Do you Have a Financial Barrier to Weight Loss?

Unless you possess some superhuman ability to resist chocolate and extra stuffing  you will probably have put on a few pounds over the festive season.  Add in all those calories from champagne and Baileys, and swapping an hour at the gym for an hour in front of the TV and getting back into your wedding dress in time for D-Day may be top of your New Year resolutions.

But as if losing weight wasn’t hard enough, what with half finished boxes of chocolates lying around and portions of turkey curry filling your freezer, many women also claim that the typical post-Christmas budget is also a barrier to a successful diet.

Although in theory the concept of weight loss is easy (eat healthy+exercise= weight loss) every woman knows that some tricks are needed in order to really make a difference, and those tricks can be pricey. Take a look at some of the top money-eating culprits:

Weight-watchers (or other weight loss program) – there is little doubt that being part of a supportive group can improve your chances of reaching your goal weight.

Gym Membership- walking and running may be free exercise, however a gym will let you work out specific areas that you want to tone as well as give you a more sociable environment to work out in.

Fitness Classes- a varied routine will keep you interested and a trainer can keep you motivated.

Diet foods – let’s face it, sure vegetables are cheap, but so is fast food.  Diets are much more likely to succeed when you can stock up on foods that are equally as fast, easy and tempting to eat as frozen pizza.

The solution depends largely on your individual financial situation.  If you only need to lose a few pounds quickly, but don’t want to squeeze your budget or wait until you have saved enough money, you can apply for a short term, or emergency loan or consider using your credit card.  However,  if you are looking at a more long term diet, you may need to make some sacrifices in other areas of your budget.

Remember to always undertake weight loss with a sensible approach, and you should apply the same attitude to any financial investment.  Look at all of your options realistically, and avoid any high fees associated with dips into your unauthorized overdraft or late credit card payments.