Healthy Living
Can I afford a Health Coach?
Money!
It’s a sensitive subject for many of us. I completely get it. We’re all on a budget and kids aren’t cheap. We all have bills we have to pay – housing, groceries, utilities, etc.
But what about all those expenses we choose to spend?
Americans are spending nearly $18,000 annually on nonessential items.
USA Today, 2019
This nonessential spending is often at the expense (pun intended) of our savings accounts, retirement plans, life insurance policies, and other crucial life goals.
Regularly splurging on unhealthy habits and the stress of living outside our means hurts our health.
It comes as no surprise, but Americans love eating out. In fact, this comprises the bulk of our nonessential spending and includes:
- Dinner at restaurants
- Drinks with friends or co-workers
- Takeout or delivery services
- Buying lunch
- Coffee
- Bottled water
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American household spends $3,000 per year on eating out. That number includes takeout or delivery.
Americans eat out 4-5 times per week on average. A significant percentage of that consists of buying lunch rather bringing a packed lunch to work.
Does this sound like you?
Young adults (ages 24-34) are spending the most on dining out and takeout compared to other age groups. This is despite being in worse financial shape than every other living generation ahead of them.
Taking the steps we often know we need to take for better health and finances can be difficult. Through the accountability, education, and guidance I provide my clients, they achieve huge successes!
“My health coaching program helped me identify my biggest source of stress – money. It was affecting my physical and mental health, as well as impacting my marriage.
Laurel helped me find the financial resources I needed and put the habits in place to track my expenses and develop a plan for long-term debt elimination.
By the end of my program, I had paid off a quarter of my total student loans and am now saving $1000 more each month than before I started.”
The average commercially prepared meal costs around $13. It doesn’t take long for that to add up! In contrast, the average meal prepared at home costs around $4 for groceries. That’s a $9 savings per person per meal!
Why the difference?
Restaurants charge about a 300 percent markup on the items they serve in order to make a profit. Diners pay for convenience and service.
Sometimes, it’s worth it. But too often we spend the money simply because we’ve gotten in the habit of not planning and preparing food for ourselves.
How much could you and your family be saving by preparing food at home more often?
By switching just two of your dining out meals to meals made at home each week, you’ll save over $900 per person per year. Save even more each time you use your leftovers.
Food waste costs us money.
If food waste were a country, it would be the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases behind the US and China.
National Geographic
Way too much of the food we do bring home ends up in the garbage.
It’s estimated that a four-person American family loses about $1,500 a year throwing out food!
30-40 percent of all food produced in the United States ends up in a landfill.
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Half of all food waste is from households. In fact, food waste represents 22 percent of the garbage in landfills! Each of us makes a significant impact at home on our environment.
That statistic really makes me sad. For one thing, leftovers are the best!
A brand new, delicious meal can be thrown together quickly using leftovers. Single-serve meal portions can be saved and frozen so that you have a supply of healthy meals even when you’re too tired, busy, or sick to cook.
The leftover vegetable remnants that aren’t good to eat on their own make a delicious base to homemade soup stock or bone broth. Simply store these bits and pieces in a bag in your freezer until you’re ready to make stock/broth. Then, throw them in a large pot with water and let your stove do all the cooking work from there.
Any of these ideas will save you time, energy, and money! What’s not to love?
Unfortunately, a sizable percentage of Americans’ grocery budget is spent on processed foods and sweets. Most of which are devoid of substantial nutrition and linked to an increased risk of chronic disease and premature death. They also typically come with a tremendous amount of packaging. More waste that ends up in our landfills.
A “Western diet,” aka the standard American diet, is weighing down our health, economy, and environment.
The reality is, we can’t afford NOT to be healthy.
Health Coaching is the ideal setting for most people needing support and guidance making simple dietary and lifestyle modifications. The central mission of the health coaching profession is to help reduce the growing burden of chronic disease.
Are you ready to take back control of your life? Layered Living is here to support you!
I teach my clients how to add in healthier, cost-saving habits that work with their busy lives. I have Services to fit every need and budget.
Join an individual, family, or group Health Coaching Program at Layered Living and begin working toward your goals for better health physically, mentally, and financially.
Distance and busy schedules are never a problem. All of my services are offered by video-call.
Together we will:
Clarify your goals with simple action steps and a clear timeline to turn them into reality.
Explore your body’s unique nutrition needs and the, often confusing, messages it sends you.
Discuss the other layers of your life and how they impact your holistic health and happiness.
Identify areas of stress in your life and the obstacles to achieving your goals.
Experiment with various dietary and lifestyle approaches to find what works best for you.
Develop your problem-solving skills and ability to self-evaluate without judgment.
Practice all you have learned, so that you complete your program with confidence and the ability to advocate for your physical and emotional wellness.
Celebrate the many exciting achievements and immense progress you will make throughout your coaching program!
Citations
Adamy, J., & Overberg, P. (2019, May 19). ‘Playing Catch-Up in the Game of Life.’ Millennials Approach Middle Age in Crisis. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/playing-catch-up-in-the-game-of-life-millennials-approach-middle-age-in-crisis-11558290908.
Backman, M. (2019, May 7). You don’t need that: Average American spends almost $18,000 a year on nonessentials. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/05/07/americans-spend-thousands-on-nonessentials/39450207/.
Bergen, A. (2019, October 1). The True Cost Of Eating Out (And How To Save). Retrieved from https://www.moneyunder30.com/the-true-cost-of-eating-in-restaurants-and-how-to-save.
Elkins, K. (2018, January 29). US families waste $1,500 a year throwing out food-here’s how to save more and eat better. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/29/families-waste-1500-a-year-on-food-save-by-making-meals-from-scraps.html.
Fourth. (n.d.). The Truth About Dining Out. Retrieved October 16, 2019, from https://www.fourth.com/en-us/resource/truth-about-dining-out.
Holmes, T. E. (2019, May 6). Americans Spend $18,000 Per Year on Non-Essentials. Retrieved from https://www.valuepenguin.com/news/americans-spend-18000-per-year-on-nonessentials.
Hunt, J. (2019, May 14). What is the Average Health Insurance Premium? Retrieved from https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-the-average-health-insurance-premium-4586358.
Morran, C., & Morran, C. (2012, January 20). Average American Worker Spends Nearly $1,100/Year On Coffee. Retrieved from https://consumerist.com/2012/01/20/most-american-workers-spend-more-than-1000year-on-coffee/.
Olito, F. (2019, August 12). Here’s what the average person spends on dining out in every state. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/what-people-spend-on-dining-out-2019-8.
Smith, R. (2015, January 22). How Reducing Food Waste Could Ease Climate Change. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/1/150122-food-waste-climate-change-hunger/.
Zagat. (2018, January 7). 2018 Dining Trends Survey: Highest Tippers, Social Media Habits and More. Retrieved from https://www.zagat.com/b/2018-dining-trends-survey-highest-tippers-social-media-habits-and-more.
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. This blog post is general information only and is not to be substituted for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.