My name is Jessica, I am 26 years old and have been married for 2 years. My husband could eat anything in sight and not gain a pound...and the amount of help that does for me in out of this world!
Right now I'm going back to school in hopes of owning my own business one day. My dream business would be a Bakery/Deli with fresh produce and flowers in the summer time.
I currently weigh 240 lbs and stand 5 ft 6 inches and that's 10 lbs shy of the biggest I have ever been. I swore to myself I wouldn't let myself get so big the last time I got in shape and here I am with a broken promise to myself and a broken spirit.
My biggest issues with losing weight is money. A lot of the food that is bought in my house is because it's cheap. So, I am VERY open to suggestions on more economical meals for one.

Hi Jessica, good luck!!

I'm with you on the money situation. My fiancé and I are currently saving up for our wedding so I understand the budget situation. I find buying and cooking in bulk saves a lot of money and time! I'd recommend buying frozen veggies as well as they are cheaper than fresh and last longer. But cook a large portion one day and then portion them off and freeze them for the rest of the week. If you do it this way you'll also throw away at lot less food which was often our issue.

alot of people think eating healthy is just salads or all that expensive organic crap. i agree with previous poster.. buy in bulk. If youre in the US, get you a sams or costco membership. I am an avid fan of baked and grilled chicken breasts. For dinner, i had one grilled chicken breast, brown rice and green beans.. 450 calories! and it was yummy! Cheap food doesnt always have to be bad, it depends on the way you prepare it. Grill it instead of fry. use olive oil instead of regular oil. be mindful of the seasonings. use portion control. stay away from processed tv dinners and fast food. make your own soup and not buy can. eat every 2-3 hours.. very small meals to keep your metabolism going. it makes a difference trust me

Thanks Ladies! I'm a huge fan of buying in bulk, but I don't have a Costco or Sams club near me. Just Walmart, Kroger, & Save A Lot. But, like I said buying in bulk is my fav. I actually started baking all my meat and this summer I will be growing my own vegetables! (SO EXCITED) The problem with prices is I went to buy a bag of grapes the other day and it totaled out to $9.83...Its difficult to fork out that for healthy snack when a box of snack cakes is $1.50. I seen some recipes for apple chips and stuff like that I'm gonna try though! Looking forward to a healthier ME!!!

Welcome! As the others have said, buying in bulk helps a lot with the cost of healthy eating. I also think it makes a big difference if you try to buy what's in season as far as fruits and veggies go - for example, watermelon is MUCH cheaper in the summer than it is in the winter where I live, so it's probably not smart of me to go out and buy it right now. Just a tip. Good luck!

Jessica!!

I think when it comes to budgeting for food, it pays to be coupon savvy. For the bulk shopping, Is there a sams/costco/bjs in the next city or something? Even if its a longer drive or extra gas $$, try it out least once to see if it's worth it.

Stop by and say hi on the 240s or the 220s/230s thread in the 100 lb club if you can. They're an awesome motivating bunch.

Best of luck with your journey!
~Faye

Welcome and good luck on your journey!!

Thanks Ladies!

Welcome Jessica! I'm new here also and I agree with everyone, go to Costco or Sam's and buy in bulk. Costco is now selling organic produce and products and it's pretty affordable. Good luck with everything!