Really Stressed Out About the Latest Price Rises? Here Are 3 Tools To Take the Edge Off
<This is a contributed post> It’s one of those things that seems like a constant battle in life; trying to save money at every turn becomes harder with every price hike and with the latest energy bills crisis, so many families are going to feel the pinch more than ever. And, of course, there are so many ways for us to learn how to save money but as parents and as providers, when it comes to food we’ve got to make sure we get the balance right. Rather than telling you what you should do, here are some little pieces of advice that, when applied in certain areas, can help you in the long run. So let’s show you some approaches that can help.
Focusing on Feelings of Satiety
This is something that we all want but there’s a lot of information out there to show that the foods that we mainly consume, namely carbohydrates, are not really the key to keeping us feeling full. Rather, we should be focusing on healthy fats and protein. The fact is having a protein snack that can keep you full for a few hours means you aren’t going to be tempted to reach for a sugar snack to top you off. When we eat sugary foods, they can make us feel hungrier, thinking that we need more. So if we look for ways to feel fuller by actually eating the right things, we end up eating less overall, so we start to save money. When it comes to protein there are so many different sources out there, for example, nuts and seeds.
Working With Your Body
If we are trying to save money on food, many of us feel like we need to cut down on our portions. This is one aspect that certainly will work, but if you feel like you’re going without, you need to focus on feeling fuller but also get into the habit of seeing what makes your body hungrier and what makes it feel better. Nobody likes the idea of having to skip breakfast but because there have been so many studies on the benefits of fasting, it could be something that you could incorporate into your life so you don’t have to have breakfast. It’s really not easy at the outset, but there are ways to cheat it, such as drinking hot liquids to keep you feeling full. Because nobody likes that idea of going hungry, if you think that fasting is something that could help, you’ve got to dip into it very carefully. Rather than trying to fast for an entire day, you’ve got to slowly cut down because it’s a massive shock to the system. There are plenty of guides online with regards to fasting and there are numerous fasting protocols. A lot of people do it purely to feel better. And in this situation, saving money is going to be a very beneficial by-product.
Combating Stress in the Right Ways
When we feel stressed, our body starts crying out for more energy so we will feel hungrier. So if you can keep your stress under control, this is going to help you feel more in control of your body. And because of everything that’s going on right now, it might not be enough to say that you have to start meditating. Because we’ve all had those moments where we wake up in the middle of the night panic-stricken with how we’re going to pay the next bill. And this is why really understanding what our stress triggers are is going to make a big difference. However, it’s not about using it every now and again when you feel stressed; it has to become a habit within your life. Doing something that can help you to calm down every day will mean that over time you accumulate the benefits. Because when we are feeling the financial pinch this is stress unlike anything else. Telling someone to close their eyes and start going “Ommmmmmm” can be downright insulting. But this is why controlling your stress and understanding the physiology of stress means you can learn tools to keep yours under control.
It is, of course, very beneficial to help you save money by planning your budget but we have to remember that tough times don’t always bring out the best in us, which is why we’ve got to take a combination approach. When it comes to food, if we can take the edges off here and there, you will be surprised how much of a difference it makes.
Title image courtesy of Image – CC0 Licence
