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Breakfast: 50g of porridge oats with water, 50g of frozen fruit and 1tsp of sugar
Lunch: Nothing
Dinner: 6 mini potatoes with half a can of baked beans
Last night I couldn't sleep. I went to bed feeling more hungry than I have done so far this month. I'm not sure why this was. I thought I was getting to grips with dealing with the hunger. By day 8 surely my body would be used to eating less. I was so hungry, that after about an hour of guzzling water and trying to ignore my rumbling tummy, I decided to bite the bullet and eat something. I went with a small portion of plain porridge and water. I had assessed my supplies and saw that even with this snack I should have enough porridge left in the supply to last me until at least the next shop. The midnight snack curbed the hunger and I was able to finally sleep.
The live below the line challenge has really got me thinking about what it would be like to truly live below the line, and each day I have tried to talk about my personal challenge of the day and link it back to the reason that I am doing this. Yesterday evening opened my eyes. It is clear that whilst your body may get used to you eating less than you should each day, it doesn't stop it wanting and needing more. Hunger is a horrible feeling and I'm sure the majority of us (myself included) have absolutely no idea what true true hunger feels like. Yes I am getting a good idea this month, but I will only be hungry for a month. Imagine how hungry you would be after months and months of eating the bare minimum. Everyday hunger is a way of life for the millions living in extreme poverty, and poverty hits the children hardest. Poverty is so detrimental to a child's development. Children's bodies need energy and nutrients to develop and grow. Can you imagine trying to concentrate at school after not eating anything all day. Most children in developing countries have to walk miles if they want to go to school. Imagine walking miles and miles after no sleep, because you were too hungry to sleep, and no energy, because you haven't eaten a nutritious meal in days, or even weeks. It is devastating that there are so many innocent children who don't get the start in life they need.
I have also been struggling this week with how to determine portion sizes. I could increase the portion sizes quite significantly , but the food I buy would only last the week. I don't think eating in this way is very realistic if I am trying to eat as those who are in extreme poverty do. My mind set is firstly those living in extreme poverty would not have a pound a day to buy food. They have a pound a day to buy everything. Therefore the variety I have managed to buy with my daily pound would be a feast for those who really live below the line. Secondly I would imagine if money is scarce, and you are not sure when you will next have the money to buy food, you would not eat a weeks worth of shopping in that week but try to make it last as long as you possibly can, just in case. I have the luxury of knowing for certain that as of next Tuesday I have £6 more to spend on food. I am so lucky, I curbed my hunger with a small snack last night, knowing that I would definitely not suffer in the future from eating a little more that day. In 5 days time I can definitely buy more food, and so that snack will not be missed next week. If you live in extreme poverty you don't always know where your next meal will come from. Making your food last is key, and so you don't really have the option of a cheeky snack to keep you going.
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