We see it every day. Whether it is in the gym, or at a Dunkin’ Donuts. People neglecting their health. Skipping workouts, or not exercising at all. Super Sizing everything, adding whip cream to an otherwise healthy cup of coffee, consistently ordering desert when they are already full, and the examples go on and on. We all have seen it, and maybe even done it.
It’s not just hugely overweight people doing those things either. There are a huge amount of unhealthy “thin” people. Unfortunately, people who can continuously fit into their pants- tend to think they are healthy. They feel since they aren’t obese, they don’t have to exercise, or they can eat whatever they want. What’s going to happen 5,10,20 years of living that way? That is like driving a brand new car and never changing the oil, or getting tune-ups, and thinking as long as it looks new – it will run forever. Our bodies do not work that way.
I like to say “make time to be healthy now, or make time to be sick later”. Exercise and healthy eating habits are insurances that you will not only live a long life, but a productive life full of energy – and not need a motorized scooter to get your grocery shopping done.
Many people think I am biased when I try to convince them that there shouldn’t be any excuse to exercise because this is what I do for a living. But it is the opposite; I do this for a living because I feel that way.
The number one reason people stop training, or don’t even start- is because of financial reasons. What that really boils down to is they don’t consider it a priority. All of us spend the equivalent of 2 sessions per week on something that is detrimental to our health. If becoming healthier, feeling better and living longer was really a priority – you would find a way. Think about it, how many times when you really wanted something you were able to rationalize it enough to fit it in your budget; a new car, pocketbook, vacation, patriots tickets, etc.. Granted, those things just happen to be a little more enjoyable than hitting the weights for an hour or two per week, but that’s where the discipline and prioritizing comes in.
What many people don’t understand that in the long run, it is actually less expensive to personal train than to not. Many people underestimate the cost of being unhealthy.
Unfortunately, obesity is growing year after year. It is partially the result of lack of exercise, and bad eating habits aided and abetted by our corn-syrup-addicted fast-food supersizes and the cheapness of the least healthy grocery choices. Experts say in 20 years, more than half of American adults and the majority of children will be overweight. The cost of carrying too many pounds on your frame has little to do with the cost of the groceries.
The first and most expensive costs of obesity have to do with direct and indirect healthcare costs and complications. Being overweight can contribute too many diseases and chronic conditions, including some cancers, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, high cholesterol, and stroke – that list contains four of the top six cause of death in the United States. Diabetes itself has dreadful side effects that severely hinder quality of life, such as loss of limbs and blindness not to mention an average cost of $13,000 a year. And note that more than half of diabetes cases are type-2 diabetes, which is very preventable through diet and exercise.
So how high can these costs get? The CDC found that healthcare costs in this country were around $147 billion to cover health complications from obesity – over 9 percent of the nation’s annual healthcare budget. Some estimate that by 2018, that number will go up to $344 billion for medical expenses for obesity, closer to 21 percent of all healthcare spending. If you break that down, “overweight” Americans pay $1,429 a year more in medical costs than someone who isn’t; that’s 42 percent higher healthcare costs for an individual. According to the American Heart Association, “overweight” people spend more on prescriptions, racking up an extra $700 in drug costs per year. All in all, the medical and healthcare costs of obesity and being overweight are 80 percent of the total amount spent on care for all cancers combined!
So what is the hypothetical “cost” of being overweight? Add together the higher annual costs of healthcare and medication, wage discrimination (yes, it happens), lifestyle costs (mobility, clothing, food) equals approximately $6,500 per year, or $540 per month. Over a lifetime (40 adult years), that’s more than $260,000! That’s not including any potential health complications such as diabetes, etc. And imagine if you invested part of that in your health, and part in a retirement account! You would not only be enjoying a happier, healthier life – but a pretty good retirement fund!
These dollar amounts don’t even come close to the personal price you could pay. You may not be able to run and play with the kids. Diabetes may cost you your sight, or limb (how much would you pay to prevent that?). Surgeons could have to crack open your chest a couple times, resulting in rehabilitation, disability, and pain. You could have a heart attack before your first child ever graduates high school. There are so many what-ifs when it comes to being overweight because of the health repercussions vary greatly. Some people can live without much medical drama well into their eighties, whereas others have a first heart attack at age 45. When you gamble with your body and genetics, you also gamble on the price you pay.
When you invest in your health, you are being proactive, and will have a huge return on that investment with quality of life. While ignoring your health, you are rolling the dice with potential health problems you could have in the future- which could not only diminish the quality and/or length of your life, but also cost you much more money.
Personal Training is more than having a spotter, or a rep-counter (that is if you have a good one). It is about having accountability, motivation, proper program design, and progressions. Many people fail to realize those valuable intangibles. Long time clients admit, if they didn’t have their appointment with a trainer, more often than not, they would fail to get their workouts in– and the workouts they did get in, wouldn’t be very productive.
The daily vigilance that being healthy requires (good food choices, exercising regularly, etc.), is a small price to pay for a longer, healthier life. You say you can’t afford to, I say you can’t afford not to.
