This is the true cost of a poor diet

“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much,

and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much."

Luke 16:10-11  

Coach Alex here. Grace and peace.

Most people think of "fitness" and "finances" as separate F's. But in MD5 we know better right?

Each of the F's impact each other in one way or another, and when it comes to Fitness and Finances the relationship is quantifiable!

Your daily decisions around food, movement, and discipline are quietly shaping both your body and your bank account, daily.

Let’s take a small example.

A fast-food lunch at McDonald's—burger, fries, and a drink—will run you about $8–$12 depending on where you live.

Now compare that to a simple, nutrient-dense meal:

• Quality can of sardines: ~$2.00 (good omega 3's, high protein, all the vitamins and minerals the body needs)

• Raw bell pepper: ~$1.50 (polyphenols, fiber, and prebiotics)

• Whole apple: ~$1.00 (low glycemic carbohydrates, more vitamins)

That’s $4.50 for a meal that delivers protein, micronutrients, and satiety—without the blood sugar crash.

You just saved ~$5–$7 in a single meal.

Do that five days a week and you’ve saved $25–$35/week.That’s $1,300–$1,800/year.

Invest that difference—even modestly—and over time, it compounds.

Using a 7% annual return over 20 years:

• $1,300/year → ~$53,300

• $1,800/year → ~$73,800

That’s from a single habit shift at lunch.

Not extreme investing.Not high risk.Just consistency.

But the real cost isn’t just the food.

It’s what comes after.

A poor diet increases the likelihood of:

• Obesity

• Type 2 diabetes

• Cardiovascular disease

Managing these conditions can cost thousands per year in medications, doctor visits, and lost productivity.

And here’s the deeper issue—

You are spending money to slowly break down the very asset you’ve been entrusted to steward: your body.

Then later, you spend exponentially more trying to repair it.

That’s not just poor health.That’s poor stewardship.

Faithfulness in fitness flips that equation.

You begin to:

• Spend less on low-quality food

• Reduce long-term medical costs

• Increase energy and productivity

• Extend your capacity to work, serve, and lead

In other words—you lower expenses and increase output.

That’s a rare combination.

Jesus said that "He who is faithful in little will be faithful in much."

Your lunch is a “little thing.”

But repeated daily, it becomes a financial and physical trajectory.

So the question isn’t just:

“What should I eat?”

It’s:

“What kind of life am I building with what I eat, daily?”

Because over time, your habits will either:

• quietly drain your resources

• or steadily build them

Men, let's be faithful in our fitness AND finances. 

Until next time. 

Train Hard. Pray Harder,

P.s. - I'm so passionate about this that I wrote the book on it. Spend the next 40 days becoming more Faithful in your Fitness by learning how to do this nutrition and exercise thing without the vanity. If you need help with your Fitness journey, this one's for you.

Coach Alex VanHouten

MD5 Facilitator