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Welfare Food Challenge: Day 7 and Post Reflection

Day 7… I couldn’t be happier that this day is here.

My day started off by sleeping in till super late, once I was up I made some eggs and bread. Since I had to finish up on the bread, cause it really makes me bloated I wanted to use it for my meals today.

Lunch or I should say basically dinner I ate some of the left over chicken breast I made a few days ago, with broccoli. This gave me a boost of energy and helped me concentrate on studying and not about my hunger.

Dinner was toast again. I just stop eating the KD and soup, it wasn’t making me feel good, more so bloated and tired. So this was the final day of the food challenge, I really wish there were more markets in Red Deer so I could have a variety of veggies and fruit filled challenge vs full of carbs.

Now time for the reflections.

This challenge really was a CHALLENGE. Living in Alberta $21 is very low for welfare, nutritious food is too expensive to buy under $21. As I was shopping last Sunday, all the junk food (chips, candies, pastas, canned products) were super cheap, if I wanted I could have bought a lot of flavored filled products for $21. But when it comes to real unprocessed foods, I was limited. The two broccoli crowns I purchased were $3.20 approx. That would last me only a few days during a regular week. It just really saddens me that the government thinks that it is affordable lifestyle to live by. I really wish they would try out this challenge and see when how fast they would cheat. This amount of money is what leads individuals and families to have poor food choices leading them to heart disease, high BP, obesity.. the list can go on.

This challenge made me realize how much food can affect my mood and energy levels. Day 1 I was doing okay and surviving, but all the days after that it was down hill, I was grumpy and wanted the day to be over, I had no energy especially for the days I went to the gym and worked. The hardest part was having energy after a long day at school and coming home to study, there was no motivation.

I am use to preparing food on a daily base, I usually meal plan. So planning a few days ahead isn’t hard for me, but for someone on welfare it can be difficult since this is their diet they are tired all the time, have no motivation to eat healthy so choose other options like eating out and getting Mc Donald’s, since its fast and delicious.

Living on a welfare is difficult, since your so restricted to a certain amount of income, being able to socially interact with others is hard. For me it was on Wednesday, most Wednesday I go hang out with my friends at Bp’s or The Brew house for wings. On this challenge I was restricted since I did not have enough money to spend. This can really effect a individuals self esteem, this restriction is made for them, which may cause them to always want to be left alone and not socialize with others.

On Sunday I drove my self to Superstore to buy all the groceries I needed and then on Monday I drove to a Mc Donald’s to participate in their free coffee event, I was able to transport myself there and back to my home. Someone on welfare is limited, even though it is a free event that they would want to participate in they may not have the money to catch a bus or a cab or even pay for enough gas. All these limitations take place for a person on welfare. I was lucky enough to have a stove, microwave, dishes to cook in and eat out of, fridge to keep my food, along with clean water. Someone one welfare may have a few of these things or none of it at all.

This challenge really made me think outside the box, I am so grateful that I was able to take part in this challenge. But living like this on a daily base hurts me that people don’t have the privilege or chance to be more healthy since they are only limited to such little. I really hope the government sees that $21 is not a weekly amount to live by.

Now this post is super long, I’ll post the picture of my food from today! 

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Welfare Food Challenge: Day 6

It was so hard not to cheat today, but I stuck to the food that I knew was going to keep me full. Since I worked for almost half the day I started the day off with a banana. 

Before I headed to work I ate some boiled eggs. This def kept me so full for almost 4 hours, by the time I had break I knew I couldn’t keep eating the junk I had the entire week. So I brought the left over chicken and rice I made yesterday. 

This challenge has been so difficult, and not having enough nutritious foods is one of the hardest things I've ever done. So for the families out there that have to live on eating the same, carb filled meals it is so unhealthy, I wish they would make healthy food more affordable. 

So after I finished work I had some broccoli and cucumber, I’m really trying to avoid eating the butter and bread along with KD and Soup, it has more flavour but I just feel extremely sick after eating it. 

Heres a picture of my food today... I was so hungry I forgot to take a picture of my food at work! 

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Welfare Food Challenge: day 5

So today I just felt so sick, I really couldn’t handle another day of no nutrition I had no energy at all, and since today was going to be a full day of studying I really couldn’t handle feeling sick and wanting to be in bed all day. 

So as usual i started my morning of with a banana, which wasn't so bad. 

After class I went home and cooked rice, and chicken to go with my broccoli. I really needed the extra nutrients. After eating that I felt so much better, I drank a few glasses of water with that and that gave me enough energy to study then gym after a bit. 

What really saddened me was that, someone on welfare will eat only what they can afford, I am lucky enough to have alternative food for when I don’t feel well. 

For dinner I ended up making another pack of noodles, it wasn't the best but i needed to finish the food I had bought. 

So now that theres 2 days, I am going to try to make the best of it. 

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Welfare Food Challenge: Day 4

Day 4 I didn’t even feel like eating, but I had to. The tiredness was really hitting me, long nights of studying followed by lack of nutrition.

My day started of at work, I had little time to eat since I kept snoozing my alarm. Grabbed a banana and went to work. Once I was off, I ate some of the Macaroni and broccoli.. again. I took such a long nap, I believe around 3 hours or so. Then it was time for my INTD class, before that I ate some eggs and cucumbers.

I really wished veggies weren't so expensive, eating carbs all day really was making me feel sick. I really miss eating my salads and meats. So today I skipped the bread and just forced myself to eat everything else.

One of the things I miss the most is my cup of green tea, especially in the mornings and when I’m studying. I’m not much of a coffee drinker, but drinking it on Monday did help but also made me too energetic. So I have just stuck to drinking bottles of water throughout the day.

After class was done, I had no energy to gym. I just wanted to go home and sleep.. but I couldn’t. So I made some soup again, and called it a night for eating.

3 more days to go and I can’t be happier!

All my meals look the same -__- 

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Welfare Food Challenge: Day 3

Day 3 started of pretty good, I changed it up and made sure I had a heavier breakfast this morning since it would be a long day. I had more energy, since I got more sleep last night. Had bread and butter with two boiled eggs.

After class, i went to the gym and i really felt like that was a mistake, since I definitely should have ate lunch before not after. So I had my usual macaroni and some broccoli. I can really see the effect of not having the regular nutrients I have daily. After my last class i had a banana before i went to work so I wouldn't be starving.

Normally on Wednesday’s I go out for wings, since I have a budget this did effect my socialization.

I ended the day with soup instead of those wings that I would love haha. But today was so busy that now its time for bed!

4 more days to go!!

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Welfare Food Challenge: Day 2

Day two was very hard, I woke up with no energy so hungry and didn’t want to get out of bed. For breakfast I had a banana and basically survived off of that until 2pm and had my macaroni as lunch. After that I took a long nap since I was going to the gym and then soccer after that. I really needed the energy. 

Before I went to soccer and the gym I made Mr.Noodles and cracked a egg in it, so i would have some protein for the day. At soccer I was happy that I had a heavier meal, but the energy levels I had were very low. 

After soccer I was so tired, had no energy to cook, so I steamed some broccoli and toasted some bread and butter. 

I’m really starting to realize how hard it is to plan, and have a full day filled with energy and cook on a welfare diet. 

Wednesday will be one of the toughest day on this diet, because I have a long day of school then work in the evening. So I will have to be up early to prepare food for the busy day I have.  

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Welfare Food Challenge: Day 1

Normally I start off my mornings heavy, with a protein shake mixed with blue berries, oats, protein powder and almond milk. This usually keeps me full for a few hours. Since the ingredients for my typical breakfast aren’t affordable i stuck to eggs. Boiled 2 eggs and ate them for breakfast. 

I usually have a snack between my breaks at school before I have a longer break for lunch. Since I didn’t have anything to snack on, I had a late lunch which was macaroni (KD) and broccoli, this meal kept me full for almost 5 hours (also cause i forced myself). 

Normally I have green tea twice a day since I can't, I found out Mc Donald's was giving away free coffee, since coffee suppresses appetite, I got a small coffee and toasted some bread with butter for my pre workout snack and some cucumbers. 

Since most of my meals throughout a normal day contain meat, I could really feel the difference without that, I was much more hungrier along with bland food didn't help. The coffee definitely did help with giving me more energy at the gym. 

Dinner may have to be a pass tonight, since I only have 7 Mr. Noodles packs, and a soccer game tomorrow, I will be saving it for tomorrow so I can eat one pack before and one after my soccer game. 

Already giving up dinner for a night is hard, I can feel my body low of energy and ready for a good night sleep. 

Here is a picture of all my meals today! 

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The receipt for the food I bought today

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My food for the week!

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Preparation Day

Today I went on the app called Reebee (flyer for grocery stores) and looked at all the prices of food they had for under a dollar, since I would be buying food for 7 days I needed to make sure I had 3 meals for every day. I prepared what I wanted to eat, with the food choices I chose I will be eating the same food for every meal. I went to superstore and bought Bread that was 30% off, 6 bananas, 2 broccoli crowns (which was expensive for the amount I got), 7 packs of Mr. Noodles, 4 packs of Kraft Dinner, cucumber. I had already had 12 Eggs at home along with butter for my toast. Including the price of the stuff at home I spent $18.59, leaving me with only $2.39. Never have I spent so much time comparing prices and calculating how many items I will need to survive a week under $21. The items I chose today are more carbohydrates filled with some flavor and veggies/fruits, which will help me stay full longer. Since meat is so expensive the only protein affordable is eggs. Since I gym regularly, I know this food challenge will be very difficult for me, because it will be hard for me to hit my daily caloric intake.

Now it’s time to try it out!