Broke and over weight...

2456710

Replies

  • JenniDaisy
    JenniDaisy Posts: 526 Member
    Fortunately, eating less is a great way to save money!
  • DagobaGirl
    DagobaGirl Posts: 21 Member
    I have been in your boat girlfriend and it sucks, but it is not impossible! Frozen veggies are your friend, especially store brand. Canned veggies are also good options, but make sure you opt for the lower sodium options. Canned beans are inexpensive and pack a powerful protein punch. You can buy big bags of brown rice on the cheap for your carb intake as well! The trick to making these foods tasty is creatively spicing them. Also garlic and onions are your friend. Embrace them.

    Supplement your meals with fresh fruit and veggies where you can. My local Kroger has deeply discounted fruit on Saturday mornings on a special rack. Dictate your meals for the week by sales and coupons. As meat is pretty expensive try to limit it to max one a day. Vegetarian meals with frozen/canned veggies are generally cheaper.

    As for snacks, boiled eggs are perfect little protein capsules. Just don't go crazy with the yolks and eat a bunch of eggs each day. Carrots and hummus are good if you can get hummus at the right price. Sometimes it's too expensive to splurge on, but it usually goes on sale a couple times a month so catch it at the right time!

    Hope this helps and good luck lady! You can do this, just gotta be a little more creative than most. ;) Just consider it a testament to your strength.
  • higgins8283801
    higgins8283801 Posts: 844 Member
    I haven't changed how I grocery shop. I just eat less of what I buy. :) I am down almost 40lbs so it works for me. good luck!
  • heartpie
    heartpie Posts: 24 Member
    I think you should try some normal exercises at home, if you're getting it hard to manage budget with the gym. I would suggest you to try some natural weight loss treatments and follow healthy diet. Try eating cereal before bed, it's a good bedtime snack and a proven weight loss diet..
  • Fortunately, being broke is not an excuse for being overweight or to not lose weight.

    That sounds harsh, I know, but they really have nothing to do with one another.

    Buying fresh fresh vegetables and fruits can be expensive at times but there are sales every week that make it more manageable. There are definitely sales on frozen and canned ones on a regular basis.

    Healthy carbs like potatoes and oats are not expensive at all.

    The biggest expense will be meats. I found that when I started tracking my calories I had been eating portions of meat that were way too large. A pound of chicken and of beef will now last me about a week, where it used to be 3 days tops.

    And there is absolutely no need for any supplements at all. Not even a vitamin if you are eating enough fruits and vegetables.
  • GCPgirl
    GCPgirl Posts: 208 Member
    As far as exercising, I started running...you can do it any time you have free and for as long as you can. It will only cost you a pair of sneakers. I also bought a exercise bike in a garage sale for $8. The spedometer doesn't work but as long as the pedals turn, I don't care. People are ALWAYS selling exercise stuff at garage sales!
    Also, either get DVDs to do at home...you can get them cheap on Ebay or Amazon or for free on YouTube.
  • xkitxkatxkaix
    xkitxkatxkaix Posts: 368 Member
    acorsaut89 wrote: »
    Hey! Sorry to hear you're going through this . . . hopefully it will get better, soon.

    I don't live paycheque to paycheque, but hear me out - I'm really budget conscious and I have been able to plan meals within a budget.

    I'm not sure if you have like a Costco or Sam's Club where you live - I know their memberships cost money but you might know someone who has one and can help you out. It's a bit of money at the outset, but I buy in bulk and I save a ton!

    For example, once a month I buy meat - once a month! I buy 4kg of chicken breast for $30 CDN and 4 - 1 lb packages of ground turkey for $20 CDN and I can get like 5 lbs of ground beef for $20 CDN. And the meat is grade A beef and completely white meat chicken, zero fat - they stick to a pan when cooking if I don't put some kind of spray or a bit of oil in it. Buying in bulk has helped me big time to save money and always have food I can prepare. The only thing I don't buy in bulk is produce because I'm single and I can't eat it quickly enough to make it worth while, with the exception of apples - I buy apples there because I eat them all the time.

    Also - I know here we have almost like levels of grocery stores. There's the high end ones, middle of the road ones and the lower end ones. The lower end ones sometimes have some iffy crowds but they carry pretty much the same products and the prices are noticeably different. Do you think you might save money if you shop at a different store? Further, we have something called a United Supermarket which is geared to international foods, mostly Asian. The produce they have there is absolutely freaking amazing! And less expensive than a regular grocery store here. So maybe shop around if it's possible? It does suck for sure to not just be able to throw whatever in your cart, regardless of the cost. I'm definitely the same way and I have debt that needs to be paid off so I need to really focus on cutting the extra costs. Can I ask though, have you revisited your budget? I'm not trying to be nosey, but are there maybe areas you could cut out because eating properly is an investment we should never skimp on. Or even maybe look at getting a second job? I do some extra work sometimes outside of my regular job because I need the extra cash. It has helped me to recognize just how much I spend on nights out with friends and a couple drinks here and there and I do what I can to minimize that, although I still do like to have fun! Who doesn't? I don't have a lot left over at the end of two weeks, but it's getting better. I went through a separation which costs me a lot of money to get out of and move on from so a few months ago I was hurting, definitely, but it's getting better and your situation will too :)

    The trick is to really know what you want and like to eat. I do meal prep, so whatever I make I'm eating it for the whole week. When I first started out, some of the things I'm like OMG please be Friday, please be Friday, please be Friday because it really wasn't good, whereas other experiments turned out amazing and are part of my regular rotation.

    If you're ever looking for any meal prep ideas or anything, feel free to shoot me a message.

    Unfortunately I have thought of Costco/Sam's Club memberships but I'm literally so tight on my budget that if I did go there I would out on part of my rent. I just can't justify that kind of spending really. Part of the problem was paying off my maxed out credit card (happy to say now I am almost debt free!) and I have the absolute worst luck with cars. I swear every few months it's one thing or another. I do shop at the most decently priced grocery in town which is wonderful! Even compared to the smaller (supposedly) cheaper shops they're still better priced which was shocking when I discovered that. But I will look at other shops as well just to see what they have as well, it is a good idea to price match. Thank you for your kind words, I do truly appreciate it. :)
  • jmauerhan
    jmauerhan Posts: 82 Member
    Heh, unfortunately potatoes are part of the problem as to why I'm here. When we first moved into our first apartment we discovered that was a great idea to save on grocery bills. And an extra some odd set of pounds later... here I am.

    Potatoes are not the problem. The butter, cheese, and sour cream that people tend to pile on top, or the oil people fry them in - that is the problem. Potatoes are low in calories and fill you up.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    This lady has made a recipe book based on healthy, thrifty ways to feed herself and her son whilst she was on benefits. It gives you the calorie count and the cost per portion (she's British so you may have to adjust the costings if you're not a UK resident).

    http://agirlcalledjack.com/
  • chivalryder
    chivalryder Posts: 4,391 Member
    How to Survive on Only $100 a Month in Groceries

    Read this, then modify to fit your macros.
  • tempehforever
    tempehforever Posts: 183 Member
    Well, the good news is that theoretically if you're eating LESS food than you were before, what you buy should last you much longer! Not eating out also saves a ton.

    To save money on food, I've found one of the best things to do is to not get too hung up on following recipes exactly. When I go to the produce section, I buy what is cheapest and on sale. Right now (winter where I am), this means a lot of cabbage, apples, oranges, squash, carrots, etc. If a recipe calls for something out of season/expensive like asparagus or blueberries, I'll replace it with whatever I have. Same with the meat section. Chicken breast? Replace with whatever chicken part is cheaper and on sale (thighs, etc.).

    Agree that pasta, tuna/other canned fish (sardines are crazy good for you if you can learn to like them!), frozen vegetables, dry beans/lentils, and plain oatmeal (buy raisins in bulk to add) can go a really, really long way. Cheap veggies + lentils (I love red lentils!) + seasoning make a giant soup that is easy to freeze and is super filling.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    I have been and still in the same boat. I think to eat healthier and lose weight it is expensive. Everyone will laugh at this statement but it is true. My grocery bill went up and not down. Plus I am feeding 1 person and it is more difficult to buy food for 1.

    Everyone says eating less will cost less. That is so not true.
    For example, I use stevia sugar now. I don't buy regular sugar anymore. Stevia is 3 - 4 times more than the price of regular sugar.

    Another example is lean meat. I buy 96% lean meat. It is 3 times more than regular ground or even a leaner meat than the most lean meat you can buy. Turkey (gound meat) is more expensive. Hand down!

    I live pay check to pay check too. And I can only buy things that I can cook for a whole week and eat the same thing the entire week. For example, I may make a low fat chilli or low fat spaghetti sauce and eat that all week!

    How do you buy food eat week?
  • xkitxkatxkaix
    xkitxkatxkaix Posts: 368 Member
    DagobaGirl wrote: »
    I have been in your boat girlfriend and it sucks, but it is not impossible! Frozen veggies are your friend, especially store brand. Canned veggies are also good options, but make sure you opt for the lower sodium options. Canned beans are inexpensive and pack a powerful protein punch. You can buy big bags of brown rice on the cheap for your carb intake as well! The trick to making these foods tasty is creatively spicing them. Also garlic and onions are your friend. Embrace them.

    Supplement your meals with fresh fruit and veggies where you can. My local Kroger has deeply discounted fruit on Saturday mornings on a special rack. Dictate your meals for the week by sales and coupons. As meat is pretty expensive try to limit it to max one a day. Vegetarian meals with frozen/canned veggies are generally cheaper.

    As for snacks, boiled eggs are perfect little protein capsules. Just don't go crazy with the yolks and eat a bunch of eggs each day. Carrots and hummus are good if you can get hummus at the right price. Sometimes it's too expensive to splurge on, but it usually goes on sale a couple times a month so catch it at the right time!

    Hope this helps and good luck lady! You can do this, just gotta be a little more creative than most. ;) Just consider it a testament to your strength.

    ^^^ Spot-fricken-on girlfriend. I will say this though... I make the most BOMB garlic pepper veggies for sides during dinner. ;D
    Garlic and onion are most definitely besties of mine.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    jmauerhan wrote: »
    Heh, unfortunately potatoes are part of the problem as to why I'm here. When we first moved into our first apartment we discovered that was a great idea to save on grocery bills. And an extra some odd set of pounds later... here I am.

    Potatoes are not the problem. The butter, cheese, and sour cream that people tend to pile on top, or the oil people fry them in - that is the problem. Potatoes are low in calories and fill you up.

    5'4 and 117lbs over here and I eat potatoes all the time. ;) I dont eat my baked potatoes "fully loaded" very often though! Mostly just with ketchup, or bbq sauce, or a small amount of margarine and pepper.

  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    Been there. Go on "cabbage soup" diet, don't buy meat, processed foods, your grocery bill will actually go down. Onions, cabbage, celery, carrots, some cans of tomatoes...add a bag of oatmeal for breakfast.

    Give up driving to save money. Take public transportation every where. .amazing how walking around takes off weight.

    But where is the protein?
  • jmauerhan
    jmauerhan Posts: 82 Member
    gia07 wrote: »
    Everyone says eating less will cost less. That is so not true.
    For example, I use stevia sugar now. I don't buy regular sugar anymore. Stevia is 3 - 4 times more than the price of regular sugar.

    You just contradicted yourself. If you had kept buying regular sugar but LESS of it, it would be cheaper. You could have kept buying the same meat, but LESS of it. That is where buying LESS food is CHEAPER. Buying different food might not be. You can buy 2000 calories of lean meat, or you could buy 2000 calories of ramen. Which is cheaper?

    Buying food at the grocery store is almost always cheaper than take out, fast food, etc.

    If you're on a budget, don't buy the "healthiest" food you can think of. Buy what you will eat, but slightly LESS of it.

    I always ALWAYS lose weight at the end of a paycheck period. The first two or three days after payday we splurge on a takeout dinner and I buy lunch out. By the day before payday (ha, that's today) when I'm absolutely FORCED to use what's in the pantry and freezer, it's easy to have a 1500 calorie day.
  • xkitxkatxkaix
    xkitxkatxkaix Posts: 368 Member
    GCPgirl wrote: »
    As far as exercising, I started running...you can do it any time you have free and for as long as you can. It will only cost you a pair of sneakers. I also bought a exercise bike in a garage sale for $8. The spedometer doesn't work but as long as the pedals turn, I don't care. People are ALWAYS selling exercise stuff at garage sales!
    Also, either get DVDs to do at home...you can get them cheap on Ebay or Amazon or for free on YouTube.

    Heh, well that's the thing... I have premature arthritis in my back and in my knees. In short, it hurts to run. Especially now since this is the heaviest I've ever been. But I did do it back in the day and it was a great workout. For now I'll utilize what I found on hulu and, thanks to you, on youtube as well. I didn't realize they had exercise videos up. Thanks for that! :D
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    You've gotten a lot of food advice, so I'm just going to suggest looking online for workout videos. There's a lot out there.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Let me add, for exercise... I did break down and buy an ellipitcal trainer so I can work out at home and out of the cold.

    Before I was running! I needed a good pair shoes and some work out clothes.. Other than that it is free! I also bought 2 medicine balls and 2 sets of dumb bells. This is all I use for working out.

    I do not and cannot afford a gym membership and all the costs that go with that in order to work out somewhere else other than my home. I am thankful my elliptical was purchased on paypal and I have 6 months to pay on that with no interest.