Healthy Living that Makes Cents

There is no wrong reason to want to become healthier. In Rochester Hills, we work with people who want to lose weight, improve their health, to overcome chronic illness, to fit into old clothes, or just to feel better in general. Sometimes, the reason as to why it is time to get healthy comes from a combination of these concerns. Health and physical appearance may be two of the more common reasons for lifestyle change, but they are far from the only motivational factors. In a world that seems to continue getting more and more expensive with every passing year, getting healthy for the economic benefits might soon become a much more common line of thought.

The word is that eating healthy costs more, so there are many under the miscomprehension that losing weight and improving health is expensive. The reality is that losing weight can help reduce your overall cost of living, and thereby help you make more economically wise choices.

For example, here are a few economic benefits that come with weight loss:

• Lower medical expenses, including reduced medical insurance premiums and typically fewer visits to the doctor’s office.
• Statistically higher income, as research from Harvard University published in 2011 found that women who are obese earn an average of 15% less than women of a healthy weight level.
• Reduced transportation costs, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that fuel efficiency improves 2% for every 100 pounds shed from a vehicle. That means that a married couple struggling with 50 lbs. of excess weight each can gain an easy 2% fuel economy by losing weight together. So if you are interested in reducing your environmental footprint, here is one way to do it.

Researchers at the George Washington University School of Public Health recently looked into exactly what the numbers look like living as an obese person in the United States. They found that on average, the cost of living overweight can add up to a whopping $5,000 per year, per person. This takes into account transportation, medical insurance and other health related costs.

As you work to improve your health, you can take the initiative to tighten your wallet as well as your belt. There are plenty of healthy strategies that can encourage weight loss without breaking the bank. Consider moving your exercise routine out of doors instead of paying a high premium for a gym membership. When it comes time to purchase groceries, skip the marked up prices of the food store and head to the local farmers market. You can double your produce consumption at half the cost by purchasing straight from the source. Making smart financial choices during as you improve your health and lose weight can help you gain a healthier lifestyle while improving your financial wellbeing, as well.