The greatest medical cause of fatality worldwide for the past 15 years has been heart disease and stroke, as reported by the World Health Organization’s Global Deaths Estimate Study in 2018. Fortunately, these diseases are both preventable, even in your later years. While it becomes more challenging as we age, it’s never too late?to get back in shape. Mid-life fitness goals are less about washboard abs and more about?protecting our bodies and brains?so we can live a long and enjoyable life. But how do we stay motivated to see the big picture when our favorite snacks and a Netflix queue are calling our name? Treat your health as your most valuable investment, and watch your financial health improve as well.
Treating Your Health Like A Financial Investment
Let’s be honest, money is a major driving force in everyone’s lives. We spend the majority of our time and energy working to acquire capital,?often putting our health to the wayside. We don’t have time for physical exercise, and we eat unhealthy take-out at our desks. Money makes the world go round, so why not use it to motivate ourselves to get healthy? Visualize those dollars melting off your health care bills every time you make an investment in your health. Preparing for retirement can be daunting, even for the most prepared investor. The healthier you are, the fewer expenses you will have in the future.
Getting In Shape Will Save You Money
Despite beliefs that eating healthily is more expensive, there are?plenty of resources online to prove otherwise. Planning and cooking meals at home will save you money, both long and short-term. Let seasonal farmer’s market trips replace your expensive dining-out habit. For the cost of dinner for two at a restaurant, you could even treat yourself to a week of healthy meal delivery services. While it may take a small initial investment for a quality pair of sneakers or some at-home dumbbells, the end game is what’s most important. Getting in shape will save you from costly medical bills, avoiding hospital and excess doctor visits. Additionally, your health insurance will?reward you for investing in your health. Companies offer lower rates for clients who are in good shape, so you might even be able to write off your gym membership!
Getting in Shape Will Help You Earn More Money
If you are operating at your peak physical performance, you will be?operating at your peak mental performance. Rather than schlepping through the workday fueled by processed food, sugar and caffeine, distracted by aches and pains, you will be crushing your goals and strategies with the same discipline you cultivated through your new healthy lifestyle. Physical fitness is linked to mental clarity and reduced stress – you’ve got a leg up on the competition. It’s well known that as we age, we experience a decrease in cognitive function, but regular exercise has been shown to prevent this by changing our vascular physiology. So your healthy lifestyle is not only protecting your body; it’s protecting your brain too.
The truth is, you can have it all. By investing in your health, you are increasing your investments in all other areas of your life. Sticking to your fitness goals will save you money and give you the mental capacity to help you earn more – so you can live a long life, rich in experiences, health and income.
By Jess Walter
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