Rewind: Week 01

The first week of this experiment is over and I'm glad to say that it has been a very educational week. Below is a list of what I've learnt over the week:

1. It is possible to live on RM5.00 a day for lunch.

A lunch meal in Kuching would cost around RM3.00-RM5.00 depending on where you eat. Of course, coffee shops would be much cheaper while restaurants, fast food chains, and food courts would easily cost you RM10.00 and above just for a simple meal. But the goal of this experiment is not as much as to see if you can get a decent meal for less than RM5.00, but to be able to eat healthily by having a variation of food rather than a single dish and overpriced drinks. So far, I think I have managed quite well. I've had surplus food despite spending less than RM5.00 and having fruits and nuts as part of my lunch is pretty healthy as far as I know. However, I should cut back on the dessert and probably replace it with something healthier instead.

2. Three course lunch is too much on some days

I know I've set the rules to 3 items each meal but on somedays, 2 items are more than enough and I end up spending on buying extra food just to meet the challenge's criteria, rather than saving money. On a non post-workout day, my appetite is small enough that a simple popiah and an apple is enough to get me going for the rest of the day but there are also my post-workout days where I just feel hungry the whole day and am glad that I bought some extra food from the day before to control my hunger before lunch time. That said, despite my hunger, the 3 items are still enough to fill my stomach and keep me up until dinner.

3. Its good to plan your meals

Before this challenge, I've never planned for my meals. Everyday for lunch, I'll just pop down to the shops below and have a random meal without giving much thought. Now, I'm learning how to piece my meals together to make it more balance and interesting everyday. I'm actually having fun with this experiment. Sure, there was one time that I failed but I'll take it as a good lesson in planning and maths. 

Those were the main points that I've learnt over the week. I'm sure theres more to that than those and I hope to learn more as I continue on with this challenge.