Day 2 of Phase 5: Where I had a nice whoosh, where I am not looking forward to the "strength" portion of our regimen, and where the itch-that-will-not-leave makes me think, "hmm, should I just buy enough CortAid to fill up a bathtub and wallow?", chatting with a Mexican Restaurateur...and why I'm glad I never went on ACTOS....

Tanita-San: 223.0

I was hoping to be 224 even today. My body decided to surprise me. Okay!

That's 76 lbs down.

I am slathered in all sorts of anti-itch creams. Whatever toxin those babies pumped into me when they bit (unless I have some sort of weird disease of which I am not aware), the itch will not leave. It's making me a little cranky! The big ugly hot-pink bumps aren't attractive, I confess, and that makes me crankier. If this doesn't quell soon, I'm gonna have to visit the dermatologist, who last saw me August last year, when I had some bad heat/MSM rash.

Ate fine yesterday. Water fine. Lots of caloric burn via exercise (no doubt the cause of previously mentioned nice surprise.)

I looked over today's challenge exercises. Imagine my shudder. ; )  Looks really tough. And I have sore triceps already from yesterday's workout.....onward! No fear! (false bravado)

Had a chat with the owner of our fave Mexican restaurant when I went there after Pilates to get a grilled chicken on organic mixed greens salad. (I ate half the salad, have half for today.) Mentioned how it's hard to eat out these days for me, so I don't go out every night like we used to and so haven't been there as often. Chatted about what was on plan, not on plan.

He mentoned their expansion for April (they are taking over the area next door) and how he plans to have breakfast options. I asked, "Any diet friendly?" He said they'd have egg white omelets with spinach/veggies and goat cheese, mentioned some other things. I said, "Well, as long as they can be prepared to order for dieters, like with minimal oil, dry veggies--not grilled in oodles of oil first--easy cheese,etc."

I mentioned this--though I did not tell the following to the owner-- cause one of the cooks there--and I know for a fact, cause I speak Spanish and heard him grumbling once when I made a "diet request" order--grumbled about special requests and why y people can't eat it the way he makes it.  Here is what I had asked that time: grilled chicken burrito with no rice or sour cream added to it.  Hardly a huge deal, right? In fact, they save money not giving me two items, no? The burrito was a new added item, a stuffed version that I had there months ago, as they tended to stick too more traditional stuff, and they still don't do cheddar cheese or regular sour cream--they use queso fresco and "table cream" which is very liquidy almost--nor do they have "crispy tacos" only soft ones. Killer fresh-made fire-roasted tomato salsa.

That grumbly cook had left a rather unpleasant feeling--if you're gonna grumble, don't do it so loudly that customers hear, right?-- and I didn't go back to eat there for several weeks.

Anyway, the owner was pleasant about it and made no indicaton that such requests were problematic (it, less cheese, less oil, etc). In fact, turns out he's pals with my R.D. :) Small world.

There's one of those legal commercials on now about ACTOS (a drug) and how it can cause X and Y and how you might have a claim.  I remember how several years ago, when I was adding on the poundage like mad, and the endocrinologist was talking about putting me on Actos. She talked about how promising it was for patients like me with Metabolic Syndrome, as it improved more than blood sugar.

I said I wanted to lower my blood sugar on my own. I changed how I ate and over the next few months (though I only lost 5 lbs), I got my sugar in the normal range. Changing the composition of meals (eating BETTER, not eating sugar, eating whole grains instead of refined, adding cinnamon, etc). Just goes to show how potent diet is, even if you are still overeating and not eating perfectly. It's powerful stuff.

I'm glad I didn't take that drug--now that reports of its increasing risk of heart failure has been reported. And I wish I could get off all the meds I take, but the only one I have control over is the high blood pressure (which dose has been cut in half last month due to my weight loss and I'll soon be off it, yes!)  I have to take the thyroid ones (or I'll die). I have to take the asthma/allergy ones (or I cannot function, cause my nose will run, my asthma attacks will increase, my eyes will water, my nose will stuff up, and it'll be like having permanent case of a cold.....).

But what we can control....that we should. Hm...right? :D

So, I'm craving some green tea....later. Happy Challenging!