Whether you're after tips for curing cravings, searching for fundraising ideas or just wondering what the Live Below the Line experience is like, these past participants have got you covered.
EMILY KIRSH
Known for: Doing LBL on a low FODMAP diet!
My LBL experience: I did LBL two years ago with a couple of friends and had such a good experience I thought I would do it again. It’s such a great and important cause that I really believe in.
The addition of Challenge Mode was great and I knew I could have a bit of fun with it – they’ve definitely taken my mind off the food! Along with the usual poems and Facebook videos I was challenged to wear a unicorn onesie all week and to be honest I would do it again without the challenge! It gets everyone asking questions which leads to a greater awareness and that’s generally what this campaign is about!
I also love the community on the Facebook group (Live Below the Line Connect) – it’s such a good way to get inspiration, learn from others’ mistakes and just support each other through this tough challenge! It was even harder for me as I did it on a low FODMAP diet as it was even more restricted when it came to budgeting for food, as I had to avoid pasta, bread, lentils and beans which is what everyone else seemed to be eating.
AIMEE TRUSLER
Aimee’s Live Below the Line experience included grocery shopping in her pyjamas thanks to Challenge Mode!
My LBL experience: Participating in the Live below the line challenge is one of the best things I’ve ever done! Grocery shopping in my pyjamas, 3 days without hot water, singing in public- things I would NEVER do, all for the cause. To me, the fact that so many of us were willing to go out of our comfort zone and do ~crazy~ things so that we could impact the quality of life for others is a MASSIVE victory in itself and definitely restores some faith lost in humanity. My 5 days of actually living below the line a were tough and a real wake up call! I was sad, hungry and tired of watching everyone enjoy their freedom of choice and whilst 5 days is only a small glimpse into what living in poverty is like, I was able to gain an insight and raise awareness and that is what doing this challenge is all about. Kind humans working towards the same goal and supporting each other to change the world is an AMAZING thing to be a part of.
First meal post-LBL?
My first meal after LBL was eggs and mushrooms- after realising how much food i have wasted in the past I couldn’t bring myself to splurge.
JACKSON TURNER
Jackson did LBL with 70 High School Students at Glenunga International High School!
My LBL experience:
Before starting my debut LBL experience I first prepared consent forms for over 70 secondary students at Glenunga International High School, all passionate to partake in Live Below the Line. We began LBL with a successful Term 1 casual day, all students wearing casual clothes donated $2 per person to our Glenunga International team. This initiated the momentum, which gave us a personal best record fundraising total, ranking Glenunga as the leading school in SA. I was positively thrilled to be in the midst of young people willing to forfeit their luxuries to raise awareness and funds in the hopes of one day ending poverty.
Favourite LBL Meal?
My favourite meal was on the last night of the challenge. I had been too conservative with food, so I cooked the remaining vegetables into a stir-fry, combined with leftover rice and freshly baked organic potatoes it was nourishing after so many oats with no milk.
ELVIRA LANHAM
Elvira did the challenge as a team with her husband and her parents who are 74 and 78 years old!
My LBL experience:
I first became intrigued with LBL about 8 years ago when one of the young engineers at work was talking about it. Live on $2 a day… what the hell do you eat? Fast forward through another job and a couple of kids and it came up in my Facebook feed. My husband was keen to test himself as well, so our team was formed!. This is our second LBL and we decided to test ourselves and do another 6 days afterwards “just for fun”. My parents (74 and 78) have also joined us both years (for the 5 days). Our kids get behind us when we are shopping for LBL, working out our budget and encouraging us when the “hangries” take over. Cooking them a delicious meal and watching them make cupcakes made me sad, and having a cold was also a challenge, but it's doable and it's good to get a glimpse of what you actually need, in a world that is normally so ridiculously full of choice… so while we may not know exactly how to #doinsta in the way the next generation do, old age is no barrier to succeeding at LBL!
What was the hardest thing to give up during LBL?
Giving up coffee and wine was the hardest for all of us, but the gains far outweigh the pain… you appreciate more what you have and I really enjoyed doing some of the challenges this year… so we’ll be back!
