oh right... yes and the health food thing... most don't keep... I buy frozen berries a lot, and frozen veggies... but I have an extra freezer for these things, its not always easy. Also, like someone mentioned, wal-mart helps, and food discount stores ( I like 50 cent boxes of cereal!!) We have a mr.g's here. If it gets real tight, maybe see if the local food shelf can supply things like pasta, sauces,...basically dry stuff, at least here they dont get much meat and things...

Redreine, I hope you don't think I was being mean. Believe me I understand the struggle, like most of the chicks around here....About the food...this might sound like I'm two bulbs short of a chandelier, but the companies that make the foods you are addicted to like it that way,and do everything they can to keep it that way. It is up to you to take that power away from them.
Also you might check out the eating healthy on $25. a week thread. It will get easier...I promise.

Have you tried switching to diet Dr Pepper? I've found that it's really delicious!

As for everything else, I know how you feel. Counting calories isn't enough for me. I do low cal/low carb.

If I'm not very restrictive about what I allow myself to have, everything goes to ****. ****, I tell you!

Let us know how you're doing. There are many people here cheering for you. WE know you can do it!

Can you give a link for that thread?

Redreine,

Sending you . Take a breath. Make a plan. It doesn't have to be a big plan. Execute that plan. In a day or a week add to that plan. Repeat over and over again.

I have a pretty good idea how you're feeling right now. I'm a diabetic who hasn't got control of her sugar intake. But I'm working on it. My grandmother lost her leg and my oldest brother lost his sight because of diabetes. You would think that would be enough motivation for me right? No, I'm a recovering sugar addict with no days of abstinence.

But we will get there. Will it be easy - NO. BUT. WE. WILL. DO. IT.

Make a plan for tomorrow. Share it with us. Then tomorrow you can give us a report on your success.
We're all rooting for you.

oh, P.S., I can't remember where i got this website from (it might have even been here) but it's how this couple in New York are able to eat on a $30/week budget! Maybe it will give you some ideas..

http://thirtyaweek.wordpress.com/

~CGH~

I used to drink mountain dew like it was water. I quit cold turkey and my body rebelled. I fought through it because NOW is my time to change my life. It's your time too. My husband is like your BF and would get me whatever I want when I wanted it. I wanted Klondike bars one night around midnight and he went to the store and got them. When he realized I was serious about losing the weight he has been very supportive. I had to show him I was serious.

As for grocery shopping on $239 and eating healthy you can do this, I've had to do it before and we were big eaters. He liked eating out at fast food restaurants and so did I. Nothing like salty, greasy food. I went to a Mexican restaurant and ate until I couldn't walk. So you are not saying something to us that someone can't relate to. We are all in this together and we want you to make it!!

First off, go to Walmart and get about 6 packages of ground turkey - $2.47, get some frozen veges they usually run about $5 a bag for the real huge bags. Get some whole wheat noodles - $1.75. Brown Rice - $2.50. You can also get some frozen fish for a 11.97. If you want chicken get a couple bags of frozen chicken breast $6.97 and this should carry you a couple of weeks. That would come up to about $80. You can grab some spices and if you really like ground beef get the lean and it's about $4.00 a pack. You can also get a bottle of Dr Pepper and scale back how much you drink each day. That way you aren't deprived. Maybe get a 12 oz glass or cup and only drink that with breakfast. If you need some more later in the day drink 12 oz and so on. Try not to drink more than 12oz at a time. You will want more but dig deep and say I can only have 12oz at a time and it will get easier. You will look back at this time and realize you are not enslaved to Dr Pepper anymore. I PROMISE!!

Marcia, on the main forum page -scroll down to the food section then "Whole Foods Lifestyle" you will find it there.

Do I think I am a food addict? You betcha! You can do this. Your honesty is to be admired! I too have been thinking about giving up diet soda. Years and years and years ago I was told...if you switch to diet soda you will loose weight. Hello...no weight loss here! I really do believe that diet soda is full of chemicals that aren't good for my body. But I am scared to give it up. I love the taste and the bubbles in my mouth! Scared of what? Not sure today. But boy is 3FC been a godsend for me!! Keep writing. Keep reading. Keep reaching out. You can do this!

Here's a thought and I don't know if it is a good one or not but if there is a local farmer's market, maybe they will give you some of their produce in exchange for a few hours of work every week.

You've gotten some great advice in these responses so I don't really have anything to add, but I just wanted to offer a and let you know that you are not alone, and you don't have to put up a "I'm happy and everything's great!" front for 3FC. Most, if not all, of us have been or are where you are and can relate to the highs and lows of trying to lose weight and get healthy. I know it seems hopeless and too hard and such a long journey, but you know what? You are stronger than the food. Take each day, each meal, each moment as it comes even as you plan for the future. Celebrate your successes but don't dwell on your stumbles.

As LitChick said, you have gotten some really great advice already and I'm not sure I have much new to add, but here's my .02 anyhow.

I used to have a major soda issue too, I drank 8-12 mountain dew a day. For me quiting cold turkey worked best (I had tried weaning many times). I just switched over to crystal light (actually the wal-mart brand because it's cheaper - cherry limeade is my fav, it tastes like melted ice pops).

The freezer section is your friend. Frozen veggies are much cheaper than fresh and generally more nutritious and tastier than canned. You can also find frozen fruits there. Most stores around here have a discounted meat section where they put the stuff they need to sell in the next day or two or it will have to be thrown out. Look for that and sometimes you can find decently healthy meats there, just make sure you either use it or freeze it right away since it will be close to it's use or freeze by date. Dry beans - these are extremely healthy and very cheap. Rice is pretty cheap, though do try to stick to brown as much as you can. If you are able to then shop around. If you can't shop around then get the sale papers and head to wal-mart, they will match any price on an identical item (sometimes they make you prove the other stores price, so actually take the sale ads with you). If you want red meat try looking for a hunter who is selling off extra game - you can probably get a good price and game meat is generally much leaner than store bought. Make sure you buy store brand or generic as often as you can - they are usually the same thing anyhow. Look at some things that you wouldn't think of as health food. I eat the wal-mart version of rice chex because I looked at the nutrition label and discovered it was better than my special k and I could have an additional 1/4 cup for the same calories. I cook a lot of things with the wal-mart brand spray oils instead of regular oil. A really great and cheap snack I frequently have is microwave air popped popcorn. I but the old fashioned kernals that are really cheap and put a few in a brown lunch bag, fold the top, and then microwave just like microwave popcorn - no oil. Sometimes I spray a tiny bit of butter flavored cooking spray on it and toss in some herbs or spices.

As for the getting help, have you ever considered Overeaters Anonymous? There are meetings all over the place or you can get help online. You can find them at www.oa.org

And most importantly Redreine

On a side note: About quitting things cold turkey not working - it's sorta true and sorta not. Yes, quitting cold turkey is hard and in the short term often not successful for many people. However, if you can manage to get past the short term by quitting cold turkey then you are more likely to stay quit for good. Take smoking for instance, of the people who manage to stay quit, 80-90% of them quit cold turkey. I'm sorry, smoking is the only one I have the actual numbers for.

Ideas for the soda issue?
I like to mix ginger ale in varying amounts with juices and frozen fruits so at the very least I'm getting a tiny little fibre and vitamin.
Maybe you could move to club soda mixed with juices if you like the carbonation and not the calories?
Maybe these ideas are just fun and not cost effective. Anyways just ideas. *hugs*
Tam

Understandable!

I too was one of those people who knew how to lose weight, but couldn't apply it to my real life. But you will. You need to make a conscious effort. I was addicted to fast food (Mexican) and Dr. Pepper (fountain drinks at work). And it sucked to stop. I didn't cook so it was easier to just go to the drive through, even though I'd have to work overtime to afford those meals. I'd buy fruits and veggies, and a week later throw them in the trash because they went bad and I never got around to using them. But it's changed for me and no doubt for you too.

So first step. Dr. Pepper.....ever had diet Dr. Pepper? It's love. It tastes just like the real thing, yet no calories. Just by making a little step like this helps you cut out the calories.

Fast food. You could limit yourself, if you don't think you can cut it out completely why don't you allow yourself to have it once a week. And before going look at the menu and calories and make better decisions.

I was in your situation. I was 21 when I started, at 286 lbs. But over time I believed in myself. That I could do it. And I have. I'm soooooo not perfect. I struggle, but in the end I want to lose weight more than I want the instant satisfaction of cookies and chips. YOU CAN DO IT! Don't let your mindset be your downfall.

I found the eating healthy on $25. a week thread

You have some great ideas here for eating healthy on a budget. I really love jigglefree's post about it. I am going to follow some of her suggestions!

Thanks for the directions to the budget friendly meals ladies.