How a 30-Year-Old Lost 27kg Without Giving Up Carbs, Prepares Meat for a Month

Brittany McCrystal, a 30-year-old from New Zealand, has detailed a grocery shopping method that allows her to feed herself and her boyfriend on a budget, spending approximately $620 per month. A significant portion of this budget, $160, is allocated to purchasing enough meat in bulk to last an entire month.

McCrystal's strategy involves buying meat in large quantities from a local butcher, portioning it out, and then freezing it. Her recent bulk purchase included items such as middle bacon, salmon, eye fillet, sirloin, lean beef mince, and chicken. This approach enables her to incorporate protein into meals without frequent supermarket visits. "One of the biggest hacks for saving money on groceries has been buying all of our meat in bulk once a month," McCrystal stated online. "If you're looking for an easy way to save money without changing what you eat, I can't recommend this enough."

This method addresses the ongoing challenge many face in reducing grocery expenses without sacrificing preferred foods. Buying meat in bulk can be more cost-effective than purchasing smaller amounts weekly, especially when taking advantage of butcher specials or larger packages. Beyond cost savings, McCrystal notes that this habit significantly reduces the number of impulse purchases often made during frequent supermarket trips.

"When I go to the supermarket for one ingredient, I somehow spend $60, and I still forget the one thing I went in for," she explained. By planning ahead and maintaining a well-stocked freezer, McCrystal can plan meals around existing ingredients, circumventing the need for additional, potentially expensive, shopping trips. This aligns with her philosophy of making sustainable lifestyle changes for long-term success.

McCrystal's weight loss journey of 27kg was achieved without eliminating carbohydrates. Previously, as a travel agent, she maintained a sedentary lifestyle, subsisting on daily takeaway meals and alcohol. At 23, she adopted a more realistic approach to transform her figure from a size 16 to a size eight within nine months. She credits the 80/20 rule, which involves consuming 80% whole, nutrient-dense foods and allowing 20% for indulgences, for her success.

"People are always shocked when I tell them I ate carbs the entire time I was losing weight," McCrystal shared on Instagram. "I didn't gain weight because of potatoes. I ate sourdough. I ate fruit. I ate rice. I ate pasta. I even had honey and maple syrup."

She elaborated that weight loss is primarily achieved by creating and maintaining a consistent calorie deficit, rather than by restricting specific food groups like carbohydrates. McCrystal observed that many individuals mistakenly blame carbs for weight gain, leading to frustration when cutting them out yields no results. "Carbs were never the problem for me," she emphasized. Her approach to successful weight loss centers on balanced meals, adequate protein intake, and overall calorie management.

Before her transformation, McCrystal struggled with daily activities, experiencing breathlessness and dissatisfaction with her appearance. Her prior attempts at weight loss involved fad diets, shakes, pills, and juice cleanses, which she found detrimental to her relationship with food. Her sedentary office job and reliance on daily takeaway meals contributed to an unhealthy lifestyle.

She found herself repeatedly falling into the