Blood sugar feels like its dropping when I tell myself I'm going on a strict diet

svel713
svel713 Posts: 141 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was lagging behind on tallying up my yealy budget spreadsheet. When I saw how much I've overspent on my hobby, I said to myself I'd go on a mostly beans and rice diet. No fruit or veg over 99cents a pound. Spices, oil, and vitamins included. Occasional boxed luxury items must be 99 cents a box and provide at least 1k calories for that box.

This doesn't sound so bad, until I start feeling like I'm weak from low blood sugar. I have no idea why I have this response to telling myself I'm going on this strict diet. If I am stressed about anything else, I don't have this issue.

Is there a name for this?

(Note: I've been maintaining my weight for over a year, if that matters.)

Replies

  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Perhaps reprioritize your budget so that you have more money for food. Eating a balanced diet is so important for long term health.
  • svel713
    svel713 Posts: 141 Member
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Perhaps reprioritize your budget so that you have more money for food. Eating a balanced diet is so important for long term health.

    I'm not sure what part is unbalanced. Carbs, protein, fats. Fiber and vitamins from fruits and vegetables.

    I did forget to add boxed pasta, flour, and the cheapest potatoes to this list. I had a written one months ago but lost it.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    Is there something pertaining to your hobby that can be sold? It is one thing to accidentally overspend it is another to continue putting the priority on those purchases over relaxing your budget. You can eat on less but you can't erase the extra stress you may be voluntarily placing on yourself.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    It probably feels like deprivation and being poor to think of eating such a limited strict diet. That doesn't feel nice.

    Why make such strict rules about what food you will eat though? Make a budget certainly but then just find foods that fit a lower budget. Make a meal plan and grocery list.
    I reduced my grocery spending by about $60 a week by ordering my groceries online and picking them up, buying generic/store brand stuff, and buying stuff that was on sale. Sometimes there are coupons but mostly I save money in those other ways. We have more meatless meals but not just beans and rice.
    Things that are almost always pretty cheap are oatmeal, tuna, whole chicken or chicken thighs, dry beans, lentils, rice, pasta, bread, eggs, peanut butter, potatoes, carrots, apples, ground turkey, higher fat ground beef, cabbage, onions, canned vegetables, canned fruit, frozen vegetables, flour, vegetable oil. I almost always get milk and cheese. Store brand yogurt is pretty cheap.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10690092/affordable-meals/p1

  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    svel713 wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Perhaps reprioritize your budget so that you have more money for food. Eating a balanced diet is so important for long term health.

    I'm not sure what part is unbalanced. Carbs, protein, fats. Fiber and vitamins from fruits and vegetables.

    I did forget to add boxed pasta, flour, and the cheapest potatoes to this list. I had a written one months ago but lost it.

    I'm not seeing any substantial source of protien or fat in your listed items. Both are needed for a healthy body. I can understand working with a tight budget. I aggressively tightened mine last September and it's made a considerable difference in my life. But just as your budget needs to balance, so does your diet, and so does your life. Sounds like this hobby has taken over in an unhealthy way. So even if you tighten the budget, then what?

    Suggestions for living on less for food: look for foods that are close to expiry, they are often discounted by 30% and sometimes more (as long as they are in a serving size you can consume before it goes bad or is a product like meat that you can cook and freeze right away); use a flyer app such as Flipp to comparison shop prices in your area (shopping at discount stores is sometimes good, but sometimes they are overriced); store brand products are typically less expensive; dry beans and lentles are good and much less expensive than the canned ones (but are more time intensive); use recipe websites to help you get the most with what you have (budgetbites and myfridgefood are both great).

    I really hope you take the time to consider what people are saying about finding balance in your life.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    sam_juggins wrote: »
    amyepdx wrote: »
    Maybe you need to spend less on your hobby instead of sacrificing nutrition?

    ^^ this ^^

    And this is from someone who can spend stupid on sewing, knitting and papercraft. The struggle is real!

    This. I like yarn. I like travel. I buy way too many clothes.

    But I also know that I have to actually, you know, eat.
  • svel713
    svel713 Posts: 141 Member
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    Spending less doesn't mean eating less calories. I'm not sure what the issue is...

    That's what I was thinking. I eat 1600 cals a day and at least 70g protein.
    100_PROOF_ wrote: »
    Op-
    I'm just curious now , what is your hobby?
    My hobby is also pricey. I like to buy Christian louboutin heels.

    Cosplay. Wife and I build to compete. We've actually placed or won a minor award the last 3 conventions in a row.
    NovusDies wrote: »
    Is there something pertaining to your hobby that can be sold? It is one thing to accidentally overspend it is another to continue putting the priority on those purchases over relaxing your budget. You can eat on less but you can't erase the extra stress you may be voluntarily placing on yourself.

    No. I'd have to do commissions. I'm not experienced enough to do this.
    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    if your hobby is interfering with the NECESSITIES of life... like, you know ... FOOD.... then you have a psychological issue and need professional help.

    Its interfeeing with savings and retirement. I will have $6k in liquis savings at the end of the month. I should have at least $10k at my age.

    I think I was in panic mode when I posted this. My car had a $576 repair in April and may need another $400+ today. Waiting to hear back what the problem is.
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    It probably feels like deprivation and being poor to think of eating such a limited strict diet. That doesn't feel nice.

    Why make such strict rules about what food you will eat though? Make a budget certainly but then just find foods that fit a lower budget. Make a meal plan and grocery list.
    I reduced my grocery spending by about $60 a week by ordering my groceries online and picking them up, buying generic/store brand stuff, and buying stuff that was on sale. Sometimes there are coupons but mostly I save money in those other ways. We have more meatless meals but not just beans and rice.
    Things that are almost always pretty cheap are oatmeal, tuna, whole chicken or chicken thighs, dry beans, lentils, rice, pasta, bread, eggs, peanut butter, potatoes, carrots, apples, ground turkey, higher fat ground beef, cabbage, onions, canned vegetables, canned fruit, frozen vegetables, flour, vegetable oil. I almost always get milk and cheese. Store brand yogurt is pretty cheap.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10690092/affordable-meals/p1

    I spent $413 this month on 2 people this month. I usually spend $300-ish. US food stamps is around $194/month max benefit, but I heard of people going lower.
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    svel713 wrote: »
    nutmegoreo wrote: »
    Perhaps reprioritize your budget so that you have more money for food. Eating a balanced diet is so important for long term health.

    I'm not sure what part is unbalanced. Carbs, protein, fats. Fiber and vitamins from fruits and vegetables.

    I did forget to add boxed pasta, flour, and the cheapest potatoes to this list. I had a written one months ago but lost it.

    I'm not seeing any substantial source of protien or fat in your listed items. Both are needed for a healthy body. I can understand working with a tight budget. I aggressively tightened mine last September and it's made a considerable difference in my life. But just as your budget needs to balance, so does your diet, and so does your life. Sounds like this hobby has taken over in an unhealthy way. So even if you tighten the budget, then what?

    Suggestions for living on less for food: look for foods that are close to expiry, they are often discounted by 30% and sometimes more (as long as they are in a serving size you can consume before it goes bad or is a product like meat that you can cook and freeze right away); use a flyer app such as Flipp to comparison shop prices in your area (shopping at discount stores is sometimes good, but sometimes they are overriced); store brand products are typically less expensive; dry beans and lentles are good and much less expensive than the canned ones (but are more time intensive); use recipe websites to help you get the most with what you have (budgetbites and myfridgefood are both great).

    I really hope you take the time to consider what people are saying about finding balance in your life.

    Beans for protein, oil for fats. You can get a good amount of protein if your dish is heavy on beans and light on the complimenting carb. I have a lentil rice dish that is 1300 cals and 69g protein, its 1oz olive oil, 150g rice, 225g lentils, plus spices.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    I think you just need to budget better. Either you have your priorities out of order (necessities, like FOOD and saving for retirement should come first) or you're just not paying close enough attention to your spending. Are you just tallying up your expenses after the fact or do you you budget as you go? I use a budget app that way it's always on my phone and easily accessible and I always know if I have enough money for whatever it is I want to buy.
  • 100_PROOF_
    100_PROOF_ Posts: 1,168 Member
    Alright now I must see this cosplay stuff OP ! I'm intrigued !
    Please post pics
  • jseams1234
    jseams1234 Posts: 1,219 Member
    4dwi8h5g9r41.jpg
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I spent $413 this month on 2 people this month. I usually spend $300-ish. US food stamps is around $194/month max benefit, but I heard of people going lower.

    I spend about the same per person as you normally would and it is frugal but fairly comfortable. Dropping another $30 or more per week might be livable but not feel comfortable. Is your plan to reduce your food spending from your normal $300 a month to less than $195 per month? Are you restricting your food because you only have $6,000 in savings instead of $10,000?

    Are you perhaps using extreme food restriction to punish yourself/partner for overspending as you are not in fact broke just not saving as much as you'd like? Maybe this is not the healthiest way to approach budgeting and spending and you should do something more moderate or look at selling items or canceling services rather than restricting necessary-for-life expense.
  • svel713
    svel713 Posts: 141 Member
    hesn92 wrote: »
    I think you just need to budget better. Either you have your priorities out of order (necessities, like FOOD and saving for retirement should come first) or you're just not paying close enough attention to your spending. Are you just tallying up your expenses after the fact or do you you budget as you go? I use a budget app that way it's always on my phone and easily accessible and I always know if I have enough money for whatever it is I want to buy.

    I have an excel budget sheet that I update every 1-3 days and a monthly one with big stuff like car repairs and medical expenses that gets updated yearly.

    I used unbury.me to check how much more I'd have to pay to be debt free in 10 years and its a consistent payment of $850/mo., even after my old car is paid off this December.

    I'm one of those people who doesn't get any help from family while I see people way older than me get bailed out of emergencies. And then they get luxuries like free vacations and free cars, too.

    Hearing my in laws call to say they got my sister in law a 2017 Dodge Caravan and then having my car break down knowing I'm never offered anything doesn't help. I think I just need to wait 24 hours before I allow myself to panic.

    Luckily I just heard its likely a recall issue. All the $3k+ I spent on repairs on my car the past 2.5 years are due to recall issues that were never fixed. I can stop food panicking now.
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    I spent $413 this month on 2 people this month. I usually spend $300-ish. US food stamps is around $194/month max benefit, but I heard of people going lower.

    Are you perhaps using extreme food restriction to punish yourself/partner for overspending as you are not in fact broke just not saving as much as you'd like?

    Punishing myself. I grew up super strict. I know I will give in if the wife wants something.

    I feel broke compared to age appropriate savings goals, but I'm farther along financially than everyone I know. The only ways people have passed me my age are when people's parents massively pitch in.

    If I would want one thing, it'd be the down payment for a small house. I'll be at or past the typical age 32 before I can get the down payment.

    I can even sign the loans by myself with my 738 credit score. :)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Well, people are more likely to get help if they ask for help.

    OTOH, money from family often has strings attached or can turn into a toxic situation, so it can be better to just avoid getting help from family.

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