At the end of day 9 I was so tired that I had to go to bed at 8.30pm as I was falling asleep on the sofa. If anyone is thinking of doing live below the line I would recommended cutting down on strenuous activities as they really sap your energy levels.
Moving on to day 10, I couldn't stop thinking about what I could eat the next day. The thing about not being able or not having the food to eat is that I'm constantly thinking about food, which makes the cravings worse.
Over the 10 days I have regained my appreciation for food and in particular tasty food. As I usually snack throughout the day I never feel really hungry nor am I ever full. although I have been hungry most of the time on Live below the line I have also felt full when I've eaten a big bowl of rice giving me the satisfaction of a good meal. Another pro about LBTL is that I know what I'm going to be eating so I don't have to go through the process of deciding what to have.
With the challenge over it seems that my body has adjusted to not having sugary things. This morning I had a smoothie and it tasted far too sweet, even though I have drank it quite a lot in the past. Over the past 10 my body has lived without all the extras sugar we have in our modern diets. Just shows you how well our bodies are at adapting.
Honduran Flag
Thursday, 12 December 2013
Tuesday, 10 December 2013
Day 9
Breakfast 6am: Porridge with mashed banana.
Snack 11.30am: apple
Lunch 12.30pm: Lettuce and Cucumber sandwich and crisps.
Snack 1.30pm: Banana
So that's what Iv'e eaten so far today. Today is the hardest day Iv'e had on live below the line. Maybe because I know I'll soon be able to eat properly again. I'm having HUGE cravings for sugary foods today and am very tired. If anyone's thinking of doing live below the line I would advise you to ask the people you live with to hide any food away from you. Seeing yoghurt's and mince pies every time you go into the kitchen does not help things!
Meat balls and Spaghetti for tea, which I'm getting excited about, though the last time I had tinned meatballs was when I was a kid and I had to force myself to eat them they were that disgusting.
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| Lunch |
Lunch 12.30pm: Lettuce and Cucumber sandwich and crisps.
Snack 1.30pm: Banana
So that's what Iv'e eaten so far today. Today is the hardest day Iv'e had on live below the line. Maybe because I know I'll soon be able to eat properly again. I'm having HUGE cravings for sugary foods today and am very tired. If anyone's thinking of doing live below the line I would advise you to ask the people you live with to hide any food away from you. Seeing yoghurt's and mince pies every time you go into the kitchen does not help things!
Meat balls and Spaghetti for tea, which I'm getting excited about, though the last time I had tinned meatballs was when I was a kid and I had to force myself to eat them they were that disgusting.
Monday, 9 December 2013
3 Days to go!!
With 3 days to go I am really looking forward to eating properly again! I'm bored of eating the same tasteless food and it is starting to have an effect on my mood. Over the weekend my mood had dropped and my energy levels are quite low. It's amazing how your diet can effect your mood.
On Saturday I was out all day from 5.30am and didn't take any food with me. So when everyone stopped for lunch, a cup of soup provided free be a voluntary organisation I helped my self to a portion. As some people said this was cheating I have used the remaining 85p for the costs of the soup. In reality though, if someone was living off a pound a day I'm sure they wouldn't refuse a free meal.
I still have a can of meatballs left and plenty of bread. The good news is that the cucumber will last me until the end!
On Saturday I was out all day from 5.30am and didn't take any food with me. So when everyone stopped for lunch, a cup of soup provided free be a voluntary organisation I helped my self to a portion. As some people said this was cheating I have used the remaining 85p for the costs of the soup. In reality though, if someone was living off a pound a day I'm sure they wouldn't refuse a free meal.
I still have a can of meatballs left and plenty of bread. The good news is that the cucumber will last me until the end!
Friday, 6 December 2013
Day 5
I really enjoyed breakfast this morning. I added a banana to it and also a sachet of sugar I found in a draw. Don't know if that counts as cheating but it was really nice?!
Today is my hardest day so far. I'm feeling quite hungry and the temptation to eat something else is getting harder to resist. and it doesn't help that my brother has just bought some nice cakes! Also the cold is having an affect as It always makes me more hungry. Not surprisingly as your body needs more energy to keep warm.
I had two hot dogs and some bread for lunch with some lettuce. A good change to the usual. I even put some crisps in it too!
Rice and vegetables again tonight I think. I'm saving the meatballs till after I've finished the hot dogs. I'm craving meat at the moment but know that I will need them more later.
It's the thought that I can't eat anything for a while that makes me constantly think of food which makes me feel more hungry. Not good when you know you can't afford to buy anything.
Today is my hardest day so far. I'm feeling quite hungry and the temptation to eat something else is getting harder to resist. and it doesn't help that my brother has just bought some nice cakes! Also the cold is having an affect as It always makes me more hungry. Not surprisingly as your body needs more energy to keep warm.
I had two hot dogs and some bread for lunch with some lettuce. A good change to the usual. I even put some crisps in it too!
Rice and vegetables again tonight I think. I'm saving the meatballs till after I've finished the hot dogs. I'm craving meat at the moment but know that I will need them more later.
It's the thought that I can't eat anything for a while that makes me constantly think of food which makes me feel more hungry. Not good when you know you can't afford to buy anything.
Thursday, 5 December 2013
Days 3 and 4
So the meal I had for day two was rice and vegetables which was quite filling, though very tasteless. I should have budgeted for some kind of herb or sauce as plain tasting food isn't very nice.
On day three I had to buy some biscuits as I had a huge craving for sugar. The plan was to ration them to two a day but I ate all 11 of them!
It was pasta and hot dogs for tea and I was looking forward to it. It did the trick and filled me up though again would have been better with a sauce.
Day fours meal will be Spaghetti and fish fingers I think. I might buy some tomato sauce with the 85p I have left over.
The thing I'm finding the hardest is the lack of snacks. I don't tend to eat big meals and snack throughout the day. It's especially hard when other people are eating around you.
It was pasta and hot dogs for tea and I was looking forward to it. It did the trick and filled me up though again would have been better with a sauce.
Day fours meal will be Spaghetti and fish fingers I think. I might buy some tomato sauce with the 85p I have left over.
The thing I'm finding the hardest is the lack of snacks. I don't tend to eat big meals and snack throughout the day. It's especially hard when other people are eating around you.
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Day two
Started off with Porridge and water minus the apple and blackcurrant this time. It was edible but not appetising.
Followed by a Banana after work then lettuce and cucumber sandwiches.
I'm starting to feel a bit hungry now and can see myself getting tired of the same sandwiches every day.
It's 2.20pm now and all I have left to eat today is rice and vegetables. I lead a relatively active lifestyle and may have to cut out some activities during the week so I don't use up too much energy. I'll see how things go.
I must admit I'm already finding it hard watching other people eat, especially when there's food staring at me. And it's only day 2!
Followed by a Banana after work then lettuce and cucumber sandwiches.
I'm starting to feel a bit hungry now and can see myself getting tired of the same sandwiches every day.
It's 2.20pm now and all I have left to eat today is rice and vegetables. I lead a relatively active lifestyle and may have to cut out some activities during the week so I don't use up too much energy. I'll see how things go.
I must admit I'm already finding it hard watching other people eat, especially when there's food staring at me. And it's only day 2!
Monday, 2 December 2013
Day one of Living below the line
It's the first day of the challenge and it hasn't got off to a great start.
As milk is expensive and would have taken up too much of my budget, I thought it would have been a good idea to add a little apple and blackcurrant juice to the water for my porridge. How wrong I was!!
You can't really tell from this picture but my porridge turned a purple colour from the juice which, wasn't actually that bad. The taste however was. It had a kind of chemically taste to it which didn't go down well with my taste buds. The first 1/4 of a spoonful I had (and it really was only a 1/4) I started heaving. It was absolutely disgusting! I wouldn't recommend trying this. I thought it might have been the amount of juice I added but the actual juice itself tasted vile. Maybe it would work with better quality juice. I plodded on trying to eat as much as I could but only managed 2 whole spoonfuls, not a lot to start my day with. I honestly tried to eat it but just couldn't stand the taste. I'm not one to ever waste food but this had to be the exception. I'll stick with plain old water tomorrow.
I finished the rest of the shopping and have 1.11 left over. I'm quite pleased with that as it means I have money for emergencies. Iv'e worked out I will have enough bread to allow myself 4 slices a day for my lettuce and Cucumber sandwiches and some spare for a fish-finger buttie.
There are 9 small Bananas in a pack costing 68p which I think is pretty good. I shall be having one everyday after work if they will keep that long. There were 8 apples in a pack so I have 7 left to last me. I will have to have a think when I will need them the most and use them accordingly.
So by the end of the day I will have eaten:
Two spoonfuls of Porridge, with apple and blackcurrant Juice
1 apple
Packet of ready salted crisps (64p for 6 pack)
Lettuce and Cucumber sandwich, with 4 slices of bread
Fish-finger buttie with 2 slices of bread and 2 fish fingers.
Yum.
As milk is expensive and would have taken up too much of my budget, I thought it would have been a good idea to add a little apple and blackcurrant juice to the water for my porridge. How wrong I was!!
I finished the rest of the shopping and have 1.11 left over. I'm quite pleased with that as it means I have money for emergencies. Iv'e worked out I will have enough bread to allow myself 4 slices a day for my lettuce and Cucumber sandwiches and some spare for a fish-finger buttie.
There are 9 small Bananas in a pack costing 68p which I think is pretty good. I shall be having one everyday after work if they will keep that long. There were 8 apples in a pack so I have 7 left to last me. I will have to have a think when I will need them the most and use them accordingly.
So by the end of the day I will have eaten:
Two spoonfuls of Porridge, with apple and blackcurrant Juice
1 apple
Packet of ready salted crisps (64p for 6 pack)
Lettuce and Cucumber sandwich, with 4 slices of bread
Fish-finger buttie with 2 slices of bread and 2 fish fingers.
Yum.
Friday, 29 November 2013
Live below the line
So Iv'e decided to kick off my fundraising by asking people to sponsor me to live below the line for 10 days.
I have to raise 4,595 pounds before I can go overseas.This money will help to support me whilst I am in Honduras and ensure the voluntary project and host home aren't out of pocket. Some people may question the amount needed to fund-raise to go and volunteer but this is a very good volunteer programme and volunteers are highly supported. This is a great opportunity for me to gain more skills and confidence and great life experiences!
So from Monday 2nd December - 11th December I will be living off 1 pound a day to buy food.
I have already bought half of what I will need and will buy the more perishable items on Monday. The aim of live below the line is to raise awareness of the people in poverty that live off $1 a day. Given that Honduras has one of the highest levels of poverty in Latin America there will many people in Honduras that this affects.
On my menu for the 10 days is:
Oats 75p
Pasta 29p
Rice 40p
Spaghetti 20p
Hot dogs 49p
Meatballs 40p
Fish fingers 60p
Mixed vegetables 1.00
Bread x2 94p
Margarine 75p
Lettuce 45p
Cucumber 45p
Apples 89p
Bananas 68p
Crisps 34p
Squash 30p
I'm hoping that the prices of the things I haven't bought yet have stayed the same since I last checked otherwise I will have to re-evaluate the menu!
I'm aiming to get 3 meals each from pasta and rice and four from Spaghetti. I will be having lettuce and cucumber sandwiches for lunch everyday bar one when I will have a hot-dog sandwich. Fingers crossed the cucumber will stretch to 9 Sandwiches!
I had to budget for snacks as I often need a quick energy boost after work which can be physically demanding. My energy levels are going to be quite low during the 10 days so may have to miss some of my usual activities. And it's a great excuse to have a nap!
If you want to sponsor me, theirs a link to my fundraising page opposite.
Wish me luck!
I have to raise 4,595 pounds before I can go overseas.This money will help to support me whilst I am in Honduras and ensure the voluntary project and host home aren't out of pocket. Some people may question the amount needed to fund-raise to go and volunteer but this is a very good volunteer programme and volunteers are highly supported. This is a great opportunity for me to gain more skills and confidence and great life experiences!
So from Monday 2nd December - 11th December I will be living off 1 pound a day to buy food.
I have already bought half of what I will need and will buy the more perishable items on Monday. The aim of live below the line is to raise awareness of the people in poverty that live off $1 a day. Given that Honduras has one of the highest levels of poverty in Latin America there will many people in Honduras that this affects.
On my menu for the 10 days is:
Oats 75p
Pasta 29p
Rice 40p
Spaghetti 20p
Hot dogs 49p
Meatballs 40p
Fish fingers 60p
Mixed vegetables 1.00
Bread x2 94p
Margarine 75p
Lettuce 45p
Cucumber 45p
Apples 89p
Bananas 68p
Crisps 34p
Squash 30p
I'm hoping that the prices of the things I haven't bought yet have stayed the same since I last checked otherwise I will have to re-evaluate the menu!
I'm aiming to get 3 meals each from pasta and rice and four from Spaghetti. I will be having lettuce and cucumber sandwiches for lunch everyday bar one when I will have a hot-dog sandwich. Fingers crossed the cucumber will stretch to 9 Sandwiches!
I had to budget for snacks as I often need a quick energy boost after work which can be physically demanding. My energy levels are going to be quite low during the 10 days so may have to miss some of my usual activities. And it's a great excuse to have a nap!
If you want to sponsor me, theirs a link to my fundraising page opposite.
Wish me luck!
Off to Honduras
So I will be going to volunteer in Honduras next August for 12 months with ICYE (Intercultural youth exchange)! I will be living either within the project itself or with a Host Family. I hope to volunteer with children/ young people with disabilities, though the specific project will be confirmed nearer the time. ICYE volunteers get the opportunity to specify a preference on which project they would like to volunteer in.
On the top of my list is the "Los Angeles" Programme who's mission statement is:
"We are a programme that satisfies the needs of a comprehensive care and inclusion for people with disabilities in situations of abandonment, generating a family atmosphere with security, health, rehabilitation and education."
Their vision is to become a model programme in comprehensive care and inclusion for people with disabilities, promoting rights based active inclusion in society according to their abilities.
They put an emphasis on not just caring for the residents but ensuring they have a happy and fulfilled life giving them the opportunities to learn life skills. They also develop a life plan for each individual focusing on what they could achieve with the right support.
Also on my list is Casa Hoga: a centre of 20 children with the majority of them presenting advanced cases of Cerebral Palsy. They attend school in a supported environment, receive physical and educational therapy and have various activities available to them.
Special Olympics Honduras is an organisation which I wouldn't mind volunteering in. Special Olympics is a worldwide organisation which enables people with intellectual disabilities to compete in sporting activities and provides coaching in a variety of sports. I was briefly involved with the Special Olympics in Namibia and would be interesting to see how differently they work.
With 9 months to go I'm already getting exited!!!!!
On the top of my list is the "Los Angeles" Programme who's mission statement is:
"We are a programme that satisfies the needs of a comprehensive care and inclusion for people with disabilities in situations of abandonment, generating a family atmosphere with security, health, rehabilitation and education."
Their vision is to become a model programme in comprehensive care and inclusion for people with disabilities, promoting rights based active inclusion in society according to their abilities.
They put an emphasis on not just caring for the residents but ensuring they have a happy and fulfilled life giving them the opportunities to learn life skills. They also develop a life plan for each individual focusing on what they could achieve with the right support.
Also on my list is Casa Hoga: a centre of 20 children with the majority of them presenting advanced cases of Cerebral Palsy. They attend school in a supported environment, receive physical and educational therapy and have various activities available to them.
Special Olympics Honduras is an organisation which I wouldn't mind volunteering in. Special Olympics is a worldwide organisation which enables people with intellectual disabilities to compete in sporting activities and provides coaching in a variety of sports. I was briefly involved with the Special Olympics in Namibia and would be interesting to see how differently they work.
With 9 months to go I'm already getting exited!!!!!
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