The High Price of Cheap Food

I read an article titled "Getting Real About the High Price of Cheap Food" today which I recommend you take a look at if you're interested at all in your food. Unfortunately, the article doesn't go beyond the content of The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan, except for an example of sustainable ranching and maybe some updated statistics. It's still worthwhile as an introduction to the subject, though.

Dispute: "No one goes to farmers' markets for bargains" (p. 4). Ummm... I do. Maybe the author means that per average calorie farmers' market food is more expensive than grocery store food? Because I find that farmers' market produce is less expensive and higher quality than grocery store, but maybe that's specific to my choices.

I liked this paragraph (p. 2):

So what's wrong with cheap food and cheap meat — especially in a world in which more than 1 billion people go hungry? A lot. For one thing, not all food is equally inexpensive; fruits and vegetables don't receive the same price supports as grains. A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a dollar could buy 1,200 calories of potato chips or 875 calories of soda but just 250 calories of vegetables or 170 calories of fresh fruit. With the backing of the government, farmers are producing more calories — some 500 more per person per day since the 1970s — but too many are unhealthy calories. Given that, it's no surprise we're so fat; it simply costs too much to be thin.

Pretty shocking! Kyle is definitely on the high calorie/$ side of things and I am on the low - I've noticed that $50 of groceries for me is three or four bags and for him it fills his whole trunk.

Thinnity

This week I actually feel thinner. I have no idea what my weight is doing because I haven't measured it in a while, but ultimately it's this feeling that I'm going for. So I definitely consider it progress! I even wore some skirts this week. Also, Kyle confirms increased thinnity (although maybe it's just my confidence showing).

Farmer's Market - Second Haul

For the past few weeks I have been missing both the Duke and Durham farmers' markets. :( As a result, I have had no fresh produce in my house for some time. So when I made it to the Duke market today, I went a little crazy! I think the farmer was a little surprised when I kept saying "and I'll have this and this and this..."

All for $15:
1 package blueberries
2 zucchini (1.5 lbs)
2 green bell peppers
5 tomatoes
5 peaches

The only thing that was tempting that I didn't buy (because I was getting worried I would run out of cash) was new potatoes. Maybe next week.

Eating Out as a Reward

Last night I did something that I haven't in quite a long time: I treated myself to a meal out.

Normally, I only eat out for social reasons, or because Kyle really wants to. But yesterday was the perfect storm of circumstances that caused me to get take-out:
1) I had just worked really hard in the lab nonstop for a few hours, and had another few hours of work to do, so refueling was necessary.
2) I didn't have anything appetizing waiting for me at home, since I haven't been to the farmer's market in a couple weeks and I refused to buy produce the last time I was at the grocery store. I've been eating pasta and spicy black beans and rice for several days now.
3) Kyle's still out of town, so I couldn't go to his place for food, and he couldn't meet me to eat out.
4) I was really hungry, having only eaten part of my lunch because I'm so bored with my food.

So I went to Twisted Noodles! And got my favorite dish, beef pad see ew. And it was delicious. And less than $10.

Week Five's Downfalls

Report from week five, in which I ate a lot of ice cream:


First half, not so good. Second half, better.
Aug 2: second dinner at Kyle's house
Aug 4: dessert at small group
Aug 5: would have been 1200 cals, but then I ate my face in ice cream!

Time to Step Up the Steps

I weighed in yesterday morning at 147 lbs. Turns out eating ice cream several times a week is not good for dieting, especially when once I start it feels so hard to stop! At least my backslide wasn't huge. I still have hope for being 141 lbs by the end of August, but it will take renewed commitment to the calorie limits as well as some exercise!

Speaking of which, I read today's Time article on how exercising may actually be counterproductive for weight loss. The argument seems to be that when you vigorously exercise you get hungrier, and the additional calories you consume will probably meet or exceed the calories you burn off working out (there are studies to corroborate this, or at least some version of it). I appreciate what the article is arguing, but I'm not going to follow its advice. Some days when I work out I feel hungrier than if I hadn't, but I'm conscious of those impulses and I am careful to eat anywhere near what I just burned off. I read a different article some time ago that said that people can lose weight either by cutting calorie intake or by working out, but I think that was assuming fixed calorie consumption (like if you're normally eating 2000 cals per day, one group eats only 1500 cals and one still eats 2000 cals but burns 500 cals by working out).

Also, so far this month I've gone out twice, spending a total of $23.61. One-third of my eating-out budget gone in less than one-third of the month - better be careful.

The Boyfriend-Free Week Begins

I dropped Kyle off at the airport yesterday for a visit with his family, and my roommate left today for CA as well, so I'm all alone in my apartment and I've decided to capitalize on this by sleeping, reading, and working out more for the next week or so (maybe cooking, too!). I started tonight with a little workout at my apartment complex's gym. Just 40 mins of light cardio and a few body circuits thrown in. I haven't worked out on my own in a few weeks so I didn't want to go crazy, but it felt very nice and I'm looking forward to my next one! (Not-so-good news: last night I drowned my lonliness in ice cream, bumping my caloric intake for the day up to 1900 calories.)

Mixed Success for "Spending Less" Juy

As a reminder, my budget allows for $150 on groceries and $75 on eating out per month. In July, I spent $197.47 on groceries and $64.80 on eating out. So out-and-out success for my eating out budget. I spent about $100 on groceries during July 1-30 and another $100 on the 31st. I basically replenished a lot of things I was running/had run out of, so that increased the bill a lot. I decided to get it all over with in one trip instead of spreading it out - olive oil, flour, cornstarch, mayo, mustard. Plus I bought a bunch of meat sort of on a whim (it was on sale) so that was expensive too - turkey cutlets, shrimp, crabmeat. So I forgive myself a little bit, it being the last day of the month and all. I guess I'll try to keep my grocery spending this month around $100 or less to make up for it.

Week Four

I realized I haven't posted since my birthday - I sort of descended into this hedonistic 3-day period after that and I guess got a little out of the habit of posting. Thankfully, I was not out of the habit of writing down everything I eat, with the exception of the day that I had my birthday dinner (July 29). We went out to a Japanese steak house and had steak, which overall was probably not very unhealthy food but it was a LOT. And then when we went back I had ice cream and cookies up the wazoo. So I omitted that day from my records, but only that one.


The other day I went a bit crazy was last Friday night. I didn't eat much of anything all day and I had a very hasty dinner right before having guests over, so I wasn't well-prepared to resist the dessert I encountered! But overall my averages are acceptable. The other day that was really on the high side was when we went to Ted's a final time and I ate a whole burger, but I substituted mashed potatoes for the fries.

I wouldn't be surprised if I gained a little bit of weight back since that last weigh-in, but I'll try to check it tomorrow or Tuesday.