The Future is Now

Saving for the future, you have heard people talk about it since you were a small child, what are you doing for your future?   The general scuttlebutt is that you should save as much as you can when you are younger to get your dollar working for you early in order to capitalize on compounding interest.  That is wonderful on paper but when the younger generation is fresh out of the gate old age seems really far off and the bills always outpace income, the end result is that most people have to wait to work on their future retirement.   In this period of economic downturn it is harder for the younger generation to find work or even keep their heads above water so what should you do? I would suggest starting small then build from there.  Start putting away $10.00 a week and do it through auto withdrawal, you will never notice that amount missing, each year increase it by half of any pay increase you get and soon you will be well on your way.  This not only applies to financial fitness but it applies to your physical fitness as well, how, let me explain.

When we are young it seems that the present is where it is at and worrying about the future is for later on when it gets here.   That theory works while in your 20’s and into the 30’s but suddenly reality sets in when you realize that youth is falling to the wayside, 40 is coming sooner than expected and those carefree days of the past are gone by.  A run to the mailbox exhausts you; the mirror shows the results of the carefree eating style in the form of added weight.  Your diet of processed foods and lack of exercise has left your skin blotchy, hair limp, a fully rounded belly and we won’t mention the cottage cheese like droopy derriere you have going on.  Those fun flirty vacations wearing a bikini, remember those, now you wouldn’t be caught dead in anything less than sweats and a tee-shirt.   At one time you loved having chicken wings as appetizers but now you have bat wings on your arms that flap, what is a person to do?

A full on fitness and health routine can seem daunting and overpowering; diets are limited by time, are dreary and most people quit after a short period of time.  Studies show weight lost by extreme diets is regained plus more once the diet is over.  Why diet, instead you can make some lifestyle changes that will repay you over time, a great way to save towards your future.  Start small and work your way up to eating healthier, just as mentioned earlier with your financial fitness.  When it comes to nutrition, which is reported to be 90% of the fitness equation, make one change today that will improve your tomorrow, work on that change until it becomes habit then make another change, repeat.   Some of the things you can change would be:

• Cutting out sugary drinks
• Removing processed foods from your daily intake
• Have a healthy breakfast every day
• Increase your fiber and water intake
• Don’t snack after dinner
• Make healthy snacks available like cut veggies, nuts and whole fruit
• Cooking more at home without being afraid to peel veggies and trying new things, clean eating
• Take a few minutes to plan your meals for the week, you will save money at the market and will be better able to stay on track.  
• Shop the outer perimeter of the store as all the processed foods are on the interior aisles.  
• Make your lunch and mid day snacks the day before, not eating out every day is a huge money and calorie saver

Regarding Fitness: Find something that you like which will keep you fit and active as much as possible, it can be a volleyball league or basketball, most towns have recreation leagues that you can join in on many various activities.  Go to the gym, if that isn’t in your financial future then walk, jog or ride your bike.  Check your local paper or hit up Craig’s list for some deals on fitness equipment like hex weights or weight bench system and start building a home gym.  Don’t know what to do for home workouts, you can invest in workout DVD’s, which is what I do, I have many and can certainly help you to choose which one would be appropriate for your level of fitness.  Another suggestion is to read as much as you can from reputable sources about health and fitness, there is a lot of excellent information available out there.  Be leery of snake oil salesman that want to sell you the latest greatest miracle in a bottle or an piece of equipment that offers big results for three easy payments.

Avoiding costly medications as we age, not having chronic illness, not having to buy new wardrobes because we have grown out of our old ones and the all around good feelings about being fit and healthy is a wonderful and exercise can beat depression too.  Of course with anything there is no guarantee but working on your fitness is certainly a way to tilt the percentages in your directions and you will look great and feel excellent while doing it.