Frugal Weight Loss - Diet

If there are two goals that everyone in America wants (or has wanted) to accomplish, it's saving money and losing weight. They are the two most popular New Year's Resolutions, and unfortunately they are often broken and forgotten by Valentine's Day. The reason? Usually, it's because people place too many restrictions on themselves. The key is to make it easier on yourself by exhibiting a little patience, a little restraint, and some clever ideas.

1. Eat Produce. Do not complain that it's too expensive. This morning, I went to the grocery store down the street from my house and bought two cucumbers, two pounds of yellow squash, a head of broccoli, a bag of new potatoes, a bag of Fuji apples, a bunch of bananas, and a big yellow onion for $13. How did I get away with that, you ask? They were all on sale. It's really quite simple, but people get it all twisted. By frantically and rigidly planning your every bite for the week, you're missing out on some delicious fresh produce, and you're probably spending more money than you need to be spending. Instead, reverse it. Feel your way through the produce section. Check out prices, and get what you can afford. Even if you think you have a strange combination of veggies, try looking up recipes that include them all anyway. I guarantee that every possible vegetable mixture has been tried, tested, perfected, and posted for free on the Internet somewhere. Buy the food first, then create your recipes from that.
2. Don't eat anything you didn't make yourself. (That goes for bread and pasta too.) But don't panic, because baking bread and mixing up fresh pasta are actually - are you ready for it? - really easy. There are some recipes for bread out there that are idiotically simple, and you must believe me when I say there is nothing more satisfying than eating a sandwich using bread you made yourself. Plus, kneading bread dough is a vigorous activity that burns a ton of calories. Two birds with one stone? Can't beat it with a stick. While you're at it, start mixing your own salad dressing too. Then, get creative and start cooking your own soups to bring to work. When you know what's going into your food, you know what's going into your body, and knowing really is half the battle.
3. Eat spicy stuff, unless you have a genuine medical reason that you cannot. If you do not suffer from ulcers, Crohn's Disease, or some other infirmity that prevents you from enjoying the depths of spicy cuisine, you really have no excuse not to at least try. Your tongue is infinitely adaptable and you will adjust to the heat much more quickly than you think you will, and you might even find yourself really enjoying the zest of it. Spicy foods have been known to aid in weight loss, since they prevent you from having to add too much other stuff to your food (like condiments and oils and dressings). Spicy foods have also been known to aid in financial troubles for the same reason. Try this: buy five herbs and spices that you know you like, then buy two that you've never heard of before. Experiment, note what works and what doesn't, and start digging that heat!
4. Buy lean meats in bulk.The price of the warehouse club membership will be worth it. This one should be kind of obvious. The price tags are scarier at club warehouses than at the normal grocery store, but the price per ounce for most meats (especially lean meats) is pretty ridiculous. A five-pound bag of boneless, skinless chicken breasts that come out to $1.59 a pound? No brainer! Make room in your freezer and stock up. You will always have enough meat to go around.
5. Buy things in bags, not boxes. Boxed rice is ridiculously expensive. Why would you pay three times as much money for half as much rice? Just because you can cook it in ten minutes instead of thirty? Ridiculous! Make the time to prepare rice, beans, and other delightful grains and legumes from their more natural dried state. Here's a little math breakdown for you: at my local grocery store, a pound of black beans costs 88 cents. When I cook up the whole bag (a process which takes approximately two hours), I come out with about five cups of cooked beans. A can of prepared black beans costs $1.49. When I open it with my can opener (a process which takes approximately fifteen seconds), I come out with about a cup and a half of cooked beans, and they're loaded with salt and other preservatives that lower the nutritional value and increase my body's desire to cling to fat even harder. And breakfast cereal? Give me a break! The stuff in bags is far cheaper, and usually contains fewer weird, unpronounceable additives than the brand-name stuff.
6. Don't let them beat you down. People may try and tell you that you're taking this too far. You family may be wary of red beans and rice that came from a bag instead of a box. Your coworkers may tempt you with invitations to that great fried shrimp place down the street. But common sense, when stuck to like glue, always prevails. Spend less, lose weight. Make sure it tastes good, and you can't lose. In fact, it's a win-win situation for everyone involved.