Healthy Eating on a Budget

The cost of food is expensive to say the least. With people struggling to just put food on the table healthier choices are not high on the priority list. Then add in the fact that many areas still do not have decent stores with healthier options at reasonable prices. My first trip to the grocery store with my healthy list was a shock to the system. Here are some tips that were passed to me and a few that I have found along the way.

Will Travel For Food

I have found that when I travel to more affluent areas not only is the food fresher but it is cheaper. I know that might sound crazy but it is true. My healthier eating choices are greatly increased by going to a store that is outside of my normal shopping area. With that being said do not count out non-traditional grocery stores and the local farmer’s market. My favorite small grocery store is Sara’s Market & Bakery. Not only is the produce fresh but it is cheap whether you are buying by the bulk or not. Here is the information for Sara’s just in case you are in the area: 750 South Sherman Street, Richardson, TX 75081 (972)-437-1122

Price Match

Price matching is your friend. I sit down with all the weekly ads and I mark all the items I need. Then I cross check from store to store to see who has the lowest price. It will take a little longer at the checkout counter but it is worth your time and dimes. Especially when buying fresh fruits and veggies.

Coupons Galore

Collect coupons for your favorite items by signing up for coupons and updates from those companies and don’t forget to like their page on Facebook. I get loads and loads of coupons on the items I buy frequently. If you shop at a store like Kroger that has a reward card it records information about your purchases and you can get coupons that way as well. Get a coupon buddy or two that is willing to share or trade coupons. My sister and I do this often and it has been awesome for both of us. We never tend to run out of the same item at the same time. When perusing the grocery aisles make sure you grab all the random coupons. Even if I don’t need that particular item now I might later on.

Clearance Rack Heaven

I run for the clearance rack every time I hit the store. On a good week I can rack up on all kinds of things especially healthy choice items. For example i.e. Biggest Loser Protein Powder regular price $15.99 clearance price $3.19. Once mixed with ice and almond milk it tasted like a vanilla shake…YUM!!!! Everything from vegan to organic can be found in the clearance rack.

Know the Employees

In the stores I frequent the most I make it my business to get to know the employees in those departments. When you come into the store often and they get to know you they are always eager to tell you about specials, sales and markdowns.

Know When to Buy

Sometimes it is better to wait until certain items are in season and cheaper.  At the least maybe you can cut down on those items during off season to save a few dollars. This is especially helpful when considering fruits and vegetables. As it lends itself to the rotation of some of your options and will hopefully help you to increase your options. Eating the same things over and over again can get boring to the palate.

Do Not Over Buy

In the beginning I made this mistake often. I would load up on fruits and veggies only to have some of it to go bad before I could get to all of it. I would be so pissed off because I wasted my money. Waste not, want not is the motto.

Meal Planning

I know that meal planning may not be fun for everyone but it is a good habit to have if you can. Like so many other people in the world I have a tendency to go to the store and start picking up stuff I did not need. With the meal plan ready for the week I tend to stick closer to the desired list rather than buying a bunch of additional items. Honestly, I am not perfect at this strategy yet but I am constantly working toward it. Getting better at it each time is the way to success.

Home Gardens

With the increasing price of foods I know a number of people who are doing this right now. They have started their own gardens to reduce the cost of food. I decided to start with something small like some of the herbs I love to cook with on a regular basis.

Hopefully, some of these tips will help you along the way. I know that they have been a great help to me.

Working Out With No Money

Working Out With No Money

When I stopped making excuses for not getting my behind off the couch I started to really live it up. Looking at the economy and the unemployment rate we know that a lot of people are struggling to stay afloat. Between the balancing of bills and the feeling we are making life or death decisions at the gas pump the price of fitness is not even making the list for many. This is where my pursuit started and I was amazed to find so much that I never considered.

Option #1-YouTube

This was my first stop after I saw someone post about it on a weight loss page. I admit that originally I did a few workouts that did not fit my fitness level. I thought I was going to die fifteen minutes later. I could barely touch my toes for goodness sake. After about a week of that I got a clue and moved on to another video. A friend stated that she had done Walk Away the Pounds by Leslie Sansone with great success. A few clicks later the walking began and although I was in pain anyway I was hooked. This workout let me go at my own pace and helped me to get my posture together. It was broken up into miles and time sections that were easier to get through.
 
Option#2-VCR and VHS

I dug out my old VCR and some of the old VCR workouts that I had forgotten about years ago. This was too funny because I even went to the local thrift store and they had plenty of them. Did you know that many thrift stores still sell VCRs for $10 with the remote and everything? Yes, indeed they do and the tapes are $1.00 or less. I was sweating to the oldies all the same.

Option#3-DVD Graveyard

The health industry is big business and most of America has fallen victim to infomercials in the middle of the night while snacking. Many times we place an order with the best intentions and the paper never gets unwrapped. I started calling around to random friends and family to see what was in there DVD graveyard. I hit the jackpot as I discovered my Mom had the Walk Away the Pounds DVD 5 Miles. She got it from a friend that was finished with it and she had instantly deposited it into her DVD graveyard after one week. This was truly joy to my heart. I grabbed that thing and never looked.

Option #4-Walking In the Elements

A few months into my journey I learned about a group called Healthy Black Women and Girls. They were hosting a nationwide event called Girl Trek (www.girltrek.org). Go check them out you will find that they are an awesome group of ladies. The objective was to have as many black women and girls out walking together at the same time. The goal was to spread the message of taking care of our bodies and stopping diseases that can be prevented. I recruited my Mom, sister and her friend. We went to Katy Trails early that Saturday morning and walked until we could walk no more. It was my first big milestone. I lost six pounds that week and discovered that I loved being outside. My favorite thing about being outside is the scenery is beautiful and it’s free. There is no limit other than exhaustion that can limit how far I can go.

Option #5-Free Workout Groups

If you seek, you shall find and boy, did I find. I found local groups that would meet up just for the purpose of exercising. I found them on Facebook, meetup.com, health magazines in the grocery store and random health stores. They were everywhere and the type of exercise varied from place to place. There was everything from yoga to running.
 

Option#6-Bring a Friend

Some gyms offer bring a friend for free as long as the person that is bringing you is a member. I went to the gym for a while with my sister based on this option. Her gym membership allowed her to bring one friend with her for free with an unlimited time frame. We went every day and it was great. If possible this could also help out the friend that is a member. If you split the price of the membership that is win-win for both of you. You get a great workout for half the price and a workout partner for accountability. Don't forget to bring the after workout snacks and/or water. It’s a great way to say thank you, I appreciate what you do.

 Hopefully, this will help someone else in their journey to be healthier and happier from the inside out.

Candie

Here I Am!!!!

Before and Later Pic

 

I made a promise to myself that I would start my weight loss blog in 2013. So with no further ado here I go. This last year has been an amazing year for my body and mind. For so many years I have declared that no matter what I was going to lose weight and be super fine but that day never came. Finally, the journey started in 2012 with the help of a wonderful group of women. They taught me how to eat correctly and when I had questions they answered or directed me where I needed to go. I will never again say that being in a group or having a partner does not matter. Though I am positive that there is someone that will disagree but for me it was a blessing. They encouraged me to keep pushing even when I was struggling and wanted to quit. Thank you God for those wonderful ladies.

The turning point was when my doctor wanted to put me on cholesterol medication. I was already on medication for my thyroid and my blood pressure. Honestly, looking back on it I didn't give a hoot about what the doctor had to say because I was not taking another pill. That's the day I truly saw the money flow in giving people medication to cover the problem instead of getting rid of the problem. Even when I asked the doctor for alternatives he was no help at all. I said that's ok, doctor know it all. When I came back three months later he was dumbfounded. No cholesterol meds were needed and my blood work looked like a totally different woman. As the months have progressed he is still in awe. I am 70+ pounds lighter and loving it. This is my Journey!!!!