Broke and over weight...
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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.
Maybe you could also find some exercise equipment on freecycle. Thrift stores also have dumbbells & plates for barbells pretty cheap. For workout clothes if you go to a thrift store on a half off day you can score some workout gear cheap (I've bought Nike, Under Armour, Reebok, etc.)0 -
I haven't read all the posts yet. But just wanted to share what worked for me.
I do alternate day fasting. Up to 500 calories one day, eat your tdee the next, then repeat.
My grocery bill has gone way down since starting this. It's the only way of eating that has allowed me to lose weight and save money at the same time
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honestly I lost my weight the fastest exactly when i had almost no money for food. I bought cheapest yogurt and apples,for a good 4 days that was all i ate,then a little money came and i bought some meat but continued with frozen veggies,apples and cheapest dairy products and treated myself with handful of cookies once a week maybe.
It is fine to go like that for about 2 weeks but don't punish your body,food is priority to survive afterall0 -
I agree with the above. Aldi is great for cheap produce. I, too, live on a tight budget but since I have been eating more healthy recently I have noticed that I am spending less and less. The major myth is dieting is expensive and if you view it as you have to stock up on many "diet" pre-packaged products I would agree it can become costly. But if you pre-plan your meals in a healthy manner and steer clear from all the "pre-packaged" diet products that honestly aren't as healthy as you think you and tend to set yourself up for failure and an empty wallet. Trust me when I say I have been there more than once. I took a step back and re-analyzed my efforts and binge diet product shopping and realized what a waste. I started buying more fresh produce(love Aldi) cheap, cheap produce! And pre-planned more filling yet healthier meals and my grocery budget has lowered so much. I am still learning what to buy and what I can pass on...and for me this is huge!! I was a fast food junkie and processed food queen. Since I have began...I have realized how much you can actually save by not eating out and making healthy choices. I have not seen the results that I want but patience is my virtue and I know I didn't put it all on in a week so it will not all come off in a week. Anyone is welcome to add this ordinary paycheck to paycheck gal if ya like!! Good luck and support to each of you that read this through your weight loss endeavors!! Or like I like to look at it and refer to it as your "lifestyle change"!mnwalkingqueen wrote: »I tend to grocery shop at Aldi's they are a lower cost grocer that sells mostly only house brands. I don't buy meat there because I am picky but I buy my fish, shrimp and all produce there. I bought 4 bags full of groceries and only spent $50 bucks. I love fish and egg whites so I eat a lot of that plus I don't get tired of eating the same thing constantly. Good luck.
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If your paycheck is on the small size it might be a good idea to look at all your ins and outs, like losing weight. Write down every cent you spend and then re-evaluate a month later where all the money goes to and what is really important for just living and for you.
Ask yourself: do you really need that tv package, can you reduce costs for internet and mobile phone, clubs, etc. When I was studying we had a really tough financial period, but budgeting and deciding what is really important helped us get through it.0 -
MomOfOneGirl1995 wrote: »What is up with this person? She keeps de-activating, and then re-activates in order to say something combative, and then de-activates again?
By the way, a lot of my friends are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America, which is the top culinary school in the country. They also learned what I did about frozen sometimes being healthier than fresh. It's fact, not really up to debate.
http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/fresh_vs_frozen_vegetables_are_we_giving_up_nutrition_fo
http://www.livestrong.com/article/71064-fresh-versus-frozen-produce-which-healthier/
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=215
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/reasons-buy-frozen-fruits-veggies/story?id=20683879
http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food-safety/article/freezing-food
btw...I haven't deactivated once (it's a glitch in the system since the update)...I stated my opinion. I'm sorry that it's not the same as yours. Everyone is entitled to one. Thanks!
So I'm waiting for the culinary expertise that you were going to answer if other people answered your question. They've given you a lot of resources to show that frozen can be as nutrient-rich as fresh. I'm waiting to hear your side of the story.0 -
MomOfOneGirl1995 wrote: »JustinAnimal wrote: »MomOfOneGirl1995 wrote: »JustinAnimal wrote: »MomofOne, could you back your very adamant claims with something other than "I know better"?
yeah, it's called nutrition class in culinary school...that's how I know better. Peace out...
And I want to thank you for not acting like a childish *kitten*. It's been fun having a polite conversation about this.
Indeed.
She probably wasted her money on that culinary class. I wonder what other mis-information was spread?
Not a waste of money. I'm going to believe my instructors (chefs) before I believe any of you, sorry. Feel free to insult me more if it makes you feel better lol. Its ok. :-)
In the context of a culinary school I would believe that frozen vegetables would be taboo...as in using the freshest ingredients....but that doesn't mean frozen vegetables aren't as nutritious - it's just not the "done" thing for a chef to use frozen. So context important.
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MomOfOneGirl1995 wrote: »JustinAnimal wrote: »MomOfOneGirl1995 wrote: »JustinAnimal wrote: »MomofOne, could you back your very adamant claims with something other than "I know better"?
yeah, it's called nutrition class in culinary school...that's how I know better. Peace out...
And I want to thank you for not acting like a childish *kitten*. It's been fun having a polite conversation about this.
Indeed.
She probably wasted her money on that culinary class. I wonder what other mis-information was spread?
Not a waste of money. I'm going to believe my instructors (chefs) before I believe any of you, sorry. Feel free to insult me more if it makes you feel better lol. Its ok. :-)
On the context of a culinary school I would believe that frozen vegetables would be taboo...as in using the freshest ingredients....but that doesn't mean frozen vegetables aren't as nutritious - it's just not the "done" thing for a chef to use frozen. So context important.
Exactly. You want to pay restaurant prices for Birdseye? May as well go to Applebee's.0 -
MomOfOneGirl1995 wrote: »What is up with this person? She keeps de-activating, and then re-activates in order to say something combative, and then de-activates again?
By the way, a lot of my friends are graduates of the Culinary Institute of America, which is the top culinary school in the country. They also learned what I did about frozen sometimes being healthier than fresh. It's fact, not really up to debate.
http://www.eatingwell.com/nutrition_health/nutrition_news_information/fresh_vs_frozen_vegetables_are_we_giving_up_nutrition_fo
http://www.livestrong.com/article/71064-fresh-versus-frozen-produce-which-healthier/
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=george&dbid=215
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/reasons-buy-frozen-fruits-veggies/story?id=20683879
http://www.berkeleywellness.com/healthy-eating/food-safety/article/freezing-food
btw...I haven't deactivated once (it's a glitch in the system since the update)...I stated my opinion. I'm sorry that it's not the same as yours. Everyone is entitled to one. Thanks!
Science doesn't care if you believe.
Science isn't opinion....It's fact.0 -
Setting aside the fresh v. frozen nutrition debate, buying frozen vegetables is very economical and a great way to ensure regular access to low-calorie, nutritious foods. Fresh produce can be expensive and often spoils before being used unless you're very diligent about planning or just eat a *kitten*-ton of produce.
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I tried, but didn't make it through all the responses. I wanted to share this link with you: https://8b862ca0073972f0472b704e2c0c21d0480f50d3.googledrive.com/host/0Bxd6wdCBD_2tdUdtM0d4WTJmclU/good-and-cheap.pdf It's to a cookbook called Good and Cheap (Eat Well on $4/Day) It was put together by a graduate student trying to prove that people on food stamps could afford the healthy foods they needed to make at home that were tasty, well balanced, NOT fast food, and didn't require master culinary skills. I have made lots of these recipes, in particular the ones for dressing up regular oatmeal, the Indian stews and corn soup, homemade popcorn, and most of the "things on toast" section. I think you could really benefit from this, as it incorporates healthy, vegetarian proteins that are inexpensive, and even includes ideas for stretching the ingredients you have to buy.
I totally get that you don't just want to eat "less" of the same things you've been eating. Maybe those things are things that are hard to portion control for you. Maybe you want to make broader food changes so that you can feel good about what you put in your body and it's not strictly about weight loss, but a bigger lifestyle change. Everyone's minds work differently toward food, and I hope that you find something that works well for you. PS - that cookbook is a pdf online for free and accessible to everyone.0 -
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.
I eat potatoes all the time and still have lost 45 pounds in 4 months. Potatoes are so cheap and a great part of a balanced diet. Don't give up the potatoes, just eat them in a smarter way.
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MFP is very global, based on all the gardening suggestions, LOL. OP is in Wisconsin. She definitely could lose weight by eating only what she can forage and grow herself, but that's mostly because snow is very low-calorie.
I'm frozen out of locally grown right now, too, OP, but come spring, look around for local CSA farms. My CSA always offers a few "work shares" which means that in exchange for staffing share pickup hours, several people are given a free share in the CSA. (Which is about $500 for 20 weeks here, and includes a pretty large share...in the heaviest harvest times more than you could eat in a week, so save freezer space or learn to can/dehydrate food!) Field workshares are available, too, which means you get to exercise in the fresh air and sunshine in exchange for free vegetables! Win/Win!0 -
you gotta batch cook.
you cant snack or graze all day.
you gotta get out of the house and either walk for 30-45 minutes every morning (if you arent to the running/yoga/gym stages yet) or find a video to do in the livingroom.
you gotta remind yourself that it's easier to stick to a diet when you cant blow money on junk food
tell yourself being broke is an advantage that rich people dont have when it comes to over eating lolol
that was tongue in cheek, dont flag me if you're rich, there's nothing wrong with that either. good for you!0 -
Get rid of your car. That would save you money and lose weight at same time.
I was in good shape when I did not have a car....0 -
Hey usually I only shop Fri and sun nights at around 7 pm. Those are the dates a lot of fresh food goes out of date and it usually lasts a few days, but b wary of fish. Might be different days in us. I just spent 15 pound on about 60 pounds worth of posh shop healthy balanced meals. Stuck half of it in the freezer.0
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I don't think anyone mentioned these yet and I have just recently incorporated them in cooking. .. what about canned diced tomatoes? Tomatoes aren't always in season and they can be pricey. I like making bruschetta pasta with the Italian seasoning variety. Using things like this could add different dimensions of flavor to your staple dishes. I can find the store brand cans on sale often. I know it's not as healthy as fresh but it's cheaper, easier, and still tasty.0
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I will tell you that this single mother definitely feel on hard times but still had to feed my children good stuff and also things they like, like mac n cheese, pizza rolls etc those kind of things. So what I did was buy some children's plates out of the children's section at WalMart some bowls and cups. This helped me portion control. Lost 75 pds... Hope this helps0
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