Keep track of what you buy: We could not possibly emphasise this enough. It is highly important that you know what you are going to buy before you to go the supermarket, to avoid any temptations once you get there. Remember that the bigger the supermarket, the harder it will be to stick to your shopping list but the more chance you will have to find what you want while sticking to the budget.

Consider cooking: We all are tempted by ready meals but sometimes food preparation requires very little effort. Remember that cooking does not always mean spending 3 hours in the kitchen and using all the bowls you have available in the kitchen: sometimes cooking involves just stirring a sauce for 15 minutes or chucking everything in the oven for 20. Effortless cooking exists, and will save you both money and ingesting extra calories you don’t need.

Frozen veggies: Sometimes it is nice to have fresh vegetables available. However, when on a tighter budget, you might want to consider frozen vegetables. They are much cheaper and come in much greater size than fresh ones. Sometimes they are even healthier because they get frozen when fresh. They also might have less preservatives than fresh vegetables.

Make food last: If you buy food that lasts you are less likely to spoil food. Canned food is good for example. Try to go for the most unprocessed item. For example, take a can of peas rather than a can of creamy peas or semi-processed foods in a can. As a rule of thumb, avoid anything that has a creamy sauce in it.

Go wholegrain: Try wholegrain bread rather than processed white bread. This might be a bit more expensive but you might find that you will want less bread on every meal. Again, this is a money-calories saver!

Bulk buy and watch your portions: We all know that the bigger the size of the product, the more you save. Try to buy things in the bigger size…but don’t forget to watch your portions once you are home! It would be a good idea for you to look at the box before you open it and figure out how many meals the product can give you. For other products, you can approximate a portion on the spot: for example, you will find that you can portion a single generous portion of rice with an espresso coffee cup.

Walk to and from the supermarket: Don’t forget to exercise! And why not exercise whilst running errands! If you live relatively close to a supermarket, you could try and go to the supermarket on a weekly basis. In this way you will: save the money for petrol on the car; exercise and utilise excess calories and come back with less food at home to munch on, which, in turn, will help you control your impulses.

For more tips on how to stay on the budget and lose weight, visit: http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Onabudget/Pages/Savemoneyfood.aspx

]]> http://www.loseweightin2weeksinfo.com/dieting-on-a-budget/feed/ 0 http://www.loseweightin2weeksinfo.com/eating-healthy-in-big-cities/ http://www.loseweightin2weeksinfo.com/eating-healthy-in-big-cities/#comments Thu, 13 Jun 2013 08:59:38 +0000 admin http://www.loseweightin2weeksinfo.com/?p=34 This is a very common issue that we face nowadays in big cities. Most of us have a small supermarket near our houses and we do not have access to a multitude of fruit and veg. Rather, as soon as we get into the supermarket, we are bombarded with shiny packs and cartons of types of food that are not really good for us. So what kind of food is healthy but, at the same time, can be found in a small supermarket?

• Eggs: eggs are a great source of protein and have exclusive antioxidants. Furthermore, they are very low in fat, contain vitamin A, B12, B2 and B5 and plenty of amino acids. Finally, they also contain a substance called choline, which affects, in turn, the production of acetylcholine. The latter has been associated with mediating intelligence, mood and memory.

• Canned Tuna: this is great for light lunches or snacks. It contains mercury, so it shouldn’t be eaten every day. You can think of having it once a week. It benefits your diet because it contains Omega 3, iron, potassium and Vitamin B12. Also, you can easily vary and eat it with vegetables, low-fat mayonnaise, potatoes or salad.

• Plain yogurt: this is great as a dessert, snack or for breakfast. It is a great source of calcium and it helps your gastric system to function correctly.

• Tomatoes: high in vitamin A, C, calcium and potassium, tomatoes are great for your eyes, and are also anticarcinogenics.

• Spinach: Popeye was right. Spinach is a great source of iron, magnesium, many antioxidants and is also a very easy-to-cook vegetable. It is also a source of folic acid, and it is better to steam it than boil it.

• Beans: a cup of beans is a great source of fibers. Their consumption is also thought to reduce the risk of heart disease, type-2 diabetes and high blood pressure. You should regularly mix and match and use them in salads or in soups.

• Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage: these are vegetables that make you feel full fast and are great to fight cancer, heart disease and other life-threatening illnesses. Again, steaming them is the best way to cook them.

So next time you get to the supermarket, remember this list of helpful foods you could get more of instead of the usual crisps!

Remember: variation is very important. It is key not only because if you vary, you don’t get bored of what you are eating but also because your body needs several different nutrients and you need to keep the balance right. Obviously, if you have been diagnosed with diabetes or a weight-related condition then you must first of all stick to your doctor’s or nutritionist’s advice.

Click here for more tips on how to make a healthy grocery list.