intro

Chris Baldwin

February, 16 2016

Eng121/Ccr094

Denise Richter

Thirty Day Challenge

It seems like these days all I eat is fast food, why not though? It's easy, fast, and convenient, which is going to make these next thirty days a real challenge for me. This thirty-day challenge will show me just how much fast food I really eat, and how much money I can save. Depending on exactly how much money I save, I could potentially buy a new motorcycle. After some calculations, I consume fast food about six times a week, and I don’t just visit the good old dollar menu at McDonalds’s. My favorites include: Goodtimes, Chick-fil-a, and Popeyes.  Now, if you’ve ever had dinner at any of these locations, you know that it can get expensive quickly.  Unfortunately, the fast food chains that do carry a value menu of some sort, tend to be the least satisfactory.  Although it will be difficult for me to give up the Big Daddy Bacon Cheeseburger, and Spicy Chicken Sandwiches I’m determined to see where this challenge will take me.  

Eating fast food six days a week for a month equals about two-hundred and forty dollars. Not even including the days where I eat fast food twice. In total, I spend three hundred dollars a month on fast food.  Convenience is the most appealing thing about fast food; however, spending three hundred dollars a month on just fast food is not convenient or appealing.  My goal is to only spend half of what I normally do on fast food, and save the other one hundred and fifty towards a new motorcycle.  Who knows, maybe I’ll even be able to save more than that? Between being a part time student and working an inconsistent schedule, buying and preparing my own meals will be no easy task. 

First, I must organize my time.  When will I buy groceries? When will I have time cook? I Attend school twice a week and work the other three.  Luckily, I have weekends off, so I plan to use those few days to do any shopping I might need to do, and plan my meals for the week.  Fresh produce is affordable, and I just so happen to enjoy many fresh fruits and vegetable: apples, oranges, bell peppers, and carrots. This in addition to plenty of access to the internet I can quickly search some fast, easy, and delicious recipes to do throughout the week. 

I’m confident that I will not only accomplish this challenge, but will also save as much as I expect too. Through buying groceries, preparing meals, and planning out my time, I am certain I’ll be able to reach my goal for buying a motorcycle.  I hope to take away from this challenge more cost effective eating habits, finding new foods to call my favorite, and learning better time management skills.

     So I finished the challenge. I don't feel accomplished or anything that would should excitement about finishing the challenge. The no fast food challenge is just over I knew completing the challenge was just being able to stay disciplined with my actions. Breaking the habit of mcdonalds because it was fast and convenient. Since finishing the challenge I have gone back to mcdonalds as well as good times. McDonalds just was a very tasty bite at all. I can't believe that I was eating food that tasted that horrendous and did not fill me up in the least. The indigestion alone from eating that is enough for me to not eat there. Good Times tasted alright but I think all the grease was what was giving me the indigestion because the same thing happens at Good Times if I get a larger combo meal.

     Kiwi's are one of my favorite fruits so I started looking into the nutritional value of that furry little fruit. "Health benefits of kiwi include improved digestive and cardiovascular health. The affluence of antioxidants in the kiwifruit proves valuable in various medical conditions such as cancer, insomnia, macular degeneration and diabetes."    

Im ran out of title ideas.....Challenge Blog

     So far the challenge is going alright. I have gotten myself away from eating fast food, and looking back on it now it wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be. Thus far I have enjoyed the challenge getting to try out different foods. Some of the food I prepared, but most of it was cooked by someone else that knew what they were doing. I made my attempt at making a homemade lasagna. The noodles I failed at miserably so I used store bought noodles. The lasagna came out rather well for a poor amateur attempt. Looking at the cost to make that lasagna until I have a full understanding of how to make more economically it will cost a small amount more then the Stouffer's brand family size lasagna.

     Grapefruits I knew they were good for you, but I never realized how good they actually are for you. I'm still not very good at eating them I find it to be quite the task. For as good as they are I think I will stick to buying the 100% juice. I figure I might as well save myself the frustration from trying to eat the fruit with a spoon.

Less fast more healthy

     Still going strong just checking in. The last week was a large pain in the ass with an un supportive girlfriend. If I fail to stay on a heading to complete the challenge it was because I was tired of listening to her complain. Saying that the "challenge doesn't only effect myself, but her as well." Is going pretty far in my opinion, its only fast food....not the lottery.  With the events of the week I have been eating mostly frozen pizzas and hot pockets for breakfast and dinner.

     Apples were on sale so I bought up 5 different types of apples to see which on one I liked the best. The apples I bought were: Gala Apples, Granny Smith Apples, Red Delicious apples, Fiji Apples, and Honey Crisp Apples. The Honey Crisp are definetly my favorite apples followed by the Red Delicious. The Granny Smith tasted alright with a good texture, however the other 2 were too soft for my taste.

     The Organic Facts website I mention in the last blog I have found to be a good source of quick  information about food and home remedies. Talking about some of the health benefits of apples. Organic Facts apples nutrition values mentions "Important nutritional elements include vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin B6, and riboflavin, as well as minerals like potassium, copper, manganese, and magnesium. Apples are also very good sources of dietary fiber, and a single serving provides 12% of the daily fiber" 

continuing on strong

      I havent eaten fast food in a while now, and I am starting to feel better, less of a sluggish feel. I think what happened was I had eaten so much fast food that my body didn't have the neccesary vitamins and minerals. While storing up the useless and unneccesary so called nutrition that is in most fast food meals. During the challenge I have cut off the fast food eating healthier getting the proper nutrition needed to feel healthy and alert. 

I have been completely successful in not eating fast food and getting better alternatives. Also I have been learning about different health benefits of different foods. Pineapples are extremely healthy for people helping with: Digestion, arthritis, cancer prevention, and bone health to name a few. Organic facts had a good brief description about pineapples saying  "huge health benefits due to its wealth of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals, including potassium, copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, vitamin C, beta carotene,  thiamin, B6, and folate, as well as soluble and insoluble fiber, and bromeliad."

 

Fast Food

     Last time, I talked about failing the challenge. Although I haven't eaten anymore fast-food, its been difficult driving to and from work, hungry, not being able to conveniently stop at McDonalds and grab a value meal.  I have been shopping at the grocery store, picking out food when I can. In doing this, I have tried some different varieties of regular fruits and some vegetables, healthy foods that I actually enjoy. Meal planning isn't my strong suit, which explains why I still go out to dinner frequently. I have been dinning at cheaper establishments, so I'm not spending any more money than I was before. The food is better as well, I much rather enjoy a FRESH, juicy burger at a cheap Dinner vs. any old frozen fast food meat.  I must admit, this challenge is no piece of cake, but I am determined to succeed. Though, I don't think I am actually going to save as much money as I initially wanted to. 

Fast Food Challenge...Fail

     On the very first day of the challenge I failed, but i have not given up just yet. The convenience of fast food was just to great so I ate. I have so far only failed twice, both within a couple days of starting the challenge. The second fail was after a day of work I took a nap, woke up to people offering me food. I was happy to oblige, and took the food. Since the two fails with the challenge I have tried being a bit more prepared, but without working a consistent schedule it has become increasingly difficult. I don't feel like I am really saving money at the moment with store bought groceries. I am finding groceries to be expensive as well, however it does taste better then most fast food I have been eating.