Today is my first day doing the Live Below the Line Challenge! And I must say, all I can think about is FOOD!
Why am I doing the challenge? The number one reason I do everything at my job: for my students. The number two reason? I'm a sucker. Just kidding!
Last month, d'Arcy Lunn, a powerful speaker from The Global Poverty Project came to Berkeley College's NYC campus to talk about his experience living below the line for 5 weeks. He's biked across many countries and documented his travels, which you can read about in detail on his blog, lunnyLBTL.wordpress.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: @darcylunn.
d'Arcy opened our eyes to the heartbreaking issues of global poverty and to some solutions as well. He inspired several students to come to me and request that we do this challenge. My first thought "Do I have to do everything I ask my students to do?" But then, I realized I could hardly ask them to do something I couldn't do myself and that we would support each other through this challenge.
So here I am, thinking about food...
Last night, as I prepared myself mentally to start the challenge, I thought about the obstacles that I would face. First of all, I LOVE food. I think about my next meal as I am eating the current one. I also love coffee and rarely go a day without it. I crave dessert as soon as the last forkful of dinner has left my plate. I also found that after keeping a food diary, for all of five minutes, that I'm a grazer. I'll eat tons of little things throughout the day. So now I am forced to plan my meals, and only eat THREE of them. It's not called a challenge for nothing!
Furthermore, I'm worried about my fiance and his love of food, and having to watch him eat all the meals we just created in our newly acquired crock pot. This thing makes gallons of food! Unluckily for me, my half will have to be relegated to the freezer until the challenge is over.
Yes, I mentioned a fiance. I am getting married, which means planning a wedding and stress eating despite the fact that I need to fit into a wedding dress.
So, maybe there are some benefits to this challenge, even if weight loss does not occur because my body is will most likely try to hold onto every calorie it can as I starve it of coffee, chocolate, and excessive carbs for 5 days. I will have to really plan what I eat - no more running out at noon to buy the "Manhattan special" of a $7 sandwich and $3 vitamin water. No zoning out on my phone as I mindlessly shovel sushi into my mouth. I will have to savor every bite, focus on every morsel, because I will not get to snack or even eat until I am full.
As I got ready for work this morning, I thought how this challenge is only for 5 days, and it only requires that I limit my spending on food. I look at the expensive engagement ring on my finger. I think about all the personal products it takes me to get ready: soap, makeup, toothpaste and how much all those things cost. I think about the clothes I'm wearing. How much a MetroCard costs. Those that live below the poverty line have $1.50 a day to spend on everything. And they don't get to stop after five days. Now that's food for thought.
So wish me luck people, and gaze upon my glorious breakfast: A packet of Quaker Oats Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal, valued at 29 cents:
For lunch, it will be this gem (40 cents), with 1/4 cup of frozen peas (25 cents)
Which leaves me with 56 cents for dinner. Rice and beans anyone?
Disclaimer: These are my personal opinions and do not reflect the views of Berkeley College.
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