Losing weight on a budget... Help!

I started on MFP a week ago and so far it's been a success.

No more fad diets, starving myself, cutting out major food groups, just re-educating and balanced meals.
And all this while on a (very) tight budget.

I'm determined to show myself that it can be done but I am definitely one of these people who needs plenty of support and motivation.

To make it even more challenging (as if it wasn't already) I'm pretty certain I've developed a dairy intolerance...

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!!!

But I need lots of people to help me through so please feel free to add me :)

Replies

  • JADEPH0EN1X
    JADEPH0EN1X Posts: 162 Member
    I know what you mean needing the help & support , reading other people's post have been really helpful . I have been using mfp for 3 weeks now & have noticed a real difference - maybe not so much on the scale but definitely in body shape ( especially around the tum - which is normally the last to go as its my worst area ) & I've dropped at least one clothes size . I still have a long way to go & need all the support I can get so feel free to add me
  • Feel free to add! Happy to support!
  • TINAHUNTER1969
    TINAHUNTER1969 Posts: 219 Member
    Feel free to add me - I find if you have a favourite dish you can experiment and make it into a much healthier and cheaper version. I made spaghetti bolognaise last night and with the leftover sauce I am making a low fat lasagne tonight with cottage cheese as the cheese topping instead of béchamel sauce and full fat cheddar. Might sound weird but I prefer this version and feel satisfied after eating it rather than bloated.

    Check out a lot of Slimming World Recipes as they are really tasty and low fat/low cal

    Loving the character from Dr Who - I want to wave bye bye to fat too!!

    Tina x
  • Brown523
    Brown523 Posts: 112 Member
    Feel free to add me. Also on a very tight budget and I have a very unhealthy refusing to change hardly supportive other half that doesn't help the situation! I hope to get and give all the support I can get/give!
  • Look into Nerd Fitness. They have workout regimens with just using body weight and your surroundings.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    We go to Sam's each payday. I can usually get 3 pounds of lean ground beef, 16 frozen chicken breasts, a huge bag of salad mix and bulk frozen veggies and a few other 'staples' for around $50. That provides our staples for about 2 weeks. Milk, eggs and a few other things come from grocery.
  • ttknowles01
    ttknowles01 Posts: 255 Member
    Feel free to add me....I am also dairy intolerant *double sigh* :-(
  • LBNOakland
    LBNOakland Posts: 379 Member
    http://www.naturalnews.com/011285_weight_loss_strength_training.html


    Great article here. Talks about Pilates for strength training. You can get a video for $15.00. of course, googling weight bearing exercises is also good.

    :flowerforyou:
  • Feel free to add me. I completely understand the budget things and I try to log daily. I like you need support and motivation.
  • Sent you a friend request!! I'm on a pretty tight budget too, and although I still have my bad days, I've lost 26 lbs so far! =) My best tip is to be sure to shop around for the best price on things. For me this means my weekly shopping takes me to 3 different stores, BUT I am lucky that I live pretty close to them all so it isnt much of an inconvenience. I eat salads for lunch every weekday at least, and its usually almost the exact same food for that meal each day, it helps keep it cheap instead of buying a bunch of different things. Canned/dried beans are great to have on hand as a protein and can be added to any salad (or even grain like quinoa or brown rice) for a cheap and filling meal! =)
  • This is a little off topic but how did you get your weight loss bar in your comment? Thanks!
  • I'm just signing up today....I pray I can do this. Need all the support I can get.
  • Look into Nerd Fitness. They have workout regimens with just using body weight and your surroundings.

    This is a great rec! Also look into cut and jacked... I hate to say it, but reducing some things out of your diet is probably a good idea. Everything in moderation right? Feel free to add me! Good luck!
  • EileenB42
    EileenB42 Posts: 125 Member
    I will add you. I know what you mean about being on a tight budget. This is only my second day back on track. I am seeing a nutritionist who is helping me. I couldn't afford weight watchers any longer. I also have a thyroid condition which makes losing weight pretty slow. I didn't even know if I was going to buy food this week but we managed. I'm lucky I have a supportive husband. Hope to talk to you soon.

    Eileen
  • leannerae40
    leannerae40 Posts: 200 Member
    You can totally do this. At first it might seem more expensive (I didn't have much food in the house when I started frankly) but now that I buy a couple of splces and ingredients almost weekly you can really get going on the recipes! This is MUCH cheaper than all the eating out I used to do. I'm a big fan of body weight exercises. One that my trainer taught me is:

    Set a timer for 20 minutes. Do as many rounds of the following as you can do in that time.

    20 kettlebell swings (this involves equipment you might not have, you could always switch this to skaters or mountain climbers or jumping jacks).
    15 squats
    10 crunches
    2 pushups

    You just keep going until the 20 minutes is up. What an AMAZING burn and each time you try to beat your last. Good luck - and feel free to add me if you'd like. I try to comment at least a couple of times a week and watch eachother's diaries, workouts, etc.

    Have fun!
  • Hello:) I just got started this week; right now I'm keeping track of what I eat normally; then I'll make the changes next week. We're also on a budget, and I'm a picky eater to boot. So this should be interesting! I've started with a main goal of a pound per week, and striving to lose 10lbs first. This is the first time I've ever had weight issues, so need all the encouragement I can get.

    Carboholic trying to change her ways, ha ha....
  • SmashBob1984
    SmashBob1984 Posts: 8 Member
    Some great advice guys thank you! Definitely going to try that workout leannerae40 sounds perfect and challenging!

    Looking forward to meeting you all :)
  • lajpeck
    lajpeck Posts: 83 Member
    I know you can do this. I am on a budget too and have lost 131 lbs in the last year with the help of MyFitnessPal. Looking for sales, cutting coupons and taking my lunch to work are just some of the things I have done to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
  • SunshineShari
    SunshineShari Posts: 10 Member
    Portion control allows me to eat the same foods as my husband. However, he's now eating healthy too. I still provide him with an adequate amount of carbs and he also drinks boosts twice a day. But that way I don't have to spend that much extra on diet foods. I do make sure I stock up on smart ones and lean cuisine when they are on sale so I can always have them on hand. Good luck and healthy eating!