The Life I Want Triathlon Challenge

[captain_slinky]

Today is DAY 1 of my new "The Life I Want" Triathlon Challenge, a thingee which invented by Me.

It's a Lifestyle Improvement Challenge in three parts:

• PART I: FINANCIAL The challenge is to spend less than $20 per month on Groceries. Two full freezers and a fully stocked pantry plus planting the garden some time next month should get me pretty far in this leg of the challenge.
  
• PART II: CLEANLINESS Spending at least an hour each day cleaning the house. After the first week of this it should be a simple matter of maintenance, right?
  
• PART III: HEALTH Going to the gym at least 4 times a week for an hour at a time (minimum), plus concentrating on Lap Band-Friendly healthy meals. Planning those meals instead of just cooking "whatever". Eating three meals a day instead of the "2 meals and lots of snacks" like I have been doing.

I have three calendars set up around the house to help me get these things done; one for tracking each leg of the challenge. I just really hope I don't screw it up! I also have to remember that if I miss a day that's not a "Oh well may as well just give up" deal breaker moment... it's just a temporary set-back.

Comments

[dotgirl.livejournal.com]

I'm down with 2 & 3 - I think 1 is a little ambitious - I'd hate to see you not make it. A full pantry and freezer are great, but $20 barely covers milk, fruit and bread for a month - or was that supposed to be $20 a week, which seems way more reasonable?

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Nope, $20 a month. We're members of The Gleaners, we get first pick of all the produce that the supermarkets are about to toss out ("There's a dark spot on that banana, it must be expunged from the produce department for fear that people will think we sell old produce!")... same for day-old bread which only Molly eats in this house. Also, she's the only one who drinks milk here. It works, I'm sure of it!

[dotgirl.livejournal.com]

What's "The Gleaners"? I guess I could use the googles ...

Well, that's really cool!

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

You know that if I manage to pull off this $20-a-month thing I'm gonna be absolutely unbearable from now on with my whole "Thriftier Than Thou" attitude :)

[sasjhwa.livejournal.com]

That is awesome. If you figure out how to feed 3 people on $20 a month I want you to publish that book! Lay out what plants you have in the garden, what you have on hand and where every dollar goes. I think there would be a market for that.

Are we allowed to nag you from time to time?

I've noticed that the Chore Wars game died a quick and painful death. I'm the only one who ever posts on it. :( Is that going to keep going or should I abandon it?

[captain-slinky.livejournal.com]

Probably abandn Chore Wars... unless it works for you! I just never find the time...

I'll be posting a dailyu round-up (I hope)... feel free to nag all you like :)

[nani-ka.livejournal.com]

On the gym/excercise thing... If life interrupts & you don't make it to the Gym, taking an egg-timer walk can be a good "close enough" move - set the egg timer for 10 minutes (or 15, something short) & hit start when you walk out the door. Then, walk anywhere in the neighboorhood. When the timer goes off, turn around & go home.

Extra bonus points if there's a killer hill on your walk, & you walk up it backwards... That right there gets you 20 - 30 minutes of exercise, & its easier to scrounge up 20 minutes than an hour & a half to pack everyone into the car, go to the place, work out & then get everyone home.

Oh, and totally off topic, but I found a place close to my house that has sausage skins for 50 cents/yard.

Good Luck!