Hi, I just joined this forum and am grateful for being able to read the inspiring and supportive stories of others. I'm at the very beginning of the "Eat Fat, Get Thin" diet and it occurred to me that I decided to start it right after my husband and i committed to a personal spending freeze, so that we can begin saving for our dream-- a place in the country. I read somewhere once that there is often a connection between weight gain and over spending, and weight loss and getting your finances under control. I don't know if this has actually been studied, but I am noticing it in my life. Does anyone else see a correlation in their life?

I got that horrid Influenza a few weeks ago and during the tail end of it, when I was well enough to be up but not well enough to leave the house, I went through all the rooms of our house and gathered up stuff I didn't like, to give it away. Like knick-knacks that people had given me and I didn't really like them, socks that didn't have a mate, etc. We live pretty simply, but it still seemed significant and it really helped me feel better after feeling so crappy for two weeks. Then in the following week we decided to commit to saving more each month and focusing on a financial goal, and then a few days after that I decided to commit to losing this weight I really have struggled with for 7 years.

Does anybody else notice these kinds of things relating in their life: material stuff, money, weight?

I’ve never sat down and thought about it but it makes sense. Perhaps once people commit to starting a weight loss journey they feel more in control and that spills over to being more financially responsible?

It’s interesting to think about!

Yes, it probably has to do with feeling empowered to take control of things. I think it also might have something to do with external coping-- over spending and over eating are both external ways we can cope with stress, anxiety and depression, among other things. I think for me personally there is also a kind of dissociation that can happen when I'm coping like that, and that can sort of create a snowball effect-- being out of touch with myself makes it easier to spend, easier to eat more dopamine-causing foods (carbs, sugar)....

Yes, interesting

To your question, I think there is a correlation somehow. Let me explain from a layman point of view, we need food to gain weight, right? If you don't eat well enough or eat large chunk of food at the same time, you will lose weight or may likely look skinny. That's what it is. So it's a good thing you and your husband are planning to save money for the future. I would urge you to start spending wisely. Just secured a job in the UAE, a small one though, but it has been my dream since I graduated. All thanks to Jobviate, Indeed and Monster. Wish me well guys.

When I started losing weight I looked at my house and realized how much I was holding on to ‘excess’ in my home, for safety or for comfort. I don’t know if one correlates with the other, but the same realization of ‘I don’t need the extra fluff to keep me safe’ happened. There was a time when all my knick knacks and things brought me safety, but now I can see many of the things I was comforted by held me back.

Perhaps once people commit to starting a weight loss journey they feel more in control and that spills over to being more financially responsible?