I used to be a terrible overeater. I've since gotten myself to a good maintenance level that keeps my weight in a healthy range, and it takes no time at all to get in summer shape when it's time to shed winter pounds, because all I have to do is exercise a little more. Here's what worked for me.

No more breakfast. It made me sleepy anyways. I kick the day off with a protein shake and a multivitamin. I use a caramel flavored powder and I mix it with espresso. Tastes like a nice coffee.

When I go to work I bring one oatmeal packet and one single serving bag of jerky. I drink a ton of water and walk a lot to stave off snacky moments, and if I'm stuck on a call and feel snacky that's what the oatmeal and jerky are for. Most days I get through without eating anything.

Dinner is whatever I want it to be, but only enough to fill one bowl or one plate. Again, drinking lots of water. I got a glass pitcher I keep in the fridge and I drop sliced fruit into it. Keeps me from drinking on work nights.

After dinner if I'm still hungry I'll eat berries and veggies. I like to dip my veggies in buttermilk ranch, it's better than eating raw broccoli by itself. I also east goat cheese with cranberries, it's very yummy.

I still eat sweets on occasion and drink on Friday nights, but I never have to worry about the 3 pounds I'll suddenly gain the next morning -- by Monday I'm back to baseline weight. Weekends are usually spent doing chores or completing my honey-do's, so I don't have time to think about snacking; by the time I'm done its dinner time and I'm still on schedule.

I started freezing my meats, too. It's real easy to make way too much and way way too much when you feel like you have to cook that whole 3 pound thing of chicken breast. By taking out enough for one meal for the two of us, and freezing the rest, I can be more deliberate about my dinner habit. Hard to run over and cook seconds when all the meat is frozen, better just snack on some greens.

Oh and metamucil. Scheduled poops are really nice and they help keep the weight off. At this point, I know I have exactly enough time after waking up to make coffee and warm up my fiancee's car before it's time to publish the Daily Planet.

One last thing is that I started challenging myself to spend as little as possible at the grocery store. Partly because everything is expensive now, but it's the thought that counts. When you pay for a week's worth of food for two and you spend less than 50 bucks, and it's all fresh food too, it's a good motivator. In return, it keeps the available snackage in the house low, so you can't overeat without inconveniencing yourself.

My rule for everything is that I don't put it down, I put it away. Everything has a place and it goes there when I'm done with it.

I have a wired G502 Logitech that I've had since 2015, still kicking. It's a gaming mouse so it comes with extra buttons, but I use it for work so I programmed the extra buttons to be copy/paste, forward/back (browser), and an emoji button. Plus as a Logitech it has that stupid gimmicky infinity scroll thing I've come to love oh so incredibly much; hit that button and run the wheel and it goes for miles. It's so cathartic to infinity scroll. It feels really good, I can't describe it. Liked it so much I nabbed 2 wireless versions in a prime day sale for $70 a piece last year.

I think the wired version is like 50 bucks these days.

The cord is wrapped in braided nylon so it doesn't fray easily. Highly recommend.

After almost a decade the left mouse button is double clicking on occasion just from wear and tear, but not a point that makes it unusable (other than in excel). My new wireless ones don't have the same issue yet and will probably see use into the 2040s.

Just saying.

Last year at the state fair we kept having people shove between myself and my fiancee. Every time they said "Sorry" I fired back "Don't be sorry, just don't fucking do it."

The looks I got were priceless. Like they were just saying they were sorry automatically, and hadn't actually registered they were impeding others' lives until I made them aware.

Standard issue US Army medium rucksack. It's a newish addition to the issued gear and one of the few pieces of kit I was upset to part with when I left the service.

Alternatively, one of the old ALICE packs. I still have two--one was mine, one was my grandfather's.

I think the key piece that people forget about is that maintenance includes environmental considerations. If you live in the rust belt, you definitely want to make an annual trip to Ziebart for the rust treatment. My truck is almost a decade old and has been treated annually, no rust issues beyond minor surface rust; a guy four doors down from me has the same model year and never treated his, and it's losing whole body panels to rust.

Most vehicles are mechanically sound and will run a long time as long as they're cared for. I had a Lincoln Town Car that died with 999,997 on the ODO and I was really only upset because it hadn't ticked over before it died.

This is why I always buy Ames. They were the go to shovel company for the railroads during the 19th century and their quality still holds up today.

That is a dream find holy shit

That's cute. I use one of the dirty towels from the laundry basket and drape it over the whole vanity. When I'm done I shake it out into the backyard and toss the towel back into the laundry.

LPT take it to a local leathergoods shop. Usually they're locally owned and they do repairs. Get a new zipper and have the fading somewhat reversed.

Just did this with the 60 year old bomber jacket my grandfather left me. Cost a couple hundred bucks but so worth it.

Loose I'm not sure, but the Indian Market in Norton MA (in the old Roche Bros) has a huge tea aisle with some pretty sizeable boxes from all over the world, and two aisles for nothing but herbs and spices.

I'm assuming you're not talking about weed because it's legal now and you wouldn't have to hide it.

You can actually order coins directly from the US mint on their website. I ordered $100 in half dollars back in 2019 (I give them out at renaissance faires as "pirate coins") and they literally came in a canvas money bag. You pay the amount you order plus shipping, I think I paid $109 and change for the half dollars, and they arrived via USPS within a week. All freshly minted.

The other option is the front desk at an extended stay hotel. They usually have coin op machines so they keep rolls in the safe specifically for people to swap.

Oh I'm well aware of how bad they are. I grew up in the sticks and moved to Boston in my late 20s...fucking zombies everywhere.

TIL a lot of people are lunatics who try to shake a tiny flame out instead of simply blowing on it like a candle.

People often get blisters and hot spots when breaking in shoes. Moleskin is a patch you stick to your skin or the inside of your sock to mitigate the rubbing until they break in, to prevent those issues. Pads work the same way and they're cheaper, and will cover the entire area.

I've always been a fan of Ariat and Caterpillar, but Cat boots are usually lace up so for you I'd recommend Ariat. Work boots aren't BIFL by any means just because they get this shit beat out of them, but I homestead and my Ariats will generally last me a couple years. There's a reason they make up 70% of the footwear at your local Tractor Supply.

Def a "buy it in person" thing with any cowboy/engineer boots; even within the same company, different boots (in the way that a company will sell 3 nearly identical shoes but each has a different name and a slight design variation, not 3 boots that are actually the same boot) can have very different fits, so you'll want to try them on and make sure the toe box and heel fit right. You can do that with online stores but the added time for the returns/exchanges process is a hassle IMO.

Also, free LPT: when breaking in your new boots, don't use moleskins. Go buy the smallest size training pads (panty liners) you can find. They do the same thing, stick to your skin better, are perfectly shaped for your heel and the ball of your foot, and you can buy about 100 of them for the same price as 6 little squares of moleskin. Used this trick all the time in the army.

Bro just buy gym-grade puzzle mats. That's what I used for my garage. Cost me $200 to cover the entire thing. As a bonus I stopped it 8 feet from the doors, added one square's worth of length (2 feet) instead of the end pieces that just fill the jigsaw to make it smooth, cut that final bit in half (1 foot) and then pulled it upward 90 degrees. Acts as a barrier at the end of the floor, interlocked with the rest; prevents shit from the lawnmower and snowblower from getting on the gym floor if the doors are open on a windy day.

Hit em with the bass drop

When I was learning to drive my dad took me to the Silver City Galleria in the loaner car he got through work (traveling sales). It was an 87 Town Car, a rear wheel drive behemoth that weighed about as much as the core of the earth and was so large one of the factory options was a roof rack that could double as a helicopter landing pad. The V8 in this thing could have powered a small armored vehicle.

We went to the back lot by the theater, in that area with no light posts, and he told me to gun it. Mind you, there's a foot of snow on the ground.

When I hit 20mph he tells me to cut the wheel left and slam the brakes. Puts me into the first uncontrolled spin of my life. I've been driving for about 3 weeks at this point, and I'm now actively ruining my pants. He calmly talked me through recovering, and had me do it over and over for about an hour.

I got so good at it by the end that I was sliding into parking spaces almost within the lines. Best driving lesson I ever got, also the most terrifying class I've ever had and that includes the stuff we learned in the military. Thought for sure I was going to wreck a company car. Also learned that a massive V8 and RWD is not a great option when driving in the winter.

Now that I'm older and nostalgic, I'll find a snowy Cul de sac in an industrial park and do donuts in my truck every once in a while. Makes me feel like a kid again for a few seconds, before I remember I've gotta get home and clear the snow from the roofline.

Plus you'll get the freshest piece!

I don't remember the name but I think I know what you're talking about. It has a big dragon in the tea side right? On Route 1 in Attleboro?

The dreaded 401 area code from...Rhode Island. Now we know they're legit!

It's a well known fact that, upon reassembly of a vehicle, there are always extra parts that obviously didn't matter.

I just toss them in a cup and hope for the best later. I also put it on the ground right next to where I'm working so it's sure to get knocked over. Works like a charm, and by that I mean do not do this. Do the one with the sketch of the parts.