their new, hot bodies to friends a year later—actually lost 24 pounds fewer than those with the most negative thoughts. While it’s fun to visualize the future benefits of weight loss success, researchers say negative fantasies about weight loss mentally prepare dieters for temptation and hardship.

Go easy on the hand sanitizer.

We know, we know: It’s flu season. But we’re sorry to say that, after our research team here at Eat This, Not That! dug into the science, we have some bad news for you: Your hand sanitizer could be making you fat. Triclosan is a synthetic antibacterial agent frequently added to soap. It’s referred to by researchers as an “obesogen”—a compound that can potentially cause weight gain by disrupting the body’s endocrine (hormone) system. Studies suggest that triclosan can negatively affect the thyroid. As thyroid hormones control metabolism, any hit to the organ’s functionally could cause you to gain weight. The evidence is of particular concern for hospital workers, researchers say, as they’re exposed to the antibacterial agent on a regular basis and often show significantly higher levels of triclosan in their urine. A study in the journal PLOS One found a detectable level was associated with a 0.9-point increase in body mass index (BMI). If you’re a frequent hand-washer, experts recommend sticking to good ol’ soap—not the antibacterial kind—and to buy organic cleansers when possible.

Beware the viral Facebook videos.

You know the ones: In 30 seconds or less, you watch a mysterious pair of hands layer cookie dough with Oreos with brownie mix. Bake, cut, and oh how yummy—and insanely, ridiculously, break-the-chair fattening. “The internet and social media sites are basically making you fat,” Lisa Hayim, MS, RD, and founder of The WellNecessities, told us for our article on The 30 Worst Flat Belly Mistakes Women Make. “If it isn’t 25 ways to eat tater tots then it’s [another] national [something] day. The internet has made it basically impossible to stay away from cravings and indulgences. These are not excuses to eat unhealthy food.” Next time you see one of those videos, ask yourself how you could make it healthier—and if you can’t, click out of it and never look back.

Reassess your comfort foods.

This one has a surprise twist you won’t see coming. “When you eat things to which you’re sensitive or intolerant, you get an increase of the hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine, so you literally get a high,” says Pamela Wartian Smith, M.D., co-director of the master’s program in medical sciences at the University of South Florida College of Medicine, who explains that this reaction can result in cravings for the very foods we should avoid. Food sensitivities may also lead to inflammation and water retention. To compound the problem, over-the-counter antihistamines bolster appetite and dull energy, studies show.

Get a stand-up desk.

At this point, you’ve spent around 20 or more years in the workforce. You’ve paid your dues and ran circles around your competition—resulting in your own office, possibly. So, why aren’t you owning that space like the boss you are? The first tweak for your office makeover: Invest in a height-adjustable stand-up desk. Here’s why this can be such a game-changer for your waistline: A British study found that standing at work burned 50 more calories per hour than sitting. If that doesn’t sound like a lot, consider this: If you stand for just three hours of your work day, you’ll expend more than 30,000 extra calories per year—which amounts to about 8 pounds of fat!

Do it yourself,

Remember when you were 23 years old and wouldn’t even dream of spending your coveted cash on letting someone else mow your lawn, wash your car, or paint your living room? Try tapping into that scrappy, resourceful inner you a bit more and you’ll wind up torching calories. For example, a 150-pound person will burn around 200 calories if they wash and wax their car for 40 minutes.

Make it tea, all the time.

We get it: You’ve been in a relationship with coffee longer than your spouse. But the benefits of tea are so incredible. Here’s the thing about tea: Study after study proves that tea boosts metabolism, turns on your fat-burning hormones, and help reduce stress. You can put it in smoothies or even cook with it, like food journalist and author Kelly Choi suggests in these 60-Second Weight Loss Tips Celebs Swear By. If you don’t know which tea to start with, go for matcha: It’s the superhero version of the already-mighty green tea.

Once upon a time, you probably thought white bread was a basic staple for the pantry. And you’ve maybe switched to wheat, which is something of an improvement—if it was still 1996. But if “enriched flour,” “high fructose corn syrup,” or “sugar” is one of the first few ingredients listed on your bread’s label, you’re not doing your waistline any favors. The trio to try for: Look for bread that comes in less than 80 calories, has less than 3 grams of sugar per slice, and lists whole grains as the first ingredient. Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain Bread and Alpine Valley Organic 21 Whole Grains Bread both fit the bill.

Stop the soda habit.

If you have one soda a day, studies show that you’re accumulating fat around your organs (visceral fat) and likely giving yourself a “soda belly”��a protruding, beer belly-like gut that’s the result of about 1.8 pounds of fat pushing out your belly. And that’s in addition to all the other harmful things we know about soda. (Diet doesn’t do you any favors.)

Drink 2 cups of water before each meal.

Drinking water is essential for all your body’s functions and it dramatically ups your odds are of staying thin. In fact, one University of Utah study found that dieters who downed two cups of water before each meal lost 30 percent more weight than their counterparts who didn’t sip any H20 before noshing. If you don’t have a water cooler at your office, fill a BPA-free bottle with water at home. If you drink two cups before breakfast, lunch, and dinner, that just leaves you with two more cups before you meet your minimum recommendation for the day. So easy!

Let legumes take charge.

According to a review published in the journal Obesity, legumes—including beans, chickpeas, lentils and peas—could keep you from the snack drawer until dinner. Researchers found that subjects who consumed between ¾ and 1 cup of legumes daily felt as much as 31 percent fuller than those who didn’t! But there’s a catch: Although participants felt fuller when they ate legumes, they didn’t always eat less throughout the day. It’s still up to you to tune out the call of cravings—a completely different beast than hunger. But when it comes to willpower boosters, beans are a great way to get a jumpstart.

Don’t drink so many calories.

That zero-calorie diet soda is its own death sentence. But as for that cream-and-sugar coffee every morning? That’s 80 extra calories, and that’s if you’re ordering normal coffee and not one of those tricked-out frappa-cappa-whipped-something drinks from your favorite coffee shop that have a couple hundred calories. Many fruit juices, energy drinks, and even big-chain smoothies are loaded with calories.

There’s a host of benefits that come with walking more, from stress relief to stronger leg muscles. But the simple act can ward off weight gain simply because you expend more calories than taking the elevator or parking as close as possible to the door. But for weight loss and to actually start burning, you’ll need to walk 3 mph, which is as if your plane is about to start boarding and you are still walking toward your gate. And while they don’t have to all be 3 mph steps, the average recommendation is 10,000 steps a day.

Sit less.

Sitting is the new smoking. Researchers from Toronto recently showed that sedentary behavior can lead to death from cardiovascular issues and cancer, as well as cause chronic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes. Prolonged sitting, meaning sitting for 8-12 (or more) hours per day, increased your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 90 percent. And weight gain. So. much. weight gain. Be mindful of not plopping down on the couch all evening and if you can swap times you sit at work for standing. Have you heard of stand-ups? They’re meetings where everyone stands and many people love them because these meetings often wind up shorter than other meetings where people get too cozy at that conference table!

Slip in other ways to be active.

Whether it’s playing with your dog, carrying the stroller for your family members with little ones, or exploring a nature path, it’s crucial to fit in extra activity when you can. “Metabolism and hormonal changes in your 40s create an ideal environment for excess fat storage in women—especially in the midsection,” says Marisa Moore, MBA, RDN, LD. “In your 40s, activity is essential.”

Boost metabolism with micro workouts.

That mom of three who also teaches spin class and always looks fantastic? Awesome. But that’s not attainable for everyone, which can leave you feeling frustrated that you can’t be a workout god or goddess, too. The good news: You only need 2 ½ minutes to boost your metabolism and start burning calories, too. Research printed in the journal Physiological Reports showed that people who did five 30-second bursts of max-effort cycling, followed by 4 minutes of rest, burned 200 extra calories that day and boosted their metabolism for the next 24-48 hours. It’s highly unlikely you have a stationary bike handy at your place of work, but a similar result could be achieved by running up the stairs and doing jumping jacks.

Let your body fast.

When Eat This, Not That! spoke with the dieting and fitness experts from My Diet is Better Than Yours, we learned some pretty incredible tips. One idea that seemed more attainable for someone over 40 is from wellness expert Jovanka Ciares, who said try eating only between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. (Can you imagine a college guy or a new mom abiding by that rule?!) As long as you are still getting enough calories to keep your metabolism up, this tactic can help you lose weight because it puts your body into a fasted state, which Ciares says can make the process easier and faster.

It can get overwhelming to keep up with all the superfoods out there, we know. But if there’s one amazing food you should be getting more of (and that we know you’re not), it’s seaweed. The sea plant is a great source of iodine and you can enjoy seaweed in sushi, broth-based soups, as chips or snacks, and more. “Without sufficient levels of iodine, your thyroid function becomes impaired and it’s harder for your body to burn fat,” says nutritionist Dana James of Food Coach NYC, who suggests sneaking sea vegetables into your diet at least three times a week. Seaweed also contains a compound called alginate, which has been shown to significantly cut fat absorption, says Tanya Zuckerbrot, RD, author of Miracle Carb Diet: Make Calories and Fat Disappear–with Fiber.

RELATED: Your guide to the anti-inflammatory diet that heals your gut, slows the signs of aging, and helps you lose weight.

Learn about ‘eating clean.’

You’ve heard this buzzy phrase a bunch of times by now, right? It’s way more mainstream than you may realize, though—and much more attainable than you think. The basic rule of eating clean—and, forgive us for watering it down—is to eat more real food and less fake food. Doritos are not food. Those sketchy frozen enchiladas by Big Store Name Brand are often not much better. And that cream of something soup you mix into every chicken dish is a way of life that’s making your waistline expand.

Stop doing sit-ups.

Not only is this antiquated exercise less effective than something like a front plank, sit-ups are terrible for your spine and can cause herniated discs. Fact: A traditional sit-up puts around 3,350 newtons of compressive force on the spine, but the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health states says anything above 3,300 newtons is unsafe. Now you can understand why Mark Langowski, celeb trainer and author of Eat This, Not That! for Abs hates to see people do sit-ups. “I created an entire workout plan to give you a rock-hard core and it doesn’t involve one single sit-up,” he says.

Try meditation.

The older, wiser, less-bendy sister of yoga, meditation is an amazing activity that people can reap major rewards from. Studies show that people who regularly practice mindfulness meditation have more activity in their left prefrontal cortexes, which makes you calm and happy. Plus, a 2014 study found that individuals who meditate are less likely to overeat or give in to emotional eating. To get started, unroll a yoga mat or sit on a carpet in a sunny room (east-facing if possible) and take five uninterrupted minutes thinking about something that you’re grateful for. You’re supposed to lose a few LBs, but even if you don’t, we guarantee you’ll still be glad you made meditation part of your life.

Live by the half-plate rule.

Nope, the rule isn’t to only eat half of what’s on your plate. It’s that half of your plate should always be made up of veggies. This rule is most effective when you eat all the veggies, first. You’ll feel fuller faster, longer, and be less likely to go for seconds. As always, don’t fret about cleaning your plate or wasting food; it will go to waste whether you eat it or not!

Eat less salt.

High amounts of sodium can lead to belly bloating and there’s a good chance you are already getting more sodium than you need. To cut back on salt intake, Alexandra Miller, RDN, LDN, Corporate Dietitian at Medifast says to eat fewer processed foods like bread, pizza, and condiments. “Read the Nutrition Facts label to find how much sodium is in each serving,” she says. “Very Low Sodium is 35 milligrams or less per serving; Low-Sodium is 140 milligrams or less per serving; Reduced (or less) sodium is at least 25 percent less sodium per serving than the usual sodium level.”

Don’t fear the fat.

Sometimes, you have to eat fat to lose fat. Specifically, healthy fats—those with omega-3 fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, and oleic acid—dramatically help to satisfy hunger and fire up your metabolism. Think avocados, walnuts, coconut oil, and even full-fat dairy.

Use your non-dominant hand.

Remember when you were little and would try to write with different hands? Eventually, a long time ago, you probably gave up on that. But personal trainer to the stars Jay Cardiello says it can be a great weight loss trick. “It takes 15 minutes for your brain to realize that you’re full,” he explains. “To give your mind time to catch up to your mouth, simply switch your fork to non-dominate hand. It may be frustrating, but it’s a simple and unnoticeable way to curb overeating and lose weight.”

Cut back on wine and booze.

You deserve that glass of Scotch or wine, we know. But the unfortunate truth is that your body doesn’t metabolize alcohol as efficiently as you age. So, not only are you going to add on (or not be able to lose) weight because of alcohol, you also wind up looking older and sleeping worse. “[As you age] it will be increasingly difficult to get a good night’s rest with alcohol in your system and sleepless nights lead to carb and sugar cravings the next day,” says registered dietitian Martha McKittrick in 30 Foods You Should Never Eat After Age 30. Meanwhile, alcohol zaps moisture from your skin making fine lines more noticeable and speeding up your skin’s loss of elasticity.

Be your own therapist.

In an Orlando Health survey of more than a thousand respondents, only 10 percent of people listed their psychological well-being as part of their weight loss journey. The problem? Not being in tune with your emotions and their connection to food is why nearly 66 percent of people gain weight back after losing it. “Most people focus almost entirely on the physical aspects of weight loss, like diet and exercise,” neuropsychologist and Program Director of Integrative Medicine at Orlando Health Diane Robinson, Ph.D. said in a press release. “But there is an emotional component to food that the vast majority of people simply overlook and it can quickly sabotage their efforts.” To stop emotional eating and unlock the door to weight loss success, try keeping a journal that tracks your food choices and current mood. Then look for healthy and unhealthy patterns, which can help you identify the specific life and emotional connections you have with food.

Eat for health, not weight loss.

“To see real results, you need to eat real food,” says Angelo Grinceri, People‘s one-time Sexiest Trainer Alive. “When your eating habits consist of eating a variety of real foods that provide the body with nourishment, a healthier body is created. And the healthier you are, the faster you’ll recover post-workout and the better chance you’ll have at losing fat and building muscle.” Plus, eating for health instead of weight loss means you’ll develop a habit that makes smarter food choices easier and easier.

Buy organic.

By now, you should know that weight and health problems are often the result of an accumulation from what you’re consuming. With that in mind, take a moment to think about how you’ve had at least four decades to accumulate toxins from food and drink—some seriously bad stuff that can lead to obesity. Many of those come from pesticides and hormones in your meat and produce. So start choosing organic fruits and vegetables and hormone-free meat.

Always be prepared with snacks.

Remember the Boy Scout motto about always being prepared? At 40 or older, you most likely have more things demanding your time and attention than ever before. To make it easier to eat lower calories and avoid stuffing your face when you’re starving, always keep your desk, pantry, car, and purse stashed with healthy snacks. Raw almonds and bananas are two of the easiest, but you can get more ideas with these healthy snack ideas under $1. And whatever you do, do not hit up any vending machines!

Turn off the tube.

Studies show that lean people watch less television, plain and simple. A recent analysis of multiple studies found that for every two hours spent watching TV, the risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and/or early death increased by 20, 15 and 13 percent, respectively. Because you’re expending less energy as you zone out in front of the telly, there’s a surplus blood sugar flooding your bloodstream and contributing to weight-related risks that crop up in your 40s and beyond. Even knitting like will keep you younger than just sitting and watching show after show!

Many people stop working out or become less active as they age because they’ve started experiencing more joint pain or discomfort from old injuries. This is why swimming can be a great solution. It’s low-impact, builds endurance, and burns calories. Dive in!

The benefits of Greek yogurt are far and wide while making your figure tighter and slimmer. High-quality Greek yogurt is low in calories (less than 100 for 6 oz.), has a very high amount of protein (20 grams), and provides your gut with some much-needed probiotics. Flavored, non-Greek yogurts, on the other hand, are often packed with additives that harm your health and can even make you hungrier. If you’re not a Greek yogurt fan, do know that it can be an acquired taste—but mixing in some berries, walnuts, or homemade granola might just become your new, belly busting addiction!

Adopt a weight-loss mantra.

There’s a lot of advice out there, but having a go-to mantra that gives you strength can be a powerful weapon in your weight loss arsenal. “There will always be another meal” is just one of the 25 Weight Loss Mantras Nutritionists Swear By and The Nutrition Twins explain that they came up with it because people all too often eat as if they’ll never have their favorite foods again. Find your mantra and make it work for you!

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hotspreadpage · 6 years

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An SEO’s survival guide to Single Page Applications (SPAs)

SEOs beware: if you haven’t heard of Single Page Applications (SPA for short), or if you have been resistant to learning about these JavaScript methods for creating websites, the time for hiding your head in the sand is over.

Check out this tweet from Google Webmaster Trends Analyst John Mueller:

The web has moved from plain HTML – as an SEO you can embrace that. Learn from JS devs & share SEO knowledge with them. JS's not going away.

— John ☆.o(≧▽≦)o.☆ (@JohnMu) August 8, 2017

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

John Mueller is correct. It’s not going away.

A quick search on Google Trends for “Single Page Application” reveals the sharp rise in popularity and awareness of SPAs over time:

Some developers are positively enamored with using JavaScript frameworks and libraries to create websites, and SPA popularity has been steadily growing.

Take Angular (also known as AngularJS and Angular.js), for example.

Here’s a Google Trends search for the Angular JavaScript framework showing the past 5 years, and Trends even recognizes the application platform – you can see popularity has increased greatly over the last couple of years:

The React JavaScript library shows a similar up and to the right trend:

In my role as a professional SEO, I can’t say that Single Page Applications are the rule and not the exception when it comes to how businesses choose to develop websites these days, but I am running across more and more SPAs, and so are my colleagues.

Yes, it’s true that JavaScript was never intended for web page content delivery.

Yes, it’s true that SPAs to date have not been great for SEO.

Yes, it’s true that many developers who had fun quickly creating websites using SPAs had to later spend more time fixing SEO problems than the time they would have spent if they just coded the site to deliver content via HTML5 in the first place.

But, none of that matters, my SEO friends.

Like it or not, SPAs look like they’re here to stay.

It’s time to stop thinking bad thoughts about SPAs and trying to wish them into the cornfield.

Single-Page Applications: Resistance is futile

I admit it – for a while there I was hoping I could ignore Single Page Applications, and maybe eventually SPAs would end up in the trash heap of obsolete website trends such as the <blink> tag, and web page content that’s free of annoying and intrusive advertising interruptions.

Programming and coding languages live and die by developer adoption. For example, if, by some weird turn of events, developers across the world suddenly decided they hated PHP and fell in love with some super-cool new server-side scripting language, then PHP withers, maybe even dies.

It’s just that simple.

That’s why, for example, Google has been pushing Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) super hard – because they need major and widespread developer adoption for AMP to succeed and not wind up as the <blink> tags’ roommate.

Talk to developers who’ve created sites using Angular, React, or other JavaScript frameworks or libraries. See if they light up as they talk about the ease and speed of development and how debugging was not as hard as the rumors have it.

SPAs are popular with developers, and that popularity is not showing any sign of slowing down.

Dipping a toe into the SPA

Looking “under the hood” of SPAs, a distinguishing characteristic is that there’s a lot less back and forth between the server and the browser making requests to the server.

After the initial JavaScript framework download to the browser and first page view, there is no page reloading going on when navigating to a second, third, and fourth (etc.) page, hence the “single page” part of Single Page Application.

After that initial JavaScript framework download and first page view, subsequent pages viewed load very quickly, exactly because of the lack of back and forth requests between the server and browser that “traditional” web sites require.

And this means a very good user experience because no extra page load means no extra wait time. And, as we all know, everyone prefers fast-loading pages.

The main aspect to remember here is that with an SPA there is far less back and forth between the browser and the server.

But JavaScript was never intended for web page content delivery

Before JavaScript started being used commonly in website development, web pages were static and created using HTML.

Using JavaScript enabled website developers to add interactivity to their web pages such as pop-up dialog boxes when a user is filling out a form, expandable content when a user clicks on text or a button, or a drop-down menu when the user hovers their mouse over a navigation element.

These and other user interactive features JavaScript allows can be executed in the browser without requiring a call to the server.

And thus, for many years, website developers used HTML for content delivery, CSS for layout and styling, and JavaScript for adding user interactivity.

It’s a fair generalization that JavaScript has become vital to websites and to a developer’s resume; JavaScript is pretty much ubiquitous. JavaScript is not that difficult to learn compared to full-blown programming languages such as Java and C++. The “J” in AJAX and jQuery is – you guessed it – JavaScript.

I only bring this up because in retrospect, and hindsight is always 20/20, we SEOs all should have seen the rise of Single Page Applications looming on the horizon.

But viewed glass-half-full, the rise of SPAs presents an opportunity for technically-minded SEOs to gain experience and become even more valuable now and in the future.

If SPAs can cause SEO issues, then why do developers create SPA websites?

If you’ve never done any coding, then you might not realize what it’s like to be in a developer’s mindset.

Think about it this way: if you were going to have to sit down and write code to create a certain web page functionality and you could either write 10 lines of code to achieve that, or write 1,000 lines of code, which would you choose? You’d opt for the expedience of 10 lines of code, right?

Developers are not lazy; they simply prefer efficiency and elegance when it comes to writing code. I’ve seen developers frame code and hang it on their office wall. Ever heard the saying “code is poetry?”

If you’re trying to get somewhere the fastest way possible, you take the shortest route, correct?

Single Page Application frameworks and libraries, in crude summary, provide building blocks that allow developers to create a website quickly and efficiently.

Consider the fact that SPAs allow developers to efficiently create modern-looking websites that load pages quickly, which makes for a great user experience, and you can see why you might choose an SPA over coding a website from scratch in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, or hassling with the constraints of a Content Management System.

SPAs present a fast-loading user experience because they don’t need to reload most resources such as HTML, CSS, and scripts with each user interaction like a “traditional” website does. These files only require initial loading and then after that only new data is retrieved and downloaded from the server.

SPAs reduce response times primarily by moving the heavy-lifting of data processing from the server to the browser.

SEO may be a lesser consideration given the SPA developments upsides, an afterthought, or perhaps not a consideration at all during the website development process. Any SEO pro who has been in digital marketing for very long has seen the all-too-common situation where a company develops a website, only later to ask the question “how do we SEO this thing?”

Not everyone realizes that SEO should be baked-in at the beginning and not sprinkled-on at the end, or that their website development choices can have definite downstream negative impacts with respect to SEO.

JavaScript libraries vs. JavaScript frameworks

Untangling the technology behind SPAs eventually leads us to the topic of JavaScript libraries and frameworks.

Ask a developer “what’s the difference between a library and a framework” and you’ll get a lot of interesting answers.

One overriding distinction you hear repeatedly goes something like this:

The code you write calls a library, whereas a framework calls the code you write.

React and Angular are both SPAs, but React is technically a library, whereas Angular is technically a framework. However, you will hear often people refer to SPA technology generally as “JavaScript frameworks”.

Frameworks can be thought of as a structure, like a pre-fab home which comes with the framing, drywall, plumbing, and electrical wiring and all you have to do is add the appliances, windows and coverings, flooring, paint, etc.

A library can be thought of as a place that contains a set of ready to use pre-built tools and functionalities. You’d call a library in your code for a specific function.

You can see that starting a web development project using frameworks and/or libraries can streamline the process, as opposed to writing from scratch all the necessary code to create a website.

Common SEO problems of Single Page Applications

There’s a lot of talk about how well Google can handle JavaScript when it comes to crawling and indexation.

Crawling and indexing is critical to ranking.

Google discovers web pages using software called Googlebot during a very fast process often called “crawling” or “spidering”, during which it downloads an HTML file it finds, extracts the links and visits them simultaneously, and then sends the downloaded resources to the indexer.

But when it comes to a JavaScript-based single page application website, the process gets a bit more complicated.

It’s like the process noted above, but there’s a delay and extra step involved because part of the indexer must do some heavy lifting by parsing and executing the JavaScript, and the new links found then must be passed back to the crawler to look at and then sent back to the indexer; you can see that this is less efficient because of the JavaScript.

SEO is more than just having “great content” and earning high-quality links; it’s also about making your web pages easy to discover by search engines like Google and making it simple for them to know which pages are more important than other pages via internal linking.

A “traditional” HTML-based site is far easier to crawl and index, and by extension, rank. Google can get all the links easily and see what the importance of pages are via internal linking.

A JavaScript-based SPA website makes Google’s life more difficult, and some testing would seem to indicate that there may be downsides when relying on JavaScript for purposes of indexation.

Google is evidently willing to do the extra heavy lifting here, and to my mind that indicates that they’ll improve over time rather than announce to webmasters in the future that they have decided they don’t want to bother with the extra work required to crawl and index JavaScript-based sites.

Another potential SEO problem related to the extra work to discover links is that Google may have issues with evaluating the link equity of those pages.

It’s likely that in time, at least some of the SPA frameworks in popular use will evolve the rendering process to make it easier for Google to crawl and index, perhaps even making it on par with “traditional” HTML-based websites.

But in the meantime, we’re where we are and those who’ve tested how well Google can handle JavaScript-based sites have shown that Google’s ability is inconsistent, and we’re also still in a place where those who have developed SPAs frequently must use workarounds, for example using prerender.io along with Angular to serve fully-rendered pages to the crawler.

Another solution is isomorphic JavaScript, sometimes called “Universal JavaScript”, where a page can be generated on the server and sent to the browser, which can immediately render and display the page. This solves the SEO issues as Google doesn’t have to execute and render the JavaScript in the indexer.

Headless Chrome is another option recently proposed as an easy solution by a Google engineer, who also mentions another solution called Preact, which ships with server-side rendering.

It’s also a good idea to create a properly formatted XML Sitemap and submit that to Google Search Console.

Right now, there doesn’t appear to be any single solution or a paint-by-numbers approach to handing the problems you may encounter if you’re an SEO assisting a client with launching or redeveloping a website using an SPA.

It boils down to effectively communicating the correct end result that’s needed, and dealing with issues as they’re presented based on the library or framework being deployed.

Some important Single Page Application resources

Some super-sharp SEOs and developers have written helpful articles about Single Page Applications, and here are a few resources I have enjoyed that I think you will find helpful:

Tomasz Rudzki wrote an excellent post here; the title says it all: The Ultimate Guide to JavaScript SEO

Watch this video by Google ‎Senior Webmaster Trends Analyst John Mueller – he provides a terrific general overview of Single Page Applications and how Google treats them

Justin Briggs is quite conversant with both SEO and JavaScript and wrote 2 pieces you should check out: Auditing JavaScript for SEO, and Core Principles of SEO for JavaScript

Richard Baxter wrote this awhile back, but it’s still very much worth your time: The Basics of JavaScript Framework SEO in AngularJS

Will Critchlow shared this excellent post: Early Results from Split Testing JavaScript for SEO

Hold on to your hat when you click on Barry Adams’ JavaScript & SEO: The Definitive Resource List

If you’re a bit short on time, this is an excellent quick read: SEO Considerations for Single Page Applications

I definitely recommend reading this from Angular University: Angular Single Page Applications (SPA): What are the Benefits?

This Microsoft article is not geared to SEOs, but it’s a quick and helpful read: Choose Between Traditional Web Apps and Single Page Apps (SPAs)

This is also a relatively quick read covering a few different SPA types by Johann Wagner

Lastly, I strongly suggest you make time to read this, a very good overview: Single Page Applications: When & Why You Should Use Them

Final thoughts

Single Page Applications are evolving rapidly, as is the web technology landscape in general. It’s worth the effort for professional SEOs to be as conversant as possible with not only Single Page Applications, but also Accelerated Mobile Pages, Progressive Web Apps, Content Management Systems in general, and of course the tech behind how websites are coded from scratch.

My sense of the situation is that SPAs, and Google’s ability to handle JavaScript-based websites, will advance at a quickening pace because the stakeholders involved are aware that SPAs come with a definite SEO downside as it stands right now.

It’s entirely possible that in a year or so the most popular SPAs will ship with SEO solutions built in because awareness of the need for SEO friendly JavaScript-based websites is growing. But there’s no guarantee of that happening soon or at all, so my recommendation for today’s SEOs is to get excited about and embrace this technology trend.

An SEO’s survival guide to Single Page Applications (SPAs) syndicated from https://hotspread.wordpress.com

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alanajacksontx · 6 years

Text

An SEO’s survival guide to Single Page Applications (SPAs)

Check out this tweet from Google Webmaster Trends Analyst John Mueller:

The web has moved from plain HTML – as an SEO you can embrace that. Learn from JS devs & share SEO knowledge with them. JS’s not going away.