What diet do you recommend that isn't so expensive

Hello. I was on the Cambridge diet which I lost over 2 stone in 8 week on but was so expensive. I came off the diet once I hit my goal and stuck to a strict diet still but unfortunately piled it all back on. Does anyone recommend a diet that you can still enjoy meals and eat healthy but doesn't cost a bomb. On Cambridge I was allowed nothing but there shakes and soups was hard going but done the job. But I'm looking into wanting a diet were can still eat meals and still get a decent weight loss. Would really appreciate your comments :) Thanks so much
«13

Replies

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
    Eat the food you like in smaller quantities than you ate to gain weight. It doesn't have to be any more complex than that.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,658 Member
    How much do lean meat and vegetables cost where you live?
  • AllieLosingIt
    AllieLosingIt Posts: 150 Member
    I recommend the lifestyle change diet where you get to eat whatever you want (in moderation) as long as it fits in your day! It's sometimes slow going, but it doesn't cost anything more than your daily groceries and you don't ever have to go off the 'diet' and put all the weight back on!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
    Eating normal food and practicing portion control, counting calories and generally being conscientious of what you eat is the most inexpensive way to lose weight.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,757 Member
    Count calories using my fitness pal. You can eat anything you want within your allowance. This at the bare minimum will absolutely work. You do not have to avoid your fav. foods and mfp makes it easy to be accurate and immediately accountable.

    You can workout with weights to speed up the process and shape your body, you can do some cardio training to burn extra calories and improve overall fitness levels. You can eat 'clean' by selecting quality foods and tweak your macros (protein, carbs, fats) to best suit your needs. All good stuff

    Virtually every diet out there will put you on a calorie deficit and give you instructions on what to eat, when to eat etc. In truth, if you actually look at the underlying data.....they will have you eating less calories than you generally do, and you will lose weight. There is no way around science!

    If you need the structure, and support and regiment of a program...say 'weight watchers' be prepared to pay a lot of money for it. Yes it does work, and there is no problem with that. To each their own. MFP and calorie counting is amazing and works but some people are not disciplined enough to track every meal, and stay within a budget. In my mind........it is all about discipline and if you cannot learn some self control...all 'diets' will fail.

    good luck
  • Meerataila
    Meerataila Posts: 1,885 Member
    The cheapest diet to live on is soda, PB&J, ramen or other boxed crap, cheap ice cream, cheap cookies, and snack cakes. Of course you can lose weight on that if you count calories, but you'll feel like crap and won't be doing your longterm health any favors.

    Learning to soak dried beans overnight, drain off the water and cook them (assuming you've never done that) and then mix with whatever veggies are on sale is a great way to get a healthy meal fairly cheap.
  • matthawthorneisamyth
    matthawthorneisamyth Posts: 196 Member
    Buy yourself some chicken thighs from your local butcher. Here in Boston they are about $3-$5 per pound and two pounds will make about 6-7 meals. Then head over to the frozen food isle and grab yourself some frozen, unsauced vegetables. These things will range from 1.50 to 5.99 per bag and often go on sale (3 for 4$ etc) Grab a five lb bag of brown rice for about 7 dollars and a bottle of extra virgin olive oil or flaxseed oil ($10). If you have a store club card or can find a circular and don't mind clipping coupons, you can save even more money.

    If you've done the math, a full shopping trip will cost you about $30 bucks for between 6 and 7 meals. That's roughly $3 per meal. (The olive oil will yield about 64 1tbsp servings)

    Eating healthy and cheap means you're going to have to learn to cook. Make sure you watch a lot of YouTube videos and read a lot of books on the subject. You're have to learn how to properly season things etc. Of course there is always the crock pot....

    That's it. I usually eat meals like this once or twice a day and they work well, don't break the bank, and keep a little extra in your pocket.
  • lindustum
    lindustum Posts: 212 Member
    Quoted for emphasis. Time to change your mindset, not necessarily your diet.
  • Flookbird
    Flookbird Posts: 81 Member
    If you're like me you work better with a more structured plan? I have used Weight Watchers and lost just under 5 stone. The principles are very similar to MFP (ie eat less, move more!) - if you stick to it you will lose! I paid £11 a month just for the online stuff to begin with then £21 a month to go to meetings too. Now I'm a healthy weight I don't have to pay for meetings and just pay £5 a month for online.

    I've tried other diets/cleanses and calorie counting - usually more expensive and nothing like as effective as WW.
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
    Iifym-not a diet a lifestyle
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    Quoted for emphasis. Time to change your mindset, not necessarily your diet.

    ^ What they said. You don't need a Diet® to lose weight, just a change to your diet in the sense of "the foods I normally eat." Eat less of them, and perhaps cut back especially on the nutrient-poor, calorie-dense foods such as chips, crisps, biscuits, etc. and have more veg and legumes.

    I've lost 59 lb. (over 4 stone) following this kind of "diet."
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Logging your food and hitting your calorie goals, while walking an hour every day for exercise. Drink lots of water. Didn't cost me a cent.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    Hello. I was on the Cambridge diet which I lost over 2 stone in 8 week on but was so expensive. I came off the diet once I hit my goal and stuck to a strict diet still but unfortunately piled it all back on. Does anyone recommend a diet that you can still enjoy meals and eat healthy but doesn't cost a bomb. On Cambridge I was allowed nothing but there shakes and soups was hard going but done the job. But I'm looking into wanting a diet were can still eat meals and still get a decent weight loss. Would really appreciate your comments :) Thanks so much
    Eat what you normally eat, just less of it. Fad diets don't usually work in the long run.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
    Quoted for emphasis. Time to change your mindset, not necessarily your diet.

    ^ What they said. You don't need a Diet® to lose weight, just a change to your diet in the sense of "the foods I normally eat." Eat less of them, and perhaps cut back especially on the nutrient-poor, calorie-dense foods such as chips, crisps, biscuits, etc. and have more veg and legumes.

    I've lost 59 lb. (over 4 stone) following this kind of "diet."

    Another fan of this diet. It can even include Dairy Queen Blizzards! :love:
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    Joining MFP. Preparing all my food and limiting eating out, and processed foods as much as possible
    I stick with eating fresh fruits and vegetables as possible, lean low fat meat and fish, low fat dairy, whole grains, raw almonds and walnuts, and most importantly of all, stick to portion sizes.
    I have been doing this on MFP for almost 2-1/2 years now and I am spending less on food than I did pre-MFP. It definitely can be done.
  • kr1stadee
    kr1stadee Posts: 1,774 Member
    MFP is free.
  • theflatpick
    theflatpick Posts: 106 Member
    Most posters have the same thought, don't diet. Eat the amount of calories of your normal foods that create a slight deficit, and lose weight.