Monday, May 7, 2012
Marathon Training Day 1:154
Days Until Tyler Marathon: 153
Current Weight: 239.0
Pounds to Race Weight: 39.1
Planned Training: Rest
Accomplished: Rest
Eating horrible. Successfully avoided Coke! Let the fun begin!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Food Stamp Challenge: Day 32 and Beyond
What I found out very quickly on Saturday was that I am not fueling myself enough for the things that I am asking my body to do. I crashed quickly on my 10k run on Saturday and didn't recover. I didn't feel strong at all and didn't have the usual energy to hit the hills and keep pressing on. My body was tired and it was my fault for not giving it the healthy things that it needs to do the job I'm requiring of it. It also took me much longer to recover from this race (still recovering) which is not typical for me.
Therefore, my challenge is going to change for the rest of Lent.
After consulting with people that I trust and respect the most, I've decided that I will not finish the food stamp challenge. I do feel that I have learned SO much about the topic, have experienced the need, and have done atleast a small part to bring greater awareness to the problem of hunger.
However, knowing that I have a two races in this coming week (a splash and dash and a triathlon), I don't feel that I can continue trying to eat on this amount of money any longer.
For this coming week (starting Tuesday) I will be recording and sharing something entirely different. I am going to eat as healthy as possible (organic - when I can- and packed with nutrients) and I am going to share with you what I spend to do this.
I think what we will find is that the cost of a very healthy balanced diet with enough good stuff to fuel a triathlete (I know I'm very slow but I am one) are far from the budget of someone on food stamps. I will try to make the most economical choices and find the best deals but I am going to choose brown rice instead of white and I'm going to buy gluten-free bread to make meals that will give me the results I want in races and at boot camp. I won't choose inferior products because they are cheaper.
I know this is a change from what I set out to do and I welcome anyones thoughts on if you would have given up or not but I have to do what is best for me and at this point it is choosing better fuel.
Therefore, my challenge is going to change for the rest of Lent.
After consulting with people that I trust and respect the most, I've decided that I will not finish the food stamp challenge. I do feel that I have learned SO much about the topic, have experienced the need, and have done atleast a small part to bring greater awareness to the problem of hunger.
However, knowing that I have a two races in this coming week (a splash and dash and a triathlon), I don't feel that I can continue trying to eat on this amount of money any longer.
For this coming week (starting Tuesday) I will be recording and sharing something entirely different. I am going to eat as healthy as possible (organic - when I can- and packed with nutrients) and I am going to share with you what I spend to do this.
I think what we will find is that the cost of a very healthy balanced diet with enough good stuff to fuel a triathlete (I know I'm very slow but I am one) are far from the budget of someone on food stamps. I will try to make the most economical choices and find the best deals but I am going to choose brown rice instead of white and I'm going to buy gluten-free bread to make meals that will give me the results I want in races and at boot camp. I won't choose inferior products because they are cheaper.
I know this is a change from what I set out to do and I welcome anyones thoughts on if you would have given up or not but I have to do what is best for me and at this point it is choosing better fuel.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Food Stamp Challenge: Day 31
Morning Weight: 236.5 (9.5 lbs down in 30 days)
I woke up after not enough sleep and started packing for my weekend away. I packed one basket of dirty clothes and one of clean clothes that need to be folded (Love ya MOM!) and then headed to work. Breakfast was a hardboiled egg ($0.11), a banana ($0.18), and a pear ($0.33).
I boiled a bunch of eggs on Sunday morning and it's been SO nice to be able to just grab one and go. A little prep goes a long way! Lunch was the last serving of cabbage casserole ($0.52).
After work I got my car re-registered (only 5 months late) and then drove off to Brenham to see the parents. I stopped and got a lemon-berry slush on the way ($1.99) thinking it was happy hour but it was over. I got to my parents and my dad and I went to pick up my packet for the Blue Bell 10k on Saturday and then drove the race course. We came home and had some really great chicken and rice with broccoli ($0.60) that I loved and did some laundry and fell asleep (while reading).
I was thinking that in the past I would have had another helping of dinner and probably had dessert and I didn't really need any of it.
I got an email yesterday from Pam, who handles all the reimbursements for the Beef Team and she said, "You always THINK you know what someone goes through but few venture out to really get that experience." I am VERY thankful that I've embarked on this journey and that I can see things just a little differently now. I have been blessed so far by what I have learned and I know that as the final days approach I will learn even more.
Friday's Total: $3.73
Total Spent in 31 Days: $147.10 (average of $4.74)
Total Remaining for 15 days: $59.90 (average of $3.99)
I woke up after not enough sleep and started packing for my weekend away. I packed one basket of dirty clothes and one of clean clothes that need to be folded (Love ya MOM!) and then headed to work. Breakfast was a hardboiled egg ($0.11), a banana ($0.18), and a pear ($0.33).
I boiled a bunch of eggs on Sunday morning and it's been SO nice to be able to just grab one and go. A little prep goes a long way! Lunch was the last serving of cabbage casserole ($0.52).
After work I got my car re-registered (only 5 months late) and then drove off to Brenham to see the parents. I stopped and got a lemon-berry slush on the way ($1.99) thinking it was happy hour but it was over. I got to my parents and my dad and I went to pick up my packet for the Blue Bell 10k on Saturday and then drove the race course. We came home and had some really great chicken and rice with broccoli ($0.60) that I loved and did some laundry and fell asleep (while reading).
I was thinking that in the past I would have had another helping of dinner and probably had dessert and I didn't really need any of it.
I got an email yesterday from Pam, who handles all the reimbursements for the Beef Team and she said, "You always THINK you know what someone goes through but few venture out to really get that experience." I am VERY thankful that I've embarked on this journey and that I can see things just a little differently now. I have been blessed so far by what I have learned and I know that as the final days approach I will learn even more.
Friday's Total: $3.73
Total Spent in 31 Days: $147.10 (average of $4.74)
Total Remaining for 15 days: $59.90 (average of $3.99)
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Food Stamp Challenge: Day 30
My plan yesterday was to go to the store but it didn't happen so I was unprepared some for today.
Breakfast was Cheetos ($0.75) and a Coke ($0.65) from the vending machine at work. I would pay for that later. For lunch I had another serving of the cabbage casserole - still tastes AMAZING! ($0.52).
After work I stopped at HEB on the way to the Boys and Girls Club. So on Tuesday pears were 5 for a $1 and on Thursday they were 3 for $1 - that is almost double in price! I should have stocked up earlier in the week! Who knew. I got a pear ($0.33) and some string cheese ($0.48) for my snack. As my sister pointed out, it would be cheaper to buy a pack of string cheese than a single but I'm never going straight home to put them in the fridge so I keep buying one at a time and eating it right then.
I had a ton of fun playing badminton with the little kids at the Boys and Girls Club. They are pretty horrible at it but we had a good time. Their favorite was to do the whole hopscotch course and then have me hit the birdie to them at the end.
After that I headed downtown for a workout with Jeff and Lil Ali but I really wasn't feeling it. I think a lot of it had to do with my breakfast choice. I kind of half did and it did more abs then running but atleast I was there, right!??!
Then I met up with Leah for an improv comedy marathon at Spiderhouse. We had a lot of FREE white peach fro-yo (so good!), a few drinks, and we split chicken nachos ($3.98). The comedy was pretty bad but the company was amazing! I do love that Leah Davies!
Then I went over to Gary's and helped him clean up some because his parents are coming into town this weekend. I realized that I MUCH rather clean other people's houses then my own. It also is a perk that his mom has stocked his house with every kind of great, name brand cleaning product that there is so that makes it fun too. Another late night and a little sleep. You can sleep when you are dead right?
Thursday's Total: $6.71
Total Spent in 30 days: $143.37 (Average of $4.78 a day)
Total Remaining for 16 days: $63.63 (Average of $3.98 a day)
"If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be. Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, "The seventh year, the year of remission, is near," and therefore view your needy neighbor with hostility and give nothing; your neighbor might cry to the LORD against you, and you would incur guilt. Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, "Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land." -Deuteronomy 15:7-11 (NRSV)
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Food Stamp Challenge: Day 29
It is really feeling like this is do-able. FINALLY!
Morning Weight: 239
I woke up feeling really good this morning. I think eating more quality foods (let's not think about the Cheetos) yesterday helped a lot. I hope to keep including good fruits, veggies, and proteins. We had a GREAT workout with Brandon with lots of running and arm/back work. I was feeling strong and felt properly fueled for the first time in a while.
For breakfast I had a hardboiled egg ($0.11), a banana ($0.18), and a pear ($0.20). A little later I hd some peanut butter ($0.10) and for lunch I had a serving of the Crock Pot cabbage casserole ($0.52).
After work I stopped on the way to the Boys and Girls Club and got (you guessed it!) Cheetos ($0.99) and then hung out with those cool kids for a while.
I headed to church for our Lent Study and this week was all about social justice and how it is our job to be the voice for the oppressed. We had a wonderful potluck with 2 kinds of quinoa, salads, meat, cheese, and broccoli cheese soup and lemonade! I brought some bread but no one ate any of it. We had so much good stuff! So dinner was FREE!
Then I did some hanging out, tv watching, and a little sleeping!
Wednesday Total: $2.10
Total Spent in 29 Days: $136.66 (Average of $4.71 a day)
Total Remaining for 17 Days: $70.34 (Average of $4.14 a day)
"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality." Desmond Tutu
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Food Stamp Challenge: Day 28
After getting the numbers more averaged out yesterday, I feel a lot better about being able to make it through this. Last night I through THIS recipe for Frank's Cabbage and Ground Beef Bake in my Crock Pot for lunch today, BUT it smelled so good I broke down and had a serving for breakfast! Let's figure out the cost:
1 lb ground beef (from the meat pack) - $1.58
1 cup of rice - $0.18
1/2 an onion - $0.13
small head of cabbage - $0.46
Lg can of pureed tomatoes - $0.75
------------------------------------
Total Cost: $3.10
Makes 6 servings
Cost per serving: $0.52
I had some Cheetos ($0.90) and chicken thighs ($0.68) for lunch.
I stopped at HEB on the way to the Boys and Girls Club (and really people if the self checkout says 20 items or less - please don't bring your 3 weeks worth of groceries to that line - rant over!) I got string cheese ($0.42), a banana ($0.18) and a pear ($0.20) and scarfed them down.
We were suppose to have a basketball game so we went all the way across town to the other club and they had cancelled it. So I headed up to Round Rock for boot camp and stopped on the way and got a free chicken sandwich (I know! Not gluten-free but I was SO stinkin' HUNGRY!) with a Coupon that Carolyn had given me. We love free. We had a crazy great workout and then I grabbed a slush at Sonic ($1.69) before we went to play sand volleyball.
When I got home I had a hardboiled egg ($0.11), watched the Biggest Loser (so sad about Courtney leaving) and went to bed.
Tuesday's Total: $4.70
Total Spent in 28 days: $134.56 (Average of $4.81 a day)
Total Remaining for 18 days: $72.44 (Average of $4.02 a day)
"Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat." - Mother Teresa
Monday, April 4, 2011
Food Stamp Challenge: Day 27
I woke up and went to Brandon's Boot Camp. I didn't have any energy at all and that is definitely due to the eating on Sunday. It was a rough morning! Hard Boiled Egg: ($0.11) 1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter: ($0.05) For lunch I had .87 lbs of chicken thighs (for $1.38) from the meat pack I got a while back at H.E.B. After work I used a coupon for a free scoop of frozen custard from Culvers and pretty much scarfed it down. Yumm - snickers! Then I had a free hamburger patty, watched tv, did laundry, threw a meal in the Crock Pot, and met Kristin at Chuy's for all the free chips, salsa, white sauce, and queso (with beef) that I could eat - yeah I ate a TON! At my Lay Leader meeting, Wendye handed out candy canes as reminders about our Christmas in July event and all the ones that got broken while handed out became mine! I watched a movie and hit the hay! Monday's Total: $1.54 Total Spent in 27 Days: $129.86 (average of $4.81 a day!) Total Remainging: $77.14 (average of $4.06 a day) - I'm catching back up to normal! ***Hunger Fact: One person dies from hunger-related causes every 40 seconds.
Food Stamp Challenge: Day 26
Morning Weight: 239
I woke up Sunday and read a ton of my new book, I'm loving it! I'll write a review when I'm done! and then ate some breakfast (2 eggs $0.21 and 2 corn tortillas $0.06). I went to church for a great day of worship and a lot of baby holding! Then I waited while Phil counted money and then he and Emma and I went to the Deli. I had chips, queso, and a Coke $3.39 (cheapest option).
I picked up a few things and headed home to get ready because my team at youth group (Go B6!) had chosen an 80s them for the night. Here is how it turned out:
I had some free chips and salsa at youth group and then some free peanuts and water at Logan's afterward with Emma, Amy, Phil, Kevin, and Amber. Man those steaks looked good!
Definitely did not eat well on this day!
Sunday total: $3.66
Total Spent in 26 Days: $128.32 (Average of $4.94 a day)
Total Remaining: $78.68 (Average of $3.93 a day)
Food Stamp Challenge: Day 25
Saturday morning, Amy and I woke up early and ate breakfast: a taco with a corn tortilla (a free one that I brought from Chuy's the night before) and one egg with one piece of crumbled sausage $0.15 and half a banana $0.09. We drove to Houston for a mission trip training, where I won camo duct tape: 
and got to eat lots of free fruit (watermelon -mmmm!, grapes, and strawberries). I also ate a banana ($0.18) and some peanut butter ($0.20). Here's the banana in action! :)
We left the very short training and headed home and stopped at Casa Ole in Houston. Free chips and salsa and green sauce. I loaded up on those! and got a beef taco on corn tortillas ($1.50). When I got home I did a lot of napping and TV watching and ate half a pound of grapes for dinner ($0.50).
and got to eat lots of free fruit (watermelon -mmmm!, grapes, and strawberries). I also ate a banana ($0.18) and some peanut butter ($0.20). Here's the banana in action! :) 
We left the very short training and headed home and stopped at Casa Ole in Houston. Free chips and salsa and green sauce. I loaded up on those! and got a beef taco on corn tortillas ($1.50). When I got home I did a lot of napping and TV watching and ate half a pound of grapes for dinner ($0.50). Saturday Total: $2.62
Total Spent in 25 Days: $124.66 (Average of $4.99 a day)
Total Remaining : $82.34
Friday, April 1, 2011
New Years Resolutions Check-In
2011 is 1/4 of the way over (crazy right?) so I thought I'd check in on my New Years Goals to see how I'm doing! Here we go: * Lose 70 lbs - I started the year at 249.5 and weighed in this morning at 238.5 - 11 lbs. I need to step it up on this one. * Take another hour off my half marathon time (for a 2:45 run time) - Did 3:32:21 at the Austin Half Marathon. Hopefully this will keep coming down this year. * Complete the entire Splash and Dash race series (as long as I'm in town for each one April-Sept) - I have signed up already for the first two and have the rest on my calendar. I don't see any conflicts! * Eat a healthy, gluten-free diet - Ehh. Trying. The food stamp challenge is hurting this a little bit. * Limit alcohol and drink water more than anything else. Drinking calories = bad! - I have definitely have cut back on alcohol and soda and not being able to drink beer has helped but I do enjoy a margarita every now and then. * Possibly consider a marathon at the end of the year but the real focus is the Half Marathon time - I signed up for the San Antonio Marathon!!!! * Be positive and encouraging to other athletes and show them the value of their efforts as much as posssible. - Definitely working on that. Excited about cheering on Brandon and Patrick at their Half Ironman in a few weeks! * Give one months worth of hours in community service (672 hours) during the year - I have completed 210.25 hours so far. That is about 31% complete. * Read the entire Bible - I am 0.42% done (5/1189 chapters read) * Pray for the entire world (each country) - I got through about 60 countries before I started having trouble with the emails. I'm about half way there and will complete this for sure. * Declutter and live with as few possessions as necessary. (I plan to declutter between now and Ash Wednesday and attempt the 100 Thing Challenge during Lent.) - I am working on decluttering but took on a different challenge for lent. * Read more - haven't done great at that unless Runner's World magazines count. Like I said, goals are made to be attempted. I'm happy with the progress I have made so far. I'll check in again on these at the end of June.
How are you doing with your New Years Resolutions?
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