Couch 186: Pink Lemonade

This, but also I’d Google around (like “starting low-carb diet and gaining weight”).

It’s only been ten days, right? It’s the long-term consistency that’s important. And think of it in different ways: like, do you feel better physically?

Eta: and don’t forget your medications probably make it harder for you to lose weight.

Trigger for weight talk

My weight will literally change 1 1/2 pounds within one day. I weigh less in the morning and more in the evening . . . by that much.

I find that in order to lose weight, I have to combine watching my intake to a healthy amount with healthy choices with addition activity (usually walking more than usual). It is very slow progress, but it does work.

I need to get back to being more deliberate about it again. With my husband' surgery and the holidays, etc., I haven't honestly been paying attention to my intake and I certainly haven't been working at additional physical activity. Sure enough, I've put on a few pounds.

That's my goal this weekend; get back to paying attention to these things. Just getting those 5 pounds back off will help me feel physically better.

But I wouldn't worry too much about 1 1/2 pounds, particularly this early on. It can take weeks for a healthy change in habits to actually show up in weight loss.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and what works for you. I am only stepping on the scale once a week...
LT- I don’t have a cycle anymore but maybe my body still cycles since I’m going against nature. I’m only pushing 40.
Butterfly- I can’t see a nutritionist. Most are very expensive and around here most don’t take insurance and my Insurance doesn’t do out of pocket reimbursement.
Art, congrats on your success. I need to figure something out.
ATAT- I am going to google that stuff. It’s just frustrating all the things I’ve read with all the people that had sucesss on this. I have to figure out what I’m doing wrong
Artley, Thanks. I am just discouraged.

I guess weight isn’t just going to fall off of me like it did 10 years ago. It’s awful. I never thought I would weigh this much in my life.

Sigh.

Have T in an hour. Got 3.5 hours of sleep last night so today should be a blast. And it's supposed to snow all day long.

And now health problems again. Ok universe, I get it, I'm garbage but please, it's only 11 days into the year, give me a bit of a break please.

Just ftr, if you did see someone Jersey, you would want a dietician, not a nutritionist. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. Dieticians are the ones who have to complete a degree with an accredited curriculum, do an internship, and pass a registration exam. Some of them even have master's degrees. If your insurance were to cover anything, I think it would be a dietician rather than a nutritionist.

Trigger for body image stuff

Nobody is garbage for having health problems, DP. Lots of people here have them, and I know you don't think they are garbage because of that. I know you've mentioned valuing logic - harness it to kick these self-abusive thoughts to the curb!

Btw, I think you mentioned having to have surgery next month. Are you ok? I hope it's not serious.

SS--- not just the health, EVERYTHING that was looking up since T has already backfired and then more **** just keeps coming. It's exhausting

Surgery--- ovarian cyst removal. I am nervous cuz I hate surgery but happy because I'm sick to death of the pain.

Hope the surgery goes well. Are you still going on your trip in March?

Couch peeps..thanks for all the responses around my post. I want to answer you all more throughly but I’m at work right now. I do appreciate everyone responding me and it was all very helpful.

Hopefully. It's a driving trip so things can change time wise

I spotted a service dog vest at client's house today. I walk the dog. He is a good dog, but he is definitely not a service dog, nor am I aware of his owner being disabled and needing a service dog. She has a full time job at which he is not present.

I think this is bogus and feel quite pissed off. I've also noticed several older (but not elderly) people who are perfectly fit who have handicap parking permits. It did occur to me that they may have a spouse who needs it, however, it has been several people, and they weren't that old. Their spouses would have had to be in much worse condition. Only one of my grandparents has a handicap permit, and she has severe arthritis in both knees. All three are almost 90. I feel weird scrutinizing people like this, but I think it sucks when people abuse the system because it can cause resentment against a system which is supposed to give a leg up to people who need it. I'm reminded of the ridiculous "flexible attendence" accommodation @@ has mentioned.

My mom has one on her car for my fathers. My father is only in his late 60’s, but has a hosts of health issues-so they use it for that. My mom, however, does not park in the handicap spots if my dad is not with her. I’m sure plenty of people do abuse it.

My Aunt has a service dog vest for her dog. I’m not sure how she got it. I think probably online-but her dog is not by any means a trained service dog. That annoys me. Though I think actual trained service dogs wear some sort of tag hooked onto their vest.

Just because you can't see it, does not mean the disability is not real. Don't assume people are abusing the system.

SD

You have a good point but at least here in the USA that's a huge issue, it's in the news and many rules have had to change because of how many DO abuse the system. So I'd not be shocked if it was the case here too

I stand by what I said. I am also in United States. There are a lot of disabilities that others can't observe. Just go on with your life and don't try to police Or judge everyone else and what they're doing is how I see it. I dealt with it from the other side with my person and people who decided that they could be mean and rude when they couldn't tell exactly what her problem or disability was.

I agree with this. Not all disabilities can be seen and lot of people suffer unjust suspicion and scrutiny just trying to live their lives.

I've always thought you were from the UK in your posts

And ya... it IS an issue though, when you have a legit disability and people screw the system, so I can see why many get annoyed with it. There's also huge differences in service dogs, therapy dogs and emotional support dogs. I don't think many people realize that...

Typically for mental health which you don't see... it's an ESA.... if it's SEVERE mental issue, it could be a service dog but then it would go with you to work etc.

Also, news reports about ordinary people screwing the system are a distraction from the people at the top who really are screwing the system on a much bigger scale. The cost to the taxpayer from people erroneously getting welfare is tiny compared with the cost of companies and very wealthy individuals avoiding or evading tax.

I don't know which thing you're referring to, stopdog. For the dog, he is 100% not a real service dog. I am bothered that she has somehow purchased a vest so he can masquerade as one. This dog would be useless as a service dog to a person with any sort of disability that uses service dogs. The fact that she thinks he is a suitable stand-in strongly suggests she does not actually have a disability that requires a service dog. He could be her emotional service animal, but that is a completely different thing. Sticking a service dog vest on an untrained dog is a travesty and a disservice to disabled people, whether she's one or not. And it certainly is the definition of abusing the system.

As for the handicap thing, as I have said, these are people I have observed. They are not random strangers I see driving around and decide to arbitrarily judge. My job is walking dogs, and a couple of the neighborhoods I walk in seem popular with retired people. The folks I am talking about I have seen gardening, walking around, standing for extended periods, kneeling on the ground, etc. The idea that it is strange when I see them driving with a handicap permit does not come from an inborn suspicion that people are gaming the system. I see these people several times a week performing activities not compatible with being unable to walk from non-handicap designated parking spots. In this case, these disabilities very much are disabilities that I can expect to be visible. I did allow that their spouses may be the ones in need of the handicap permit. I have not witnessed anyone else residing with these people, but it is possible. I don't know if this is significant, but they also don't have the permit on their license plates. They have the ones hanging from their rear view mirrors. My grandmother also has this kind, and she has said she has to ask especially for it. She keeps it in her purse so it can be used when she is riding with someone else. I wonder why they have this kind when it always stays in their car. Perhaps so they can take it on trips for use in rental cars.

Anyway, I don't find your observation at all relevant to what I said. I am well aware that not all disabilities are visible to the naked eye. That doesn't mean that there aren't people who take advantage of systems designed to accommodate people with disabilities. I really have a problem with these people, because I think they have made it harder for people to receive accommodations and assistance, and created a situation where the bar keeps getting raised higher and higher about who qualifies (this applies to government assistance in general).

It's getting cold here today (what a shock, since it's winter). We're expecting storms this weekend. I'm going to make the goulaush (stew kind) tomorrow and then go to a friends house to watch the Rams/Cowboys game. I'm looking forward to that. At least it's something that might help this depressive cloud that's surrounding me. HUGS to the couch, anyone who wants one. Kit

News reports in general are distractions.

I agree, with a disabled sibling, lots of stuff around disabilities rights/laws bother me. I actually knew someone who freely admitted to using someone she knew's handicap parking sticker because it was "too cold to walk" , that kind of stuff bugs me but sadly in the world there will always be people like that.

I'm not the type of person to say anything, like legally about anyone... I figure if they are in the wrong, it will catch up with them someday, if not... then they are more than welcome to use what they need in life.