Frugal Living Diet

After doing some research on various diets out there, I decided to come up with my own. I am going to use real food - no fake diet crap!, plus it is going to focus on health and be budget friendly. The main reason why I want to lose weight, is to be healthier. By being healthier I hope to reduce the need for expensive medical bills. I'll be posting on how well I am doing on it. Here are the ground rules!

Water, water every where!
Drink plenty of water. Water helps our body metabolize our food, as well as assist our kidneys and liver flush out toxins. Additionally, we sometimes mistake thirst for hunger. By drinking cold water, our body burns calories trying to heat it up. Try to drink eight 8fl oz glasses a day. Tap water is free! You can drink coffee as well, but limit it to no more than two cups. You may drink tea as well since it is full of antioxidants. Make your own tea instead of buying instant ice tea, since tea bags are cheaper and you control what goes into your tea. Word of caution with the coffee and tea, they are not as healthy if you use creamer, sugar, or sweetener in it.

No soda!
That goes for diet soda as well. It is so full of chemicals that come with side effects. Don't believe me? Read Prevention's "7 Side Effects of Drinking Diet Soda." Getting rid of soda will be a saving on your wallet.

No processed food! No white flour!
Prepackaged, processed foods are typically calorie dense with little fiber, which gives you a large amount of calories without leaving you feeling full long. Plus, your body typically breaks down processed foods quickly spiking your blood sugar count. It's all fine and dandy, until it your blood sugar crashes leaving you reaching for more processed garbage. Maintaining a steady blood sugar level helps stabilize your hunger.

No sugar
I'm talking about the white stuff. Americans eat far too much sugar, which is nothing more than empty calories. This rule goes for high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners as well.

More fruits and vegetables

Full of fiber, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, as well as low in calories, every diet should incorporate more fruits and vegetables. It also helps combat inflammation in your circulatory system. Strive for a wide variety and up to 13 servings. Remember, a serving is 1/2 cup of fruits or vegetable, 1 cup for big leafy veggies, 1/4 cup of dried fruits. Your two main meals should only be fruits and vegetables. Focus on buying in season fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, frozen veggies are another cheap source. Limit your intake of canned sources, since they are typically higher in sodium. If you have a sweet tooth, use fruit as an alternative to dessert, after all it is Nature's candy. For the argument about whether white potatoes should be vegetable or carbohydrates, it is a vegetable. While it should not be your only source of vegetable, it is still a vegetable and counts as a serving.

Beans, beans, the magical...
Beans are really good for you and are thought of by some as a power food. They're great for your heart, full of fiber and help control your hunger. Plus a bag of dried beans is cheap!

Nuts!
Full of antioxidants and healthy fats, these are considered another type of power food. Don't eat too much though, these healthy guys are also dense in calories. Limit yourself to a couple of handfuls throughout the day to ward off hunger. Buying the type you have to crack open yourself is cheaper.

Limit meat
Americans eat WAY too much protein, which is horrible for your kidneys. "The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that the average American male consumes 102 grams of protein per day, while the average female eats about 70 grams. That's almost twice the daily recommended intake established by the Food and Nutrition Board." Most protein is obtained from meat, which is traditionally high in saturated fat as well. While it is okay to have some saturated fat in your diet, it needs to be limited. Select fish (high in omega-3 fatty acids), and trimmed cuts of meat. Try to limit your monthly intake of red meat and processed meat (i.e. bacon, lunch meat) to no more than 2 servings. Meat is an expensive part of the grocery bill. By reducing the amount of meat you eat, you'll automatically get savings.

Limit fat
You still must incorporate fat into your diet, because your body needs it to properly function; however, this must be in limited quantities. Fat is a calorie dense source of energy. One gram of fat is nine calories, while one gram of carbohydrates or protein is four calories. Opt for healthy sources like olive oil. Stay away from hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil, since these are sources of trans fat (a type of bad fat your body does not need).

Limit alcohol
A glass or two of wine is fine, but more than that and you're just adding empty calories to your diet.

Low-fat, no fat dairy
Aim for only 2 servings of low-fat or no fat dairy products. I'm trying to limit my protein intake from animal sources, because I am trying to shift my diet to more plant base for health reasons.

Limit wheat
I'm a carbaholic and will gladly eat a diet of nothing but bread. I already have the rule of not processed food and no white flour. Whole grains such as bulgar, and brown rice are good for you, but whole wheat products don't compare. Granted whole wheat flour is better than white flour, but it is still too processed to keep blood sugar stable.

Get moving!
Exercise is a great mood booster, gets the blood pumping, builds muscle (which burns more calories!), and naturally raises your good cholesterol. Our bodies were made for motion, not a sedentary lifestyle. Try to workout 3-5 times a week for 30 minutes. Also try to be more active, by doing little things like taking the stairs instead of the escalator, carry basket instead of pushing a grocery cart.

As a general rule, you only need 10 calories to maintain one pound of your body weight. So if you're 200 lbs, you need 2,000 calories a day to maintain your current weight. I am 165 lbs right now and would like to weigh 145 lbs, meaning my calorie intake needs to change from 1,650 to 1,400. To help my body to adjust, I am making an intermediate goal of 150 lbs, meaning 1,500 calories, so my body adjusts easier to the calorie decrease.