Trying to lose weight on a tight budget!

I think you can definitely work with a $65 a week budget. I spend about that for a family of 3. I shop the sales and clip coupons. We hit the farmers market and produce stands for fresh fruits and veggies. I was also an extremely picky eater and have learned to leave my comfort zone with foods. I have found a ton of foods that I now love, but had never liked before. Sometimes it's just in how you make it. Personally, I would make more at dinner time and save the leftovers for lunches. It would actually cut your budget since some of the frozen dinners can get pricey. I plan my meals so that I make double or triple what we will eat and freeze the rest for an easy meal later.

As for snacks, I snack on a lot of fruits and yogurt. I buy granola to bulk up the yogurt some and make it more filling. If you have a blender, you could do smoothies and those can be made with frozen fruit too. I've also found healthier recipes for some of my favorite desserts and made them up, then portion them out and freeze them. It helps with willpower. Right now I have a couple quickbreads and Toffee Blondies sitting in the freezer. I pull them out in the morning so they are thawed at night for a snack. Nuts are a good option for snacks, but I think they can be a little pricey.

The easiest breakfasts I have found have been oatmeal. Google "Crockpot Oatmeal" and "Overnight refrigerator oatmeal". They are really tasty and can be altered to your likes. I make a big pot of the Crockpot Oatmeal, eat a portion for breakfast, and pack the rest up in a container to store in the fridge. Then I can just heat the rest each morning.

Everyone else has given great advice for finding workouts on Youtube. If you have an iPod or iPhone, the Sworkit app has some good workouts that fit into whatever timeframe you have.

Hope this helps and good luck! You can lose weight on a tight budget.

I exercise at home as i dont have the money for gym memberships, im on a tight budget too so try to shop at lower priced supermarkets or at local greengrocers (you can normally haggle if buying a few items). i coupon too to try and keep costs down. i try to plan my meals ahead and make extra so i can freeze it, also if i am cooking a joint of meat i dont waste any leftovers i will keep them to make up another meal.

Yep, going outside of your food comfort zone can be scary. BUT, you will find all sorts of delicious things that you thought were gross! sometimes you just have to find the right way to cook them! I typically don't like cauliflower, but cauliflower breadsticks are WONDERFUL. Zucchini can be sliced thin and baked into chips! Smoothies are great too. Some yogurt, fruit, ice, and sometimes milk can make a delicious breakfast! Onions can be cooked into almost anything and barely have a taste. Oh and mushrooms! Mushrooms can be made in to lots of wonderful things! Have you tried different kinds? My SO won't eat button mushrooms, but will eat himself sick on portobellas. Portobellas can be stuffed and made into tiny low carb pizza bites, and the large caps are a wonderful vessel to stuff crab cakes into. One of my personal favorites is snap peas stir fried in sauce. I eat them with my fingers cause i'm messy like that
I got a little carried away there, but my point is that you should definitely step out of your comfort zone with food, there are so many wonderful options out there that limiting yourself is really cheating yourself out of all kinds of deliciousness!

Good Luck!

I am also a picky eater, lol, I don't like a lot of veggies (peppers, onions, zuccinni, mushrooms, celery, cauliflower) so that makes cooking a little tricky and sometimes bland.

Simply put, this is going to have to change. Not saying that you need to run out and start scarfing zucchini to be healthy, but it's more to say that you are going to have to get out of your comfort zone. If trying to eat healthier results in you only eating a handful of things, it is going to get old before you even start. I started eating yogurt last week. It's gross. It took me a little bit to find a way to make it not just palatable but taste great. I had artichoke hearts. I have never even seen an artichoke nor do I know what it looks like, but I ate its heart over a bed of brown rice and loved it. My safety zone is to run to a bag of tuna or just eat spinach until I run out. Move past it. There is a a lot of food out there, and a million people who have come up with 10 million ways to cook it. It's fine if you take baby steps. I am trying to introduce one new food a week. So far so good; it doesn't always work. Brussel sprouts confuse me as I can't get them to taste good for me. I still have another bag to use so the fight isn't over yet. Keep at it.

Have you tried getting vanilla or other plain flavored yogurt and adding fresh fruit to it? I'm not a big yogurt person either but I will scarf it down with some fresh strawberries! Also, I'm just learning about the miracle nom that is spinach, what is your favorite way to eat it?

I am also on a rediculously tight budget and broke as hell. For exercise, because I can't afford the fancy programs and videos from the regular websites, I walk over to my local library. We have an awesome selection of workout DVDs available to rent for free! My library is close enough to walk to so I get in a few extra minutes of exercise that way as well.

I picked up the wii fit for £10 which is not a lot of money considering the investment you are making to improve yourself.

You could do jogging on the spot, get a cheap pedometer to monitor your steps.

I don't like going outside in the winter either, but I make myself now. Instead of asking my partner to take me to the shops for milk or to the train station, I'll walk instead. It is just under 2 miles there and back, which is a good walk. I do this 5 times a week now.

I used to say that eating healthy is expensive too, but after cutting out the junk and take aways, I am spending £85 a week on a food shop now instead of £70, but saving at least £30 on junk through out the week added on.

I buy frozen veg, stock up on meat to freeze if it is cheap, go to local markets for fresh produce instead of the supermarket becaue it is so much cheaper!

On a tight budget in the US (Las Vegas, NV to be exact, yes, home of the big buffets although not so cheap anymore). I have managed to keep my gym membership (and I'll be super thankful of that in the summer months) but I also know that there are so many free You Tube exercise videos available and I'd say exercise in the house to those (or borrowed from the library) is as good of a place as any to start. Use canned goods as weights and march in place holding a can of veggies in each hand. That will help with some minor strength training too. Drink lots of water if you can do it.

You can do this just by eating less and moving more. It's harder than eating "clean" (as I equate to costly and healthy) but it can be done. The basic idea is eat at deficit (but no more than 100 calories below what MFP suggests (before exercise calories are added back in and try to eat back some of those) or you'll have the "Diary Nazi" yelling at you (it's not that bad but whenever I read that I'm not eating enough, I always hear it in my head as yelling)) and get some daily exercise in. My current challenge is to walk at least 10,000 steps daily. It looks like I might get 3,000 or 4,000 of those in at my desk job (counting each time I get up and go to the printer, or maybe the kitchen area for lunch, things like that).

Feel free to add me if you need additional support. You can do this!!!!!

My whole life I have felt....and been called....overweight. Although now I look back at photos and realize I was quite slim! The only time I ever lost significant weight is when my now-ex husband ended our 18 year relationship in 2012 by telling me he was sneaking around with my now-ex best friend and was leaving me for her!
I went into a depression and didn't eat a stitch of food for over three weeks, until my Mother made me go to the doctor. I lost about 16lbs. I could notice it in my face, thighs and my belly.
I started to feel better in a few weeks after medication and a lot of friendship therapy. I actually started to enjoy my new found size! For the first time in many, many years, I fit into a size 30 jean!! I was always a 36 or more!
A few months later, I met an amazing man, we are still together and going strong. But....recently I noticed I have put on at least 20lbs since the spring of 2013. My fav Guess skinny jeans (size 30!) which he bought me now no longer fit I can't even get them up past my knees. I cried for almost an hour. It's crazy how we never notice the weight piling up until it's too late but notice every little bit that leaves!
My finances also got seriously messed up and I am now living paycheck to paycheck. I can't afford most of the healthy stuff I want and should be eating, I can't afford a gym membership or any equipment. I DESPISE the cold so I don't get outside much in the winter. I sooooo want to fit back into those Guess skinny jeans....can anyone offer some pointers to someone on a serious budget?? Oh....and I have very little willpower or motivation. LOL I will be the first to admit, I am lazy...it's how I grew up. I didn't grow up in an active home, my mother is overweight.
Any advice will be appreciated....but please be gentle! LOL

Also....I thought I would add that I am in Canada....and unfortunately our foods etc seem to be more expensive than in the US. There is a farmer's market near me but their prices can be high. I am also a picky eater, lol, I don't like a lot of veggies (peppers, onions, zuccinni, mushrooms, celery, cauliflower) so that makes cooking a little tricky and sometimes bland. LOL
Our (mine and my bf) budget is $65 a week right now. We always buy eggs and a few kinds of proteins (chicken, pork) for meals when it's on sale along with some frozen dinners for lunches. I could use some ideas for afternoon snacks and easy breakfasts though!


I do like to walk....mostly in the summer. When it is -18 degrees celcius out like today, I realllly would rather not go for a walk!
I never thought to check youtube for workout and meal ideas, thanks to all for that advice!

Wow, I applaud you for being able to move past what's happened. I'm glad you're in another relationship! My sister has been divorced 10+ yrs (3 kids) and still hasn't been able to move past the hurt and guilt and pain. :flowerforyou:

I think one thing you can do (perhaps, idk Canada) but look for more "ethnic" supermarkets. In my area we have quite a few Asian, Latino, Middle Eastern, etc. markets where I can get less expensive produce and fish (not meat, that's usually more expensive than the supermarkets). Do your homework, find out where locals go shop for less expensive food items. I have found that people in my area are finding out where I shop more and more. The internet is bringing us all closer together! Also, check out Amazon.com, I've bought a few food items from them before (free shipping!) and some of they're foods are inexpensive.

Lastly, and I only say this because another of my sisters (4 kids, her husband got laid off and only found a job as a taxi driver) is on these websites all the time and she gets free stuff + food ALL THE TIME: on fb join hip2save + freebieshark (and other places, i forgot them now). As I type this you can go get free cereal! :noway:

1 - you're going to have to learn to not be such a picky eater...having a tight budget and getting more nutrition and eating healthier is going to require this.

2 - learn to cook; if you can read you can cook

3 - convenience foods are NOT your friend...you get far less and pay far more for convenience...hence the importance of #2 above as well as #1.

4 - A gym is not necessary for weight loss...hell, exercise is not necessary for weight loss. All that is required for weight loss is energy consumption that is less than what is required for balance (maintenance).

5 - While exercise is not required for weight loss, it is essential to your overall health and well being...you can be "skinny" but have every issue a fat person has health wise due to lack of movement. Exercise doesn't have to be balls to the wall and you don't have to drone away for hours on end...you just have to move. Walking is great and that's how I got started...that along with body weight calisthenics. I started in the winter as well...I just bundled up and went out...if it was really nasty I found something to do indoors like my calisthenics or just dancing around or a You Tube workout or whatever...I just tried to move for 30 minutes pretty much every day. Eventually, actual fitness goals took over and started guiding my workouts.

6 - On a strict budget you are going to have some staple foods...here are mine.

- Beans; I make a big batch of pinto beans every Sunday night in the crock. They soak overnight Saturday and through the day Sunday and then I cook them while we sleep...I usually add some diced onion, garlic, a can of chopped tomatoes and S&P to taste. I've also been known to throw in whatever random vegetable we have in the fridge that maybe needs to get used up before it goes bad.

- Grains, Oats, Pasta, Rice, etc...these are staples of just about any tight budget diet (or otherwise) and there's absolutely nothing "unhealthy" about any of it. These items are calorie dense so a little goes a long way...great for a budget. These also provide for some nice slow burning energy and certain items here also have a good deal of fiber if you're having issues there.

- Potatoes...I probably have potatoes four nights out of the week at least. Skin on provides plenty of nutrients and potatoes can be cooked numerous ways. They're cheap and easy to prepare...they're also lower in calories per serving than the grains and rices noted above but pack a good starchy energy punch

- Meat and poultry...grocery stores regularly have sales on meat and poultry...stock up when they do and freeze it. We also do a lot of whole chickens, ground beef, tougher cuts of meat and pork (that require more cooking time but delicious when done right) due to they are much cheaper than boneless skinless chicken breast, already cut up steaks, etc. Again, nothing "unhealthy" about these things

- Veggies; stick to the basics. For fresh vegetables, stick to those vegetables that are hardier and won't go bad so quickly...cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots (and other roots), etc. Buy greens in smaller quantities...only those quantities for which you will use within a very short period of time as greens go bad quickly. Also look for sales in the frozen food section. I typically buy frozen peas, green beans, corn and mixed vegetables when they're on sale. I also stock up on frozen squash and frozen sweet potatoes when they're on sale.

- Fruits; keep it in season and keep it to the basics...I'm astounded by the number of people I come across and they're like, "it's so expensive to eat healthy...this pineapple cost a fortune." Again, stick to basics...pretty much apples and bananas in my house...grapes when we can get a good deal and berries in season. In the summer we can branch out from apples and do nectarines and peaches as they are cheaper in season and comparable to what we'd pay for apples

- eggs...lots of eggs

- full fat dairy...a little goes a long way...milk, cheese, yogurts, etc

- nuts...again, a few nuts go a long way and they are very nutrient dense.

Buy in bulk and freeze/preserve what you won't eat right away. I found this is the easiest way to eat properly on a budget especially since where I am from, produce and meat prices are sky high ($3 for a small green pepper.. not even kidding.)

I'm in Canada (ontario) Not sure if you have Goodlife gyms in NS ... but here if you volunteer in their childminding room for 2hrs a week they give you a free gym membership

You don't need a gym membership nor do you need expensive equipment at home. Walk at a quicker pace then normal when you are going someplace, take the stairs, park in the back of the parking lot at work. Do jumping jacks and squates at home if you don't have a private office. As for health food, not really sure where you are ging with that - veggies and fruite, chicken all not too expensive

Yep, going outside of your food comfort zone can be scary. BUT, you will find all sorts of delicious things that you thought were gross! sometimes you just have to find the right way to cook them! I typically don't like cauliflower, but cauliflower breadsticks are WONDERFUL. Zucchini can be sliced thin and baked into chips! Smoothies are great too. Some yogurt, fruit, ice, and sometimes milk can make a delicious breakfast! Onions can be cooked into almost anything and barely have a taste. Oh and mushrooms! Mushrooms can be made in to lots of wonderful things! Have you tried different kinds? My SO won't eat button mushrooms, but will eat himself sick on portobellas. Portobellas can be stuffed and made into tiny low carb pizza bites, and the large caps are a wonderful vessel to stuff crab cakes into. One of my personal favorites is snap peas stir fried in sauce. I eat them with my fingers cause i'm messy like that
I got a little carried away there, but my point is that you should definitely step out of your comfort zone with food, there are so many wonderful options out there that limiting yourself is really cheating yourself out of all kinds of deliciousness!

Good Luck!

For me, onions are very strong and I can notice them in everything. Any kind of onion. And I absolutely despise the texture of mushrooms and I've tried a few diff kinds since my bf loves them. I would literally gag. I'm all for trying new things but if I force myself to eat things I don't like, I can't see myself sticking with it. But thank you for the advice!

That's all fine! I was just throwing out ideas. The point I was trying to make was that lots of things can be surprisingly yummy and having a variety of options makes it easier to stick to a healthy diet. Another option is to find out what healthy things you like are on sale and poke around pinterest for ideas of what to do with those things. You can find a way to do it if you want it bad enough!