Guest post from Kelsie of Pink and Rick
I hate shopping for groceries. I dread how much time it takes and how many decisions I have to make. Even if I make a plan and a list, I still hate it. My hatred doesn’t even stop when the trip is over. Afterward, I feel guilty if we waste anything!
And, I have another problem. After I got married, I put on fifteen (okay, 20!) pounds. Practically as soon as I said, “I do.” I wish I could remember what I was eating, because I was clearly having a good time!
My biggest downfall is my sweet tooth. Actually, it’s a sweet fang. Really, it’s a carb fang. I love all carbs. I could care less about eating meat, as long as I have breads and sugars.
I usually look at problems like weight gain or my hatred of buying groceries as separate problems, but this time, I decided to tackle them together. So, I started looking around for something that would help me lose weight AND simplify my shopping trip.
I started doing some research on different diets, and kept reading about how carbs spike your blood sugar then you feel hungry faster. Every day I felt hungry around 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. so I figured I needed to get my carb fang under control. So, I jumped head first into low-carb diet land.
Fast forward a few months and I haven’t lost all my marriage weight, but I’m down ten pounds. And, by cutting out lots of carbs, my shopping trip is less annoying. I love the simplicity. I buy the same foods every time, so I don’t have to think or plan my meals out. I hit up produce, meat, dairy, nuts, and a few other aisles, and I’m ready to go.
Most of the time people look at their problems as separate and unrelated, but I think our issues are sometimes connected to each other. And, if you can combine two related problems, it can really help motivate you. For instance, my hatred for the grocery store helps me stick to my diet because I don’t have to spend my time wandering down every aisle making decisions.
This post isn’t to convince you to start a new diet. It’s not to convince you to simplify your grocery shopping trip. I just hope to encourage you to take two of your problems/annoying issues and try and see if they’re related. If so, you may be able to find one solution that solves them both.
Have you ever combined multiple problems to find one good solution?
Hi, my name is Kelsie, and I blog at PinkandRick.com. I love to write about goals, finances, and my dogs, Pink and Rick. I started blogging because my dogs act crazy, and my family wanted to see pictures. Now, I’m hooked. I’m always looking for great blogs to read, so if you have time please drop by or leave a comment, and let me know where I can read about your life.
Janell in Georgia says
I quit drinking Dr Peppers 4 weeks ago and most all sugar and caffeine. I normally drank 2-3 cans a day. I would try to skip eating meals to compensate for the calories because I was so addicted to them. I have started drinking decaf coffee and eating 3 meals a day and a couple of healthy snacks. My doctor told me 2 years ago I was pre-diabetic and I have ignored it until I started feeling really bad about 6 weeks ago. I am sleeping better and have more energy. Crabs and junk foods are inexpensive but luckily I have had fresh fruits and veggies to eat since I live in the South and farming country. My husband said I’m going to start growing feathers. Chicken seems to be the cheapest meat though.
Beck3456 says
I have really enjoyed this article and everyone’s comments. There is one thing that bothers me though. Stevia is only ok if it is the natural stevia, Truvia and other processed stevia are very bad for you because it is chemically processed which is no better than Splenda or NutraSweet! Please, do your research and read about stevia! Food Babe would be a great place to start. Her book and her blog go into detail about how bad processed stevia is! She suggests stevia but only from the plant!
Schyler says
This is so me!! Sugar, carbs, sugar, and more carbs! This is a great idea to kill two birds with one stone! Go you!
Linda says
I felt like I was reading about myself when I read this post. I LOVE carbs and I LOVE sugar. I gained 15 lbs within the first 3 months of marriage. And in the last 8 months I have packed on an extra 10 lbs. I need to lose weight. I never thought about just ditching carbs when I am grocery shopping. Man, when I go to the grocery store, its like my brain was left at home and I don’t know what to buy. I think making a list will help me out, but so will cutting down on carbs and sugars. Thanks for the pep talk.
Tonya says
I think anytime you make a drastic reduction in what you’re eating (e.g. cutting out a food group), you’ll experience weight loss and a drop in weight. For our family, it was when we cut out animal protein and processed foods. I’m a former low-carber so there was a huge reduction in our food bill when I stopped buying meat, cheese, eggs, etc. — so much so, that we’ve been able to switch to organic produce and strictly whole grains (quinoa, freekeh, etc.) and still stay under our previous grocery budget. The one drawback for us is the space needed for our shopping trips. Veggies and fruits take up a lot more space than packages of meat! Still, our family health has improved. Both DH and I have dropped 20 lbs, and our toddler is growing like a weed. We’re still not into starches very much so the grains we do buy last forever and I can’t ever imagine keeping bread or rice in the house as staples. Ultimately, I think you need to find what works for you and stick with it long enough to experience results. Sounds like that’s what you did. Kudos to you and thank you for sharing!
Andrea C says
My 4th and 2nd graders were always wanting to make breakfast or lunch, so I went through and found 5 breakfast and lunch recipes. They know weekday day is theirs to cook and exactly what to make. I also can glance in the pantry and know what goes on the list. Now if I would do something similar for supper 🙂
Kelsie says
Andrea,
If you get supper down to five recipes, let me know!
Kelsie
Daisy says
Great post! I recently found out that my liver enzymes are extremely high. So when i had to have an abdominal sonogram we found my gall bladder was enlarged so that came out. Liver problem still there. I started working out 4-6 times a week. I’d make sure i was sweating for an hour per drs orders didnt lose an ounce. Stopped the white starches/carbs started losing.
So like you i started a low carb diet. Losing 5lbs a week or more then i had to see the specialist he said no grains or starches at all. I’m down almost 30lbs in 6wks My grocery bill has gone up because we stuff the fridge and not the pantry. We dont take long in the grocery store at all either. Meals have gotten fun to create. I do alot of taco salads of sorts. I love making new salsa’s….mango salsa is my favorite. I even put it on my tilapia. My husband makes my tilapia amazing. He does put a dusting of flour on it but its not caked or anything cant even tell but it puts the crunch on the fish. A nice helping of steamed broccoli or seared asparagus with it is amazing 🙂
Kelsie says
Congrats Daisy! I need to look up that salsa!
Mary says
I was hoping we could get a look at some of your grocery lists or specific examples of what you swapped out. Cutting carbs is HARD! My husband is 6’5″, skinny as a rail, and doesn’t want protein and veggies only. He wants bread, meat and potatoes, etc. Suggestions welcome!
Kelsie says
Mary,
Maybe instead of cutting all your high carb food at dinner, you could just have one carb? Just an idea!
Kelsie
Laura says
Great inspiration! Thanks for sharing! I too struggle with this every week, and feel so guilty when I have to waste food because I didnt fix I before it rotted in the fridge…..ugh! Can you give examples of what you eat? And do you exclude fruit? Also, does your husband.eat what you eat? Thanks for any advice!
Kelsie says
Laura,
I hate food guilt!!! I eat boring stuff, but here goes. Don’t yawn!
Breakfast: eggs and coffee with milk (I love the way eggs keep me full until lunch).
Lunch: salad/lettuce wraps/leftover piece of meat from night before, string cheese, carrots or cucumbers, nuts, and a piece of fruit (sometimes).
Dinner: meat and veggies. And usually a cheat food.
When I lost 10 pounds, I didn’t cheat, but now I do, daily. A girl can only be so good! I also have cheat meals on the weekend. And I had a cheat vacation.
Hope this helps! Let me know if you want more details, or if you fell asleep.
Also, my husband and I only eat dinner together, so he will eat what I eat at night. But, during the day I have no idea what he eats. It’s probably terrible!
Courtney says
Do any of you that have this figured out have a regular shopping list and/or weekly menu that helps with your grocery planning?
Kelsey says
We’ve been experiencing similar things, too! My husband is in the military and we’re stationed in Germany. We’d been shopping at the Commissary and couponing, but I dreaded going, was gaining weight like crazy, and our budget sky rocketed. A couple weeks ago a friend of mine introduced me to the Germany grocery stores! Wow! I am hooked! They are so small and don’t offer many processed choices! We’ve been eating SO much healthier. I went and bought groceries today for the week (mostly just produce since I have a lot of meat in the freezer already) and only spent 23 euro! Previously at the Commissary I was spending closer to $200 a week! 🙂
Kelsie says
Kelsey,
I like your name! Congrats on venturing out. That’s got to be so nerve wracking the first time, but after that I bet it’s exciting feeling like you accomplished so much!
Martha says
Great post! How did your husband do with the shopping change? Is he ok with a low carb diet? My husband would not be ok with it. lol I’m wondering how that issue worked in with the change.
Kelsie says
Martha,
I expected him to be pretty upset. Actually, really upset. But, we compromised. I don’t ask him what he ate for lunch, and he will eat a healthy dinner with me!
I came out ahead, because he used to eat three bad meals a day, and now it’s only one at lunch! Don’t tell him though…
Kelsie
Brenda says
Now to combine my two problems: 1) dislike for cooking and 2) a family who expects to eat. lol.
I really liked the simplicity of shopping when we stuck with meat and veggie only for dinners. But my dislike for cooking and our summer schedule got the better of me.
It’s really hard for me to cover all my bases and it’s always food that is the first to suffer. I should remember that healthy is simpler. Just need to figure out how to keep it at $100 or less every week.
Kelsie says
Brenda,
I hate cooking too. I think making meat/veggies is easier because there aren’t that many ingredients. But, if I choose one domestic chore that I could skip forever… it would be cooking. Or laundry. Or, of course, grocery shopping!
Alecia says
Here are some thoughts about Healthy eating. Please look into using Splenda. I was using it all the time when I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I gained 35 pounds in a very short period of time, which, since, I’ve read seems to accompany hypothyroidism. Later, I learned that Splenda has chlorine in it, which blocks iodine in the body, and an lead to hypothyroidism. Also, Splenda has formaldehyde in it, and is similar in composition to the pestiside DDT. The marketing for it :Made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar” is a half-truth. The making of it starts with the sugar molecule, and then there are all these chemicals added, and unnatural chemical bonds. I’m not a scientist, but I’ve done some research. At least research it. It is hard to believe that our FDA approves it, but then again they also approve aspartame. I use Stevia. It has been used for centuries in Asia, and it is natural. Truvia is one brand it is carried under, and also NuStevia. Also, I learned, from the book, that cereal, yes, even whole grain cereals, have phytates in them, which leach minerals from the body. The authors of the book only approve of Ezekial (sold in the natural food section at Kroger’s–but is about 5.oo a box–ouch!) cereal because it’s made from sprouted grains, and they find Uncle Sam’s cereal to be acceptable. So, I’ve been soaking stell cut oatmeal overnight, cooking up a gigantic batch, and freezing it. Soak it with with 2 TBS. of apple cider vinegar to remove the phytates. (Phytates are present in processed grains–and unsprouted grains–as I understand it). Also, in the book they have lots of breakfast options, including a recipe for pancakes in which you ground the slow-cooking type oats into oat flour and make pancakes with cottage cheese. They have some carbs, and protein. Serve with Greek yogurt on top (sweetened with Stevia) and a heap of berries! Also, in the book, they say to really limit your whole wheat consumption b/c the wheat has been genetically modified over the last 50 years–and it makes for a big ol’ belly. They have recipes for making bread out of coconut flour, almond flour, flax meal, rye flour, and sourdough bread! I have been “whole grain Jane,” and I’m starting to see the light. I am so excited over all I’ve been learning from the book, and I just had to share with you mommas! Also, the dessert recipes are out of this world delish. the other night I made chocolate coconut fudge. You mix it fast, and freeze it for 20 minutes, and it’s done! Carbs and sugar just make you you want more carbs and sugar. Once you get off that sugar-carb high, and crash cycle, there is freedom!
Alecia says
The Trim Healthy Mama book is about controlling your blood sugar, so the recipes are low glycemic. So fruit juice and juicing are not in there b/c they spike your blood sugar. If you love juice, make up some herbal tea, sweeten with stevia, and drink over ice. It’ll hit the spot, and is cheaper to boot!
Alecia says
Just found this yummy low carb recipe: hamburger and cabbage stir-fry! http://www.lowcarblayla.blogspot.com.au/2012/05/hamburger-cabbage-stir-fry.html?m=1
Kelsie says
Thanks Alecia,
Great advice! I’m going to look into Trim Healthy Mama… I’m always on the hunt for good recipes. Now, I just need to find someone to cook them for me!
Alecia says
I recently started a new eating plan from the book Trim Healthy Mama, which is low carb and sugar free. It has simplified my grocery shopping too (but the foods are more expensive). However, if you are not buying all those carby and sugary snacks, it should somewhat balance out your budget. For example, buying spaghetti squash instead of a bag of potatoes. Kelsie, and anyone else, I have some new low carb meals that are not in the book b/c I made them up if you want to email me at: [email protected]. Last night I made meatloaf skillet over Dreamfields pasta. It had celery and spinach in the meat mixture, and there is no baking of a meatloaf involved–so it’s super quick! It was a hit in our family. I am pregnant, and I’m slimming down a little bit. My back is slimmer. I am eating healthier foods than ever before-with no sugar or refined grains. My main grain is oat flour right now and Joseph’s lavish and pita breads. I eat carbs such as beans and sweet potatoes, so I am not “carb-free.” I used to carb-crash pretty bad after starch meals–which was often, and now I’ve eliminated that–but being tired from the pregnancy is still there, but that’s expected. Also, on Pintrest, there is “Trim Healthy Mama recipes.”
awmeme says
As a diabetic I try to limit how many carbs I eat, as I carb count and the more carbs I have the bigger the shot I have to take. However I have a carb fang and when I try to go completely carb free I get sick…my body goes into dka and my body goes into starvation mode…long story short is your body needs some carbs especially when growing. What I’ve learned over the years plus talking with many dr’s, dietians, and nutritionalists is that lots of foods are high in carbs. However not all foods that are high in carbs are high in sugar, high in fat and bad for you. There are different types of carbs as well simple and complex. I can never remember which are which so can’t explain the difference sorry. Hope that makes sense. Try giving your kiddos fruit. Steamed rice, there are many varieties providing different textures and flavors even without adding anything, basmati [sp] and jasimine [sp] are both sweeter tasting than regular white rice. Baked or boiled potatoes are good smashed with a little salt or even just a little lowfat cottage cheese in it. Corn bread, grits, and oatmeal for breakfast with lowfat low sugar oatmeal. Unbuttered popcorn (I cook mine in a pot on the stove with a tiny bit of oil in it with about a teaspoon of sugar, cheap imitation kettle corn) or some in my air popper started doing this when I read about all the chemicals in microwaved popcorn. Someone did give me a link to DYI microwave popcorn just haven’t tried it yet. If you do bread try doing whole grain or whole wheat. I find all of these seem to last longer, keep me filling fuller and more satisfied then eating noodles and white bread. Causing less of a spike in my blood sugar. Also if your craving a sweet try adding a little bit of jam or fruit to something like cream of wheat. I didn’t mean to type a book, and am not trying to sound like a know it all. These are just some ideas.
Theresa says
Multiple Problems: headaches, sluggishness, weight-gain. One solution: eating more raw foods…and that includes juicing each morning. It has made our grocery budget go up, but as is the consensus (sp?), it has been so worth it. I have simplified grocery shopping by going more online (mainly Vitacost) and also doing more of the Farmer’s Market.
In just over a month’s time, I have very few headaches, more energy than I have had in a long time, and have lost 11lbs. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your story!
Kelsie says
Theresa, thanks for the tips. Actually, I’ve been thinking about juicing. My coworker does it and she raves about it. How did you get started?
Theresa says
Hi Kelsie-
I actually got started juicing by my sister’s suggestion to watch “Hungry for Change”. It’s a documentary showing how most of the foods we eat today aren’t really foods at all. Their website has a 3-day detox that I started with and that helped immensely (lost 5lbs just on that). Then after that, they also had recipes for juices to try. When I got my juicer, there was a recipe booklet in there as well. But now, I actually just mix my own with what I feel like for the day (or have on hand that needs to be used up). I drink mostly veggie mixes with an apple or orange thrown in, but have done a few fruit-only ones too–just have to be careful if you are diabetic.
It’s something that I would recommend to anyone who wants to be healthier and just….feel better! Best of luck to you on your journey!
Check out my post(s) about my journey: http://doinglifetogether4.blogspot.com/2013/07/better-health-update-1.html
Kelsie says
I will definitely check out your blog. I actually just saw Hungry for Change on my Netflix cue a couple nights ago. I’ll have two watch it!
Christine says
Good Job!
Comedienne Elayne Boosler said it best on why women gain weight after marriage:
You starved yourself to get a man. You got one. You’re going to EAT now. LOL.
Kelsie says
Hahaha soooo true!
Amy says
Thank you, Crystal, for posting this. It is so providential because I was doing some bible reading today and the passage I was focusing on was Luke 12:22-32 about how it is pointless to stress about food and clothing, as the Lord has our needs and desires all under control for us. We just need to ask for his help and seek his Kingdom and all we need will be provided. Funny because my reflections on this passage were about how much I despise grocery shopping and stressing about buying as much organic and Non-GMO and wheat-free food for my family. It gets so stressful (and spendy!) My exact quote that I wrote down as I journaled was: “Food is the one area of my life I can’t seem to simplify.” Your post came on the PERFECT day. You are so right. When my husband and I were following a very specific diet before we had kids, we were much healthier, thinner, and grocery shopping was so much easier because we bought the same things each trip. Your words were wisdom to try to get back to that place and– like you– simplify the grocery shopping as well as gaining those health benefits. Thank you!
Shelly says
I so have a sweet fang too. I drastically cut back on sugar and desserts a few years ago and I went into withdrawals. The cravings were awful. I am now working on cutting back again but carbs just call my name.
I try to keep my menu planning simple. I stock my freezer with certain meats when they are on sale. I also try to keep my pantry stocked with items we use regularly. Then I just need to shop for sale items and fresh items each week.
Kelsie says
I agree with you about the cravings! Did they ever get better?
Georgena says
Try a tablespoon of peanut butter on half of an apple- it tastes almost like a caramel apple and stop the cravings. Also try putting some yogurt in the freezer for an hour, scrape the frozen sides and mix in-just like ice cream(if you leave it longer it turns to ice). You can also add a bit of honey to vanilla yogurt and it tastes like pudding.
Amy f;) says
Do you have some kind of meal plan? How do you make the food look/taste good? My kids really like their carbs.
Kelsie says
Amy,
I sort of did the South Beach Diet. It’s good for dropping weight, but not good for making food look good!
awmeme says
Amy~As a diabetic I try to limit how many carbs I eat, as I carb count and the more carbs I have the bigger the shot I have to take. However I have a carb fang and when I try to go completely carb free I get sick…my body goes into dka and my body goes into starvation mode…long story short is your body needs some carbs especially when growing. What I’ve learned over the years plus talking with many dr’s, dietians, and nutritionalists is that lots of foods are high in carbs. However not all foods that are high in carbs are high in sugar, high in fat and bad for you. There are different types of carbs as well simple and complex. I can never remember which are which so can’t explain the difference sorry. Hope that makes sense. Try giving your kiddos fruit. Steamed rice, there are many varieties providing different textures and flavors even without adding anything, basmati [sp] and jasimine [sp] are both sweeter tasting than regular white rice. Baked or boiled potatoes are good smashed with a little salt or even just a little lowfat cottage cheese in it. Corn bread, grits, and oatmeal for breakfast with lowfat low sugar oatmeal. Unbuttered popcorn (I cook mine in a pot on the stove with a tiny bit of oil in it with about a teaspoon of sugar, cheap imitation kettle corn) or some in my air popper started doing this when I read about all the chemicals in microwaved popcorn. Someone did give me a link to DYI microwave popcorn just haven’t tried it yet. If you do bread try doing whole grain or whole wheat. I find all of these seem to last longer, keep me filling fuller and more satisfied then eating noodles and white bread. Causing less of a spike in my blood sugar. Also if your craving a sweet try adding a little bit of jam or fruit to something like cream of wheat. I didn’t mean to type a book, am not trying to sound like a know it all these are just some ideas.
Lori says
You’re right! I enjoyed the post as well but cringe at the reference to cutting out carbs (sorry), but I know you said the post wasn’t meant to be about starting a diet too! Most fruits and vegetables are 100% carbohydrates along with whole grains. Maybe a better way to phrase it is cutting out refined or processed carbohydrates. I just feel sorry for good ol carbs getting so much hate.
Now, I need to figure out those two issues to work on for today. Thanks for the post!
Kelsie says
Lori,
I agree, “cutting out carbs,” wasn’t the best way to say it. I feel bad for carbs too… mostly because they will always be my favorite thing to eat!
Kelsie
Siobhan Lombardi says
I loved the post found it helpful. I buy the same things every time. But I am having a but if trouble now that my toddler has become a picky eater and hubby is not into the healthier lifestyle. Any advice? Meal ideas for toddlers? Thank you 🙂
Kelsie says
Siobhan,
I started with the South Beach Diet, and now I do Paleo, too. The website http://www.everydaypaleo.com has some good stuff.
My husband is not into a healthy lifestyle either, but he doesn’t mind low carb for dinner because it includes his favorite… Meat! He eats whatever for lunch, but at least he’s more healthy at dinner! Baby steps…
Amanda says
Oh my gosh…I have GOT to do something to simplify grocery shopping and get us back to eating healthier! I did well for a few years but with price-matching, couponing, and needing to buy some for convenience (my husband and I both work a lot right now) it has gotten out of control. I despise grocery shopping (all parts of it, including the prep, menu-planning, and the actual shopping). We find that we tend to “burn out” on meals pretty quickly so always end up going back to things that are easy but not healthy. Can you share any recipes or websites you use that are simple and help with meal planning? Thanks!
Ann says
A healthy and easy way to make tilapia (which is usually a less expensive fish): Put a small amount of salsa in a crockpot. Just enough to spread around the crockpot, but not cover the bottom. Put in frozen tilapia. Put tablespoon of salsa on top for each tilapia fillet. Cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours. You can use any type of salsa you want. We usually use tomato, but my Mom has tried it with pineapple and said it was fantastic. I’m sure you could substitute some other type of white fish if you want.
Amber says
Yum!!
Tina E says
I have found a website called emeals.com where you can sign up for 3 – 12 month meal plans (I bought a Groupon for a 1/2 price membership). They have several different plans to choose from, including low-fat, vegetarian, crock-pot, and even lunch and breakfast plans. They include 5 – 7 days worth of meals for 2 – 6 people, including the grocery shopping list. It definitely makes figuring out what to make for dinner easier, no more standing in front of the fridge every night in frustration only to give up and go out to eat. Almost everything I have made has been a hit with all 4 members of my family (a definite feat in itself). I can’t say if it will save you money on your grocery bill, but it will definitely make your grocery shopping, and meal planning easier.
Liz A. says
We are in a season of simplifying right now, in all areas of life. Part of this has been to let go of couponing except for a few items. I was burnt out. We shop sales in the periphery of the store and only venture in for coffee, tea, and pantry items (I still coupon a bit for those items). It keeps the trip quick, I buy less, waste less, and produce less trash. I have not noticed an increase in our bill, but in all fairness we no longer buy diapers or paper towels/napkins and I use homemade cleaners for most things. So, all this to say my goals were to eat healthier and stick to a few simple products for the home. 🙂
Kelsie says
Liz,
I don’t really coupon either. I tried, but it was to complicated and made my mind hurt!
I really need to check out making homemade cleaners. I’ve heard they work better than the store bought kind.
Heather says
What a great article! Very well said. Thanks for including these guests posts. They are a real blessing.
Kelsie says
Thanks Heather!
Mary Ellen says
Diet and weight loss have been proven over and over again to be directly related and actually 95% of weight loss is diet… despite what you may see on Biggest Loser. When it takes 5 minutes to consume 1000 calories versus 5 hours of exercise to burn it off, it is quite obvious which road is the faster solution.
When I gave birth to Juliana 2 years ago, I weighed 200 pounds. After watching my calories and eating from scratch, I was down to 135 pounds and stayed there for the past 18 months. I did also exercise which helped the loss go a little faster – and hey, who doesn’t want nice looking shoulders once you can actually see them?
Trying to eat more homemade food has made me more aware of what we are eating and how many calories consumed. This is helped me lose the weight, but more importantly keep it off as well as of course help us eat healthier.
Crystal says
I am so proud of your weight loss!
Heather says
So true. Nothing like making a batch of cookies and seeing two sticks of butter and two cups of sugar staring at you out of the bowl! Cooking from scratch helps me make better decisions.
Mary Ellen says
LOL! Yeah, that reminds me of the slutty brownies recipe. It uses like 4 sticks of butter in one pan, so I never made it.
Kelsie says
Mary Ellen,
Congrats on the weight loss! That’s amazing. I think you’re right about making homemade food. It really helped me.
Lora C says
I laughed out loud at the “sweet fang”–thanks for diagnosing my problem!!! I have to keep the sweets and all junk food out of my house. If not, I know I hear them calling my name until I devour them. I also make banana bread as soneone else mentioned. Its a sweet and fruit, right?!?
I love your idea of tackling two things at once–I tackled getting up earlier and running at the same time. I completed the Couch to 5K training in June and love getting up early–alarm goes off at 5:00 am–and getting in my run before work. Getting up early and getting in my workout help to set me up to tackle whaterver challenges come my way.
Maybe its time for me to tackle anothr twosome!!
Kelsie says
Lora,
Waking up early and completing a 10K are both on my bucket list. I need to follow your lead and combine them both! I just struggle with waking up early. Any advice?
Lora C says
This site helped me get on track with getting up early. A few months ago Crystal introduced us to the book Early to Rise. I worked through the book and participated in a challenge on this site. So far early rising has become a part of my life.
When I started with the Early to Rise challenge I was doing workout dvd’s at home. When it got warmer and I knew there would be others at the park at 5:00 am, I started the Couch to 5K training. I completed it in June and now I am running 4-5 days a week and loving it.
I couldn’t have done this at a better time–my son deploys to Afghanistan on Friday and my daughter is making unfortuate choices that are breaking my heart. If I had not been getting up early to train and run I would probably be a very depressed woman right now. I listen to my gospel music and pray while I run. It has truly been a blessing to rise early and run.
I hope that I said something that might help you with rising early. And again, thanks for diagnosing my sweet addiction–I love the term “sweet fang”!!!
Kelsie says
Haha you’re welcome for diagnosing your addiction!
Thanks for the book suggestion. I will definitely check if out. I’m glad you have an outlet during your tough time. I’ll pray for your kids too.
Lora C says
Thank you for praying for my children!!!
Erin @ My Mommy World says
I can totally relate to having a “sweet fang!” Avoiding sweets and carbs is so difficult for me. It helps to make something homemade and semi-healthy (like banana bread) once a week so that I can have that little bit of sweet….otherwise, I go overboard on ice cream or something the next chance I get.
Kelsie says
Erin,
I totally understand about ice cream. It’s my FAVORITE. When I need to cheat, I always do it with cold stuff!
Jaclyn says
Erin and Kelsie,
I love ice cream too and kept catching myself getting a bowl at 8 or 9 each night. Yeah, not good!! LOL! So, I bought some Great Value Fudge Bars from Wal-Mart. They are less than $3 (I’m thinking more like 2.50) for 12 bars. The serving size is 2 bars and they only have 140 calories; 27g of sugar; 1.5g of fat; and 1g of sat fat. I only have one so cut those totals in half. Still not completely healthy, but tons better than the chocolate chip cookie dough that I was eating more like 2 servings of! 🙂
Sarah says
Congratulations on killing two birds with one stone!!
Kelsie says
Thanks Sarah!
Maggie Lilley says
Having just returned from a grocery shopping trip in a 1st attempt to tackle two problems, I really adore this post! My issues are (1)maintaining a budget and (2)meal planning. The two are so clearly intertwined.
Today I meal-planned for twenty minutes. Then I swept through Market Basket, Target, and Stop-and-Shop. It felt wonderful to keep it simple, as Kelsie mentioned. Once home, I opened up a composition journal and wrote a summary of my trip.
$20 – Market Basket [chicken cutlets, tomatoes, 1 lb. mini peppers, pizza cheese mix, a dozen eggs, sour cream, salsa, 1 can each of black beans/baked beans/diced tomatoes.
$15 – 6 boxes of cereal at Target [$2.50 ea sale]
$4.49 – BOGO free Arnold bread deal at Stop & Shop
While $40 isn’t yet the $25/week you mention, Crystal, it is a start! To my bewilderment, I have managed to break $80 some weeks. Your blog has been an enormous encouragement to my steep money learning curve. Thanks 😀
Crystal says
I am so very proud of you!
Kelsie says
Maggie,
I think you’re doing a great job! It’s all about making progress.
Jenny says
Kelsie,
We have been avoiding carbs & sugar since April! Over 55lbs lost btw us!
I agree, grocery shopping & meal planning have been simplified. However, our grocery bill has sky-rocketed buying mostly produce and lean meats! Carbs are cheap! We agree, the benefit out-weighs the cost, but we are desperate for low-cost, low-carb meals for a family of four! Any ideas? Thank you!
Kelsie says
Wow Jenny! That’s amazing! Congrats. You’ve inspired me to drop the last of my weight.
I agree about the grocery bill. Ours is up, too. I think it’s worth it, because I feel so much better. I focus on produce that is in season–because it’s usually cheaper. And, I put a lot of chicken in the crockpot along with a low carb dressing, then I add a veggie side. It’s not exciting but it gets us by.
As you can tell, I’m pretty desperate too! Maybe we need to make a cookbook!
Tara Jones says
Try skinnytaste.com for recipes. She is also on Facebook and is my go to for healthy recipes.
Christina Wagner says
If you have a Mexican supermarket (LA Bonita, Cardenas, Mariannas) they are awesome for buying fruits and vegetables. They usally sell them 1-5 lbs for 99¢, but you do have to look at it because they don’t always pull the riper ones out. Also if you have a meat market in your area check it out. We buy 50 pounds of assorted meat for $120.
I hope this helps.
Grace says
Meat IS really expensive, so perhaps you could try a “meatless monday” or some version of that. A lot of delicious meals can be made using a variety of beans and lentils, which are a lot cheaper to purchase than locally sourced chicken or beef. If you are adventurous in the kitchen there are multitudes of different ethnic dishes you can serve up that will also keep your grocery bill down. Happy cooking!