I Would Be Healthier If I Had The Money

Seil · 03-22-2010, 08:30 PM

So recently, I've been trying to quit my coke habit. I mean, my cola habit. I used to drink a two-liter a day, and recently I've started to drink more water and juice. My favorite type of juice is usually on sale, too: two two-liter bottles for $5.00 - but I can get four bottles of Coke for that price. Even more if I go to the dollar store and get the one-liter bottles from there.

I'm not saying that I'm the healthiest person in the world - I barley exercise, I don't eat right, and I'm a couch potato. However, it occurred to me that others might feel the same as me; looking to make a change but assaulted by low-priced grease and soda on all sides. And talk about readily available.

They've now got hybrid, fuel efficient cars. That's great for the people that need to buy a care, and can afford to buy something new and shiny... but everyone else is left with their gas-guzzling behemoths because of a lack of funds, or whatever the cause may be. Are we wanting to be healthier because we actually want to do so, but lack the means/funds to? Or is it one of those "New Years Resolutions" we tack on to our to-do list that we never end up doing?

Eltargrim · 03-22-2010, 08:39 PM

Juice isn't all that much better for you; sugar is sugar.

Eating healthier may mean an increase in investment of time, and possibly an increase in cost as well, but the benefits are worth it. Less preservatives, less salt, more fresh veggies; all good for you.

If you can't afford a hybrid car, look into public transportation, or cycling. Transportation and exercise.

EVILNess · 03-22-2010, 08:54 PM

Yeah, seriously. Drink water. It's honestly probably the best, AND cheapest thing you could be drinking. If you want something sweet drink some kool-aid or tea. I lost about 50 lbs from doing this.

pochercoaster · 03-22-2010, 09:10 PM

A waterbottle barely costs anything and you can refill it for free.

From my own experience, junk food is more costly than healthy home cooked meals. Well, that's assuming you're not like me and don't need two TV dinners to feel full or two whole hamburgers or whatever. I suppose if you ate exactly three meals a day and each of those meals was exactly one portion it wouldn't be much more expensive than making your own meals. In terms of how filling junk food is, though, I don't find it very cost effective. This is compounded by the fact that refined sugars tend to make you hungrier whereas complex carbs and proteins tend to fill you up.

These are my staples: rice, lentils, oatmeal, frozen vegetables, eggs, a cooking onion, garlic, cooking oil (sesame is yummy), cheese, and some kind of fruit (a bag of apples or some bananas or some strawberries for snacks). All of these are cheap and can be used as the basis for most of your meals. For variation buy whatever veggies and meat that are on sale that week.

Unfortunately this does require you to invest some time out of your week. It's especially annoying if you're just feeding yourself because unless what you make can be frozen, you can't cook large batches of anything without it going bad before you eat all of it. If you're organized, though, it's manageable.

FYI, I used to guzzle sugary instant iced tea and energy drinks all the time. About 6 months ago I stopped drinking them altogether and switched to plain water and tea and I feel SO much better now. Granted, a lot of that probably had to do with the ludicrous amounts of caffeine I was consuming, but all that sugar certainly wasn't helping, either. I don't even crave them anymore- water is actually appetizing now.

synkr0nized · 03-22-2010, 11:44 PM

Get water filters for your faucet or get one of those pitchers.
Also, try out tea.

I don't cut soda out of my diet, but I sure don't always drink it like I had been doing for the past few years.

Azisien · 03-23-2010, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eltargrim

Juice isn't all that much better for you; sugar is sugar.

This seems relatively misleading to me. Most juices I know of aren't loaded with high-fructose corn syrup. Switching from cola to juice would be way better for you.

Of course, other alternatives like water or tea just have straight up less calories. But the former is tasteless (mostly) and the latter doesn't usually satisfy us sweet tooths.

Therefore, I say, switch to compulsive milk drinking! It's just the mammal thing to do.

We live in a horrible society because unless you're living almost entirely off staple carbs, junk food is cheaper than healthy food. Have you been to a Walmart recently? Giant box of cookies for $1. McDonalds? A double cheeseburger for $1. It is honestly more expensive to buy real fruits and vegetables and meat. The only things that beat it are maybe rice or pasta with like...tomato sauce. Who wants spaghetti and meatballs?!

...With the handsome trade-off that you feel less like shit, of course.

pochercoaster · 03-23-2010, 01:28 PM

I do most of my shopping at No Frills and some of it at Wal Mart. Honestly, I eat healthy and satisfyingly on $30 a week. If you're a student I imagine it's more difficult, though.

Edit: Also during my brief forays into the United States I've noticed that American grocery stores tend to suck compared to their Canadian counterparts.

Meister · 03-23-2010, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azisien

Of course, other alternatives like water or tea just have straight up less calories. But the former is tasteless (mostly) and the latter doesn't usually satisfy us sweet tooths.

Can't have your cake and eat it, and specifically can't expect to lose weight if you eat it.

Mike McC · 03-23-2010, 02:31 PM

If you take the effort to cook, healthy eating is cheaper than the more unhealthy alternatives. You just need to put a little effort and research into it.

Amake · 03-23-2010, 03:33 PM

Me, I'm experimenting with the limits of my willpower at the moment. There's three 1� liter bottles of pepsi in my fridge, usually that'd last me three days, but I aim to make them last to April 18.

Because I absolutely hate to be bound by chemicals or habits or anything else, and I have decided I'm not going to be. And these days when I don't have any caffeine for a day I get headaches and get very sleepy. I just think about that, and it gets easy to look at that top shelf and don't touch anything.

My point being, it probably helps if you know exactly what you want to do and why. Have something worth fighting for, worth choking down boring old water when you're thirsty or spend all that money on better drinks.

03-22-2010, 08:30 PM	#1
Seil Super stressed! Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: British Columbia Posts: 8,081	I Would Be Healthier If I Had The Money So recently, I've been trying to quit my coke habit. I mean, my cola habit. I used to drink a two-liter a day, and recently I've started to drink more water and juice. My favorite type of juice is usually on sale, too: two two-liter bottles for $5.00 - but I can get four bottles of Coke for that price. Even more if I go to the dollar store and get the one-liter bottles from there. I'm not saying that I'm the healthiest person in the world - I barley exercise, I don't eat right, and I'm a couch potato. However, it occurred to me that others might feel the same as me; looking to make a change but assaulted by low-priced grease and soda on all sides. And talk about readily available. They've now got hybrid, fuel efficient cars. That's great for the people that need to buy a care, and can afford to buy something new and shiny... but everyone else is left with their gas-guzzling behemoths because of a lack of funds, or whatever the cause may be. Are we wanting to be healthier because we actually want to do so, but lack the means/funds to? Or is it one of those "New Years Resolutions" we tack on to our to-do list that we never end up doing?

03-22-2010, 08:39 PM	#2
Eltargrim Fifty-Talents Haversham Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: FABULOUS Posts: 1,904	Juice isn't all that much better for you; sugar is sugar. Eating healthier may mean an increase in investment of time, and possibly an increase in cost as well, but the benefits are worth it. Less preservatives, less salt, more fresh veggies; all good for you. If you can't afford a hybrid car, look into public transportation, or cycling. Transportation and exercise. __________________ <Insert witticism here; get credit; ???; profit!>

03-22-2010, 11:44 PM	#5
synkr0nized synk-ism Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: throughout the Wired Posts: 6,861	Though in some ways tea might not be better. Get water filters for your faucet or get one of those pitchers. Also, try out tea. I don't cut soda out of my diet, but I sure don't always drink it like I had been doing for the past few years. __________________ Find love.

03-23-2010, 02:31 PM	#9
Mike McC Time is something else. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wherever I am needed, I will be there. Posts: 5,065	If you take the effort to cook, healthy eating is cheaper than the more unhealthy alternatives. You just need to put a little effort and research into it. __________________ WHERE MIKEY IS IN 2022! tumblrs - http://werewolf.zone twitters - @itmightbemikey

03-23-2010, 03:33 PM	#10
Amake Keeper of the new Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: A place without judgment Posts: 4,506	It was bulk discount Me, I'm experimenting with the limits of my willpower at the moment. There's three 1� liter bottles of pepsi in my fridge, usually that'd last me three days, but I aim to make them last to April 18. Because I absolutely hate to be bound by chemicals or habits or anything else, and I have decided I'm not going to be. And these days when I don't have any caffeine for a day I get headaches and get very sleepy. I just think about that, and it gets easy to look at that top shelf and don't touch anything. My point being, it probably helps if you know exactly what you want to do and why. Have something worth fighting for, worth choking down boring old water when you're thirsty or spend all that money on better drinks. __________________ Hope insistent, trust implicit, love inherent, life immersed

03-22-2010, 09:10 PM	#4
pochercoaster rollerpocher tycoon Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 1,808	A waterbottle barely costs anything and you can refill it for free. From my own experience, junk food is more costly than healthy home cooked meals. Well, that's assuming you're not like me and don't need two TV dinners to feel full or two whole hamburgers or whatever. I suppose if you ate exactly three meals a day and each of those meals was exactly one portion it wouldn't be much more expensive than making your own meals. In terms of how filling junk food is, though, I don't find it very cost effective. This is compounded by the fact that refined sugars tend to make you hungrier whereas complex carbs and proteins tend to fill you up. These are my staples: rice, lentils, oatmeal, frozen vegetables, eggs, a cooking onion, garlic, cooking oil (sesame is yummy), cheese, and some kind of fruit (a bag of apples or some bananas or some strawberries for snacks). All of these are cheap and can be used as the basis for most of your meals. For variation buy whatever veggies and meat that are on sale that week. Unfortunately this does require you to invest some time out of your week. It's especially annoying if you're just feeding yourself because unless what you make can be frozen, you can't cook large batches of anything without it going bad before you eat all of it. If you're organized, though, it's manageable. FYI, I used to guzzle sugary instant iced tea and energy drinks all the time. About 6 months ago I stopped drinking them altogether and switched to plain water and tea and I feel SO much better now. Granted, a lot of that probably had to do with the ludicrous amounts of caffeine I was consuming, but all that sugar certainly wasn't helping, either. I don't even crave them anymore- water is actually appetizing now.

03-23-2010, 01:28 PM	#7
pochercoaster rollerpocher tycoon Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 1,808	I do most of my shopping at No Frills and some of it at Wal Mart. Honestly, I eat healthy and satisfyingly on $30 a week. If you're a student I imagine it's more difficult, though. Edit: Also during my brief forays into the United States I've noticed that American grocery stores tend to suck compared to their Canadian counterparts.