Starting weight (7/15/08):    279.8    (1/8/08):    285.2
Calories/Carbs Goals (limits):       1400  / 30.0
Yesterday’s calories & net carbs:  1342 / 30.3
Yesterday’s exercise:  2 hours yard work
Weight Yesterday:  253.8    Today:  253.2
Change today::  -0.6 lbs.   Loss-so-far:  26.6 lbs.  /  33.0 lbs.

Today I cooked one of my childhood favorites, Beef Stroghanoff.  It’s just chunks of beef in a thick gravy but I’ve been craving this stuff for over a week, in fact I bought the steak for it last weekend but it’s been in the freezer and I just hadn’t gotten around to it yet.  Today was finally the day.

I didn’t really add it up ahead of time to see what the calorie and carb counts were going to be, but I knew that the only ingredient that was going to be worrisome was the cream of mushroom soup.  Well I expected that the steak, even though it was lean, would contribute some calories but the onions, the beef broth, and the small amount of sour cream would be pretty low-calorie and all of those would be low-carb.  So while it was simmering on the stove, I added up the ingredients using Fitday. 

One serving (about 1/3 cup) totaled 126 calories and 4.7g net carbs.  Not bad - in fact, a little better than I expected!  BUT, stroghanoff is no fun by itself!  It’s supposed to be served over something.  Something starchy.  Something loaded with carbs. 

For example, stroghanoff is lovely served over egg noodles.  Aha, a cup of noodles adds up to 221 calories and a whopping 40g carbs!  Stroghanoff is yummy over white rice, but a cup of rice totals 200 calories and 44g carbs!  Stroghanoff is great over mashed potatoes… hmmm, a cup of white potatoes has only 175 calories but has 37g carbs.

Well I found out today that stroghanoff is also delicious over low-carb 7-grain bread.  Two slices cut into cubes make up about a cup.  Those two slices total 176 calories - and - ONLY 4 NET CARBS.  Woohooo!  So tonight I had a lovely dinner which included a nice romaine salad with feta cheese and greek viniagrette - and the whole meal was about 500 calories and only 15 net carbs. 

Oh, man, it was really good, too!

Ha! Today I found a cartoon that’s perfect for me!

CARTOON OF THE DAY

3765

Starting weight (7/15/08):    279.8    (1/8/08):    285.2
Calories/Carbs Goals (limits):       1400  / 30.0
Yesterday’s calories & net carbs:  1377 / 25.7
Yesterday’s exercise:  1 hour yard work
Weight Yesterday:  253.2    Today:  253.8
Change today::  +0.6 lbs.   Loss-so-far:  26.0 lbs.  /  31.4 lbs.

My husband came down to my office this afternoon and mowed the grass in the front yard with the riding lawn mower and he also edged the sidewalks and used the blower.  He loves all that stuff.  At my request he did not touch the back yard.  That’s mine.

At about 5:30 this evening, I went outside.  I used the trimmer along the fence and along the building - then fired up the push mower.  I never stopped for a drink or a rest - and I finished the drainage ditch in the back all by myself.   When I came inside, I was wringing wet with sweat, both my legs ached, and my left hand was numb, but hotdamn I felt great!  The first time I mowed that stupid ditch I didn’t even do the whole thing and I thought I was gonna die - today I was so happy that I was able to finish the whole thing myself!  Of course the fact that it’s no longer 98 degrees out there, that helped a lot. 

So.  That was my workout for today.  =D

I’m still doing the bouncy-thing on the scale.  This morning I woke up to a .6 lb gain.  It’s been 10 days now since I hurt my knee and I’ve been basically stalled ever since.  I just keep losing the same pound over and over again.  S’okay though.  I’ll eventually break through.

CARTOON OF THE DAY

3712