It’s always disappointing when we try and try and try to do things to make ourselves healthier and end up feeling worse than we did before we started.  That exercise program that ended up throwing your back the rest of the way out?  The diet that revealed a whole new set of food intolerances that were heretofore unknown?  Or maybe that both of these things combined ended up costing you more money than your previous daily Taco Bell habit?  The end result is a hatred or at least a mild contempt for all things inconvenient and “healthy.”

So, why does this have to be so difficult?  Is there some reason why good food or food that’s good for you has to cost twice as much as the bad stuff?  I mean, how come there’s no dollar menu at the smoothie shack?  Or value meals at Panera?  No joke, I bought two bowls of soup and two half sandwiches with regular sized fountain drinks there the other day for $29.  Yes, TWENTY-NINE DOLLARS for what is essentially a can of soup and one sandwich.  And the lady behind the counter had absolutely no sense of humor when I asked her why they were selling their food at crack prices…go figure.

My point here is this; I am a single parent.  I have one income and I don’t get child support or any other aid.  I work day and night and most often am too tired or busy to stop and cook a meal.  So, when I took the time to try and plan meals, I tried several of those home delivery services that bring you all of the ingredients so that you can just cook the meals.  It’s a nice idea, but even these places are charging you an average of around $80 for four meals a week that will feed two people.  That would be great if I only needed four meals a week, but what about the other three days?  I’ve also tried the grocery shopping services as a way to save time on the shopping end so that I can cook more at home.  Well, that was also a bust.  I found that on average, each item you buy through these services is at least $.25 to $.50 more than it would be in the store.  If you are paying the “subscription” fee to use these services, why are you also being charged about $7 or $8 more on your order for these jacked up prices they pin to the items that are being delivered?

It’s all very irritating, really.  These businesses know that we are all tired and busy and that we want to do the right thing.  So, they prey on us.  They know that we often have no choice but to attempt to use these “conveniences” so that we can still have at least a little time with our families or maybe just a little time at the end of the day to rest.  Is it any wonder that we get tired of trying and that so many of us just throw in the towel and order another $5 pizza?

I’ve been trying for years to find the right blend of diet and exercise, but the only time I really made any progress was when my poor mother was cooking for me.  Call me crazy but I doubt she’s going to be keen on the idea of being a personal chef for her 47-year-old daughter at this point in her life.  I guess I’ll just have to break down and start dating again…who knows, maybe there’s some lonely, wayward chef out there who is seeking a slightly plump, middle-aged woman who works constantly and has no real desire for a relationship.  It could happen.  But God help me, there’s got to be a better way.

47 Days of Self-Care is a blogging project that is being published between three different blogs owned by Author & Publisher, Rebecca Benston.  Over these 47 days, she hopes to share thoughts and resources for better self-care.  You can view related posts at Higher Ground for Life, at the Leading the Follower blog, and on the Higher Ground Books & Media blog.

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