The Nutritional Wealth System: How I Stopped Dieting, Lost 45 Pounds, and Built a Richer Life on a Shoestring Budget

Part 1: The Calorie Scarcity Trap: My Journey Through the Dieting Industrial Complex

The $72 Takeout Order That Broke Me

It was a Tuesday night, and I was broken.

Not by a major life event, but by a fridge full of good intentions.

Inside were the supposed building blocks of health: a wilting head of kale, a single, lonely chicken breast, and some quinoa that would take 40 minutes I didn’t have.

After a ten-hour workday and wrestling two kids through their homework, the thought of chopping, seasoning, cooking, and then cleaning up felt like being asked to climb a mountain.

The internal monologue was deafening.

You should cook.

It’s healthier.

It’s cheaper.

You know better. But another voice, one fueled by pure exhaustion and decision fatigue, whispered a tempting alternative.

I picked up my phone.

Forty-five minutes and $72 later, greasy bags of takeout landed on my counter.

As my family ate, I was consumed by a familiar cocktail of guilt, frustration, and shame.

This wasn’t a one-time failure; it was a symptom of a deeply flawed system.

For years, I had been trapped in a cycle: I’d read the articles, buy the “healthy” food, and try to follow the standard advice, only to fail when real life—with its budget constraints and time poverty—inevitably got in the Way.¹

The problem wasn’t my willpower.

The problem was that I was treating my health like a battle of deprivation, a constant state of scarcity.

I was about to discover that the solution wasn’t to fight harder, but to adopt an entirely new system—one based on abundance, strategy, and empowerment that would not only help me lose 45 pounds but would also transform my relationship with food and finance forever.²

Why “Eat Healthy on a Budget” Is a Systemic Lie

The advice to “eat healthy on a budget” often feels like a cruel joke, because it ignores the systemic forces working against you.

It’s not your imagination; the game is rigged.

First, there’s the economic reality.

Healthy, whole foods are often more expensive on a per-calorie basis than their ultra-processed counterparts.⁴

Energy-dense foods laden with refined starches, sugars, and fats are engineered to be cheap, convenient, and hyper-palatable, creating an economic gravity that pulls budget-conscious shoppers toward the center aisles of the grocery store.⁵

Studies confirm that for low-income households, price is a primary driver of food purchases, often overriding healthfulness out of sheer necessity.⁵

When your budget is tight, the cheap calories offered by processed foods aren’t just a temptation; they’re a logical solution to filling hungry stomachs.⁴

Second, environmental hurdles compound the problem.

The very concept of a “food desert”—a low-income area more than a mile from a supermarket—is a reality for 23.5 million Americans.⁹

For those living in these areas, accessing fresh produce can require a monumental effort involving long bus rides or expensive taxis.

Even for those with access, a lack of resources at home, such as adequate cooking facilities or a freezer to store bulk purchases, can render the advice to “buy in bulk” completely impractical.

Data suggests that millions of people live without a cooker or a freezer, making many budget-friendly strategies impossible.¹⁰

Finally, there’s the “time and energy tax.” The standard advice to “cook everything from scratch” and “meal prep for the week” ignores the reality that financial constraints often go hand-in-hand with time poverty.⁴

For someone working multiple jobs or long hours, the mental and physical energy required for elaborate meal planning and preparation is a luxury they can’t afford.

This is the fundamental flaw in most expert advice: it assumes an abundance of non-financial resources—time, energy, equipment, and access—that the target audience simply does not possess.

This constant messaging that healthy eating is expensive, time-consuming, and difficult creates a powerful psychological barrier.

It frames wellness as a luxury good, an exclusive club that people on a budget are not invited to join.

This can foster a sense of learned helplessness, reinforcing the belief that cheap, processed food is their only realistic option.

The advice to “just buy more vegetables” is dismissed not because people don’t know vegetables are healthy, but because, in their lived reality, it feels as out of reach as being told to “just buy a Rolex.”

The Vicious Cycle of Deprivation and Defeat

My personal journey was a textbook example of the “yo-yo” dieting phenomenon.

I’d throw myself into highly restrictive diets, cutting out entire food groups and surviving on bland, joyless meals.

The scale would budge, and I’d feel a fleeting sense of victory.

But it was never sustainable.

The extreme restriction would inevitably lead to intense cravings and a feeling of being deprived.¹¹

My body, sensing starvation, would slow my metabolism to conserve energy, making further weight loss nearly impossible.¹²

This is where the myth of willpower crumbles.

We are led to believe that weight loss is a simple matter of self-control, but our modern food environment is a minefield of temptation, scientifically engineered to make us overeat.⁷

Relying on willpower alone in this environment is like trying to hold your breath indefinitely—you are biologically programmed to fail.

The key isn’t to try harder; it’s to change the system you’re operating in.¹³

With every failed attempt, the emotional toll mounted.

I felt a deep sense of shame and frustration, blaming my own lack of discipline for the failure.³

This cycle of hope, restriction, failure, and self-blame is exhausting, and it’s a story familiar to millions.

I was stuck, and I knew something had to change fundamentally.

Part 2: The Epiphany: Your Body Isn’t a Battlefield, It’s a Personal Economy

From Calorie Counting to Calorie Budgeting: The Mental Model Shift

The turning point didn’t come from a nutrition book or a fitness guru.

It came while I was sitting at my kitchen table, overwhelmed, trying to create a family budget using principles from personal finance experts.¹⁵

I was listing our income, tracking our expenses, and trying to distinguish between needs and wants.

Suddenly, the language I was using for our money—assets, liabilities, investments, debt, return on investment—clicked into place with a shocking clarity.

The feeling of being “broke” on calories by 8 PM, with nothing left for a small treat, felt exactly like seeing a zero balance in my checking account before all the bills were paid.

My epiphany was this: I had to stop dieting—a negative, restrictive process—and start budgeting my calories, an empowering process of strategic allocation.¹⁶

What if I treated my daily calorie needs not as a prison sentence, but as a paycheck? What if I saw food not as “good” or “bad,” but as “assets” and “liabilities” in my personal health economy? This simple but profound shift in perspective was the key that unlocked everything.

It transformed weight loss from a battle of willpower into a game of strategy.

The Core Principles of Nutritional Finance

This new mental model, which I call “Nutritional Finance,” is built on core principles borrowed directly from the world of personal finance.

By applying these concepts to food, we can remove the emotion and morality, and replace them with logic and strategy.

1. Income & Expenses (The Energy Balance): At its core, weight management is a simple mathematical equation. Your daily calorie target is your “income.” The calories you consume are your “expenses.” To lose weight, you must run a consistent “budget surplus,” which is a calorie deficit. This isn’t magic; it’s just math. Understanding this principle demystifies the process and removes the moral judgment we so often attach to food.¹⁹
2. Assets vs. Liabilities (Nutrient Density): In finance, an asset puts money in your pocket, while a liability takes money out. In nutrition, it’s about value.

• Nutritional Assets are foods high in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They provide a high “return on investment” by delivering significant satiety, energy, and health benefits for their caloric cost. Think lean proteins, vegetables, and whole grains.²²
• Nutritional Liabilities are ultra-processed foods, sugary drinks, and refined carbs. They are “high-cost, low-return” items that consume your calorie budget quickly without providing lasting value in the form of fullness or nutrients.⁶

3. Investing for High Returns (Prioritizing Satiety): The smartest “investment” you can make with your calorie budget is in protein and fiber. These macronutrients have the highest satiety “yield,” meaning they keep you feeling full and satisfied for the longest period of time. Prioritizing them prevents “impulse spending” on high-calorie snacks later in the day. This is like investing in a blue-chip stock that provides reliable, long-term returns on your well-being.¹¹
4. Building an Emergency Fund (The “Plan B” Meal): A financial emergency fund prevents you from going into debt when an unexpected expense arises. A “nutritional emergency fund”—a stash of quick, easy, healthy “Plan B” meals—is just as critical. It’s what saves you from ordering expensive, high-calorie takeout on a chaotic night when your original dinner plan falls through.²⁷
5. Diversifying Your Portfolio (The Importance of Variety): A financial portfolio with only one stock is incredibly risky. Likewise, a diet consisting of only chicken and broccoli is not only nutritionally incomplete but also incredibly boring, which is a major risk for long-term failure.²⁸ A “diversified portfolio” of different vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy carbs mitigates the risk of nutritional deficiencies and burnout, ensuring long-term sustainability.³⁰
6. Living Below Your Means (The Sustainable Deficit): The goal is not to slash your caloric “spending” to zero (starvation). The goal is to create a small, sustainable gap between your “income” (calories burned) and your “expenses” (calories eaten). This is the principle of living below your means, applied to nutrition. It’s about mindful reduction, not painful deprivation, which is the key to consistency.²

This table crystallizes the shift from the old, failed mindset to the new, empowering one.

Feature	Diet Scarcity Mindset (Why It Fails)	Nutritional Wealth Mindset (Why It Works)
Overall Goal	Restriction & Deprivation	Strategic Allocation & Empowerment
Food View	“Good” vs. “Bad” Foods (Morality)	“Assets” vs. “Liabilities” (Value)
Shopping	Buying expensive, pre-packaged “diet” food.	Investing in a diversified portfolio of high-yield assets (protein, fiber).
Cooking	A chore; a necessary evil to be minimized.	Compounding interest; cooking once to create multiple future “meal assets.”
“Treats”	A “cheat” that leads to guilt and derailment.	A planned “discretionary expense” that fits within the overall budget.
Failure	A sign of personal weakness or lack of willpower.	A data point indicating the need to adjust the system, not a moral failing.

Part 3: The Nutritional Wealth System: A Step-by-Step Guide to Implementation

Step 1: The Financial Audit – Tracking Your “Caloric & Monetary Spend”

You cannot manage what you don’t measure.

The first step in any financial plan is to get a clear picture of where your money is going.¹⁵

The same is true for your nutritional health.

For one week, track everything you eat and drink, and how much you spend on food.

Do this without judgment.

The goal is not to shame yourself, but to gather data.

Use a free app like Lose It! or MyFitnessPal to make it easy.³³

This short-term diagnostic process is crucial for establishing a baseline and revealing hidden “expenses”—like that daily sugary coffee or mindless handfuls of chips—that are draining both your calorie and financial budgets.³⁶

Step 2: Creating Your “Nutritional Budget” – The 50/30/20 Plate Method

Successful financial budgeting often relies on simple, memorable rules, like the 50/30/20 rule for allocating income.³⁸

We can apply a similar visual framework to our plates to simplify meal construction and ensure nutritional balance without obsessive measurement.

• 50% of your plate: Non-Starchy Vegetables (Your Foundational, Low-Cost Bulk). Think of these as your essential living expenses—you need a lot of them. They provide immense volume and fiber for very few calories, which is critical for feeling full.²² Examples include leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, and zucchini.
• 30% of your plate: Lean Protein (Your High-Yield Investment). This is the most important component for building and maintaining muscle and, crucially, for satiety. It’s what keeps you from feeling hungry an hour after you eat.²⁵
• 20% of your plate: Fiber-Rich Carbs/Healthy Fats (Your Long-Term Energy). This includes foods like whole grains, beans, lentils, sweet potatoes, and avocado. They provide sustained energy and prevent the “market crashes”—or energy slumps—that lead to cravings for quick-fix junk food.²³

Step 3: Strategic Shopping – Your Grocery Store “Investment Strategy”

A savvy investor has a clear strategy for acquiring assets.

A savvy food shopper must do the same to acquire the highest-value nutritional assets at the lowest possible cost.

• Shop with a List, Always: This is the cardinal rule of financial and nutritional discipline. It prevents “impulse spending” on liabilities like chips and cookies that are strategically placed to tempt you.⁴¹
• Leverage “Low-Cost Index Funds”: Frozen fruits and vegetables are your best friends. They are often picked at peak ripeness, making them nutritionally equivalent to fresh, but they are significantly cheaper and generate zero waste.²² Similarly, canned goods like beans, lentils, and fish are shelf-stable, inexpensive powerhouses of nutrition.²²
• Buy “Stocks” on Sale: Plan your week’s meals around the weekly sales flyer at your local grocery store. Focus on what proteins are on sale, as this is often the most expensive part of the meal, and build your recipes from there.⁴⁷
• Avoid “High-Fee Mutual Funds”: Pre-cut produce, pre-packaged snacks, and processed meals come with a hefty price premium for convenience.¹ You are paying for labor that you can easily and cheaply do yourself.

Step 4: Compounding Interest – The Power of “Cook Once, Eat Thrice”

The most powerful force in finance is compound interest.

The most powerful force in a time-crunched kitchen is leveraging your effort.

Instead of dedicating a whole Sunday to a massive, overwhelming meal prep session, adopt the “Plus-One” method.

• When you’re making a soup, chili, or stew, simply double the recipe. With minimal extra effort, you’ve just created several “meal assets” that you can freeze for later.
• When you’re roasting a chicken, cook two. Shred the meat from the second one and use it for quick tacos, salads, or sandwiches throughout the week.⁴⁵
  
  This approach gradually builds a well-stocked freezer of healthy, homemade meals, creating a buffer that pays huge dividends on those chaotic nights when you’re tempted to order takeout.

Step 5: Your Financial Safety Net – Building a 15-Minute “Emergency Fund” Arsenal

A financial emergency fund is liquid cash you can access instantly to cover an unexpected cost.

A nutritional emergency fund is a list of 5-7 go-to meals you can make in under 15 minutes using pantry and freezer staples.

This is your defense against the “I’m too tired to cook” disaster.

Create a list and post it on your fridge.

Examples include: scrambled eggs with frozen spinach and whole wheat toast; canned tuna or salmon mixed with Greek yogurt and served with carrot sticks; or black bean quesadillas using canned beans, a little cheese, and whole wheat tortillas.⁴⁸

This is the practical application of the “Plan B” concept that is essential for long-term success.²⁷

Part 4: Your High-Yield “Investment Portfolio”: Recipes and Meal Plans

The Foundational Assets: Your Core “Wealth-Building” Grocery List

This list represents your starter “investment portfolio.” These are the versatile, low-cost, high-nutrient foods that will form the backbone of your new system.

Item	Asset Class (Primary Nutrient)	Budget-Saving Tip
Proteins
Eggs	Protein, Healthy Fats	Often the cheapest protein per gram. Buy larger cartons for a lower unit price.41
Canned Tuna/Salmon	Protein, Omega-3s	Buy packed in water, store-brand. Stock up when on sale.22
Lentils (Brown/Green)	Protein, Fiber	The ultimate budget protein. Buy dry in bulk for pennies per serving.43
Beans (Black, Chickpea)	Protein, Fiber	Canned is convenient, but cooking from dry is significantly cheaper.43
Plain Greek Yogurt	Protein, Probiotics	A versatile substitute for sour cream/mayo. Buy large tubs, not individual cups.44
Chicken Thighs/Legs	Protein	Much cheaper than breasts. Buy bone-in, skin-on for the best price and flavor.45
Vegetables
Frozen Spinach/Broccoli/Peas	Fiber, Vitamins	Nutritionally equal to fresh, zero waste, and cheaper, especially out of season.22
Cabbage	Fiber, Volume	Incredibly cheap, versatile, and adds huge, low-calorie bulk to meals.44
Onions, Carrots	Flavor Base, Fiber	The foundation of countless cheap meals. Buy in large bags for the best value.
Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes	Complex Carbs, Fiber	Highly satiating and nutrient-dense. A true weight-loss food when not fried.52
Carbohydrates & Grains
Rolled Oats	Complex Carbs, Fiber	The king of cheap, filling breakfasts. Buy in large canisters, not instant packets.40
Brown Rice	Complex Carbs, Fiber	A versatile base for countless meals. Buy in large bags to lower the cost per serving.40
Whole Wheat Pasta/Bread	Complex Carbs, Fiber	Store brands offer the same nutritional benefits as name brands for a lower cost.40
Pantry Staples
Spices	Flavor	Buy from bulk bins or ethnic markets to avoid paying a premium for glass jars.46
Olive Oil, Vinegar	Healthy Fats, Flavor	Purchase larger bottles for a better unit price, as these are used frequently.

A Sample 7-Day “Wealth-Building” Meal Plan

This is not a restrictive diet; it’s a template to show how the system works in practice.

It demonstrates that you can eat delicious, varied, and satisfying meals that are both budget-friendly and conducive to weight loss.

Day	Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snack
Mon	Overnight Oats (Oats, Greek Yogurt, Frozen Berries)	Leftover Lentil Soup	Big Batch Lentil Soup w/ Whole Wheat Bread	Apple
Tue	Scrambled Eggs w/ Frozen Spinach	Leftover Lentil Soup	Chicken Thighs w/ Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Broccoli	Handful of Almonds
Wed	Overnight Oats	Leftover Chicken & Veggies	Black Bean & Corn Salsa w/ Brown Rice & Greek Yogurt	Hard-Boiled Egg
Thu	Scrambled Eggs w/ Frozen Spinach	Leftover Black Beans & Rice	Tuna Melt on Whole Wheat Bread w/ Carrot Sticks	Apple
Fri	Overnight Oats	Tuna Salad (no bread) on a bed of greens	“Clean Out the Fridge” Frittata	Plain Greek Yogurt
Sat	Greek Yogurt w/ Berries	Leftover Frittata	Homemade Pizza on Whole Wheat Tortilla	Handful of Almonds
Sun	Scrambled Eggs w/ Leftover Veggies	Leftovers from the week	Big Batch Chili (for next week’s lunches)	Hard-Boiled Egg

Recipe Showcase: 3 Meals Under $3 per Serving

Here are a few cornerstone recipes from the meal plan to get you started.

1. Hearty Lentil Soup

This is my go-to recipe for a Monday.

It’s incredibly cheap, filling, and makes enough for several lunches throughout the week.

• Estimated Cost Per Serving: $0.52 ⁵⁵
• Approximate Nutrition (per serving): 250 calories, 15g protein, 1g fat, 45g carbs, 15g fiber
• Ingredients: 1 lb brown lentils, 1 large onion (chopped), 2 carrots (chopped), 2 celery stalks (chopped), 2 cloves garlic (minced), 8 cups vegetable broth, 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp thyme, salt and pepper to taste.
• Instructions: Sauté onion, carrots, and celery in a large pot until soft. Add garlic and cook for one more minute. Add lentils, broth, tomatoes, and spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until lentils are tender.
• Investment Tip: Cooking lentils from dry is the cheapest way to go. This soup freezes beautifully, so you’re creating “meal assets” for future busy days.

2. Sheet-Pan Roasted Chicken and Veggies

This is the definition of a simple, satisfying weeknight dinner with minimal cleanup.

• Estimated Cost Per Serving: $2.29 ⁵⁶
• Approximate Nutrition (per serving): 450 calories, 35g protein, 20g fat, 30g carbs, 8g fiber
• Ingredients: 4 bone-in chicken thighs, 2 large sweet potatoes (cubed), 1 large head of broccoli (cut into florets), 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, salt and pepper.
• Instructions: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss sweet potatoes and broccoli with olive oil and seasonings on a large sheet pan. Arrange chicken thighs among the vegetables. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender and slightly crispy.
• Investment Tip: Use leftover chicken for lunches the next day. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are almost always cheaper and more flavorful than boneless, skinless breasts.

3. Mini Meat Loaves with Green Beans and Potatoes

A classic comfort food meal made healthier and budget-friendly on a single sheet pan.

• Estimated Cost Per Serving: $2.29 ⁵⁶
• Approximate Nutrition (per serving): 350 calories, 25g protein, 15g fat, 30g carbs, 6g fiber
• Ingredients: 1 lb lean ground turkey or beef, 1 egg, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup ketchup (plus extra for topping), 1 tsp onion powder, 1 lb green beans (trimmed), 1 lb baby potatoes (halved), 1 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Instructions: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). In a bowl, mix ground meat, egg, oats, ketchup, and seasonings. Form into 4 mini loaves. On a sheet pan, toss green beans and potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place meatloaves on the pan with the vegetables. Top loaves with a little extra ketchup. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until meat is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
• Investment Tip: Using oats instead of breadcrumbs is a cheaper, higher-fiber way to bind the meatloaf. Make a double batch of the mini loaves and freeze the uncooked ones for a future meal.

Conclusion: Achieving Financial and Physical Freedom

Think back to that Tuesday night and the $72 takeout order.

That version of me was trapped in a system of scarcity, stress, and guilt.

Today, my reality is completely different.

My freezer is stocked with “meal assets.” My mind is equipped with a simple, logical system for making food choices.

I am free from the constant anxiety that used to surround mealtime.

The 45 pounds I lost were not the goal; they were the byproduct of building a better, more sustainable system.¹³

The Nutritional Wealth System is not another diet.

It is a permanent shift in mindset from restriction to strategy, from scarcity to abundance.

It is about empowering yourself with the tools of a financial planner to build sustainable wealth—in your bank account and in your body.

The goal is not just to lose weight on a budget, but to become the confident, capable CFO of your own health, creating a richer, healthier, and more fulfilling life.

Works cited

1. 5 tips for eating healthy on a budget | Blue Cross NC, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.bluecrossnc.com/blog/healthy-living/nutrition/eating-healthy-on-a-budget
2. Weight loss: 6 strategies for success – Mayo Clinic, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047752
3. We struggled to lose weight. Here’s what worked – The Body Coach, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.thebodycoach.com/blog/we-struggled-to-lose-weight-heres-what-worked/
4. Can Low-Income Americans Afford a Healthy Diet? – PMC, accessed August 10, 2025, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2847733/
5. How inflation is hurting the diets of low-income Americans – Northwell Health, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.northwell.edu/news/the-latest/inflation-and-american-diets
6. Dejunking Your Diet | NIH News in Health, accessed August 10, 2025, https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2024/02/dejunking-your-diet
7. Improving Healthy Food Choices in Low-Income Settings in the United States Using Behavioral Economic-Based Adaptations to Choice Architecture – PubMed Central, accessed August 10, 2025, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8526839/
8. Can Low-Income Americans Afford a Healthy Diet? – Economic Research Service – USDA, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2008/november/can-low-income-americans-afford-a-healthy-diet
9. Access to Affordable, Nutritious Food Is Limited in “Food Deserts”, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2010/march/access-to-affordable-nutritious-food-is-limited-in-food-deserts
10. Health inequalities: Why is it harder for some people to eat healthily? – Cancer News, accessed August 10, 2025, https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2022/06/24/health-inequalities-why-is-it-harder-for-some-people-to-eat-healthily/
11. Overcoming Common Dieting Challenges – UCI Center for Healthspan Sciences, accessed August 10, 2025, https://healthspan.cohs.uci.edu/article/overcoming-common-dieting-challenges-q8fib9z/
12. Optimal Diet Strategies for Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance – PubMed Central, accessed August 10, 2025, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8017325/
13. How I Lost Weight & What It Has to Do With Budgeting – YNAB, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.ynab.com/blog/how-i-lost-25-pounds-and-what-it-has-to-do-with-budgeting
14. Losing weight on a budget : r/Volumeeating – Reddit, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/Volumeeating/comments/15rw93k/losing_weight_on_a_budget/
15. The Basics of Personal Finance – Ramsey Solutions, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.ramseysolutions.com/budgeting/the-basics-of-personal-finance
16. Budgeting and Calories–Is There a Connection? (Rutgers NJAES), accessed August 10, 2025, https://njaes.rutgers.edu/sshw/message/message.php?p=Finance&m=330
17. Master Your Body’s Bank Account. Counting calories is like keeping a… | by CJ Gotcher | In Fitness And In Health | Medium, accessed August 10, 2025, https://medium.com/in-fitness-and-in-health/master-your-bodys-bank-account-16d6632c2b86
18. Budgeting Your Calories – Intermountain Health, accessed August 10, 2025, https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/budgeting-your-calories
19. Energy balance and its components: implications for body weight regulation – PMC, accessed August 10, 2025, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3302369/
20. 7.6 Weight Loss Strategies – Introduction to Nutrition and Wellness, accessed August 10, 2025, https://mtsu.pressbooks.pub/nutrition/chapter/7e-weight-management-best-practices/
21. #4. Treating Calories Like Currency – Trainerize.me, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.trainerize.me/articles/treating-calories-like-currency/
22. 10 Tips For Losing Weight on a Budget – MyFitnessPal Blog, accessed August 10, 2025, https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/5-tips-for-losing-weight-on-a-budget/
23. The Deal With Diets (for Teens) | Nemours KidsHealth, accessed August 10, 2025, https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/dieting.html
24. The Ultimate Weight Loss Grocery List for Beginners – Nourish, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.usenourish.com/blog/weight-loss-grocery-list
25. Budget-Friendly Weight Loss: Coach Gordon’s Expert Insights [+ FREE GUIDE] – Gold’s Gym, accessed August 10, 2025, https://goldsgymbc.ca/affordable-diet-plan-for-weight-loss
26. Healthy Meals for Weight Loss on a Budget – Everything You Need to Know – BetterMe, accessed August 10, 2025, https://betterme.world/articles/healthy-meals-for-weight-loss-on-a-budget/
27. Mastering Meal Planning On A Budget: Plan B Edition – YouTube, accessed August 10, 2025, https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FwlF-Wibh9U&pp=0gcJCccJAYcqIYzv
28. Weight loss: Choosing a diet that’s right for you – Mayo Clinic, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20048466
29. Weight loss Resources – Mayo Clinic, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/resources/hlv-20049483?p=1
30. Useful Financial Analogies (Rutgers NJAES), accessed August 10, 2025, https://njaes.rutgers.edu/sshw/message/message.php?p=Finance&m=240
31. Wealth Talks: The Best Metaphors About Money and Investing – AssetMark, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.assetmark.com/blog/money-metaphors
32. Top 8 Analogies Every Financial Advisor Can Use to Connect with Clients | Dunham, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.dunham.com/FA/Blog/Posts/top-8-analogies-for-financial-advisors
33. A Registered Nurse Tested the Lose It! App for Weight Loss – Everyday Health, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.everydayhealth.com/weight/lose-it-review/
34. Struggling to lose weight – Training – Wahoo X Forum, accessed August 10, 2025, https://wahoox.forum.wahoofitness.com/t/struggling-to-lose-weight/7677
35. Weight Loss Calculator by Everyday Health, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.everydayhealth.com/weight/weight-loss-calculator/
36. Tips for Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight | Healthy Weight and Growth – CDC, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/healthy-eating/index.html
37. Getting Rich and Ripped: How WCI Principles Help Build Wealth and Improve Your Physical Fitness | White Coat Investor, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.whitecoatinvestor.com/getting-rich-and-ripped-how-wci-principles-help-build-wealth-and-improve-your-physical-fitness/
38. What Is Personal Finance, and Why Is It Important? – Investopedia, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.investopedia.com/terms/p/personalfinance.asp
39. Finally weight loss success! – Nutrition – TrainerRoad, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.trainerroad.com/forum/t/finally-weight-loss-success/91578
40. Eating healthy on a tight budget: 6 top tips – British Heart Foundation, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/nutrition/eat-well-on-a-budget
41. How to Lose Weight On a Budget | BODi, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.bodi.com/blog/lose-weight-on-a-budget
42. Eating Well on a Budget – HelpGuide.org, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/nutrition/eat-healthy-for-less
43. Nutrition on a budget – how do you do it? – Reddit, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/nutrition/comments/1cxnrrc/nutrition_on_a_budget_how_do_you_do_it/
44. What are your cheapest meals to lose weight? : r/EatCheapAndHealthy – Reddit, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/EatCheapAndHealthy/comments/11gqhju/what_are_your_cheapest_meals_to_lose_weight/
45. How do you balance being healthy with saving money? Any cheap, bulk, and also really healthy ideas? – Reddit, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/budgetfood/comments/18mak3j/how_do_you_balance_being_healthy_with_saving/
46. I’m trying to stick to a budget while still eating healthily. What are some practical tips and strategies for budgeting food expenses without compromising on nutrition or flavor? – Reddit, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/budgetfood/comments/1dipcf8/im_trying_to_stick_to_a_budget_while_still_eating/
47. How can I eat clean and healthy on a limited budget? : r/Fitness – Reddit, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness/comments/336mmw/how_can_i_eat_clean_and_healthy_on_a_limited/
48. Struggling with Weight Loss on a Tight Budget – Any Advice? : r/Frugal – Reddit, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal/comments/1gbdzgb/struggling_with_weight_loss_on_a_tight_budget_any/
49. Mastering Meal Planning: A Recipe for Financial Success – Public Service Credit Union, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.pscu-wausau.com/blog/mastering-meal-planning
50. Healthy eating on a budget? : r/povertykitchen – Reddit, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/povertykitchen/comments/1css8k3/healthy_eating_on_a_budget/
51. Low Budget Diet Plan For Weight Loss: 7-Day Meal Guide – Berry Street, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.berrystreet.co/blog/low-budget-diet-plan-for-weight-loss
52. Cheap, Healthy Foods – WebMD, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/ss/slideshow-cheap-healthy-food
53. Cheap Weight loss meals (no beef or chicken)? : r/EatCheapAndHealthy – Reddit, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/EatCheapAndHealthy/comments/1694to5/cheap_weight_loss_meals_no_beef_or_chicken/
54. Losing weight to save money on food? : r/Frugal – Reddit, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal/comments/15f1glx/losing_weight_to_save_money_on_food/
55. Top 20 Recipes for Eating Healthy on a Budget, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.budgetbytes.com/top-20-recipes-eating-healthy-budget/
56. 32 Cheap, Healthy Meals That Cost Less Than $3 Per Serving, accessed August 10, 2025, https://www.bhg.com/recipes/healthy/dinner/cheap-heart-healthy-dinner-ideas/