Psst. Sam here. I’m a first-time LBL-er here to share with you how I’m planning on tackling challenge week.
At this point, I’ve been in lockdown for ages and despite feeling nervous, I’m also really looking forward to it! I’ve never really done anything like this before.
We are so close to challenge week and all that I can say is, planning is key. I sat down and calculated everything I needed to have three meals a day for five days. Buying things weeks before challenge week helps because you can score some really great discounts. I managed to snag a 5kg bag of potatoes for $2 - taters for days.
I also realise that while I won’t go hungry thanks to carbs, I won’t be able to eat nutritiously either. This truly gave me an insight into how much I would miss my normal diet that helped my body thrive. But the reality for most is that they aren’t able to have that.
LBL has also made me return to a recipe from my childhood when we rarely had food on the table. My mother would put either condensed milk or sugar on our toast as a cheap treat and it’s going to be one of the ways I’ll survive sugar cravings during challenge week.
Despite all the planning, I never expected LBL to have such a big mental strain on me. Worrying about budgeting and what we’re going to do for food for the next week is constantly in the back of my mind even as I’m doing something else.
It really hit me that because of my privilege not only is my belly never really empty but also I’m not constantly in stress and worried about my upcoming meals. This little reflection made me even more determined to see the challenge through and fundraise which I’ve been slowly doing with my team called “Let’s Get This Bread”. Although I’m new to fundraising, it’s been heartwarming to see people around me donate, especially my father who was a little skeptical about me eating on $2 a day. Plus, seeing my teammates collectively fundraise has been fun too- we get to celebrate the goals we’ve achieved collectively.
As for tips I have, don’t underestimate how much you can do. Posting about your fundraiser on social media isn’t annoying to those on your friends list, rather you might just be surprised how many people want to support you. Also, don’t plan any strenuous activities during challenge week! I’m sure I’ll be napping a whole lot.
Good luck and see you during challenge week!
Sam
