Food Diary of a Struggling Grad Student

I was lying in bed one fine summers evening trying to fall asleep when suddenly it hit me.  Some sort of abdominal pain similar to cramps but not quite so severe had crept up on me “like a stranger in the night”.  After a second of pondering I realized what ailed me.  I was hungry.  So hungry, in fact, that I went through all of the food I had eaten that day.  It was not a pretty picture.

Day 1: July 25, 2012.

It is 3pm and I realized that since I woke up at 11:30 I had not eaten anything.  I am out of money and I don’t get paid until Friday (meaning I don’t go grocery shopping until Friday evening).  It’s Wednesday.  I eat an apple and a 100-calorie brownie pack.

5pm: I go over to my boyfriend’s house.  He is in a similar situation.  We eat a box of macaroni and cheese.

10pm:  I decide I should eat something before bed this time to avoid the previous nights’ afflictions.  Luckily, my friend who watched my cat when I was out of town last weekend left yogurt in the fridge. Yummy!

Day 2: July 26, 2012.

1:15 pm: I have eggs, bread, and cheese.  But I am tired of egg and cheese sandwiches.  Hard-boiled eggs is an easy alternative.  I even get creative and decide to make a few deviled eggs out of mustard, mayonnaise and relish.  God bless cheap condiments.

1:19 pm: Turn out I don’t have mustard.  An egg and cheese sandwich with a side of hard- boiled eggs it is!

4:30 pm: After a run and a dip in the pool I come in from the heat and have some cookie dough ice cream (Bogo at Winn- Dixie!)… and leftover hard boiled eggs.

6:30 pm:  I decide that unless I want to continue my under 1000 calorie a day starving student diet (side effects include fainting, migraines and killer abs) I ought to eat something substantial for dinner.  Since it’s Thursday (Only 22 hours until payday!) I suck it up and use my Discover Rewards gift card (with twenty bucks for emergencies) to buy a Subway sub.  Boyfriend called and wants one too.  Great.

Day 3: July 27, 2012

12:30 pm:  Yay for foot longs!  I enjoy the other half of my Chicken and Bacon Ranch.

8 pm: After work, I am famished.  As I snuggle in to enjoy the Olympics Welcoming Ceremony I order Little Caesars ($5 large pizza!) to be shared with boyfriend and drink a glass of wine.  Life is good.

Day 4: July 28, 2012

11:30 am: I am on my way to work for a long shift and I realize I forgot my lunch.  Great.

12 noon: Work ordered a pizza!  That would be excellent news if I didn’t have pizza for dinner.  Oh well, beggars can’t be choosers.

7:30 pm:  My boyfriend was supposed to bring me dinner by now but of course he is late.  So I scarf down two leftover pieces of… pizza.  This is embarrassing.

8:30 pm: Boyfriend made it!  I enjoy a Chipotle Burrito and a banana.

Day 5: July 29, 2012

5 am: I wake up for work.  No energy to grab food on the way, so I am content with a banana and a Gatorade.

10:30 am: Lunch is Jimmy Johns ordered by some coworkers.

1:30 pm: I eat the other half of my Jimmy Johns on a break, and my wonderful boyfriend brings me Starbucks to keep me alive during the day of double shifts.

8 pm: I am just getting home.  I am too exhausted to cook, so I stop at McDonalds for a fruit and walnut salad, apple slices, and a McDouble.  I hope you understand.

Day 6: July 30, 2012

1pm: I invent a Quiche recipe!  Cook a pie dish, and then mix up 5 or 6 eggs and every vegetable in your fridge. Cut the Veggies into small pieces, mix in cheese and meat to your liking, and then cook at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes.  Bon Appétit!

7 pm:  Before we rush off to bible study boyfriend makes me a bagel sandwich.  Aww.

10 pm: I bake funfetti cookies, mmm!!

Day 7: July 31, 2012

12 noon: I eat the other half of the Quiche, yummy!

5:30: By the time I get to work I am starving, and though there is usually food there, today there is none!  To keep from fainting I order Jimmy Johns.

7: I eat the other half of Jimmy Johns, pita chips with cheddar cheese, chocolate, a cookie and some gumdrops.  Don’t judge me.

Day 8: August 1, 2012- Final Entry!

12:15: Boyfriend and I go to Chick-fil-A where I eat some nuggets, a couple of fries stolen from his meal, and we share a milkshake and a powerade.  I realize I need to stop eating out.  Hopefully I won’t be too tired after work tonight…

7:30:  I was not too tired!  I cooked Lemon Pepper Tilapia and rice with onions.  It was delicious and healthy, and I have leftovers (the equivalent of gold to students).  Very satisfying!

Side note:  I would like all to know that I am a very healthy 135 lbs at 5’8”, and I want to stay that way.  I was not intentionally trying to eat 1000 calories, sometimes it just happens that way.  I work at a stable, which provides plenty of exercise to work off the extra calories from eating out.  I encourage all to eat a healthy 1700- 2100 calories a day, exercise regularly, and cook as often as possible.  For more tips on how to eat well, visithttp://www.youtube.com/user/LarrrnnM/videos- where you will find many amazing recipes for starving students.  Enjoy!