Thursday
Oct302008
Don't let lean times make you fat
Thursday, October 30, 2008 at 11:53AM
According to MSNBC, waistbands tend to expand as the economy contracts, proving wrong that old "tightening the belt" metaphor:
Rising unemployment, higher food prices and dwindling savings may exacerbate the nation’s obesity problem, sending already high rates ballooning as consumers turn to cheaper, less healthful choices ranging from boxed mac ‘n’ cheese to fast-food dollar menus.
“All evidence suggests that obesity is the toxic consequence of a failing economic environment,” said Adam Drewnowski, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington in Seattle.
As households struggle with falling incomes and with food prices expected to jump 6 percent this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, families are scrimping on groceries. Nearly six in 10 Americans said they’ve cut back on the quality or quantity of the food they buy, according to an annual hunger survey released this week by Hormel Foods Corp.
But that doesn’t mean they’re dieting, noted Drewnowski, whose research has found a consistent link between poverty and obesity, including a recent study that showed that obesity rates were five times higher in lower-value Seattle ZIP code areas than in upscale neighborhoods.
“It is quite possible to spend less and eat more,” said Drewnowski. “The very cheapest foods are calorie-rich and nutrient-poor. Because they contain refined grains, sugars and fats, they also taste good and, of course, are easy to come by.”
Link to full article here.
According to experts, if you follow the USDA's five-to-nine suggestion for daily fruit and vegetable servings, your the cost of your diet will increase threefold, so they're not just whistling dixie when they say your body weight is tied to your wallet weight. So what's a dieting girl (or guy) supposed to do?
Integrate beans and eggs (mostly whites, of course) to your protein supply. Both are still full of muscle-building protein, but don't cost as much as chicken, fish or beef. Also, try frozen meats instead of fresh.
Buy grains in bulk. Don't be tempted by white bread and pasta. Stock the cabinets with large bags/boxes of whole-grain pasta, brown rice and barley or bulk quantities of whole-wheat flour. Uncooked, these items are cheap, and if you cook a large amount in advance and save it, it's also simple to incorporate them into any meal.
Avoid going out! If you eat at home, you save money AND calories.
Avoid TV dinners. You can make the same thing yourself cheaper and healthier. And again, make enough of your favorite lunch dish (black beans and rice or a terriaki chicken bowl) for a few servings and put them in single-serving containers in the fridge to make life even easier.
Go frozen with fruits and veggies. Frozen at the peak of freshness, frozen veggies retain a remarkable amount of vitamins and minerals at a fraction of the cost of fresh produce.
How about you guys? How do you save money on groceries and yet feed yourself (and your family) healthy, satisfying meals?
Rising unemployment, higher food prices and dwindling savings may exacerbate the nation’s obesity problem, sending already high rates ballooning as consumers turn to cheaper, less healthful choices ranging from boxed mac ‘n’ cheese to fast-food dollar menus.“All evidence suggests that obesity is the toxic consequence of a failing economic environment,” said Adam Drewnowski, a professor of epidemiology at the University of Washington in Seattle.
As households struggle with falling incomes and with food prices expected to jump 6 percent this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, families are scrimping on groceries. Nearly six in 10 Americans said they’ve cut back on the quality or quantity of the food they buy, according to an annual hunger survey released this week by Hormel Foods Corp.
But that doesn’t mean they’re dieting, noted Drewnowski, whose research has found a consistent link between poverty and obesity, including a recent study that showed that obesity rates were five times higher in lower-value Seattle ZIP code areas than in upscale neighborhoods.
“It is quite possible to spend less and eat more,” said Drewnowski. “The very cheapest foods are calorie-rich and nutrient-poor. Because they contain refined grains, sugars and fats, they also taste good and, of course, are easy to come by.”
Link to full article here.
According to experts, if you follow the USDA's five-to-nine suggestion for daily fruit and vegetable servings, your the cost of your diet will increase threefold, so they're not just whistling dixie when they say your body weight is tied to your wallet weight. So what's a dieting girl (or guy) supposed to do?
Integrate beans and eggs (mostly whites, of course) to your protein supply. Both are still full of muscle-building protein, but don't cost as much as chicken, fish or beef. Also, try frozen meats instead of fresh.
Buy grains in bulk. Don't be tempted by white bread and pasta. Stock the cabinets with large bags/boxes of whole-grain pasta, brown rice and barley or bulk quantities of whole-wheat flour. Uncooked, these items are cheap, and if you cook a large amount in advance and save it, it's also simple to incorporate them into any meal.
Avoid going out! If you eat at home, you save money AND calories.
Avoid TV dinners. You can make the same thing yourself cheaper and healthier. And again, make enough of your favorite lunch dish (black beans and rice or a terriaki chicken bowl) for a few servings and put them in single-serving containers in the fridge to make life even easier.
Go frozen with fruits and veggies. Frozen at the peak of freshness, frozen veggies retain a remarkable amount of vitamins and minerals at a fraction of the cost of fresh produce.
How about you guys? How do you save money on groceries and yet feed yourself (and your family) healthy, satisfying meals?
tagged protein, saving money, weight loss in Motivation, Nutrition
protein, saving money, weight loss in Motivation, Nutrition