The Frugal Gal's Guide to Low-Carb Dieting

To quote an article from USA Today, "Americans in huge numbers - 15 million to 30 million, industry watchers say - are tossing medical caveats aside and shedding weight on low-carb, high-protein diets."

The statistics are staggering but let's face it, while low-carb appears to be the current path to follow diet-wise, the products hitting the market are less than pocketbook friendly. When a box of Twinkies® is half the price of a box of CarbWell® bars, how does a person living on a tuna budget afford a lobster low-carb lifestyle?

Use the following tips to integrate a strategy of frugal weight loss success.

Clip Coupons. Comb your local and Sunday papers for coupons and specials. Ask your friends and family to be on the lookout too. Visit manufacturer websites to see if they have coupon mailing list you might sign up for. Watch your supermarket sales ads for sales on your favorite low-carb products and use your coupons in conjunction with the sale.

Buy Items in Bulk. If there's a sale on meat, frozen veggies, or your favorite low carb bars, stock up on the item that week. Most products will keep for months in your freezer or proper storage. Consider joining a wholesale club and reap the savings on bulk purchases there too. Point is, stock up when the sales hit and you will cut down on your weekly grocery bill in a dramatic way.

Grow Spices and Veggies Year Round. Plant a garden of items you regularly use-herbs, fruits, and veggies. When the weather cools down, bring your garden inside by using extra large planters. Most herbs will grow surprisingly well indoors, as well as vegetables like tomatoes and peas.

Buy Produce Seasonally. Watch your supermarkets for seasonal vegetables and fruits and plan your diet around what's available. Also visit your local farmer's markets to catch great deals on seasonal produce and over-stocks. If produce is out of season, the mark up on the product is very high. By shopping with the season, you'll rack up savings along with enjoying the freshest produce available at its peak time.

Stock up on Low-Cost Proteins. Eggs are versatile, high in protein, and reasonably inexpensive. Tuna, chicken thighs, lean ground beef, and other protein staples are also good picks, easy to store, and are often sold in bulk. Find recipes to work these into your dietary needs and you'll cut down your low-carb costs considerably.

Be Creative. Cook omelets for dinner or fish for breakfast. By changing up your meal routines, you'll keep your budget in check and your diet varied. Use your leftovers to create new dishes the next day or make your own TV Dinners by packaging and freezing leftovers. You'll have an easy, inexpensive dish to grab on the run and as a bonus; you'll be less tempted to deviate from your plan.

There's a wealth of practical, doable solutions for trimming the cost involved in maintaining a low-carb diet. Ask friends and family for more ideas or do a little research on the Internet. You'll be surprised by the amount cost-cutting methods you'll find.