Back by popular request

A cucumber should be well sliced, and dressed with pepper and vinegar, and then thrown out, as good for nothing.
Dr Samuel Johnson

Week 3

This is getting boring - and it's only week 3! I've lost another 2lbs - which again is less than I hoped. I have, however, tightened up on the diet in the last couple of days. I realised I was picking and choosing the bits of the rules I liked - a high daily calorie intake, plus being allowed to eat the calories I "earn" in exercise, wasn't working. So I've reduced my basic calorie allowance to about 1500 calories and anything I eat over that I have to work for.

I do hope though, what with walking 15 miles more than usual and cycling 7 or 8, that perhaps I'm replacing fat with heavier but denser muscle. I don't think I'll be starring in any circus troupes as Elvira, the Muscle Lady, any time soon though...

Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not!
Anon

Recipe request

OK - I know I said I don't cook, but I'm keen to stimulate my tastebuds as part of this diet. I don't want to exist on "diet food" which is not only divorced from calories and fat but also from all flavour. I remember having an amazing black-eyed bean curry in a restaurant many years ago - full of earthy flavour and comforting on a cold day like today. Can anyone provide me with a good recipe for such a dish?

And here is (perhaps) the start of a series of appropriate quotations sought out to entertain or inspire you, my reader:

She fitted into my biggest armchair as if it had been built round her by someone who knew they were wearing armchairs tight about the hips that season
P.G. Wodehouse

Now there's a thought...

The things I do for you

Major challenge today - my first meal out on this diet. I went to the Wallace Collection this morning - a lovely collection of works of art hidden behind Oxford Street. (My favourite painting, curiously enough, was on the subject of food - but all healthy stuff.)

I then had lunch in the Café Bagatelle in the glazed courtyard of the museum, where I was challenged by a delicious sounding menu. Oooh the sea bass sounded delicious - but the butter-ridden cherry tomato tarte tatin which accompanied it was a no no. Then there was stuffed chicken - its potato dauphinoise ruled that one out - cream, cream and more cream. The pasta had walnuts with it - urgh. The chorizo and crab risotto could have been a safe bet - but could also have been calories on legs. You'd have been proud of me though. I spotted a starter which could also be served as a main course. Sounded promising - gravadlax with a fennel, orange and mint salad. So I ordered it. And although presenting an interesting combination of flavours, it certainly failed to score high on calories - being 90% fennel and offering just 3 strips of salmon! My did I feel deprived...

Needless to say, I had a second lunch on my way home. I can, however, report that I've stuck to my calories today - I have a whole 22 left. And I'm going to go to bed now, before I succumb to the urge to raid the food cupboard.

Week 2

This week's weight loss - 2 lbs. I should be happy because this is what I'm aiming for on a weekly basis. But I'm not. Because I do what they say you shouldn't do and weigh myself every day. And I'd lost more than that 2 days ago. Grrr....! But weight fluctuates for all sorts of reasons, so I'll grin and bear it. I think.

It's certainly more of a Celebrity Fit Club than a You Are What You Eat sort of moment as I'm yet to experience a significant increase in energy and zest. But I'm sure that's on its way...



And in case you missed it, here's a handbag of women vicars on why they want to make poverty history. Do you suppose they haven't noticed that the Vicar of Dibley is a tiny bit fictional?

ActionAid

Warning - serious post follows. For those of an unfailingly humourous disposition, please look away now...


Many of you will already know of the wonderful work carried out by ActionAid, but I thought I'd explain why it's the charity I've chosen to support.

I first came across ActionAid when I was about 8. My parents committed to sponsor a little boy in Kenya - named Chelimo - who was of a similar age to me. ActionAid had decided to personalise charitable support, encouraging people to commit to providing a steady stream of funding over a number of years by identifying the child who would benefit from that commitment.

Chelimo sent me letters illustrated with pictures of mud huts and elephants. I, no doubt, sent ones bedecked with cats and ballet shoes. I think we carried on the sponsorship until he was about 13 or 14 - he went out to work from that age on. I have no knowledge of what happened to him after that, but I am sure that the access to education, clean water and healthcare, provided to him and his fellow villagers by ActionAid, gave him a better start in life than he might otherwise have expected. Certainly, the contact I had with someone living in such different circumstances from myself helped broaden my perspective on life.

When I was about 10, ActionAid set up a children's branch to build upon the contacts already being made between children who were being sponsored and the children of their sponsors. I was an early member of this branch which resulted in a trip to Broadcasting House for an interview on BBC radio to extol its merits. Unfortunately for posterity the interview was never broadcast and so is unlikely to exist in the archives. As I recall it went something like:

Jeremy Paxman (or suchlike): So why has ActionAid set up this branch for children?
Ruth: Er...
Jeremy: And what made you join?
Ruth: Er...
Jeremy: What would you say to other children listening to help them understand what makes ActionAid such an important organisation?
Ruth: Um...

I really can't imagine why they cut it...

I've spent the intervening years being relatively parsimonious with charitable donations, looking out for my own needs first of all. But recently I've come back to ActionAid and recognised how vital its work is with some of the poorest people in the world. I am now sponsoring a 4-year-old boy in Nigeria and I feel privileged to be able to help even in such a small way.

If you don't want to sponsor me - perhaps your principles prevent you from funding deliberate deprivation! - please consider funding a child through ActionAid instead. Take a look at the details - it costs just 50p a day to change a life.

ActionAid is working in over 40 countries, including India, the Andamans, the Maldives, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Thailand - it will be helping children made destitute by the Tsunami Disaster as part of the sponsorship programme. See here for some of the other work they are doing for the victims of this most recent horror.

Alternatively, for a shorter term commitment, take a look at ActionAid's LottoAid. For £1 a week you have the chance of winning a lump sum of up to c.£1,300 while benefiting charity. Can't be bad (and I bet the odds are much much better than with that other lottery)!

Week 1

Well, seven days have passed and I've eaten 11,626 calories (averaging 1,660 each day). I've gone from having about 10 portions of fruit and vegetables a week to munching on over 60. I've walked 11 miles and cycled 7 miles over and above what I would have covered prior to the New Year. And, I've had no alcohol!!

As a result - holy moly - I've lost 7 lbs - yes, 7 lbs! Woo hoo!!!

So you better start putting those pennies to one side 'cos I'll be coming to collect them pretty soon! Thanks for the support you've all offered me during this first week. It's really made a difference.

And here, especially for Adrian, is my current graph of lbs lost/£s gained. A long way to go...

Conundrum

While we are waiting (weighting?) in eager anticipation for the weigh-in on Thursday, I wonder if anyone can resolve something which has puzzled me for some time. Does one weigh more having breathed in - or less? Air has a weight, but does it add buoyancy to someone standing on the scales - or just increase the reading? Answers by Thursday morning please, so I know whether to breathe in or out...

By popular demand

I see my public is demanding an update - all one of her. And so, despite my promise not to go all Bridget Jones, we have:

• Friday - 1465 calories, walked 2 miles to work, v.good
• Saturday - tough day, v.many attacks of munchies, 1842 calories, partially offset by 3 miles on the exercise bike after supper because of guilt...
• Sunday - v.good so far, little hunger, brisk walk through Kew Gardens from Kew Bridge to Richmond has resulted in even rosier cheeks than usual.

For ye of little faith

A number of you have asked for proof that I weigh the amount that I stated earlier (and which is now unmentionable). So for you doubters here it is...



I took the photo at my first weigh-in on Thursday morning in response to the demands of one of my dearly beloved sponsors. I'm afraid you will have to take my word for it that I didn't have a cat under either arm and a knapsack full of potatoes on my back. And if I'd known this photo would be subject to such exposure I would have painted my toenails...

In response to other queries, the pledge total is now running at a massive £2,212 and yes, I have already lost some weight, but you'll have to wait until the weekly weigh-in on Thursday morning to find out how much...

First day

Well that feels better. One day down - only 352 to go... For those of you bothered by the prospect of me existing on lettuce leaves, a few facts and figures. Please don't worry - I don't intend this to turn into a Bridget Jones type inventory on a daily basis. This is just to give you an idea.

Yesterday I ate 1583 calories. I'm aiming to eat between 1500 and 1750 each day. That's the recommended amount for someone with more than 3 stone to lose. My 1583 calories consisted of:

• Mesa Sunrise cereal with blueberries and soya milk


• Chicken and mushroom risotto and peas


• Chicken in tomato sauce, basil mash, brussels sprouts


• Strawberries


• 2 sea vegetable rice cakes (yes Faith!)


• Strawberry cereal bar


• Broccoli and cauliflower slim a soup

It's only with writing it down that I realise I had chicken twice! Easily done as most diet meals are based on it as it's low fat. I will try and introduce more variety immediately. I should mention that I'm a ready meal queen - "can cook won't cook" is my motto.

I haven't started walking to work yet but my beady-eyed colleagues won't be letting me get away with that for long. I did establish a baseline yesterday by wearing a pedometer. My normal daily activity amounts to c.8,335 paces. So now I've got to increase that bit by bit. I did however manage a fairly pitiful 2 miles on the exercise bike last night. A small effort - but mine own.

Anyway, that's the end of the report to my investors.

Onwards and Up/Downwards

The pledges are going up and my weight is going down! I'm sure I've lost a couple of ounces since this morning... Just wanted to announce that 20 extremely generous people have now pledged between them

£2,038

towards my crusade! That's just fabulous - far, far more than I expected.

And thanks to Billy and e for pointing people towards my site. Every bit helps.

D Day

Right. This is it. The moment of humiliation. The moment I admit to weighing as much as two (slender) well-nourished women, never mind how many times more than a person living in extreme poverty.

A well-built friend of mine was horrified when he heard I was going to post my weight on the internet. "For a fat person, that's like publishing a photograph of your genitals!", he gasped. Well, perhaps for him... But it's just a number, isn't it? So I'm going to say it very quickly and I'm going to say it only once - 18 stone exactly - because it's going down from now on, with the help of your generous support.

And - as promised - here's a photo of me now. In all my glory...

Wow!

I'm reeling from today. I knew that I knew masses of generous people, but I certainly didn't expect the level of commitment you've made to my endeavour. I'm thrilled to announce that, as of now I have received pledges of

£1,522

Obviously this depends upon me achieving my goal, but I can't think of a greater incentive. This money will make a great deal of difference to many lives - and mine will be one of those.

Thank you.

Now what?

The diet starts tomorrow - 6 January. I shall post my starting weight tomorrow morning (and a "before" photo as soon as I work out how to do so). I think I owe this information to those of you who are prepared to pay out - despite the embarrassment involved! I shall be counting calories using the Weight Loss Resources site and shall also increase my exercise - walking and using an exercise bike. I expect to lose the first stone in a few weeks but thereafter anticipate losing half a stone each month - a safe rate of weight loss. Wish me luck!

How to sponsor me

There are two aspects to sponsoring me over the coming months - pledges and payments.

Pledges: Your pledges will be invaluable to me as they will give me the willpower to commit to this diet. Please pledge an amount either per pound or per stone. You can make your pledge in the comments boxes on this site (see the link at the bottom of each post) - please leave your email address so I can alert you as each stone is lost. Alternatively, if you wish to remain anonymous to all but me, please email me at poundsforpoverty at gmail.com (replacing the "at" with the @ sign).

Payments: If you are agreeable, please make a payment each time I lose a stone. This will keep the pressure on me, ensure ActionAid receives contributions throughout the year and will spread your payments to lessen the impact on your purse. If you would prefer, you can of course make just one payment - once I've lost all 6 stone.

The easiest way to donate by credit or debit card is to use the link to Pay your Pledge in the sidebar of this page. Your donation can be anonymous or named. This online service makes it easy for charities to reclaim the tax that has been paid on donations by UK tax payers - just tick the box for UK Gift Aid if you are eligible and 28% will be added to your donation. Nice to know the UK Government will also be contributing to this appeal!

Alternatively, you can hand cash or a cheque over to me if you see me regularly, or send a cheque straight to ActionAid. See their donation page for details. If you do send a cheque, please let me know, so that I can keep track of donations.

If you need any help making sure your donation gets to ActionAid, please let me know.

Reason for being

Hello and welcome to my new blog.

This site has two simple purposes - one is to remind my friends, colleagues and relatives that the immense generosity they have already displayed in reaction to the Tsunami Disaster is only a starting point.

Not only will the victims of this terrible event need our help for many years to come, but there are also many hundreds of thousands of people across the world who already exist in states of extreme poverty. Long before Boxing Day, 2005 had already been identified as the year in which we must Make Poverty History.

The events of 26 December have added to the already huge number of people living in desperate need. In the meantime, others of us are living in relative luxury - and many, including myself, have increasingly taken this for granted. The widespread media coverage of such a dreadful event has jolted many of us back to real recognition of the state of humankind and its vulnerability.

This blog post by Dan is a stark reminder of the dramatic split between rich and poor. And this link (courtesy of Billy) also brings home what we already know - most of us who are in a position to be sitting in comfort at a computer are just so lucky!

The second purpose of this blog is far, far more prosaic! I desperately need to lose some weight - and I'm always rubbish at doing so, it comes off and then it goes on. So I'm going to put myself in the spotlight this year and do it not just for myself, but also for charity. I hope that your support will not only boost my willpower by a factor of several thousand but that, in offering that support, you will also contribute to ActionAid and its valuable work throughout the world.

I'm therefore asking each of you to sponsor me - either with an amount for each pound I lose or for each stone (14 pounds). My aim is to lose 6 stone (84 pounds) by the anniversary of the Tsunami Disaster on 26 December 2005. For those of you who can afford to, I urge you to sponsor me with a pound per pound. The more you pledge the more impossible you'll make it for me to fail! But any amount would be brilliant - perhaps £5 a stone, or 10p a pound. Please just give what you can. What you do give can be spread out across the next 12 months and so many of you will hardly notice it.

There is a fear that the public will forget about the victims of the Tsunami Disaster once the media spotlight is directed elsewhere. Another concern is that the huge public generosity demonstrated over the last few days will divert charitable donations from other, equally necessary, causes. By sticking with me for the next 12 months, you will help push this broad-ranging charitable commitment from the short into the medium term.

I don't intend to post often - a blog about someone's slimming efforts is unlikely to draw in the crowds. But I will, at least, post once a month to update you on my progress.