Breakfast:
- Tracy: 1/2 PB&J and a banana
- Josh: Oatmeal and hard-boiled egg
The Sodium Special
Lunch:
- Tracy: Egg salad (no bread), applesauce, carrots and an apple
- Josh: Apple, leftover pasta with veggies and chicken, rice and beans
Dinner:
- Tracy: Grilled cheese and 1/2 package of Ramen with mushrooms added
- Josh: Tuna melt and rice and beans
The week is beginning to wind down and I’m starting to reflect more on how the challenge has changed me. Poverty has started taking over my life. I’m astonished to find that I wasn’t looking forward to the weekend nearly as much as I often do. Somehow my typical 2 day refuge seems less worthy without meals with friends and special outings to look forward to. I was shocked to discover how much of our social lives really do revolve around eating. By mid-week, I was looking for an excuse to get together with my girlfriends and all I could think of was taking a walk in the park. I’ve been trying to veer away from shopping this week as a means to spend the extra time on my hands, so JJ and I have taken to cleaning the house, watching movies on TV and getting to bed early. In regards to food, I am most accustomed to doing whatever is the most convenient at the time. The preparation and level of effort that revolves around meal planning and food preparation when living below the poverty line is unparalelled. No longer am I able to make choices of convenience. If I were to do this long-term, I imagine I would take to planting a garden out back or participating in the cultivation of a community garden, however, I understand that for most this may not be a reality. Throughout the week, numerous friends and coworkers have offered assistance in the form of small snacks or sweet treats, and although I appreciate their support, myself and Josh have both declined such offers. Truthfully, most people who live in poverty, are part of a community that does as well and therefore, we cannot accept any extra sustenance.
JJ planning our last 3 days of meals. And yes, those are my pajama bottoms.
With only 2 days to go, I find myself over-thinking nearly everything I am putting into my mouth. I find the psychology of the challenge similar to that of an extreme-diet regime, I continue to second guess myself. If I eat this extra banana, will I have enough for the rest of the week? If we prepare chicken tonight, can we survive three days in a row without any protein? If I eat the leftover pasta, will JJ be upset that I was the one who disallowed him from partaking as well? The stresses and insecurities are really beginning to take over.
On a positive note, the 5K is a mere week away. JJ and I ran 2.3 miles today on a 25 minutes run and are well on our way to the finish line!
@PostGradSAP
Tracy
Tracy Juran (Levine) 