By NICOLE WILLIAMS
LEAFY greens were pushed to the back of the fridge last week for personal trainer Jade Hough.
She took on the Live Below the Line challenge to eat on $2 a day for five days and raise funds and awareness for people living in extreme poverty.
The 33-year-old said it gave her an insight into how people eat in poverty.
“It was tough,” she said.
“We were living off oats, white bread and pasta.”
Jade partnered with friends Shelley Pitman and Sinead Flanigan and the trio pooled their money to $30 for the week but the weekly shop was still a challenge.
“It was a matter of getting the cheapest things you could find to keep the energy up,” she said.
“I went to the shops and compared prices to try and find cheapest things and what was on special.”
The trio lived off lots of carbohydrates, eggs and minimal fruit and vegetables.
As a personal trainer, Jade usually has a diet filled with healthy food and she found herself craving vegetables and steak.
“I think my stomach shrunk a bit over the five days,” she said.
“I was definitely not eating as much as I normally would and I am fairly active with work and exercise so I was concerned I wouldn’t have as much energy.”
Jade felt lethargic toward the end of each day and lost over three kilograms during the week.
“I am fairly fit and not a big person so that weight loss is ridiculous,” she said.
But Jade said she would sign up for the challenge again.
The money raised is used to provide education to children who otherwise would go without in Papua New Guinea and Cambodia.
For more information about Live Below the Line visit www.livebelowtheline.com.au.
