In the Know...

I’ve had an epiphany. As everyone knows, we have an epidemic going on in our country called obesity. I am in the process of working my way out of that statistic and keeping my future family out of it, too. I’ve really come to some strong realizations over the last year. My epiphany stems from the idea that people who smoke will quit if the prices of cigarettes are raised enough. We have seen that the tax hike on cigarettes has caused many to stop or at least cut back. I got to thinking…being overweight is costly. I’m not even 30 years old, and I probably could have bought a car on the amount of money I have spent trying to lose weight. Fortunately, the light bulb went on in my head this past year, and I discovered the easiest and cheapest way to do it. Buy fresh food, which yes, is more expensive. The processed junk is cheaper, but not in the long run.

1. Eat less. Cook just enough for one serving for each member of the family. If seconds aren’t available, then no one can eat them. If you are not overeating and you are now eating the good stuff, you’ll find that your price on groceries is about breaking even AND you feel better. Which means…you save money!

2. If you are eating healthier, you will become healthier; you’ll visit the doctor less often and have to fill prescriptions less often. Which means…you save money!

3. Everyone knows how expensive and unhealthy it is to eat out. If you do it less often or not at all…you save money!

4. Quit buying diet books and diet pills. They don’t work anyway or else you would have already lost the weight by now. Guess what…you save money!

5. Just get out and move. Walk around the block, play a sport with a friend, or do an exercise video or work out on a machine you already have. Don’t buy any special video or piece of equipment. Just sweat old school, and you’ll save money!

6. Don’t subscribe to some weight loss/food group. What if you can’t afford to be part of the group anymore and now you’re on your own? If you do the work yourself…you save money!

7. When you live a healthy lifestyle, in the long run, you’ll be able to avoid diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc. (unless it’s hereditary). You won’t have to worry about buying the medical supplies which accompany having some of these problems. Which means…you save money!

Over the years, I have bought books, pills, videos, exercise equipment, meal plans, and joined gyms. I stuck to none of it! I have figured out that when you truly CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE for the long haul, that’s when you keep the weight off. You have to learn how to feed yourself appropriately while feeling satisfied. I eat sweets and fried foods in moderation, so I never feel deprived of any of my guilty pleasures. You have to burn off more calories than you take in to lose weight. It’s simple science that no one wants you to be educated about, because so much money is made every year on people who are overweight, whether they are continuing to add the pounds or trying to lose them.

We are so misguided in this country. You don’t have to have money to lose weight; you just have to have determination and seek out the free education that will lead you to your goals…


July 2009


July 2010