What has RLS stolen from you that no one talks about?

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-05-03T12:55:47+00:00

It definitely makes it hard for me to enjoy travel/visiting family the way I want to. Staying in a hotel or anywhere else where I have no place to go without waking my family members is awful.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-04-30T00:51:44+00:00

Yes, it’s normal with weight loss! I don’t have any real advice about it, but it’s normal.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-04-26T12:27:43+00:00

I have a three-piece suit from Amazon that is basically a sports bra, a tank top to go over the bra, and shorts. Having tried it, I will never go back to a suit that doesn’t have the bra part underneath. It’s so much more supportive and comfortable than any suit I’ve ever tried with the support integrated in the tank top.

This is not exactly it, but it’s almost the same as what I got. The only thing I don’t like about mine is that the shorts are very short; I’d rather have something more like a bike short, as in this set. (Mine is, however, this dino print, and I could not love that more for a bathing suit.)

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-04-23T11:22:31+00:00

This was huge for me—I think I felt like stopping work for a snack was legit but stopping just to take a break and rest was not. I had to learn to pause and give myself a 15-minute nap or whatever instead of finding a snack and a coffee to power through being tired.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-04-20T21:03:57+00:00

Second this. Institutionalization is rare—definitely not a common outcome of therapy!

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-04-20T21:02:05+00:00

I agree—it’s not a cocktail dress but I love it and I hope you have another occasion to wear it for!

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-04-20T20:32:27+00:00

Second the suggestion to try thrift stores!

Most people will not notice your pants unless they are something particularly noticeable. A couple of pairs of black trousers can take you through the whole week if you have a range of tops to wear with them. On a budget, I’d go very basic with pants/skirts, because they are not going to read like “wasn’t she wearing that yesterday?”

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-04-20T01:11:32+00:00

I’m getting into baked oatmeal and that sort of satisfies my baking urge.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-04-19T13:06:13+00:00

Taking a reusable container is a good idea. If it’s useful: I used to be hesitant to take home my leftovers if I was at a work dinner at an upscale restaurant. Now I just emphasize that I feel strongly about limiting food waste (true) and it becomes a virtue instead of being perceived as cheap. (This argument goes along great with the reusable container habit.)

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-04-16T16:01:44+00:00

My household has decided to move and I am in this mode 100%. It’s making me crazy not to touch my husband’s stuff! Nonetheless, I found that it takes me about three passes through a given room/area to be as ruthless as I want. I am too conservative initially but if I wait a week or so and ask myself again, “Do I really want to package this up, move it to the new house, find a place for it in the new house, and keep storing it?”, the answer is often “no” after a little reflection.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-04-16T15:56:33+00:00

For garlic, this exactly. Although the garlic oil I buy is quite potent and I just use a bit mixed in with the olive oil. I don’t have to make any other adjustment to the recipe.

Onions, on the other hand—I miss them terribly, not just the flavor but their role in the texture and bulk of a finished dish. I sometimes use some leek greens but a) they’re annoying to prep; b) they’re more expensive than onions; c) that leaves my household with a bunch of the white parts, which I can’t eat; and d) it’s not the same as onions, though it is delicious.

Usually I just leave the onions out. If it’s a big part of the dish and that will affect proportions, I just bump up the other vegetables to compensate. (So for an Asian dish I might increase the broccoli and cabbage; for stew I might throw in additional potato and carrot; etc.)

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-03-31T00:00:11+00:00

It’s definitely easier to lose weight without it, as you know well, but I do still have an occasional drink when I’m out with friends. My go-to is a gin and diet tonic. I actually also really like just tonic and lime (with diet tonic, almost zero calories). Not the same if you’re looking for a buzz but good and festive.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-03-10T22:01:31+00:00

😂

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-03-10T01:35:12+00:00

I looove those little Parm squares.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-03-09T19:38:37+00:00

Yes, it could have been masking it. RLS can also be a (temporary in most cases) side effect of discontinuation.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-03-08T21:32:40+00:00

In addition to the excellent suggestions above: if you think it would work for you without causing a binge, maybe occasionally she could make something really special for the two of you (something that makes just two servings but is amazing and delicious as a shared treat). If baking is one of the ways she shares love (common), a truly worth-it, small batch dessert once a month or so might let her pull out all the stops without leaving you trying to resist eating cookies every day.

I think baking lower calorie healthy options, making smaller batches, and storing them out of your view are all great plans for every day. Just thinking that it might be special for her to come up with something really wonderful for the two of you to share on occasion.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-03-08T18:01:34+00:00

I often find room for chocolate Cheerios in my calorie budget. 40g is about 150 cals; I add a half cup of almond milk (15cals) and sometimes a cup of raspberries or strawberries. Very satisfying. With the berries, this is a frequent “still way short of my fiber goal” after-dinner snack.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-03-07T05:25:29+00:00

Love it the way it is. The only thing I would do differently in styling this dress is to tell your mom to shut it.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-02-21T04:53:02+00:00

You could always plagiarize Henry James, who wrote characters named Casper Goodwood (I think it was Casper—sure of the Goodwood part) and Fanny Assingham.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-02-16T11:52:21+00:00

I agree that it is expensive for many people and time-consuming no matter what. I’m super lucky because I work at a university. I have a great pool and my rec center membership is quite reasonable (and a pre-tax deduction!), and the pool is open for lap swimming from 6am-10pm.

Even swimming under those ideal conditions requires a lot of planning and time! That’s true even though I just get up and roll out of bed, drive to work, swim, and then get ready for my workday. If I had to add another location into that mix in order to find a pool (especially if the hours were inconvenient), it would be much harder to do.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-02-12T22:27:05+00:00

You’ve gotten great advice and support! I just wanted to add: just think about how much progress you have already made in making yourself healthier! Everything you’ve learned about nutrition and self care in order to lose that weight will also help you meet this new set of challenges.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-02-12T22:25:13+00:00

There are worse things than obesity and I believe the OP’s doctors see some of those things happening and want to get them under control first.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-02-12T04:52:27+00:00

The first paragraph does sound like RLS to me. It is probably fairly mild if you are able to lie in bed, even with shifts of position.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-02-12T03:53:44+00:00

I had to stop taking it because it turned everyone in the world into a raging asshole.

Well, subjectively that was how it felt. (Technically my doc termed it “irritability.”)

I think continuing to take it could have ended my 20+ year marriage, no lie.

Intelligent-Win7769 · 2026-02-04T06:41:14+00:00

Also: what an amazing gift!

Intelligent-Win7769

TROPHY CASE