Losing weight without gaining debt

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Is your goal this year to get in better shape without wasting hundreds of dollars on unused equipment, memberships and supplements? Here are some ways to get healthier on a budget.

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by: Dr. Kelly Morrow-Baez, LPC

Each year, millions of dollars are spent on health equipment, gym memberships, and pills that all promise to be the solution to our expanding waistlines. Most people know what they need to do, but turning that knowledge into lasting lifestyle change can feel impossible. With a weight loss industry built on fear and false promises, many people throw away hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars each year on unused gym memberships, dust-collecting exercise equipment, and "miracle" supplements that simply don't work.

We know that it's wiser to make the investment in health now rather than pay for medical care later. By knowing and applying the psychology of weight loss, you can maintain your motivation and make good on that investment. Here's how to get healthy and protect your wallet:

You know that get-rich-quick schemes almost never work. Rapid weight loss is the same. Intense exercise and extreme diets are not sustainable and can be upsetting for your body and mind. Your mind is designed to shield you from anything that it perceives as harmful. Slow and steady changes to your routine allow for comfortable adjustment in all areas of your life. Consistency beats intensity so choose something you can do on your hardest day and make that the foundation of your exercise plan. Commit to at least ten minutes a day unless you are sick or injured in order to create a routine.