2837: Eating Healthy on A Slim Budget by April Dykman with Get Rich Slowly on Meal Planning Advice

[00:00:00] Überlass deine gesunde Ernährung und die Gains nicht nur deinem Bauchgefühl. Denn bei der Ernährung gaukelt uns unser innerer Schweinehund manchmal ganz schön was vor. Sag stattdessen Hallo zu deinem neuen Coach, Yasio. Yasio ist die meistgenutzte Ernährungs-App Europas, made in Germany. Egal ob Massephase oder ein bisschen Abnehmen, tracke Kalorien, Proteine, Carbs, Fette, Bewegung und Intervallfasten. Und mit den Tasty-Rezepten bist du ready für deine Ziele. Let's go! Lade die Yasio-App jetzt herunter.

[00:00:30] This is Optimal Health Daily, Eating Healthy on a Slim Budget by April Dykman with GetRichSlowly.org. And I'm Dr. Neal.

[00:00:39] Hey there and welcome back to Optimal Health Daily where I act as your narrator of the best health and fitness blogs all for free. And don't forget we have a few shows where we do this covering a bunch of topics. Just search for Optimal Living Daily in any podcast app to find them.

[00:00:55] Alright and with that, let's get right to it and start optimizing your life.

[00:01:04] Eating Healthy on a Slim Budget by April Dykman with GetRichSlowly.org

[00:01:10] I spend almost as much on groceries as I do on my mortgage.

[00:01:13] Now before you spit your coffee all over your keyboard, you should know that my mortgage is pretty low.

[00:01:19] Lower than what some of my friends pay in rent.

[00:01:22] And for me, groceries includes all of the extras one buys at grocery stores like paper towels and soap.

[00:01:30] And the latest issue of the weekly tabloid.

[00:01:33] Just kidding, I have zero interest in tabloids.

[00:01:35] Anyway, non-food expenses aside, I still spend a lot of money on groceries.

[00:01:40] Part of it is need.

[00:01:41] We do need to eat.

[00:01:43] Part of it is want, since food and cooking is a hobby of mine.

[00:01:47] I make cuts in other places in order to afford things like fresh-pressed olive oil.

[00:01:52] And part of it I view as a health expense.

[00:01:55] Things like antibiotic-free meat and organic strawberries.

[00:01:59] The thing is, I know I'm lucky to be in a position to afford it.

[00:02:03] Yes, I prioritize food and health in my spending, so that helps.

[00:02:08] But not everyone can do that.

[00:02:10] You can't prioritize organic avocados over, say, paying the rent or paying for childcare.

[00:02:15] For instance, listen to this post by Tom in Texas on the Paleo Hacks message board.

[00:02:21] Quote,

[00:02:22] My wife and I are having to cut costs as I'm quitting my job to go back to school.

[00:02:26] I'll still have some income, but less than half of what I make right now.

[00:02:31] As such, cuts have to be made.

[00:02:33] And it looks like the unnecessarily high cost of my paleo diet is in the crosshairs.

[00:02:38] I've recently gone paleo.

[00:02:40] She didn't.

[00:02:41] After more than two months, I feel great.

[00:02:43] But today I had my first non-paleo meal in a while.

[00:02:46] Lentils and some chicken.

[00:02:48] Fifteen minutes later, I was bent over the commode revisiting my lunch.

[00:02:52] Now I feel horrible.

[00:02:53] And I'm hungry again.

[00:02:55] One and a half hours after I ate.

[00:02:57] Morale is at a bit of a low.

[00:02:59] Any ideas on how I can keep the cost on the low end?

[00:03:02] I live in a small apartment, so buying half a cow is not an option.

[00:03:06] Based on my stomach's response to lunch, neither is rice and beans.

[00:03:11] End quote.

[00:03:12] Traditional advice isn't practical.

[00:03:15] Now this post isn't about the paleo diet per se.

[00:03:18] I don't personally follow any diet plan.

[00:03:21] I chose Tom in Texas' quote because it gets to the heart of the financial aspects of trying to eat a clean diet, whatever that means to you.

[00:03:29] These aspects are often disregarded by those who espouse these special diets.

[00:03:34] Especially when you're talking to a health nut about the expenses of eating healthy,

[00:03:38] they say things like,

[00:03:40] Cut other expenses to afford it.

[00:03:42] Or,

[00:03:43] Consider it a medical expense.

[00:03:44] Or they offer the advice Tom in Texas mentions.

[00:03:47] Buy half a cow.

[00:03:48] But Tom in Texas is on a very restricted budget.

[00:03:52] He can care about his health until the grass-fed cows come home.

[00:03:55] But that won't magically put food dollars in his bank account.

[00:03:58] And he can't buy in bulk because he lives in an apartment.

[00:04:02] Plus, his significant other isn't on board.

[00:04:04] She doesn't share his views on diet.

[00:04:06] And that's a difficult situation when his food expenses have increased and his income has decreased.

[00:04:11] She has a right to be concerned about their finances.

[00:04:15] So, what can Tom do to keep eating in a way that makes him feel better while keeping to a tight budget?

[00:04:22] Decide what matters most.

[00:04:24] The solution is to prioritize.

[00:04:26] You may not be able to afford a perfect diet, whatever that means to you,

[00:04:31] but you can make choices where it matters most.

[00:04:34] Here's a roundup of some of the best advice I've read about what to prioritize and how to stretch your budget.

[00:04:39] 1. Cut the fancy supplements, powders, and special drinks.

[00:04:44] If you have to watch your budget, think about cutting the $50 protein powder and have some eggs for breakfast instead.

[00:04:51] Ditto the special drinks.

[00:04:53] Anthony Benair at Hybrid Athlete writes,

[00:04:55] quote,

[00:04:56] Don't drink your calories.

[00:04:58] Avoid soda, juice, and energy drinks.

[00:05:00] Stick to water, tea, and coffee.

[00:05:03] End quote.

[00:05:04] These are all cheaper and healthier.

[00:05:06] 2. Don't throw your food budget in the trash.

[00:05:10] If your produce often goes bad before you get a chance to eat it, buy some frozen vegetables.

[00:05:16] Steve Kam of Nerd Fitness writes,

[00:05:18] quote,

[00:05:19] Sure, I love fresh veggies, but since frozen veggies are picked and then frozen at peak ripeness and thus most nutritionally dense,

[00:05:26] they are often a better value while being edible for months longer.

[00:05:30] End quote.

[00:05:31] 3. Get the most nutritional bang for your buck.

[00:05:34] Steve Kam also writes,

[00:05:37] quote,

[00:05:38] Target nutrient-dense foods, but understand that we're looking for the most economical food choices.

[00:05:43] If food A costs $10 and has 50 of nutrient X, we'll pick food B instead, which only provides 45 of nutrient X, but costs just $2.

[00:05:55] End quote.

[00:05:57] High on his list?

[00:05:58] Dark leafy greens, broccoli, eggs, meat, canned tuna, legumes, bananas, and plums.

[00:06:06] 4. Cook like your grandma.

[00:06:08] Rachel Adams, the freckled foodie, tells Abel James, the fat burning man, quote,

[00:06:15] After ditching my go-to Pam cooking spray, I began to research other cooking oils.

[00:06:21] My favorite early discovery is to save all the excess grease from cooked bacon, ground pork, and any other meat,

[00:06:27] and use it to cook veggies or side dishes.

[00:06:29] End quote.

[00:06:30] Another way to use up everything you buy?

[00:06:33] Eat the perfectly healthy parts of produce that most people throw out.

[00:06:37] For instance, you can sauté beet greens, and you can steam broccoli stalks.

[00:06:42] 5. It's okay to buy less expensive meat.

[00:06:46] If you want the highest quality of meat but can't afford it, don't sweat it.

[00:06:50] Marc Sasson, the author of The Primal Blueprint, writes,

[00:06:54] Quote, If I can't eat grass-fed meat, I look for the cleanest meat I can find, meaning no hormones, no antibiotics, etc.

[00:07:02] End quote.

[00:07:03] Another way to save is by buying the cheaper cuts of meat.

[00:07:06] For instance, dark meat is cheaper than white meat.

[00:07:08] Skirt steak is cheaper than ribeye.

[00:07:11] There's nothing wrong with those cuts.

[00:07:13] They're just less desirable to the majority of consumers.

[00:07:16] And 6. Shop sales.

[00:07:19] Okay, this one is a bit obvious,

[00:07:21] but it had to be included because sales are hard to come by for non-processed foods.

[00:07:26] Places to look?

[00:07:28] Grocery stores clearing out nearly but not yet expired food,

[00:07:32] coupons for frozen produce,

[00:07:34] weekly sales on select cuts of meat,

[00:07:36] and end-of-day deals at the farmer's markets when vendors are packing up to go home.

[00:07:42] As for specific advice for Tom in Texas,

[00:07:44] I would tell him to sit down with his wife and come up with a food budget that works for both of them.

[00:07:49] Then, he could offer to do the grocery shopping using these tips to stick to his diet as much as possible,

[00:07:55] while keeping in mind his wife's food preferences too.

[00:07:58] If he can find coupons for some of the foods she likes to eat,

[00:08:01] that would also help him stick to their budget.

[00:08:04] What advice would you give Tom in Texas?

[00:08:07] And whatever your diet of choice,

[00:08:09] what are some ways you eat on a healthy budget?

[00:08:15] You just listened to the post titled,

[00:08:17] Eat Healthy on a Slim Budget,

[00:08:19] by April Dykeman,

[00:08:20] with GetRichSlowly.org,

[00:08:22] and I'll be right back with my commentary.

[00:08:25] Dr. Neil here for my commentary.

[00:08:27] I completely agree with April's main point.

[00:08:30] We have to prioritize.

[00:08:32] This applies to basically any behavior.

[00:08:35] Not just how and when we spend our money,

[00:08:37] but also whether we choose to squeeze in a workout,

[00:08:40] or watch Netflix instead.

[00:08:42] Instead, it's about prioritizing health over other less important things.

[00:08:47] So how do I prioritize?

[00:08:49] Well, one thing I do is plan what I'm going to eat at least a week ahead.

[00:08:54] So every day for the coming week,

[00:08:56] I know what I'm going to have for dinner,

[00:08:58] because that's usually where most of my calories come from.

[00:09:02] I also block off times in my calendar when I'm going to work out.

[00:09:06] So every day next week,

[00:09:08] I know which days and when I'm going to squeeze in that workout.

[00:09:12] Just those two tricks alone

[00:09:14] help me stay consistent with my diet and physical activity.

[00:09:18] And if you think about it,

[00:09:19] diet and physical activity,

[00:09:21] those are the two behaviors

[00:09:23] that can significantly reduce disease risk.

[00:09:25] Now, at the end of today's article,

[00:09:28] the author, April,

[00:09:29] asked us about ways we plan to eat healthy on a budget.

[00:09:32] I would also ask,

[00:09:33] what areas of our health

[00:09:35] are we going to prioritize?

[00:09:37] For me,

[00:09:38] it's diet and physical activity.

[00:09:41] All right, that'll do it for today.

[00:09:43] Thank you so much for being here.

[00:09:44] Thank you for listening every day.

[00:09:46] I hope you have a great weekend.

[00:09:48] And of course, I'll see you back here tomorrow

[00:09:49] where your optimal life awaits.

[00:09:52] Thank you.

[00:09:52] Thank you.

[00:09:52] Thank you.

[00:09:52] Thank you.