Losing Weight Even On A Tight Budget

With many people losing their jobs in 2020, many are struggling just to make ends meet. One of the main expenses that people have after their home and transportation is going to be food. So can you still eat well and lose weight on a tight budget?

Of course, you can!

The sad truth is that when someone’s income goes down, so does the quality of their food.

And while it is certainly cheap to go to McDonald’s or taco bell for their dollar menus, it’s not the best for your health.

The good news is, it doesn’t have to be that way.

With a little effort and smart shopping, you can get a ton of food for less than $50.

Not only will you be able to save money by eating this way, but you’ll also be healthier and lose weight!

This is how to lose weight on a tight budget with five suggestions.

1. Intermittent Fasting

Implementing intermittent fasting is a quick and easy way to lose weight on a tight budget. 

After all, what better way to lose weight than by not eating?

If you’re unfamiliar, intermittent fasting is a technique where you separate your day into fasting and feeding windows.

Here’s an example of how that would look.

• Fasting window: 6 pm- 10 am
• Feeding window: 10 am -6 pm

During the fasting window, you will eat absolutely nothing for 16 hours. The good part is that a good portion of that fasting window time is time being asleep.

You will have eight hours to eat your meals during the feeding window.

In the feeding window, I generally will skip breakfast and have my first meal at 10 a.m.

I will then have a snack around 2, and then finally eat dinner between 5 and 6 p.m.

Once 6 p.m. hits, I stop eating completely.

This method of losing weight does take a little bit of willpower, and it’s not for everyone, but it can certainly be helpful when you’re on a tight budget.

The first two days are a bit challenging because you will be extremely hungry, but your body gets used to it after a few days.

2. Drink More Water

Another way to lose weight on a really tight budget is by drinking more water. Some studies have shown that the signal that your body is hungry is the same signal that you were thirsty.

I think in many cases, people are eating when they’re thirsty.

Leaving that aside, drinking a large glass of water before a meal will actually cause you to eat less because your stomach it’s full of water instead of food. 

3. Avoid Supplements

I think supplements can be beneficial, but they are not absolutely essential to get weight loss results.

They are only meant to supplement diet and exercise.

Remember that people have been burning fat and building muscle for hundreds of years before the existence of nutritional supplements.

All you need is a balanced nutrition plan, exercise, and a positive attitude to get great results, even on a low budget.

Save the money you’d be spending on supplements and put it back into your grocery budget for the month.

4. Home Workout

If you’re on a really tight budget and still paying for a gym membership, you could be saving money by getting a home workout instead.

At the time of this article, most gyms are not even open due to the pandemic.

So you’re just burning cash while you can’t use the gym.

Even with just a small investment in some basic equipment, you’ll still be saving money versus a traditional gym membership 

I stopped going to the gym a few years back because I was able to get just as good of a workout at home with a set of dumbbells, a pull-up bar, and my jump rope. 

Check out my other article on how to get an amazing home workout without spending any money

5. Grocery List and Meal Plan

The last suggestion to help you be successful on a budget is by making a grocery list and meal plan.

If you have a grocery list of exactly what you need, how much it costs, and a meal plan to make the items on the grocery list, you’re less likely to just buy things and “wing it” while in the supermarket.

Remember the key to success here is to maximize every dollar spent by only buying the absolute essentials.

It’s not going to be super exciting, but it’s what needs to be done while on a tight budget.

When I was bodybuilding in my 20s, I could barely afford my rent, much less name-brand items.

Always buy generic when possible (unless the name brand is cheaper, which can sometimes happen)

Even on a really tight budget, you can make some healthy and delicious meals.

All the prices below are from Walmart.

It may be more expensive or cheaper depending on your area, but this should give you a general idea of how much you’re going to be spending.

Protein

• Eggs 36 count -$4.60
• Frozen Chicken Breast 3 lbs- $6.68
• Ground Beef 2.26 lbs – $7.98

Carbs

• Oatmeal $2.71
• Brown Rice $1.37
• Whole Wheat Pasta $1.00

Fruits and Vegetables

• 2 Cans Tomato Sauce $1.86
• Frozen Broccoli 2 lbs bag $2.00
• 7 Bananas $0.70
• Bag of Apples $5.97
• Bag of White Onions $1.94
• 7 Cans Mushrooms $4.76
• Head of lettuce $1.56

Condiments

• Seasoning blend $0.98
• Low-fat salad dressing (ranch) $1.63

Total Cost – $45.04

The food here should last a week or more depending on your caloric needs and family size. Some of the food like rice, oatmeal, and eggs should last a few weeks. 

It just shows you that eating at home is much cheaper than eating out, and it can still be healthy and delicious too!

Meal Plan

Breakfast

• Oatmeal and banana
• Eggs (cooked to your liking)

Lunch

• Chicken, Rice, Broccoli

Snack

• 1 apple

Dinner

• Whole Wheat Pasta, ground beef, onion, and mushroom
• Side Salad with ranch

This meal plan may be a bit boring, but there’s no doubt about it being effective.

As your finances improve, you can add different items for more variety.

I’ve been in tight spots financially before and with a positive attitude, things can improve for you.