I’ve posted several times about the relationship between being healthy and being wealthy.
We’ve discussed the financial benefits of overall good health, being the right weight, not smoking, and lowering stress/sleeping well.
I’ve also shared my physical fitness results since starting with a trainer just over a year ago.
So as many people are making health-related resolutions at this time of year, I want to revisit the subject in hopes of encouraging you to become more healthy and wealthy in 2017.
You’re Saving Your Life
After my workouts I often take the long way home on foot. I try to get in at least 14,000 steps a day and going the long way gets me home at 10 am with 7,000 steps in the bank. It’s a great start to the day!
On those walks I usually listen to podcasts. They help pass the time as well as help me learn something new.
One podcast I’m really enjoying now is The School of Greatness. The guests Lewis Howes has on are FANTASTIC!
In early December I listened to an episode with CrossFit founder Greg Glassman. His perspective was very interesting, especially how he described what CrossFit was trying to accomplish.
I’ll get some of this wrong, but here’s my paraphrase of their thinking:
- Millions of people die every year of chronic disease (heart disease, cancer, etc.).
- Much of this is caused by 1) a sedentary lifestyle and 2) poor nutrition.
- CrossFit’s goal is to save lives by getting people off their couches and eating right.
- They do the former by focusing on functional movements — exercises that involve both strength and cardio and that “flow” in a natural way to mimic real-life movements.
- They do the latter by recommending eating “meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.”
Greg addressed the question of getting hurt by comparing the alternatives of 1) living a sedentary life versus 2) living an active life. He made a compelling case that it’s far more dangerous, risky, and deadly to sit on your couch as chronic disease will get you. He didn’t mention this, but quality of life will likely be far worse too.
He also made one statement about exercising and eating well that really resonated with me:
“You’re not just getting fit, you’re saving your life.”
My Experience
As you probably know, I’ve been working out with a trainer since the fall of 2015. In that time I’ve gone from 28% body fat to 16%. I gained a substantial amount of muscle in 2016 which was my goal. In 2017 I’ll focus more on nutrition to lose more fat and get myself down to 13%-14% body fat.
Last summer I went to my doctor and had some blood work done. I just got my results in late November (he had them, I just didn’t set a follow up appointment until now). I’ve been tracking my cholesterol since June of 1998 when I discovered I had borderline high cholesterol. I’ve recorded 12 tests between then and now and my most recent results show:
- Third lowest number for total cholesterol
- Highest number for HDL (good cholesterol)
- Second lowest number for LDL (bad cholesterol)
- Lowest triglycerides number
- Lowest cholesterol/HDL ratio
It was the best combined set of results I’ve had in my life and all results were within the recommended ranges.
The only time that comes even close to these results as a group was in 2005 when I was 11 years younger, had been on the Atkins diet and lost 20 pounds (eating bacon and sausage for breakfast every day), and was biking 2,000 miles a year all over Michigan.
These current results were the result of basically exercise alone. Imagine what I could accomplish with exercise AND nutrition! That’s why I’m focusing on eating right in 2017.
All other (non-cholesterol) measures were within acceptable ranges as well. No diabetes indicators (which is great as it runs in my family).
Greg was right. The numbers show it. I’m literally not just getting fit, I’m also saving my life.
And that’s not all. My fitness has almost all but eliminated serious back issues that I have had for 25 years, making my quality of life way better now than it’s been in a couple decades. If you’re interested you can see where I’ve come from (and how I did it) by reading Physical Fitness and Financial Fitness.
Health and Wealth
In the posts linked above we’ve seen the benefits of taking care of yourself. Some highlights:
- Heading to the gym has been linked to higher pay — 7% more for men, 12% for women
- One extra hour of sleep per week can result in 5% higher wages
- A chronic lack of z’s is also linked to a host of illnesses, including diabetes, obesity, and heart disease
- A very healthy person pays $120k less in healthcare costs from age 65 to 85 than a less fit person
- Studies show that midlife fitness leads not only to lower medical costs in retirement but also to bigger nest eggs. Healthier people have an extra $500k in net worth as they hit retirement age.
- Exercise helps protect you from numerous costly ailments, from diabetes to stroke, with lasting, sometimes unexpected benefits (like a better back)
- On average, obese workers earn 2.5% less than those with normal weights
- Being overweight costs an extra $65k over 40 years
- Between the cost of cigarettes and health-care-related costs, smoking can cost you over $1 million over the course of a lifetime
Add all these up over time and by earning more and spending less, being in shape can almost single handedly make you wealthy!!!
You Can Be Healthier and Wealthier
I’m writing this in hopes that I can encourage you to improve your health and nutrition this year. It doesn’t have to be what I did or even close to it. But start moving and just make simple eating adjustments (like eliminating soda and sugar). Your health will thank you and your finances will too. And your quality of life will likely benefit as well.
So consider me an older brother, father figure, or trusted friend when I ask you to consider making a resolution or two to better your health and nutrition in 2017. If you do, you’ll enter 2018 both healthier and wealthier.
photo credit: Vassilis Online Rings looking for their…Lord via photopin (license)
ESI,
Your wealth is your health! There is no point in becoming rich if you can’t enjoy your riches!
About a year and a half ago, I cut 95% of processed foods out of my diet, stopped eating bread and drinking milk, and started drinking a lot more water, and I’ve dropped ~10-15 pounds without a ridiculous amount of effort.
Have you looked into intermittent fasting?
Best of luck in 2017, you will be looking great!
Erik
I fast once a month or so and have off and on for years.
I’ve sometimes marveled at the fact that so many Americans surrender their health in a sometimes vain attempt to acquire wealth, only to spend their wealth in an even more vain attempt to restore their health. I’ve been an exercise fanatic for as long as I can remember, at least dating back to high school when I ran cross country and track and played basketball. My overall fitness has ebbed and flowed a bit over the past 25 years but I’m right there with you on keeping fitness goals front and center and making staying healthy a priority.
I’ve seen that happen a lot too. In fact, I was on that hamster wheel for some years myself. So thankful that I got off it!
P.S. GREAT to see you here! 😉
I am wondering if the phrase of ” healthy, wealthy and wise” should be mixed up in saying you need to be ” wise to be healthy to be wealthy”
Good stuff ESI. I had a professor in b-school that had interviewed hundreds of wealthy retired executives on their “death beds” to capture life lessons and he compiled them into a book.
The one quote that really stuck out to me was from a wealthy and very ill gentleman, he said “I threw my health away like it was trash. Now, I’d give everything I have to get it back, but I can’t.”
Enough said!
Agreed 100%. Your wealth won’t do you much good without your health.
Great results with the exercise. Imagine the results with the diet change! I’ve been pretty good with both exercise and diet for the past decade or so but, I admit, the diet has slipped over the past few months. I’m slowly eliminating the grains and sugars once again, and feel better after just two weeks.
This is so true and something my husband and I have talked about a ton over the years. He is a school counselor and would love to one day run a private practice that would integrate health and wellness into the whole package of mental health. Too many people don’t manage their health well, and it manifests itself in every aspect of life. I’m not a perfect example of healthy eating and exercise, but I know how much better my entire outlook and productivity become when I’m taking care of myself! It sounds cheesy, but it’s really true that if you don’t have your health, you don’t have anything.
Looks like we are on the same page! I hope I can replicate both your health and wealth numbers.
I think some of these ideas will be key to fixing our healthcare system. If we can get the dollars at stake embedded into daily life, perhaps we will start seeing results. Whether it is the carrot on the stick approach or a straight up penalty for being unhealthy, I think dollars could move the bar. If you gave someone access to a portion of the 120k projected costs from 65-85 now, in exchange for a healthy lifestyle to prevent said costs, perhaps they would make meaningful change. Luckily I am naturally motivated to stay healthy but unfortunately, not everyone is.