As I putter around my kitchen making bread and thinking about what I want to eat, I realize I have to cook...... but I'm hungry now. I do have some premade meals but I prefer to take those to work so I guess that leaves me one choice, I'll cook. 2 more days until I go to the grocery store so my choices are limited I'll make rice and eggs with some vegetables :-) and two cups of soy to tie me over until it is ready.
I have $10.00 to spend for this week ahead, I need veggies, fruit, soy and some meat. That is big streach for $10.00 I hope there are some great deals this week. This must be a very common issue on $80.00 a month. I feel like those commercials were they show someone picking shelter over food. I'm really wondering if I can do it. We will see.
Today's meals
breakfast - 2 servings of wheatabix
snack 1 - 2 servings bread
lunch - 1 serving beans, 1 servings corn and 1 serving bok choy
snack - 1 serving pork
snack - 2 servings soy
supper - 1 serving rice, 2 servings eggs, 1 serving peas
snack - 2 servings bread (once it is done cooking)
6 cups water, 2 cups tea, 1 serving juice
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
I want candy
So my last post was about temptation. Well, it hasn't been going away. I still want candy, and chocolate and cakes. I don't really understand it either. The first time we did this diet, I did not crave all the delicious things I was missing. So why am I this time around? I just don't get it.
I went to a networking event for work tonight. I ate before I went, so I wasn't hungry, but there was so much free food and alcohol. I did not eat or drink anything, but I didn't realize how hard business development and networking is without a stiff drink in one's hand. My how the conversations flow more freely when the inhibitions disappear. Not the case when one is standing within a circle of wine glasses, sipping tap water with a garnish of lemon. It really is a different world altogether. (and yes I did suck that lemon dry)
Aside from these delicious encounters, I have noticed something rather useful. Prices change dramatically in every store from week to week. Now, I always knew that prices change frequently, but I lost all excitement for romaine lettuce when I saw that it jumped from 77 cents a head to $1.68 the next week. Way to go supply and demand and all that economic crap. (insert thumbs down here)
It must be extremely difficult for people to gauge how much to spend each week. Or what happens when you are almost out of money for the month, or are waiting to get paid? Its not like the grocery store is going to offer you its best prices. You really do have to be on top of the flyers all the time. Not to mention having to pay a visit to the stores at least once a week. So who from the working poor really has the time to do that?
What I ate today:
Breakie: 2 servings oatmeal, 1 whole wheat bun with 2 tbsp peanut butter
Lunch: soup(chicken and bok choy - 2 servings bok choy) with 2 servings rice
Snack: Grapefruit and kiwi
Dinner: Shepherd's pie (3 veg, 1 meat), 2 servings rice, 2 servings milk
I went to a networking event for work tonight. I ate before I went, so I wasn't hungry, but there was so much free food and alcohol. I did not eat or drink anything, but I didn't realize how hard business development and networking is without a stiff drink in one's hand. My how the conversations flow more freely when the inhibitions disappear. Not the case when one is standing within a circle of wine glasses, sipping tap water with a garnish of lemon. It really is a different world altogether. (and yes I did suck that lemon dry)
Aside from these delicious encounters, I have noticed something rather useful. Prices change dramatically in every store from week to week. Now, I always knew that prices change frequently, but I lost all excitement for romaine lettuce when I saw that it jumped from 77 cents a head to $1.68 the next week. Way to go supply and demand and all that economic crap. (insert thumbs down here)
It must be extremely difficult for people to gauge how much to spend each week. Or what happens when you are almost out of money for the month, or are waiting to get paid? Its not like the grocery store is going to offer you its best prices. You really do have to be on top of the flyers all the time. Not to mention having to pay a visit to the stores at least once a week. So who from the working poor really has the time to do that?
What I ate today:
Breakie: 2 servings oatmeal, 1 whole wheat bun with 2 tbsp peanut butter
Lunch: soup(chicken and bok choy - 2 servings bok choy) with 2 servings rice
Snack: Grapefruit and kiwi
Dinner: Shepherd's pie (3 veg, 1 meat), 2 servings rice, 2 servings milk
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Participation: Get in the action, not
Growing up in the 80s, Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod were the epitome of healthy living to me. Sandwiched between my Saturday morning cartoons, I’d watch their short Body Break infomercials, hanging on to every word they preached. Hal in his short shorts and Joanne sporty her big eighties hair reminded the coach-potato generation that a complete exercise program was important for strengthening our cardiovascular system and building strong bones. Throw in a few tips about following a healthy balanced diet, guided by the Canada Food Guide, and your life was complete, healthwise that is. Whether people choose to live that way or not, few would disagree with Hal and Joanne.
I’ve been trying to exercise regularly while on this challenge but I’m finding that I don’t have enough energy to sustain the required one-hour a day. I had no problems ice-skating on the first day, but of course I was living off the fat of the land, burning off all the junk that I dumped into my body days before the diet started. By Feb. 5, a 15-minute game of laser tag left me feeling light-headed and thankful that I had arrived late and had missed the first two games. Today’s ice-skating adventure lasted 15 minutes before I was defeated by exhaustion, hunger pains and zero tolerance for the winter sport that I normally enjoy.
I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to work a strenuous job where you had to be on your feet all day. I’m lucky I’m a desk-jockey who sits at computer all day. How would one concentrate and stay focused?
I’m determined to figure out a way to fit exercise into this challenge so I’ll have to adjust my diet. I’ll probably fuel up on more potatoes, rice and whole-grains. High on my priority list is meat, if I can afford it. Certainly, I will have to make choices. What’s going to go? Fruits? Milk?
Breakfast
1 cup of oatmeal
1 orange
1 cup of milk
Lunch (I cheated. My explanation to come in my next post.)
mashed potatoes
Gravy
broccoli
Meatloaf
Dinner
Baked potato
meatloaf
I’ve been trying to exercise regularly while on this challenge but I’m finding that I don’t have enough energy to sustain the required one-hour a day. I had no problems ice-skating on the first day, but of course I was living off the fat of the land, burning off all the junk that I dumped into my body days before the diet started. By Feb. 5, a 15-minute game of laser tag left me feeling light-headed and thankful that I had arrived late and had missed the first two games. Today’s ice-skating adventure lasted 15 minutes before I was defeated by exhaustion, hunger pains and zero tolerance for the winter sport that I normally enjoy.
I can’t imagine how difficult it would be to work a strenuous job where you had to be on your feet all day. I’m lucky I’m a desk-jockey who sits at computer all day. How would one concentrate and stay focused?
I’m determined to figure out a way to fit exercise into this challenge so I’ll have to adjust my diet. I’ll probably fuel up on more potatoes, rice and whole-grains. High on my priority list is meat, if I can afford it. Certainly, I will have to make choices. What’s going to go? Fruits? Milk?
Breakfast
1 cup of oatmeal
1 orange
1 cup of milk
Lunch (I cheated. My explanation to come in my next post.)
mashed potatoes
Gravy
broccoli
Meatloaf
Dinner
Baked potato
meatloaf
Monday, February 8, 2010
Updating the dairy restriction......
The dairy restriction.... after comparing prices (sigh) in multiple locations and finding out that most places soy sell for double the cost of milk, I am disappointed and on $80.00 this month, $5 - 6 for 2L is not feasible.... but with a little hope I went in one more store and I found a great deal 4L for $4.99 although I've never heard of the brand I thought I couldn't pass it up :-) so in my basket it went. When I got home after my newly found great deal I wanted to try it.......... I was disappointed it is not comparable to my normal brand but it goes down good with a straw and is good in tea and 4L is equal to 16 cups. I'm good for 8 days. I also found a great deal on baby bok choy (0.99) so I cooked it and froze it in portion sizes using muffin tins (equal to 14 portions, wohoo), I think I planed better this week :-)
As Jeff stated we are starting the second week of the diet and I to have faced some temptations too..... Friday night I spent part of my evening with some friends, we normally order out and have a few beverages but last week was different, they ordered the norm and I let them know what I was doing and why and they were very supportive and proud. I ate my noodles and drank water while they ate their meal and drank beverages at first it was a little awkward but it passed and we all enjoyed ourselves. I had a great evening and I fell motivated now that I resisted my firsts major temptation....
snack 1: 2 slices of bread, 1 serving of baked beans
snack 2: 2 slices of bread with 1 serving of PB
snack 3: 3 servings bok choy
snack 4: 2 servings of pasta, 1 1/2 serving of ground pork, 1 serving crushed tomato
snack 5: 1 serving corn and peas
snack 6: TBD
drinks: 2 cups of soy, 3 glasses of water, 2 cups of tea, 2 cups of juice
As Jeff stated we are starting the second week of the diet and I to have faced some temptations too..... Friday night I spent part of my evening with some friends, we normally order out and have a few beverages but last week was different, they ordered the norm and I let them know what I was doing and why and they were very supportive and proud. I ate my noodles and drank water while they ate their meal and drank beverages at first it was a little awkward but it passed and we all enjoyed ourselves. I had a great evening and I fell motivated now that I resisted my firsts major temptation....
snack 1: 2 slices of bread, 1 serving of baked beans
snack 2: 2 slices of bread with 1 serving of PB
snack 3: 3 servings bok choy
snack 4: 2 servings of pasta, 1 1/2 serving of ground pork, 1 serving crushed tomato
snack 5: 1 serving corn and peas
snack 6: TBD
drinks: 2 cups of soy, 3 glasses of water, 2 cups of tea, 2 cups of juice
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Temptations...
I have been very diligent with my food servings over the past week. I have made sure that I have been eating according to the Canada food Guide, getting my correct proportions and trying to ensure that I would have enough food to last my for the rest of the month. I attended a birthday party and ate no cake. I skipped the hot dogs and the beer. I went to a work event, and I skipped the canapes and the free alcohol. I survived all of my temptations. That was until tonight. I caved and ate candy. A whole bag.
I live with temptation surrounding me: cakes, sweets, various meats and soforth. Do the working poor have to deal with so many temptations? I would think so. Seeing people eating whatever they want, whenever they want with no repercussions or afterthoughts. And I empathize because I understand what it is like. Well, I can't say I fully understand because I have only done this for one month in the past, and one week now. But, I do understand to a degree.
Now I just feel guilty, because I feel like I have failed, but I think these challenges are just part in parcel with daily life; they will continue to happen, I have to be more aware and just not give in to the temptation. Lesson be learned I say.
Week two now begins.
breakfast: 2 servings oatmeal, 2 whole wheat buns with 2 tbsp peanut butter
lunch: soup (2 serving bok choy and 1 serving chicken) 2 whole wheat buns
dinner: 1 serving shepherds pie (4 vegetables, 1 serving meat) 2 servings barley, 2 cups milk
snack: 1 grapefuit, 1 kiwi
I live with temptation surrounding me: cakes, sweets, various meats and soforth. Do the working poor have to deal with so many temptations? I would think so. Seeing people eating whatever they want, whenever they want with no repercussions or afterthoughts. And I empathize because I understand what it is like. Well, I can't say I fully understand because I have only done this for one month in the past, and one week now. But, I do understand to a degree.
Now I just feel guilty, because I feel like I have failed, but I think these challenges are just part in parcel with daily life; they will continue to happen, I have to be more aware and just not give in to the temptation. Lesson be learned I say.
Week two now begins.
breakfast: 2 servings oatmeal, 2 whole wheat buns with 2 tbsp peanut butter
lunch: soup (2 serving bok choy and 1 serving chicken) 2 whole wheat buns
dinner: 1 serving shepherds pie (4 vegetables, 1 serving meat) 2 servings barley, 2 cups milk
snack: 1 grapefuit, 1 kiwi
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