GOOD NEWS

Ray has lost a total of 26 lbs and I have lost about 23lbs. I am really excited by this. I am trying to be creative with our diet so we don't get tired of eating the same thing all day.

Last night we had dinner at Angelo's Steakhouse. Ray ordered meatloaf and green beans. I tasted his meatloaf and it is my considered opinion that it had more bread crumbs in it than necessary. It looked almost like sliced dark bread. I told him he cannot order that any more. When I make meatloaf at home, I don't use anything but real ground beef and pork. He probably had his carb load for the week.

I was very good and ordered 2 eggs scrambled with bacon. I said no bread, but ended up with toast that I did not eat. Why can't waitresses understand, that when you don't want bread, don't bring it? Why make it more difficult for us? Sometimes it seems like people are trying to sabotage our efforts. I know that in the past, even though I told people I was on a diet, they still offered me other things, like chocolate pie, cake, etc. "Just one bite won't hurt." Who are they kidding? In the Bible somewhere I read that it is a sin to eat in front of other people that could not eat like you do. I will find it again and let you know where it is.

We went to North Carolina to be with my daughter and family this past weekend. It was my birthday. I love spending it with them. Jesse cooked steaks on the grill and we had salad. Rhonda even fixed orange sugar-free Jello with fat/sugar free whipped cream. I insisted on no candles. I wasn't sure if their fire insurance was paid. LOL!

Even the children are supportive of our diet. No one wanted to eat anything we couldn't eat in front of us. It was very nice.

I have found that we can have chicken salad and pimento cheese. I buy water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, french cut green beans, garlic, and onion to go in my beef stew. Actually, I buy the Steak-Ums to make soup most of the time. Or I roast pork or chicken in the slow cooker with onions and garlic. I even use those same veggies to make chicken soup. Sometimes I mix in greens like mustard, turnip greens, spinach. I buy the big cans and only use half. I put the other half in a jar and keep in the fridge. For the chicken soup, you can use real chicken and boil or you can use canned chicken. Sometimes I will crack a few eggs, whip up in a bowl and drizzle into boiling soup. It kind of makes noodles. You can season to make it taste like Mexican or Italian. At times I also throw in a can of diced tomatoes.

The main thing is to eat as low carb as you can. Exercise. Just remember, even though this may seem the be all and end all diet, it isn't. Of course, after I got over the craving for cookies and ice cream, I seem to eat less and less often. I  chew gum for a snack instead of eating 5 or 6 cookies.

On top of all of this is the warning:

CALORIES DO COUNT!

So don't eat a whole pot roast or chicken.