Lose Weight Without Breaking the Bank

Money and weight loss are two things that people struggle with. If you ask all your friends what their goals are, you’ll notice that many of them cite either losing weight or saving more money. Did you know that these two work hand-in-hand?

We’re looking into a few different topics. Under the umbrella of losing weight and saving money, we’ll discuss how losing weight saves you money, review some healthy and affordable recipes, and discuss money-saving weight loss tips.

How Does Losing Weight Save You Money?

First, let’s discuss the connection between money and weight. There are a few key areas where you’ll notice this connection.

Lower Medical Costs

It’s widely known in the medical industry that people who are overweight have higher healthcare costs. Sweden introduced incentives that gave price breaks to people who lost weight. Not only is general care more expensive, in many cases, when an obese person goes to the hospital, but they also have more that can go wrong, which results in a potentially higher bill.

Fewer Health Implications

What you might not realize is that being overweight comes with more health implications. Doctors recognize that there are many side effects of being overweight to the point of obesity. Some of the side effects are hypertension, cholesterol issues, heart problems, gallbladder concerns, and bones wearing down within a joint. All of these have associated costs for treatment, diagnosis, and testing. On top of it, you might have to buy additional ancillary equipment like an electric scooter or cane.

Cooking at Home

One of the healthiest ways to eat is to cook in your own home. Not only do you get to control exactly what goes into your food, but you also get to make it exactly how you like it. You can opt for low-fat, low-sodium, and sugar-free options of your favorite foods if you want to. There are a lot of different ways to be smart in the kitchen. The bottom line is that you should always try cooking at home.

Avoiding Restaurants

This leads to the next point. As long as you’re always cooking at home, you do not need a restaurant. Restaurants make their money by overcharging you for food that’s way too unhealthy. Some restaurants use tons of butter and fats, even in their healthy options. The result is a false sense of eating healthy from your perspective. You think that getting the salmon is a good idea, but it comes out with a sugary and fatty sauce on it.

Not only are restaurants unhealthier, but they’re also way more expensive. Buying the ingredients for a salad at a supermarket is much more affordable than purchasing the same salad at a restaurant. On top of that, you have to spend more on a tip or delivery charge to get your food. All the while, you’re wasting time. It’s best to stay home and cook yourself a delicious meal that’s more affordable and healthier.

Doing a Diet Bet

A unique way to make money, and stay motivated, while losing weight is to sign up for a Diet Bet. How do these work? Well, you bet against either a pool of people or a website. You bet a certain amount of money that you’ll lose a certain amount of weight. If you do, you get paid whatever the pot is for the bet. If not, you lose your money.

For example, you can use an app like HealthyWage. You bet $1,000 that you’ll lose 30 pounds in 6 months. If you do, you get an additional $1,000 back. If not, your money is gone. By adding this financial loss element, you’ll be more incentivized and encouraged to lose weight. There’s more riding on the decision. It also makes the weight-loss process into a little game.

Just make sure you don’t get carried away and resort to crash diets and unhealthy habits. The site also has a way to parlay your bet into whether or not you can keep the weight off for a certain period for additional money.

Need a bit more motivation? Use Noom to track your food and exercise, and you’ll make winning your diet bet that much easier.

The “Budget” Of Losing Weight

Losing weight is identical to saving money if you think about a budget. In your financial budget, you want to make more money than you spend – that’s the definition of saving money. In the world of weight loss, you want to burn more calories than you consume. A calorie is a unit of measuring energy. When you eat food, you’re adding calories to your body, which means you’re adding energy.

Too many calories and your body will store it as fat, the stuff you want to get rid of. Losing around 3,500 calories results in losing one pound. That means that you can “budget” for a loss in weight. If you create a calorie deficit each week where you burn 7,000 calories more than you eat, then you’ll lose two pounds.

The Mentality of Losing Weight

To better understand the relationship between money and weight, we need to dive more into the mentality of losing weight. It’s often triggered by a desire to do something or change something in your life for the better.

Internal Motivation

People in weight loss communities always say that you can’t lose weight and keep it off unless you want to do it yourself. The same is true when it comes to finances.

Don’t underestimate how powerful the right mentality is. When you’re internally motivated to achieve something, you often will.

Willpower

There’s also a layer of determination and willpower. The ability to deny a loaded hotdog is akin to denying a splurge purchase of a new TV. It takes the same “muscles” in your brain to make the decision.

In many cases, when people make their minds up to either lose weight or save money, the other will happen automatically.

Taking Control

For others, it’s a matter of “snapping out of it.” We live our lives on autopilot and fall into our routines. We’ll do the same things every day. If you’re not consciously deciding to eat healthily or save money, you’re going to overeat and overspend.

By snapping out of that mentality and taking control of your life, you start to force things into shape. This is true whether you’re talking about wealth or health.

Measurable Results

If you’re looking for results that you can measure, then money and weight are two of the big ones that come to mind. You can tell exactly how much money you saved by looking at your bank statement, and you can tell how much weight you lost by stepping on a scale.

Some people driven by achievements and seeing results will be drawn to either losing weight or saving money.

Needing a Change

The final tie between the two worth mentioning is the idea of needing a change in your life. Many people either go through a big event or step back and analyze their lives. If they aren’t happy with their financials or body, they’ll feel the need to change.

For many, this change is for the better. Taking control of your weight and finances can extend your life and boost your overall happiness.

You can take control of your weight today by incorporating a weight-loss program like Noom into your life. This program uses clinically-backed tools, like custom meal plans and 1:1 coaching, to help users lose weight and keep it off.

20 Money-Saving Weight Loss Tips

Another way for us to help you lose weight and save money is by providing some helpful tips. The idea behind these tips is that they’ll help you do both at the same time. A slight change to your daily life can lead to a massive change down the line.

#1: Stop the Spiral

People like to break their diets and budget all the time. They think that they can relax a little bit today and go crazy, and tomorrow they’ll get back into the swing of things.

Well, loss of control plays a role in overeating, says recent research. When trying to control food intake or save money, sticking to the plan is the best option to stay on track. For some, all it takes is a short period of losing control to fall into a full-on binge and off the wagon.

The same goes for saving money. As your parents may have told you growing up, taking the time to save, little by little, for something you want makes it worth so much more when you buy it.  So, don’t lose control – take control and save for those larger purchases.

#2: Control What’s Around You

Another way to control your behavior is to create a safe environment around you. Get rid of snacks and fatty foods, so there’s no temptation to go near them. Don’t go into stores or down market aisles that you know you’ll be tempted by.

Merely moving the snacks away from where you sit can help reduce your overeating. If you have trigger areas, then that’s where you should start. Adapting the world around you to your new lifestyle will help you lose weight and keep it off. It’s so effective; it’s even suggested in patients who’ve undergone weight loss surgery to prevent weight regain.

As for saving money, remove yourself from situations that you know cause you to extend beyond your budget. For instance, if a friend wants to hit the mall shopping, suggest hitting a bunch of local thrift stores instead to look for an amazing deal!

#3: Seal Your Budget

There is a common technique in budgeting called the Envelope System. When you create a budget, you designate a cash-filled envelope for each part of your budget. You can only spend what’s in the envelope, and it can only be spent in that area.

For example, if you spent $400 on groceries a month, you’ll have an envelope with exactly $400 in it. If you overspend at the beginning of the month at the grocery store picking up snacks, you’ll be hungry by the end of the month.

You can use this same tactic for weight loss. Whether you’re counting carbs, points, or calories, you’ve placed that total in an envelope, and as you eat and drink throughout your day, the amount in the envelope lessens. It’s essential to budget those calories to last the entire day. 

Be sure to hold yourself accountable here, and don’t cheat the system.

#4: Reward Yourself

It’s important to reward yourself along the way. This doesn’t mean eating a gallon of ice cream to celebrate a weight loss milestone. What a reward does in this instance is fills your tank up with gas again. When you’re starting to get discouraged but notice that you officially lost 10 pounds, then it’s time to set up a massage.

You can double reward yourself if you book the massage on a credit card that offers cash back. Pay off the bill in full before interest charges, and you’ve earned free money all for rewarding yourself for being successful. That’s impressive!

Many people use food as a reward, which makes it easy to fall back into old habits. Noom promotes behavioral changes that enable you to reward yourself in other ways to keep you on the path toward success.

#5: Look Towards the End

When you’re setting up goals and milestones, you need to look towards the end of the process. Where do you want to be in two years? It gives you a better frame of reference and allows you to make realistic goals.

If you are only looking for short-term accomplishments, you’ll fall into a vicious cycle. It’s simply not sustainable. Missing a short-term goal will discourage you, and you’ll want to give up. Although there’s nothing wrong with having short-term goals that act as stepping stones to get you to the final goal – in fact, that’s what you should be doing. Knowing that you want to lose 50 pounds in a year seems more doable when you set a goal to lose a pound a week to hit the bigger goal.

You can use the same mentality to stick with a savings plan. If you want to save for a holiday vacation in a year and the cost will be around $1,200, you’d need to put away $100 a month. Set a goal to save $110 or $120 a month, then at six months, take the extra savings and reward yourself by purchasing a new outfit for the trip, or double down and keep it in the vacation fund for spending money.

#6: Budget, Budget, Budget

You need to document a budget for yourself that you can hold yourself to. Seeing physical numbers for each category gives you the ability to control your spending. A budget is your way of allowing yourself to spend money in certain areas without overspending. It will take a few months to perfect your budget, but it’s something you should sit down and do before the start of every month.

An excellent way to budget is to give every dollar a job. If you know you’ll make $2,000 next month, write your budget in a way that every dollar goes somewhere. Once you do the math, there should be $0 left. A lot of that money can go into retirement or savings – it doesn’t mean that you’re spending all your money on activities and treats!

Check in with your budget every week and see how you’re doing. This is an organized and mathematical way to hit your budgetary goals.

When it comes to weight loss, there are two different mindsets for budgeting. The first is that you can “save” calories throughout the week and “reward” yourself with a splurge. Others claim it’s better to stick with your calorie goals and use every calorie each day because the body needs the suggested amount of energy. Both are proven to help you lose weight. 

#7: Plan Your Meals

Along the same vein, you can “budget” your eating with planning. Plan your meals ahead and use food logging apps to keep track along the way.

You might not even realize that the coffee you get from Starbucks is so bad for you and costs so much. Replacing it with an alternative will save you money and weight. Sometimes you don’t see these things until you log the food or make a budget. 

For better results, combine the two. When you replace your morning coffee with the coffee you’ve prepared at home, log your calories or write in your food journal and note how much money you saved, then calculate the total savings for the week, month, and year. Remember that holiday vacation? You may have just found enough money to upgrade your stay.

#8: Never Go to Extremes

Crash diets, get-rich-quick schemes, and extreme weight loss programs do not work. It might work for a day, a week, or a month, but none of them is sustainable long-term. It leads to incredible spirals and can have some real emotional side effects. A juice cleanse works great until it stops working in a few weeks, and you’re not losing weight anymore. Then you binge, break your diet and give up, and all the weight comes back.  The quickest way to fail is to try extreme methods. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.

The same goes for saving money. Any idea you hear that sounds like it could double or triple your money so you save faster is just a recipe for disaster. Yes, there is a chance a get-rich-quick scheme will work, but the odds are heavily stacked against you and unless you’re willing to put your money at risk, just stick with your budget.

#9: Do You Need a Gym Membership?

This is an area where weight and money couldn’t overlap more. How much are you spending on your gym membership, and is there a cheaper alternative? Maybe you enjoy occasionally walking on the treadmill in a gym, but you can walk outside for free. Plus, if you’re not utilizing the gym as much as you could, then you’re throwing away money.

For serious workout aficionados, consider if a home gym is a possibility. A gym membership that costs $500 a year can be traded for a decent amount of weights, equipment, and pads for your home gym. More convenient and more affordable, too. If nothing else, you can do aerobic workouts without weights or equipment. Again, a free way to get your sweat in and burn calories.

#10: Don’t Forget About Yourself

Whether it’s a weight or financial journey you’re on, don’t forget about self-care. You should allocate a little bit of your money each month to be spent on yourself. Each week should have a cheat snack or meal built-in that allows you to enjoy yourself if that’s what your diet allows. If not, celebrate yourself by recreating your favorite restaurant meal with healthier ingredients. 

#11: Lots of Sleep, Lots of Water

Sleep and water are the two most significant things that healthy people swear by. If you don’t believe the hype, here’s a fun experiment: Stay up for 24 hours without sleeping, and don’t drink any water during the experience. You’ll feel absolutely awful if you’re even able to complete the experiment. Drinking plenty of water and getting lots of sleep have positive, long-lasting mental, physical, and emotional impacts.

But, how do drinking water or sleeping more coincide with saving money? If you buy just one drink a day for $2, that adds up to $60 a month in savings by skipping that purchase and bringing water in a reusable bottle. That holiday vacation is starting to look like a luxury holiday vacation. 

#12: Don’t Rush the Process

You need to be patient during this process. Weight loss takes time, and so does saving money. If it were immediate, then everyone would be super skinny on their yacht. There are going to be slip-ups as you go through, and that’s fine. Just remember to get back in control as soon as possible and continue doing what you know is right.

#13: Eat Less

The act of losing weight is purely science. You want to burn more calories than you ingest. In many cases, eating less is a surefire solution. Keep in mind; you don’t want to overdo it. Eating too few calories a day isn’t sustainable and would be categorized as “extreme” (see tip #8). Eating around 300 fewer calories each meal results in burning two pounds a week.

For some, the idea of intermittent fasting might appear here. This is the idea of going a certain period without eating anything, just drinking black coffee and water. Of course, this leads to a calorie deficit, and it’s easy to work into your schedule. For example, don’t eat after 8pm and don’t eat before 8am each day.

When eating less, you’ll find yourself cooking less, which means buying less food. Ultimately, you’ll spend less money on groceries when you eat less. 

It’s important to plan these meals too, something that a weight-loss program can help with. That’s why Noom offers plenty of tools to help users lose weight, like personalized meal plans, coaching sessions, and more.

#14: Use Beans and Rice

Beans and rice have good nutritional values, and they are among the least expensive foods you can eat that fill you up. While you don’t want to try living on beans and rice, definitely work them into your life as much as possible.

Here comes the money-saving tip for beans and rice. The average American consumes about 50 pounds of beef a year. That’s beef alone, not any other meat or meat product. If beef averages $6 a pound and beans average $2 a pound, which one is going to save you money? Every pound of beef you replace with beans saves you $4, just enough for another drink on your luxury holiday vacation. 

#15: Read the Labels

When you’re shopping, there are two things that you want to scrutinize: the label and the price tag. You want to keep the price low, and you want to see the right macros in each meal.

Stay away from sugary and fatty foods that are high in calories. If the nutrition facts look good, double-check the serving size. Those cookies may be 100 calories a serving, but if a serving is ⅓ of a cookie, that’s not a great snack choice. 

Additionally, stay away from overpriced food items.

#16: Go to the Farmer’s Market

The farmer’s market has produce that’s less expensive and more nutritious than what you’ll find at the supermarket. Often, these products come right from the farmer.

For bonus savings, go right before the market closes. The farmers will be more willing to cut a deal, so they don’t have to throw away their produce or haul it back home.

#17: Involve Your Friends or Family

As you’re losing weight and saving money, tell your friends and family about it. Talking to them about parts of what you’re doing will make you feel better and get you feedback about other things you can try.

You never know, your friend could be going through a weight loss journey too. You can work together and hold each other accountable as you both lose weight.

There are so many benefits to talking about what you’re doing. It helps to make your efforts real, and you’ll get positive reinforcement for it when you need it most.

#18: Cut Back on Drinking Soda – A Lot!

Not only does soda cost too much, but it’s really quite worthless as a food product. The amount of sugar in a single can of soda should be illegal.

If you’re craving sugar, you can opt for natural sugars in fruit (but don’t overdo it). One of the first tips when it comes to weight loss usually involves getting rid of soda. That’s why your doctor and dentist always ask about your soda intake.

#19: Grow Your Own Veggies

Nothing’s better than organic vegetables, but they just cost so much. If you want to avoid this upcharge, make your own little garden.

This can be done inside if you don’t have a lawn or patio area to use. It’s minimally invasive, and it adds something to your life that you can measure and work towards. Growing a garden can help your financial and weight process because it works in the same way. When you take care of the plants and water them consistently, you’ll see a direct result. Not to mention how many calories gardening burns.

#20: Make it a Part of Who You Are

The final tip is to make losing weight and saving money a part of your personality. Your decisions should revolve around these topics, and your thought process should involve them.

By being constantly reminded of these two things, you’ll be less likely to slip up or make a mistake. After you lose all the weight and save all the money, it should be a part of your life that you happily reference and tell friends about. You’ll have a story to share with strangers and loved ones.

10 Healthy and Affordable Recipes

Let’s get into some recipes that can help you. These are specifically created to be healthy and affordable. In other words, you’ll lose weight and save money when you stick to these options.

#1: Chicken Frittata

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil, extra virgin
• 4 thinly sliced onions
• 2 crushed cloves of garlic
• 1.5 cups of peas, frozen
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 cup chicken slices, cooked
• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
• 2 tsp lemon zest
• 6 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk, reduced-fat
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta, reduced-fat
• Bread to serve

Directions:

Start by heating a frying pan over medium-high heat. Put in garlic and onion and stir for 2 minutes. Add in spinach and peas and cook it all while covered until the spinach starts to wilt. Add in the mint, chicken, and lemon zest and season with pepper. Cook all of that for around 2 minutes.

Whisk together the milk and eggs before putting them in a pan, moving around to distribute the mixture evenly. Sprinkle the pan with feta. Reduce the heat down to low and cook until the mixture is only a little wobbly in the middle; it takes 8-10 minutes.

Preheat your grill to high and cook the frittata for 3 minutes. You want the top to become golden. Let it sit for 2 minutes before putting extra feta on top.

This recipe can be a great addition to Noom. We don’t believe in food restrictions. We empower you to choose healthier food options.

#2: Tuscan Bread Soup

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time:  4 hrs 40 mins

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 chopped carrots
• 2 chopped sticks of celery
• 2 crushed cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp dried chili flakes
• 1 can tomatoes, crushed
• 1 can cannellini beans
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 sprigs each of rosemary and thyme
• 1 cup Tuscan cabbage
• 2 chunks of bread
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
• 1 juiced and zested lemon
• Parsley, chopped

Directions:

Turn your 5-quart slow cooker to browning. Heat oil and cook carrots, celery, and onions for 5 minutes. Add in fennel, chili, and garlic, and cook for another minute. Put in stock, bouquet garni, beans, and tomato, then change the cooker to slow cook high. Cover and cook it for 3 to 4 hours, to the point where the veggies are nearly tender.

Stir in the Tuscan cabbage, parmesan, and bread before covering and cooking for another 30 minutes. You want the soup to thicken before stirring in the lemon juice to taste. To serve, top with extra parmesan, lemon zest, and parsley.

#3: Frittata Tray Bake

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup quartered Swiss brown mushrooms
• 1/4 cup mixed mushrooms
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 8 eggs
• 3/4 cup of milk
• 3/4 cup of Parmesan, grated
• 1 1/3 cups tomatoes, cut
• 1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts
• 3/4 cup Prosciutto, sliced
• Baby rocket
• 1/4 cup basil

Directions:

Heat some oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook mushrooms for 5 minutes until they’re browned and add in garlic, stirring and cooking for a minute.

Whisk milk and eggs in a bowl, stirring in half the parmesan and some pepper. Pour this into the prepared dish and arrange artichoke, tomatoes, and mushrooms on top. Bake for 25 minutes until it’s golden. When there are 10 minutes left on the clock, put prosciutto in a layer on the tray, and bake for 10 minutes. Break into pieces.

Place the baby rocket (or other salad greens) and the rest of the parmesan in a bowl, tossing it. This will be served as a side. Sprinkle basil and prosciutto on the frittata and serve.

#4: Chicken Chow Mein

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups egg noodles
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp five-spice powder
• 3 1/2 cups thinly sliced chicken breast
• 2 tsp veggie oil
• Small piece of peeled and grated ginger
• 2 crushed cloves of garlic
• 1/4 cup oyster mushrooms
• 1/2 cup of snow peas
• 1/4 cup of chicken stock, salt-reduced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, salt-reduced
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 2 cups of trimmed bean sprouts
• Coriander leaves
• Red chili, sliced
• 1 lime, wedged

Directions:

Use the directions to make the noodles less 3 minutes of cooking time, then drain them. Put 1 tsp of oil and the five-spice in a bowl, add in the chicken, and coat by stirring.

Heat the veggies in a wok over high heat. Stir-fry the chicken in 2 batches for about 2 minutes each before transferring them to a plate.

Put garlic and ginger in the wok, stir-frying for a minute until fragrant. Add in mushrooms and stir-fry them for 2 minutes before adding snow peas, stock, noodles, and sauces. Stir-fry them for another 2 minutes. Add in the rest of the sesame oil, bean sprouts, and chicken and stir-fry everything for a minute. Put some chili in the mixture and serve with lime.

#5: Mexican Fried Rice

Prep time: 1 hr 20 mins

Cook time: 40 mins

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of brown rice
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 chopped hot red pepper
• 1 crushed clove of garlic
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 can of black beans
• 1/2 can of corn kernels
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 chopped onion
• 1/2 quartered and sliced avocado
• 1/2 cup of crumbled feta
• Coriander
• 1 lime, wedged

Directions:

Start by cooking the rice in a saucepan of boiling water until tender (for around 25 minutes). Drain and spread across a tray, placing it in the fridge for an hour uncovered. When you’re ready, heat oil in a pan over medium heat and add in the red pepper and onion, cooking them for 5 minutes. Add in chili powder and garlic, cooking them until aromatic.

Put in the rice, stirring and cooking it for 2 minutes until lightly fried. Add in corn and beans, stirring and heating them through. Pour in the lime juice and toss everything together.

Put the onions and tomatoes together and season them. Divide the rice into multiple bowls and top with avocado, the tomato mixture, coriander, and lime wedges.

Did you ever think you’d be able to eat fried rice and still lose weight? With Noom, you can!

#6 Tomato-Basil Pasta

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of cherry tomatoes
• 1 halved and sliced onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil, extra-virgin
• 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp of brown sugar, packed
• 1 pack of dry spaghetti
• 1/2 cup of crumbled feta, low-fat
• Basil leaves

Directions:

Heat a chargrill pan over medium-high heat. Put in onions, tomatoes, and half the oil. Cook for 5 minutes, turning the tomatoes until they’re charred on most sides. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and add sugar and vinegar. Toss to combine everything before covering it and setting aside for 5 minutes.

Cook the pasta following the directions and drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the liquid. Put the pasta in a pan and add the tomato mixture and 1/4 of liquid. Cook on low heat for 2 minutes and allow to cook through. Serve with basil leaves, drizzled oil, and feta.

#7: Pork Chow Mein

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp oil
• 1 pound pork mince, lean
• 1 thinly sliced celery stick
• 3 tsp curry paste
• 1/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup vegetable mix
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 3/4 cups zucchini noodles
• Coriander leaves

Directions:

Put oil in a frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add pork and stir while it cooks for 8 minutes until it’s brown. Add in curry paste and celery, stir-frying for a minute before adding mushroom and stir-frying for another minute.

Add in the veggie mix and stir-fry for 2 minutes until it’s nearly tender. Add in soy sauce and oyster sauce, tossing well to combine everything. Add the zucchini and stir-fry for a minute before scattering the coriander and serving.

#8: Apricot Chicken

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Makes: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 cups of cubed chicken fillets, thigh
• 1 halved and sliced onion
• 1 sliced stick of celery
• 1 chunked carrot
• 1 crushed clove of garlic
• 2 tsp mustard
• 1/4 chicken stock, salt-reduced
• 1/2 cup apricot nectar
• 1.5 tbsp apricots, dried and chopped
• 1 cup cannellini beans
• Snow peas
• Broccolini

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. On high heat, heat half the oil in a casserole dish. In 2 batches, cook the chicken for 1 to 2 minutes on either side until it’s golden, then transfer to a plate. Heat the rest of the oil in the same dish over medium heat and add celery, onion, and carrots. Cook and stir them for 5 minutes until they’re soft.

Add garlic, cooking until fragrant. Put the chicken back in the dish.

Stir in the stock, mustard, apricot nectar, and dried apricots. Bring the mixture to a boil and cover with a lid, cooking for 30 minutes. Add cannellini beans and cook everything for another 10 minutes. Serve with broccolini and snow peas.

Having a good mixture of vegetables in the diet can be very healthy, and is encouraged with Noom. We use psychology to help you learn how to eat what you love but still lose weight.

#9 Tuscan-Inspired Beef

Prep time: 25 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lentils
• 2 tbsp olive oil, extra-virgin
• 1 chopped onion
• 2 tsp cumin, ground
• 1 sliced red chili
• 1 crushed clove of garlic
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1.5 cups chicken stock, salt-reduced
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/3 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 1/2 pounds skirt steak
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 bunch of chopped kale
• Bread

Directions:

In a medium saucepan of boiling water, follow the package instructions to cook the lentils, then drain them well. Heat half the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, stirring and cooking for 4 minutes.

Add the chili, garlic, and cumin, cooking and stirring for a minute. Combine the tomato paste, 1/2 the lemon juice, lentils, and stock. Cook and stir for 5 minutes until it thickens. Add in the tomato and cook for 2 more minutes.

Trim the fat from the beef and discard. Use a mallet to pound the beef and cut it into two pieces, rubbing it with the rest of the oil. Put paprika, salt, pepper, and the rest of the lemon juice on the steak.

Heat a frying pan on high heat and cook the beef for 3 minutes on either side (to your liking). Put on a plate and let rest for 10 minutes. Add kale to the lentil mixture and stir until it wilts. Top with beef and serve with bread on the side.

#10 Slow Cooker Chicken with Fennel and Tarragon

Prep time: 25 mins

Cook time: 2 hrs 45 mins

Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin
• 2 pounds halved chicken fillets, thigh
• 1 sliced leek
• 3 chopped sticks of celery
• 1 chopped fennel bulb
• 3 crushed cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp tarragon, chopped
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 cup chicken stock, salt-reduced
• 2 cups cranberry beans
• 1/3 cup cooking bream
• 2 peeled and trimmed bunches of baby carrots
• 1/2 bunch of kale, torn

Directions:

In a frying pan over medium-high heat, heat some oil and cook chicken in batches, turning every 3 minutes until browned. Put it in a slow cooker.

Add celery, fennel, leek, tarragon, and garlic to the pan. Cook and stir for 4 minutes until everything is soft. Add the mustard and wine and let simmer for a minute. Add the stock and bring everything up to a boil before transferring the mixture to the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and let cook on high for 2 hours.

Stir cream and cranberry beans into the mixture for another 30 minutes until the chicken is tender.

Simultaneously, boil the kale and carrots until the kale wilts and the carrots are tender. Divide the chicken amongst a few bowls and season it with extra tarragon. Serve carrots and kale on the side.

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