Imagine the absolute fatigue a man who does physical labor for a living would feel if he had to consume the minimal amount of food in order for the rest of his family to eat. The depression that would soon consume him due to lack of protein to support the demand on his muscles. Not to mention the depression that would come from the pressure of knowing that no matter how hard he worked, there still would not be enough money to pay the bills, feed his family and put gas in his car.

Think about our troops that eat the same pre-packaged military food day after day in the field until they get back to base for their down time and real cooked food. I have nothing but respect for these men and women and the sacrifices they make every single day for our country. Military families are suffering and very few realize the true extent of how this war is costing them and their families as time drags on.

How are the military families suffering? are you in a military family? they get free housing, health care, upon other benefits. And you aren't giving them credit you are making it sound like they are weak people, they aren't. They (the ones i know) are happy people, they do not complain, they are great. As far as pre-packaged food? (mre's) but they also have chow halls. ..

I wouldn't necessarily say all the military families are sufferring, but they are definitely strained.  It isn't a cakewalk for sure.  

But other than that:   Sam, that is defintely a stretch on "low calorie".  That lunch is what, 150 calories tops depending on the brand of bread you ate?  The breakfast is defintely only about 220.  The baked potato might hit (with the broccoli and butter) about 400.  That is about 770 calories.  I can give you a good idea as to why you are tired.  The carbs are not a threatening weight gain, believe me.

Take your pick

http://www.google.com/searc...

its funny how YOU didnt answer my question and use a google search as a so called arguement

More truth not up for argument

 http://www.usatoday.com/new...

Ignorance is bliss to a select few too sure of themselves to do their own research outside of their own obscured view of the world.

More inconvenient truth not up for argument.

http://www.rachelstavern.co...

there it is again. you answered NONE of my questions. and I'm not going to agree with you 100% so give it up. as far as me not looking past my own world or whatever ridiculous cliche come back you said for people who disagree with you, YOU are do exactly what you are accusing me of doing.... i also think anonymous posters are ridiculous, there are all kind of people who suffer, all kinds. not just military families and not all of them are (or even the majority are)I KNOW SOME and they are NOT suffering. They are very happy people, you need to look for the good and not dwell and assume all are miserable because a few are. talk about close minded. I don't like this war, i don't like war, but unfortunately war isn't a game of candy land. Would i like to see it over SURE. would i like to win it also, YES. Do i like G BUSH no. DO i LIKE RON PAUL YES. I'm voting for him. you should too

PAUL 08

Anon: Yes, unfortunately, there are many who must resort to intense physical labor to pay their bills, and the limited diet only makes matters worse. Very frustrating: not enough money is earned to purchase the necessary food to contribute to the amount of energy expended to perform the labor. Contrary to what Annie sometimes points out, not all people who receive government aid/assistance are lazy or purposely abusing the system. Some work their asses off to make what little they do, and it's simply not enough to get by. It's certainly not a way to live.

As for the military families: I have so much empathy for what they must go through, but the major difference is that most of them (these days, at least) have made a conscious choice to enter into that lifestyle. That doesn't make it any easier for the children - who probably had no say in the decision - or the family members who must endure the separation, financial burdens and stress... but it's a completely different circumstance from a family who has been literally forced into poverty (due to any number of factors). I'm not saying that either situation is better or worse because they're both extremely difficult, but they're otherwise incomparable.

And Chase, I upped my calories for today for that reason. But I couldn't afford to do it all seven days! I don't think that I'm gaining any weight because my portions are definitely smaller than usual (and overall caloric intake, obviously), but I did want to point out that the meals are hardly balanced. The fact is that carb-rich foods are often the easiest to prepare, and that's factoring in affordability, taste, and convenience. So it's easy to imagine how someone surviving on these foods for a long period of time (and assuming they aren't getting the necessary exercise) could develop health or weight-related problems. For instance, if the only foods you put into your body are high in fat, your body will still store much of it as fat, despite the fact that you may not be getting enough daily calories.

Why hide behind and anonymous, come out in the open.

As far as MRE's? Would you send a football player out on a  hot day to play the game and tell him "go again drink all the cold water you want!" Nope you wouldn't. No more than you would have  them eat a 7 course meal  before going back in to battle. Soon they would be fat slow and bloated.

Just imagine SamG if you were hypoglycemic that would be kinda scary factoring in what you eat and the little amount of it.

Now on a whole different note: I went to see Ironman with Zachary this weekend. I have fallen slightly off my low fat intake, hehe. I had  yummy popcorn with butter and  M and M's mmm Not to worry with my "stimulus" check I will be getting a Raleigh Mojave 4.0 mountain bike (my is old and tired) Whoo hoo. Oops sorry, Back to starvation. I'm sorry was being mischievious. Otherwise known as "snippy" by others (a condition I've had all my life)

wow, no wonder you are so tired. all those carbs turn to sugar and then you crash!!! you need some protein before your muscles turn to mush!!!

HAHAHAHAh im going to wipe my ass with the stimulus check and send it back. or buy new curtains. I'm not sure.

Annie, send ME your stimulus check and I'll literally wipe my ass with it, since we're almost out of toilet paper and I can't buy any till I get paid. ha. ok kidding. Keep your check.

Sam, the thing about your diet is that you didn't really pre-plan your "food stamp diet" So YES feel bad a little. But don't feel too bad. Since I live pretty much on a "food stamp diet" and we eat balanced meals. In fact, when I was a single mom of two, making minimum wage and refusing to get on food stamps, I always made sure I had these staple foods in my home for my children:

Total Cereal (all the vitamins) they didn't like it with milk, but it did ok for a dry snack, sorta like potato chips or popcorn

eggs ( breakfast lunch (egg sandwich) or dinner, it's the protein they needed for their daily intake)

calcium enriched orange juice.

pinto beans (again, protein) and we'd eat refried beans by themselves, or in a burrito, taco, tostada, whatever ... even as a sandwich

anything  else was a luxury. But as long as I had some sort of protein to feed them we were all good. :-)

Anyways, I commend you for what you're doing and why. Just know that (at least in America) any food stamp family will make do with what they have and they are probably eating a more balanced meal only because we learn to work miracles with the ltitle we have.

I will tell you this! When I lived in the slums of Tijuana I NEVER REALIZED I was poor. WHY? because we always had the above staples food on the table. Either we'd eat a soft boiled egg, scrambled egg, sunny side up (she'd mix it up so we wouldn't get tired of it) Or fresh beans, or refried beans... or toast. Or something. We always felt it was a "treat" when we got meat.

Now, a treat for me is eating out.

What I'm trying to say is, we all find our happiness regardless of circumstances and Americans are blessed with government assistance like food stamps. Not every country has that luxury.

Anyways, looking forward to your day's food log and comments.

You're right, Twinkie... and lots of people have been so helpful in offering suggestions for good recipes, where to find the best prices, and so on. This is a big adjustment for me because it's entirely new. My family has been through a some rough patches, but I've never had to deal with rationing food, and I've never worried that I wouldn't be able to afford to eat. If this was a challenge I had to face daily, and not for a mere seven days, I would obviously learn to be more resourceful. I'm sure that I could get used to eating this way, but the point is that I have the means not to, and there are so many people who will never have that opportunity. This is the "average" food stamp budget, but the minimum is currently $4... and those are just the people who are eligible for the program in the first place! I actually have some news about the Farm Bill that has proposed changes to the program, but I will mention that in an upcoming blog...

but tell me why the government has to feed people? WHY , why is it another persons responsibility to feed another person. I do not understand that. I wouldn't expect you to feed my kids. they are my kids And my responsibility. My life is MY life, MY responsibility. No one will live my life for me. I am in charge of my life. Therefore if i want something i need to work for it. The only thing people ACTUALLY need is food, water and warmth.... those things aren't expensive. NO one can keep you from having those things, but no one HAS to give them to you at the expense of others. Take a trip to DHS (as a part of your food stamp thing) and see what kind of people get food stamps, how many kids they continue to have and what CAR they drive. You will be surprised. I was. See how many people collect food stamps in different county's, see how many people do it illegally. How many people LIE, see how many people sell their food stamp cards. How many people don't feed their children properly. See how many people choose to live like sh*t because they don't want to better their lives. See how many people claim to be disabled and aren't and receive AID....... The government needs to seriously CUT welfare a good 75% these people are ABLE BODIED people, they are able to work, but feel that they are entitled to free things. No one is entitled to free, it seems no one has the idea that if you cant afford kids, don't whore around, If you cant afford food, at least quit smoking, you don't need cable or Internet, or even a TV. a CAR isn't a right. The government doesn't HAVE to fix it for you. I just hate this society, its crap and full of selfish assholes.  there is my opinion.