[ad_1]
In today’s economy, people trying to lose weight are especially hard hit. Special “diet food” can get pretty expensive. So what’s a health conscious thrifty slimmer to do? Here are a few suggestions:
Get all the info. The purpose of dieting is to lose weight, right? If you choose a certain diet plan, then you greatly up your chances of success by getting all of the information you need about that diet before beginning. Being well informed also saves you money while on your chosen diet by keeping you from pricey pitfalls that contradict your plan.
Don’t guess. So go to the library and check out the book if there is one. Read it! Get on line and go to the official website, Google your chosen diet, read articles and blogs by folks on the diet. Forums, in particular, are super helpful and keep you encouraged and engaged.
Simplify. When choosing a diet for you, compare and contrast. Go for simple diets that ask you to eat regular food. Stay far away from diet plans that insist or require that you buy meals, bars, shakes etc, from them. If you choose a plan that’s based on real food but also pushes convenient pre-packaged snacks, shakes, and bars, then avoid those high-cost items like the plague. You can lose weight by just eating regular food!
Grow your own. Unless you’re on the Banana Pudding diet, then chances are you’re eating fruits and vegetables. If you have even the teensiest bit of yard you can grow many vegetables and fruits yourself. A patio or deck will support containers for plants and even the sunny sill of an apartment window can host pots of herbs to liven up your diet meals.
Growing your own is soothing to the soul as well as thrifty and a couple of tomato plants, a strawberry pot, and a handful of herbs in planters will help off-set grocery costs. And it’s better for you!
Buy it in bulk. Yes, I know, it’s a huge pain in the backside to have to divide up those whopping family packs of meat! I hate it too, but just think of how much money you are saving. You can re-wrap that 10 pack of chicken breasts into individual portions while waiting for your morning coffee to brew. Not only are you saving cash but you’ve just made supper that much easier by having the meal-sized portions all ready to go.
Make it from scratch. If you’re single and the meal calls for a cup of cooked rice, don’t run to the store and buy those instant rices in individual packs. Cook a cup of dry rice (it’s not hard!) and refrigerate the leftovers. You just saved a bundle and you now have cooked rice ready to heat up in the microwave for another meal. If you are a busy wife/mom like me with multiple mouths to feed then take one morning on the week-end to whip up a bunch of casseroles. Cook two or three (depending on how big your family is) and you have supper that night, plus at least 2 days worth of quick, easy meals. Many one-dish meals can be refrigerated or frozen and then popped in the oven at night for supper. Add a green salad, and voila, frugal diet food!
Pack it yourself. Ban all fast food and convenience store crap from your life! You’ll be saving your diet and saving your wallet simultaneously. Pack your lunch every day; do wraps, sandwiches, leftovers, and soups. Pack yourself snacks like cheese sticks, raw vegetables, and boiled eggs. Invest in a good insulated coffee container and brew your own good quality coffee and take it from home.
I invite you to try these frugal diet tips out. You’ll be shocked at how these few changes will impact your waistline AND your purse!