Comments on: Should Meg focus on losing weight or saving money?

By: Nam

Nam — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:30:31 +0000

It’s not one or the other. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to loose weight. You don’t really need anything other then a gym membership and some will power. Use http://www.fitday.com to track your calories, and think of what you buy at the grocery store.

I’ve lost about 40 lbs, and by precooking or planning most of my meals I know exactly what I’m going to eat and when I’m going to eat it. All my meals for a week cost about $40.

By: jen

jen — Wed, 06 May 2009 17:01:00 +0000

Any suggestions on how to manage both at the same time?

By: George

George — Mon, 04 May 2009 00:58:54 +0000

I don’t think these are mutually exclusive. Both can be done.

By: btuf

btuf — Sun, 03 May 2009 21:10:28 +0000

stop spending money on food

By: mom

mom — Sat, 02 May 2009 23:21:43 +0000

If you can have financial situation improved and spending under control, you will feel much happier. This will eliminate the need to go for food for comfort. The side benefit will be weight loss.
What I suggest is working on the financial issue will have the side benefit of losing weight.
If you work on the weight issue first, the financial issue may lead you to look for food for comfort. this will make weight control issue issue less effective.

By: jen

jen — Sat, 02 May 2009 03:19:35 +0000

Here’s my rationale for voting for focusing on weight loss.

1. If you don’t have your health, then enjoying your savings becomes almost pointless.
2. I know you well enough to know that you won’t ever really slack on following through on either resolution.
3. Really, your health is more important, plus you’ve made tons of head way on savings even just looking a few years back.
4. Making time to get to the gym is a passive barrier. You’ll find the time if you make it important to you. (I type this as I fully acknowledge that I haven’t made the time to get to the gym either).
5. Losing weight/eating healthy doesn’t need to cost more than your current meal costs. Start shopping at Asian grocery stores and you’ll save a boatload on groceries. Also, with the temperature getting better, it makes hiking (usually free) a lot easier to do.
6. [This one doesn't really support my rationale but...] Take the money you currently spend on eating out and redirect it to the gym. Short term, you redirect eating out costs to the gym. Longer term, once you’ve maintained weight lost and a healthy lifestyle, you end up continuing to save by not eating out.