Save Money and Lose Weight by Eating Better

Losing weight and saving money seems like an oxymoron. Many of us have tried and failed to get onto better diets and lose those pesky extra pounds for good. For some of us, it’s because we didn’t pick a sustainable diet. For others, they never found the right way to buy affordable, healthy, and whole foods to keep their weight loss going. Either way, remember that you aren’t alone and there is hope. I lost 60 pounds on the couponing diet; I managed to lose weight, eat healthier, and keep the weight off, all on a budget.

Save on Your Healthier Eats, Especially Produce

Don’t be fooled into thinking healthier foods must be more expensive. You may have to shop a little creatively, but if you love savings as much as I do, you already do that every time you go shopping.

First of all, always try to cater your shopping list to what’s on sale or what you have coupons for. It’s easy to take a peek at your grocery store’s weekly ad to know what’ll be on sale in the coming days. The more produce, the better. Being healthier starts with what fuel you’re putting in the tank, so try to cut out as much processed foods as possible. In fact, spending money only on what you need for meals, and making sure those meals are simple and green will almost certainly reduce your grocery budget.

Take note of the quantities you’re buying and be realistic about what you’ll eat in a given week; don’t overbuy, especially when it comes to produce. Wasted produce means wasted money. If you do have produce that’s starting to ripen, see what you can still make with it. Get creative — can that ripe banana be turned into a smoothie? Can you juice any of your veggies or turn them into soups or stews? The possibilities are endless, just be willing and able to think outside the box.

Accountability is Key

The first step to eating better and losing weight is to be committed and accountable. If you fall off the bandwagon because you really wanted that hot fudge sundae, don’t give up. Every challenge is about getting back up when you fall down. Don’t let one moment of indulgence turn back into an unhealthy, toxic lifestyle.

Remember that it’s okay to have weak moments – we all have them, myself included. Just don’t let it completely overturn your progress. Allow for little moments of moderation every once in a while, just not every day.

Remember, it takes dedication to hold yourself accountable and take responsibility for your diet and lifestyle. This also contributes to your shopping habits. Yes, you can save money by buying healthier foods, but you must be willing to put in the effort to shop smarter and you must be willing to let go of those excess comfort foods. This is both a physical and mental exercise of will. You have to let go of the physical habit of buying and eating those unhealthy snacks, but you also have to let go of the emotional attachment to them, too.

Diet and lifestyle accountability starts at the grocery store; what you buy is almost certainly what you’ll eat. Don’t fool yourself into thinking your spouse or kids will be the only ones to eat those Little Debbie cakes. Now, I know you can’t force everyone to quit sweets and processed foods cold turkey, but you can and should encourage your loved ones to eat better along with you. When you’re able to stop buying all the extra snacks and processed stuff when you go shopping, you’ll see your grocery bill plummet. You’re only buying what you need, which is healthier for you and your wallet. Remember, we eat to live, we don’t live to eat.

Push Yourself

There’s no single perfect answer to losing weight and keeping it off for good, but it all starts with a decision you have to make about changing your lifestyle for the better.

Once you make that decision, be dedicated to it. Shop smarter and save money by reinvesting into healthier foods. Cut out the foods you don’t need and you’ll feel less and less tempted to eat them. Eventually, the cravings for those foods will be eliminated entirely because you didn’t bring them into your home to begin with.

You’ll feel better in mind and body, and feel clarity you haven’t felt in a long time. It takes dedication and a shift in your mindset, but I promise your body and your bank account will thank you for it.