Yesterday morning, there was a small piece on the CBS morning news about the high cost of dieting. While we don't dispute that healthy food can cost more than fattening foods, I was shocked at their estimate for the Atkins diet. They claimed that it cost around $350 per WEEK for ONE person to do Atkins. I thought this was the craziest thing I've ever heard, and that someone didn't do their research. Unless, of course, you dine on filet mignon every night, import your cheeses, and buy a cow for fresh cream. Am I the one not getting the big picture?
So just out of curiosity, how much do you estimate it costs you to do Atkins?
I disagree with that. I believe I spend more at the grocery store because I get a few "extras" for the children. And I only spend $150-200 per week. This is for a family of 4. My husband and I are both doing Atkins. So that 2 people!
Just as a side-note: We do try to get 1/2 side of beef once a year to cut down on cost of buying meat at the grocery store. But the $150 a week is AFTER we cleaned the freezer of the beef we purchased.
Well the price of dairy & meat products is skyrocketing!! That is probably what they were talking about, they blame it on the mad cow disease scare. My groceries have steadily gone up in the past few months, I buy just about the same thing every 2 weeks and it has gone from 140.00 to 170.00 to 190.00 and last time it was 214.00 dollars, it is crazy!!! But I wouldn't contribute it to Atkins I would probably contribute it to, high prices of gas and the mad cow thing.....oh and our stupid president!!!
$350 per person per week? Yikes!! I am one person (and a student) and I am doing Atkins and I try to spend less than $350 per MONTH on food. I can't even imagine buying $350 of food per week. Do they know how much food that is??
Sure I buy more meat now, which is more expensive than pasta, but I don't spend money on junk food and stuff like that, so I think it actually is about the same cost for me pre- and post- starting Atkins. I also tend to buy as cheap as I can find, meat on sale etc., but I assume that a lot of people actually do that.
The news people are crazy. Plus, they rarely know anything about these dieting plans, so I find they often spout off a lot of nonsense. Low-carb plans take such a beating in the media, but the facts are so distorted, it drives me up the wall. They always miss even the most basic point about some of these low carb plans - that these plans teach us to eat good carbs from vegetables etc. (as opposed to getting carbs from white bread and other processed food). And they always make it sound like we never eat carbs, ever. Not a single one. *rolls eyes*
I think I spend less money now than I did pre-Atkins. I'm not buying all the convenience food and all the junk food. I try to find sales or shop at discount stores, like Save-A-Lot. Yes, the items themselves (meat, fresh vegetables) might be more expensive than a carb-filled convenience food, but I eat a lot less of them. So, my grocery bill averages around $100-150 per month for just me. That's at least $800 difference from the news report!
Last edited by jdoggmartin; 05-26-2004 at 01:13 PM.
I spend about 100 bucks per week. I do agree that 350 is pretty high for one person. If I bought all the things I wanted it would cost about 175 or so but I feel guilty spending that much just on myself for food so I try to make things stretch as much as I can.
They wonder why america is so fat but most families that are struggling even a little bit can not afford to eat right. Potatoes, pastas and starches are the things that last the longest, fill you up the most and are the cheapest. I mean I did the research, and the average Nevada family of 3 only gets 330.00 MAX in foodstamps from the government per month. That averages out to 13 dollars a day. Now you are supposed to stretch that for 3 meals for the whole family.
But I'll say it again, they wonder why America is so fat.
ANyways, sorry didn't mean to get on a roll
Last edited by Cinnymamma; 05-26-2004 at 01:15 PM.
$350.00 per week ? wonder if that person getting Atkins' home delivery service?
Me and DH are on atkins and I spend about $180 a week but but but that includes diapers at $16.00 a package. Also we do not go out to eat, thats 3 meals a day from home. Some times I'll spend more money if I see a sale on ckn breast or other meats.
I shop at the Super Walmart so my grocery bill includes dozens of miscellaneous items such as shorts, new phones, caulking, pet food, sinus spray, etc. each and every week. Even so, I spend a total of about $150-$175 per week. This is actually at least $25.00 less than I spent before because I no longer buy bags of munchies for myself that I eat through in a few days or expensive cheesecakes of B&J ice cream.
I saw the stories on CNN and other stations about the cost of Atkins and I'm attributing their numbers and their conclusion that it's a high-cost diet to the fact that some people eat a lot of red meet and seafood while on this diet. ****.....I couldn't afford to eat like that before and I'm not going to eat like it now!!! LOL
I love the media!!! They are so ignorant. Common sense would dictate that no one spends 350 a week on groceries. Why the all out attack on Atkins anyway??? I pretty much don't watch the news and that is exactly why because everything they give us is slanted. We only get their perspective and not the truth about everything not just dieting.
At any rate, if we eat according to Atkins it is pretty inexpensive (not compared to pasta or potatoes) compared to junk food and the cost of our health.
Thanks for confirming this for me I thought my eyeballs would fall out of my head when they showed a grocery cart filled to the top and claimed it was just for one person for one week! I wonder where they shop.
That's insane! I might be able to spend that if I was chowing down on all the stupid frankenfoods, but no way!
DH doesn't do atkins, but I do the grocery shopping so all groceries are Star-friendly. We only go through about $100-$150 every 2 weeks. And I always buy my produce fresh. We both tend to buy our lunches during the week, though, so food lasts a long time around my house.
Hmmm..... Only spend about $50-$75 at the market on the average. I buy everything I can in bulk and break it down. Danny does spend about $50 week on lunches (don't ask how! ) and I mostly bring mine. Heck we spend more on happy hour on Mon and Weds. (put together) by the time he gets done buying for all our friends after happy hour ends!
You know after thinking about it, I lied !!! I spend about $80 - $100 or less on the actual "Atkins" foods, I've included in my price above, toilet paper, shampoo, baby items, and foods for DD. DUH DUH DUH!! and thats for two on atkins.
how much do you spend on groceries?
Common sense would dictate that no one spends 350 a week on groceries. Why the all out attack on Atkins anyway??? 
I pretty much don't watch the news and that is exactly why because everything they give us is slanted. We only get their perspective and not the truth about everything not just dieting. 
) and I mostly bring mine. Heck we spend more on happy hour on Mon and Weds. (put together) by the time he gets done buying for all our friends after happy hour ends! 
