The High Cost of Obesity!

People often complain, when they first look at the TSFL program and the cost of the Medifast meals, that it's 'too expensive'. 

But I ran across an interesting article from the folks at Bankrate.com that will make you stop and THINK about the cost....in comparison to your HEALTH and the value of living a more active, SLIM life versus continuing to live with overweight:

This excerpt from it is regarding the cost of bad eating habits. 
 

The full article is called "How much do bad Habits Cost?" and here's the link:

http://www.bankrate.com/finance/smart-spending/bad-habits-cost-4.aspx

More than 1 in 3 U.S. adults is obese and therefore more prone to obesity-related health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They're also prone to higher health and life insurance costs, medical expenses, food and clothing costs, decreased productivity, and lost wages from missing work.

A study by researchers at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., estimates that extra pounds cost the average overweight man $524 per year and the average overweight woman $432. For the obese, costs dramatically increase. GWU estimates that the annual cost of being obese in the United States is $2,646 for men and $4,879 for women.

Weight issues not only drive up costs; they can also prevent consumers from getting the coverage they need, says Kappers.

"Now you see diabetes and weight issues at the top of the reasons why people are getting declined (for life insurance coverage)," he says. "They're hand in hand."

I can tell you from personal experience that I have to take less prescription medications (no more diabetes for one thing; for another my painkillers have decreased from the fibromyalgia because I have less weight to drag around!)

Many find their blood pressure goes down, too.

THINK about the costs of prescriptions. (Even with insurance!)

And what about the costs of shopping in 'large' women's catalogs? Shopped a catalog lately? The larger sizes usually cost more! And the cost really increases when you have to go to a special 'large' catalog.

What about the costs of your DENTAL care? (my teeth were rotted out!)
What about the worries about your life insurance and your family if you are denied coverage....and you WILL have to pay more for it if you do get insurance, because you'll be in an 'increased risk' category! And over time these costs don't go down if you don't lose the weight...they go UP because you're aging as well!

Last but not least....never underestimate the HUMAN costs! How does it FEEL when you have to ask for a seatbelt extender in an airplane? What does it do to your ego when you can't get on the rides with your children? How awful is it whenever someone takes a camera out and points it in your direction? You can tell yourself you "don't look that bad", but when the picture comes out...UGH....(I have a hard time finding 'fat' pictures of myself because I DESTROYED so many of them! I HATED looking at myself. I even took down a lot of the mirrors in my house!)

What about the day in, day out feeling that you are OUT OF CONTROL, you have no power over your eating, you just want 'more' all the time, and you can't stop?

YES, the Medifast meal plan isn't cheap. But what is the price of your HEALTH?

What is the price of your living longer? What is the price of being able to be ACTIVE again, and participate in social events instead of dreading them? What is the price of showing your children, your family, your friends, that it CAN BE DONE? In this day and age of 'quick diets' (I swear, I saw a book on the newstand the other day....it was called "THE 8 HOUR DIET".  I'm not making this up! Can you BELIEVE it?) ....and fad diets and then everyone just regains the weight, over and over again....isn't it time to GET IT RIGHT -- for yourself, first of all, and then to help your family if you can?

We all know the program works. We've SEEN it work.

So what is the price of your HEALTH?

Whenever someone tells me, 'It costs too much'....I know one thing for sure.

They aren't really 'ready' for this program, in their HEADS. Because they are still making excuses. People will do ANYTHING to lose weight.....look at the burgeoning diet industry! Look at the number of people undergoing gastric bypass! Everyone wants a 'quick fix', and they don't care HOW much it costs as long as they get thin, right?

But WE know better. So remember, your monthly MF order is NEVER money wasted. It's an INVESTMENT in your FUTURE. And hopefully as your family and friends SEE you attain goal weight...and STAY there!,....they will get inspired themselves and finally decide to try the program. They will finally get 'ready', in their HEADS, to do this. ONCE AND FOR ALL.

This month, pat yourself on the back when you place your MF order. You are taking a 'leap of faith' in YOURSELF. That you can get to goal and STAY there. That you CAN do this, you CAN win the 'weight war', once and for all, and you will NOT wind up to be a sad statistic, but instead a SUCCESS STORY! 

We all have it within us to do so.

Keep on keepin' on!