Does anyone else find that having money ends up making you gain weight
RyanSykes89
Posts: 2 Member
So currently I'm attempting to lose weight before university but my main worry is keeping it off when I actually start university. I believe the main reason behind my weight gain is having money. I have a tendency to binge a lot and this can only be accommodated when I have money. When I move to university I will have my own money for the first time in my life and be completely in control of the food I buy. From past experiences having money has been bad for me. During my birthday last November I ended up having £200 and almost the entirety of that money was spent on candy and junk food. After a 2 months period all the money was gone and I had gained 15 pounds. I am currently the heaviest I have ever been at 185 pounds and I'm scared that having this money and freedom will make me more likely to binge eat and in the process gain weight. Has anyone else had difficulty with this and found a way to develop self control
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not really.....a 4$ thing of strawberries sittiing beside a (big) 3$ coffee cake in my store every week reminds me why we all got fat...cheap food tends to be fat filled and fresh healthy stuff has a market and is expensive. Bad food choices make you fat not more money.11
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Developing self-control as with anything mind based takes time and effort. You have to work at it. For me I found that when I was eating all 3 meals a day (proper meals that actually filled me) and had some snacks prepared I didn't feel the need to snack as much, sometimes at all whether I had the extra money or not. And it was kind of fun looking at something like a tub of ice cream and seeing it last a week or more because I wasn't eating nearly as much as I was. That was motivating in and of itself.3
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No...I have money...that's not what I'd do with my money, nor would I be tempted to blow that kind of money on candy.0
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I tend to spend money on exercise equipment/clothing/supplements/etc. when I have extra. So it doesn't really make me fat. I guess in the past when I wasn't interested in those things I might have spent it on junk, eating out, etc. but it really just depends on your priorities. Maybe you're denying yourself too much on a diet and it's causing you to binge/crave things. Try practicing IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros). Eat at a caloric deficit, get plenty of exercise, and eat what you want as long as it fits your macros. Unless you have a medical condition no need to outlaw any specific foods. Chances are some of the higher caloric density foods you like can be purchased or made to be lighter on the calories and still taste just as good. Just my .02.1
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What is this.... money? lol. No, I don't have extra money. If I did I would put it in savings for the next propane fill in the fall.7
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When I can afford it, I try something fresh and new. Maybe I will have garlic prawns with a homemade pesto. Or a great cut of steak with grilled veggies. Having more money available makes eating healthier easier and more fun. It's when I have to watch my budget that it's more challenging to eat better.1
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No, I don't tend to spend extra on food when I have extra money - unless it's for someone else. I'll definitely splurge on someone else's favorite treat and gift it to them.
My most recent 'spare money purchase' was compression running shorts. I'm finding they are a godsend in hot and humid weather.0 -
Well if you look at society, poorer people have higher obesity issues than those who are well above the poverty line.
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RyanSykes89 wrote: »So currently I'm attempting to lose weight before university but my main worry is keeping it off when I actually start university. I believe the main reason behind my weight gain is having money. I have a tendency to binge a lot and this can only be accommodated when I have money. When I move to university I will have my own money for the first time in my life and be completely in control of the food I buy. From past experiences having money has been bad for me. During my birthday last November I ended up having £200 and almost the entirety of that money was spent on candy and junk food. After a 2 months period all the money was gone and I had gained 15 pounds. I am currently the heaviest I have ever been at 185 pounds and I'm scared that having this money and freedom will make me more likely to binge eat and in the process gain weight. Has anyone else had difficulty with this and found a way to develop self control
It's not the amount of money that you have, it is your mentality and poor choices. Save the money for raining days or buy yourself a nice pair of running shoes and hit the pavement. I am sure that you will have money left to buy fresh fruit and vegetables in your local market. Problem solved and 15 lbs lost!1 -
Op your problem is money management. Just because you have extra money on hand doesn't mean you have to spend it.2
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Sorry, I believe its's a state of mind and making poor choices in food no matter what social economic status.1
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No.0
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hmmm...I guess I'm an outlier. Yes, I've been known to overbuy food and ultimately I (used to) eat it. You are talking about a habit of overbuying and yes habits have to be addressed in this journey. When I focus on cutting spend/saving I tend to reinforce better health, including food habits.
There are other ways to reign in this indulgence habit too. My new habit is to walk to the grocery store and only buy what is a.) on the list and b.) fits in my carry bags for the walk home.
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Ummm no. Having money means I can afford better quality food. Since my income has improved greatly I have been eating a lot more fruits and veggies.
It isn't having money. It is how you chose to spend it.
You are entering the world of being an adult. You are accountable for your own choices.0 -
I have a tendency to eat out more when I have extra money but even then, I can choose to make healthy choices. Maybe start a savings account and commit a certain percentage of the money to it. Come up with a list of things you would like to spend it on- it can be big things like saving for your own place or a vacation, or relatively little things like gym membership or tickets to a movie. Those little things can also be rewards for losing a certain amout of weight, or successfully working out 5 days a week all month (or whatever your health goals are).
The real problem, the one that needs to be addressed, is the eating habits and the mentality behind those habits- what your binge triggers are, why you're initial reaction to having money is wanting to spend it on unhealthy food. The money might be what makes your urges actionable, but the money itself is not the problem.2 -
JaydedMiss wrote: »not really.....a 4$ thing of strawberries sittiing beside a (big) 3$ coffee cake in my store every week reminds me why we all got fat...cheap food tends to be fat filled and fresh healthy stuff has a market and is expensive. Bad food choices make you fat not more money.
Bad food choices don't make you fat. A calorie surplus does. I was obese while following all the diet traps/trends (low-carb, Paleo, Keto, etc). I didn't lose weight until I started monitoring my calories while eating whatever I want (yes, I eat "junk" food every day lol). I went from 187 to 117.2 -
Yep/Nope. If I have "extra" money, I'm more likely than not to spend it on food....excess food, therein lies the problem. I now force myself to invest that "extra" money into other things....workout clothes, mods for my car, toys for my pets, gifts for mom or hubby, etc... I then meal plan and limit my access to my debit card and credit card so I can't buy food just to buy food.
I'm not a good money manager myself and if it's a skill you can learn, I would encourage it. Elsewise, just limit your access to that money.
ETA...it's not the money's fault...it's lack of self control/money management.1 -
Sounds like you have a propensity to binge, and when you have money you give in to that impulse.
Good news is that if you only do it when you have money, your far less compulsive that someone who has binge eating disorder, so you ought to be able to nip it in the bud. It comes down to money management, and will power.
If you continue on the way you have in the past, you'll end up broke and obese. Part of growing up and gaining independence is learning to be responsible for yourself, so its good that you've recognised this now and can work to change those habits.1 -
OP, I know exactly what you mean. Prior to changing my eating habits, extra money equaled take-out food for me... constantly. All different kinds. Whereas when I have to be careful with my grocery budget, I buy more sensible food (and much less of it).
I wish I knew the secret to how I got myself to stop doing it. I was just tired of being fat one day and quit all the unhealthy food cold turkey.1 -
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Extra money might mean I treat myself to some meals out- but generally it's not something high calorie if I'm splurging. Its Vietnamese, or poke, or sushi.
Usually I spend it on fabric or fiber arts supplies or my animals. Sometimes kitchen equipment.
It's all about reteaching yourself how to budget. I keep an eye on what I have, what I'm spending weekly (I get paid monthly), and how much I can afford to spend and still pay my bills.0 -
When I have extra money, I will I actually tend to stick to healthier organic stuff since I can load up and sample new things.
But honestly, I'm too busy shopping for make up, clothes, shoes, and other things I don't need rather than overeat/eat poorly. It definitely doesn't get spent on food.0 -
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melodydee66 wrote: »When I can afford it, I try something fresh and new. Maybe I will have garlic prawns with a homemade pesto. Or a great cut of steak with grilled veggies. Having more money available makes eating healthier easier and more fun. It's when I have to watch my budget that it's more challenging to eat better.
Same for me. When I was going through a tough time years ago, financially, I vowed to myself that when I had more money, I would eat quality food. I do that now and I end up spending more. Now - if I eat more quality calories than I can use, I'll gain weight. Not too much different about that reality.1 -
Some of the things that people ask or say on MFP are simply amazing.5
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If weight gain came from having too much money, then I should be the richest mother *kitten* on this whole damn board.0
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If your main problem is budgeting and not so much binge eating, Reddit's r/personalfinance is very helpful. If you learn to manage your money in a smart way, maybe you'll spend less on excess food?0
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If anyone is willing to donate me money I'd be willing to test this hypothesis. For science.
For real, though, I eat worse when I have less $ because dollar menus are a thing.1 -
More Money leads to more Relatives & more Relatives leads to more food :-)3
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