Everywhere you look, prices are going up and people are more strapped for cash than ever. You can not walk into a grocery store anymore and leave without spending at least ten dollars on things that used to cost mere pocket change. Milk. Bread. Eggs. Butter. It all adds up so quickly now, and people are realizing they need to cut costs somewhere.

Unfortunately, most health foods are more expensive than pre-packaged foods that are not as good for our bodies. The first thing people will do is start eating Tuna Helper for dinner instead of chicken, steak or shrimp. If you are on a healthy weight loss program, and you do not want to eat Tuna Helper but want to save money, what do you do?

If you think that a $100 weight loss program is not an option, you may want to think again!

I personally lost 70 pounds in 3 months and have kept it off for over 15 years. After spending $2,000 at Nutri-Systems only to lose 60 pounds and gain 80, a $100 a month weight loss program was the last thing I wanted to buy. But since it came with a money back guarantee, I gave it a shot. Not only did it work, but I actually saved money! Here's how...

The first thing you must realize is that no healthy weight loss program is worth the money unless it is all-natural. What you put into your body is going to determine how you look and feel. There is no way around it. The majority of people who eat donuts every morning for breakfast are fat and unhealthy. Those who eat oatmeal instead are usually thin and healthy.

Since the program I tried was all-natural soy-based protein meal replacement shakes with target vitamins, I was able to lose weight in a healthy way. Not only did I lose weight, but my severe asthma and allergies cleared up and I was able to get off all of my prescription medications. When you feed your body proper nutrition, it has the ability to heal itself and perform better.

Each shake I drank was a meal replacement. The nutrition in each one was the equivalent of eating a 2,000 calorie meal, but I was only consuming 200 calories. You can easily see how this helps a person lose weight. At first I replaced two meals a day until I was at my desired weight, then I switched to just replacing one to maintain that weight. Why stop giving my body good nutrition just because I reached my weight loss goal?

A meal replacement means you are not spending money at McDonalds, Starbucks or IHOP anymore, where you spend a minimum of $50 a week, and in the most generous circumstances. Most healthy weight loss programs cost about $100 a month, so you would be saving money and getting healthy at the same time. Even replacing one meal a day would still be cheaper than if you were not trying to lose weight but creating a healthy lifestyle.

I know what you are thinking. Who wants to drink a bland milk shake for breakfast when you could be eating an oversized plate of caramel pecan waffles with syrup and whipped cream? The answer to that question is two-fold. First of all, the soy-protein shakes I drink are not bland. They come in a variety of flavors in powder form, and I can be as creative as I want to be with  them. I do not even need to make a shake, I can sprinkle it over cereal or mix it in yogurt.

The second answer to that question is that what you eat is a matter of choice. Sure you can go out and eat those waffles, but you will not lose weight if you do. You spend about $10 to gain a few pounds. It will taste nice and yummy for the first few bites until you stuff yourself, but then you will regret not having the shake a few hours later when your blood sugar drops down lower than when you woke up.

Since most healthy weight loss programs come in a month supply, you must pay for the whole month in advance. This is where most people think they can not afford to eat healthy, and it simply is not true. Do the math. Replacing two meals a day will save you how much money? About $150 if all you spend is $5 a meal. How much does each meal replacement cost if the total price is about $100 for the month? About $1.60.

Is $1.60 per meal for a healthy weight loss program worth more than spending $5 a meal to gain weight?

Only a person who is not serious about losing weight would say no. No matter what healthy weight loss program you are contemplating, you must first be committed to living a healthy lifestyle or else your money will be wasted. Once you make the decision to stick with it, weigh all our options and do the math.

When times are rough like they are now, your first observation might be that you can not afford it. When you break it down meal for meal, then add up all the health benefits you will also get, you will probably find that you can make it work to your advantage.