Buns Again

[squealcat]

Hello Buns !

When I eat things off plan I notice my itchy eczema starts to come back. I , many times, think it is my imagination but my eczema has been SO much better the last few months and I have been following MWL during this time. Now, the last two days or so I have relaxed my eating (yes, let's call it that ) and I now have areas on my upper legs etc that are itchy and rough. So, I am back at it now !

-squealcat

[bunsofaluminum]

Hello Buns !

When I eat things off plan I notice my itchy eczema starts to come back. I , many times, think it is my imagination but my eczema has been SO much better the last few months and I have been following MWL during this time. Now, the last two days or so I have relaxed my eating (yes, let's call it that ) and I now have areas on my upper legs etc that are itchy and rough. So, I am back at it now !

-squealcat

HI Squealcat...

Not surprised about that eczema coming back. My son has psoriasis, and I've talked to him many times about eliminating triggers from his diet. He refuses to even so much as trying to cut gluten. He just lives with crusty knees and elbows. SMH. It really IS THE FOOD!

So, I got back serious yesterday with my eating and I feel so much better already. Weight down two lbs, blah, blah, blah. And my innards aren't churning Foot a little bit better, but I expect it to be 100% tomorrow morning. My knee went weird, too. It kinda collapsed while I was at the store yesterday. But I've walked away from all of it now. It is NOT worth it. I gotta figure out how to treat myself without going berserk on the crap.

First thing I did this morning was to cook six cups of rice, so I have rice ready, and there's potatoes in the pantry, lots of frozen spinach and broccoli, several cans of peaches. I should be able to do this entire week or longer with what I have ready. Simple, humble. Starch, greens, fruit. Period.

On the FB Starch Solution page, someone posted that article about committing 100%...

The 100 Percent Rule

"Put simply, it’s far too easy to waste our time, money, and energy by not committing wholeheartedly to an important life change."

Committing 100% means that, in those areas where you are 100% focused, the decisions have already been made:

Decision fatigue can kill ambitions:

“Should I hit the gym or the bar?”
“Should I work out or go grocery shopping?”
“Should I pick up the dumbbells or the phone to get in touch with a friend?”

This 100% thing is not new to me. I get into this hyper-focus mode when I run across a new interest. This (whatever it is: yoga, mindful eating, FlyLady housekeeping methods, homeschooling/unschooling...name it.) If I got interested in it, that took all my time and attention at first...then the interest fades, the 100% dwindles, I lose my focus, drift away, and never return. The ONE EXCEPTION to this life pattern of mine is McDougalling. No lie.

I discovered the McDougall Plan in 1995, and followed it extremely close from 1/1/1995 through about mid September, 1995. Lost some weight, gained amazing energy, lost depression, gained confidence...and my family wasn't happy with no meat, so I started cooking meat as a side dish to my McDougall entrees, and eventually I started "allowing" myself animal protein on Sundays and wandered back to my omnivore whole foods ways. 15 years later, when I had ruined my gut with a high protein diet (fast weight loss but health destroyed) so I quit eating that way and gained back 35 of the 75 lbs I'd taken off. I needed to lose weight, wasn't going back to the high protein, and got thinking about what had worked for me in the past, and that was McDougall. I came back for the energy, though, tbh.

Coming back in September 2009, I was in that gung-ho place, that 100% place for a solid six months. No treats, no cheats. High energy, weight loss. I feasted on Easter, and then back strict right away no problem. I stuck with it pretty well for five years, got under 200, under 190, and for a very brief time hit a weight of 174 lbs, the lowest I'd been since highschoolthen wandered away. Started eating more SAD (though no animal flesh, but lots of processed, and don't skimp on the added fats) gained back ALL the weight I'd lost, plus 15 at my highest re-gain. Once in a while I'd post here for a week or two, and then go away again. But then in 2018 I came back

And as this journal attests, have had the hardest time "coming back" right? In July my sister was diagnosed with heart disease...my trim, fit athletic triathlon winning sister has had a heart attack, as discovered in her EKG. Familial hypercholesterolemia, a genetic disorder that has pretty much packed her vessels. (BTW, I bought her Esselstyn's book "Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease" and she read it, and has given up all fats except avocado!!!) Well that news made me sit up and pay attention and I got really serious for the entire month of August. Didn't lose any weight, but seems to me I began feeling better...I'll have to go back and check. I've been keeping track here for a reason, eh?... anyway that reveleation about my sister's health scared me and made me get serious and my mind has been a heck of a lot more in the game, even though I've continued with my stupid habits periodically.

As with the gut destruction from eating high protein, which means I can never eat that way again, and the discovery that dairy causes intestinal distress and NOTHING dairy is worth it. Nothing. Well, now I have confirmed that junky "treats" actually cause me joint pain, and I can't think that it is worth it. Having to limp around in the grocery store yesterday? because I had to have fudge and a Danish for Xmas breakfast? Or Scottish shortbread cookies, or the homemade biscuits I made from Bisquick, sour cream, and 7 up? IOW, for a few days I got away from simple, humble and ate lots of processed, high fat, high sodium, high sugar foods. Not even real food. And to be perfectly honest, most of it NOT worth it. Pistachios and chocolate ARE worth it. Scottish shortbread cookies from a tin bought in the seasonal aisle of the grocery store? NSM...Jimmy John's vegetable sandwich? BLCH WHY? That isn't even special, except my PT job doesn't ALWAYS provide food but on Xmas they do.

Well now I'm back on track and feeling better already. Soon to be pain free even in my feet and knees and going to drop some freaking weight. Regular starch/fruit or veg, plus lentil soup since I made it and have half a gallon of the stuff Going to re-read that 100% article and then JUST DO IT. No more fiddling around.

[bunsofaluminum]

SW 240
GW 130
CW 231

So after the holiday indulging, my weight rose to 236, and now is coming back down again which I appreciate. Yesterday was sane; I indulged at dinner, and that's the last time. Wylie surprised me after I got off shift and took me to dinner. I ate food prepared with oil. And when he gets home from work I'm going to reiterate to him my determination about eating no added fats. I appreciate his gift...it was a happy bday thing...but will ask him to keep in mind that I am committed to this, and don't want to have to turn down a gracious offer...so please? Offer what I can eat?

I ate until only satiated, which helped.

Okay so what must I do to make this 100% commitment? I think probably no eating out will be a good place to start, eh? So, in January I am going to eat all my meals at home. Not eating anything from a restaurant, whether dine in or take out. Sounds like a good New Month Resolution. And of course, that is so I can stay 100% on the "simple humble" zero processed, no added fats eating plan. I love how I dropped 9 lbs in 7 days when I first started w. Rice Diet Solution...but truly I've been doing it now for two months, and I don't have two weeks in a row of actual full compliance. What will happen if I just stick to this for the entire month of January? Here's where keeping a journal comes in handy. I can check exactly how long WAS I stuck at 232? And what DID I eat yesterday? And looking back through that journal I found sure enough...I have treated myself or indulged one way or another on pretty much a weekly basis. But not in January. Following with 100%, and ZERO EATING OUT.

AND NO!!!! I am NOT going into diet mentality. Today is Dec 29 and I START TODAY. Not waiting until Friday, which is the first of the month, and not waiting until Monday, the start of the week. TODAY. From Dec 29, 2020 through Jan 31, 2021 I am going to dine out ZERO times. Not. Once. And going to stick close to this portion aware MWL/no processed thing.

Shall we just see what ACTUALLY following, with no treats and no cheats for 30 days ACTUALLY does? hmmmm?


~~~~~

On the strange work news front: We're closing at noon on Dec 31, but there will be a full shift on Jan 1 (and yours truly is manning that shift, with several others dropping in for two hours at a time, so we always have two people answering phones)... this full shift will be double pay, in the neighborhood of $300 for one day's work, and that's okay with me. I want to say it will not be busy, but the last time I worked a holiday thinking that there would be nothing going on, I was WRONG. It was SOOOO busy on the day after Thanksgiving. but it, also, was well compensated, cash-wise. Whenever I get extra cash, it goes straight to debts and I'm whittling those down rapidly. Get muh car paid off faster. Improve my credit score

Strange because we close early the day before, but then have a full shift ON the holiday? *shrug*

B: 2/3 c rice; 1 c broccoli; 1 c canned peaches in juice
L: 2/3 c rice; 1 c spinach; peaches if wanted
D: 2/3 c rice; 1 c brocc or spinach; peaches or pineapple if wanted

That's the plan. Low cal day today.

[bunsofaluminum]

Oh SNAP!

I ate shiitake mushrooms and am pretty much covered with hives. Dangit, when I ate them and didn't feel anything in my mouth, I thought I'd gotten non-shiitakes. Bought them at the Asian market, dehydrated and the label in Asian, not a word in English besides "Dried mushroom" on the label. They don't have that distinctive broken stone floor pattern, so I hydrated some and ate them yesterday in my soup at lunch. And today I am on fire. Can't stop itching, and couldn't figure it out until just now, scratching away at my head... and my torso...oh PHOOEY. What am I going to do with those dried freaking SHROOOOOOOMS!????

[bunsofaluminum]

Good grief, I won't make that mistake again!

Bought dehydrated mushrooms at the Asian market on Sunday. I looked them over carefully, and compared them with what I knew were Shiitakes (allergic to shiitakes) before buying. Brought them home. Rehydrated one and tried it. Had zero reaction (normally when I eat a bite of shiitake, I can feel it in my throat pretty quick) so, without any reaction to the one, I decided they aren't shiitakes and hydrated a half cup, which I added to a bowl of soup Monday noon.

By Sunday night, it felt like under my bra strap was a little irritated. Monday I didn't wear my bra, Tuesday I raised welts scratching myself, it itched SO BAD. Made me whimper. I still didn't make the connection though, until I realized my scalp was itching and all the itching everywhere was actually hives, and those shrooms WERE Shiitakes! By Tuesday night, they had advanced to my face, and Wylie convinced me to go to the dr. Because I wasn't feeling anything AT ALL in my mouth or throat, I wasn't worried. BUT I'm glad he convinced me. Fatal or not, why put up with incessant, body-wide hives of FIRE when I can get something for it? So I did go to urgent care Tuesday night. Too late to pick up the prednisone that night, so Wylie came home early to bring it to me and it's working. Thankfully, because yes I did start feeling it in my throat eventually.

But I've been covered with hives from my scalp to my toes. Took the day off Wednesday and Thursday. Working today, and it still itches all over, but not FIRE. Currently it's more like every pore is sort of sting-itching and honestly scratching makes is 100x worse so I'm NOT SCRATCHING...much...

A cool, damp washcloth provides AMAZING relief. Also, cortisone cream is our friend. I need it on my face, where the stinging is just horrible along my jawline. My throat too. Oof. I sort of look like I've been out in the desert under hot sun and fierce dust storms. Bright red, somewhat swollen. Thankfully today it's a bit better than yesterday and I think it will be fading more until it is gone. Just have to keep my hands off.

Weight went back to 230 and has stayed there, even though I did some comfort eating yesterday. Some super high quality chocolate that I got for Xmas. And one of those lame shortbread cookies Also made buttered popcorn. And that is all. Otherwise it was simple humble. Rice and veg or fruit for each meal. Continuing with that for today. I will probably have choc covered espresso beans at my PT job today which I always do, just to get me through the shift. Boring job. BOOOORRRRRRING. Choc covered espresso beans keep my morale up Maybe I'll be able to break away from that.

[bunsofaluminum]

Okay, a three day run of Prednisone stopped the hives, and they've disappeared, though the itching remains. Also, thanking God I don't have to take prednisone on the regular for anything. It gave me the jitters, the munchies, and the bitchies all at the same time. Yesterday I didn't take the evening dose of antihistamine either, because I got tired of being drowsy all the time. It wasn't really helping the itch anyway.

I ate really stupid on Friday: bread and hummus which was not worth it. 100% emotional eating. Felt sorry for myself, said "screw it" and bought a loaf of roasted garlic "artisanal" bread. Meh.

Okay, back to normal now? Back to "new normal" anyway. At any rate, I'll be working today. I took two days off my regular job, and one day off my PT due to straight out misery.

Looks like I'm going to be fighting depression again. boo.

[bunsofaluminum]

SW 240
GW 135
CW 231

Okay, have things started settling down? petesakes.

What a way to start the New Year, covered with fire hives and full of self-pity. Annnnnd emotional eating, which goes to show the deep mental commitment to never straying...pfft...

Anyway. No surprise, I comforted myself with food (and not even good food, really. Bread and a spicy hummus that I didn't even like).
The hives are gone now, but the itching continues. I'd love that to be over. Took two days off my regular job and one day off the PT and not one of those days was restful or restorative. In fact, the two days I had off before Christmas weren't peace and joy, either. Wylie was in a miserable mood for the entire week preceding The Day and I'd have done just as well to sit at my computer ignoring him and get paid, as to sit on the couch and fight off his energy. So the holidays weren't all peace and light (I did get to hang out with my daughter and her family, which was AWESOME!) And Wylie snapped out of it so things were a little easier around here... and then I ate shiitakes and broke out all over in hives. Nice.

And now I'm all set to do what I can about not letting depression eat me up. Going outside for a daily walk is the first, most obvious solution. It would be HUGE if we could find a place for the boxes in our living space. There's something pretty cool about it though. Wylie asked me not to move them around, as his miniature train set and supplies are in some of those boxes. He wants to get his train stuff out! and start playing with his little mountain village again this is a good, good thing. I hope he does it. It'll be a huge stress outlet for him FOR SURE. Meanwhile, the boxes are stacked right in front of my antique china hutch and are unsightly. They aren't clutter, per se, but they clutter up the energy in my life.

So the boxes aren't going anywhere soon. The rest of my place is picked up, and I have my little corner...my nest... which I tidy up a couple times a week. Reducing the visual chaos is important.

I can go outside and walk every day. Too bad about it being cold, I'll wear my freaking coat, right? I'll eat right, and maybe start seeing poundage drop which will also help. My morning alone time is valuable. I try to get up 90 minutes before I have to start doing stuff. Read, meditate, pray, practice mindfulness. Sets me up for a calm day and keeps me sane.

Remember gratitude. That always helps. Matter of fact, I have reversed deep funky doldrums by just thinking about and naming the wonderful blessings flooding my life every day. I wonder if I can use acceptance, as well. Like...okay, it's winter time. The earth is silent and resting. There is a patient waiting vibe over the land. This is how it is right now: quiet, dormant, soft, sleepy. I don't have to fight WINTER, for petesakes. I can be patient and calm. I can wait. Even thinking this way makes me wonder what it's like outside. Curiosity is a mighty tool against depression.

[bunsofaluminum]

SW 240
GW 135
CW 130

How lovely! After lunch today I took a brisk 15 minute walk. It's cold out, just right for walking at a brisk pace. My legs and back feel alive

[bunsofaluminum]

SW 240
GW 135
CW 234

Today I stepped straight on the scale without inching on, and of course it shows up a few pounds. But inching onto the scale doesn't give a very accurate weight...my inching today might be more cautious than tomorrow. So if I just STEP on every time...there ya go.

Itching all over my skin all day every day SUCKS. No hives, but the itch remains. It kept me tossing and turning all night long, and I have to find things to keep me distracted, in order not to scratch all my waking hours. In fact, a search for remedies "non-hive itching" one of the recommendations is "manage your emotions" ... annnnd thankful for Zentangle eh? And I have a lovely mindless copy/paste project at work where I can plug in my air buds and listen to Joe Rogan while I work on that. Of course, calls and brief visits with brokers are nice as well. Brings me out of my shell some.

Because I was up really early, I was able to start a pot of chili at 4:00 a.m. 15 bean soup, onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, rehydrated some oyster mushrooms w. smoky sweet marinade. I happened to have a package of frozen peppers and onions which I dumped in there...and it smells so good around here right now! I'll put at least half of it in the freezer.

Hopefully the nonsense in DC is over. The POTUS should be ashamed of himself...what a legacy. SMH and that is all I have to say about that. When Wylie turned on the news yesterday afternoon, I watched long enough to get myself in a really bad mood, peeked in on FB to make my mood even worse, and then went to the grocery store. On my way I saw a kid skateboarding across the street, and there was a man walking his dog. A black lab. In the store, they were working on putting product out. Maybe a late shipment? Because there were a couple of bare places on the shelves but nothing like March 2020 when there were whole aisles with nothing on them. Anyway. The abundance I witnessed. Stacks of boxed goods 10 feet high...okay, 8 feet...wrapped all around with Saran Wrap waiting to be put out. And when I got back home with my cans of beans, potatoes, onions, carrots...unrest aside, we're okay and would be for six months in the God forbid event that supply lines are stopped.

Speaking of self-sufficiency...time to be planning my garden. Yes! a lovely January task.

[bunsofaluminum]

Ahhh 20 minute walk after lunch. I went around the block. Used to walk a mile in 20 smh..my legs feel really good! Got my blood moving just a bit. Left foot was hurting before I was back home.

It's blue skies, empty trees, chickadees flitting around, and I saw a blue jay! Wonderful day

[bunsofaluminum]

SW 240
GW 135
CW 235

Again, stepping straight up onto the scale. I hate that it "adds" four pounds, but it's more reliable than inching up one ounce at a time.

Still itching ALL OVER my entire body EVERY DAY, ALL THE TIME. If I keep distracted, it's not quite as bad. But I wish it would just stop. Drives me crazy.

Getting out for a walk during my lunch break feels really good. Going to keep that up. Right now the weather here is absolutely beautiful. We need snow big time, but meanwhile the sun is out, the sky is blue, and air quality has been good. There are little birds around. I love chickadees. They're the best because they stay. They don't go away in the wintertime. And their calls are really easy to mimic.

B: grapenuts; oatmilk; berries; a banana
L: chili; broccoli
D: nuked potato; sugar snap peas and carrot slices.

Today is my longest work day. Eight hours at my FT and then immediately to a 5 hour shift at my PT. Those PT paychecks handle my debt very well. I've managed to at least round up the car payment to the next $100 and usually I just tack $200 onto it. That's why I do it. It is temporary. And I realized something with my recent illness/hives...took two days off my FT and called in one shift for the PT and got really down. Resented having to go back to work, resented working on New Year's Day which, because of the PTO I didn't ACTUALLY see an increase in my paycheck. Anyway, once I got back to work at my FT, and I took the first call, it was brought home with clarity how NOT working sent me into a brown funk full of self-pity and resentment and how working at THIS JOB, where I converse with brokers and help people with various problems, brings me out of my shell and helps my emotional state.

I'm a homebody who prefers quiet alone time with occasional get togethers with friends or family. I don't go seeking human contact, do not like parties, not a night life type...etc. You know, an introvert. And quarantining thanks to the pandemic has pushed me even further inward...and a steady diet of that with zero breaks to talk to people or be with others isn't healthy. I got to a pretty dark place and depression was already lurking...getting back to work brought me around. And then going for a walk fed the good energy and I feel equipped to get through after all.

The foundation of all of it is this eating plan. I'm so grateful that the aches and pains are gone, planning to make a habit of that 20 minute walk every day. Looking forward to enjoying the benefits of that. Hoping to build on that 20 minute walk and increase my activity level. Wishing I had the habit already, and looking fondly back on the times in my life that I've been fit and enjoying frequent exercise. Can I bring that back? We'll see. But in the meantime I can eat clean and sane, and I can move the amount that I can move, right? Once around the block, every day. For now.

[bunsofaluminum]

Good grief the itching is driving me insane! All over, all the time, non-stop. I slathered myself with hydrocortisone cream, my décolletage. And what do I put on my freaking scalp! Vinegar? Hydrogen peroxide? What will stop the itch!?!?!! Because I gotta tell ya...hydrocortisone cream didn’t do it for my upper chest area. GAAAAR!!! Scratching definitely makes it worse but it’s nearly impossible not to.

[bunsofaluminum]

SW 245
GW 135
CW 235

Keeping it simple today. Yesterday was an under the weather day with some nausea and really sleepy all day long. Today a bit better, though my stomach is still just a tiny bit icky. I'll stick with starch and vegs today, no problem.

Still itching. No hives. Wondering when it's going to be over, because I'm sure it's all attached to that allergic reaction and my 60 year old skin is taking longer to completely heal. But DANG wouldn't it be nice not to itch all over, all the time. Didn't take a walk yesterday. Too icky all day long. I'll give it a go today during lunch.

[squealcat]

Buns, I get an itchy scalp and use apple cider vinegar diluted with some water. It seems to help me quite a bit....not 100% but a lot better. Just a thought.

-squealcat

[bunsofaluminum]

Buns, I get an itchy scalp and use apple cider vinegar diluted with some water. It seems to help me quite a bit....not 100% but a lot better. Just a thought.

-squealcat

Hi Squealcat,

I've got some distilled vinegar in the bathroom. I've used it to get all the shampoo out of my hair...I'll have to see if it helps the itching. I'd like to find something for my shoulders and back...ugh.

Okay, my weight is at 235 and staying. I almost didn't post here, because I ate nuts yesterday. Lots of them. I'm getting tired of posting my failures. My meals have been just terrific. Not eating processed, no added fats...and then a handful (or more) of nuts. My mom bought brazil nuts and filberts, without shell...talk about tossing calories down your neck. oy.

So today I'm going to eat 100% on plan, no straying. And I guess at the end of the day I'll know whether I stick to it or not, eh?
SMH