Is it just me or...?
Replies
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I hate hearing this, and honey, it's not just you. I know I don't really like it when people say "I know how you feel" when they really have NO clue what it's like to truly not have any money. I've been there and in fact, still trying desperately to figure a way out.
I hope that your home will be rebuilt in a somewhat timely manner (I know it can take so long w/insurance and FEMA and all)
I posted something on here yesterday asking for some ideas for food for one's with no budget. All we eat right now is pasta and rice and beans!
Any ideas anyone?0 -
I agree. I'm a poor poor college student with lots of loans and I'm getting a degree in theatre! Not much money in that. lol
What has happened to you is terrible but all of us here know that you can pull through it! Like others have said, walk outside, RUN outside, get together with some friends and go play a game of baseball or something. Any activity will help. And as for food, just cut portions if you really can't control what is being put on your plate and you can't afford all the health stuff. You can do it!0 -
Q: Are yout MFP exercise calories accurate?
A: Not really. You should spend $40+ on a HRM.
Q: Is there a good way to stop blisters?
A: You should buy expensive new shoes that are fitted to your feet professionally.
1. Average your HR after having taken it manually a few times during exercise, enter it here: http://www.braydenwm.com/calburn.htm (That will give you an accurate burn.)
2. http://www.invisibleshoe.com/how-to-make-huaraches/ is where to go for cheap, effective, DIY barefoot-running shoes.
3. Also, frozen veggies will save you soooo much money.
There's always a cheap alternative.
Just gotta look.
Hope it helps! :drinker:0 -
So sorry that things have been so bad for you :flowerforyou:
The trick about two pairs of socks for blisters is right! I have always done this when walking my dogs/ hiking/ running and never get blisters.
I don't have a HRM AND I eat all my cals back as I know myself and if I feel starving I won't stick to it. I find MFP is perfectly accurate, for the time being at least. I don't go to a gym, I walk my dogs or take them for a run. And I use my kids' Kinect for workouts.
As for food, I'm sure I read that the US is much cheaper than here in England. Use coupons, buy things when they are on sale and freeze them and buy food in season. The problem I found when I lived in the States years ago was that fast food was SOOO much cheaper than buying regular food from the supermarket to make a meal with. Same when I visited Canada last year, even Walmart prices amazed me!
I spent money on a pair of fairly decent running shoes, and a good running shirt, but they were both in an online sale so less than half the price they should have been, and the running shirt was probably not completely necessary but so much less sweaty than a regular t-shirt.
Hope things pick up for you soon.0 -
I can agree with both sides. It cost me more money, thats for sure! Healthy food does cost more than junk food!! Workout clothes, DVD's HRM, etc... etc...
BUT.......
Depending on what you want/need to purchase for your fitness program and your meals you can make it cost very little or make it cost a lot.
I think many of us go out and purchase what we want even if we don't necessarily need it.0 -
And no offense, but if you truly believe that you need $ to lose weight you haven't hit the point where you're motivated enough to just do what it takes.
I've battled with my weight since my oldest was born over 11 years ago.
But the weight only started coming off when I said THIS IS IT. IVE HAD ENOUGH.
I never said I couldn't lose weight, but I feel like I would be doing a lot better if I could spend money on things. I can only do things like walking and running around the neighborhood and situps/pushups/dips/squats because I have no weights or equipment.0 -
I've done my share of research so far. I've figured out that I need to eat back my exercise calories back more often than not, but that is hard to do with only a rough estimate from MFP. That means that I have to flirt the line between eating too much of the exercise calories back and not losing as fast and going into starvation mode and not losing as fast.
For most of the "standard" exercises like running, treadmill, walking, spinning, etc, there isn't a huge difference in calories burned from person to person. It's enough of a steady-state motion that it doesn't change a whole lot. So most of those will be fairly close for most people. It's usually when you get into stuff with a lot of non-standard movements where you'll see more variation dependent on intensity, resistance, and adaptation.
But, as mentioned, it's kind of trial and error. When possible, use a machine that uses height/weight/age to calculate burns. For other things, go ahead and use MFP, and try to eat around 50-75% and try to guage how you feel. That leaves a bit of a buffer, but should provide enough to keep your deficit from getting too high.
I am in the same boat - I don't have the money to spend on a lot of healthier foods (organic, etc - not to mention it's not really available where I live), or equipment, etc. We don't even have a gym within 45 minutes of where I live. So you kind of have to get creative and be accurate where you can.
One thing that may help is staying consistent and then tracking your progress on a graph (ie measurements/weight by week) to see the overall trend with a particular strategy. If the trend is down, great. If it's static or up, try tweaking something. Good luck with it.
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On the surface many things in life seem as if they'd be easier with money.
And while that may be true, money is not necessary at all for effective weight loss.
The exercises you just listed are some of the most effective out there.
Running, jump rope, jumping jacks are great for cardio.
Push ups, crunches, planks, squats, lunges and plyometric variations of those (adding jumps) are just as effective in building lean muscle as using weights/equipment.
Eat clean and eat calorie dense foods, you'd be amazed at how far your $ can go.
Good luck!0 -
"Losing weight costs money".... another one of those excuses for being overweight.
I lost my weight without spending a single penny on fitness. All you have to do is change what you eat and MOVE more. Yes, classes, gyms, equipment can help - that's what you get for Christmas etc. I always get workout DVDs for presents - I ask for them because I WANT them so that I can CHANGE myself. The only barrier to losing weight is in the mind. So you don't have money? Big deal! Do something that's free!
As for food, there are tonnes of stuff that is cheap. Buy seasonal fruit and veg, buy reduced items at the supermarket, don't buy bags of salad that go limp as soon as you open them, buy oats, flour, butter, eggs, cheap cuts of meat, rice, cheese, beans, pulses..... LEARN to cook healthier options. I feed a family of 5 on approx $125 AUD per week. AND I'm gluten free (now those food substitutes ARE expensive - hence why I tend to not bother with them and just eat other things).
You don't need a HRM. You don't need to invest in incredible shoes (I had the same dodgy pair of X trainers for 3 years until I got my runners for Christmas last year). You don't need a gym membership. You don't need a PT. You NEED the right attitude.0 -
And no offense, but if you truly believe that you need $ to lose weight you haven't hit the point where you're motivated enough to just do what it takes.
Amen!!! That is a true statement!
And by the way, when I was in boot camp years ago we didn't use the gym very often. We did all those exercises you mentioned and more with no equipment at all, just a drill instructor yelling in your face, and everyone lost plenty of weight.
Also don't take this the wrong way, but you may want to talk to your Dr. about some antidepressants. Just sayin!0 -
I hate hearing this, and honey, it's not just you. I know I don't really like it when people say "I know how you feel" when they really have NO clue what it's like to truly not have any money. I've been there and in fact, still trying desperately to figure a way out.
I hope that your home will be rebuilt in a somewhat timely manner (I know it can take so long w/insurance and FEMA and all)
I posted something on here yesterday asking for some ideas for food for one's with no budget. All we eat right now is pasta and rice and beans!
Any ideas anyone?
I have a food budget for 5 of $120. I make a list for each week with planned dinners. Usually it's based around what is on sale. I buy frozen chicken and frozen veggies. This saves me a lot of money. I also only buy what we will eat so I rarely have anything that goes to waste. We also have a "left over night" once a week. Usually if I make mac n cheese I make a big batch and we have it 2 nights. I mean home made mac n cheese not the box stuff. My kids know that I will buy them chips but when they are gone that is IT until I go back to the grocery store. Which is every 2 weeks. That's helped a lot.
In the past 5 years we've had to live on just one income more often than not, so I've gotten very efficient in grocery shopping. But no one ever feels deprived because we still have snacks and things. I'm not sure how much my dinners cost per meal but if you would like to message me I could you an example of what we eat for 2 weeks or what I've bought.0 -
I personally think a HRM is a luxury, not a necessity, but really, is $40 is too much for somebody to afford if they really wanted one?Is it just me or is it easier to diet and lose weight if you have a ton of money to spend?
I have basically no money to spend and it seems like every time I have a problem and ask people how to solve it they always give back replies that there is no way I could afford to follow.
Q: Are yout MFP exercise calories accurate?
A: Not really. You should spend $40+ on a HRM.
Q: Is there a good way to stop blisters?
A: You should buy expensive new shoes that are fitted to your feet professionally.
There are a bunch of other questions that I have asked and it seems like all the answers require me spending a whole lot of money I don't have. It is kinda depressing and rough on my motivation.
Anyone else having this problem too?
If you are having blister problems, new shoes aren't always the answer, in fact sometimes they can be the problem. Where are you getting blisters, what kind of shoes are you wearing, and what are you doing when you get them?
Money and motivation are not correlated, imo.0 -
Also don't take this the wrong way, but you may want to talk to your Dr. about some antidepressants. Just sayin!
Kinda hard without health insurance.0 -
I'm starting to think that this thread was a bad idea. So to set people straight:
1)
Don't tell me that I just need to be more motivated...because I've walked and ran 100+ miles since starting June 9th (less than 30 days ago)
2)
I have no control over the food that is bought for possible meals. So budgeting and couponing won't help when you have no income. .0 -
didn't read the earlier posts, so what i had said does not really apply....I'm assuming you live at home?
Maybe look around and see what you have, and maybe plan from there?0 -
I'm starting to think that this thread was a bad idea. So to set people straight:
1)
Don't tell me that I just need to be more motivated...because I've walked and ran 100+ miles since starting June 9th (less than 30 days ago)
2)
I have no control over the food that is bought for possible meals. So budgeting and couponing won't help when you have no income. .
I'm not trying to be a hard *kitten*, but the biggest thing involved here is motivation, and a positive attitude! If you don't have a positive attitude about it, it ain't gonna work, and that's whether you have any money or not.0 -
I feel like a lot of people aren't getting what you're saying.
You seem to be doing the best you can on food in the current circumstances, and that's awesome. For a fullness-factor, what about beans? Dried beans can be ultra cheap and stay with you for a while. I'm a pretty big pig when it comes to food but a cup of boiled beans will keep my stomach happy for several hours. I buy a lot of my veggies frozen & on sale - that way there's no risk of them going bad before they're eaten and becoming wasted money.
For exercise, my main forms have been walking, running, and body weight exercises (dips, pushups, situps, squats...) - all of which are free, and the 'generic' calorie burn estimate is pretty solid for walking/running, so really, no HRM needed for those. Regarding the blister issue, it sounds like people are pretty confident that different socks are helpful, but I personally choose to go barefoot, which of course costs even less than new socks. Even my daily shoes are a simple pair of $4 flip flops.
So yeah, you might feel like you had more options if you had some cash, but I promise you it isn't necessary.
Keep your head up.
***Edit: I didn't see the part where you have no control over the food in your house, so ignore the paragraph about food. I hope you find a comfortable way to make due with what you have in that regard.0 -
Is it just me or is it easier to diet and lose weight if you have a ton of money to spend?
I have basically no money to spend and it seems like every time I have a problem and ask people how to solve it they always give back replies that there is no way I could afford to follow.
Q: Are yout MFP exercise calories accurate?
A: Not really. You should spend $40+ on a HRM.
Q: Is there a good way to stop blisters?
A: You should buy expensive new shoes that are fitted to your feet professionally.
There are a bunch of other questions that I have asked and it seems like all the answers require me spending a whole lot of money I don't have. It is kinda depressing and rough on my motivation.
Anyone else having this problem too?
It's not just you. In my opinion it is more expensive to eat healthy, especially if cooking differently for other people. I know there are some who will say it isn't more expensive, but IMO it is. People say it works out in the end though, cuz if you're healthy, you're less likely to get sick and need medical care, hence saving money there.
It can be done, it's just easier when cash is available. I feel your pain, I"m in the same "boat."0 -
I've done my share of research so far. I've figured out that I need to eat back my exercise calories back more often than not, but that is hard to do with only a rough estimate from MFP. That means that I have to flirt the line between eating too much of the exercise calories back and not losing as fast and going into starvation mode and not losing as fast.
Ya know, you can get a fair guestimate of you heart rate with a 2 dollar stop watch.0 -
Is it just me or is it easier to diet and lose weight if you have a ton of money to spend?
I have basically no money to spend and it seems like every time I have a problem and ask people how to solve it they always give back replies that there is no way I could afford to follow.
Q: Are yout MFP exercise calories accurate?
A: Not really. You should spend $40+ on a HRM.
Q: Is there a good way to stop blisters?
A: You should buy expensive new shoes that are fitted to your feet professionally.
There are a bunch of other questions that I have asked and it seems like all the answers require me spending a whole lot of money I don't have. It is kinda depressing and rough on my motivation.
Anyone else having this problem too?
DUDE, join the club!!! Finally someone else understands haha! It's sooo frustrating :grumble:
BUT, I have managed to burn off 6% of my body fat in the past few months, so something I'm doing must be working even if I'm broke as a joke It IS possible! 0 -
i've recently left university so have a lot of debt and as of yet no job...so i know its frustrating not having any money, but it doesn't have to cost anything to lose weight? i've been doing pretty well so far from just walking up the hill i live next to and eating less/smaller portions of whatever my parents buy. also why don't you apply for another job? it doesn't have to be one in the subject you graduated in, just anything you can get if you really need the money? but all in all try not to let it get you down too much...you've been doing so well with your walking and stuff so far! surely that proves to you that you don't need the money 0
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I only read some of the responses here, but... NO it doesn't take alot of money...
I have no heart rate monitor, I go by the old fashioned if you can still "sing" then your not going too hard, but if you don't have to take a breath between each line, then you are not at your fastest rate... "Mary had a little lamb" (breathe) little lamb, little lamb (breathe)... etc... I just listen to tunes & sing along, If I can't keep up at all I know to slow down...
We have 4 kids to feed, etc... I don't work, & we struggle financially... you can walk in the house with your socks on... walk in place, run in place, yoga, boxing, etc.. there are lots to do... I put tunes in my ears or on the radio & go...
yes, my hubby bought a total gym where I can get strength training, but it was the $200 one, & with income tax return...
and the food,,, I don't eat fancy diet food, and can't keep healthy food in stock with 2 teenagers & one preteen in the house plus all their friends Just keep it simple..
I've learned to get results up the water intake, & exercise a few times a week what you can... just stay under the total calories even when its unhealthyfood... I've been going down slow, but atleast its going down.. & MFP is helping alot! just for counting calories & keeping track of things... and for inspiration each day... and motivation! Its all worth it even though it is a slow road when you don't have money for gyms, hrm, etc... you can do this!0 -
I hate hearing this, and honey, it's not just you. I know I don't really like it when people say "I know how you feel" when they really have NO clue what it's like to truly not have any money. I've been there and in fact, still trying desperately to figure a way out.
I hope that your home will be rebuilt in a somewhat timely manner (I know it can take so long w/insurance and FEMA and all)
I posted something on here yesterday asking for some ideas for food for one's with no budget. All we eat right now is pasta and rice and beans!
Any ideas anyone?
Lentils & brown rice are in the same isle, & full of protien... even butter beans...0 -
I was living under the poverty line when I started losing weight a few years back, and overwhelmed by student loans at that, so I do feel some of your pain even though our situations were not the same. Money is good for the bells and whistles, but you don't need it for the base rule of calories burned > calories in. If the weight loss slows down, then you jiggle the calories around a bit until you start losing again. It's really that simple...all it takes is time and a good dose of patience.
You've been through a ton of awful things lately, and it can be so hard to stay optimistic when life is kicking you while you're down...but there is light at the end of the tunnel. Keep doing what you're doing, and don't even pause to look at the reasons to be discouraged. That weight may drop more slowly at some times and more quickly at others, but it WILL keep dropping. Listen to your body, do the best that you can with the resources you have, and you will get results.0 -
I've lost about 35 pounds without a HRM and a college student budget! I eat frozen veggies, bagged salad (not that expensive, at least where I live, it's like 2.50 a bag and it lasts me four or five salads with meals), fresh veggies (again not that expensive! I get a pound of bananas for like a dollar). My school has a free gym so thats how I use the gym!0
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I guess I should have been more clear, but for anyone who want my abbreviated life story for the past year here it is.
I graduated college with a B.S. in Nuclear Engineering and $100,000 in student loans to pay off. I wasn't too worried because I had a job that started out at $75,000 a year lined up that I was to start 2 months after graduation. In that time period the job that I was supposed to fill was not being opened anymore because the guy that was to retire did not want to retire anymore.
So I finish my lease in my apartment near the college, all the time not being able to find a job, and I am forced to move back in with my parents. A month after that our house gets hit by a tornado and we have to move in with a friend of the family. So in the 8-9 months since then the lack of job or money made me very depressed and I went from my normal 170 lbs to around 210 lbs in only 8 months.
So when I say I have no money...I really mean $0 of my own to spend.
Wow I totally did not see this post. I didn't mean to be flippant about it, I'm sorry. That must be so disappointing! Hoping your situation improves shortly :flowerforyou:0 -
I'm starting to think that this thread was a bad idea. So to set people straight:
1)
Don't tell me that I just need to be more motivated...because I've walked and ran 100+ miles since starting June 9th (less than 30 days ago)
2)
I have no control over the food that is bought for possible meals. So budgeting and couponing won't help when you have no income. .
1) I'm from Joplin, MO and have very recently seen first hand the devastation that a tornado can actually do, so kudos to you for sticking with the miles even through a devastating period in your life.
2) You can't control the food, but you can control portion sizes. Eat what is prepared and drink at least a full glass of water before and during each meal...it will help fill you up and it's free!
3) Don't worry about not having health insurance and trying to get on antidepressants, because the more you stick with exercising, the less depressed you'll be. Exercise is clinically proven to release positive endorphins, so you're definitely on the right track.
4) You don't have any money to buy weights to workout with, so try using household items to do weight training...such as canned goods, gallons of paint, bricks, tires, etc...
5) You mentioned that you eat plain bread as a snack because it seems to fill you up. Another very filling, very cheap item is oatmeal, especially just the old fashioned plain oats...they're about $1.50 for a decent sized canister. Do the people you're staying with keep oatmeal around? It would be a good option for a quick snack to fill you up and give you some fiber.
6) I'm an accountant and am VERY tight with my money and have lots of cheap/free solutions to every day problems. I also happen to work for a hospital and have access to some very helpful resources when it comes to health/wellness. If you have any specific questions, please feel free to send me a message and if I don't have an answer, I'll find one. I already sent you a friend request since I happen to be your team captain for the July 10 lb. Challenge. I've also been through that struggle of being the "poor college kid" and learned how to be very resourceful and thrifty on little to no budget. Do not be discouraged and know that you're on the right track. Hang in there!!0 -
Dude, it sounds like you are going through a really rough patch (obviously). Do what you can to be as healthy as possible and worry about getting serious about weight loss when you guys get back on your feet. Go for walks. Get outside in the sun (this is shown to improve moods). Work with your university career center to find something. You can do this. You can pull through. Someday you'll just be looking back on this as a memory.0
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Don't worry, I gained 79lb since I left uni two years ago - at least you've realised quickly. I never thought I wouldn't be able to find work, but here I am two years later working in the shop I worked in while I was a student. Still, it pays the bills and is quite pleasant. I've been really struggling with money for the last couple of years and here are the things that helped me the most:
* Shopping for fruit, veggies, eggs & meat at the market - they cost just a fraction of the price it's CRAZY!
* In England there is a programme to give people free access to gyms and swimming pools in some places... and if this scheme is not being run in some places, the doctor can refer people to the gym and they get discounted exercise... there might be something like that where you are if you look into it?
* I have bought a couple of exercise DVDs from amazon - they literally only cost a few dollars and are an amazing help
* I use things around the house as dumbells - tins of fruit, bottles of water etc
* If I'm going on a long hike and I think I'm going to get blisters, I slather vaseline on the affected area - this stops the friction between that area of your foot and the boot
* I never use a HRM and MFP has worked my exercise calories out fine - i've consistantly lost 4lb a week... so it can't be too far wrong
* I've been suffering from depression for the last couple of years and have felt like the only thing that truly helps it, is quite rigourous exercise. Now everytime I'm frustrated, upset or angry, instead of going for the cookie jar, I go to the gym, listen to my music, burn off some frustration, build up a massive sweat and let it all out. I also try to achieve personal bests while I'm there if I'm working through something, and then the success of achieving something always bolsters my mood and self-confidence. By the time I come to leave, my body feels amazing, so my mind feels better.
Hang in there, you can totally do it - try the vaseline thing, it really helps, it does make your shoes a bit icky... but if you're repeatedly using it, if you wipe it out it shouldn't do too much harm.0 -
I'm sorry you are going thru so much right now. I am thankful you are able to get on a computer : ) Did you loose everything in the tornado? I do know kids these days are in for a rude awaking. The ticker is still going on the national debt. Cell phones and laptops are luxuries. I have been homeless and lived in shelters with zero money. I lost weight since I had no car and walked everywhere There are county hospitals and clinics that you can go to if you can't pay. I've gone to the Universities. Hair cuts are free from students in beauty school. There are churches with food pantries and food banks. I've gotten vouchers from the salvatiom army for cloths at their store. From what your saying a HRM is the last thing you need to be worried about. If you feel you need to talk with someone there are free counseling centers.....if you can't find one then go to your local church and ask for the pastor. Have you applied for any type of state aide, food stamps or medicaid? You don't need special shoes to walk. I bought a $12 pair from walmart : )
On the job side...there was a guy came to my son in laws door asking if he needed any work done. Derek looked at him and said sure. You have a truck. yep. He paid the guy 250 to haul a truck load of stuff to the dump. have you been to the unemployment office to find work? There's a group of guys all around here that gather in a lot for constuction jobs. Guys go there to hire them to help out with what ever. There are things you can do because I am sure the students loans are demanding payments by now. Your going to need to call and make arrangements or you go into default. You have a good education. So remember a few things you learned. Act not react : )
I did debate on even answering since I have seen you come up with excuses with any ideas. I shake my head I just don't understand kids today. Your homeless and worried about not have a HRM.0
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