Take care of your health now, while you are able. We hear it a lot: “Eating healthy and pursuing a healthy lifestyle is too expensive!” We aren’t going to lie to you: yes, eating healthy and exercise CAN be expensive, but compared to what? According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), on average people diagnosed with Diabetes spend $16,752 per year on medical costs. Currently, over 100 million people are living with Diabetes in America, and according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) 81.4 million people have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes. Diabetes is just one disease that can be caused by being overweight, obese, and having too much fat on your body. Others like Cardiovascular Disease cost even more, with an average person spending $18,953. So how do you avoid these crippling costs and debilitating diseases? Reducing fat. Fat is inflammatory, and the more you have on your body the more susceptible you are to conducting different diseases like Diabetes and Cardiovascular Disease. Eating healthy and exercising regularly are the best and most inexpensive ways to prevent disease in the long run. Particularly in the case of Diabetes, exercise and nutrition is the only way to reduce blood sugar levels without medication or medical intervention. For most people, it all comes down to mindset: pay the price now to avoid the damage later, or gamble on a future that may or may not be riddled with expensive and debilitating diseases. But how much does changing your lifestyle really cost, you ask? According to a study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health in 2013, making healthier food choices amount to about $1.50 per day of additional cost than eating unhealthy. Healthy of course, being defined as nutrient dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed meat. In a year, the total estimated cost for eating healthier ends up being $550 per year. The study was done using a detailed analysis of 27 previously conducted studies of 10 of the most high-income countries, evaluating the differences in prices per serving and per 200 calories for different types of food, as well as per day and per 2000 calories. As far as fitness is concerned, personal trainer costs range anywhere from $25 (on the low end) to $75 per session--and in some states even higher. For example’s sake, let’s take an average of $50 per session and multiply that by 3x a week. This amounts to $150 per week, and assuming you take 2 vacations a year this would amount to a total of $7500. Of course, not everyone uses a personal trainer, rather opting for gym memberships that cost anywhere from $10-$100 per month. In this case the cost would drop dramatically. But adding the cost of making healthier choices and using a trainer, you get just above $8000 per year for maintaining your nutrition. $8000 compared to $18000...which would you choose?
