So, about that poll...I created it because I was surprised, almost shocked, at how much weight I lost over the eight days living on a food stamp budget. I lost 6 pounds. Experts suggest losing no more than one to two a week through diet and exercise. I hardly exercised, so that was almost entirely through calorie reduction.

Basically, this means that I was not able to meet my caloric needs on the diet I created. There were some days that I was so hungry I couldn't concentrate. Other days I had plenty of food. It all depended on how much protein I had available.

I also didn't bake bread. Since I don't own any loaf pans (and certainly didn't think it would be acceptable to buy them), I'd intended to construct them out of tin foil, but I never ended up making the time -- so I did without. The week I was doing the food stamp project, I worked approximately 70 hours (60-70 is typical for me). I was usually so ravenous when I got home from work that I'd make whatever was simplest and then crash. That was part of the reason I did this...to see what it was like. And hopefully to make people think a little bit. It was certainly a learning experience.

There are still a couple of posts I want to write about it, but I haven't had time. Maybe this weekend.

Overall, 48 people voted. 4.2% thought I'd gained 8 pounds. 25% thought I gained three pounds. 35.4% thought my weight would stay the same.  34.5% thought I lost 6 pounds.