Want to find out?
Try it!
Chances are if you are reading this, you’ve got it pretty good. Do you know where your next meal is coming from? Likely you do. There are many of us who aren’t as fortunate.
On top of this, we live in a culture where there is limitless access to every kind of food on this planet. Statistics show that we waste 14% of everything we bring home to our kitchens.
Many experts say we could feed the world simply by reducing our meat consumption by just 10%.
There are many ways you can do ‘live on less’ (and no I am not suggesting you become a monk!), and fasting is just one of them. By going without and seeing how that translates into something for another in need, could just be enough to start the ball rolling.
Fasting means simply: ‘to abstain’.
You can abstain from anything! Want to quit smoking? Fast from smoking. Coffee? That extra latte you want to cut out? Go ahead – that’s the idea.
By going without you can not only do yourself a favor, but by giving what you gave up to someone less fortunate, you win twice.
I think that’s pretty great, and that is why I started this project.
Regardless of why you choose to fast, do it carefully, and remember those who have less than you. They are the ones who don’t have the choice to go without.
So go ahead and enjoy your blessings.
Less becomes more when you want it to, and there is no time like today to start the challenge!
Drop me a line to let me know what you think!
Yours in Less,
in pursuit of more 
I could not of said it any better than this, I have done the Paleo Diet…yes that was my transition into my raweness, thoughts became clear…creativity was unstoppable, my consciousness was more curious…felt the best ever on it.
Thank you for the reminder, and pressing for others to experience it!
Thank you Terri! It’s so good to finally have the right format to reach out and connect with like-minded people such as yourself – it is so encouraging to see others sharing their wisdom and their joy! I’ve been writing for 9 months but wasn’t ready to start reaching out until I really had more clarity on the vision. I truly believe ‘Living on Less’ could bring many together to help banish our ‘All or nothing’ approach to modern life. Appreciate your kind words – and thanks for being who you are and sharing your gifts! Shira xo
I love this. I really want to start challenging myself to living with less, too, starting on cutting back on all the junk and processed foods we eat. Who knows what’s next. I’d love to give up coffee one day, but that’ll be a huge feat in itself.
Coffee – that’s a tough one for sure! It’s nice to start in small chunks, and reducing little by little – harder to notice and little bits add up to one big bit over time! That’s the idea anyway….I wish you the best and I hope you will stop by again! Cheers! 🙂
I like what you are doing here because we need to care more about others than just ourselves. There are a lot of people that go hungry even in the US, and the opposite of that is that many US homes throw out perfectly good food. We seem to have lost the value of food and even possessions and think that because we have a surplus it’s okay to trash it. I support living in a more conscious way where we care about our neighbors and their well-being.
Well said! Thank you!
I try to intentionally live on less. Occasionally it isn’t achieved though. We have been decluttering and reducing the junk in our home for a few years now. I still buy things here and there but compensate by further donating. Just because you can own a lot of stuff doesn’t mean you should. I agree that fasting can be a great thing. Thanks for the inspiration!
After reading your blog I feel challenged to do more with less. Thank you for the inspiration.
Dennis
Thank you for reading, Dennis!
Shira, I love this idea. So beautiful!
In the Mormon religion, members fast one day each month. It’s called Fast Sunday. They donate the money they would have spent on the meals from that day to the church welfare services who then uses the funds to provide relief for the needy and hungry not just in the Mormon church, but all around the world. They are often the first organization to arrive at a natural or other types of disaster to provide for people in need because they have the funding to do so. Our family picks an amount of money that seems difficult to part with for the fast offering, then we double it.
Blessings come back tenfold. I am sure you are finding the same in your life.
Oh thank you Somer! What a wonderful comment!
I love to hear this – and have heard of many organizations that practice a similar discipline – I am so happy you can relate and blessings to you and all who practice such a wonderful thing – and to you and for family for doubling it! I’ve found immense joy in giving this past year – one I never found in thinking of gaining more things for myself 🙂
I am hoping that it is the right thing to do – one day I just woke up and that was it! Your thoughts have really made my day 🙂 xox! Thank you!
Thanks Shira! There is certainly more joy in giving then in receiving. It somehow makes us more whole.
Love your blog! I recently went on a 30 day green juice fast. Let me say, thankfully, I am a changed person. Yes, less is more, more freedom to not be addicted to food, but rather look forward to revitalizing my being with all the nutrients our bodies require.
Yes, I have a lot to be thankful for, least of which is being able to afford the food I eat. As we simplify, we truly become more abundant in every aspect of our lives.
I am looking forward to reading more of your posts.
Alexsondra
Amazing, what a wonderful and inspiring task to take on – I am so glad to hear it was so positive, and I admire you for that very much! Juicing is so powerful.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts – and for the follow! So happy to have you! 🙂
I love Mies Van der Rohe “Less is More” phrase and of course can be easily apply to food as well as you phrase meaning. Here’s a new follower 🙂
Happy to have you on board! You are so right 🙂 less IS more!
How is not eating helping the less fortunate? Do you donate money or something? all I am asking is how you not eating helps anyone else?
Thank you for comment! If you visit the Not So Fast page you can hopefully learn a little more about what we are working on – feel free to email me with any further questions as well! Thanks!
Thank yoy, I am interested in starting this!
Fabulous! Send me an email at shira@wearenotsofast.org if you like!
So your idea is inspiring and I love the blog. But I’m trying to figure out how this works…how does my abstaining feed someone else? I do not see a lack of food in the world, but uneven dispersement. When I do not eat meat, how does that get food to someone else’s table? I read the Not So Fast page and I’m still not understanding how my less= someone else’s more. Please enlighten me! 🙂
Hi Jessica! I am so glad you asked! We are building our website as we speak and will be ready to share soon how it can all work (in our minds anyway!) – it has been a long process but we are close….please stay tuned if you are interested in keeping up, by following me here or on Facebook (you can find Not So Fast on FB too). It is a simple idea that we hope will catch on 😉 Thank you for being in touch with me! I hope you’ll stick around 🙂
I am so thankful for your blog, because it means that you don’t HAVE to become a vegetarian or vegan, and that you don’t HAVE to follow a specific Paleo diet, if you want to be a healthy person. Your food is simple but always fabulous! Thank you for all of it!
~ nerdwithtaste.wordpress.com
Happy you enjoy and thanks for your lovely comment! I really appreciate that, and wish you a wonderful week! (LOVE your blog name, btw!) 🙂 🙂
Shira, LUV THIS. This came to my at the perfect moment…I’m undertaking an experiment of sorts inspired by the book “7” by Jen Hatmaker. Each month I’m attempting 7 steps to reduce excess and unnecessary priority in my life. I’m working on what December will look like and then my friend sent me THIS link. Check out my quest on http://www.krisdmurphy.com and stay tuned for how December will look with your great vision. Excited to let less translate to more…
Kris! Thank you so much! I’d love to follow along to see how you can run with this idea…indeed a simple but powerful concept 🙂 Do keep us posted and feel free to drop me a line if you have any thoughts or questions – I can be reached at shira@wearenotsofast.org 🙂
LOVE that you came by and thank you for your kind note and energy! XO
This is such a wonderful concept, I love your blog! This idea of moderation is such a refreshing idea, and you really seem to be doing wonderful things with it. I notice that you mentioned food waste statistics- have you heard of gleaning? It’s a very cool process/movement by which people are trying to reduce the amount of wasted food by ‘gleaning’ imperfect fruit from harvested fields. This is a cool article that talks about food waste in the US and things we can do about it- http://civileats.com/2012/12/14/left-out-how-much-of-the-fresh-produce-that-we-grow-never-makes-it-off-the-farm/#more-16229