(Part 2) Best products from r/Atlanta

Greetings. I would skip on the personal trainer from the outset for economics sake. Well, I guess asking for help here sort of makes someone who answers a personal trainer, so consider this a free session. I think the most important point is that you have to become EDUCATED. Maintaining health is a learned skill not taught in schools and not everyone is lucky enough to have friends/family who practice either. I would shift the majority of your focus to diet; the biggest contributor to excessive weight. If you eat clean and don't exercise, you will lose weight. If you eat crap and exercise, you may lose some, but it won't be as likely or as fast. This is an observation from my personal experience. With weight loss will come the physique you are seeking. The general theory you will find out in the world is that losing weight is 80% diet and 20% activity. I think you are more liable to get injured if you start throwing around you body weight when not being primed through healthy eating first. So, what do you eat?


I find the paleo or caveman type diet to be best, but it's easy to become intimidated and can be annoying by people who preach it. If you're not familiar, just google search or find a subreddit. It's really simple though; eat plants and animals, more of the first. That's it. You don't know what to eat or how to cook? Great, there are a ga-jillion blogs and websites that will help you for free. I like marksdailyapple.com and nerdfitness.com. Again, get EDUCATED. Cooking will become fun, chicks dig it, and you are lucky enough to live in Atlanta where there are many farmers markets.


Still, with eating (and life), its about building healthy habits from the choices you make on a daily basis. For instance, if you eat a shitty meal, forgive yourself and make sure to follow it by a healthy meal no matter what. Then try to see how many healthy meals you can eat in a row. Whilst doing this, weigh yourself everyday and log it; WHAT GETS MEASURED GETS IMPROVED. You'll notice the more consecutive healthy meals you eat, the more rapid the weight loss. You can do one better by writing down how you feel mentally and what changes you are noticing in your body. You can do another one better by setting a goal like 3lbs a week, which is totally feasible. Here are some initial tactics:

Limit snacking and processed foods--If I have to snack, my choice is some type of trail mix with nuts, dried fruits, and dark chocolate. Trader joes has packs that come individually portioned to keep you in check.

Eliminate soda, juice, sugary drinks--this is a tough one because almost all drinks are sweetened with sugar. Fine, drink a coke, but follow it with equal parts water. Limit alcohol intake and do the same.

Make breakfast your biggest meal. This morning I had a green smoothie, 3 eggs and 5 pieces of bacon. I haven't eaten lunch and don't feel the need too. A great nutritionist said "eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper." Which brings us to...

Try not to eat after 8pm. If you must, make it a paleo meal. Eating a burger with fries and zonking out takes your body longer to process because there is no activity while you sleep. If you have a lapse, I would make sure to drink lots of water and probably skip breakfast the next morning.


While doing this (stay with me here), use little windows throughout the day to get exercise. From the outset, I recommend walking, seriously. Wake up earlier and go walk around your neighborhood for 15 minutes. But it's too cold...You're a man now, lace up and go do it. At lunch, do the same, walk after eating for 15 minutes. This will help productivity in work and school as well. At night, you know the answer already. Walk again for 15 minutes. That's 45 minutes of exercise which is easier than doing 45 minutes of consecutive at a gym when you have no clue what you are doing yet. If the walks are getting boring, ask a friend to join or go to a park. Throughout the rest of the day you will have another 15 minutes of accumulated movement which brings you to the magic number of 60 minutes of exercise per day. Too busy? Use the time walking to do things you would otherwise do when sedentary like checking email, making phone calls, listening to music, planning for tomorrow, etc. Just stop making excuses.


If you insist on going to the gym, you are close enough in edgewood to the Decatur YMCA. I highly recommend this gym, and no, they won't push Jesus on you. They just renovated it and they have a pool. Spending time submerged in water is one of the best ways to lose weight. They have fitness classes where you can do this. Your body burns more calories underwater to keep your core temperature up. This is why swimmers are some of the most cut at the Olympics and Michael Phelps can eat 15,000 calories/day when training. Their out of water fitness classes are great for beginners as well. I would shy away from lifting weights from the outset without further research and guidance. Watching people at the gym can be dangerous, since many have no clue, and have just watched others who have no clue before them.

One final thought is to actually stop thinking about this as "weight loss". It's more like "weight, work you ass off". Losing things like your keys, socks, or thoughts are easy. It happens all the time. You don't just lose weight though, you work it off. A personal trainer can't do this for you. Establish this mindset and you will see results. The first two weeks of changing your habits will be very challenging but you're strong, plow through it. If you have the time to read, I recommend this book starting out http://www.amazon.com/The-Primal-Blueprint-Reprogram-effortless/dp/0982207786. Better yet, get the audiobook and listen to it while walking. It is the impetus to the first blog I mentioned and helped change my life. It's not all your fault since we have been mislead by shady food companies and fed bunk science about food for a long time so get over it. Thanks for your post as it helped me reiterate to myself things I should focus. Godspeed on your journey!

Yeah -- this is being said in a harsh way, but it's the real deal. Film school is often very expensive, with a relatively poor ROI. And the opportunity costs of sitting in a classroom, when you could be working, are also high.

If you want to learn technical skills in other departments, since you're already in the industry, just make friends with people in the other departments and ask them to hire you on a job or two. Really -- people love giving someone with enthusiasm a chance. You'll probably have to start out at the bottom in any department you lateral to, but, hey, still cheaper than school.

If you want to learn more about film in a critical sense -- like, the why of certain technical choices -- you can teach yourself most of that:

• First, if you like to read, there are great standard textbooks, like Bordwell & Thompson, and you can rent the videos and read along. You can also learn a ton by reading great critics, like Andrew Sarris, Robin Wood, and Jonathan Rosenbaum. Or there are online film theorists like Every Frame a Painting.
  
• Second, watch everything you can get your hands on, including old movies, foreign films, experimental films, "tentpole" action pics, Netflix originals, YouTube/Vimeo, etc., etc., etc.
  
• Third, try to reproduce what you see, or use it as a starting point to try something new -- an cell phone or iPad camera is perfectly good (way, way better than anything available to normal people when I was starting out). Use your household lamps or flashlights as light sources if you don't have anything else. You really will figure it out.
  
  If you're still not convinced, though -- I agree with the redditor above who suggests GFA, which partners with community colleges and looks to be relatively affordable.

So, there's a book that goes along with it that i'd say is worth a read or two before getting into it. It's not so much a "diet" as it is a lifestyle moving forward.

Results: Acne has calmed down, I was like a 1 small pimple kinda guy, now its pretty much zero ever. I've lost around 20# of body fat, total lost is 35, but i account 15 to water/whatever. My energy "feels" more stable. No longer have the downtime in mid-day or after meals. I feel hungry less often. I don't crave sugar, or stress eat.

I sleep way better. I wake up with way more energy and focus.

My fiance's results; Keep in mind, her goal was only to be supportive and try and clean up her sugar intake. She went from 120 to 110lb, but only lost a bit of bloating/fat. She was tiny, she didnt need to lose anything, but she did. She feels better, but still has major chocolate cravings. I think she's maintaining 110-113 now, which for 5' is adequate I believe.


The best part about this eating style is that it's not about portion control or counting things. It's about just making a good decision and evaluating your decision on "is it good or bad for me body". There's no neutral in that argument. I think the thing I miss the most is probably my 1-2 beers a week. Once I hit my goal weight, right around 225#, I think I'll reintroduce occasional beers and maybe some cheese / rice.

Also, It appears, for me, that eating well is my "key" habit. When I eat well, I tend to work better ( minus reddit) and when I work better, I go home happier, when I am home, i feel more positive and am cheerful about washing dishes, laundry, cleaning litter boxes.

>So your response comes down to "You just don't understand" and "you're not educated"

Well, when answering these specific questions, yes.

>Maybe it's just not reasonable to expect a white person to truly have a black point of view.

I would never "expect a white person to have a black point of view". That is exactly the point I am trying to make. No white person can understand "a black point of view" on a fundamental level, but a white person can understand an extensive historical record of oppression and recognize how it changes the lives of the historically oppressed, especially when those very same people describe a way in which that historical oppression manifests in the present day.

>Maybe it's not reasonable to expect a person of any race to put somebody else's interests before their own.

Eh, I don't really expect people to do this. I want them to do it. I believe wholeheartedly that putting another's interests before your own is one of the most amazingly unique, human things that we are capable of doing. Action that can be interpreted as selfless is something that separates us from most, if not ALL less intelligent animals. If you don't agree, I'm not necessarily surprised. I don't expect you to hold this view. I only hope.

>Re-examine your beliefts.

Always do, always will ;-)

In fact, should you happen upon me in the correct scenario, you might see me arguing against stereotypically-"SJW" viewpoints, precisely because I have done my best not to accept wholesale the ideas of any other person, ever.

I'll (potentially) end this discussion with the following quote, from YOU:

>If you don't want me to judge black politicos based on what I see and hear from them, then I need access to their real message. Not the PR message tailored for those like me, the raw and uncut message. That is what you should be basing your faith in these people on.

If you want access to the "real message", then I advise you not reject the message given to you on first glance. For fuck's sake, go to one of these "segregated" discussion groups that spawned this thread and actually spend some time meeting people who are different from you and listen. Try your best not to resolve to attack the messages therein and instead question them as a child would, in an attempt to understand from a more fundamental and deeper level. I know I have; it's precisely why I've gone from someone who rejects this type of theory to someone who feels deeply committed to it.

I have spent more time on this website than I care to admit attempting to understand the actual arguments of people who rail against "SJWs" and their ilk. I've done hours upon hours of research, dissected innumerable arguments. I grew up in an environment where I was friendly with and regularly conversed with people who are very ideologically different that I am now. I implore you to really consider how much you've attempted to challenge yourself on this issue and others, as my genuine belief is that anyone who spends enough time on this topic will come to believe something much more similar to what I believe. I would be insane to not believe otherwise.

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tl;dr: I really hope you read the entirety of the above and consider it, but if you don't (and especially if you do) I request that you immerse yourself for a bit longer than you are used to in some of the following material. Note that I would never assert that none of the below is infallible or devoid of bias, but it is certainly worth your time and (I believe) would be a significant challenge (in the competitive sense) to the way you think about these issues. Let your ideas battle it out after you consume the following media, really wrestle with the minutiae of everything you take in. It's worth it.

1. 13th - A highly critically acclaimed documentary, noted for how meticulously it pursues and highlights the facts of race in America
   
   
   
2. Between the World and Me - A short book taking the form of a letter from black father to black son, written by one of the greatest living American writers (IMO)
   
   
3. The Case for Reparations - An article by the same author detailing the ways in which the legacy of slavery still holds black Americans down. One of the best pieces of journalism I've ever read, and extremely informative. (I'd like to point out that reparations for slavery - that is, monetary recompense for slavery - are not something that all "black politicos" believe should happen, nor something that I necessarily believe should happen either)
   
   There is plenty more, but the first and third listed here are particularly easy to consume and I'd suggest you read/watch them.
   
   
   EDIT: would also love some recommendations of movies/documentaries/books that YOU believe would change MY beliefs. I'm always in search of that.

IT IS AWESOME.

Anywho. You'll want at least two discs, a driver and a putter. It might be easy to start with a "fairway driver." Here's a good starter pack on Amazon. You might also consider checking out 42 Degrees South in L5P. It's mostly a smoke shop, but they have a decent selection of discs too.

My favorite places to play in Atlanta are:

Perkerson Park - It's the only one ITP, and it's really pretty. They recently added a bunch of signage and new tees, and they keep it in good shape. But it's tough for a beginner. You might want to start out on...

Redan Park - It's a few miles East OTP, but not too far away
. Good for beginners, not a whole lot of water hazards. I usually take new folks here.

JP Moseley - I haven't been since they redesigned it, but it's apparently very impressive now. 27 holes, one of the highest rated courses in Georgia, but slightly farther away than I'd usually want to travel (40 minutes from my house).

There are other courses around too, such as Deer Lick Park, but Perkerson and Redan are my go-to two.

Thankful for my garage this morning. Got a great parking place at work that minimized my walk in this arctic tundra. Planning 6:00 raid hour for Pokemon Go tonight is going to be interesting. So far, a few people are planning to brave the cold and dark but we will see how many really turn up. I brought a hat and scarf to complete my winter outfit. Unfortunately, I can't play with gloves. So... I'm gonna have to catch in my car. I've already discovered that I suck at catching legendaries with cold hands. I ordered these to play in the dark but they won't be at my house in time to use tonight.

On a completely different note, I mentioned that one of my coworkers turned in her notice. It's our librarian. I help her run our book club (though there's a running joke that it's "my" book club). Well, it will kinda be "my" book club next year. I'm sure it will take them a while to find a replacement. I have been joking that book club is dead but all my friends are begging me to keep it going. It won't be the same but I guess I'm gonna try. She will help me pick this last set of books for 2020 and then she's gonna peace out. But the work she does to find questions and lead the discussion will now fall on me. I like just giving my opinion and finding fun foods to bring. We have a teacher so I'm probably going to lean on her a lot next year as a librarian-adjacent professional.

I like the Kong + PB + freezer method - though I put down a towel on the carpet because my dog drools a lot with this one. And make sure it's just plain peanut butter - no additives and especially no artificial sugars.

There are also some other treat dispensing toys that are good to use with kibble - some people even use them to feed their dog their entire meals (if they fit). The Kong Wobbler is a good one for that - I save half of his breakfast kibble most days and give it to my doggy in the wobbler when I leave. He loves it. Sometimes I put a few of his little training treats like these or these in there with the kibble, which I hope he notices and thinks "aw, ma loves me extra good today!"

The Kong Wobbler is also less likely to get stuck under the couch or tv stand than this treat-dispensing ball, which is also fun and was initially the only toy my dog didn't destroy.

Depends. I tried using the shuttle once and they refused to take me since I didn't have a "dual-chambered" tube, which is bullshit. It was just their way of forcing you to rent one of their tubes if you want to ride with them. Taking 2 cars is definitely the way to go, leaving one at the exit point (Parking costs $3). If you're going to go more than once over the summer, just invest in the tube a life jacket. These are the tubes everyone buys, and buying it costs the same as renting it once. It won't help you for tomorrow, but life jackets are currently $12 on Amazon. So once you make the initial investment, it's free to go as much as you want after that.

I use a different route than what was suggested above: Start at Cochran island, 5450 Interstate N Pkwy Sandy Springs, GA 30328 and end at Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area: Paces Mill
3444 Cobb Pkwy Atlanta, GA 30339. I've done a lot of tubing and this is the best route, and it's very popular. It takes 3 hours. I've never heard of being able to rent only the life jackets, but it may be possible.

I go pretty often, so let me know if you have any other questions. Oh, and here's where you check if it's safe to go, but this is only an issue if it's been raining during the week.

EDIT: I just saw an even better deal for life jackets

Late to this party, but I recommend the Viofo A119 with the gps mount. GPS mount makes it easier to remove the camera if need-be as well as makes routing the USB cable easier. Its wedge shape keeps it pretty well hidden at the top of the windshield, especially if your windshield has those black dots or the gradient. Has SD card alert, shoots up to 1440p or 1080p @ 60fps, and the lens can be moved up and down as well as left and right- makes it easy to adjust if you didn't mount it perfectly.

The only thing that might not make it worth it to some is that it has a capacitor instead of a battery, so when you turn the car off the camera turns off (very) shortly after.

I have a bowl-lift one and I'm not sure if I would get that type again. Getting the bowl on the stand is really, really frustrating and involves a lot of maneuvering. I do like that I can clean it more easily than the tilt-head one but argghhh I don't know if it's worth it.

The mixer, however, is super worth it. I love mine and use it all the time. It's made breadmaking the easiest thing in the world. Also, if you want to save some money, they sell certified refurbished ones on Amazon

This one! There are a bunch of less expensive wake-up lights, but I like that this one's colors mimic an actual sunrise (and sunset, too - there's a "go to sleep" mode that's pretty neat), rather than just going from soft light, to normal light, to BRIGHT-ASS LIGHT.

These are excellent headphones. They aren't flashy to look at- but their response and range are amazing.

Sony MDR7506 .

I've tried a lot of really expensive headphones and none were noticeably different to my 33 year old ears.

This book is awesome. It's local hikes not overnight trips. It provides directions by public transport where possible. You'd be surprised how many forests there are right in the city.

https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-2000013747-28-Can-Backpack-Cooler/dp/B00J0S019S/ref=sr_1_15?crid=2MHPS96J9BS76&keywords=cooler+backpack&qid=1558541105&s=gateway&sprefix=cooler+backpack%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-15

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I love it, it's thin/lightweight, has the center strap for when hiking, can hold 18 beers and some ice, doesn't get my back wet

These Torchstar and Sunco LED recessed lights do not require cans, are incredibly thin, are inexpensive, and can easily be daisy-chained as each light has a junction box. I've installed these myself just by cutting small holes in the ceiling. It's incredibly easy.

Just listen to a bb king album, and transcribe and memorize the solo.

Transcribing solos are building blocks to becoming a better musician.

EDIT: Check this out. https://www.amazon.com/B-B-King-Guitar-Recorded-Versions/dp/1480396206/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=bb+king+tab&qid=1565201902&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Listen to the recording on Spotify, and learn from here. Easy peasy.

I highly recommended a read on this book by Ryan Gravel the visionary of the beltline. https://www.amazon.com/Where-Want-Live-Reclaiming-Infrastructure/dp/1250078253

I'm in East Point. We've had a Clearstream 4 on the roof since in February. It was on sale at BJ's for $49.

The GPB channels (8.2-8.3) occasionally drop depending on the weather. Apparently, this antenna is for UHF, and channel 8 is VHF. But everything else comes in great.

Edit: Link to the antenna at Amazon

Read Ryan Gravel's (the Beltline guy) book at the beach over the weekend: https://www.amazon.com/Where-Want-Live-Reclaiming-Infrastructure/dp/1250078253.

Very Atlanta/Beltline specific. Highly recommend if you want to learn about the historical context of the birth of Beltline and the long-term goals of the project

I like this book for closer mostly ITP hikes https://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Atlantas-Hidden-Forests-Intown/dp/1889596299

This is the one I got! It's gone down in price a bit since I bought it.

Hiking Atlanta's Hidden Forests: Intown and Out https://www.amazon.com/dp/1889596299/

(also available at your local library)