You're definitely living a more frugal lifestyle when you start trimming the fat out of your budget and other areas of your life. But I recently ran across a really neat way to visualize the fat you're trimming!
Many of you know I've been dieting since June last year and have lost 47 pounds. Yay! So I've "trimmed" quite a bit of fat from my dinner plate which in turn has saved on the grocery budget. I've had lots of help and support from a website called Spark People.
For starters, Spark People is a free site which is a frugal choice in itself since many other dieting sites which offer the same level of support and help come with a membership fee attached.
Once I log in, I have access to food and exercise trackers which help me keep on track. The Spark Teams and message boards are another great feature of the site where I can share the ups and downs of the weight loss journey with others. I found and am enjoying the fellowship of pastors' wives, writers and rubber stampers as well as a few other interesting groups.
Recently I read one of the daily Spark e-mails which contained an article about a "Canned Fat Drive." For every pound of "fat" the team members drop from their waistlines, they set aside some kind of food staple.
One of the gals places hers in a canvas bag in a high traffic area of her home. Each time she passes the bag of food, she lifts it a few times before continuing with what she was doing. The bag of food serves as a powerful visual reminder of the "fat" she is trimming from her body. It also is a motivator to keep going toward her goal.
Once she has collected several pounds of food, she donates it to a local food pantry. Again, it has become an interactive weight loss too so she can mentally imagine herself shedding those pounds - never to see them again. The added benefit is that her shed pounds will help others in need.
Giving is an important part of life, both for the receiver and the one who gives. When I choose to give, the satisfaction and joy I receive far outweigh the cost. By incorporating the suggestions I've learned from the canned fat drive, I have found myself being doubly blessed as I learn to live more frugally, eat healthier and see the visual results of my choices while being a blessing to others.
Sounds like a win-win situation to me!
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