Want to lose weight on a budget? Diets can end up being pretty expensive if you’re not careful. But you shouldn’t have to overspend when you’re trying to lose weight. There are plenty of ways to get to your ideal weight and save money at the same time; you just have to know the hacks! If you’re on the keto diet, check out how to do keto on a budget!
What is the Keto Diet?
The keto diet is low in carbs, high in (good) fat, and moderate in protein. There aren’t many diets that tell you to stock up on bacon and heavy whipping cream, but the keto diet isn’t like most diets. Naturally, your body burns carbs for energy, but when you eliminate carbs from your diet, it has to look for another source of energy. Instead, it starts burning fat! And not only the fat you eat, but the fat that’s stored in your body, too!
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How Fast Will I Lose Weight on the Keto Diet?
Since everyone’s body is different, there’s no exact answer to this question, however there is an average weight loss rate you can expect on the keto diet. In the first week when you’re getting into ketosis, you’ll lose 2-10 pounds. This is due to fast water weight loss due to your lower carb intake. Drink more water in this phase to curb constipation and dehydration. After a week or two, you can expect to lose weight at a slower, more steady pace. Average weight loss is usually around 1-2 pounds per week. You’ll see the biggest progress when you stick with it for a few months. Be consistent and don’t give up!
Keto on a Budget: 5 Things to Consider
1. Less is More
Keep it simple when you’re keto shopping. Less ingredients means less money and you can still make delicious meals! A cheesy omelette is only a couple of ingredients and will satisfy you all morning.
2. Buy In-Season
Buying and eating in season is one of the best keto budget hacks. The rest of the year, buy frozen veggies to save money.
3. Look for Deals
Before you make a trip to the grocery store, make sure you check the deals and coupons available. If there’s a deal on a food item you use a lot, stock up on it now for later!
4. Cook in Bulk (to Freeze)
Batch cooking is one of the best ways to ensure you always have keto-meals in the house and will also help you save money. Choose one day a week to do your cooking and portion meals into meal prep containers so they’re easy to grab!
5. Don’t Stray from Your Shopping List
Going to the grocery store without a shopping list is never a good idea! It’s so easy to spend more than you want when you don’t have a list to guide you. If you want to stay on budget, create a shopping list and don’t stray from it!
How to Meal Plan on the Keto Diet
When you’re starting a new diet, meal planning is key. When you’re prepared, it’s so much easier to stay on track and reach your weight loss goals. Meal planning ensures you don’t mindlessly nibble on unhealthy foods or grab take-out for dinner when you’re in a rush. Here are 5 steps to meal planning on the keto diet.
1. Choose the keto meals/recipes you want to make for the week
2. Create a shopping list with the ingredients you need
3. Pick a meal prep day to prepare the food for your meals for the week
4. Know your schedule for the week, especially the nights you’ll be busy and need a quick meal
5. Put your meals on a calendar so you’re ready to go every day/night
…and a bonus tip!
6. If you find it challenging to figure out what to eat (and when to eat it) while on the keto diet, Tasteaholics offers weekly meal plans delivered straight to your inbox. Sign-up for your free 7-day trial HERE.
How to Create a Killer Keto Diet Grocery List
Speaking of grocery lists, here’s a few tips to create a killer keto shopping list!
Keto Meats
When it comes to meat and fish on the keto diet, shop for grass-fed and grass-finished beef, pasture raised chicken and pork, and wild caught seafood. The goal is to consume higher quality fatty meat, so keep that in mind!
Keto Fats
On the keto diet, focus on increasing your consumption of omega 3 fatty acids that have anti-inflammatory properties, as well as saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats. Some of the best keto fats are foods like fatty fish, walnuts, macadamia nuts, olive oil, avocados, red meat, duck fat, sardines, and chia seeds!
Keto Sweeteners
Instead of sugar, use keto-approved sweeteners like stevia, allulose, truvia and swerve.
Keto Vegetables
Most non-starchy vegetables are fine for the keto diet. Some of the best low carb vegetables are broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, onions, mushrooms, cabbage, green beans and spinach!
Keto Fruits
Some fruits are super high in carbs, but there are a few low carb fruits you should focus on. Put fruits like coconut, tomatoes, berries (blueberries, strawberries raspberries, and blackberries), and grapefruit on your grocery list!
Keto Dairy
When shopping for dairy products, opt for grass-fed, grass-finished dairy when possible. On the keto diet you can eat everything from cheese, sour cream, eggs and butter to heavy whipped cream, plain Greek yogurt and cottage cheese.
10 Budget-Friendly Keto Snacks to Buy
Another great tips for mastering keto on a budget is to keep keto-approved snacks in your kitchen pantry, purse, and at school or work so you don’t break your diet when hungry strikes. Here are 10 ideas we love!
1. Snap and Giggle Cacao Nibs
2. Primavera California Nut Halves
3. Keto Nut Butter Snack
4. Mighty Fine Snacks Healthy Cheese and Egg Snack
5. Nui Keto Cookies
6. Fat Snax Cookies
7. Jerky’s Gourmet Maple Bacon Protein Snacks
8. Love Good Fats Bars
9. Liberated Cheddar Crackers
10. Dang Toasted Coconut Chips
5 Keto Diet Products to Invest In
1. The Easy 5-Ingredient Ketogenic Diet Cookbook by Jen Fisch: This cookbook is filled with quick and easy keto recipes that fit with busy lifestyles. Plus, there are only 5 ingredients at most in each recipe, so you can keep it budget-friendly!
2. Meal Prep Containers: Make meal prepping even easier with meal prep containers. Split your meals into different days so they’re easy to grab on-the-go!
3. Veggiespize Spiralizer: If you’re worried about getting bored with keto meals, this spiralizer will help you keep meals creative! Use it to make veggie noodles, veggie ribbons, veggie lasagna and more!
4. The One Pot Ketogenic Diet Cookbook by Liz Williams: Another handy cookbook is this one-pot keto cookbook. It offers easy keto meals to whip up on busy nights!
5. Muffin Tins: Some of the easiest keto snacks to make are keto muffins, so get yourself a muffin tin to bake muffins ahead of time and take throughout the week!
The keto diet doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg. Use these hacks and products to lose weight and save money!