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Cheap ways to maintain a healthy diet. - fitness Discussion Forum

I've been working out (mostly lifting, a little bit of cardio) for around 7 months straight now and am at the point where I'm just trying to loose that last 10-15 lbs of stubborn belly fat, between supplements, multi-vitamins, flaxseed/fish oil, and protein shake mix I've been spending cheap when it comes to actual food lately OR eating less than I should be, because of this my results seem to be getting less and less noticable. My biggest problem is how expensive most fresh foods can be and how fast they go bad, I was wondering if anybody had any suggestions as to what healthy foods last the longest and/or any money saving secrets to maintaining a healthy diet. Any help is much appreciated, thanks.

I don't really understand the idea that healthy food is expensive.

Compared to what?

Especially in summer, fresh fruits and vegtables are cheap and plentiful, tofu and tempei are much less than meat, so are dried beans.

The biggest hurdle I think, for most, is relearning cooking skills.

That is exactly what jumpstarted my weight loss.

I went from unsuccessfully trying to fight food craving, and hunger, to revamping my food supply and learning new ways to cook. I'm not a complete vegatarian, but about 90%.

I shop a lot at Asian food markets where beans, grains, noodles and herbs are much less expensive, especially in bulk.

First I was leary, about quality, but when found a couple I knew well, both born in India, doctor and lawyer, shopped there, I had less misgiving than I do at the reg.

Grocery. Even natural food stores offer good deals in bulk when you get used to what to look for. Where do you get your supplements?

I've just found Swansons health foods and there Whole Food Vitamin and Mineral really works for me, unlike any other vitamin I've tried.

It's the first whole food I've tried, and only $7.99 for a months supply.

Hmm, here's usually what I spend a month on supplements: Dren - $25 for a 30 day supply, a fat burner/meal suppresent, it encourages me to drink water instead of soda simply due to the fact it's a 12 hour time release capsule which says clearly on the box "do not drink caffeine with this product". Animal packs - $25 for a 45 day supply, a multi-vitamin (for weight lifters) that I absolutely cannot go without. Protein shake mix - $56 for a little over a months supply, I take at least 2 shakes (with 2 scoops) daily to keep my protein intake up to 190 grams. Flaxseed - it's so cheap, I guess it's really not an issue, I've had a bottle for 2 months and am only halfway down, I take one capsule 3 times daily as directed. Plasma Jet - $40 for a month supply, a great pre-workout nitrous oxide booster that helps alot. So right now I'm spending around $140 every month on supplements, I'm getting ready to start school (college) again, live with my girlfriend on our own, and average around a $100-$120 budget every two weeks for groceries.

Your getting ripped off on your supps.

Thats your problem. http://www.prosource.net/ 100% reliable with amazing prices.

Buy Spinach!

Fitness Magazine published an article titled "Fitness Dollar Menu" http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/he althy-eating/smart-shopping/the-fitness-d ollar-menu-budget-friendly-groceries/?pag e=1

J. Ahrens says: "Your getting ripped off on your supps.

Thats your problem. http://www.prosource.net/ 100% reliable with amazing prices." The only difference is around $2.00 off on the Animal Packs, dren was actually $3.00 more on this site AND I buy a 7-10 LB pack of protein almost every month, on this website it was listed at almost $10 more for the same thing.

Nice try at suggestive selling...Next time you might want to research something before you make such a bold statement. Lol, thanks Jeff!

I actually was thinking about getting a couple cans sometime soon.. I'll definitely look into that Bakke, thanks.

Don't eat less calories than what your body needs...you'll have the opposite effect of what you desire and can actually slow your progress.

So do find out your daily target.

If you eat (or work off through fitness or a combo of both) 500 calories less per day than what your body burns just functioning, you will lose 1 pound per week.

Eat 1,000 calories less per day than your body burns and you lose 2 pounds per week.

That's a safe and healthy loss (you'll lose more in the first few weeks of a diet). Example: I know for a fact I burn approx 2,000 calories per day (I'm small and I wear a bodybugg to track my daily caloric expenditure) through daily activity and exercise.

If I eat 1,500 calories per day I will lose a pound that week.

I try to have a 700 calorie per day deficit because I am getting even smaller.

:-) If you don't want to eat less you could burn 500 more calories in a workout each day and garner the same outcome.

Or combine the two...eating less and moving more. Why?

A pound is made up of 3,500 calories. Have you checked WalMart or Sams for some of what you are buying?

I get my whey protein cheaper there. Personally, I think you'd be healthier skipping the dren and spending the money on fresh fruits and vegetables.

That's my insight... good luck! a weight loss coach, Alana

I would suggest you try to find an Aldi in your area.

Their fresh produce is way cheaper than your local grocery store, or try growing some in your garden, if possible.

You could definitely save significantly on your supplements.

And, let me give you a tip from a pro athletic trainer.

Plain milk powder will give you the same benefits as a protein powder supplement and a vitamin (which you are already taking, anyway).

They only difference between the two is that the protein strands in the supplement are chemically "pre-digested" which makes the protein release faster into the blood stream.

This is actually considered a negative by Paul Chek and several other top end athletic trainers.

Because muscle tissue repairs over HOURS and not minutes, you'd be better off with the milk powder or even a non-milk formula such as Douglas Labs, which is less likely to induce flatulant side effects. Using frozen veggies for things such as broccoli, cauliflower and carrots would go a long way, as well.

Frozen chicken breast is by far less expensive than fresh (and sadly, most fresh chicken has been previously frozen anyway).

Cheaper cuts of beef such as round steak are very lean and cook tender in a crockpot with some sauce or broth.

"Cycle buying" at your grocery store is also a huge money saver.

Look at the ads every week and buy extras of what's on sale, such as light cheeses and lean meats, then freeze enough to last for several weeks until they're on sale again.

I've done this for years now and we feed a family of 7 very healthily for about $100 a week.

Good tips Rachel! Question: what is the protein comparison between protein powder and whey powder?

I thought the difference was that the whey contained a lot more but I may be wrong and am not home to check.

However, with lots of lean meats that's not so much of an issue as a protein deficiency in the US is virtually unheard of.

You can get your daily requirement just eating cabbage and bread, oddly enough.

There is protein in most of what we eat now.

I don't know the exact protein comparison between the two.

However, I successfully substituted one for the other and saw no decrease in my gains.

Many others have done the same thing.

In my advanced studies of nutrition, we learned that the amounts of protein needed for muscle gain are quite exaggerated.

The body also needs adequate carbs and fats as all 3 elements work together in the building and repair of old and new muscle.

If you look at the chemical composition of breast milk (that which gave most of us our start in life) it is only about 10% protein and the rest is "slow carb" sugars and healthy fats, such as DHA.

Excess amounts of protein cause bone loss by raising the body's acidity level and causing you to waste calcium to maintain normal Ph levels.

Lots and lots of protein in the diet is also hard on the kidneys and just makes some really expensive urine.

The MOST important factor in getting protein into the body is that you should have a little about every 3-4 hours since the body cannot store it as it does with carbs and fats.

Don't forget that greens are very high in protein and all dairy, grains and beans are also high.

I've studied vegetarian nutrition and successfully lived as one for 5 years while working out hard and packing on plenty of muscle during that time.

I've also trained and coached other vegetarians who were no less successful than their meat-eating counterparts, not to mention that meat proteins cause tremendous inflammation in the body which must be countered with Omega 3's and fiber.

Some people actually find that they fell better when they eat LESS protein, because an acidic body usually feels stiff and sometimes painful in the muscles and joints.

1. Don't waste money on supplements or superfoods.

Any of them. Really.

Get most of what you need through an overall decent diet, and realize the rest won't make an ounce of difference - lately it's been clinically proven, too... Two exceptions: if you eat mostly vegetarian food like I do, and especially if you eat even less milk products than me, get a cheap vitamin B12 supplement.

You need very little - 3-5 mcg/day, and your body can store it to some degree - but this vitamin is practically impossible to get enough of in vegan form.

(Brewer's yeast doesn't provide B12.) - A fish oil concentrate with EPA and DHA.

Molecularly distilled, high potency, 500-1000mg combined EPA/DHA per day is plenty. (Don't waste money and energy trying to get it from vegetable sources like flax or hemp seed unless you are a hard core vegan.

They're very unstable, meaning that they've often gone rancid and thus carcinogenic before you even eat them.

They contain ALA omega-3 fatty acids which need to be converted by the body into EPA and DHA, and compete with LA (omega-6, other polyunsaturated) fatty acids for conversion in the body.

Flax and hemp seed oil contain much more omega-6 than omega-3 fatty acids.

Most vegetarian and vegan diets are high in other polyunsaturated fatty acids, so your body will convert very little ALA into EPA and DHA.) 2.

Shop at Trader Joe's if you have one near you.

Read the book To Buy Or Not To Buy Organic for information on what is and isn't worth spending that extra money on.

Join a CSA if you cook a lot and have access to one where you live.

Either avoid Whole Foods or go in with a very specific list in hand - just don't walk out with a $14 slice of pizza or "organic" shampoo... 3.

When you do spend money on fresh produce, make sure you get your money's worth. Cook in ways that preserve nutrients.

Don't overcook, don't boil and throw away the water, don't fry on high heat, etc. Freeze and microwave a lot.

(But don't microwave the food in plastic containers!) Don't let food sit in your fridge or out for too long - cook more and freeze.

Use ziplock bags, plastic wrap and towels properly. If you're like me and don't get inspired to cook vegetables all that often - well - don't buy them in bulk, no matter how much cheaper. Paper-bag it: eat out occasionally for fun, not daily for convenience.

Always cook enough for dinner that night and lunch the next day, unless you can lunch on sandwiches every day. 4.

Don't waste money on "healthy, organic, all-natural" snacks like multigrain all natural tortilla chips or nutrition bars...

They're probably a bit healthier than other brands, but they're so expensive they can easily be 2/3 of your food budget and they're still not going to be a major source of nutrition. If you have a craving, satisfy it with something cheap that hits the spot, then spend the money on a meal that's actually healthy and substantial. My diet is under $300/month, not extremely cheap but not outrageous, and very healthy: - Carbs: mostly complex = starch, from multigrain toast (T.J.'s), imported brown rice, pasta - whole wheat organic when I can afford it, otherwise cheapest in the store. As for simple carbs = sugar, beet sugar, cane sugar, brown or white sugar, honey and high fructose corn syrup have almost identical nutritional content, that is, 50/50 glucose and fructose.

Get what's cheap.

Avoid agave nectar - expensive and very high in fructose. - Protein: T.J.'s organic, plain, low-fat yogurt, organic cage free organic eggs, extra firm tofu made with calcium sulfate, canned pinto beans, white beans or baked beans, organic peanut butter. - Don't overdo isolated soy protein products - they're expensive and very high in plant estrogens, which may or may not be a cancer risk in some people.

Other beans and peanuts also contain these, but in much smaller quantities. You only need about 50 grams of protein/day anyway - eating more will NOT help you build more muscle, but can damage your kidneys. - Vegetarian except 1-2/week, 3 oz of ground grass fed bison meat.

Very lean, high in iron, omega-3 fatty acids, B12, zinc and other nutrients vegetarians have trouble getting through diet.

Relatively ethical - the animals are treated well, graze and eat grass, hormone- and antibiotics- free, etc. - Fats: extra virgin or at least virgin olive oil.

On sandwiches, Smart Balance spread.

For hard fats or if frying at high temperatures: organic butter which is very expensive or refined coconut oil which isn't.

(Both are saturated fats and shouldn't be overdone.) - Vegetables, best micronutrient bang for your buck: Non-organic: broccoli, sweet potatoes, canned tomatos, onions. Organic: kale, spinach, red bell peppers, carrots, potatos (with skin!) Cook in ways that preserve nutrients.

Don't overcook, don't boil and throw away the water, don't fry on high heat, etc. Freeze and microwave a lot.

(But don't microwave the food in plastic containers!) Don't let food sit in your fridge or out for too long - cook more and freeze.

Use ziplock bags, plastic wrap and towels properly. If you're like me and don't get inspired to cook vegetables all that often - well - don't buy them in bulk, no matter how much cheaper. Always cook enough for dinner that night and lunch the next day, unless you can lunch on sandwiches every day. - Dito fruit & berries: Organic: apples, strawberries in season, citrus fruit if you eat some of the peel (very high in flavonoids.) Non-organic: kiwi, bananas (buy fair trade when you can find), wild blueberries in season, domestic red grapes with seeds, most citrus fruits if peeled.

...fasting regularly

You might be seeing yourself plateau in weight loss...

I do that myself sometimes where it seems like I can eat almost nothing and work out more and not lose anything and then one day I weight myself and I've lost a couple pounds.

No idea why that happens, but it does. As for eating healthy, sometimes it is difficult to do.

Just do the best you can with what you have and you will succeed.

Us poor people (By that I mean those of us making less than $100,000/year!) can't necessarily always eat perfectly healthy...

It costs a lot and we do have jobs and lives to attend to so we can't always spend an hour cooking healthy meals.

But it's my opinion that if one can't eat perfectly healthy then one can still eat more healthy - don't do the McDonalds or Microwave meals and do your best and it will result in changes.

You should try skinny minny greens it's an all natural meal replacement shake that includes all the vitamins your body needs found naturally in fruits & vegetables.

The blend includes: Acai Berry, strawberry, blueberry, cranberry, spinach, kale, carrots, apple fiber, flaxseed, as well as a probiotic and enzyme blend.

It tastes great when blended with cold water and can be used to curb your appetite for up to 6 hours when blended with fruit.

Plus, it gives you tons of all natural energy and 3 grams of whey protein in each serving.

My husband uses it and he loves it.

He blends his protein powder he buys from Wal mart in it too.

It's worth checking out.

Try fasted cardio in the mornings before eating anything.

Low intensity, like walking, for around 45mins - 60mins.

That is, if you're less than 10% bodyfat.

Or change your variety at the gym.

Try 10x3 with 45 seconds of rest in between sets.

Use weight somewhere around 60-70% of your 1 rep max. Oh and that's way too much money on supplements.

Fish oil and whey protein.

You should be getting your vitamin fix from the foods you eat.

Take a multivitamin if you want, w/o iron if you're male.

If you wanna go all the way, check out John Beradi on the web with Precision Nutrition.

I really wish the lettuce-heads would stop trying to push their vegan agenda.

They're very selfish, irrational people.

They never stop for a minute to consider the fact that some people (myself included) are allergic to soy & nuts, or have an extremely sensitive colon and cannot tolerate fibrous foods. I eat an almost entirely animal protein-based diet, as it is one of the few food groups that actually agrees with my body.

Nobody is going to force me to make myself sick, just so they can earn brownie points with their retarded Peta friends for converting a meat-eater. Leave us the hell alone, you nutbags!

Learn to make hummus.

Cans of chic peas are very inexpensive.

Drain them, throw them in the food processor, chop until almost smooth.

Add garlic, a bit of lemon juice, then olive oil while the machine is running.

Blend until smooth.

Of course you can add red peppers, olives, avocado, get creative.

Use as a dip for carrots, celery, cukes, whatever you like.

I usually have a pile of green leafies with this hummus, tomato, cukes, and an apple on the side.

A great meal even my children like.

Rules of thumb on diets.

If you are 40 to 60 pounds overweight, do not decrease your diet to more than 2000 if your a man or 1600 if your a woman.

Stay away from: fats, red meat, complex carbs (rice, potatoes, bread), simple sugars, no carbonated drinks.

Add chicken boobies, fresh fruit, two eggs per day, protein bars that are low calorie, cereal (bran), skim milk, low fat cottage cheese.

Remember, you need to to cardio and keep your heart rate under 70% of max (230 - age = Max).

Of all the posts in this thread....S.

Zelei, makes the best sense...read and learn what food is good/bad for you.

It is not difficult or impossible to understand what food is good for you and what is bad.

Newspapers, magazines and TV tout it everyday.

You just have to muddle through the 'miracle cures' &'diets'.

The word should be healthy lifestyle.

In three years I lost 30 lbs...pants size from 14/16 to 8/6.

I have to eat to keep up my energy.

All by modifying my eating habits and incorporating strength training & cardio.

I graze/eat small meals/snacks 4 - 5 times a day.

I have to..food = energy.

Yup, pretty much threw out meat daily, I do splurge occasionally...incorporate dried beans, whole grains, raw nuts, egg whites, fish, fresh fruit & veggies (daily), soy products, but not daily.

Some organic food, some not.

No soda...but I love black coffee!

If I have to do processed food, find one with lowest sugar content.

Plan & prepare food in advance, brown bag M-F.

I don't do fast food, so money for food stays at the house.

Yes, I do have my occasional chocolate or chips...yikes I be a woman with cravings.

But I got the message, if I want to live longer or healthier, I must change my eating/lifestyle habits.

I do not want to be a middle-age pharmaceutical junkie.

Lastly, I enjoy my new healthy lifestyle.

People need to take the time to discover what works for them.

I work with men over 50 and at least 3 of them have adapted to a healthy lifestyle, you know why, the fat around their belly told them and cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose, etc numbers....

!!

I tend to agree with you there.

One thing I want to point out - there is a certain amount of common sense involved here.

Fast food = avoid, for example.

Or Candy bars = don't eat for another example.

I'd say just do your best, stay in the loop as to what foods are good and what are bad and don't expect immediate results - commit for the first month and you will see results, but if you expect results in the first few days you will be disappointed.

The one way you can eat fresh vegetables in quantity every day is by doing a stir fry, and keeping it heavy on BROCCOLI.

Several cups are necessary to provide a serving of carbs in broccoli form.

The US diet is too high in meat, a serving of meat at a meal should be a portion about the size of a deck of playing cards.

So, that's the stir-fry method.

Slice a round steak into card deck sized portions, freeze them (seperately, so you don't thaw the unused portions).

Then you dice it finely(easier to do while it is still semi-frozen.

A box of frozen/chopped broccoli a few red bell peppers, onions (you can buy large bags of all three of these in frozen prechopped form almost everywhere, a little garlic, stir fry (a cast iron skillet does a good job of this if you do not own a wok, but a wok is only $25 for a hand hammered iron wok (on Amazon).

You will eat better than before, cheaper than before, cook faster than before and still lose weight.

Your doctor will be unhappy (he will never see you again) your nutritionist will be amazed (someone paid attention to me!), your bank manager will over time take your calls again, and you will carry less junk food home if you will do this 5 evenings a week.

Good healthy simple, cheap, easy.

What else do you want?

Wow Coconut that animal diet of yours sure makes you cranky:) If anyone sounds 'irrational' it is you for going off spouting that anyone is pushing a vegan 'agenda' here..people have simply posted good information and I don't think anyone cares if you eat meat or not..if that works for you..great, if a vegan diet works for others..great again!

Its rather selfish of you to inflict this post with your venom about Peta being 'retarded'...please...take your rant about Peta to the appropriate forum, its rather childish...and speaking of childish 'Leave us the hell alone nutbags' Hmmm, well I am sure people would have no problem leaving you alone..you seem rather paranoid..its unfortunate that those that cannot open their minds to other forms of food options are so defensive!

So why don't you do some meditation, relax and have a burger meathead:) Thought I should speak in your lingo since you seem to relate to that better!

Coconut: Your diet is probably disgustingly unhealthy.

Especially if the animal protein is primarily red meat.

My dad eats like that (all animal protien and refined grains) and his cholesterol is through the roof.

I can't even imagine your saturated fat intake. There are plenty of plant foods that aren't fibrous enough to bother your colon-I would know as I have IBD and been put on low-residue diets probably 4-5 times in the two years I've had it. If 'fibrous foods' bother you you may have IBS, in which case you need to stick to soluble fiber such as fruits and oats.

Or it's possible that your body just needs to get used to having fiber-bloating and cramping is the norm for a few weeks if you suddenly and drastically change your diet. And no, I'm not a veggie.

I pride myself on being an omnivore.

Eggs milk cottage cheese yogurt fruits veges 100% whole wheat Bread Lean meat on sale. That's it!

- Throw in a good multi vit/mineral when budget allows. Good luck - and weight train the right way~ James Orvis Weight Training Workouts that Work -Book Series




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