A new study/poll released by the Principal Financial Group has shown that the same reason people are broke is often the same reason they gain weight. The majority of respondents in the Principal Finacial Group ‘spending’ poll said that the reason they are broke and went off budget is because of ‘dining out’ (24%), ‘food / groceries’ (19%), and ‘entertainment’ (15%).
As the NY Post points out the reasons that people are overspending is also the same reason they are gaining weight:
Those restaurant meals are also adding to our growing waistlines: On days when people dine out, they tend to consume 200 more calories than when they eat at home, according to a study of more than 12,500 people published by Public Health Nutrition last year, and government research shows that “when eating out, people either eat more or eat higher calorie foods — or both — and that this tendency appears to be increasing.” Other studies show that eating out more frequently is associated with obesity and higher body fat.
Don’t want to live life fat and broke? Cook at home (and exercise), it’s as simple as that…or so the numbers suggest. Another contributing factor to people going broke is EVERYONE seems to think the best way to pay for holiday gifts is by paying with credit card (money they don’t have). Here’s another slide from the Principal Financial Group’s findings (click here to read in full)
For more on this you can follow the links above and click on over to the New York Post and/or the Principal Financial Group findings….For now though I just want you to pledge to cook at home at least ONCE more per week. The change you’ll see in your body and in your wallet will blow your mind.