No, you don’t understand (The Food Stamp Challenge) | justperry

I read this and nodded through all of it. You are right, they don't understand. This blogger summed up exactly what I have thought and haven't been able to put into words.

No, you don’t understand (The Food Stamp Challenge) | justperry:

'via Blog this'

Working from Home... Any more ideas out there?

Between my back injury and my allergies, I have found it impossible to find a job where I can work outside of my home. I am a work at home mom instead. 

While I love working at home and having my own schedule, I find that it's either feast or famine when it comes to income. Either I have enough income and I am doing pretty okay or I have absolutely NONE for the month. This last month was the latter. 

I am selling homemade items on Etsy, selling things on eBay, writing this blog and starting another one, and working on a book that I hope to publish soon.

I can't really think of anything else I can do from home. So I am turning to my readers to see what you do. 

Do you work at home? What do you do? If you don't work at home, what would you do if you had the chance to start working at home?

Another Food Stamps Challenge to Watch

My friend, Michy, is also doing the Food Stamps (SNAP) challenge! Only she is a lot braver than I am and she is doing the whole month of October. 

She allowing herself to a little more per day because Food Stamps (SNAP) is supposed to be SUPPLEMENTAL, not the only food budget you have. The name even states that. 

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. (I hope I have that right)

She isn't allergic to half the planet so her challenge will probably be easier for her and her family (I hope). But, since she has issues with GMO foods and foods containing high fructose corn syrup, none of the foods she prepares during the challenge will be GMO and HFCS free.

So far, the dishes she made today look awesome! I won't lie... I am a little jealous.

I will be following this all month long! I can't wait to see her dishes. The ones today looked AWESOME! I may have to alter a recipe or two to try them (because of allergies)

Food Stamps Challenge: Food Intake

After the Food Stamps Challenge, I sat down and input everything I ate into Sparkpeople’s food tracker to see how I did nutritionally. Here are my results.

Note: the "goals" for each one was set by my dietitian.

Calorie Deficient! Not once during the whole week did I get even close to hitting my low mark for calories. On my highest calorie day I was still 736 calories short of what my dietitian wants me to have.

Sodium was okay by this report but I didn’t add in the extra salt I added to my cabbage soup because I was craving it so badly! Even still, there were two days I didn’t get the recommended range of sodium. Three of those days, I had much more than I care to have on a personal level. I am finally able to lower my dose of Clonidine (for blood pressure and anxiety).

Carbohydrates were okay. If I were on a low carb diet, I would have loved this week. Three days I didn't reach my low mark of 50.

Fat was deficient. Only once did I reach above my low mark for fat intake.

Vitamin D was non-existent. Which may explain my tiredness all week. Nowhere in there did I get any Vitamin D at all. Although, this is a problem for me anyway. I have to take supplements for Vitamin D. But poor people can’t afford the vitamins they need. If I was working on feeding myself only on Food Stamps, I would have some serious health issues.

Fiber was deficient. My fiber intake for the week was lacking also. Not once did I hit the low range that my dietitian wants me to meet.

Food Stamps Challenge Thoughts

All in all, Michy was right! I was not getting enough nutrients for the week. Not enough calories, fat, vitamin D or Fiber.

Luckily, I do not survive each month on this kind of diet each month. Starting October 7th, I will be doing a week of what I really eat. I am still recovering from my Food Stamp Challenge.

That four Letter Word: SNOW!

I am excited! I think I am the only one excited though. There is SNOW on the mountains! This means that winter is coming. It's just around the corner. Heck, it's peeking around the corner at me and teasing me. I can TASTE it!

Okay, so it doesn't look like this:

But there is definitely snow on the mountains in Libby! My friends saw this and they definitely are not excited about the cold weather coming. Me though? I am flipping EXCITED! I can't wait! 

I have my SNOW boots out, my snow pants ready, and I am waiting patiently for SNOW! 

Lexii let me know that there was flurries outside on her walk so, I took a special trip to the gas station at midnight just to see I could see any. I even did my make-up!

Hmmm, wonder why I am single...

Sadly, we didn't see any snow flurries. But, we did run into friends!

And kissed them on the cheek

And took photos with random strangers we just met

And I think we scared the gas station attendant a little LOL.

Oh yea! That is how crazy I get about SNOW! Hey, Wendy, my neighbor, told me not to post about SNOW... She says it's one of those four letter words! Sorry, Wendy... Had to do it! 

I LOVE SNOW!