Posts by mrsdagle

I disagree with the idea that the effects of hormonal birth control are universally negative.  I took Yaz for PMDD (severe PMS).  Before I was on it, I was severely restricted in activity because of mood swings and pain.  I could not maintain any regular schedule of physical activity (nor did I want to while depressed). 

After starting it, I was able to start and maintain a regular schedule of exercise and eating better.  I lost 45 pounds within 10 months and have kept it off (even losing more afterwards).  I stopped taking it a month ago due to loss of insurance.  I'm still feeling really good. 

Combining calorie counting with exercise has helped me strengthen and define my muscles while burning the fat. 

As with all medications, the benefits should outweigh the possible side effects.  But it really bothers me that women will automatically blame hormonal birth control for weight gain, plateaus or now this lack of muscle building ability. 

I agree with Bubbles here on key points. 

I do know autistic people who have been misdiagnosed with OCD or are dually diagnosed with OCD.  There are a lot of similarities in their treatment too. 

I think the OCD/anxiety is a chicken/egg argument to be honest.  Anxiety can be chemically-based and just another issue with Executive Dysfunction. 

I know of autistic teens that attend college so that they will finish high school.  Otherwise they will drop out because of the utter lack of stimulation and care in public schools.  I plan to send my own son to college or something similar when and if the need arises.  I tutor him math because they are so far behind in the elementary schools. 

For help in "balancing your life", frankly I didn't start to deal with that issue until I was in Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) with a pyschologist.  I have spoken with other autistic people who have done the same with good results.

I have an alternative point of view and there seem to be a couple of issues, albeit related. 

Don't take this "the wrong way", I speak from experience.  Have you been diagnosed or suggested that you have autistic traits, are autistic or Asperger's Syndrome?  Eating obsessions, restrictive tastes and indifference are all present in many autistic people.  For all intents and purposes, I was anorexic during my childhood.  But not for weight loss reasons.  I simply couldn't eat many foods due to smell and texture. When my tastes broadened, I couldn't stop eating and became overweight because my obsessiveness led to a lot of high-calorie bingeing. 

On the more immediate issue of recovering from ED, we use words like recovery because we are describing an addiction.  Many people live with addictions all their life and they don't erase the addiction, they change the behavior.  If you can accept that, then maybe you can refocus your eating habits and exercise regime so that they are healthy and make you feel good. 

I do see a problem with associating feeling good with doing something bad.  You may need to see a professional because that suggests deep-seated issues with treating yourself well.

I would suggest zig-zagging calories and intensifying (and varying) the exercise. 

"I almost understood that the first time through"

there's a first for everything and I understood it too.  $2 words and all.    Now I understand why I'm continuing to get stronger without gaining weight.  My muscles are a lot more visible now, even though I'm maintaining my weight.  I must be still burning fat while protecting my muscles. 

I ride a cruiser and it's a lot of fun.  I sit further back on it and it's really heavy.  I like the amount of control I have from riding that I don't have with a car or bus. 

The critters I talk to are quail, lizards and ground squirrels.  Bike riding on the road feels effortless compared to running, brisk walking or calisthenics.  But I burn just as much on it and get a real workout on my legs. 

I get compliments on my arms.  They were always just skinny, now there are visible muscles.  Related to that is my crowning acheivement.  I have never, ever been able to lift myself out of a pool.  Always needed the ladder, very inconvenient!  Last week I tried it and I was able to easily lift myself up with my arms!!!!

Wanda Sykes

Margaret Cho

Eddie Izzard

Craig Ferguson

I can't wear soccer shorts for this reason.  I wear running shorts (biking shorts)   and skorts. 

Back in my hometown in California, a fifth grader raised a ruckus over the school food.  Turned out, the district was shipping in prepackaged food from another region so  that they could save $$ on payroll (fewer or no cooks preparing fresh food). 

I generally provide a sack lunch for my son but he is autistic and very picky.  He actually learns how to try new things that the other kids are eating at school.  And many kids are on the free meal programs, subsidized by the federal gov't.  The district needs to use that money for healthy choices for kids that may get their best hot meal at school.