The bearable lightness of being
Posted on January 21, 2007 25 Comments
Be forewarned…this post is really not about money or budgeting. Scroll down for more of those.
The bearable lightness of being
I recently lost 13 lbs and dropped two pants sizes. I feel great and I think it’s pretty sustainable (for me). I’m still losing weight, too. I didn’t use any fad diets or buy any expensive equipment, but I did completely change all my eating habits to (what I consider) a healthier diet.
I decided to change my eating habits because I felt like crap all the time. I always had heartburn, my stomach was always knotted up and, I’ll say it, I was constipated, gassy and bloated, like ALL the time. I just felt out of whack, and I didn’t like it. Plus, I had put on extra weight over the past five years or so that I’ve been working, despite exercising somewhat regularly. It was time for a change, and, being budget-conscious, as I am, I didn’t have the money to afford a trainer or dietitian, so I educated myself. That meant lots of trips to Borders to buy cookbooks and healthy eating books, Internet research and speaking with people I know in the nutrition field.
Now, admittedly, most people think I’m crazy when I tell them how I’ve been doing it. But it was either change my eating habits or go on expensive medication to help me digest my food, and I just wasn’t down with that. Plus, as I said, I felt like total crap every single day. I needed a major change!
Here’s what my plan boiled down to:
1. No more coffee, no more soda.
I replaced coffee with decaf green tea, and I replaced soda with a product called “fruit water” (and actual water, of course!). I was drinking so much caffiene each day that I wasn’t sleeping right, which caused me to be tired and fatigued all day long, which in turn made me eat more and work out less. Now, I sleep through the night and have energy in the morning, minus the headaches.
2. Less meat, more veggies.
For me, this has actually meant no red meat. I try to limit consumption of any meat to twice or three times per week. I look for food that’s easy to digest, and for me, meat isn’t one of them. Plus, my family has a history of heart disease, so my doc was pleased to hear that I had cut back on red meat. I don’t think I’m active enough to require most meat, since I mostly sit on my ass all day. Now get most of my protein through soy products, nuts, and of course, I still eat chicken a few times a week, as mentioned.
3. Cut way back on cheese, dairy.
I seriously ate cheese, loads of it, for every meal. And then I snacked on cheese throughout the day. I always carried cheese sticks in my bag to work, and my deli drawer was always brimming with bricks and bags of mozerella, cheddar, cheese spreads and whatever aged or artisan cheese I picked up that week. Brian and I even took trips to Wisconsin just to come back with cheese and beer. And that, my friends, was cause for the constipation. So, now I hold the cheese on my sandwiches, and instead ask for extra tomatos, cucumbers and avocado. I have also started carrying around fruit, which is way easier to digest. My daily snack of choice now? Apple with peanut butter. Yum, yum and yum.
However, I still enjoy a good pizza every now and again – probably once per week. Only now, it’s loaded with veggies, too.
4. Stop buying things with ingredients I can’t pronounce, and with ingredients that aren’t food. For instance, my peanut butter now only contains peanuts and salt. No more. Although someone with connections to the food industry will probably post something here against this, I’m pretty convinced that all the chemicals, hormones, steroids and chemical additives in food are bad for the digestive system. Especially artificial sweetners. (Maybe it’s not bad for everyone, but for me, I can directly track my use of Splenda to an increase in me feeling like shit.) Whatever the case, I want my food only to have food in it.
Admittedly, this is the most difficult part for those on a tight budget. My mom and I had a big discussion about this the other day because she can’t afford to buy what she wants because she has to feed my ginormous brothers. If you want to do this, just do what you can in little increments. For instance, the aforementioned peanut butter cost $1.99 at Trader Joe’s, which is cheaper than any Jif I ever bought. And the Whole Foods 360 brand is ususally comparable to what you get at a Jewel (Albertson’s) store, particularly if there’s something on sale. If you haven’t been to Trader Joe’s, I highly recommend it!
5. More home cooked meals, less eating out. Not only does it save an awful lot of calories, it also saves a ton of money. I have recently discovered how to broil fish, which is seriously a revolution to me. Fish in 6-8 minutes! Amazing and healthy!
6. Work out 3 times per week or more. In the begining of my food change, I really did this religiously. However, it stopped with the holidays and hasn’t picked up since due to the weather. But given that it’s on my list, I feel bad about it. Still struggling with this one, but when I do go, I feel great.
Well, I’m sure some people will write and tell me that this is too radical of a change, that it’s ridiculous and not budget-friendly, and that this leaves you with nothing to eat. But I used to eat pizza like three nights a week, eat McDonald’s at least once per week (mmm. cheeseburger.), I loved pasta with ground beef meat sauce and ground beef taco night and above all, I loved cheese with every meal. But I hated the way I felt, and now that I’ve made the change, I don’t miss any of those things.
Tell me your budget-friendly methods for staying healthy. I’d love to hear them!
Category: Life
Tags: health
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25 Responses to “The bearable lightness of being”
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January 21st, 2007 @ 10:57 pm
Congratulations! Your plan sounds like a winner to me. Wouldn’t it sound crazy if you said that for your new health plan you were going to drink nothing but coffee and soda every day, eat red meat 5 days a week, eat fast food 5 nights a week, eat cheese at every meal, eat no fruits or vegetables…and as a matter of fact eat no food that does not have at least 50% of the ingredients you can’t pronounce? It would be great if more people could adopt your new plan as a way of budgeting for better health. Seems like a lesson in moderation to me. You ever thought of dancing around the house when its too cold to go workout? It’s cheap and it counts.
January 21st, 2007 @ 11:49 pm
I’ve started eating oatmeal with eggs mixed in for breakfast. Really cheap, and easy, too I just put raw eggs in with the raw oatmeal and half the usual water, and microwave the whole thing)
Also, I buy almost all of my groceries at Trader Joe’s now. Everything’s so cheap there! Salad mix is half the price of the regular store.
January 22nd, 2007 @ 3:32 am
About a year ago I made almost the same changes as you – also for health reasons. And I think the diet & exercise has improved the way I feel at least 100%. Another great snack – granola full of fiber & protien, and it’s very filling. And a good budget hint is to shop at farmer’s markets during the warmer months. If you have a deep freeze, you can even buy a ton of veggies in season (tastier and cheaper!) blanch or boil them, then freeze them for use all year. Berries freeze well, too if you like to go to U-Pick farms where you can get berries for around $1.00 a pound. Good luck with your new health goals!
January 22nd, 2007 @ 4:13 pm
Did you hear that they are building a Trader Joe’s in Oak Park? Another good place for produce is Caputo’s north on Harlem.
January 22nd, 2007 @ 4:37 pm
Congrats on your dietary changes. Similarly, we’re trying to eat more veggies, less red meat, fish 1 -2x per week, and at least one “veganish” night a week, etc..
We’re turning more and more to ground turkey, esp. on winter nights. Turkey chili, turkey meatballs with spaghetti, etc. Make the meatballs and freeze for later (piggy night: meatball subs…) Healthier than ground beef, inexpensive and easy to make up recipes that you are already familiar with and use ground turkey.
Other: baked potatoes with Heinz 57 baked beans (British style, not american). The beans are more expensive than regular baked beans, but still pretty cheap at around 1.50 a can. I’ll top with cabbage too, as you get in some English pubs.
January 22nd, 2007 @ 5:08 pm
Nic, You’re doing great!! I’ve been eating this way for years. I allow myself to fall off during the holidays, or special parties or events. I give myself one “cheat” day a week, which for me is Friday, when I can have whatever I want. (My weakness is really good ice cream.) The rest of the time I count calories, not so much with an eye to limiting strictly to a certain number, but more with an eye to being aware of how many calories I’m consuming and keeping it low. I take the desired weight and add a zero (i.e., 120 pounds, 1200 calories). If I can’t pronounce it, I don’t eat it. I don’t do artificial sweeteners, sodas, low fat foods, anything of that kind. I think the chemicals in all of those things will kill you way faster than the sugar, fat, etc. will. I maybe drink one soda a year; I just don’t like it and never have. I HATE organized exercise, but I walk, play with my dogs, garden, make sure I have to walk as much as possible when I go shopping, run up and down stairs a lot at home, etc. I don’t have the time to do the gym thing. There is a very old-time health food guy who is long dead now, but he’s been my motivating factor for years, Gaylord Hauser. He’s a kick in his writing and lifestyle (smug little guy who was friends with Garbo and the stars of that day, etc., but perfectly down to earth just the same), and he just proposes simple healthy living and eating. His books are a treasure if you can find them. I think that eating as close to nature as the food comes is the secret to health, eternal youth, beauty, feeling inexhaustible, etc. Way to go, Nic!!
January 22nd, 2007 @ 5:54 pm
i think you are making a very smart change and that you should be commended for it. another good place to try for healthy eating at cheap prices is Costco. they sell a surprising amount of organic/all natural food there. Good Luck!
January 22nd, 2007 @ 6:20 pm
Way to go on your weight loss. Your plan sounds good to me, in fact I’m trying to lose weight right now and I want to add some of your “guidelines” to my diet. Thanks for sharing your “plan”.
January 22nd, 2007 @ 9:49 pm
Everything you’re doing sounds great – congrats! I follow a similar regiment and have been tempted to go vegan, since I know that the cheese and eggs I eat aren’t ideal. But I do like pizza!
And you’re right: Trader Joe’s is fantastic. You can get high quality food at affordable prices, which is harder to do at Whole Foods.
Check out Gary Null’s book, “Power Aging” for similar and somewhat more extreme tips (this book inspired me to replace my daily coffee fix with green tea, albeit caffeinated green tea for now). He has a public radio show which is quite good as well, although I don’t get to listen that often. I also like “Younger Next Year For Women” by two authors who emphasize exercising at least 6 days a week among for 45 minutes, among other tips.
January 22nd, 2007 @ 9:51 pm
Congrats on the weight loss, they say 10 pounds equates to losing a size, so you’re on the right track! I am so envious, because I have to get my ass (literally) in gear! My problems stems from my BF and I moving in together two months ago and I cook five nights a week. He is a guy who can consume almost anything and not gain an ounce. Damn! Growing up he was fed meat, a vegetable and a starch every single night for dinner. So I gladly cook that for him now because I love him and well, I want to
The downside of course, is that I eat that too and I’m no slip of a girl (5’6″ 135 lbs., not fat but I could lose a few). So I guess I just have to cut my portions down and keep exercising — I do it now five days a week so I should be okay if I tweak the diet.
Thanks for the inspiration and to quote Emily Charlton in Devil Wears Prada “I’m only one stomach flu away from my ideal weight!”
January 22nd, 2007 @ 10:42 pm
Glad to hear you ‘discovered’ these changes.
Do your best to stick to whole foods [not the store per say] that are eaten in the original form created by God.
Do your best to buy organic animal products because they store the chemicals used in most agriculture. i.e. eggs, butter, milk, chicken.
Do your best to buy wild caught fish – not farm raised, since farm raised are fed chemicals and often have coloring added to their appearance.
Good luck!!
January 23rd, 2007 @ 12:14 am
Over the past several years (I’m 31), I’ve lost 65 pounds. For the first time in my life, I’m actually healthy
All of my changes have been gradual. The first step of my diet years ago was: ice cream no more than once a day. (No kidding.) I’m at the point now where I can (usually) have a couple of spoonfuls and am sated (as opposed to finishing a pint), and I don’t eat it all that often.
I don’t eat red meat, I eat decent servings of fruits and veggies. I have been working with a trainer and we worked out a food plan where I have 5 small meals a day (dinner is still the largest, but it’s not large) and every meal had carbs, fat and protein. Unless it’s time to eat, I’m rarely hungry.
(A big spinach salad with dinner (with minimal dressing) helps make dinner very filling with not many calories: 4 cups of fresh spinach has less than 50 calories in it.)
I do cardio 5 days/week and full-body weights 3 times/week. One of those days is with a trainer.
I measure. When I started doing this, I was amazed at how much/how little was in a serving. Part of my afternoon snack is cashews (love ‘em!). But if I just took the bag and snacked out of it, I’d eat way more than a serving size (and consequently, way too many calories). I measure them out for the week on Sunday and put them all in little tupperwares.
I keep a food journal, as does a friend, and we share them once a week.
I still eat sweets (I have quite the sweet tooth) but less often and in smaller quantities. I very rarely buy a package of anything to keep at home — too tempting. Instead, if I’m out I might have a cookie or an ice cream cone or a candy bar, but boxes of cookies don’t come in the house.
I drink water. Sometimes hot tea. Very rarely but sometimes a chocolate milkshake
As time passes, food becomes less tempting to me, which is nice — it is less and less difficult not to binge.
*whew* perhaps more than you were looking for, but that’s where I am now.
January 23rd, 2007 @ 2:05 am
Great work on your new lifestyle changes. I agree that sometimes those changes are not always the most budget-friendly (I’ve been tossing this dilemma back and forth lately because I’ve recently realized that how I eat also makes me feel like crap). However, how can we put a price on health? If I need to spend a little more just to feel better and more like myself, then I think thats priceless!
Keep up the great work!
January 23rd, 2007 @ 6:40 am
I’m a huge candy-fiend…can eat it by the boatload! I decided at the start of the New Year to cut out all candy, cookies, ice-cream and any other dessert. I’ve gone 22 days and, even though it sucks, I’m sticking with it. Want another cheap, easy, figure friendly meal? Tilapia cooked in an inch or two of white wine or broth with lemon. Trader Joe’s carries frozen and fresh tilapia.
January 24th, 2007 @ 11:03 pm
awesome! these are some of the steps i’ve been taking lately. i cut out all coffee and pop, and have slowly made the transition to veganism (also in part to my love of cheeeese.)
a book you might want to check out: Eat to Live by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. It totally changed the way I see animal products, even cheese… which I never thought would happen
Congrats on feeling healthier
January 25th, 2007 @ 10:34 pm
^_^ that’s wonderful! I think I am going to have to seriously overhaul my eating habits too. It’s difficult being in college and having to get food from the cafeteria, which is not only gross but unhealthy. I have been mainly just trying to eat enough to get me through the day. But yesterday I ate at Applebee’s and my stomach was so upset I didn’t get any homework done. I just started a weight lifting program for Phyed. I don’t like weight lifting, but I will be healthyer and I’m required to work out three times a week. ^_~
It is very encouraging to hear that other people are going through similar things that I am. Thank you everyone! ^_~
~Eva~
January 25th, 2007 @ 10:41 pm
Great job! Cheese is my downfall, too. My DH lost 65 pounds eating mostly turkey, fruit and cheese sandwiches for dinner, but that would probably make me fat
So yeah, I’m jettisoning the cheese. Other suggestions? Sushi is yummy. We try not to eat a lot of rice, but a store near us has fresh California rolls every day. Very filling and fairly low fat.
January 26th, 2007 @ 11:17 am
That’s amazing! I’m so happy for you! I’ve been trying to lose weight for years and it’s not going away even though I walk everywhere in the city!
How do you stay full during the day if you don’t eat much meat? If you could post your daily meals and what you snack on that’d be great. i tried to eat more veggies such as broccoli but it wasnt enough.
January 27th, 2007 @ 2:01 am
haha..man..i wish i can follow those guidelines.
January 27th, 2007 @ 7:19 pm
To SF Money Musings, I’ll do a post on what I eat to stay full. Mostly I eat a lot of soy products for protein, and lots of beans for protein and fiber, and I always snack on hummus and blue-corn chips… basically anything with lots of fiber (soluable and insoluable) will keep you full. Sometimes I even use Metamucil to do the trick.
January 27th, 2007 @ 7:20 pm
Oh, and avacados and peanut butter… I put avacados on salads, bean burritos, veggie burgers, etc. and even when I do eat chicken and fish, I put avacados on those, too. And I always put peanut butter on apples and toast. Mmmm…
January 29th, 2007 @ 6:38 am
thanks for the suggestions! you’ve really inspired me to think differently and more consciously about what i eat.
i’ve gone two weeks without eating any office candy and if i can do it on a regular basis and not look at it, i’ll be much better off!
thanks for the ideas! i’m really looking forward to seeing how things work out with the eating.
January 29th, 2007 @ 3:29 pm
I love this blog! Thanks for all the great thoughts!
I lost 40 lbs in 2 years by adhearing to a similar set of rules, but it was gradual. I didn’t touch my eating habits until I’d gotten comfortable working out 3 to 5 times a week. Then it just came naturally because I didn’t want to “undo” all of my hard work by eating crappy food.
That was 6 years ago and I still weigh the same target weight! It’s a lifestyle now, not a diet.
February 6th, 2007 @ 3:51 am
Congrats on your great progress… my only tip is that when you drop two sizes, you’ll need to find a cheap way to replenish your wardrobe: http://www.rookiemoms.com/swap-til-you-drop
Good luck on continuing the success!
February 13th, 2007 @ 2:57 am
Great job! Those changes sound pretty easy to make in a diet. Good luck with the exercise. I can’t seem to get off my duff and go do anything other than take a long walk.
I do disagree with anonymous about farm fisheries. At the rate we’re going, we need to stop eating fish altogether. Read “Cod” by Mark Kurlansky and you’ll stop consuming fish. I only eat fish once or twice a month in the form of sushi out of concern for the environment and my budget. (I really don’t like cooked fish at all.)