Live Below the Line: My $2 a Day Challenge- The Middle

Day 2
 

Menu

Corn cracker & bottle of water

Porridge

Kale, carrot & boiled egg salad
Carrot sticks as a snack

Roast carrots & kale chips

Yoga this morning felt really good after a day of eating small amounts but I was peckish afterwards as expected. Usually I'd have a protein smoothie ready to go or at least an apple. It was probably a good thing that I was rushing for work because I had a corn cracker and a bottle of water to go, with no time to sit around and look for something more substantial. I’m really starting to miss fruit!

I checked my mailbox on my way out the door and saw a card from my mum. She wrote me a motivating message and put in a packet of gummy bears. She either thinks that I can't do the challenge or is worried about my sugar levels! Thanks mum! (I stuck to my guns and donated the gummy bears to a co-worker who needed cheering up).

Today's lunch is raw kale & carrot salad with boiled egg and lemon juice dressing. Almost sounds like something from a health cafe menu. See? I'm not struggling at all :/

I also packed 3 (now 2 because of my breakfast) corn cakes, some porridge to heat up mid morning and my trusty carrot sticks. Sounds like a feast.

Tonight I had roast carrots and tons of kale chips for dinner. And porridge for dessert of course!

I was so tired when I got home I just cooked, took my dog for a walk then tucked up in bed with a book by 8.30! I’m planning a run in the morning but feel like I could sleep for days, which is so unusual for me!

Day 3

Menu

Lemon water

Porridge

Boiled egg on corn thins

Kale omlette

My run plan didn’t work out this morning, I decided to listen to my body as it adjusts to this new diet and get some more rest. It felt so nice to sleep in a bit!

I had some hot water with lemon for breakfast and took some porridge in to eat at work.  I haven’t been as hungry in the morning as usual, perhaps because I’m having oats at nighttime which is low GI so I feel fuller for longer.

I refilled my lemon water several times to get me through the morning and munched on a carrot before lunch. I decided to head to the gym for an endorphin hit and did a light kettle bell session and some cardio to make up for missing my morning run. Strength was definitely down so I only did 3 sets and had plenty of rest in between. Lunch was a boiled egg on corn thins, a perfect post gym protein hit!

This challenge has really helped me notice that when I lack energy I look to other sources to get a hit. My mid afternoon slump usually has me wanting a cup of tea or piece of fruit but this week I’ve been battling through and forcing myself to concentrate without using food or drink as an excuse to leave my desk. I’m a little lethargic but seem to have more energy at the end of the day once I get through it.

I haven’t really struggled too much with drinking plain water, or with just lemon. I never drink soft drinks and only have coffee once or twice a week usually. I definitely miss my breakfast smoothies and herbal teas, but overall have been very happy with water and I’m sleeping better.

As usual I was starving when I got home so I cooked a kale and egg omlette to have before my yoga class. Yoga is best done on an empty stomach but one little egg and few greens was just what I needed to get me through. I thought I’d find exercise really draining this week but my yoga flow has been steady and I’ve been feeling focused and relaxed during the practice.

Another small bowl of porridge (love that stuff) and an early night tonight.  It feels great to be over halfway. 

A HUGE thank you to everybody who has donated to support the challenge so far. I'm only $32 away from my goal fundraising amount of $400. I'm so grateful  that everyone has been so generous and supportive of the challenge and the worthy cause. 

To see how I'm tracking or to show your support and get me through the last 2 days check out my fundraising page here.