Let's go Krogering!

Let's face it! The wallet is getting tighter and everything is costing more including food. I used to go to Publix for my groceries where I enjoyed the shopping experience. After all, Publix subs were da bomb! But lately, I've been feeling the pinch along with the rest of the country and I needed to make the switch. I journeyed to every store possible to claim the "best grocery store":

1. Trader Joes-not enough selection for a full grocery trip
2. Super Target-not that much less expensive and the meat department was ho-hum. There is no seafood department.
3. Super Walmart-most of the prices were good, meat selection-not good, and I had to beat down the hoards! Back off that head of lettuce! It's mine!
4. Whole Foods-they don't call it whole paycheck for nothing-LOL
5. Super H Mart-fantastic meat, seafood, and produce department! If you want some fat (phat) chicken breast, this is THE place to go! However, only Asian dry goods. Don't get me wrong. I love asian noodles (I am after all Vietnamese) however, I need some cereal, spagetti noodles, etc too!
6. Ingle's-My husband told me to check it out and I certainly went kicking and screaming. I thought it would be "icky" but to my pleasant surprise, it was OK. They do have the BEST chicken salad out there. But not the staple place to go......
7. Costco/Sam's Club-they are great for bulk cleaning products, drinks, and toilet paper but I don't need 10 Ribeyes or 20 filets of salmon.




So the winner is Kroger! Yeah! Why? They have a huge selection of food in each category. You can find 5 different brands of diced tomatoes. The pricing is cheaper than Publix by $.20-$.50 depending on item. The deli meat is sliced to order. The meat /seafood department has great selection. The produce glistens with the daily misting. And on top of everything, if you sign up for the Kroger card, you can get $.10 of each gallon of gas! Now, that's the clincher for me! And I save about $20 per week by making the switch. Nice!



So, clip out those coupons. Look over the weekly ads before making out your grocery list for the week. And save, save, save!

Hint: To save time in the store, I put everything in a category. So let's say produce. Put all of your produce needs in that category and get it all in one stop. No more running around the store. Easy peasy! And let's go Krogering!

Weight Watchers for Free

I'm back from vacation in Mexico and those all inclusive resorts as so nice! 4 huge buffets, restaurants, and all of the margaritas I can handle! Whew! Looks like gaining some lbs is surely in my future. So why not kick off the 2nd half of summer with a life style change. Note I didn't say the word "diet". Diets are short term and most diets don't work. I have certainly tried the South Beach and Atkins diets but you can't maintain those diets. And then the lbs are coming back to haunt you with a vengeance. Eeeeek!

So, it's time to change the lifestyle and eat in moderation which is key to longterm success. You didn't put on 20 lbs in 3 weeks. Don't expect to lose that much in 3 weeks! So where to I turn to help?

One of the most popular programs is Weight Watchers. And many people have used this program to lose weight by tracking the food you eat. Well, I really like the idea but I don't want to pay a monthly fee of $47.



I found Sparkpeople that offers the same program as Weight Watchers for FREE! Yippeee! It is free to sign up and Sparkpeople will ask you how much weight you'd like to lose and when your goal time frame. Then, it calculates how many calories, fat, protein, etc that your frame needs to lose that weight. Cool! Everyday you plug in what you eat and Sparkpeople tracks everything for you. You can choose the automatic menu if you'd like, however I think the self select eating is easier with your current lifestyle.



Sparkpeople also has an exercise plan which includes cardio and strength training. And this doesn't mean running a marathon. Just 30 minutes on a treadmill or they give options for strength training even if you have no weights. Try the towel training :) My hubby laughs at my beginner skills but hey it works!



What is so cool about this program is it teaches you how to eat better. You realize how much that Quarter Pounder with Cheese is costing you and find another alternative. It gives you 3 meals a day plus snacks so you don't starve. And if you fall off the wagon 1 day, no worries! Jump back on it the next day! Plus it tracks your water intake! I hope you like water!




There are sister websites too like Babyfit (for those who are expecting), Spark People for Teens, and Spark Recipes for healthy recipes. So get off that tush, drop that bag of chips, and sign up for free! And get ready to lead a healthy lifestyle!