Eating healthy is expensive

[NotToBigForDiapers]

So I am trying to loose weight and eat healthier again. It costs so much more for fresh healthy stuff. And people wonder why I would rather eat bad stuff. Cause I am a thrifty person! Been eating good for a week and feeling better though.

[NotToBigForDiapers]

16 minutes ago, fuzzybunny said:

Yes it is hard but I always recommend to plan out your meals for the week. Look on deals and buy in season for fruits and veggies. Plan out you source of protein weather if your vegan or not. 

Go to frozen if you need to. Usually a dollar for a good serving for the day. Most veggies are meant for fiber to fill you up in no time. 

Plan according when out. Always carry a protein bar with you. (Yes there some what processed and have suager and salt but a lot healthier than eating out) or go out for a hand full of nuts with you.) 

Stay hydrated the whole time to help with cravings

Best of luck

Thanks for the encouragement. I love meat and cutting that back is hard. I have also gave up caffeine cause of high blood pressure. Saving that money and fast food money is helping. I like veggies but I still find it tough. McDonald's is so convenient when out, but not so good for my health. I think my biggest hurdle will be planning ahead for my lunch cause that's when I used to eat out and eat the worst. Yes I keep drinking lots of water to help feel full. 5 pounds off just another 80 to go and reach my goal. 

 

[Nat]

It doesn't have to be expensive. Just simply don't eat a lot and I know people here are going to say my ways are unhealthy like for breakfast, have Raisin Bran with Milk. For Lunch only have an orange and then for dinner, have chicken and skip all the snacks and desserts. Yes you will be hungry. Also work out. Also have water instead of calorie drinks. 

[drynot]

5 hours ago, NotToBigForDiapers said:

Thanks for the encouragement. I love meat and cutting that back is hard. I have also gave up caffeine cause of high blood pressure. Saving that money and fast food money is helping. I like veggies but I still find it tough. McDonald's is so convenient when out, but not so good for my health. I think my biggest hurdle will be planning ahead for my lunch cause that's when I used to eat out and eat the worst. Yes I keep drinking lots of water to help feel full. 5 pounds off just another 80 to go and reach my goal. 

 

You don't need to cut out meat at all.  Go Keto and never look back.  It would be the best thing you've ever done....

[NotToBigForDiapers]

Keto? Haven't heard of that one.

[vvp39]

Look for a 30-50%-off section in the meat dep't at your supermarket. A lot of times I find small packages ideal for someone like me who lives alone. I can have a nice broiled pork steak with lettuce and tomatoes for less than the average fast-food order; better tasting and better for me.

[NotToBigForDiapers]

1 hour ago, vvp39 said:

Look for a 30-50%-off section in the meat dep't at your supermarket. A lot of times I find small packages ideal for someone like me who lives alone. I can have a nice broiled pork steak with lettuce and tomatoes for less than the average fast-food order; better tasting and better for me.

I love the discount bins. Our store does that also. We buy there too and put in the freezer.

 

[LittleAmytheil]

As a supermarket worker and the child of a coupon hoarder, I'll try to offer some suggestions!

--Eat veggies:  Put a green with every meal.  It's easier than it sounds when you realize that a pack of frozen peas is healthier than canned, and goes on sale for 10/$10.  They also commonly offer store digital or manufactures coupons.  And of course, you could swap that with other veggies, there's a whole aisle!  Opt for the non-buttered/sauced veggies, and if looking for a slight kick, add spices/peppercorns.
--Drink Water:  Huh, a perk to being diapered.  The more water consistently in your system (some people drink a whole gallon over a 12-hour period with lines on the jug) the less hungry you will feel.  And water is good for everything: Skin, weight, eyes, etc.  If you want to zest it up, add fresh sliced fruit into a gallon of water and let it leech the natural flavors.  Bonus:  You can eat the fruit after.  Reusable bottles make this cheaper if you can do tap, otherwise cash in on jugs vs bottles for cost and the environment.
--Salads!:  It ties in with the veggies tangent.  Romaine heads aren't too expensive ($1.50 a head regular price by me), and salad bags go on sale with coupons often, especially now with the January-diet trend.  I pair side-salads with many of my dinners, with a splash of coordinated dressing (I know less dressing is best, but everyone has needs/vices).  Add some walnuts/almonds for some crunch, or my personal favorite: berries or pomegranates (When in season for price)!
--Meats: Cut down, but don't cut out.  Leaner cuts are best, but it's okay to have ground beef in a warm bowl of chili, even if it's higher fat content.  If possible, sub beef for turkey in things like hot dogs, sausage, etc.  Your tastes will adjust and you'll find the original beef items disgusting!  As stated above, many stores will mark down their meat for quick sale on it's last day of life.  It's still good for 1-3 days after the 'sell by' in most stores!  If you aren't sure, ask your butcher.
--Organics:  I see no benefit to eating organic items.  "Cage Free, No hormone added" eggs still come from growth-hormone addled chickens.  "Organic" vegetables may be grown without pesticides, but they are often sprayed with the same chemicals as non-organics to make them ripen in shipping.  To each their own on this discussion.

I'll give you a snippit as well of my own personal diet.  I move a LOT at my job (approximately 5 minutes of walking, plus lifting and moving boxes, and I'm only hungry around lunch because I eat lunch a 1 and breakfast at 6am.)

Breakfast: gluten-free blueberry waffles, Breakfast sausage, 1 fresh seasonal fruit item, coffee with milk and no sugar.
Lunch: ham and swiss sandwich on non-white bread (wheat/rye/potato) with greek yogurt and a small bit of chips.
Snacks:  microwave popcorn, chocolate kisses, or cheese and crackers
Dinner: stuffed pasta shells with a Cesar side-salad, including dressing.

Last words of encouragement: Everyone universally agrees to avoid sugars/white flour.  Both are absolutely delicious.  My tiny 130lb body (at a muscular 5ft) can agree that life isn't worth living if you can't enjoy a beer with friends, popcorn at the movies, or a chocolate bar.

Good luck on your progress to a better you!

[Firefly 35]

On 1/18/2018 at 10:00 AM, NotToBigForDiapers said:

So I am trying to loose weight and eat healthier again. It costs so much more for fresh healthy stuff. And people wonder why I would rather eat bad stuff. Cause I am a thrifty person! Been eating good for a week and feeling better though.

Consider this: by spending an extra 30-40% on food, you could probably save about 60-70% on healthcare, and the latter is much more expensive to begin with.

I would try doing more comparison shopping if you haven't already and buy more whole foods (things like apples and trail mix instead of applesauce and peanut butter).  Hope this helps.

[Bettypooh]

McDonald's isn't all unhealthy- their premium salads are good and the "Newmans Own" dressings they come with are awesome. Some are under 800 calories too A McDouble or McChicken, side salad with the yummy dressings, and a drink are under $5 which makes a pretty good meal at a pretty good price  Where all fast food joints fail us is leading us into buying their 'meal' deals which double the calories with unhealthy but profitable crap and by promoting their 'premium sandwiches while hiding the decent stuff at the bottom if the menu in small print. If you look for healthy choices they are there.

I was always a meat-lover too and here in the US the only easy-to-find meats at restaurants are beef. pork, and chicken. When I contracted gout I had to cut all beef out of my diet' luckily pork doesn't set mine off. Now meats are boring as heck to me unless I go to a deli or cafe that has turkey, ham or fish. To get anything different means cooking it for myself. and I don't cook very much at all. My diet is fairly healthy- not optimum but much better than most folks. And I do it on a pretty tight budget.

It's all in looking for the hidden gems and deals which are not promoted and buying the bargains instead of the big brands. Grocery stores tend to mark down foods at the end of their shelf life on the same day and shift each week  Fruits and veggies may be Wednesday afternoon and meats Sunday evening. Learn their habits and shop accordingly. If they have a deli which offers packaged stuff you can often find bargains there like a last-day sale on a whole pre-cooked  rotisserie chicken for half of what a whole fresh chicken costs at the meat counter. And the bakery thrift store you drive by but never stop at. Roadside stands at individual farms are often cheaper that farmer's markets and U-pick farms can be a good deal when their foods are in season.

Same as everything else, the real bargains in life are hidden and you have to make the effort to find them. You might not find what you preferred but you will find something you can use well in it's place, and this works for healthy foods too

Bettypooh

[NotToBigForDiapers]

Just thought I'd give an update. So far I lost 15 pounds! Awesome! Being sick has helped a lot, but even on my good days I have ate very good. 

[iluvmydiapers]

Some good advice given here for the persons without underlying health issues, example, my dietitian recommended a diet with lots of green vegetables, however once she was informed as to my daily dose of blood thinner she could no longer recommend such a diet. 

I eat high protein foods, high fiber foods, nothing with seeds in it, after 4 bouts of diverticulitis 3 which I ended up in the emergency room over, I have to really watch what I eat, even if it's considered not healthy and it's what I can eat , I eat it just for the energy needed to get through each day. 

[NotToBigForDiapers]

5 minutes ago, iluvmydiapers said:

Some good advice given here for the persons without underlying health issues, example, my dietitian recommended a diet with lots of green vegetables, however once she was informed as to my daily dose of blood thinner she could no longer recommend such a diet. 

I eat high protein foods, high fiber foods, nothing with seeds in it, after 4 bouts of diverticulitis 3 which I ended up in the emergency room over, I have to really watch what I eat, even if it's considered not healthy and it's what I can eat , I eat it just for the energy needed to get through each day. 

I feel for you. I like to eat. That's how I got so big. The bigger I get the more medical problems I have it seems. So I am trying to get down to a much healthier size. 70 more pounds to go. I just hope I don't lose interest again. The healthy foods leave me feeling much better when I am not sick. So good at my side I will keep trying.

[iluvmydiapers]

25 minutes ago, NotToBigForDiapers said:

I feel for you. I like to eat. That's how I got so big. The bigger I get the more medical problems I have it seems. So I am trying to get down to a much healthier size. 70 more pounds to go. I just hope I don't lose interest again. The healthy foods leave me feeling much better when I am not sick. So good at my side I will keep trying.

Maintaining a healthy weight is very important in ones overall health, I gain and loose up to 5 lbs a week, but maintain a health weight of 198lbs overall, as my doctor has told me the only place I have fat my belly, and that came on after I gave up drinking beer back in 1990. 

[Little BabyDoll Christine]

Not really, the secret to a healthy diet is "un poco die todo". A little of all; that is a widely varied dit. it ensures that you get some of each of the nutrients you need but not too much of anything at the expense of anything else. Avoid the suppliments unless you are told to use them by a medical professional. Avoid the fads, like "glutin-free" unless you have a medical diagnosis of an actual allergy. At best, they do not help, and my ENT said "If it does not do good, then it does harm"/ And be cafeful of what you buy into https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106268439

[Firefly 35]

5 hours ago, NotToBigForDiapers said:

I feel for you. I like to eat. That's how I got so big. The bigger I get the more medical problems I have it seems. So I am trying to get down to a much healthier size. 70 more pounds to go. I just hope I don't lose interest again. The healthy foods leave me feeling much better when I am not sick. So good at my side I will keep trying.

Also make sure to do some cardio exercise every day, because doing so will eventually train your body to crave healthy foods, hate junk foods, and also help you lose weight.  (I learned this from experience)

[drynot]

On ‎1‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 1:59 PM, NotToBigForDiapers said:

Keto? Haven't heard of that one.

So....this is going to be a bit controversial.....but it tends to work...and work well.  Keto at its core is low carb eating AND.....no matter what the naysayers say....its all about Calories in Calories out.  Being overweight has very little to do with genetics or lack of will power or even lack of exercise......its all about what you EAT.  If you take in an excess of calories that your body cannot process into energy.....well then its going to store it as FAT.  Our bodies are amazingly efficient in converting excess calories into stored FAT.

What you EAT has a huge influence on how your body manages its energy system.  If you consume large amounts of chips, pop, junk food and whatnot then you are going to get fat.  Also....and this is KEY.....when you eat these foods your body has to release insulin into your blood stream in order to combat a spike in blood sugar levels.  In a healthy system....the body releases enough insulin to control sugar levels and keep them at a constant level.  In an unhealthy system.....like mine...the body releases TOO MUCH insulin into the bloodstream and removes TOO MUCH sugar from the system......which causes a spike in hunger.  You can see the cycle here.....too much insulin....too little blood sugar....excess hunger.  You've already taken in enough food to maintain a healthy system....but our systems are broken.  When the hunger strikes....you eat again and perpetuate the cycle.

Some food cause MASSIVE spikes in blood sugar levels.  Obvious ones like chips, pop, candy bars, and whatnot are the ones that people know about.  However....its the not so obvious ones that people get caught by.  Foods high in starch....like potatoes cause huge spikes in blood sugar.  White bread....and even whole wheat....will cause huge spikes.  Drinks high in sugar...like virtually ALL fruit juices cause big spikes too.

Where Keto loses some people is its liberal opinions on fats.  Healthy fats are great for you and do not contribute much to those big spikes in blood sugars.  Foods high in good fats and protein keep you feeling fuller longer and help to break that insulin cycle that most overweight and obese people are in.

Don't forget.....and this is where the tin foil hats come out....the BIG COMPANIES have spent huge amounts of research dollars trying to figure out ways of keeping you hooked on eating their products.  I am absolutely hooked on drinking soda pop.  I am hooked on eating chips.  I am hooked on eating candy bars.  The ONLY WAY to break that is to STOP EATING THEM.  Don't give them up for an hour.....don't give them up for a day....give them up FOREVER!

In this case....Google is your friend.  Do a search for Keto diets on line and read the articles.  There is much more info out there that can better describe what I'm talking about here.

Oh...one more point about exercise. Exercise is an important part of living a healthy life.  However...it is not the key to losing weight.  Once you control your eating and begin to lose the weight you want to lose....then find an exercise regime that you enjoy.  That way you're more likely to stick with it.  Maybe riding bikes or hiking is your thing.  Perhaps it will be going to the gym and lifting weight and using the cardio equipment.  My point is....find those activities that you enjoy doing and have fun getting healthy. 

[Diapered Jason]

According to the lastest scientific data, for the purposes of losing weight, "healthy diets" be damned. As it turns out, once your body has been overweight for awhile, your body adapts to your new weight and tries to always maintain that weight despite any changes to your diet, short of starvation, which carries significant health risks in and of itself, because eventually you are going to quit, and then you are going to binge, and then you gain all the weight you lost back plus possibly more. Of course, that does not mean you should not eat healthy and exercise, because you should no matter what, but your goal to lose weight eating less and exercising is misinformed.

If you are facing significant health problems like the op, you should look at making changes to your diet to avoid cholesterol and other changes as recommended by your doctor, but NEVER DO ANY FAD DIET WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR DOCTOR. Yes, advice previously stated here, while in good faith, is wrong, most of it. Most importantly, if you want to lose weight, you should ask your doctor about bariatric surgery, which is the only scientifically proven method to lose weight safely.

[drynot]

I certainly don't think bariatric surgery is the only key to long lasting weight loss.  I personally know people who have lost massive amounts of weight (over 200 lbs) and have kept it off for years.  My own sister lost 150 lbs 10 years ago and has maintained that loss ever since.

Look.....I'm not going to get into a pissing match with someone over the internet.  The FACTS are that bariatric surgery is a dangerous road to go down and if you don't change your lifestyle to go along with it....you really won't keep the weight off.  There have been scores of people who have had the surgery...lost weight....and then put it all back on again because they refused to change the way they ate.

Change the way you eat by eating less and less junk.  Change the way you live and you'll lose weight and MAINTAIN it.

[Wet Knight]

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[Diapered Jason]

8 hours ago, drynot said:

I certainly don't think bariatric surgery is the only key to long lasting weight loss.  I personally know people who have lost massive amounts of weight (over 200 lbs) and have kept it off for years.  My own sister lost 150 lbs 10 years ago and has maintained that loss ever since.

Look.....I'm not going to get into a pissing match with someone over the internet.  The FACTS are that bariatric surgery is a dangerous road to go down and if you don't change your lifestyle to go along with it....you really won't keep the weight off.  There have been scores of people who have had the surgery...lost weight....and then put it all back on again because they refused to change the way they ate.

Change the way you eat by eating less and less junk.  Change the way you live and you'll lose weight and MAINTAIN it.

That is the key, but how do you obtain that. Why do scores of people lose weight, then put it back on? Why can't they change the way they eat? The answer is endorphins. If you are overweight and have been for some time, losing weight is an uphill battle due to the release of endorphins when eating as well as trying to change your body's equilibrium. Very recent studies have shown those in that scenario have a better chance of living a longer life with fewer health complications if they get the surgery, which has become far less invasive with modern surgical techniques. The reason for that is the surgery affects endorphin release which changes what you crave and prevents you from overeating.

[Nat]

On 1/31/2018 at 6:47 PM, Diapered Jason said:

According to the lastest scientific data, for the purposes of losing weight, "healthy diets" be damned. As it turns out, once your body has been overweight for awhile, your body adapts to your new weight and tries to always maintain that weight despite any changes to your diet, short of starvation, which carries significant health risks in and of itself, because eventually you are going to quit, and then you are going to binge, and then you gain all the weight you lost back plus possibly more. Of course, that does not mean you should not eat healthy and exercise, because you should no matter what, but your goal to lose weight eating less and exercising is misinformed.

Whoa holy batman, that was a lot of fatlogic there. Also that is not how diets work, you are supposed to keep your new diet and not go back to your old diet. That is why diets fail because people think diet is a temporary thing you to do lose weight but it's not, it's a permanent lifestyle change, even works outs are a lifestyle change. CICO is the only way that works. If I stopped working out, I bet weight would come back on over time again if I ate the same. It does not mean my body is set at a higher weight and it's trying to maintain that weight. Even if you do work out, you are not supposed to have reward food or else you are eating back the calories you have burned. If you want to lose weight, you just got to be more active and not eat more food to compensate. 

[Diapered Jason]

20 hours ago, Spokane Girl said:

Whoa holy batman, that was a lot of fatlogic there. Also that is not how diets work, you are supposed to keep your new diet and not go back to your old diet. That is why diets fail because people think diet is a temporary thing you to do lose weight but it's not, it's a permanent lifestyle change, even works outs are a lifestyle change. CICO is the only way that works. If I stopped working out, I bet weight would come back on over time again if I ate the same. It does not mean my body is set at a higher weight and it's trying to maintain that weight. Even if you do work out, you are not supposed to have reward food or else you are eating back the calories you have burned. If you want to lose weight, you just got to be more active and not eat more food to compensate. 

I read your post about starvation. Bad idea. Anyways, I see some confusion about what I have written, so let me make this perfectly clear. When it comes to diets, FOLLOW YOUR DOCTOR'S ORDERS! I put "healthy diets" in quotation marks because I was mocking the concept. This is not to say you all should not be eating better and exercising, but a real healthy diet should be tailored to your exact needs. For instance, if you have trouble with high blood pressure, then you should not do the Keto diet as was recommended earlier, because that diet will put yourself at serious risk of death. As for specifics into the science of obesity, I highly recommend reading the lastest scientific results on the matter. Nature.com is a great place to start. Here is also a word to the wise, never assume anything is true until it has been tested even if logically it makes sense.

To address Spokane girl personally, if after you quit exercising, you gain significant weight, you could have an underlying medical issue such as a hormone imbalance that should be addressed by your doctor.

[Nat]

Eating less food is not starving yourself. That is also the problem right there, people who are overweight think they have to "starve" themselves to lose weight but they have no idea what normal portions of food are so they tend to have larger portions of food and tend to eat often throughout the day like snacking. They have no idea what normal eating is so they think they have to starve themselves to lose weight when they don't even know what starving is. Starving is a misused term. People will use it to mean they have fasted or gone all day without food because they didn't have the chance to eat yet or because they are very very hungry . 

[Firefly 35]

On 2/10/2018 at 7:53 PM, Spokane Girl said:

Whoa holy batman, that was a lot of fatlogic there. Also that is not how diets work, you are supposed to keep your new diet and not go back to your old diet. That is why diets fail because people think diet is a temporary thing you to do lose weight but it's not, it's a permanent lifestyle change, even works outs are a lifestyle change. CICO is the only way that works. If I stopped working out, I bet weight would come back on over time again if I ate the same. It does not mean my body is set at a higher weight and it's trying to maintain that weight. Even if you do work out, you are not supposed to have reward food or else you are eating back the calories you have burned. If you want to lose weight, you just got to be more active and not eat more food to compensate. 

From what I've learned both from personal experience and others is that after living a healthy lifestyle and exercising regularily for a month ot two, your body will start craving healthy food and junk food will no longer taste as good.  I don't know the exact reasons for why that is, but I think it's probably because if you start using your muscles more, your body will demand the necessary foods/nutrients to maintain them.