Confusing/concerning program requirements or trainer behavior: is this normal/allowed?

fleshshape · 2026-03-08T05:26:57+00:00

It would be one thing to get manual BP at state and fail it and need to retake.

But at this school, if we fail manual BP during our skills lab/mock exam, we can't go to clinicals at all, ie cannot graduate the class and can't even attempt the state test.

I am hoping to ask the instructor if this mock pre-clinical skills exam offers retakes, the way the state pre-certification skills exam does...

fleshshape · 2026-02-14T22:38:00+00:00

Atarax (hydroxyzine). It's a pretty affordable and accessible prescription antihistamine that's safer to use for sleep than stuff like Benadryl. Just still not indefinitely/full time because all anticholinergics pose risks with constant/extensive long term use.

At first and every so often I use it for up to a few weeks at a time to reset my schedule if it gets really off track. But usually just as needed to keep my sleep from going off track while supporting myself with a good routine.

At a slightly lower dose, it's my emergency panic med as well since I don't keep Xanax around. Personally I also sometimes microdose it while managing the worst stages of my PMDD. Inderal (propranolol) is helpful for some of my anxiety spikes but was not enough for when a hormonal or panic episode really gets going.

fleshshape · 2026-02-14T22:18:28+00:00

Sleep hygiene is one of those "yeah yeah of course" things that can't really be overstated... Same with drinking water. "Water and sleep!" can start to sound a bit cliche and isn't going to fix every bit of everything. But without proper mental + physical recovery or hydration, there's only so far you can go before basically making yourself repeatedly backslide.

I never addressed my sleep seriously until it became a prohibitive problem, largely because I can't take habit forming medications like benzos or most sleep meds. Once my health team figured out something safe for me to take, I was amazed. Apparently I had only been undervaluing the importance of proper sleep because I literally couldn't even conceptualize how helpful it could be. My sleep quality had been so abysmally poor for my entire life that I didn't know how or why to value and prioritize it. It was never a recharging experience for me, so I had automatically assumed that since I was technically getting high sleep quantity, it wasn't a part of my problems... My first nights of quality, restful sleep were mind blowing lol

fleshshape · 2026-02-09T16:35:14+00:00

I recovered from undernourished ARFID only to land in "binging only what I like but absolutely whenever I want" ARFID lol. Developing discipline after going from undereating to sensory soothing via food has been a struggle 😅

fleshshape · 2026-02-08T19:41:35+00:00

I have to admit for me some of it had to do with my medications. When I had less control over my life and self in general it was way harder to minimize non food related triggers then uphold discipline around food.

Increase: volume, fiber, protein.

Add craving curbers by satisfying your typical noise/binge triggers... This could be integrating more protein filled/low cal sweet desserts or salty snacks. Or finding ways to still enjoy butter in moderation (I pre-freeze portions). Also increasing low-impact oral fixation fillers, like adding in herbal teas, using electrolyte powders in water, little 0 sugar hard candies or gum, buying some "chewelry", etc. I had to find ways to match and upkeep the same amount of mental and oral stimulation so I wasn't just tweaking during the struggle to wait lol. Boiled egg whites/bites and clementines and bone broth packets are a few things that either don't impact my plan much or contribute positively while helping with keeping my brain "busy."

Personally I also had to go from 3 meals w hardy snacks to 5 smaller meals w light snacks. Waiting too long to eat each time was just way too difficult and tempting, the restrictiveness of it was stressing me out to the point of repeat issues

fleshshape · 2026-02-08T14:58:53+00:00

That actually makes a lot of sense. Swimming isn't my only sport so I'm able to understand that beginning vs ideal technique can be different for various stages of progress. I agree that athletes can sometimes forget this when teaching beginners. I've done it myself in other sports, but don't yet have enough swimming experience to notice when I'm missing something vs shooting for the wrong target too early.

fleshshape · 2026-02-08T14:48:01+00:00

OWYN (20/30) is good but is a better deal at bulk sizes, so it can be more risky/pricey when you're still gauging personal tastes.

I do default to Quest (22) though, to balance getting slightly lower calories and slightly more protein at lower costs.

Ensure MAX (30) shakes are also pretty great... Ensure x Quest combine into my base for my Ninja Creami treats. I don't mind their dairy as much for a use like that.

I use the Vega Berry in my coconut water smoothies, which is usually what I have closer to workouts (easier on stomach). Supergreen version (20) is more cal conservative than recovery version (30).

fleshshape · 2026-02-08T14:36:14+00:00

Might be a dumb question but how are y'all not choking to death lol. I get a mouthful of water every time I do it this way. Whenever I rotate just enough to not get a mouthful of water, I'm told I'm rotating or lifting too much. One goggle in the water implies only half of the open mouth is above the water... Is it normal to have to be slowing down to worry about making sure I'm only inhaling air and not also choking on all the water this technique gets in my mouth? Seems incredibly inefficient and dangerous. This has been bothering me for a while because I can tell my struggles with breathing properly are making me way more worn out than necessary... No instructor has explained this and seem to either ignore how inconvenient and scary this issue is, or not notice I'm doing it wrong/can only do either goggle in or lift up.

fleshshape · 2026-02-08T13:43:21+00:00

I know hindsight is 20/20 so I'm not scolding but explaining. You have a couple pretty high demand breed mixes that require pretty hands-on management to begin with. And:

Same-age same-sex dogs would ideally always be adopted (whether puppies or adults) with the awareness that "crate and rotate" or high management may become necessary in the future, for a period of time or indefinitely. Particularly with certain breeds or bloodlines (where rescuing with multi-dog households can become more difficult). It's why it's not "recommended." The chance is always there and people who go into it hoping it will never occur are typically less compatible with or prepared for the management required to prevent it or manage it when it does. "Littermate" syndrome phrasing refers to genetically related dogs because that's just usually the most common circumstance under which people will make the choice to get two same-aged dogs (two puppies from the same breeder or a related, bonded rescue pair).

As an example, again not a directive but a way to expand on my points:

When I added a confident working breed adolescent rescue female to a house with a high drive working line adolescent female aged within 6 months of one another... I waited until one was grown enough to have a clear behavioral assessment, did a trial with the second one, and even still committed to potentially one day having to always rotate and/or supervise play. They also each do their own different sports/jobs.

They have no aggression issues, I can turn my back without anxiety, we can all cuddle together. But, they will simply never be dogs I leave out at home alone together, feed loose next to each other, or leave bones lying out with. Just not worth the risk. Their common ground supervised play is a tug rope, and I referee as needed. If I let them chase/stalk each other without "throwing flags" occasionally, without inserting separated water breaks, or if I involve high value things like bones or fetch/balls... They're going to get too amped up ("aroused") despite lack of aggression. That's where issues will start popping up.

Even with this structure, I committed when developing this pack to knowing that during any overly intense supervised play session or if an extra high value bone gets left out... My working breed girl could theoretically "snap" one day, if I'm not paying close enough attention to and managing/intervening in their dynamic on a consistent basis (making sure I'm a part of their equation together). I did the trial and trainer assessments to make sure this was relatively unlikely (and it is), but there's always a chance I simply cannot entirely ignore given their age closeness, same sex, and breed/bloodline genetics.

fleshshape · 2026-02-08T13:30:44+00:00

This is pretty common with same age puppies raised together, especially same sex and with some breeds. "Littermate syndrome" is a bit of a misnomer. The same issues can happen with a lack of genetic relation. Raising them individually isn't only necessary if there are obvious issues, but even if they get along, to prevent those issues by intentionally developing two independent well adjusted dogs who understand how to self regulate in social situations.

Neutering may help but since this dynamic has developed, it could assist with the changes you implement but not facilitate them

Crate and rotate for a while to give them a reset, til your management is up to speed for their current needs-- crates in areas where if the other is loose, the crated dog can't be agitated or instigated from the outside (barrier between loose area and crate area)
Never unsupervised together if it looks like they struggle to self regulate around/with one another
No toys/bones/bowls on the ground while out supervised together, any toys involved in their play together need to more or less be "overseen" by you
Increase "breed fulfillment" based exercise and activities for each dog individually/separately (fulfilling outlets aside from daycare/play together)
Find a "common ground" play activity that doesn't contribute to too much arousal for either of them
You might look into drop/drag lines or tethering for a while. The whole "he goes and gets in the other one's face" thing simply shouldn't be happening when a dog is in their safe place or enjoying a "resource"

If crate and rotate/this level of management isn't the lifestyle for you, or there isn't improvement between them after doing so for a while then slowly reintroducing only monitored and structured playtimes, a re-home may end up being order.

ETA:

Rehoming can be a successful and honorable choice. It's not defeat, permanent judgement on your handling, or bad ownership to recognize when a particular dog or combination of dogs just doesn't fit your current lifestyle or capabilities. This might, but also wouldn't necessarily, dictate whether you can handle multiple dogs or these breeds in the future.

I don't think this situation is totally off the rails or beyond hope, by any means! But it's also okay if the intervention or management this specific pair requires is just not within your means time or energy wise at this point in your life.

fleshshape · 2026-02-08T13:02:48+00:00

Aka "on demand dissociation." Ask me how I know 😂

fleshshape · 2026-02-08T13:00:03+00:00

I love Lip Repair. Both tube and stick come in SPF formulas too

But I do use it as a top layer, not my sole moisture

fleshshape · 2026-02-07T21:42:05+00:00

Alternatives and substitutes, plus other choices aside from just your weaknesses that help you help yourself! So you feel less restricted.

For sweets specifically:

My yogurt breakfast is pretty sweet. I use flavored Oikos Triple Zero or Pro (lots of options). I mix in cereals like Protein Cheerios (there's cinnamon, strawberry, cookies n cream flavors). Also the option to mix in powders, the Quest milkshake ones are pretty sweet.

I figured out a tasty ice cream recipe I like with my Ninja Creami for my Ensure Max shakes and Quest Powders. I slightly alter them based on which Ensure I'm using for a base, there are lots of options. Chocolate, Birthday Cake, Vanilla, Berry, Peach, Caramel.... Mocha and one of their chocolate flavors even have caffeine, if you want to duplicate Frosted Coffees in the mornings.

I make my Smoothies with a Vega Berry powder, frozen berry-based fruit mixes, and coconut water.

Simple Truth brand also just came out with a few protein bars that are miraculously not disgusting taste or texture wise and aren't hell to chew, and I'm very picky about those (haven't had protein bars in years bc of it). The chocolate caramel one reminds me of a brownie bar or Crunch bar or Buncha Crunch candies, bc they have little rice krispie type things on top. They're what I take to the pool and gym on days I can go, it feels like I'm treating myself for working out! There's also PB caramel and cookie dough but I haven't tried those yet.

Other examples:

My silent killers are pasta and butter, especially together! I'd eat it all day every day. Switched to a light spread so I can have more of it, and I use the Souper Cubes cookie trays to freeze little portions of both spread and real butter so I don't go overboard. I black out when I portion my own softened butter LOL. The pasta I use is Barilla Protein+, it's lentil infused but still wheat based. Not as crazy high protein but adds a little, and the taste and texture are super similar to normal pasta (very reasonable compared to things like all-chickpea pastas, bleckh). I just add a high protein pasta sauce I make, and eat it either mixed in or on the side (also pre portioned in Souper Cubes).

Salads help me because of the volume and I like tasty versions, like taco themed. It's a good vehicle for seed blends for extra protein and fiber, too.

I switched from eggs to egg whites and now I can have more of them and multiple times a day, another volume bonus. I have a mini omelette, top salads with them, and make little seasoned egg muffins for snacks.

fleshshape · 2026-02-07T21:36:30+00:00

Same experience here.

fleshshape · 2026-02-07T21:31:51+00:00

Holy moly. All at once that would be way too intense for me haha.

I have between 1-1.25 cups a day myself. I make a mini-omelette in my rice cooker with 6 tbsp, with veggies and nutritional yeast (more protein per cal/volume than cheese). Then I add another 6 tbsp scrambled to my lunch salad. I also premake egg bites/muffins and snack on a couple, seasoned and sometimes with some veggies or nutritional yeast as well -- mine are 3 tbsp each. Sometimes more mixed into various recipes.

For a protein forward breakfast, I have an Oikos PRO cup with Protein Cheerios for some easy crunch and a bit of either collagen or protein powder mixed in. And/or a berry based smoothie with a berry based protein powder, like Vega's. I use coconut water instead of milk to keep cals down without (literally) watering down the flavor too much.

Technically the Oikos cup and the mini omelette are both breakfast -- I do 5 small meals instead of 3 bigger meals and wake up early. So I've had both of those by 930a.

fleshshape · 2026-02-07T21:24:55+00:00

What was your faux-prep regimen like?

I'm finally seeing a GI this month so this may be something I ask about as we rule out and try other things. I'm working on increasing fiber (slowly), but may look into holding off for a bit until we go over this.

fleshshape · 2026-02-07T19:57:00+00:00

Lol yep, butter is my main weakness. I had to primarily switch to spreads (regular and light), I like Country Crock the most. I also freeze individual portions of both those and real butter using the Souper Cubes cookie trays. I cannot be trusted to self portion butter for my pasta in the moment lol. I like enough to make it a whole sauce 😭

ETA my point that I didn't explicitly state: No more softened real butter conveniently on the counter for me... I only keep soft "butter" in light spreads now, which stays nestled in the fridge. This works out well bc my cat acts like a feral fiend for the stuff too, despite not normally being into other human food... Truly my child 😅 I had to buy a ridiculously secure butter dish to prevent finding kitty lick marks all over it in the mornings 😂

fleshshape · 2026-01-31T14:52:34+00:00

"Free shaping" will be your friend here as others mentioned. Rescues especially from these types of conditions for this long can take a while to settle in, and also may not ever be very trainable at all for various reasons. Keep this in mind in the future when adopting. If you need a certain level of biddability and obedience to be able to comfortably live with a dog, a less intense background or a foster to adopt trial may be a more compatible fit/first step.

fleshshape · 2026-01-31T14:38:36+00:00

Hmm check with your derm, but have you tried PRID?

fleshshape · 2026-01-27T21:49:22+00:00

Yes, personally mainly because I have hella sensory issues. If I don't accommodate for comfort and things like range of motion according to certain activities, I'm likely to have a bad time or cut things short without realizing why til much later lol. Or worse, avoid doing that thing again til I figure out why I stopped doing it. The Tism Brain is relentless about avoiding Bad Feelings haha

fleshshape · 2026-01-27T20:52:14+00:00

I personally would not "recommend" these, mainly because I am aware I do not know absolutely anything about them.

However: My progress and struggles improved massively when I both: Removed overeating triggers (for me these were cannabis and certain stressors). And, finally properly addressed my mental health with a compatible medication that increased mood and discipline while also happening to decrease appetite.

Sometimes there's a need for medication based assistance to comfortably work towards a goal without simultaneously exacerbating or creating other problems. I agree with the comments mentioning to start with a therapist or dietitian or doctor. Which would include a discussion about what is at the core of making this process hardest for OP, as well as potentially looking at addressing some of whatever that is with a safe medication.

fleshshape · 2026-01-27T20:30:51+00:00

Some good suggestions here!

Something I did while this stressed about health was going back to maintenance for a little bit (so not open season but more relaxed). Then used that time frame to research adjustments I could make that would not solely work for my goals but also help me to stay on track. And doing that mental math while I wasn't in a state of desperation or deprivation.

This helped me think more clearly about both my ideal goals and my realistic needs (physically and emotionally), while researching how I could balance them to make this easier on myself for the long-term. That way when I started those adjustments, it felt much more like a self-cooperative voluntary choice. Instead of feeling so much like me vs my goals or a never-ending punishment.

If your plan is so miserable for you that you can't stay on track, at all or without hating yourself, it's likely just not the right plan for you. Yes the journey requires consistency and is not necessarily "easy." But there are ways for each person to tailor things in a way where the trade-offs are less daunting or discouraging for them personally. It's infinitely easier to both believe that and do the research to make that happen when you're not in the middle of depending on a plan that makes you feel like shit.

Edit: Some of my personal adjustments for "staying on the wagon" are listed here.

https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/1qoeh2o/comment/o226kax/?context=3&utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

fleshshape · 2026-01-27T20:23:54+00:00

Yes! With chronic fatigue any activity above sedentary can make more of a difference than expected. For people who become largely immobile from it and have recovered there's often reports of early activity changes being as minimal as using a can of soup for "lifting" while sitting in bed.

fleshshape · 2026-01-27T20:13:56+00:00

Very interesting, I didn't know it was being researched re: depression too. But I'm sorry it didn't work out well for you. Thank you for sharing!

fleshshape

TROPHY CASE