# 3 I can't afford it.

Money is often used as an excuse not to exercise. This is a difficult topic as it has different meanings to different people. There are some who earn lots, spend lots and have very little left over. There are those who earn considerably less but have very little outgoings. I have trained clients who fit into both of these categories and I want to make it clear that money is never the issue. It is always a question of value.

When you value your health above everything else, you move heaven and earth to do something about it. Some people come to me and say, " I can't afford a trainer but is there anything you can advise me to do?" Alternatively, I have had prospective clients say to me they can't afford my prices and ask if I can do them a deal. When I tell these clients to go and jump( not before I advise them on exercise and nutrition), they are shocked! These are the people who can often afford it. They just want it cheap or they want to feel they have negotiated a good deal. The worst clients I have ever had have been the one's who can afford to waste a personal training session. Either way, these two examples make a bad client. Now, I am much more skilled, qualified and charge much more so that I can offer more value and not attract any time wasters.

Why is it that we can spend thousands and millions on buildings, however, we feel uncomfortable spending a fraction of this on health? The answer is that society places a higher value on possessions (wealth) than on health. We say, "hasn't Claire done well. She has a good job, lives in a big house in the country." We don't say, "good on her for being super healthy. I wish I could be like that." The majority of people make derogatory comments about healthy people. As if being unhealthy is the benchmark we should aspire to be. This is a reason why there are people who like the idea of being fitter and healthy, but feel uncomfortable with having to pay for it.

Like anything in life, it is not about a lack of resources, it is a lack of resourcefulness which holds these people back. They look at others and say, " it's alright for them." They shift responsibility of their life onto the cards the world has dealt them. These people love to either find others who are as 'worse off' as they are, or love to moan about how life is harder for them than anyone else. These people either need a hug or a kick up the backside (my dad's words not my own). I'll let you decide which it is to be.