When is the price too high?

I commented about this a few days ago on my MFP but it felt like the right idea so I wanted to write it out with more details and post it here:

Everything that you do in life has a price that has to be paid. Every time that you make an important decision there is a price. Remember, for every action these is an opposite and equal reaction? Every time you decide to do something you have to give something up to do it.

When I went back to College. I had to give up sleeping in and a lot of my extra time so I could devote it to studying-that is the price that I had to pay to go back to school. If I had choosen not to go to school then what would be the price? Not getting ahead with my career because I lacked the skills. Both choices either to do it or to not do it had consequences. And you will find with most important life decisions there is a price to pay with each choice.

Including losing weight. And the question is what is the price that you are willing to pay to lose the weight and get healthy? Ultimately, it will help you make better choices or to be more accepting of the choices that you make when you realize that there is a price to pay. Deciding whether the price that you would have to pay is too high is a personal choice-no one can make that choice for you.

For me, the price that I have had to pay to lose the weight and get healthy has been to stop eating unhealthy foods and start eating healthy ones instead (yes, I realize that some people have the will power and ability to just eat a tiny portion of something unhealthy and then move on. Well, I don't I will eat it until I'm too stuffed to move. So, good for you! I'm not like that and I'm talking about my experience-if you want to talk about what your price has been feel free to do so) and to start exercising.

And what would have been the price that I would have had to pay if I hadn't made the change? Well, I'm 32 and I was 270 lbs. and still gaining with horrible eating habits-very likely diabetes, heart disease and other healthy related problems leading to a premature death.

Was the price to high to pay? I think having to pay the unhealthy foods and the exercise for a longer healthier thinner life was a bargain price!

I see things on here such as "I want to lose weight but I'm stuck and I can't lose it and I don't know why but I don't want to give up my cheat days where I eat like 6000 calories that day" then it might be time to really try to think about the price you have to pay-the price that you have to pay to stay doing what you are doing and where that will lead and the price that you will have to pay to change and do something different and then you can decide i the price is too high!

Replies

  • Sounds kinda, sorta like you are talking about "opportunity costs" from microeconomics theory. No?
  • An8888
    An8888 Posts: 24 Member
    For me, it's been my social life to a certain extent. Before I got serious about losing weight, I had some friends who I'd go out clubbing with a lot. But the late nights, peer pressure to over drink, and drama got to be too much. My body was hating it, and weight loss goals aside, these people weren't adding any value to my life.
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    The price I paid for being overweight for so long is my fertility. Working to get it back, and so that I can lead by example for any future children. I will give up fast food for this. I will give up lazy weekends where I do nothing but eat and barely move. I will give up alcohol completely. I will give up the chips and cookies. I will! I am!
  • amie709
    amie709 Posts: 99
    Sounds kinda, sorta like you are talking about "opportunity costs" from microeconomics theory. No?

    It's a theory used in a lot of different ways. I read it in The Slight Edge which is a book about doing small little disciplines overtime to get a compounded effect from those things that add up to be a lot over the long term and that's followed with the price that you pay for doing and not doing those things.
  • CardiacNP
    CardiacNP Posts: 554 Member
    I agree. You are a direct result of the choices you make. good or bad you are a compilation of the results