These are the steps I took to start a diet on a budget and lose weight at last!
By Shannon Brown, Contributing Writer
I stared down at the scale in disbelief. In the dim light, even with my glasses on, I wondered if my eyes might be failing me. More than two full years after my daughter was born, I was still 30, yes 30 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight, and I had all the yucky, achy, tired, no-good-feeling symptoms to go along with it.
In the busy two years since her birth, I had tried to get back to a healthy weight. Three diets later, I had all but given up.
I stayed disciplined to each one of the popular diets I tried, but none of them worked for me.
One diet I never even tried once I realized it would double my grocery bill!
As arduous as it is for me to admit this struggle on such a public forum, I know I’m not alone.
“More than 2 in 3 [American] adults are considered to be overweight or obese….overweight and obesity are risk factors for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other health problems such as…nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, osteoarthritis, some types of cancer…and stroke .” –National Institutes for Health
I wasn’t going to wait around for one of these devastating diseases to pop up before making a change. I knew I had to do something different. For myself, but most of all for my family.
Well, I finally unlocked the secret. It’s a simple, frugal non-diety diet. (Because as we know all to well, most diets don’t work.)
It may seem like it costs a fortune to eat a healthy diet, but you can save money on healthy, real food. These are the ridiculously simple, frugal tweaks to my diet and lifestyle that are helping me lose my 2-year-old baby weight, even on a tight budget! I’m so excited to share them with you!
How to Start a Diet on a Budget: Weeks 1 through 3
It’s easy to get excited about the promises for weight loss and greater health of any new diet and want to jump right in. If you take the time to gradually transition your diet and lifestyle instead, you’ll set both your diet and your budget up for much greater success! Here’s how…
1. Don’t do drugs.
Sugar and caffeine that is.
Sugar has been touted as the most addictive substances known to man, even several times more addictive than cocaine.
I didn’t have to look much farther than my own experience to see how easy it is for one sweet treat to creep into our diets as a regular habit.
The first and hardest step is to cut back on caffeine and to quit sugar cold turkey.
This includes even sugar substitutes, which have been linked to greater weight gain than sugar and other yucky side effects. This is one place where moderation wasn’t an option for me.
As for caffeine, it’s been shown to make it harder for people with diabetes to regulate blood sugar, which leads to weight gain. I switched my coffee for green tea, with no small amount of daily grumbling.
2. Eat More.
You might be happy to hear one of the best hacks for losing weight is to eat more often.
You might want to try eating two or three snacks between meals at the same time every day.
I’ve been eating more than ever before while staying around the same total number of calories.
This way I’m not ravenous when it comes time for meals. This has been the most difficult part of the diet to keep.
I’ve struggled to delay meeting the constant requests of my two little ones at times to do this small act of self-care. But, we’re all reaping the rewards of a happier, healthier mommy.
Some diets recommend a solid three meals a day with no snacks, so you’ll have to feel it out for yourself to find what works best for you.
I will note, eating more frequently is one of the common habits of people who lose weight and keep it off.
3. Eat Even More.
Be sure you’re eating the recommended 25 grams of fiber a day for women. (Most Americans eat only 15 grams!)
I simply include four servings of vegetables and one or two servings of fruit each day, along with a couple servings of nuts, and one or two whole grains or legumes.
This alone helps you feel more full, so there’s no need to count calories or measure portions. When you fill up on these healthy foods first, there’s not much room to crave unhealthy foods.
4. Plan to Eat
At the same time you do these preliminary diet changes, create a one- or two-week meal plan, keeping in mind any healthy changes you plan to make to your diet after this initial phase.
This is crucial, so when it’s time to eat, you’ll have a plan and you’ll be much more inclined to grab something healthy.
A meal plan also helps you save money on healthy groceries because you’ll be much more likely to use up all of the healthy foods you bring home.
I found it super helpful to start with a pre-made, real food meal plan, include frugal real food recipes, and then tweak it for my specific needs.
5. Compare Prices.
Now is a great time to compare prices on some of the new foods you might want to add to your diet.
A few of the new foods I added included a wider variety of dark leafy greens and nuts. I also bought a bigger range of legumes and gluten-free grains for variety.
6. Stock the Pantry.
Taking a full three weeks to stock up on new healthy foods allows you to take advantage of big savings with bulk buys while spreading out the impact on your budget over time.
Just one word of warning. Be sure you don’t buy a large quantity of something you’re not sure you’ll use.
We all start out with good intentions.
Like last January when I decided I needed to eat liver once a week, and bought 20 pounds of it from Azure Standard for a “deal.”
Oops!
That resolution slithered out of sight by February, and most the liver is in the bottom of my chest freezer, thickly coated with freezer burn.
How to Start a Diet on a Budget
To set yourself up for success: meal plan, do price comparisons, and stock your pantry with bulk buys over the course of a few weeks. Planning for the changes ahead will help you succeed with your weight loss and keep your grocery budget in check.
In week one, as I lay clinging to the couch, head pounding, suffering the effects of sugar withdrawal, I wondered if it was worth it.
Three weeks later, though I had only lost two pounds, I felt amazing!
Then the preparation started to pay off. In weeks four through six, I added 9 more easy, budget friendly habits to boost my weight loss even more.
As I write this in week 7, I’m at a new low, with a total of 10 pounds lost. The true measure of the success of this diet, though, is the growing feeling of health, energy and confidence. Many of my other annoying symptoms like sugar and carb cravings, constant hunger pangs, nausea, and mood swings are long gone.
I still have a long way to go, but I’m confident that by sticking to these simple (and budget friendly) methods, I won’t see those extra pounds staring back at me on the scale by the time my little girl turns 3.
Sarah@TheOrthodoxMama
I am in the same boat! I am 20 pounds over my goal weight, even two years after my youngest was born. I agree that creating a healthy meal plan is important. By looking at sales and stocking up when items they are at low prices, I’ve been able to incorporate healthier habits. I also drink a LOT more water now–which is free! I do not snack, however. After reading a few books about the French diet, I’ve come to the conclusion that I do not want to snack each day. Instead I concentrate on healthy, tasty, filling meals. I still stock some basic snacks for my kids, but I do not partake.
Shannon
Great point Sarah! I love the health and weight loss tricks that are free, like drinking more water. I especially like the ones that are enjoyable and free like getting enough sleep 🙂
Katie
I can so relate-I struggled with so many plans out there-everything from Weight Watchers, Nutrisystem, Jenny Craig, etc. I could only lose five pounds or so. After researching foods to help with allergies and joint problems I found what has FINALLY helped me! People are different, and that’s why one diet may work great for one person but not another. Your blood type reflects your internal chemistry and determines the way you absorb nutrients. It’s a blueprint for how YOU were made and how your immune and digestive systems work. Blood type is a stronger link that race or ethnicity! Which foods are beneficial to you and which aren’t (even if they are considered “healthy”, it may actually be toxic to you). I laughed at first and thought it was crazy, but decided to try it for a week expecting it to turn out like the other failed plans. I lost seven pounds in the first week and felt great with more energy, better sleep and my moodiness was gone! I kept on. I am now at my goal weight after losing 25 pounds (I hit my goal in less than three months!) My cravings went away because I’m eating what MY body needs! It only cost me the price of the book on my kindle. My sinus and allergy problems are gone. My joint problems are gone. This has been such a blessing! I’m part of a wonderful Facebook group where we share tips and recipes.
Healthy foods are expensive, so why buy them if they aren’t beneficial to you?? I’m not going to buy expensive organic coconut flour or organic oranges or strawberries, because they are “avoids” for me. Now organic red meat and blueberries? Dark chocolate? Kale? Absolutely!!!
For instance, I am type O. Meat is beneficial to me. O’s process it well as we have the right digestive enzymes for it, so I follow the eating plan which is similar to Paleo. Wheat is horrible for me, so I’m not wasting money buying wheat products. Vigorous exercise is needed for O’s, or they can gain weight and may feel depressed. They’re more susceptible to arthritis, allergies, heartburn/ulcers.
Type A’s do awful with red meat. They should follow more of a vegetarian type diet and exercise more gently (yoga, golf) to deal with stress. They are more at risk for heart disease and stroke if they don’t eat right.
Type B’s are the only ones that do well with dairy products and have a varied diet.
So on, and so on. I lost weight, so easily, but more importantly my health improved and I felt like I wasn’t even trying! My doctor was amazed at my improved levels. Honestly, the first couple days can be rough if you are trying to cut back on sugar,caffeine and wheat. But Dr. D’Adamo explains it’s okay to ease into it. But give it 2 full weeks. By day 2 or 3 I knew I was finally done with searching for the right diet.
It has changed my life and I’ve never looked back!!!
I know I sound like a salesperson, but I promise I’m not. I’m a stay-at-home mom and wife who was tired of trying one-size-fits-all diets, because they don’t work! Now I save money because I’m not buying these crazy expensive products that aren’t beneficial to me. This gives me more allowance to buy the ones that are! My sister is a type A and she’s lost weight too. I can walk past sweets and bread and not want any of it. I crave what is good for me! I’ve never looked back as this has been such a blessing!
http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Right-Your-Type-Individualized/dp/039914255X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452636580&sr=8-1&keywords=Eat+right+for+your+type
Shannon
This is so interesting Katie! Thank you for sharing. I looked at the list for my type, and the way I’ve been eating is VERY similar to what that says I should do, though quite by accident. A naturopath actually recommended the blood type diet to me quite a while ago, but I was just too overwhelmed at the time to make another major diet change. I think I’ll definitely try to incorporate this more and see how it goes. Thanks! And congrats by the way on finding what works for you! It’s so wonderful when it finally clicks. 🙂 Beautiful!
Ally
What your a AB? Do you incorporate both plans?
Elise @frugalfarmwife.com
For me sugar is the big problem. Ugh.
One of the best things I’ve done for controlling my appetite is intermittent fasting. It takes some getting use to, but it actually has a suppressant effect on hunger. Crazy!
I’ve also been working hard to eat a larger variety of nutrient-dense foods, so I have a dry erase checklist hanging on the fridge. That’s helped a lot!
Shannon
Elise, how does your checklist work? That sounds super helpful!
Melony Evans
I enjoyed reading your ideas. I partake of sugar in some form almost everyday and I know I just need to make a clean break. I have ten pounds to lose and maybe dumping the sugar snacks would do the trick. Thanks for the good ideas about menu planning. I have started getting groceries twice a month instead of weekly and that has really helped our budget. I spend about 40% less overall which is amazing. It has also made me more resourceful. I hope that soon one of my freezers will be empty and I will just keep one plugged in.
Shannon
Absolutely! Staying away from the grocery store as much as possible definitely is a huge help to the grocery budget! Very impressive savings!
Keelie Reason
Way to go girl! You keep it up. 🙂
Mindy Jollie
Great tips! I definitely need to stock my fridge more with health snacks and snack more often throughout the day with healthy snacks. Plus, my drink of choice is always diet coke, so I need to kick that habit or at least moderate it! Thanks for sharing!
Christy
I have a question… You said you switched from coffee to green tea, but doesn’t green tea have caffeine? I thought you were saying to stop drinking caffeine?
Shannon @ GrowingSlower
Tea has *less* caffeine than coffee, but it does still have some. My goal was to not rely on caffeine for energy and to avoid the roller coaster effect it has. I also chose green tea because of the antioxidants and it aids in detox. I also just really enjoy a hot drink in the morning as part of my morning routine. 🙂
Erin Marie Sills
Really enjoyed your post! I personally hate the term “diet” because as a dietitian and health coach I teach eating nutritious food should be our lifestyle all the time (along with occasional grace filled indulgences). I think the word “diet” invokes thoughts of deprivation and short term solutions rather than learning to live healthier. I loved your tips! I have a few more over at www.healthhappensathome.com
Cheryl
Yes on fiber! It is amazing how little we get in our diets sometimes.
Claudio Wanderley
Planning healthy eating is the first step in getting the strength to stick to discipline in a diet.
Lou
I am 18 years passed the last baby so I have battled that long to lose weight. In fact my weight has increased over the years especially after a hystectomy in 2011 which put me in perimenopause. I have tried as many diets that I care to remember. One starvation diet includeded injections into my abdomen. I am the biggest I have ever been and 43 yrs old. I am at a point where I need to be as healthy as I can and make peace with myself.
Rakayla Walters
I’m only 24 and have a 6 year old after I had her I gained like 100lbs I got so busy I didn’t have time to do anything. I hardly even cooked I use to dine out almost every night. But I’m ready to take my life back, I’m ready to be me again. My goal is to try to lose at least 50lbs by June 5th. Can I do it? I don’t know. Will I try? I sure heck will. I am trying to find a supportive community. Where I’m from people judge you like crazy, food stuff here is expensive, I’ve been trying a few meal plans I found online but I can no longer afford to purchase those ingredients due to the high prices. So here I am looking for a way to lose weight on a skinny budget.