Q: Before you get into a relationship with an older guy, find out what his goals are. Does he have any long-term plans? It's important to know how you will fit into each other's life.  If he already has kids, for example, he may not be interested in starting a whole new family with you. If you don't want kids, this may be fine with you. But, if you do want kids, this could mean trouble down the road.  Don't sacrifice your own goals to be with someone who is already starting to settle down. Or, if his plans are to start traveling the world, and you're still finishing up college, don't drop everything just to be with him. Intimacy is a big part of any relationship. Don't base your entire relationship on sexual compatibility, but take it into consideration. Don't assume that an older man will be less sexually active. The opposite is more likely to be true. An older man has probably had more sexual partners, and is likely to have more experience in the bedroom. More than anything, make sure you can get along with each other. Learn from each other and delight in sharing new experiences with one another. Take some time to assess your compatibility. Find out if you have any overlapping hobbies and pursue those. Find ways to spend time doing things you both enjoy. One big hurdle of dating an older guy is wondering how he will fit in with the rest of your friends. Think about the type of people you regularly hang out with. How will they react to you dating an older man?  Your friends shouldn't dictate who you date, especially if you care for the person. However, you should consider how your partner will get along with your friends. Likewise, think about who he hangs out with, and how you feel about his friends.  Talk with each other about your respective social circles. Make sure your partner is comfortable with your friends, and vice versa.
A: Talk about your goals in life. Maintain intimacy. Have fun together. Introduce him into your social circle.

Q: Denim will shrink a bit the first time you wash it, so it is a good idea to do a pre-wash before hemming your jeans. This will help to ensure that you do not make the hem too short. Make sure to follow the instructions on the label for washing your jeans. It is important to change your sewing machine needle after every four hours of sewing or after finishing a major project to ensure that it is sharp enough to do the job. If you have not changed the needle in a while, then put in a new needle before you begin sewing the new hem.
A: Wash the jeans first if they are new. Use a new needle.

Q: On your inspiration board add a table or chart to record your progress to encourage you to keep going.  Another idea is to add a barometer that goes up as your weight comes down. Use any idea that is easy to add and update. Track progress of your weight, improved eating habits or improved fitness levels. You can also use a cut out of yourself moving along a timeline towards your goal. Over time you may want to make some changes to your inspiration board.  This will be especially true if you've met your goals, made progress or have changed your goals. Change out pictures or motivational sayings as you've progressed closer toward your goal or have met your goal.  You might want to change this to reflect maintenance if you need to. If you've made a fairly interactive inspiration board, be sure to follow up with the tasks you've set, or make use of its information to keep you going.  Add and remove things from the board as needed; you can paste new things over the top of old if needed. Be flexible, as your weight loss is a journey of a changing you. Place the inspiration board somewhere prominent. Choose a spot where you will see the board daily and be inspired by its content.
A: Record your results. Update and change your board. Use the inspiration board regularly.

Q: You can't expect to build larger and stronger muscles unless you're giving your body the food it needs to increase muscle mass. To estimate how many calories you need to consume, multiply your body weight in pounds by 15-17 calories (e.g. if you weigh 170 lbs. multiply that by 16 to get a daily calorie intake of 2,720). If you aren't gaining the muscle mass you want after a few weeks, bump up your calorie intake by 10%.  Look on bodybuilding websites or talk to bodybuilders to find out ways to get the calories you need for muscle gains. Make sure the foods you're eating are healthy and nutritious – don't just load up on junk food and empty calories. Protein is the building block of muscles, so if you want to accelerate muscle growth you should eat 10-25 g of protein with each meal or snack. Lean chicken, lean beef and fish provide your body with the protein it needs to burn more calories and create lean muscle.  Grass-fed beef also contains a variety of essential vitamins and minerals in addition to protein that help the body build muscle, such as vitamin B12, heme iron, zinc, creatine, and carnosine.  You should aim to eat approximately 1 g of protein per pound of body weight. This means you'll have to adjust your protein intake as your weight fluctuates. If you don't eat meat, it may be more difficult for you to accelerate muscle growth, but it's not impossible. Even if you do eat meat, you should supplement your meat-based protein sources with those that are plant-based.  Soybeans, nuts, and legumes are excellent sources of protein. Almonds, for example, are a good snack to eat before a workout and can be added to a fitness shake. Get organic foods if possible, or stick to those with little to no additives and preservatives. The fewer additives and preservatives the body has to break down, the more effective these foods will be at helping you build muscle. Carbs can give you energy while you're working out – but the wrong carbs could result in blood sugar crashes that destroy all the work you've done to accelerate muscle growth.  Look for low-glycemic carbohydrates such as apples, pears, whole grains, sweet potatoes, and beans. Read nutritional labels carefully and choose carbs that also are higher in fiber and lower in calories. Flax seeds are a good source of omega-3, fiber, and protein, while flaxseed oil does not contain fiber and is highly unstable. Flax seeds also contain a solid amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation. Reducing inflammation in your body means your muscles won't be as sore after intense workouts, and also that they will recover at a faster rate. There's a reason the cartoon character Popeye ate spinach. Leafy green vegetables such as kale and spinach have a high nutritional content, low fat, and high soluble fiber, making them vital if you want to accelerate muscle growth. Leafy greens also have the added benefit of protecting your body from cancer and cardiovascular disease. Quinoa is a grain that has more protein and fiber than rice or oats, and also contains high amounts of manganese, magnesium, and phosphorous. You can choose from red, black, or white quinoa. Drinking water is perhaps the most important thing you can do to accelerate muscle growth. Sip water during your workouts, and drink a pint of water for every pint of weight lost through sweat.  Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, or more, to ensure your body is adequately hydrated before you exercise. Adequate hydration also ensures that your body can transport the nutrients you consume efficiently. Eating healthy foods won't help you much in terms of building muscle if those nutrients never reach your muscles.
A:
Consume a surplus of calories. Eat a lot of protein-rich foods. Include plant-based proteins. Choose your carbs carefully. Use flax seeds rather than flaxseed oil. Consume a lot of leafy greens. Replace rice with quinoa. Stay hydrated.