Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Talk to your doctor. Calculate how much weight you want to gain. Count calories. Purchase a food journal.

Answer: Speak to your doctor prior to gaining any weight.  It's important to get your doctor's perspective on how much weight-gain is appropriate for you.  In addition, they may be able to refer you to a registered dietitian for additional one-on-one counseling.  Talk to your doctor about why you want to gain weight, how much weight you want to gain, and how you think it will improve your health. Visit the EatRight website and click on the orange "Find an Expert" button on the top right to search for a dietitian in your area. Before starting a new diet to help you gain weight, find out how much weight you want or need to gain.  This information will help determine your eating pattern and give you a timeline to track your progress.  One way to determine how much weight you should gain is to calculate your BMI.  You can use a a formula like this one or use an online calculator.  If your BMI is less than 18, this signifies that you are underweight and may need to gain weight.  Then calculate how much you would need to weigh to have your BMI fall between 19-24.9 (healthy/normal range).  The difference between these two values can give you some insight into an appropriate amount of weight gain. You can also calculate your body fat percentage or have your doctor, dietitian, or even a trainer at your local gym calculate this for you.  For an average woman, body fat percentage should fall between 25%–31%.  For an average man, body fat percentage should fall between 18%–25%.  If you exercise regularly or you are an athlete, your body fat percentage might be lower. In general, women's body fat percentage should never fall below 14% and men's shouldn't fall below 6%.  If your body fat percentage is low (especially if you're not an athlete), this may also indicate the need for weight gain. Ask your doctor what is an appropriate weight range for your gender, age, and height. When aiming to gain weight, your focus should be gaining lean muscle mass and minimize gains in body fat.  Large increases in body fat is not recommended. Monitoring and counting calories is not just for weight loss.  To gain weight you'll need to know how much you're currently eating and how many calories you need to add to your diet each day to result in weight gain. It is important that your weight gain comes from healthy food sources, rather than junk food, so make sure your weight gain isn't coming from just donuts and ice cream.  Safe weight gain is about 0.5–1 pound per week. This equates to consuming about 500 additional calories daily. Also count the calories that you may burn while exercising.  For example, if you burned 350 calories going for a jog, you'll need to consume those 350 calories with your meals and snacks.  Not eating those may cause weight loss or inability to gain weight.  Monitoring calories and how many you've added to result in weight gain is also important when you're tracking your progress.  If you haven't gained enough or have gained too much, you'll need to know how many calories have caused that particular result. Food journals are very helpful for those who are interested in gaining weight.  You can track your current diet, where you can add additional calories or meals, and how that has affected your weight over time. Prior to starting a weight gain eating plan, track a few days of eating.  Review your notes and see if there are any obvious improvements you can make.  For example, do you skip meals?  Do you typically eat only low-fat low-calorie foods?


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Brush your rabbit at least once every week. Remove mats with a mat splitter or mat rake. Trim your rabbit's nails as needed. Do not bathe your rabbit.

Answer: Long-haired rabbits will need daily brushings and will also need regular trimmings to keep their coats around one inch or shorter.  If you are uncomfortable doing this on your own, you may take your rabbit to a veterinarian or to an animal groomer to have this done. Bathing can be very traumatic, and is unnecessary, as rabbits tend to groom themselves. If you notice a soiled area on your rabbit, you may want to spot-wash it with a wet towel, but do not submerge your rabbit in water.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Keep calm. Be honest. Watch your tone of voice. Practice non-defensive communication. Determine what kind of relationship you have with the person. Recognize emotional blackmail. Nod and smile, when all else fails. Seek professional help, if necessary.

Answer: In communicating with a condescending person, try not to lose your temper, since this can make the situation worse. Before replying to the person, pause for a moment and take a deep breath. Tell yourself something like “I’m trying to point out a problem, but I’m going to stay calm and be civil.” If someone says something to you that is condescending, even in an offhand kind of way, don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself. Let the person know that you feel talked down to, and that the condescension was uncalled for. Being honest is crucial if you want to deal with the situation. Otherwise, the person may not even realize that he or she is being condescending. Condescension is often primarily about one’s tone of voice. In other words, it’s not always what a person says, but how it is said that matters. Be careful not to reply to a condescending person with more condescension. This means avoiding sarcasm, muttering things under your breath, raising your voice, etc. To deal with difficult people, you have to choose your words very carefully. Avoid saying things that are defensive, since that can validate the condescending person and ruin the chances of resolving the situation. Luckily, you can usually turn defensive statements into more constructive ones. For instance:  Suppose someone says something condescending to you, such as “Well, if I were you, I’d just settle on a career and move on with my life.” You might be tempted to respond with something like “You’re wrong! And stay out of my life.” Instead, try saying something more productive, like  “I understand you see it that way. Let me explain why it’s more complicated than that…” If you are dealing with a person who has a consistent habit of saying condescending things to you, stop and consider your relationship with that person in general. Try to determine why it is that you find the remarks condescending, based on the kind of relationship you have. With this knowledge, you will be able to communicate more effectively. For instance, if you have a relationship where you feel like you owe a debt to the other person, the pressure of the debt may cause the feelings of condescension. Settle the debt, or be open with the other person about how you feel. Sometimes, people will use condescension to manipulate others into doing something for them. If a friend or partner says belittling things to you, for instance, he or she might actually fear losing you. The condescending comments would be meant to make you feel inferior and therefore dependent on that person. If you recognize this kind of behavior, communicate calmly and openly communicate with your friend/partner about it. Sometimes, the quickest and easiest way to deal with a condescending person is just to move on. If you can stand the condescending comments long enough to get away from that person, just grin and bear it and avoid that person in the future. If someone’s condescending comments are causing serious damage to a relationship that you value, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Marriage and family advisors, for instance, are trained in helping to mediate between people who are experiencing relationship problems.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Give yourself permission to set limits. Establish what kind of contact will be acceptable to you, if any. Hold up your end of the agreement. Be prepared for intrusions. Seek counseling. Be cautious in accepting offers of help. Be flexible.

Answer:
Boundaries are important to relationships as well as your own self-respect. Consider it an important way to take care of yourself. Be clear and firm in establishing what is appropriate. Confusion will occur if you remain vague. Instead of “We can talk on the phone,” a clearer boundary would be “I will call you once a week.” Call them as scheduled or visit as you agreed to. If you plan to visit your family, let them know when they can expect to see you. For example, “I need some space right now, but I will be back for Nana’s party in April. Maybe we can revisit some of these issues at that time.” Your family members may have a difficult time adhering to the boundaries you have established, particularly if they are distraught and seeking answers. You may feel tremendous pressure to engage them.  Don’t answer excessive phone calls or emails. If you said you would email once a week, you are under no obligation to do more than what you agreed to. If they visit without your permission, ask them to leave. You can say, “I am sorry that you drove all this way to visit, but I am not ready to communicate with you right now. I will let you know when that is. For now, I ask that you leave.” Keep in mind that your family will likely be angry with you for enforcing your boundaries. A supportive therapist will help you name, maintain, and validate your boundaries with your family.  A therapist can also help you work through other issues you are dealing with after cutting ties with your family, such as feelings of guilt, depression, and anger.  A therapist can also recommend a support group that may be helpful to you. Accepting money from family is not good in the best of circumstances, but be cautious of opening the door for other offers of help as well. You may end up feeling indebted to them, and thus guilty that you haven’t been a “better” family member. If you see your family making some positive changes, be open to reconnecting with them. You can adjust your contact to your comfort level. Reconnecting with your family may be painful as you revisit old wounds. Consider working with a family therapist. A family therapist will take the whole family system into account in order to give your whole family appropriate ways to heal.