The snacking is a problem. The cravings are pretty bad. I am going to try harder.
Menu
Breakfast: Oatmeal with brown sugar, cinnamon, apple, raisins; fruit and nut bar; cherry tomatoes; decaf coffee
Lunch: Acorn squash; vegetarian baked beans; salad (lettuce, lemon juice, low-fat blue cheese dressing)
Went to the open air market today: Lettuce; tomatoes; kale; mustard greens; green, red, and purple bell peppers; eggplant; apples.
I just read an article about a writer who went to Cuba on a tourist visa for 30 days with only $20. He was trying to live as an average Cuban did, to see what it was like. He lost 11 pounds in those 30 days, because food was so expensive and he had to walk everywhere. He said that he could usually afford only about 1000 calories a day. He writes about how cooking oil and bread are rationed, and how he couldn't find any coffee he could afford. Most stores had no coffee at all. By the time he left the country, he was almost fainting with hunger. He could barely make it to the airport. It was sobering. As a person who struggles with too many available calories, it was sad to read about people who could barely find enough calories to live.
Hiya W2L!
5.there is no try!" (Bet the lil bugger didn't have a weight problem! lol)
Good luck with the cravings....I think we all have our own kryptonite. Just have to figure out how to deal with it.
I was in Cuba in February with the family. Cuba is known as the Walmart of vacation spots...its pretty inexpensive and you get what you pay for, (in my opinon). But I loved it just the same. People are soooooooooo friendly and most are genuine and humble. I learned that Cubans only earn the equivalent of about 20-30 dollars a month. They have a libreta system (coupons kinda that entitle them to buy rations of food per month at a very discounted price. If they need more rice for that month for example, they must buy it at an inflated price.) So, those working in the tourist industry who get tips, can afford the extras and live like kings and queens.
Funny thing about Cuba, the tourist industry employs more doctors, teachers and engineers because working as a bartender, the doctor can easily earn the equivalent of his monthly salary in one night.
Tourist jobs are very difficult to get and not easily given up.
Cubans also have little side gimmicks for earning money. For example, illegal casa particulars, (bed and breakfasts), or dinner with the family (for a small fee) or selling of knicknacks. (And they are very creative....my kids bought toy cameras that are made out of pop cans. really cool I must say!) And of course theres the fake cigar sales that I got suckered in to.
I learned Cubans aren't starving....infact there is virtually no starvation there. And Cubans aren't poor...they just arent wealthy. They have bare necessities....(I would die with those bare necesseties). Soap for example is really hard to come by apparently.
And Cubans are very educated as it is free there. As is medical.
Could I live there....not with North American standards. But it sounds like plan B for weight loss if calorie counting doesnt work here!
Take care W2L. Keep up the great work!
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