Sun, a reader, emailed with a special blog request. She is trying to lose weight, like so many of us, and was wondering the most cost effective way to do this. She's also curious to hear what has worked for other readers--Weight Watchers, diet pills, a special diet book?I for one think good ol' fashion exercise and healthy eating does the trick! However, I'm still very curious to hear any advice and tips on this topic too! My hubby, being in the Marine Corps, is very into exercise and watching what he eats, so I'm always looking for ways to save in this area!
Also, I'm thinking about starting a healthy eating serious with budget-friendly recipes, tips on fitting exercise into your day and more. If this interests any of you, then please let me know!
85 comments:
What a great idea. I have done Weight Watchers in the past and I love it. I have kind of gotten off of it since doing so much coupon shopping, so seeing some good ideas would be great. I also think good old exercise and eating well does the trick. I am currently doing P90X and it is the FUNNEST workout.
I would love that! Sometimes the healthy options aren't always the most budget friendly, so any tips in that area would be great. I find that healthy eating and regular exercise does the trick too...I try to do SOME sort of activity every day, even if it's just a short 15 minute walk. Every little bit helps!
I'm definitely interested in a series on healthy, budget-friendly eating! I've been trying to cook healthier meals for myself and my family, and it would be wonderful to save money doing it!
I also know I need to exercise regularly, but lately I just don't make myself do it.
GREAT IDEA!!!
In AZ we have a produce co-op called Bountiful Baskets (bountifulbaskets.org). Every two weeks you can go pick up a laundry basket full of fruits and veggies for $16.50! It's enough produce for a family of four for about two weeks. It's an awesome value, and I know that a lot of areas have co-ops like this, you just have to search for them, and sometimes drive a bit of a distance to participate. I've found that it's not only a great value, but having all the fresh veggies and fruit in my house inspires me to eat healthier!
A lot of diets work temporarily. My husband has struggled with his weight since junior high. We have done weight watchers, slim fast, nutri system. By the way, their portions are ridiculous. However, I found that you have to change your lifestyle if you want to keep off the weight. Eating at home, watching watch you eat. We are still working with him and I myself want to lose some weight I have accumulated staying at home with my son. SOOO, We got the diet book that emphasizes more fiber, which in return means eat more fruits, veggies, less meat, and drink lots of water. I am now buying fiber one cereal and granola bars, along with yogurt. I like the book because it shows how to change little things you are doing. If you eat cereal for breakfast, then eat the fiber one cereal that has 11-13 grams of fiber or if you like a specific cereal keep it and add raspberries , blueberries, bananas, etc. Weight watchers was similar in that the more fiber a product had in it usually meant less points. I would love to be part of some recipe sharing ideas.
I didn't know that you were a milspouse!! my husband is in the Army. Did you know that Walgreen's offers 15% mil discount on Tuesdays. YAY!
I am very interested in the healthy on a budget strand. Every time I manage my diet to be healthy and cut out easy meals or more processed foods it hits our bankbook (remember bankbooks?).
David
Personally I'm with the exercise and eat right path. I think portion control is the most important while trying to eat healthy, and by reducing your portions you are also saving money! I stock up on frozen veggies when they go on sale and also watch for produce and lean meats to go cheap, then stock up and freeze what I can. I think it is very possible to eat healthy and stay on a budget. But when I see those cookies for $.25 I have to remind myself that I need to save that quarter rather than eat cookies or donate them to the youth group at church!
I would love any help I can get.
Great Idea!!
I love your blog!
would love it! good idea!
The ONLY diet I have found to be affective is a 3-day protien intake. For three days, you eat nothing but protien. Any protien is good. Eggs, turkey bacon, anything at all except I tend to stay away from the fattier foods. Even red meat is fine if portioned correctly. After the three days you add your veggies (nothing starchy) and then after 2 weeks you add your fruits back into your diet.
Consuming protien only for those three days sends your body into ketosis. It teaches your body to use what you have stored instead of you needing to consume something for energy.
DO NOT DO IT FOR MORE THAN THREE DAYS AT A TIME! Extending the protien only part of the diet can put your body into starvation mode. So nothing longer than 3 days!
This diet works. I know from experience. After my son was born I did it and in the first week I lost over 11 lbs, and then between 1-5 lbs every week after. Now, 4 months into the diet, I've lost over 35 lbs :)
I have learned sooo much about REAL nutrition lately. I have lost 30 lbs just by eating unprocessed, whole foods. A website I love is www.greensmoothigirl.com She has so much to offer and has several youtube videos, just search smoothie girl on youtube. We are an over processed world and our kids are paying for it, along with our waistlines!
I have tried Weight Watcher's with lots of success. I would love to see a series on this. Love your blog!
Yes, you can! If you have an Aldi nearby, shop there for the best buys in fresh produce. Our (west of Indianapolis) Aldi does a great job of keeping the freshest items, some at nearly half the cost of the megasupermarket across the street! They also carry their own "Fit & Trim" lower calorie label on many products.
i think it is a wonderful idea, nowadays it is especially important to eat well and teach our children good eating habits. I have some budget friendly healthy recepies that i will send you hip.
I would LOVE more tips on eating healthy and not spending a fortune. I find that trying to eat healthy REALLY limits what coupons and sales I can take advantage of. 75% of sales & coupons are for processed foods, junk food, or unhealthy food. Even produce can still be expensive when it's on sale! When I see something healthy on sale I just about die because I'm so excited!
I absolutely hate the word "diet"... it makes me cringe. I am telling you, if you just eat healthy (think food pyramid) AND exercise, you WILL lose weight! It has to be something you can maintain for the rest of your life... diets are just short term fixes!!!
I would love it! It's funny you mentioned this, because I am going to my first Weight Watchers meeting tomorrow!! (the "baby weight" with a 15 month old just isn't cute anymore!!)
Considering my DH asked me to buy some non-processed food...I would like to see more healthy stuff! lol
You read my mind! To be honest, I had quit couponing for a while, because I am dejunking our house. The key to long lasting HEALTH, which in turns brings weigh loss, is eating healthy (and exercise of course). As in lean protiens and complex carbs. And you have to eat them together at every setting for your body to manage your glucose levels properly.
I HIGHLY recommend the Eat Clean Books!! They are life changing, and Tosca Reno addresses everything about this healthy way of life and eating, including budgets. And she is right, it can be done on a budget! I am doing this myself right now.
Collin, I would recommend reading them, there is a lot of helpful information there, as well as entire sections about how to eat and buy healthy groceries on a budget, how to be resourceful about shopping, etc.
I would LOVE to see more about this on your blog!Thank you for all that you do!!
great idea.. I know what to eat I just need new recipes. I always want to save money!!
If you've got comcast (cable isn't frugal, I know, but still...) there's exercise TV on demand-it's a great way to get in some random workouts... If you're already paying for cable might as well get all you can out of it.
I am currently buying a TON at the farm markets and stands. $1.50 a BAG for pears picked from the tree. $5 a bag for beets. I vacume seal and freeze. I often buy Amish and like that no chemicals and no fossil fuels used. I eat what I have fresh. I also stock up when a good sale happens. .99/lb of grapes this week. I make my own muffins w/ applesause not oil. I go to a Zumba, exercise class several times a week that my insurance pays for. I eat meat in very tiny amounts, more for a flavor to my soups or veggie combos. I never eat pure junk (donuts, chips, store bakery items) I figure why not just smear the cellulite straight on your hips. YUCK!
I don't diet. I just don't do it! I've tried weight watchers, but I personally felt too restricted. Instead, I began to exercise more. First, when you exercise, your body naturally craves more healthy "pure" foods because this gives you the long-lasting energy you need to continue continue your new active lifestyle. I also find it very helpful to work towards something; a 5k for instance. This is a fantastic way to get into running races because it doesn't have to be competitive, easy to train for because it is a relatively short distance (3.1 miles), and it's a great way to get more excited about exercise! When you've mastered a 5k and want to go for something harder, you can keep moving up! Go for an 8k then a 10k! You'll see your improvement, and for these longer runs, your body naturally pushes you to eat healthier. I am planning to do my first half-marathon in November!
Beyond this, don't get sucked into buying the cheapest food. GASP! I know, I'm on a money-saving blog and I'm asking you to spend more! Because of the way our country, our world, processes food, junk food is intrinsically cheaper to purchase. This is one of the main reasons for our obesity epidemic. It's simple but sad: it is cheaper to grab a bag of chips than it is to grab an apple. But think farther on down the road. I think of my eating habits now as investing in my future; though at times I may spend a little bit more on food now, this will ultimately come back to me in the future in the form of lower health insurance. I think of all the pills and bills I may save on by keeping healthy now. Same with when I have kids. Instilling in them at a young age an appreciation for clean, healthy food is something that will stay with them for life.
You can also save money by making your own food. It is much cheaper, for example, to purchase the fixin's for a salad than it is to purchase one at a restaurant where they generally load on the dressing anyway! Sorry I could talk all day on this topic! I've spent a lot of time researching and learning about just this topic! if you have any questions, feel free to email me katie.flehmer@gmail.com
Well, I have just gotten the Flat Belly Diet Book in the mail a few days ago. This book is awesome. It has a 4 week plan of recipes, a four week plan of quick and easy meals, and a four week journal. It also has the flat belly diet workout. It says you can lose up to 15 lbs. in 32 days. There are sites where you can preview this book for 21 days with no obligation. So, what do you have to lose? I ordered it for the preview period and, didn't have to pay one cent to have this book mailed to my house. It took less than a week to arrive. They state that if you do decide to buy this book after the preview period and, are not completely satisfied that you can return it and, get a full refund no matter how long you have the book. This book is from the wonderful people at Prevention Magazine. I have always struggled with my weight. After my last child was born, I couldn't lose the baby weight. She is 2 now, and I still have the baby weight on. The only reason I got this book was because it's from a trusted company. They also have the Flat belly diet plan online. I hope this helps anyone! http://flatbellydiet.prevention.com/default.asp?sname=DefaultOffer&mktSSOfferId=FBD24716&mktBKOfferId=PVN24251
I live on weight watchers. You can eat your own food...so it is cheaper than programs like Jenny Craig and so on.
I think losing weight in the end means eating less and more healthy. But most of us gain weight be eating too much. I notice my food bill go down when I am sticking to Weight Watchers. I eat smaller portions...and thus the food lasts longer.
Just my thought.
Leslie
This is a problem...when I started serious couponing I found my pantry full of Pringles, Cheez-its, and Fudge Stripe cookies. Becuase I got them really cheap or free - I bought them. They call my name about 10 pm each night!
I would love to have more info on how to eat a healthy lifestyle. I lost about 35 pounds over 1 1/2 years ago and have not been able to lose that addtional 20. I am kicking up my fitness rountine. I agree with your other readers that it can be expensive to buy fresh and healthy. The main grocery store in my rural town is a Walmart. Thier produce is awful. They closed our farmers market, and my garden did not so so well this year! So any futher motivation you can offer would be appreciated. Also any toddler friendly foods would be great!
would love it!
That's a great idea. I love the couponing and saving on so many things but as DH reminds me so much, alot of my deals are not all that healthy :(
love the idea!! Please do it!
I would love to hear about healthy/budget dinner ideas. I want to know what a good price on different kinds of produce is. I want to know what the cheapest, healthiest things to eat are. I know carrots, bananas, and beans are all cheap and healthy... but what else?
My suggestions for being healthier on a budget: try not to keep junk food/sugar cereal in your house even if it is free. just because it is a good deal doesn't mean you should get it.
stop going out to eat except for special occasions (birthday, annivesary). you will save money and hidden calories.
don't feed it to your kids if you wouldn't eat it and vice versa.
make freezer meals so that when you are tempted to buy pizza, you can stick a healthy meal in the oven instead
Would love to hear about healthy shopping and cooking. I also live in a rural commu nity. I lost weight from exercising with Fittv and eating healthy 5 times a day. I cut back on sweets and fried foods. It works and I have felt better and been a ton healthier.
OUNDS GREAT TO ME!!!
It's hard for me to resist some of these FREE food offers because it's sugar but i do. I pass them up even if they're free. Don't want the stuff in the house but i find it's the unhealthy things we are able to get super cheap or free...
Where's the stuff not full of sugar and refined carbs...?
This sounds like a fantastic idea. Eating healthy on a budget can sometimes be hard. I have to eat a low sodium, low fat diet and it is hard to come up with a meal that is satisfying. Any suggestions for that type of meal would really interest me.
Thank you for everything you do. I check your site several times a day to keep up with all the goodies.
My doctor recommended the South Beach Diet. She told me many of her patients had good luck losing and keeping the weight off, so I went to a used bookstore and bought a copy of the book for 75cents. I lost 12 lbs in Phase 1 (first two weeks of diet) and I was NOT hungry. As a matter of fact you are supposed to eat three meals a day plus a midmorning and midafternoon snack as well as dessert in the evening, I felt like I was eating all the time and the weight started coming off. Now for the saving money part--I did not follow the diet exactly. I liked the egg white omelets w/canadian bacon so I eat that every day buying reduced organic eggs at Kroger, Oscar Meyer fully cooked Canadian Bacon on sale, and whatever organic peppers, onions, basil, etc are reduced in the produce section. I stocked up on Kraft snackables 2% String Cheese w/Kraft coupons and sale, and lightly salted roasted almonds at Walgreens w/20% off store brand coupon combined with the 2/$4 sale. (By the way the almonds & string cheese are good snacks for the movies where I would usually have buttered popcorn and pay dearly for it too). Lunches are usually salads because its what I like, grilled chicken breasts or tenderloins (I grill a lot at one time, whatever was on special, and store in the fridge for the week, just pulling out what I need for each salad) I put black olives (sale at Wags plus coupons-stocked up), some of the same organic vegs I use for the omelets, homemade olive oil balsamic basil dressing and chopped almonds on the salads. I also substitute salmon or shrimp on the salads if they have a good sale. Finally dinner is usually a serving of fish, chicken or sirloin (best price) with steamed vegs (frozen on sale w/coups) and another salad. Dessert is always Hunt's snack pack sugar free jello (w/coupons), but just because I don't like the ricotta cremes recipes from the diet book. I'm also walking a mile and a half every evening. So that's my version of Eating Healthy on a Budget, good luck to everyone that's trying :)
i am very interested
Yes, please include some blog posts about buying/eating healthy! I became a vegetarian this past Feb. for health reasons and ethical reasons and since then I've lost 20 pounds. (!!!!!) I do couponing for drug store purchases and some food purchases, but I think my health is worth paying a little more for, so I also shop at Trader Joe's and the organic section of Shaw's. I find that you can still be mindful of cost while shopping for good, whole foods. And when I buy meat or cheese, or junk or processed foods for my husband to eat (he loves that stuff), I definitely use coupons -- why pay for that kind of stuff?!
I would definitely be interested. I'm always trying to figure out how to eat healthy without breaking the bank. And any reminder to exercise would be great.
I'm very interested. Although I think most everyone KNOWS that excercise and eating well is the way to go sometimes we need ALL the help we can get on being on track. It's so hard esp. when you get fattening stuff free - it's hard to pass it up.
Fabulous!! This is exactly what I do! My husband and I are both on diets and trying to eat healthy. We firmly believe the best way is just eating healthy the majority of the time and exercise. I have learned alot of ways to budget on a diet though, since we can't afford to spend alot of money.
Sam's has been the best thing in helping us for this. Their frozen fish is great, healthy and inexpensive. Also, their fruit is great and much cheaper to keep around as snacks. Beans are a filling protein that are inexpensive. Another helpful tool is watching the Publix BOGO sales. I love shopping at Publix because I can consistantly get healthy snacks for half the price; you just have to watch the ad every week. Frozen vegetables are cheaper than fresh and they have the same or sometimes even better nutritional value than fresh since they are flash frozen at their peak. I could go on and on... :)
awesome topic...since being unemployed the past few months, i've put on a few pounds...my sister and one of her friends decided to start walking 3 miles, 4days a week...they asked if i wanted to join...we've been walking as a group for 2 weeks, i bring my 2 year old in the stroller and it's awesome, i have found that now that im walking, i'm starting to eat better/healthier...
...so my advice is to try and start an exercise group, once you are working out, maybe you will be more tempted to eat healthy, and remember all foods are okay in moderation, eating 1 chocolate bar/piece a week won't hurt you, its when you binge eat them....
It would be great as long as it doesn't take away from the coupons or become overwhelming for you to keep up with doing both.
Thanks for all you do!
When my hubby deployed last november,it was time to lose that baby weight! I cut back to 1500 calories a day andkept track with a food log (that included any condiments), cut out the junk (candy, ice cream, fast food,ect), drank flavored water instead of sweet tea (boo!) got on the eliptical 30 minutes a day (cardio) and then had my own rutine of body toning that I did (crunches, sit ups, side squats, squats) I ended up losing 25 pounds in about 3 or 4 months. I have kept it all off, just by working out a few days a week (mixing cardio in is a must!) and watching what I eat. I think if you watch what you eat, and work out, this is going to not be a diet, but a way of life that will help keep this weight off for good!!!! good luck to everyone!
I really need to start doing that. Count me in!
I echo others who would like to learn more about budget-friendly organic eating! When I was first introduced to this site, I went to the store armed with coupons and saved 58% on my grocery bill. I was bursting with pride! But, then my husband looked in the cupboards and said, "Who DID this shopping?" because the shelves were full of chips, processed foods, even sugar-filled cereals that I would normally never buy. I told him that I had bought everything based upon what was on sale. Bad move for our family's health. Since then, I've been coupon-clipping more judiciously, which means I only use the healthful ones but there aren't that many coupons for organic apples or fresh corn on the cob. I would love to hear more about how to save on whole, healthful foods.
LEAN CUISINE!!! I lost 25 lbs. They have a variety of meals, very tasty. Cereal for breakfast, LC for lunch, 100 cal snack for snack and LC for dinner. EASY!
I have lost 23 lbs in 3 1/2 months - thanks to good old diet & exercise. Eat in season - watch for coupons & deals, and learn to cook your favorite meals in a more healthful way. I use the Spark people website (it's free!) to track my calories and progress and apparently it's working for me! I also take any opportunity to get extra exercise in - no kids with you at the store? Park farther away. I get up earlier than my family and do 1/2 hour on my elliptical (while I watch tv) then hit the shower, I'm done with my workout, showered and dressed most days before the kids are even up so it's done and out of the way (no excuses that way)!
I've been trying to loose 10 lbs for years. Some time in July, I gave up meat & cut way back on coffee. I'm eating more fruit, veggies & lots of high fiber food. I'm saving a bit of money by not purchasing meat and I've lost 6 lbs. It's been the easiest and most consistent weight loss I've experienced.
The first thing to do is STOP buying those pre-package junk meals so called healthy they are NOT.
I think the best diet is using common sense!! Moderate exercise, portion control, and avoiding too much fat and too many calories seems to work best for me! I also try to eat "whole foods", meaning if I look at a food and I can't identify where it came from, I probably won't eat it!
When I used to live in Brooklyn, NY, I found two FABULOUS produce stores, 3 Guys and Circus. I would literally leave Circus with 3 huge, heavy bags of produce for $6.00! That's right- it's possible to live in NYC, save, and eat healthy!
My husband and I started our (lifestyle) change back in April.. he lost 80 pounds and went from a 3x shirt and 44-46 pant to wearing a xl shirt and 36 pant, and I lost 53 pounds.. what we did was added alot more veggies (none starchy not corn, lima beans, potatos ect) but green veggies and cut out white foods like bread, and pasta.. we drink alot of water now but we use the flavor packs to switch it up... when we shop we park far away and walk just to burn a few extra calories... we also cut out pork because it was to fatty... instead of ground beef we use ground turkey which farm fresh here will put on sale alot for B1G1 free.. when we got out to eat we get a to go box as soon as we order and when our food comes we put half in the box so as not to over eat... the only extra excercise we do is we walk once a week but it's a 5 mile (hour and a half) walk but you can break that up... At home we use smaller plates and alot of healthy food alternative websites like Amy's food will send you coupons if you just ask for them... :-) good luck and email me if you have any questions Im happy to help
Amy
obxAmy@msn.com
I would love it! My biggest dilemma is always healthy eating vs. cheap eating. I love to buy organic and shop at Whole Foods, but my budget forces me to do more shopping at Walmart and other similar places. Having a little guidance would be a huge help!
Check out www.sparkpeople.com. It's a MySpace/Facebook-type web-site that allows you to create a profile, track food and exercise, and has TONS of articles,recipes, and helpful info. The best part? It's free to join! Check it out!
As a mom who had a baby 6 weeks ago, I AM VERY INTERESTED!!! I started exercising again, but this is baby #3... I think it's going to be a long road!
Yes, yes, yes, please do it!
I'm in! I've done First Place--which is a Christ centered weight loss program--essentially weight watchers--with success. i would love to hear how someone else is doing it.
My girlfriend was diagnosed as prediabetic and borderline hypertensive. We knew that a lof of changes were in the future. In 3 months I have lost 17 lbs and she has lost 12. This is where being frugal and on a budget help us. We coupon for household items and healthy food only. What I save on non-edible products affords us more to spend on healthy foods.
Also, we cut out milk, red meat, processed flour/sugar and high fructose corn syrup.
By using recipes from tammysrecipes.com I am making all whole wheat breads, pizza, cookies, etc.
To date our scedules do not afford us time to workout. She works 50+ hours a week and I am a full time nursing student. So diet modification and portion control are our sole means of losing weight.
You go girl! As a mom of two kids I have learned more about the perils of processed foods and additives. High fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners cause so much more harm in our bodies than you could possibly imagine! You are what you eat! My son has ADHD and my daughter is a Type 1 Diabetic, so I need to be extra careful. We would all be healthier if we could forego the additives and focus on whole nutrition.
Would love to hear/learn about it. Thanks for all your hard work! I LOVE your blog!!!!!
What a great idea. Please add vegetarian/vegan meals too.
I am cutting back on the coupon shopping since so much is processed with lots of sugar, fat, and salt, not to mention all of the other things. I only get items if they are free and then donate them.
I think the healthy eating thing is a great idea. I was wondering if you can do more posts on organic products and grass fed meats. I really trying to be more healthy by only trying to eat organic produce because then I know they are pesticide free (the amount of pesticide they put on crops is astounding). And eating grass fed or pasture fed meats is a lot healthier because the meat is leaner and there are no hormones fed to the animal. I have currently been trying to change my lifestyle by eating healthier and being more green.If you can posts about being green and helping the environment would be great especially since I think health and environment goes hand in hand. Thanks.
Basic food portion/calorie control and exercise is the only thing that is scientifically proven to work. Walking works for most people, I prefer my indoor exercise bike due to asthma.
Lynne
Does anyone think that the commercials and ads for high fructose corn syrup is ridiculous?
They say that high fructose corn syrup has the same calories as sugar and is safe in moderation and etc... but what they fail to mention is that almost every single processed food has HFCS and such high levels of it that you will always eat too much of it unless you cook from scratch and eat all fresh produce and meat.
They also fail to mention all the medical problems linked to consuming too much HFCS.
Yes, there is no long term study that has been done to show that HFCS is really, really bad for you but I think it is better to be cautious then sorry. And look what happened for ephedra, it was legal for so many years and so many people got sick from using it before the gov. pulled it off the shelves.
I think your strategy's are already awesome, but adding a component of savings and recipes for us trying to be health conscious would be AAAHH-MAZING! =]
Would love this! Just wanted to give my shout out for WW. I have been following it for a year and have lost 75 lbs. I would highly encourage this program to anyone wanting to make a lifestyle change and not just do a fad diet.
Marsha
There is a free website that I love to use it is not a diet it is about a lifestyle change and doing things the right way.
They have where you can track your food and exercise, set the plan for you and millions upon millions of recipes. I cut down on expenses by doing a lot of crockpoting and one pot meals. I try to get low sodium and low fat versions of everything (sour cream, cottage cheese, bacon etc stuff we have been buying with coupons). For a lot of organic natural things go to the website Food Taste Good, Garden of eating etc. I find that I don't have too much problem eating healty while using coupons. Although we do get some quick meal processed stuff, my husband can eat that! LOL I also sell some health products so I'm sure to take lots of vitamins and supplements.
I think this would be a fantastic addition to your bolg. I love reading about tips for weight loss and especially how to do it cheaper. Thanks
Regarding the HFCS post...
Yes it is ridiculous!
HFCS is manufactured and we are not able to break this down in our bodies.
Whatever happened to pure sugar?
And, studies have shown that artificial sweeteners have the opposite effect on weight loss...we gain instead.
Please, please spread the word about healthier choices!
I would absolutely love this added to your Blog Hip. I have lost 12 pounds in a month and half watching what I eat and using Stephanie Huckabee's Powerfit. I love her DVD's because you get a set of 5 Dvd's that workout every part of your body. They are only 20 minutes long, perfect for a busy working mom of a 2 year old & 15 year old. These DVD's are the bomb, and they were $19 plus shipping.
I think that is a WONDERFUL idea!!!
GREAT idea!
As a registered dietitian but also a budget focused mom, I really understand the struggle! I love the comment that one reader made that even if she can get cookies for 25 cents she may need to say "no" to herself. I LOVE sweets and have a hard time with self control. I have found that I often have to pass up the sweets even if I can get them for free (although we do get treats occasionally). This is a hard issue because "healthy" is defined differently by everyone. Some feel that organic defines healthy for them but a diabetic may define "healthy" in a completely different way. I strongly feel that research supports the following as a healthy diet for all (regardless of how else they define it): 1. fish at least twice per week (we do a lot of tuna and only buy when on sale) 2. fruit and veggies ar least five times daily (we shop at Aldi, buy what is in season and eat a lot of apples/oranges/bananas) 3. Limit added sugars 4. Eat at least 48gm of whole grains (again Aldi and only shopping with sales + coupons). That to say we are still balancing this! :)
One more comment...I use www.calorieking.com a ton with my patients. It's free to look up the nutritional facts about foods (including lots of info on resturant foods) and it is run by a registered dietitian. :)
Dana
drstrohmaier@gmail.com
I've been following what I call the Physics diet for the past year and have lost almost 80 pounds. The physics diet is burn more calories than you eat. The biggest key for me has been picking a calorie level (I did a Resting Metabolic Rate test at a local gym to find out the number of calories my body uses each day, and subtracted about 200 from the number) and being meticulous about recording everything in a journal.
I weigh everything I eat (even an apple) as that is the most accurate way to determine actual calories (if I make a recipe, I weigh the whole thing, take out the portion I’m going to eat, weight that, calculate the total calories of the recipe and divide out how many I’m eating).
I also avoid processed foods. If it has unpronounceable ingredients or a long list, I skip it (read In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan – or go see Food, Inc – not showing yet where I live, but I understand it’s similar in concept). I also try to exercise 4-5 days a week.
Tips to save money:
1) Grow vegetables. Use your yard, planters, pots, whatever. Stuff grows inside all winter if you have a sunny spot. If you’re energetic, and have an outside garden, make cold frames. I was eating fresh spinach from my garden in central Illinois in January (-5 degrees) last year. Eat, freeze or can everything you grow.
2) Sign up for a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) – you get a weekly “box” of produce based on whatever the local farmer is harvesting at the time. Some are summer only, and some go year round. Most are organic or at least natural. Many offer eggs and “happy” meat as well. Find a CSA here: http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
3) Bake your own bread. It’s super easy and quick! Start here: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/Artisan-Bread-In-Five-Minutes-A-Day.aspx -- it tastes SO much better than anything you can buy at the store. Oh, and buy yeast in bulk, not in the little packets. Yeast will be your biggest expense.
Low-carb all the way for me. But everyone's different and everyone needs to find what weight-loss then weigh-maintenance way of eating (WOE) works for them :) I find low-carbing also means I tend to eat healthier - lots of salads, eggs, chicken breasts, tuna and salmon, broccoli, asparagus, greens in general, berries, nuts. All good stuff and low-carb.
love the idea! read "the end of overeating"- fabulous book, not a diet, but great, great info about why we eat the way we eat and how we can overcome habits of eating poorly.
I am a fan of weight watchers personally! it is worth the money. Go to the meetings though it will make you feel more accountable than just doing it onlice
Someone already mentioned it, but I love sparkpeople.com. It's free! You get a variety of support groups, diet plans, a calorie counter, a nutritional content checker for tons of food, exercise plans, exercise demonstrations, recipes, health related articles and motivating points for doing things like reading health articles. Just seeing all of the people that have lost over 40 pounds because of the web site is motivating enough. Did I mention that it's all free?
That would be great. It is hard sometimes to find good deals on healthy food. I would be very interested in this section if you decide to include it. Thank you for you blog. It has been so much fun. I am new to couponing and your blog is such a huge help.
YES! And using the least processed ingredients is what I would love to see too!
And to the girl doing P90X -- you go girl! I did that earlier this year and you WILL see a difference!! It takes a lot of time to do, but you will look hot! :-)
I also work out everyday. Remember -- you need 21 days, doing something consistently (like exercising EVERY day), before it becomes a habit. I can't imagine not working out now! The only day I don't now is Sundays, and that is because I am active doing something else that day (like cleaning!)
That would be awesome!
Weight Watchers is a great program. They basically teach you to exercise routinely, make healthy food choices, and to use portion control.
If you are a low income family, -my husband and i are both in school-, the YMCA offers financial aid. I do not enjoy working out, but rather just had a very active lifestyle untill i moved to the states and had kids. For some reason most places i've lived in the u.s. it is very hard to get anywhere with out a car. The Y has a great childrens care proram that is included, i can swim and not worry about the kids and actually get real excersise and not just wade arround the pool while i watch them.
Please, Please, Please!!!!! This was on my list as a weekend project. Eating healthy is not always nice on the pocketbook. If this could be in a blog format that would be excellent!!!
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