Ask:
Has anyone else noticed this:
When I watch my diet, (actually when on a 'diet') I spend much less money, buy less, etc. When I'm 'living high on the hog' I tend to overeat also. Anyone else made this connection?
Answer:
It makes sense. I mean, a bag of potato chips costs around $2.50-$3.00. You can get about 4 oranges for that. One fills you up, the other is just empty calories. If you eat the potato chips, you are still going to eat something else that is "real" food to fill you up. If you eat the orange, you may need to eat a little something else, like a yogurt or something, so there is another .50 cents. "Diet" food that is good for you usually will fill you up more, so you don't need to buy as much food as if you are buying junk. Not to mention, if you cook your meals from scratch, as opposed to buying "convenience" food, you will be spending less in the long run and eating more healthfully.
Answer:
This doesn't hold for me, but I'm an original.
I spend more for healthier foods that I want to try. also I buy work out clothes that I don't have. and then there is needed accessories. I now have everything except I need gloves for lighting weights.
allgirls
Answer:
I always find when I cooking from scratch all the yummy cooking smells make me less hungry than before - never figured it out, cant eat as much when I cooked it myself.
Answer:
Well it is sort of opposite for me right now- I am actually spending more. Mainly because I am buying more fresh fruits and vegies, but I have to continue buying the snack things for my DH and girls ( I mean snack food). My Dh was talking to my brother about how he can't give up his taste for chips (anything crunchy he likes to snack on- with the exception of carrots- believe me I tried) and he won't give up pop. The pop and chip thing does not bother me that much- because if he quit eating them- he would lose weight a lot more faster than me!
Answer:
Yeah, I've noticed, especially at breakfast. A delicious bowl of oatmeal & a fruit can fill me up for about 4 hours. If I eat cold cereal, along with a fruit, it only fills me up for about 2 hours.
I eat a lot of beans, nuts/seeds, fruit & veggies which is cheaper in the long run because "junk food" doesn't fill you up as long.
Answer:
Maybe when you're "dieting" you spend less because you're already feeling good and don't need the material things to perk you up. I know that when I'm feeling good I prefer to spend my time working on home projects or walking, etc.
For some reason I also eat less when I cook things myself. Even when it's good! Maybe taking the time to prepare things and smell them as they're cooking satisfies that part of my brain that makes me eat too much when I dine out or eat convenience food.
Answer:
For a while (until I got the hang of this vegetarian/organic thing) it was costing me more. But, I found that it was because I didn't have the "right" things in the house. I do now and my grocery bill has been going down. I also find that meal and snack planning helps. That way, I am not just going through the store throwing things in my cart at randem, I know what I need for my recipes and a few healthy snacks and that's it. We have been feeling much better not eating junk anymore.
BTW: I have a new addiction. Tops had reduced whole mushrooms last week. I bought 2 pkgs (put them in a paper bag to make them last longer). When I want a snack at night, I microwave a couple in a tiny bit of water for 1 minute and put some Braggs Liquid Aminos (unfermented soy sauce) and have w/ whatever veggie is left from dinner. It's awesome!!!!!! and basically a no calarie snack.
Answer:
I see the connection! I have lost 15 lbs since we put ourselves on a grocery budget and stopped eating out so much! It has a lot to do with discipline I think. If you discipline your spending, that mindset carries over to other areas of your life too, and it becomes almost natural to eat right!
Answer:
I think this is true for a lot of people. For me it's a little different though.
When I am eating healthy and going to the gym my five days a week, I am HAPPY and feeling good. Exercise just does that for me. I seek happiness in nothing else... like shopping. Although the food I am eating is a little more expensive I make up for it by not going out and looking for something to buy.