DAY 5
The end is in sight. Or should I say, the plate of bacon, eggs and toast is in sight. And a very large coffee.
Today is on par with yesterday — I’m feeling used to the hunger and I’m not craving other foods too badly.
That said, I can’t wait for tomorrow.
Live Below the Line has been difficult, but the worst parts aren’t what I predicted.
The hunger isn’t too difficult to deal with, but the thought of eating the same thing I’ve eaten for the past four days certainly is.
It’s depressing waking up every morning facing a bowl of plain oats, then knowing the next meal — in five hours — is a lentil soup, or lentils and rice, or lentils and pumpkin.
Then in another five or so hours, it’s more of the same for dinner. Lentils.
Can you tell I’m sick of them?
When I do Live Below the Line again next year I will do things differently.
I will buy a loaf of bread. Oh, how I have missed bread.
Then I will buy a few tomatoes and an avocado. There’s two sandwiches a day.
And I’d make soup, lentil-free.
Oats would probably stay on the menu for breakfast though. To be honest, they have been the easiest thing to eat this week — despite my complaining.
I hope my blog — and complaining — hasn’t deterred anyone from taking part in Live Below the Line next year either.
While I’ve spent the five days whinging about my bland diet and desire for a hot coffee or a toasted sandwich, I would do it all again.
And I will next year.
It’s been rewarding to know I’ve helped raise more than $1 million to fight poverty here and overseas, while I’ve also tested my willpower more than I ever have in my life.
I went hungry, so that others won’t have to.
See Monday's edition of the Weekly for more on my struggle to live on $2 a day.
DAY 4
Today has been the easiest day so far — I must be getting used to my new-found diet.
The lentils are still unappealing, and I don’t think that is ever going to change, but I feel a lot more energised today.
I’ve hardly noticed the hunger or been jealous of other people’s food. I even sat in the tearoom and ate my lunch, surrounded by everyone else eating their bread and meat and cheese.
Although that did test me a bit. I think my extra motivation is partly from meeting co-founder of Live Below the Line, Nick Allardice, last night.
He told me he was living below the line for 30 days — so while people like me complain about the thought of two more days of blandness, he’s already done 28.
He also told me that $400,000 can fund three schools in Cambodia for five years, including 600 student scholarships and all teacher training.
That’s less than half of what’s already been raised this year.
So that conversation really reminded me of why I’m hungry all day and forcing down lentils for dinner.
I can’t guarantee tomorrow will be so pleasant, but at least I can be comforted by the thought there will be only one more sleep until a decent meal.
And I still have half my Fizzer left.
DAY 3
I think I’m starting to crack. Yesterday I reported things were better than day one — today, I’ve hit a steep decline.
I am absolutely starving yet still dreading my next meal of rice or lentils. It’s a weird feeling.
The smell of coffee is extra painful today, the sight of my colleagues eating lollies makes my stomach rumble and all I could think about this morning was how I’d spend my last 50 cents.
That was decided about 2pm, though, when I went to a Dandenong milk bar and bought one ‘Fizzer’ and three strawberries and cream lollies — 50 cents doesn’t go far!
I’ll eat the lollies today and will save the Fizzer for Friday. I think that’s when I’ll need it most.
While living below the line is a struggle, it really does hit home how tough life must be for people who are regularly down to their last 50 cents — or even less.
It also makes me even prouder that I’ve raised $550 to help those living in extreme poverty.
Tonight I’m going to a dinner with others who are Living Below the Line — it’s BYO meal of course — so I’m looking forward to hearing how they’re doing.
I secretly hope someone else is feeling as hungry and sick of lentils as I am.
DAY 2
I am pleased to report today has been a lot easier than day one.
The cravings for coffee and a decent meal are still there — of course — but my thoughts aren’t all about what I can’t eat today.
I had oats cooked in water again for breakfast, a cup of pumpkin soup for morning tea and my lentils and rice mix for lunch. Exactly what I ate yesterday.
But thanks to a suggestion from a workmate, I’m going to try cooking a lentil-based meatloaf tonight for something different.
Or I guess you could call it lentil-loaf.
One of the hardest things to deal with has been texture — something I just thought MasterChef judges discussed to sound knowledgeable.
But it turns out texture has a huge impact on how much you enjoy a meal. And seeing as everything I’ve cooked so far involves lentils and has the texture of gruel, I haven’t enjoyed it at all.
So hopefully my lentil-loaf goes some way to fixing that.
I’ve been asked a lot whether I’m hungry, and I guess sometimes I am, but generally I just feel very sick of lentils.
Lentils and rice. Lentils and corn. Lentils and pumpkin. And soon, lentils in loaf form.
The $10 for the week went a long way — I don’t think I’ll even finish all the food I bought — but it is just so repetitive that my stomach already churns at the thought of my next mundane meal.
And if anyone offers me lentils after this week I might just cry.
DAY 1
MY start to Live Below the Line was befitting — a bowl of oats cooked in water, with no sugar or milk because I couldn’t afford them.
What a way to start a Monday morning.
Breakfast wasn’t unbearable though. What was most difficult was staring at my bag of ground coffee at work, knowing I couldn’t have any for the next five days.
Mum just bought me a beautiful new plunger too.
I thought it would be a smart idea to put the coffee in my drawer — so it could no longer taunt me from beside my computer — but that plan backfired.
As I moved the coffee from one spot to the other, a waft of that smell I am too fond of blew in my direction, making my caffeine craving just a bit more unbearable.
It was going to be a long day.
I have quickly learnt that when you can’t have something, you want it more. Who knew!
And a cup of watery pumpkin soup is certainly no replacement for coffee.
My lentils and rice combination didn’t exactly hit the spot at lunch time either — by 2pm I was already hungry and I had brought nothing else from my $10 stash.
But I can’t be sure if I was really hungry, or just craving something with a bit more fat and sugar...
Too bad my dinner was also made of lentils. Oh, and corn.
Hopefully tomorrow it will be a little easier.
It’s comforting to know there are more than 5000 other Australians doing the challenge this week, though - I hope they are struggling as much as I am!
And let’s hope I don’t dream of lentils tonight.
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