"I Can't Afford It"

 

 "I CAN'T AFFORD IT"

There are a whole bunch of busy people in the world who, in all likelihood, have realized already that there are not enough hours in the day or enough dollars in their wallet.  We are going here and there and everywhere and often have a litany of excuses that we have enabled ourselves to believe about our lifestyle and how healthy eating and exercise does not fit in to the plan.

• "I can't afford it"
• "I don't have time for exercise.. you see how busy I am"
• "Yeah. That would be nice if I had time to make dinner at night"
• "Those fancy clean foods are too expensive.  I'm not rich"
• "I don't have the money to join a gym"

Today I want to address these falsehoods that we tell ourselves regularly to put a barrier between what we do and what we should do. 
The truth in the matter is that clean, "Real" food is more expensive than fast food (FOR NOW!). 
The truth is that most of us don't have time for the gym (UNLESS WE PRIORITIZE FOR WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US!). 
Gym memberships these days are $10 per month and those who don't have the money to join a gym often have plenty of beer money for Friday nights. 

The purpose of this blog post is not to be "Preachy" or to put down the lifestyle of those who do not value the same standards as others.  The purpose is to show people that although a healthy life is slightly more expensive on the front end, it is significantly cheaper on the back end... and the back end is not too distant. 

There is one thing amongst many things that people who eat clean and exercise regularly will never encounter.  They will likely never give themselves Diabetes (Type 2)

Type 2 Diabetes has become a desperate problem in America, especially among young children who previously never had this disease.  Many people live a fairly active lifestyle and still manage to be part of this demographic, but the overwhelming majority of people who suffer with Type 2 Diabetes live a fairly unhealthy and stationary life.  How does this tie into the blog "I Can't Afford It?"

8.3% of Americans have Type 2 Diabetes.  This group consists of people who likely make many of the excuses above on a regular basis.  Want to know what you can't afford? Diabetes.

Diabetes costs the USA $245B in 2013, which is up from $174B in 2007 (41%)  Those figures largely represent what comes out of the taxes in the nation.  The question is, what does Diabetes do to the wallet of the people who have it?  If this group can even secure health insurance, it costs them an average of $7900 per year more than those who not have Diabetes.  That's about twice what everyone else pays.  That does not include the gas money and days off of work due to doctor's visits and sicknesses that are associated with Type 2 Diabetes gone wild.

Type 2 Diabetes is directly the cause of Hypertension, Stroke, Blindness, Kidney Disease, Heart Disease, Heart Attack, Nervous System Failure, and Early Death.  Lets pretend you are rich and don't care about $.  How much is your life worth? 

In addition to the $7900 extra per year that a Diabetes' sufferer pays for healthcare, one with hypertension usually spends another $733 more than those without these preventable problems.  That is $8633. (Did you know that Hypertension was on 61,762 people's death certificate in 2011?)  A gym membership and healthy foods from the grocery store probably add about $1680 to my life per year.  Unhealthy people who disregard their health and quality of life for short term savings actually wind up costing themselves nearly $7000 more per year as time goes on (if life goes on).

$7000 MORE ANNUALLY TO BE UNHEALTHY!  This is my thesis.  It doesn't take someone long to get to this point.  It is not an old age thing.  You can get to that $ number by ignoring your well being for just a few years.

I know that most people who read this fully understand these implications and live healthy lives.  The reason I put this research together is because you need to be informed when you talk to your clients or people you care deeply about who don't understand.  When you know that the only thing that is going to keep that person motivated is personal training with you, and the reason they can not continue is "I can't afford it," you are now armed with the information about what they can not afford.

Information is invaluable, because the war on childhood obesity and Type 2 Diabetes is a war we are losing.  It is a war we are losing because it is easier for people to not care about themselves, and pretend that they have valid excuses.  Make the best of every day.

Knowledge is Power! Your Body is Power!