Losing weight requires one to change their lifestyle and adapt a new lifestyle which which will contribute positively towards their weight loss journey. This includes but not limited to "a healthy lifestyle", A healthy lifestyle is actually the best thing you can do for yourself and your family because not only will it help you lose weight but a healthy lifestyle helps prevent and manage chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and cancer.
But a healthy lifestyle can be expensive. But in this article we will be giving you tips to help you lose weight without spending a lot of money!
One of the most affordable ways to lose weight is to remove red meat from your grocery list. Protein-rich meals are an important part of your weight loss journey but it doesn't necessarily have to be red meat, there are much more cheaper and healthier options such as chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and pulses.
One of the most affordable and efficient diet plans is to have one meatless day per week. I know most of you love meat but it is no secret that meat is quite expensive so consider having atleast two vegetarian meals per week. Vegetables such as beans and lentils are not only cheap but they are also rich in protein, nutritious, easy to prepare and taste great.
Fish is also a great source of protein which is essential for your weight loss journey. But fresh fish is quite expensive, therefore we are going to opt for tinned fish such as pilchards or tuna, as long as it is tinned in water and not oils as it is much healthier. Most times frozen fish is cheaper than fresh fish so always compare prices. You might ask yourself how am i going to fit tinned fish in my affordable diet meals, making your own fishcakes can be very economical and they are also quite delicious. We will post a recipe for fishcakes with tinned fish for those that don't know how to prepare the dish.
If you are a sandwich lover then my advice to you is this, don't buy tinned meat and processed frozen meat such as polony, salami and viennas as they are high in fat and sodium making them unhealthy for you and your diet journey. Alternatively, use tinned fish and left over chicken for sandwiches and salads.
When you go shopping for the above mentioned products that will help you lose weight on a low budget, follow the tips below:
- Make a shopping list and stick to it. Never give in to the urge to buy something that is not on the list.
- Take a calculator with you, it will help you stick to your budget.
- Never go shopping when you are hungry.
- Plan a week's menu in advance and buy accordingly, this will also help you take advantage of weekly specials.
- Always compare prices. Go through all the shelves in the supermarket if you have to because they always put expensive items at eye level where they are easy to find and hide the cheaper items.
- Avoid wasting food by cooking just enough food so that you don't have to throw away food.
- Pack your own healthy lunch to work and avoid the cafeteria, that place is bad for your wallet and your waistline.
- Stay away from the convenience food part of the store, it contains food that are not only expensive but will make you fat as well. Food such as soda, cookies, processed foods and pre-packaged meals.
- if you can't go without snacking then snack on freshly cut fruits and vegetables. You can also buy large packets of raisins, nuts or dried fruits.
Another way to save money on vegetables is to start your own vegetable garden in your own backyard.
This is part one of our "Tips to help you lose weight on a low budget", part two will be posted soon. Thank you for reading and please don't forget to share!
