How are your investments looking these days?
Are you thinking about the new year and wanting to make some changes – or will you continue as before?
We’re not asking about your money.
We’re asking about your health.
You’ve known for decades that everything you do is an investment in your future.
The classic example is: if you save money, you might be initially inconvenienced, but you will be rewarded later with more money to spend in retirement or on a big goal like a down payment for a home.
It’s the same thing with your health and fitness, no matter what your current age and fitness level are.
Every step you take – even those that might involve some initial cost or delayed gratification – will pay off many times over, now and in the future.
And if you keep refusing to invest in your health? Well, that could come at a great cost. Maybe even the biggest of your life.
Money and Time are Top Excuses
You know, “I can’t afford it” is the No. 1 excuse people make to avoid exercise. But most of them don’t think twice about “affording” things like:
- A $5 coffee every morning
- $100 for TV streaming services every month
- Or charging clothes on a credit card and paying for it over many months, with high interest
Studies show that failing to invest in your health and fitness now can result in expensive problems, such as:
- More prescriptions
- More out-of-pocket healthcare costs
- More sick days and lost productivity
- Less mobility and independence
- Chronic health disorders
We could go on.
Your Future Is Now
It’s easy to think of “spending money” on something you don’t need. But it’s so much more useful to see health and fitness as a necessary investment that will save you money in the long run.
Remember, you get nothing back from spending on something like Netflix.
You get SO MUCH back from an investment – like your health and fitness.
Maybe you’ve already been enjoying some of the financial investments you started when you were younger. If so, doesn’t it feel great?
The investments you made in your relationships? Same thing, right?
The best thing about taking care of yourself is that it’s not too late to start if you haven’t yet, and, it’s always a good time to keep it up. Countless studies – and plenty of our clients – prove this every day.
“Whether you’re in your 40s or your 80s, you will benefit in the same way,” said Dr. Wael Jaber, a cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic.
Jaber was the chief author of a study that found not exercising to be worse for you than smoking and diabetes.
So, as you think about 2025 and “resolutions,” think about how you’re investing in yourself, too. We’re here to help you take the right actions to have the life you want.
Holly Kouvo is a personal trainer, functional aging specialist, senior fitness specialist, brain health trainer, writer, and speaker.