Diets & Weight Maintenance Support Group
Chat about how well your latest diet is -- or is not -- working. This group is a great place to find support and accountability as well as share success stories and valuable lessons with the community. From where to start to weekly weigh-ins, get help from others to reach your dieting and weight maintenance goals.
Hi. Struggled with weight all my life. Currently 80-100 lbs overweight and 45 years old. Also battling health issues and depression and looking in the mirror doesn't help at all. The person looking back isn't me, there's no way I've let myself get this huge again. On a very limited income and finding it hard to afford healthy food. Plus side, I received a subsidy to join the city recreation facilities so can start exercising once I get the go ahead from my doctor. I am just really hoping to connect with a few people who would like to encourage each other and hold ourselves accountable. And someone who will listen!
Thanks!
This is a great group and I would like to invite you to a small group of gals at One Calorie at a Time.
https://www.dailystrength.org/group/one-calorie-at-a-time
While you're waiting for your doctor's advice, you can certainly enjoy some stretching and the circulation it promotes to all your muscles. I try to catch "Classical Stretch" on public television. It's on a few times daily during the week. Remember not to concentrate on the past, but think of what you can do today, and prepare your goals, small, achievable ones.
Food is really a matter of planning. In my opinion, it costs more to eat junk than it does to eat healthy. Welcome aboard, and very best of luck to you in setting your goals and sticking to your plan. ♥
The bulk bins available at some of the less expensive health food stores can be cheaper than prepackaged. And if you can get generic, it's almost always less expensive. Buying fruits and veggies in season is cheaper and they're actually tastier. Often shops will mark down fruits and veggies when they only have a few days left. You can also ask to speak with the store manager and let them know you're dieting on a budget and ask if they have fruits and veggies to see if they can give you the stuff that's marked down because they don't want to have to toss it. If that seems to extreme, frozen veggies are healthier than canned and often, cheaper. I can usually get a nice sized bag of veggies 10 for $10.
My list for the week: oatmeal, lentils, split peas, barley, popcorn - all from the bulk bin. Frozen peas, frozen green beans, canned black beans, canned white beans, tuna, peanut butter. Eggs. 1 avocado, tomatoes, lemon, cabbage, carrots, jicama, marked down salad and mushrooms. Whatever fruits and veggies are on sale. Meat that is marked down (chicken, beef or pork that is lean). Whole grain bread if I'm out. I usually spend about $60/week.
If you need to use a food bank, you can let them know that you really want to be healthy and you're working on that goal. They can help with providing you with beans rather than mac and cheese and can try and hook you up with fresh veggies. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
Here's what I eat to stay on a budget:
Breakfast: Oatmeal or eggs or peanut butter on whole grain toast.
Lunch: Marked down salad with lemon juice and a hard boiled egg or generic low fat cheese.
Or - soup with beans and / or barley and lots of veggies like carrots, celery, spinach, mushrooms (I can get all of those on sale except the carrots which are pretty affordable).
Dinner: Lentil soup or split pea soup with home made tortillas that I make from black beans and/or cauliflower (haven't perfected them yet, but they taste good). Or tuna mixed with avocado (expensive) and tomatoes or just a touch of mayo over a salad.
Snacks: home made cole slaw (cabbage and carrots and jicama sliced thin and mixed with a tiny bit of mayo and old bay seasoning). Fruit or applesauce. Deviled eggs. Half a sandwich. Popcorn. Carrots and celery with peanut butter.
Best of luck to you!