Two of the hottest industries right now are those that teach you how to make more money and how to lose more weight. Since being in debt is one of the biggest reasons people feel stress throughout their life, it obviously makes sense to make money in order to relieve your financial burden.
On the other hand, obesity is a major problem and it’s getting worse all around the world. Many people experience serious stress because they cannot reach their ideal healthy weight. Improving your overall health should be a major priority and it involves training your body and mind.
Smoking is a nasty habit and one that many people still have to overcome. Unfortunately, it can lead to having a stroke, heart attack, heart disease, and many end up dying from lung cancer. You’ll add years to your life just by quitting smoking.
Want to save lots of money? Quitting smoking will also do that for you. The average cigarette costs about $.31, so if you smoke merely 12 cigarettes a day, you’ll spend $1358 each year on this disgusting habit.
But we’ve barely scratched the surface. Let’s not forget about the smoking-related health care costs. On average, smokers pay $2000-$6000 more for healthcare than non-smokers each year. Yet they make $3000-$6000 less than non-smokers! From a financial standpoint, cigarette smokers make less at work, pay more for healthcare expenses, and spend thousands of dollars each year on their nasty habit.
Here’s another interesting tidbit you might not know. Non-smokers get credited anywhere from 5% to 15% on their homeowner’s insurance. If you smoke, you miss out on this additional savings.
Do you know what else takes a major toll on your health? Being a couch potato and eating fast food all day long. The average meal at a fast food restaurant has 2000 or more calories. The FDA recommends this as your daily caloric intake, not your intake for one meal.
When we eat excess calories, we quickly store them as fat. That’s how people gain weight and eventually become obese. Once you’re obese, you’ll have a tough time getting up off the couch, so the cycle is bound to get worse and the weight will continue to creep on your already overtaxed body.
The average person spends about $6700 a year on fast food and additional healthcare expenses. As you can see, this really adds up. Plus being overweight and obese leads to becoming seriously inactive, which is the fourth leading risk factor for death.
Throughout the United States, one out of five adult Americans has a hard time paying their medical bills. It’s become such a major problem and it’s the main reason people end up filing for bankruptcy in the United States.
You can drastically improve your life by taking charge of your bad habits. Kicking your bad habits to the back burner will make it easier to lose weight, pay down debt, and improve your health. You’ll also save a couple of bucks in the meantime.
Improve Your Health and Life Making These Six Simple Changes
Change seems difficult or nearly impossible for many of us, but the struggle is worth it in the end. To improve your health and longevity, we recommend making the following six changes.
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Meatless Monday
Giving up meat one day a week is great for your health. Meat is also incredibly expensive, so you’ll save money too. So cut out meat one day a week to improve your health and finances.
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Take Walks on a Regular Basis
Most people fail to realize the valuable impact walking has on our lives. Get out of your chair or off your couch every day and briskly walk for 30 to 60 minutes. That’s all the time you need to reach the exercise sweet spot every day. You’ll get the most benefits possible from briskly walking for a half an hour to an hour every day, plus you’ll avoid expensive equipment and gym fees.
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Sitting Too Long Isn’t Good for You
You’ll hear many people say that sitting is the new smoking. Study after study confirms we sit too much overall and need to get up and start moving around more often. If you work in front of a computer screen all day long, take a quick standing or walking break every five minutes on the hour to improve your health.
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Keep Healthy Snacks on Hand
Many people fly off the handle and eat unhealthy food because they aren’t prepared. If you have healthy snacks on hand, you’ll eat sensibly and continue making healthy choices.
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Do You Have Any Addictions?
If you’re addicted to certain things like drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, or fatty foods, it’s time to cut down or eliminate them from your life completely.
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Drink Lots of Water
By drinking water, you’ll drink less soda and other sugary beverages. It will flush out your system and keep your body healthy and strong all day long.
We’ve learned our health has a serious impact on our wealth. The same is true in reverse. If you are experiencing financial stress, you should worry because it’s linked to many health problems. It’s even linked to having a much shorter lifespan. So keep this in mind and use the healthy suggestions we’ve shared today.