Broke and over weight...
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I do have to say thank you to everyone whose responded. I did get some new ideas and a lot of motivation. Thank you for your time... really it does mean a lot to me. On that note anyone who would like to, please add me. Motivation is key right now.0
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Not sure if anyone mentioned this (I don't feel like reading all the responses), but you can rent exercise dvds from your local library for free.
Whats a Library?
Broke and overweight don't belong together. I dont care what you eat if you count your calories you can lose weight. How you choose to eat or not eat is up to you.
NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!! STRONG MIND STRONG BODY!!! WEAK MIND WEAK BODY!!!
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The great thing about weight loss is that you don't need super fancy foods to lose weight. All you need is a calorie deficit (meaning you burn more calories than you eat). You can eat anything you want as long as it fits your calorie goals. (No, this isn't ideal, but you don't want to break the bank trying to lose weight.)
I would suggest you shop within your means, log everything you eat, and eat within your calorie goal that MFP gave you. If you do this, you will have success. Once you have more of a grocery budget, you can start adding in healthier options.
^^^ You always have the best advice.0 -
I am a broke college student trying to lose weight. I don't have a gym membership right now. Some things you can do instead are go for a walk (when it isn't so cold out) or use home exercise videos (when it's cold outside). You can find a lot of home exercise routines on youtube that do not require equipment and are free. If push comes to shove, you could literally just walk up and down the stairs of your house for 20 minutes and burn lots of calories that way.0
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MomOfOneGirl1995 wrote: »xkitxkatxkaix 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.
actually, that's not the problem either. You can have that, just smaller amounts that fit into your daily calories.
So, it's not a problem to put too much butter, cheese and sour cream on, unless you put too much on? :-P
If someone wants to eat tons of butter and cheese, along with potatoes, they can't blame the potatoes for their weight gain any more than they could if they ate broccoli with tons of cheese sauce or celery with tons of peanut butter - in those examples, is the food that is contributing MORE to the weight gain the vegetable or the topping?
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melimomTARDIS wrote: »xkitxkatxkaix 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!
I dont do alot of heavy excersize. I dont like to. I do light yoga, walking, and I dance around my house more often then I should probably admit. I also walk to do most of my errands, if the snow isnt too bad. (usually I bundle up and head out, but if its snowing sideways...)
I also rent dance type workout videos from my library. recently a country western line dancing one that was super fun.
I dont "eat back" those excersize calories all that often, because its pretty light effort.
Haha! Totally relate to dancing around a lot. It's just fun to get your groove on. My boyfriend has warned me that I need to take it easy (oh yea, did I mention two pulled hamstrings from not stretching?) otherwise I risk hurting myself, especially since my arthritis sits right on top of my sciatic nerve. Talk about immobilizing when that sucker gets pinched... (x_x)0 -
Not sure if anyone mentioned this (I don't feel like reading all the responses), but you can rent exercise dvds from your local library for free.
Whats a Library?
Broke and overweight don't belong together. I dont care what you eat if you count your calories you can lose weight. How you choose to eat or not eat is up to you.
NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!! STRONG MIND STRONG BODY!!! WEAK MIND WEAK BODY!!!
(O_O) Yes Sargent! *salute*0 -
I agree with the forum on eating within your monetary and caloric budget. I'm not broke anymore but no one wants to spend a lot of money on weight loss. I suggest going for lots of walks and check out your local goodwill for old tapes and dvds for super cheap for when its too cold to get out. I got a 10 minute trainer video for a couple of bucks and it requires no equipment. And you didn't hear it from me but you download a few good workouts at the piratebay... and there are tons of youtube workout videos.0
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rita_puentes wrote: »I haven't reached my weight goal but as far as financial goals my husband and I are 100% debt free except for the house following Dave Ramsey 7 Baby Steps. He is a radio talk Financial Advisor and his Podcast is very informative. Good luck!
I just started my baby steps last month.
OP, do you have a GFS Marketplace (store) near you? There's no membership and the prices are great, especially on things like frozen veggies. I stock up there from time to time.
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Not sure if anyone mentioned this (I don't feel like reading all the responses), but you can rent exercise dvds from your local library for free.
Whats a Library?
Broke and overweight don't belong together. I dont care what you eat if you count your calories you can lose weight. How you choose to eat or not eat is up to you.
NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!! STRONG MIND STRONG BODY!!! WEAK MIND WEAK BODY!!!
Lots of poor people are fat (in the US). I was 180lbs (at 5'4) and lived on/under the poverty line. I had a lot of misinformation floating around my head then about food, and knew nothing about calories/portion size at all.
A little education on the subject matter was really good for me.
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Decades ago when I was about 18-19, I lived on my own and had about $10 a month in my budget for groceries. Yes, I had a written budget and kept to it. I bought really cheap meat at the grocery store (think cow & chicken livers, wings) and made casseroles with noodles & sauces & canned green beans . Never cheese tho because for me cheese was too expensive to buy. I also didn't have money for "a life" so I would go out jogging in the evenings just to get fresh air and enjoy the city lights. This also saved the gas in the car for getting to work. This forced way of living caused me to drop weight and slim down in no time. At no time did I feel like I was going hungry. The jogging turned into something I truly enjoyed, too. The upside of course was all the compliments I received on my svelte frame. However, just one work-friend figured it out right away that I couldn't afford food.
All this to say, work it in your budget. Cut out the budget that is not necessary. Do what you can do to save on gas/transportation costs. This will spill over to your new healthy way of living.0 -
I weigh over 300 lbs and I am like you living paycheck to paycheck myself. I have a wife and three kids to feed and our budget is literally $100 bucks every two weeks for food. So one of the things that my wife and I do every morning is have a protein shake. We buy one of those big tubs that's like $30. And that will last the two of us for quite a while. I had to sit down and create a budget and do the envelope trick. So every paycheck I take out exactly $100 dollars and put it in an envelope and that is all the money we spend on food. Once that money is spent that's all there is. if you have any money left over, carry it over to the next paycheck. You will find that you subconciously will try to save some money. Also be smart about what you eat. I eat carrots every day as a snack and I bought snack bags to make sure that I am not over eating. Those are my tricks.0
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I also created a food budget spreadsheet so I know exactly how much I am spending with a few dollars. That helps so that I am not caught off guard.
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I am definitely not rich and live paycheck to paycheck. Like i said poor and overweight don't go together. If your here asking the question its cause you want to do something about it. Money does not need to affect your eating.melimomTARDIS wrote: »Not sure if anyone mentioned this (I don't feel like reading all the responses), but you can rent exercise dvds from your local library for free.
Whats a Library?
Broke and overweight don't belong together. I dont care what you eat if you count your calories you can lose weight. How you choose to eat or not eat is up to you.
NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!! STRONG MIND STRONG BODY!!! WEAK MIND WEAK BODY!!!
Lots of poor people are fat (in the US). I was 180lbs (at 5'4) and lived on/under the poverty line. I had a lot of misinformation floating around my head then about food, and knew nothing about calories/portion size at all.
A little education on the subject matter was really good for me.
Your comment is making an EXCUSE for why you need to be overweight.
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khloesdad0124 wrote: »I weigh over 300 lbs and I am like you living paycheck to paycheck myself. I have a wife and three kids to feed and our budget is literally $100 bucks every two weeks for food. So one of the things that my wife and I do every morning is have a protein shake. We buy one of those big tubs that's like $30. And that will last the two of us for quite a while. I had to sit down and create a budget and do the envelope trick. So every paycheck I take out exactly $100 dollars and put it in an envelope and that is all the money we spend on food. Once that money is spent that's all there is. if you have any money left over, carry it over to the next paycheck. You will find that you subconciously will try to save some money. Also be smart about what you eat. I eat carrots every day as a snack and I bought snack bags to make sure that I am not over eating. Those are my tricks.
Im a cash budgeter as well! I spend 100 bucks a week on food/diapers/dog food/household stuff(soap,shampoo,detergent,TP)/medicine and vitamins.
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MomOfOneGirl1995 wrote: »MomOfOneGirl1995 wrote: »xkitxkatxkaix 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.
actually, that's not the problem either. You can have that, just smaller amounts that fit into your daily calories.
So, it's not a problem to put too much butter, cheese and sour cream on, unless you put too much on? :-P
If someone wants to eat tons of butter and cheese, along with potatoes, they can't blame the potatoes for their weight gain any more than they could if they ate broccoli with tons of cheese sauce or celery with tons of peanut butter - in those examples, is the food that is contributing MORE to the weight gain the vegetable or the topping?
You can eat whatever you want while losing weight (even potatoes with sour cream, butter and cheese) and lose weight if you eat at a deficit. I've NEVER blamed food for my gaining weight...it's me and I never said that she should blame the food. Where did you even get that from?
I said it's a problem to pile on high calorie foods. You said it's not a problem as long as it's not a lot of them. Pile on =/= not a lot. We are saying the same thing. If you eat more calories than you expend, you gain weight.
My point is it's a lot harder to eat 2500 calories worth of potatoes, vs 2500 calories of potatoes with BUTTER on them.
Put the butter on if you want, but don't blame the potato for the calories that come from the butter.0 -
I wouldn't say we live paycheck to paycheck, but we have definitely had to cut back a lot of our extra stuff lately, due to my husband's new job. He has to pay rent there (he workes 2.5 hrs away from us) and we also have to maintain our place here. So, it's two rents, two food bills, two of everything now. I also had a baby in April, so that has added some extra costs.
At any rate, I don't go to the gym. Most of my exercise comes from walking or a workout video. I asked for a few videos for Christmas. They were about $10 each. Since I am home alone during the week with the kids, I wouldn't be able to go to the gym, even if I could afford it. Our complex has a 24 hour gym too, that I can't use.
I used to take walks with them once we got home, but with the time change, it's dark by time I make it home. So, as silly as it sounds, my kids like to get in on my exercise in the evenings, so we do a dance party. Basically, we dance as fast and crazy as we can to music. It's better than sitting on my butt.
When it comes to food, I would say the only thing that may be costing us a little more is the fresh fruit and veggies. I love spinach and probably go through 2 big bags a week. It's not something I used to even like, but now it's one of my favorite things to eat.
I also watch my portions. I used to just eat and not worry about how much I ate or when. Now, I am also aware of what I eat and when I eat. I don't sit and eat a big bowl of pasta at 8pm, like I used to. I watch my carbs later in the day.
I also do not drink soda anymore and replaced it with water. I drink at least 96 oz a day, sometimes more. Good luck to you. I think it's definitely doable!0 -
xkitxkatxkaix wrote: »fresh veggies, avoided processed/canned anything really, etc.
You can eat canned fruits and veggies! They're cheap and, as long as you make sure they use lite syrup/no syrup/low sodium added. Frozen veggies are also very inexpensive. Dried beans are even less expensive per lb, they just require some cooking.
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It looks like you've received a lot of great advice already, but I just wanted to add that www.budgetbytes.com is a great site for recipes and tips for eating on a limited budget.0
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I am definitely not rich and live paycheck to paycheck. Like i said poor and overweight don't go together. If your here asking the question its cause you want to do something about it. Money does not need to affect your eating.melimomTARDIS wrote: »Not sure if anyone mentioned this (I don't feel like reading all the responses), but you can rent exercise dvds from your local library for free.
Whats a Library?
Broke and overweight don't belong together. I dont care what you eat if you count your calories you can lose weight. How you choose to eat or not eat is up to you.
NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!! STRONG MIND STRONG BODY!!! WEAK MIND WEAK BODY!!!
Lots of poor people are fat (in the US). I was 180lbs (at 5'4) and lived on/under the poverty line. I had a lot of misinformation floating around my head then about food, and knew nothing about calories/portion size at all.
A little education on the subject matter was really good for me.
Your comment is making an EXCUSE for why you need to be overweight.
I think you two are saying the same thing. Budget and food choices are mutually exclusive. You don't have to have a good income to eat well but if you have a very limited budget, it takes more planning to do so and many people don't have the nutrition education or take the time and effort to do so, so they make poor choices and gain weight.
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I am definitely not rich and live paycheck to paycheck. Like i said poor and overweight don't go together. If your here asking the question its cause you want to do something about it. Money does not need to affect your eating.melimomTARDIS wrote: »Not sure if anyone mentioned this (I don't feel like reading all the responses), but you can rent exercise dvds from your local library for free.
Whats a Library?
Broke and overweight don't belong together. I dont care what you eat if you count your calories you can lose weight. How you choose to eat or not eat is up to you.
NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!! STRONG MIND STRONG BODY!!! WEAK MIND WEAK BODY!!!
Lots of poor people are fat (in the US). I was 180lbs (at 5'4) and lived on/under the poverty line. I had a lot of misinformation floating around my head then about food, and knew nothing about calories/portion size at all.
A little education on the subject matter was really good for me.
Your comment is making an EXCUSE for why you need to be overweight.
First off... I'm really not sure why you're getting flagged... but anywho.
I honestly go both ways on this one. I do agree that when you live on/below the poverty line you do get pretty misinformed at times. Perfect example, before my best friend lived with me and my papa she had no idea what hummus, quinoa and other things were or that they even existed. (my dad specializes in making a wide range of dishes and recipes from around the world)
But I do agree with you sir. My thought process is doing a bit of venturing and some research is a world of wonder. When I originally started I bought lean quisine and things of such left and right, but I always felt hungry and deprived later. Then I did research and hey lookie there! I'm not really eating /real/ food. No wonder I'm feeling hungry. Now I'm always looking for better food eats. 0 -
If I repeat anything that has already been said, then I apologize:
I am on a tight budget, have been for a few years now (I was a grad student, now I do contract stuff, but it's precarious work) - when things are really tight, I basically eat vegan since meat is more expensive. Dried beans are cheap where I live, as are frozen veggies, especially in winter when fresh are more expensive. Those are staples as well as whatever fruits are on sale. It's not so exciting, but it works.
For exercise - check out youtube for workout videos. And craigslist or kijiji are good places to find used workout equipment. Losing weight on a budget can definitely be done!0 -
I know it is hard, I've been there. You really don't have to just focus on fresh vegetables. You can try frozen veggies and fruits. They are just as good, kept all the vitamins and is a lot cheaper. As for the workout...try dvd's or (I don't know if they are on tv where you live) workout shows on tv. You will make it! good luck!0
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xkitxkatxkaix wrote: »I am doing better now but, for a while, was on food stamps so I had $161 per month for food. Most of the time, grocery store ads come out on Thursday so I would sit down at my computer every Thursday and plan out my week by going to the store websites and reading the ads and coupons. I would first check out the sales on meat and plan my main meals depending on what was on sale. Generally I would do 4 days with meat and three with something like beans for dinner. I am lucky in that I live in a medium sized town on the edge of a large metropolitan area so I have several different grocery stores that are an easy drive for me. Most staples I would get at Aldi because they are cheaper. Their meat and produce is hit or miss so I may or may not buy any of that there. If I don't, then I stop at whichever grocery has the best prices for what I am looking for.
Generally, you save money by eating at home. Things like bottled water are not necessities. If you buy it, get yourself a filter pitcher like Pur or Brita and drink filtered tap water if your tap water is bad tasting (mine is horrible but the Pur makes it just as good as bottled). Buy bulk items rather than single serving. Oatmeal takes just 2 minutes in the microwave and one large tub of old-fashioned oats costs me $2 for about 3 weeks of satisfying breakfasts.
It takes effort and planning, but you can definitely do this.
I agree with everything you've said. I also have a water pitcher, I even try to fill up another pitcher with water just because we go through it so quickly. We even add fresh lime juice (squeezed, not the fake nasty stuff) and stevia to it so we basically have a sugarless limeade always happening. lol
Unfortunately we don't own a microwave... I know, dark ages.
unless you have a dietary reason for using stevia i wouldn't bother with it. there's nothing wrong with using plain ole sugar it's the amount of sugar that gets us all in trouble. a little bit is not going to make a difference in your weight loss. save your money. also if you haven't already received these as suggestions stock up on beans, eggs, pasta, frozen or fresh veggies (which you're already doing), tuna in a can, make your own hummus (find a recipe without tahini which can be expensive), brown rice, potatoes (minus all the toppings as mentioned), whole chicken cut it up yourself, oatmeal (not instant), make your own pasta sauce, make your own granola bars, heck make you own peanut butter. lots of ways to cut grocery bills. oh and i know it's been mentioned but coupons, coupons and more coupons.
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TimothyFish wrote: »You can buy dry rice and beans in bulk for fairly cheap. I don't think you save much money by baking your own bread, but it tastes better
Agree with buying foods in bulk. You just get what you need and you're done, or you can get more if they're on special.
Also, I bake it every week and it's only about a dollar a loaf, my power bread is probably $1.50 a loaf. For the hearty bread I like, that's a huge savings.
I am not a super tight budget for food, but I love cutting corners when I can, and eating something homemade and tasty!
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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.
I just have to say that you missed what I was saying! I choose to not eat sugar.
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In addition, if the OP is having a hard time with the budget why can't I too be having the same issue.
MFP members are quick to tell you off and why a person can't be having the same issues.
So much trolling going on and I hate this about MFP.-1 -
LoosingMyLast15 wrote: »xkitxkatxkaix wrote: »I am doing better now but, for a while, was on food stamps so I had $161 per month for food. Most of the time, grocery store ads come out on Thursday so I would sit down at my computer every Thursday and plan out my week by going to the store websites and reading the ads and coupons. I would first check out the sales on meat and plan my main meals depending on what was on sale. Generally I would do 4 days with meat and three with something like beans for dinner. I am lucky in that I live in a medium sized town on the edge of a large metropolitan area so I have several different grocery stores that are an easy drive for me. Most staples I would get at Aldi because they are cheaper. Their meat and produce is hit or miss so I may or may not buy any of that there. If I don't, then I stop at whichever grocery has the best prices for what I am looking for.
Generally, you save money by eating at home. Things like bottled water are not necessities. If you buy it, get yourself a filter pitcher like Pur or Brita and drink filtered tap water if your tap water is bad tasting (mine is horrible but the Pur makes it just as good as bottled). Buy bulk items rather than single serving. Oatmeal takes just 2 minutes in the microwave and one large tub of old-fashioned oats costs me $2 for about 3 weeks of satisfying breakfasts.
It takes effort and planning, but you can definitely do this.
I agree with everything you've said. I also have a water pitcher, I even try to fill up another pitcher with water just because we go through it so quickly. We even add fresh lime juice (squeezed, not the fake nasty stuff) and stevia to it so we basically have a sugarless limeade always happening. lol
Unfortunately we don't own a microwave... I know, dark ages.
unless you have a dietary reason for using stevia i wouldn't bother with it. there's nothing wrong with using plain ole sugar it's the amount of sugar that gets us all in trouble. a little bit is not going to make a difference in your weight loss. save your money. also if you haven't already received these as suggestions stock up on beans, eggs, pasta, frozen or fresh veggies (which you're already doing), tuna in a can, make your own hummus (find a recipe without tahini which can be expensive), brown rice, potatoes (minus all the toppings as mentioned), whole chicken cut it up yourself, oatmeal (not instant), make your own pasta sauce, make your own granola bars, heck make you own peanut butter. lots of ways to cut grocery bills. oh and i know it's been mentioned but coupons, coupons and more coupons.
Reason being for my using stevia more than sugar..... I drink coffee like I'm trying to drink the entire ocean in one gulp. Creamy sweet delights of my morning... and afternoon.... sometimes in the evening too....
That and also I'm at a higher risk for getting diabetes since my papa is diabetic and it runs heavy on both sides of the family.
So to help I grabbed stevia. It helps so much with lowering the sugar intake.0 -
xkitxkatxkaix wrote: »I know that I can't be the only one here with this problem, or maybe I am and I hoping to have a pity party. Is there anyone else here who lives paycheck to paycheck and barely making ends meet? I've tried more then a few times to buy only the healthiest of options at the grocery store (within reason of my budget of course) fresh veggies, avoided processed/canned anything really, etc., but I swear each time I nearly break my bank in doing so. On top of that I had to give up my gym membership which is sad considering that it's only $10 a month but with my rent going up it's just no longer in my budget anymore (sad I know).a What I'm in search for is someone who is in the same boat I am but somehow makes it work! I want to be able to pick peoples brains on this one. What meals do you plan for during your week? How do you fit in exercise into a busy schedule?
I would really love some feedback. Thanks for your time!
We live on basically minimum wage. I grow a garden and we have livestock-I just put 6 chickens in my freezer yesterday and after doing the math I learned that we get chicken for $0.07/lb. Eggs are $0.32/dozen. Veggies are pretty much free since I only use heirloom and gather the seeds.
Do you have an area you can get pots for plants? Squash, cauliflower, tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, broccoli, chard, kale, celery, pineapple, strawberries, etc all grow very eaily in small pots, and one cherry tomato plant gives me enough I can put up ketchup, salsa, spaghetti sauce, soup, and still have enough to eat off the plant.
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Frozen foods (as long as they aren't freezer MEALS, but food that has actually been frozen) have much more nutrition than canned and, so I'm told, even more nutrients than fresh veggies in the produce section.
Cheap food options:
Frozen veggies / fruit
Frozen tilapia
Beans
Brown Rice
Lentils (x1000000000000)
Eggs
Cheap Exercise:
Spartacus Workout (menshealth.com)
Insanity
Youtube aerobics and other workouts
Body weight push-ups, squats, dips, tricep push-ups, etc.
Running up and down public stairs
You can do this, you just need to get creative.0
This discussion has been closed.
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