Often times people think eating healthy is expensive, although in the long run a cheap diet of junk food will cost you in health and enjoyment of life. Regardless of the cost, here are 5 ways to save when you’re looking to eat healthy, yet stay on a budget.

1. Buy in bulk
Probably my favorite way to save =) Not only do you avoid extra trips to the grocery store you save from the bulk discount rates. The large containers of rolled oats are my favorite. Much cheaper than buying the small round containers.

2. Avoid buying ‘diet foods’
While it may seem like a good idea to buy the healthy diet foods, often they are just over priced and even sometimes less than healthy options. Instead of buying the protein fortified candy bars, make your own at home. Ditch the 100 calorie snack-packs and have some celery.

3. Stick to the basics
While having 37 different breakfast options provides variety you end up wasting or not using a bunch of what you buy. Stick you what you eat often and a lot of. Come up with different staple meals and stick with them. Which brings me to the next tip.

4. Plan your meals and only buy what you need
Do you often end up throwing food away because it’s gone off before you’ve had a chance to use it? Knowing what you will eat ahead of time will save on headache, wasting and unhealthy eating. So before you go shopping, plan ahead of what you know you’ll need for the week ahead. Next point…

5. Shop from a list
I don’t know about you, but I don’t particularly enjoy shopping. I’m not one to just peruse the grocery store aisles with a hint of curiosity. Whenever I go into a store I already know what I want. I run to that item then run to the checkout. There is no ’shopping experience’. So the point being, know what you want ahead of time, make a list, and stick to it. No matter how much you’ll save on that 2 for 1 donut special, you know you don’t need it.

They’re everywhere. Often containing a healthy does of calories in one small pouch, or ready to drink can.

Can these tasty (at least now days) options be part of an overall healthy eating plan.

Yes. Now, we’re not talking slim fast here (which is more sugar than anything else).

We’re talking more healthful options that contain whey and cassein protein concentrate or isolate and a healthy blend of carbohydrates from oats and others sources.

Be sure and check the nutrition facts of your meal replacement to make sure you’re getting one of the healthy typs.

Not only are they convenient, they’re also cheap (compared to eating out), and are a very quick replacement for 1-2 meals in a day.

I just got these pictures from a client. The food looks great and I’m sure it tastes great as well. Not only that, all the dishes are also healthy. Take a look:

You are on your way home from work/school and it has been at least 4-5 hours since your last meal. You are completely starved and you can’t wait to get home and see what you have in your kitchen to eat. You get into the kitchen and your stomach is aching with hunger, so you open the fridge to see what is handy.

The first thing that you see on a shelf is a chocolate pudding snack that look so good and ready to eat. You quickly scan for a healthier substitution but all you see are raw chicken breasts. You think would I rather spend 10-15 minutes while my hunger continues and cook up a healthy meal with chicken breasts or would I like to grab that snack pack and devour it’s deliciousness right now.

You eat the pudding and now you feel a little bit weaker in your will power so next you go for the sweet role sitting on the counter. When you’re through with that you decide oh well and continue on your all out binge all because you let hunger strike.

The Solution

Keeping a satisfied stomach throughout the day can work wonders for your will power and ultimately your whole diet and fitness goals. This involves 5-7 meals spread throughout the day to keep your hunger at bay without any long stretches of hunger. Always plan ahead and don’t skip any of your meals, which could lead to a binging episode caused by severe hunger and cravings.

So simply put don’t let yourself get hungry. Eat your meals even if you are not hungry. This will guarantee that you won’t even be tempted to deviate from your planned diet. Another note to take in here is to go shopping on a completely full stomach. When you are full you will shop with your brain not with your stomach. Logically your brain will pick out all of the fitness friendly & healthy foods at the store. While if you shopped with your stomach you would end up with….well, you know.

Need some extra help with your fitness plan? Go here: Spokane Personal Training Success

What am I talking about?

I’m talking about your health and fitness goals!

Yes, you know it, it’s that time of the year where health and fitness
is a priority in your life for…….about 1 day.

All too often, health and fitness resolutions end up as lost hopes
never to see the light of day.

I’m willing to be you had your time off during this month of Dec.

You had your candies, your cakes, your no exercise routine, and now
you want to get serious about your fitness

The sad truth is over 25% of resolution seekers will drop out after
the first week, and over half after just the first month.

Here’s a great article on this very thing:
http://www.spokanefitnesscoach.com/articles/spokane-eating-in-spokane.html

Among other great tips, it lists how you can overcome the top 3 excuses
as to why you might not achieve your health and fitness goals.

If you want a complete no-nonsense guided approach to get in the
best shape of your life go here: Spokane Fitness Success Secrets