Weight Loss Support Give and get support here!

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 06-30-2006, 10:23 PM   #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
bm58928n's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 6

Default Question????

Hi my name is Becks,

and I've been a member here on and off for years and many of you guys inspire me everyday. I am a college student and am going to begin my senior year of college. I am 175 pounds and 5’1. But the weight doesn’t mean much to me. What I want is to be healthy and look better in the clothes that I wear.

I have always gone on diets, and gone off, but have never been successful. But last year I decided that I was going to lose the weight and began a program that worked very well for me. Unfortunately as a college student the diet got too expensive ( or so I thought) for me to carry on with the program and I gained all the weight back.

Now it is the summer of o6’ and instead of wallowing in self pity I want to see this through. Now, my question to all of you, successful or not ( because successful or not we are all experts at dieting) is losing weight a financial investment/ commitment as well as spiritual investment because I feel on that program that I had never spent so much money on food in my life. Maybe because im young I never thought of food costing soo much. Now I am willing to spend the money but are there other alternatives? Please give me any suggestions, stories, comments anything.
bm58928n is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2006, 10:43 PM   #2  
hara hachi bu
 
phantastica's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,294

Smile

I have financial restrictions as well. While it is more expensive to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, it is well worth it in the long run. I tend to get whatever fruits/vegetables are on sale and make my menu around that.

I did Weight Watchers once, and while I lost some weight I also couldn't afford to keep up the expense, and when I quit I gained weight back. I did Overeaters Anonymous for a while, but it was a little more restrictive than I could handle. I finally settled on TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), which is quite inexpensive (just a few dollars a month) and has been very effective with me. In addition to 3FC, of course!

So, the combination of spending more on healthy food and just a little on a weight-loss group made sense to me.

Good luck on your journey! You know you can take it off already, as you've already done it once. That's a good thing to know!
phantastica is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2006, 10:46 PM   #3  
Blonde Bimbo
 
almostheaven's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 2,984

S/C/G: 250+/144/135

Height: 5' 4"

Default

I don't think there's any problem with it financially. It's the mindset. Granted, some things are more expensive. But you don't have to have those things. And other things, you can compare to your previous diet and see them in a different light.

IE: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts may be cheaper than fish fillets, so you may have to do chicken more often than fish. Beans are always cheap and a healthy protein source if you don't put in a bucket of salt. You can still eat the things you used to, but in moderation. So if turkey burgers are more out of your range than the manager special ground beef patties, do the beef, just pile it with lettuce and tomato, etc. and have a smaller beef patty. Also try draining as much grease from it as you can. If whole wheat is out of the ballpark, wheat (even though it's not whole wheat) is still better than white. Just about every brand carries a wheat version.

As for comparing things to your previous diet, figure out what you spend on chips and dip and how quickly you can eat them (1, 2, 3 sittings?), then figure out the cost of a bag of apples and how quickly you could blow through them...I'd wager not nearly as fast. Are the apples more expensive? They may look that way on the surface until you realize they last longer and are more filling.

Last edited by almostheaven; 06-30-2006 at 10:54 PM.
almostheaven is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2006, 12:59 AM   #4  
lilybelle
 
lilybelle's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: rural Oklahoma
Posts: 6,619

S/C/G: 234/142/145

Height: 5'7

Default

I think anything you spend on yourself to make yourself healthy is a wise investment for your future. The cost is no comparison. We aren't financially well-off but when I decided to lose this weight (at physicians' insistence), I finally came to the realization that I am worth every penny. I am much healthier and happier now and much easier to get along with. (Ask any of my family). It is the best thing I've ever done for my mental health as well as my physical health.
lilybelle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2006, 02:02 AM   #5  
I AM smiling!!!
 
carolshmarol's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 49

S/C/G: 276/252/150

Height: 5'7"

Default

Something else to think about later on down the line. Clothes for heavier people are MUCH more expensive than 'skinny' people clothing! There are no plus size outlet stores or discount stores like there are for thin people. Not to mention you're limited in the number of places you shop if you shop at a plus size store. Good food such as proteins, fruits, and vegetables do not have to be expensive - check out farm markets. (it's fresher and cheaper - straight off the farm) My point is, think of the money you'll save on clothing later on. If you perceive shopping for food to be more expensive, it's worth it in clothing because you'll pay triple the amount for unflattering granny clothes.
carolshmarol is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2006, 03:30 AM   #6  
Little Miss Random
 
sh3l5's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: West Midlands, UK
Posts: 1,810

Height: 5 ft 6

Default

For me it is definately worth spending the extra money for me to be how I want to be. Being the way I was upset me and got me down on a regular basis. I still see myself as not how I want to be, but I have changed a lot (beles got smaller, legs are shrinking).
I agree with the clothing statement, plus there is nothing more irritating that finding a pair of jeans you really like only to find out they stop at the size before yours!
Good luck with it, you can do it.
sh3l5 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2006, 10:54 AM   #7  
Co-Mod
 
shrinkingchica's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 1,585

S/C/G: 272/129/127

Default

It shouldn't cost so much more money to eat less calories. You don't have to spend money joining some fancy program (I sure didn't!). Just eat less and move more. And you are totally right.......slow and steady does win the race!!!!
shrinkingchica is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2006, 12:02 PM   #8  
future triathlete
 
sierra_ttw's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Victoria
Posts: 498

S/C/G: 187.5/148.5/129

Height: 5'2"

Default

I've actually found that I've cut down on my grocery bill since i started changing my eating habits. I used to buy prepared food from delis a lot, which isn't cheap. Now almost all my meals are made from scratch. It can feel a little expensive at the beginning - buying a big bag of rice, a box of chicken breasts, etc, but after awhile, I find almost all of my groceries are produce and dairy and lean meat, and I stay away from all the processed expensive foods. i probably spend the same amount now on a vegetable lasagna that will last three days for 2 people as I did on one take-out meal before. And i agree with the farmer's market idea, too - I spend way less getting my produce and eggs from a fruit stand than from a grocery store. Even if you do find it's costing you more, though, it's definitely worth it. If nothing else, think of the cost of diabetes medication and hospital visits that you may have to deal with down the road. And doing something that makes you feel good about yourself is always worth it. Good luck!
sierra_ttw is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2006, 04:27 PM   #9  
Blonde Bimbo
 
almostheaven's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 2,984

S/C/G: 250+/144/135

Height: 5' 4"

Default

Yup, lots of other good words of wisdom here. The clothing certainly does cost more...not to mention the medical bills. And I also look at the number of times I ate out...ordering not only an appetizer, but a meal, AND a dessert. Now the meal is more than enough for me. I eat less. I wear less material. I get sick less. I'm SAVING money.
almostheaven is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2006, 07:47 PM   #10  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
bm58928n's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 6

Default

Thank you for all your responses. You guys are fantastic and I am going to take your advice. When you talked about medical bills that really hit home with me. I completely agree that a bit of money saved doesn’t always mean happiness. And I know I will be much happier and better about myself if I lose the weight for GOOD.
bm58928n is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:32 AM.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.