When people want to make changes in their lifestyle, one of the biggest objections is price. There are many others that come close to that but when surveyed, that answer always is at the top. Being a personal trainer and coach for a long time, I have heard rebuttals and reasons that always get back to this. And as the industry gets more watered down with information that is available in an instant, this always puzzled me. Simply due to the fact that with all the information out there that was available to people that I have trained, why in fact did they decide to talk to a trainer? Or any professional that could help them reach their goals. Why would someone get through almost all of the stages of change to object once the exchange of plastic money comes up? Guaranteed that even after the "free" assessments that were completed and free sessions that I had with these people were done, not one of them went home and sat to watch any of the millions of free videos on how to reach their wellness goals. Or how to stick to an exercise program. Or a change in diet.
So why is it that people get sticker shock when they attempt to hire a trainer, purchase vitamins and supplements that actually do have the potential to help them get closer to their goals or stick to buying organic, fresh or non processed foods? Why are people so quick to spend frivolously on exercise equipment that serves nothing more than being a glorified clothes hanger? Why do people decide to purchase products that they never really use (I.E. smart phones, smart tvs, extra options on their car)? When I just checked, there are 5.7 million apps on the Google Play Store and 2.2 million apps on the Apple App Store. If the math is right, that's 7.9 million apps total between the two. When reading further, the amount spent on apps at the end of 2022 was $129 billion. So why do people purchase items and products that serve no purpose to their actual biologic needs? Is it piece of mind? Is it to keep up with the Joneses?
The fact is that the majority of consumers have no education about how to take care of themselves in terms of their physical and mental needs. Think about it. Remember back when you were in high school and think if you were really properly trained on how to give your body what it needs. Or how to understand when your body needs to rest. Or the fact that the human body was not made to sit more than it moves. And terms like "Sitting is the new Smoking" comes from an ideology that we as a collective are evolving or devolving into something that we have never been. Whatever you were brought up to believe, you have to understand that we used to work for our energy. We had to walk to find our dinner. We had to make things sustainable year round and if that meant migrating somewhere that had better sources of food or easier access to clean water, that's where the tribe went. During that migration, we used our bodies and that helped give us a balance of energy expenditure and intake of calories. We also most likely did not have to deal with things like the IRS, student loans, noisy neighbors, micro-managing jobs, working overtime, being distant from our loved ones, and eating food void of nutrients. Most likely the food we consumed way back then had way more nutrients than the most expensive food with every certification A-Z that we have access to now.
So the question needs to be asked. How are people moving enough now to stimulate their bodies to stay healthy? How are people obtaining their nutrients? As most people who even casually read about wellness now know you can eat as clean as you want and you still will not get enough nutrition. Its almost impossible. We have almost 9 billion people currently on this blue marble and there is little to no way to ensure that everyone gets all the nutrition they require for OPTIMAL health. Sure you can get by possibly for a little bit with gaps in your nutrition here and there. But at some point there are changes in your chemistry that need to be addressed. Now that the supplement industry has like ten hundred and fifty trillion companies in it, people definitely have access more than ever to nutrients. But why are more and more people having health concerns currently? My estimate is that its a lack of objective information that drives people down the wrong path. Now that there are so many options for finding food, vitamins, healthcare, personal trainers, massage therapists, mental health counselors, OBGYNs, health coaches, influencers, alphabet agencies that are supposed to be looking out for the wellness of a community, walk in clinics, over the counter products, apps, websites and everything in between..why are people un-healthier than ever??? How can this be??? I mean the information is there. The availability and access to wellness is certainly there. This paradox is recently new if you look in terms of our evolution. "Modern medicine" is still relatively young in comparison to biology. And its also very arrogant. So ask yourself why are you more apt to spend ridiculous amounts of money on insurance premiums and prescription drugs rather than pay a fraction of that for cleaner food or supplements? One thing is certain, neither prescriptions or supplements do any good sitting on your self and in the bottle. If you are inconsistent with anything, you will most likely not see any change and miss your goals.
Its happened many times while I was working in health food stores where I would discuss what a certain product would do. And sometimes people would be directed to where I worked by doctors. But when the conversation turned to how much it cost--people would place it back on the shelf and walk back to their Maserati and drive off. And this is no different when a specialist sees a patient. Most doctors will state that the most difficult thing that they have with their patients is compliance. But I always found it funny that people never actually sat down and did the math to see how they could make adjustments to allow things like a therapist, a trainer, a coach, a teacher, a massage therapist, a bottle of probiotics, a chiropractor or anything that has the potential to heal them--they remove themselves from the equation just for that one reason. Most people spend more time, energy and money harming themselves until it gets to a point where its too late. Then it seems like its everything all at once. And it is tough to witness and observe at times. But in reality, its the small steps that are taken consistently that help move the tide in your favor. You cannot expect to reverse any health concern in a matter of weeks when it took decades of neglect or abuse to create. While I do own and run a supplement company, there is nothing that will change the fact that chemistry changes things. It just depends on what chemicals you decide to use and consume. And if I have heard it once, I've heard it a thousand times. You cannot put a price on health. And have you ever heard anyone complain that they are too healthy?? I have not. Don't take yourself and your biology for granted.
Namaste