Low budget and trying lose weight, help!!!!!

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maggiegbrown
maggiegbrown Posts: 90 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hello,
I am Maggie. I just joined this sight and it looks wicked cool. I am in need of some serious help. I have very limited funds and am trying desperately to lose 30 lbs. But all the foods that are cheap are processed and pasta's. Veggie's, fruits, fish and chicken are all so high. Does anyone have any idea's they can share? I could really use them.
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Replies

  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
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    Weight loss comes from eating in a calorie deficit. You can eat whatever you want to get to your calorie goals. Macros (fat, carbs, protein) can help with body composition though. Eat what you can afford, just track everything you eat or drink.
  • jacob0388
    jacob0388 Posts: 1
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    I have lost more than thirty pounds in three months and I have the same issue when it comes to having a budget to do it on. I look to make sure sugar intake is low. I don't eat anything with more than 10 grams of sugar at a time. I drink more than a gallon of water a day and I run a mile and a half five days a week. I still eat pasta, just very little of it when it is part of a meal. This has worked for me. Good Luck1
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    I do a lot of sale shopping and a little couponing to help my budget. Frozen fruits and veggies can be just as good as fresh. I buy dry goods like rice, granola, and nuts in larger quantities when they go on sale and then portion them out with my food scale instead of buying the more expensive pre-packaged snacks. Likewise, I'll buy and freeze meat when I find it on sale or markdown.

    As others have said, don't think that you need to buy the fancy diet foods. A lot of those are more expensive because they know people will pay for them. You can do a lot with the same foods you've been eating just in smaller portions.
  • onefortyone
    onefortyone Posts: 531 Member
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    We also have a low budget so I buy cheaper cuts of meat - chicken thighs/drumsticks and those packages of beef where their sell by date is coming up so they need to be eaten or frozen soon. As a rule we won't spend more than $2 per lb of meat, and $4 per lb of cheese. Eat 4oz of meat as a serving, not the whole 8-10oz steak, and it lasts longer and isn't a great deal more calories than the expensive lean version. And often it tastes better anyway. I haven't had a boneless skinless chicken breast in months!

    Meal planning saved us so much money too - knowing that chicken is on sale and planning 3-4 chicken dishes that week. Knowing what veggies are on sale or always cheap and adding them to every dish, etc.

    Depending on your area, coupons are a good idea too. A lot of coupons are basically advertisements for packaged products, so don't be tempted to buy that box/can of food just because it's 50c off. Check for things you already buy anyway - we have gotten cheaper yogurts, canned veggies, sandwich meats and turkey sausages by doing this. Coupons also help you get basics like toilet paper, toothpaste, and cleaning products for cheaper, and then you can add that to your food budget :)

    hope this helps!
  • awesomedjmcvey
    awesomedjmcvey Posts: 50 Member
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    I live in Costco. I but a lot of fruits and veggies. Also the 10 pound bag of Perdue chicken for $22.00 is awesome as well. I spend about $150 a month per person on groceries.
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
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    What are you eating now? Are you tracking / logging?

    Here's some links that might have some valuable info for you.

    This is kind of an all-in-one

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

    This is probably the most shared link on MFP

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Another very informative thread

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here
  • lesleychev
    lesleychev Posts: 56 Member
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    bump
  • KandGRanch
    KandGRanch Posts: 131 Member
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    Invest a little time and money into a garden or even planters and grow some of your favorite veggies :) it cost me <$100 to intitially get started gardening four years ago and now I grow 90% of our produce. I haven't paid a cent since the second year, and routinely have more than we can eat, freeze, or can.

    ETA-not sure where you live but people are ALWAYS trying to rehome unwanted roosters for free here. If I didn't raise my own, I could fill me freezer with a few phone calls and a little time for free.
  • nilbogger
    nilbogger Posts: 870 Member
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    Veggies like cabbage, certain lettuces, celery, carrots and potatoes can be fairly cheap. Frozen veggies are great, too, and even canned is OK. Buy fresh fruits and vegetables in season and look for sales.

    Rice, beans, eggs and oatmeal are budget-friendly. Chicken thighs may have more fat than breasts, but they also tend to be smaller so they're not too bad calorie-wise. Again, with meats you want to look for sales and buy in bulk if you can. Just portion out and freeze.
  • runningwild14
    runningwild14 Posts: 1
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    Hey Maggie. Nice to meet you. I'm RW. I am on a similar quest... Eat healthy and not spend a lot of money. I buy chicken breasts and pork tenderloin at wal-mart for $2 per pound(when purchased in bulk) and also 2 pound bags of frozen veggies(usually under $2 a bag) and cook it all at once. Then I make mini lunch/dinner packs which I throw in the freezer for quick access. 1/2 cup of Grape Nuts for breakfast is fairly cheap also. I snack on apples, grapes, cheese sticks, hummus, etc MyfitnessPal is set at 1800 cal. per day and I have been running 3 miles every other day and doing a Power90 cardio or strength video on the days when I don't go running. I'm in my 6th week and I'm down 17 lbs. so it seems to be working. I set my goals to be realistic... 1 lb a week and I am way ahead of schedule. The MyfitnessPal App has been critical in keeping me focused and on track. I'm so happy I discovered it. You can do it. Just keep logging in and watch your progress. Don't beat yourself up if you have a bad calorie day... Good luck!
  • karenc118
    karenc118 Posts: 78 Member
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    i do a bulk shop once a month followed by a huge batch freezer cook from scratch, pasta sauce, home made soup, chilli, curry. that way you're eating healthy homecooked food and its portion controlled. It also avoids going back to the shops! Good luck
  • A_Dabauer
    A_Dabauer Posts: 212 Member
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    Try local and in season fruits/veggies as well. Check out local farmers markets, especially at the end of the day as they are more likely to be offering cheap prices to move the last of their goods. :)
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,862 Member
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    Veggie's, fruits, fish and chicken are all so high. Does anyone have any idea's they can share? I could really use them.
    I bought large tomatoes at a farmer's market last weekend for fifty cents each. Corn on the cob was six for a dollar. Now admittedly, farmer's markets aren't open year round. Even so, I just don't find fruits, and vegetables expensive compared to processed food.
  • Squamation
    Squamation Posts: 522 Member
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    You had these same funds when you gained weight- how would you not be able to lose weight for the same amount of money?
  • MizTerry
    MizTerry Posts: 3,763 Member
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    I used to think the same thing, but you will find if you buy healthier food and cook a majority of your own meals, it's actually cheaper because you feel fuller longer. Does this make sense?
  • awesomedjmcvey
    awesomedjmcvey Posts: 50 Member
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    You are in NC and might still have the farmers markets around. Here in KY they are slowly getting smaller and not as many choices. But I usually get great deals at those. I also created a thing here at work where we share produce we grow ourselves. It works out awesome and we all get enough for our families (atleast during picking season)
  • Seacrone
    Seacrone Posts: 5 Member
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    Hi Maggie - I'm new to MFP too and I share your problem. I have a very limited income and I really need to avoid the processed junk. I'm diabetic and have other health issues so there's more to consider than just calories. Are you cooking for a family or it it just yourself? I just have myself to feed, so it's a little easier in some respects.
    I cut corners a lot by getting frozen produce. Nothing added - just frozen veggies and fruit. Yeah the organic local farm grown produce is the best, but a one pound bad of frozen broccoli that doesn't have any junk added is a lot more practical if you want to eat more than one meal a week. Yes there's some loss of nutrition, but it's not terrible and frozen is much better than canned. That's where I save on fruits and veggies.
    Protein sources are more difficult to budget, but I watch for sales and buy in bulk, then I will either break down the packages and freeze in smaller portions, or I will cook a giant meal and break it down into portions and freeze it. That later works very well if you work outside your home and need to bring lunch. I grab a frozen meal and it's thawed and ready to nuke by lunch time.
    The thing about eating healthy whole foods is that it does require a lot of advance planning and cooking. The processed stuff is not only cheap, it's easier to grab and go, so you have to be willing to put in more work and planning.
    If your ONLY goal is to lose weight, then what xcalygrl says is essentially true, but if you eat cheap processed junk - lots of pasta and rice and the like you will lose your health.
  • maggiegbrown
    maggiegbrown Posts: 90 Member
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    Thanks ya'll , this has been a lot of help. I am use to farmers market and fresh fish and meat markets. I will just learn to do better. I only have 75$ a month to spend so it has been challenging. But thanks for all the help. I'll keep you posted. ; )
  • amykhughes
    amykhughes Posts: 25 Member
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    Ditto what everyone else said. Also, I cut back on the low calorie volume eating. Now I eat foods with more calories, but less of them. It takes a little getting used to, but it's definitely saving me money because I'm buying less food overall.
  • clewpage
    clewpage Posts: 44 Member
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    Buy in bulk when you can. The first trip to a Costco or Sams might seem like you spent a fortune, but generally the price per unit is much lower than a weekly trip to the grocery store. I can stretch a $25 pack of chicken, which is generally 20 breasts packaged as pairs, into more than a month for 2 people. Same goes for pork and beef, even frozen seafood items. You can also get great deals on frozen snacks and fresh veggies and fruits.
    If the membership fee isn't in your budget, buy sale items at your regualr grocery store and freeze whenever possible.

    Saving money in other areas will also give your grocery budget a boost.
    Cleaning supplies, laundry and dish soaps, even shampoo and bath soap. Buy generic or at a 99cent store. You can get comparable quality for cheaper prices. I've not missed some of the things I choose to cut to make sure I have room in my budget for quality and healthyful foods.

    Some cooking tips:
    supplement your protein with a grain. I can take two chicken breasts, dice them up and saute with a squash and a zucchini and 2 servings of brown rice and have enough for two nights of dinner for me and my husband. It would easily feed a family of four, especially if you had a salad first. Tha's 4 meals for under $10.
    Lettuce is cheap, so buy a head, chop it up for salads, and eat a salad before lunch and before dinner. This will help fill you up before you get to the more expensive main meal, thus making your food go further.

    It takes some planning, but eating healthful on a budget can be done. 15-20 minutes can save you $10-20 dollars a week.

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