Over dinner the other night, I was talking to a friend about my recent endeavors in health and fitness (personally and professionally), and while most of my friends have been really supportive, I was shocked when she scoffed. When we initially met up for dinner, she had complimented my appearance and asked what I was doing because she could see a difference; I told her of my recent involvement in becoming a Beachbody coach, my workouts, my nutrition, and whatever questions she threw my way. And while most of my friends marveled at my discipline in routine or passion for spreading the health and fitness love, she actually scoffed and said it was too much. When I asked what she meant, she noted that the overall cost in time and money to do my work outs and eat healthy was too much. Initially, this was an answer I could accept because I make a pittance at my day job but I thought about this some more, and I am agreeing to disagree because what she sees as "costs", I look at as "investments".
Anyone in business will tell you, there is a huge difference between a cost and an investment. A cost is something spent with no expectation of a return; it is a deficit in your spending. Investments are definitely an expenditure but the difference is that there is some expectation of a benefit or return. To my friend, the perceived costs of my time and money in my health was too much. To me, what is a better investment than my health and happiness? Isn't the return worth it? I have spent enough time sick; I have spent enough time unhappy; I have spent enough time unhealthy. My body, my happiness, and my overall health is worth the time and money I put into myself because I am a great investment.
In every day life, there are a million excuses I hear about why people choose to live unhealthily and unhappily. I often hear that there aren't enough hours to take care of one's self to go work out, to go to the doctor, or do one nice thing for the self. I hear that healthy food costs too much or that people can't afford the right shoes to work out in or a gym membership or a fitness DVD. At the end of the day, it is an excuse; it's a choice because the perceived initial "cost" is just that a "cost". However, no one ever thinks about the long term costs of not taking care of one's health. I was reading an article on the Health Care Cost Institute's website earlier today because I wanted to know what was the average American was paying for healthcare annually, and it is ridiculous. The average American pays around $768 per year on just out-of-pocket copays and about $277 for prescriptions annually (with insurance). Take in mind this does not account for specifics in population such as young adults (which actually surprised me), women, children, and the elderly who paid higher than the national average; this also doesn't take into account any kind of emergency treatment. Did you know that most Americans are living with and dying from chronic diseases (diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, certain cancers, etc.) every day? Can you imagine how much treatment costs for these chronic diseases? Do you realize that most of these diseases are preventable and sometimes treatable with living a healthy lifestyle -- a healthy diet and exercise? Isn't living worth the "investment"; is it not the greatest return?
I know that people have busy lives and that not everyone has a expendable income but people need to stop looking at health as a "cost". Looking at health as costs is a choice and a dangerous one in the long run. It's time to stop making excuses. It's time to look at your schedule and budget those 15-30 minutes a day for exercise even if it's just a walk. It's time to put away a few bucks here and there to save for those shoes, that work out DVD, or that gym membership. Your health is not a "cost"; your health is an "investment". You and your life are worth the "investment."
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