Getting healthier.. What are my priorities?

[DaniJ]

I am a horrible eater... I'm basically addicted to sugar/salty snacks, and I'm terrible with exercise. I used to take a dance class, and I was losing weight and getting stronger, but I haven't lately. I want to just change all of it but there's a problem.

First off, I don't have any money. Like at all... (I'm in debt actually.) So I can't afford to buy healthy foods (college student). I'm finding healthy things where I can (making chips out of lettuce) but I'm still snacking too much because I hardly have time for meals.

Secondly, I am juggling 2 jobs and school, plus housework/family time, and there's not much time for exercise... I know that's not really an excuse, but I"m having a hard time getting started.

My question is, since I can't afford/don't have time to fix all of this, what things are most important? Like, just no sugar, or just exercise more, etc. or should it be an even mix of all of them? I'd really like to feel healthier. I'm already cutting out soda from my diet and switching to natural alternatives, but I need more cheap ideas

[hornteacher]

Always remember you are what you eat. That doesn't mean you are sweet if you eat sugar, but it means that if you are eating junk food you body is having to use junk to run off of to live. I was addicted to sweets for years... years, but I've slowly eliminated them from my diet. It wasn't easy to do, but I didn't want to die from what I was eating. I work long hours (up at 4:45 a. m., work at 6:30 to 4:00, home at 5:00) then have to turn around and cook several nights a week or be daddy taxi or daddy counselor for my daughter. I chose to stop eating meat in 2007 and I never realized how awful meat made me feel until I quit eating it. That was my choice of course and is not for everyone. I also began cutting out the sweets and switched to unsweet tea and quit drinking soft drinks. I eat as much organic food as I can or grow my own if I have space for it. I have found shopping at the local farmer's market is a whole lot less expensive than over processed snack foods. We plan our menu for the week as a family and shop based on that menu... this saves time and money in the long run and is certainly a whole lot healthier. Sugar and carbs can actually slow you down through the day since those sugars break down and then cause your body more work to break them down. Drink more water throughout the day especially before you eat a meal. Work you calories based upon you and your body such as 200 for breakfast, then a 100 snack two hours later, a 300 calorie lunch followed by two 100 calorie snacks in the afternoon at two hour intervals, then eat your dinner and learn to measure out until you know by heart what a real serving size is. Use smaller plates if necessary to make it look like more. I know this sounds ridiculous, but your eyes can make your stomach do weird things. You don't have to exercise everyday. You can spread it out if necessary so long as you are doing something. Most of all keep a positive attitude and remember that you want to watch you kids grow up.

[BertMacklinFBI]

getting healthier, the best and efficient way to do it, is take it 1 step at a time. so I mean obviously, a well balanced diet that meets your nutritional needs and daily exercise along with eating in controlled proportions helps greatly, but doing all of that at once is what usually causes people to fail soon after they begin. they can't handle it all and have a meltdown. so take it step by step. I suggest you start with diet. if you say you don't have much money, then just try to stick to the most natural foods you can come across at the cheapest price. there are options out there at supermarkets. and you can snack on almonds, that's a good one. now you work 2 jobs + school, that must be exhausting but its not impossible. just adjust to your diet plan first and adapt to it accordingly, then see if there is any room you can fit exercise in between, don't stress over no exercise, you can lose fat by eating right alone. stick to an all natural foods diet if you can, anything that fell off a tree or grew out of the ground you can eat. try to avoid as many processed foods as you can, anything that was man made, there are a few exceptions like wheat bread, but only eat them within moderation.