Dieting on a budget???? HOW!

[luddybell]

Well I've finally come to terms with my weight and have decided that its time I did something about it... does anyone know how to successfully diet on a budget? I really dont wanna wreck what I have going right now with my Grocery budget for diet food... I feed a Family of 3 adults one teenager and 4 dogs for 300.00 a month... of course I would probably be the only one eating "healthier" any suggestions are very much appreciated!

Thank you

Misty

[biff]

I would just stock up on Tuna, salsa, oatmeal and spinach. Mix the tuna and salsa together, and eat with the spinach. You can even use some salad dressing if you want. Just be sure to check for the fat content and sugar! PM me if you want some more ideas! I have recently lost over 35 lbs on a budget!

[PrincessPerky]

oh I'd drag them in on the fun..makes it easier to eat healthy if you are doing it for 'the kids health' rather than just for yourself...least it does for me.

Most so called 'diet' food is not actually healthy..unless you mean 'rabbit food' like carrots and lettuce and such. which isn't that cheap..and can wreck your budget.

[Aleta]

Actually, eating healthier doesn't have to be more expensive. Some people find that by not buying processed and prepared foods that they save money. You can also make salads and add chicken strips to them or shred up some low-fat cheese. I don't know what kind of diet you're going on, whether it is restrictive for health reasons (diabetes) or weight. I had an uncle that lost a lot of weight just by eating half of what he used to eat. I hadn't seen him for a while and didn't recognize him. Also, walking is good too.

If you see certain things on sale, try to get a coupon and buy in bulk. I buy bread and freeze it.

[MonkeyMama]

Yes, walking is the best/easiest exercise for weight loss.

I am not sure why the food would be more expensive. Don't buy junk food or frozen meals. Just simple home-cooked meals and you are well on your way.

We switched to home cooking when we went down to 1-income, saved tons of money, and have lost weight to boot. I don't see why it would be more expensive unless you go for the prepackaged diet meals and stuff like that. But it's really not necessary. Like financial discipline all it takes is decreasing your inflow and increasing your output (or is that the opposite of financial discipline I guess? Since you want your money to grow but your body to shrink).

[cptacek]

I have PCOS, so low-carb diets work best for me. That means lots of meat. Lots of vegetables. No pasta, bread and rice. You are right, meat costs a lot more.

I go to Dillons and get the 10 for $10 bags of frozen vegetables. Then I saute them in olive oil. One bag will feed two of us with some left over.

I like to eat Atkins bars, but they are muy expensive, even at Walmart (almost $1.25 a piece, I think). I found them on ebay one time for about $.22 a bar, and another time for less than $.50 a bar (including shipping). I'll have one bar for breakfast and one for an afternoon snack.

I eat a lot of pork when on this diet...pork is cheaper than beef and my fiance doesn't really like chicken. We grill it with some seasoning salt, and it is really good.

[autoxer]

Originally Posted by luddybell

I feed a Family of 3 adults one teenager and 4 dogs for 300.00 a month... of course I would probably be the only one eating "healthier" any suggestions are very much appreciated!

If you are feeding them, then you can make them all eat "healthier". Don't buy junk food, fix healthy meals and you all will benefit.

[Staceyy]

Just eat half of what you normally eat. If you're used to two eggs, two slices of bacon and two slices of toast for breakfast, eat one of each item. Do the same for lunch and dinner. This always works for me. Portion control will cost a dieter less, not more.

[Pupart]

Experiment with dried beans and lentils. They are not expensive.
You can probably find many recipes on the net. Do a search.
One meal I really like is white lima beans. Some people call them butter beans. They make great soup, but they are also good plain. I just sprinkle on some butter buds, salt and pepper on them. A bit of cottage cheese on the side makes a great meal.

Originally Posted by luddybell

Well I've finally come to terms with my weight and have decided that its time I did something about it... does anyone know how to successfully diet on a budget? I really dont wanna wreck what I have going right now with my Grocery budget for diet food... I feed a Family of 3 adults one teenager and 4 dogs for 300.00 a month... of course I would probably be the only one eating "healthier" any suggestions are very much appreciated!

Thank you

Misty

[ceejay74]

1. If you cook, you get to decide what the rest eat. If they don't like healthy food, they can go get McD's with their own money! :-)

2. Whole grains, legumes, and some veggies can be really cheap. Cook from scratch all the time and you'll find it's cheaper than buying prepared stuff in the long run, because the ingredients last for several meals.

3. Cook huge amounts, freeze portions in tupperware and have that for lunch! It's not super-exciting eating leftovers every day but it's a free meal. I do it every day for lunch at work. It's a very important money-saver for my household.

4. Outside chance: Do you live anywhere near an open-air or farmer's market? That's where we get our produce in the summer and it's much cheaper! Depending on how big your freezer is, you can buy extra, chop up and freeze to use in future recipes.

[Scanner]

I lead an Atkins lifestyle so I feel I can chime in on this.

You are going to have to spend more, no doubt about it.

The truth is, the cheap foods (bread, rice, pasta) are cheap for a reason - they are devoid of nutrients. Read the labels - they are essentially "cheap calories". Essentially, they aren't "nutrient-dense" foods as Dr. Atkins advocated eating.

To feed youself better and give yourself a little variety, you are going to have to spend more.

The exception to this is eggs - a relatively inexpensive source of protein at about $1.19 for a dozen.

You could go about making eggs as one staple to your diet. There is a myth it will raise cholesterol - it will not. The lecithin contained in eggs has been shown to reduce cholesterol if anything.

Good luck.

[luddybell]

thanks guys... I am gonna try the whole "lowfat low carb thing".... just cutting back is probably a good idea for some.. but I dont have the will power to tell myself " oh im only gonna eat half of this .. or half of that..." I really have to get the ball rolling b/c nothing in my closet fits anymore

[Scanner]

Don't go "low fat/low carb" - that's about near impossible. You'll be eating tuna straight from the can.

Go moderate fat/low carb.

You need fat to satiate you.

For instance, a great snack I have is 1/4 cup of heavy cream and a diet root beer - it's called a farmer's float. I chug one of those and I am full. It's a much better snack than 4 or 5 rice cakes.

Of course, do a google on good fats/bad fats - try to eat the good fats like in avocados and fish.

However, permit yourself to have some bacon too. A good satiating breakfast is 4 or 5 pieces of bacon.

And oh, for Criminey's sake, let's all give up margarine and go back to butter as a country.

The Atkins lifestyle is essentially a "caveman diet" - meats, berries, and vegetables. (cheese too). Just think of it as a lifestyle.

Me caveman.

You cavewoman.

*Grunt*

[PrincessPerky]

Originally Posted by luddybell

.. just cutting back is probably a good idea for some.. but I dont have the will power to tell myself " oh im only gonna eat half of this .. or half of that..." (

Me either, I belong to the clean your platter clean club!

Wish I didn't, but I do.

Exercise is often free btw...

[jodi]

Just have to chime in here...I am a HUGE fan of the South Beach diet. I lost my post-baby weight easily on it, while eating as much as I wanted. I think it's often confused with no-carb diets, but in reality it emphasizes good carbs and good fats. It's a bit too much to go into here, so I recommend just getting the book out of the library and reading it cover to cover to see if it's right for you.
Here's the basic rundown:
Phase 1 (2 weeks or less time if it's too much for you): No sugar, no flour, no fruits. Emphasis on protein (eggs for breakfast every day - ugh!), veggies (lots of salads for lunches, meat and veggies for dinner), good fats (nuts, olive oil, etc) - two snacks a day and dessert mandatory. Basically, I think of this as "detox"! (weight loss - 5-15 lbs)
Phase 2: Maintain weight loss at about a pound per week, add back fruits, whole grains - none of that "enriched" processed flour - the general rule is the heavier the loaf, the better. Whole grain breads, pasta, cereals. Limits on potatoes, ban on most sugar (sugar substitutes acceptable) and white flours.
Phase 3: Maintain your weight. No hard and fast rules, but do what works for you. I have found since starting South Beach a year ago, white breads and pastas taste bland to me. I prefer the heartier kind. I enjoy veggies more and have learned better ways to cook them. I have stopped eating cereal and make my own oatmeal and granola from rolled oats (never instant!). I just feel a lot better about myself and my weight. I live primarly on Phase 3, but if I find myself slipping, I just hop back into Phase 1 or 2 for a week or two and am right back on track.

Wow, got a little off track there, but I hate to see people hop into a diet without researching it. This diet was written by a cardiologist after he continued to see so many people making the wrong food choices. I like the emphasis on veggies and whole grains, as opposed to banning all carbs or all fats from your diet. Fat is what makes you feel full - without fat in your diet, you will probably end up eating a lot more (ever wonder why "low fat" foods don't really help you lose weight?). The key is to choosing GOOD fats.

So to get to the original question: Yes, it will cost you more to buy good foods. Olive oil, nuts, whole grains are all comparatively costlier than vegetable oil, chips, or white bread. However, you are likely to eat less food when you eat the right foods because you will be full faster. Rolled oats are more expensive than instant oats, but the foods I make with them are so much better for you and more filling. Take advantage of the foods that are not as expensive: veggies, like lettuce and cabbage (although the better-for-you lettuce does cost more than iceberg); stock up on lean meats when they are on sale and freeze them (I only buy boneless chicken breasts when they are under $2/lb, but then I buy a lot); eggs and beans are great and cheap, even canned beans are not too expensive, especially at Aldi's; get seasonal fruit on sale or at farmer's markets. I have found that the upfront costs are quite higher when you switch over everything, but then they even out a bit. Good luck - it is SO worth it!

[QuadSquadMom]

I strike a balance b/w Adkins (but lower fat than suggested) and S. Beach (to pick up the good carbs).

One thing I do is buy all meat as they mark it down in my local grocery store. I shop at Kroger and I asked the meat manager when they do markdowns. He told me they do it each morning by 9 am. I buy as much as can fit in my freezer. This really controls meat spending.

I also seek coupons for the S. Beach bars which are great snacks, even DH likes them for something healthy while on the run.

[Aleta]

It is even a better buy to buy the meat marked down when it has been on sale. I usually make it that day or freeze it right away.

[QuadSquadMom]

Aleta,

Right on! Already on sale then marked down is even better!! I feel great when I can get so much for so little money!

If I'm feeling really industrious that day, I'll even take the extra steps to clean, trim & season and repackage before freezing. Saves time when ready to cook, especially those days DH wants to grill out - marinated meat ready in advance.

[lisad71]

Like Jodi, I do South Beach and have actually saved money by preparing homemade versions of things I used to buy. For instance it cost less for me to make SB Tomato Sauce than it does to buy jarred sauce. Especially if you are talking the kind of jarred sauce with no sugar (one brand at a health food store was 8.99!). When the big cans of crushed tomatoes are on sale, I stock up so I can whip up sauce anytime.

My favorite healthy breakfast is three egg whites and a side of oatmeal. You can buy the big cartons of eggs at Walmart or the warehouse stores and store brand slow cook oatmeal is dirt cheap.

Also, I live in South florida, so of course I have tons of canned stuff like tuna packed in water, beans, etc. just in case a hurricane rolls through.

Best of luck with your weight loss!

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Smaller portions of the same things you usually eat? Give up _one_ dietary extra that you indulge in---like skip the cream in coffee, or the afternoon handful of chips, or the butter you like to put on vegetables. If you just reduce portions plus maybe give up one indulgence, you could spend the same money or less and still lose weight. I suggest only a small change like that so it is not too burdensome but will have effect over a long period of time, becoming just the way you do things.

I need to practice what I preach.