Diets and Money – Quite the Pair

You may have noticed (or not) that we took a two-month sabbatical from the Rivertree blog. We take advantage of the holiday season to plan, regroup and recharge for the new year. We are excited about 2019 and hope you are as well.

On a personal note, I am doing something I have never done before – a restricted diet. What exactly is a “restricted” diet? Well, prior to January 1st of this year I couldn’t have told you. But as of this writing, I’m now on day 29 of 30 and have learned quite a few things about food I never knew.

In the simplest terms, a restrictive diet is saying “no” to food groups that could potentially be harmful to your body. After the 30 days, you slowly re-introduce excluded food groups and see how it makes you feel. Sound like the Whole30 elimination diet? Well, it is.

My motivation for this diet was not to lose weight but to see how food was impacting my overall health. To say this diet has been enlightening would be an understatement. All my aches and ailments haven’t been cured, but I have certainly seen the benefits in eating healthier, wholesome foods.

So, what does dieting have to do with money? Well, quite a bit, I’d argue.

When I ran into Books-a-Million on January 1st, guess which books greeted me immediately at the door? You got it – money and dieting. Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman, Tony Robbins, Keto, Paleo, Plant Paradox, and Whole30 all shared a nice, wooden table that you couldn’t miss upon entry. I had settled on Whole30 prior to arriving, but I couldn’t help but thumb through each book on the table.

Then it hit me: What do we often say to our clients and seminar attendees as we discuss budgeting/cash flow planning? Give the system we teach a try. If it doesn’t work, you can always go back to your old system!

I was dreading saying “no” for the first time to many foods I love. But knowing that I could go back to my “old system” in just 30 days gave me what I needed, expecting that I wouldn’t want to go back completely.

Consider this quote about change:

““We change our behavior when the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the pain of changing. Consequences give us the pain that motivates us to change.

― Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend

Does this quote resonate with you? What are consequences of poor money habits or diets that might motivate you to change? Often, it’s a serious health diagnosis, high-balance credit card statement, overspending in retirement, or even bankruptcy.

Don’t let it come to these consequences. Start the process of change now. Dr. Cloud also says that change comes this way: Grace + Truth + Time = Change.

We hope 2019 is a great year of healthy change for you. If you need help or counsel to begin this journey, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d love to help.

 

For financial planning clients of Rivertree Financial Planning: Please contact us as soon as possible if you have had any changes in circumstances, objectives, goals or risk tolerance.