To all the health nuts on GAG :), cheap way to stay healthy and lose the weight?

[MagicalMaria]

I am currently in university and living alone. I don't have the time or the money to make healthy meals for myself everyday. My university doesn't have a good selection of food either, and anything on the healthier side closes at 4 pm. We have a Mr. Sub, Pizza, a bunch of coffee/tea places, Tim Horton's and booster juice; either too expensive or unhealthy.

I lost 30 lbs over the summer but managed to gain back more than half the weight. At that time I had more time to go to the gym, and cook, and I had a job. I need help. What kinds of things should I do or change in my life to get healthier and lose the weight I gained (ie. cheap, healthy, and quick to make meals, effective ways to work out, etc.).

All help is appreciated, thank you in advance :)

[Catie101]

Tim Hortons Nutrition Calculator: link pick out foods you like and put them into the nutrition calculator and it will tell you how healthy it is by how much fat, sugar, calories, etc. are in it! great for when you're on the go and don't have time to make anything. but check ahead of time and write a list of the healthy options and keep it on you (in your purse maybe).

link this site has articles to read, fitness and nutrition stuff, etc. here is also a link to their YouTube channel! you don't need to buy a gym membership to do their workouts. most you can do without any at home equipment also! - link

link link link all these websites have info on fitness, overall health, and they also have recipes and nutrition information. I most highly recommend the third link (the dr.oz website) I have learned so much from him!

things to keep in mind:

- drink lots of water

- eat 5-6 small meals a day as opposed to 3 larger ones

- fitness and nutrition need to be paired together! you can't just do one!

- a normal amount of weight loss is 2 pounds per week. don't set your weight loss goals unrealistically

- if you have time to be on this site, you have time to prepare healthy meals for yourself. if you won't have time the next day prepares meals ahead of time and stick them in the fridge

good luck! xoxo

[Catie101]

Thanks for BA :)

[curiouschica]

Is Mr. Sub like subway? You can always do roast beef or turkey sandwiches (hold the mayo/mustard/ketchup business)! Make sure the meat in the sandwich isn't too much and only get like one slice of cheese if you must. Pizza can be healthy...u could get a thin slice or 2. That way it wouldn't really matter if supreme or cheese or veggie since the amount would be small (am assuming they don't make them super greasy)! A salad is always a healthy option you could make...could add eggs or pieces of meat to the salad and dress it up with olives, carrots, and things like that...I tend to squeeze limes on mine (or add a spoonful of olive oil)...I avoid ranch...the more veggies the better because of the fiber. And if you make your food spicy it'll speed up your metabolism so I try to add peppers to my salad. I love sandwiches for lunch too...a classic peanut butter sandwich or feta cheese sandwich or cream cheese...just watch the serving size and you'll be OK. Have a fruit with it and large glass of water...Good luck! Eating healthy can be fun...it makes you feel good about yourself! :) Don't see it as a temporary thing...make it your goal for life!

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Create a routine that fits your desires. Established desired goals within those workouts that are not fat loss related--- a faster time, a heavier lift, more reps, longer distance, etc.. A strong desire in a particular workout is the only true means to getting healthy. You need to find a fitness hobby. Mine was running long distance. Now it's lifting heavy. But my desires for mountain biking have been increasing. >:) Once you love your sport, your desire to get further in that sport will bring you much further than your desire to be skinny. I will not rest from working out until I run a sub 5 mile, have a 30+ inch vertical, complete a marathon, bike a century, bench 225lb and squat 350lbs. I got a lot of desired goals and I can't go at all them all at once.. but it has always kept me active in one sport or the other.

As for cheap nutrition, lets start with the macronutrients..

Ramen noodles = cheap carbs

Rice = cheap carbs

Tuna = cheap protein

Hotdogs = cheap protein/fats

Eggs = cheap protein/fats

Milk = cheap protein/fats

Now micronutrients---

Get a multivitamin. Cheapest, healthiest option in this respect. A diet plan that gets you all your micronutrients is not only expensive, but extremely complicated to achieve. So respect the multivitamin.

[martyfellow]

Running can be done most any time at a university, that's the best overall cardio workout.

Food: cook up some rice and just add various combinations of vegetables and lean meat to it, tha't takes no time to prepare. That should be your staple; you can vary it on weekends when you should have more time to cook. Stick to mostly vegetables and avoid a lot of meat.

Steamed fish is also quick to prepare, healthy, and can be packed as lunch with rice and spices to liven up your diet.

There are any other alternatives; download some recipes from any of the many websites out there for healthy eating.

Go to the gym of course every chance you get, and go to aerobics classes, circuit traiing, other classes emphasizing cardio workouts.

You will get there!

[Longshot]

Grab fruits and vegetables or bring them with you to school. Also on the weekends cook some boneless, skinless chicken breasts so you can bring some protein with you. No junk food or fatty foods.

Walk everywhere you can. You can use a crude rule of thumb -- continuous walking will burn about 6 calories a minute. (It can be higher or lower based on your pace, terrain and your current weight.)

You might also try one trick often used by serious dieters -- frequently you will read where they eat their "dinner" at breakfast and then fruits and veggies the rest of the day. You will even find programs like Weight Watchers mentioning this on their site.

[sfauo]

Eat fruits and vegetables, try to cut back on the junk food, drink plenty of water, go for a run. Lots of options.

[Anonymous]

Frozen and canned goods. They are cheap and if you buy the foods that aren't overly processed, the can be very healthy.

[ArrograntWarrior]

I eat banana and climb tress and hang around on the branches by doing that I save money on gym membership