← Frugal Friends Podcast
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- [00:01]
Audible Narrator
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- [00:46]
Jen
Fit Talk, GLP1s and your starving bank account.
- [00:54]
Podcast Host Intro
Welcome to the Frugal Friends podcast where you'll learn to save money, embrace simplicity, and live a richer life. Here are your hosts, Jen and Jill.
- [01:09]
Jen
Welcome Frugal Friends. I'm Jen.
- [01:11]
Jill
I'm Jill.
- [01:12]
Jen
And this one is a personal one for me. This is a topic that I'm super passionate about because I have struggled with my body image my entire life and it's because my parents also struggled with their body image and they had really low self esteem about their own weights and exercise. And honestly I can't blame them because they got that idea from their parents too. There have been ads for weight loss since marketing was invented, literally in the early 1900s. If you're watching the YouTube video, you'll see all these ads I found from literally like the early 1900s from for weight loss, thinning, all this stuff. Even one about tapeworms using, I think it was safe. Tapeworms? Yeah, sterilized tapeworms in order to lose weight. So this issue isn't new. And we had a few good years of body positivity. It was really good. It got turned into a marketing scheme like all good things do. But with the introduction of second generation weight loss drugs, GLP1s, it's gotten, I think we have reversed all of the process that we've made in loving our bodies and wanting to be truly healthy and not trying to buy this, this perfect physique or somebody else's idea of a perfect physique.
- [02:56]
Jill
Yeah, they're preying on all of our insecurities and we are see seeing it more and more in front of us because of social media and maybe even what our friends are choosing as far as health and wellness goes. And so today that's what we're talking about is GLP1's fit talk. And some of, some of these, maybe more so obnoxious influencers that are making health really unaccessible and unaffordable. But first, this episode is brought to you by True Beauty. You know, the kind that I'm talking about, like what's on the inside, things like capabilities and kindness. Kind of like our annual finance planner that you can keep inside of your phone. Where the true beauty of your phone lies, offering you the kindness of an all in one simple to use place to track everything in life. So it is actually aesthetically pleasing. But more than that, it has the capability to keep track of things like home maintenance tasks and, and planning your next big trip with points or keeping track of the last time your oil was changed, which I have not done in the past and it really led to catastrophic consequences. Or the last time your tires were rotated. So instead of using sticky notes or an app and just having a ton of different notes in your in the app notes app of your phone and not knowing how to get to things, this spreadsheet is a one time purchase. We'll solve all of it. Because true beauty lies in keeping things organized in a clear, simple and stress free way. So head to frugalfriendspodcast.com planner to check it out. And if you are watching us on YouTube, click the link in the description. You will get 30% off. Obviously if you're just listening to us, you can pop on over to YouTube and get that link.
- [04:49]
Jen
Yeah, you gotta subscribe while you're there.
- [04:51]
Jill
Subscribe.
- [04:52]
Jen
I don't make the rules, but it is a rule. You gotta hit subscribe while you're there. You can go right back to Spotify or Apple, but you just gotta hit.
- [05:00]
Jill
Subscribe while you're here.
- [05:02]
Jen
All right. Speaking of true beauty, they've told us that true beauty's on the insight, right? But for some reason, women are expected to keep an outward appearance of beauty because for us, it's not enough about what we do. For men, what you do really makes up how people think about you. For women, it's not just about what we do, it's about how we look as well. What we do is often not taken seriously if we don't look a certain way. And I'm not saying it because it's, it's right. I'm saying it because that's just how it is. And here on Frugal Friends, we're Not about changing the status quo for the masses. We're about changing it for ourselves. And how do we operate in the inner rim when we can't change it for the masses?
- [05:53]
Jill
And.
- [05:53]
Jen
But how do we move towards more healthy operation ourselves and in the people around us? And so we did an episode a while ago on what diet culture is costing you, where we really dove in to the idea of diet culture. But today we really want to focus on how social media is impacting. And honestly, when we did that episode, I don't think we talked about GLP1s at all. And we definitely don't think GLP1s are the problem. I think social media's portrayal of a lot of this stuff is really what we're getting to the root at. And so I know, like, I've talked a lot about, like, my history with, you know, my weight and just my overall body image, but, like, what has been your experience?
- [06:42]
Jill
I'm a person, too. Hi.
- [06:45]
Jen
Hi.
- [06:46]
Jill
Yeah, I've got insecurities, and I think it's been interesting to me even as I'm aging. And I know that might sound funny to different people depending on their age, as they're listening in, but we aren't in our 20s anymore. And I think I've noticed myself come up against insecurities that I didn't even used to have, but kind of being told to me through some of these marketing trends and wanting to sell me supplements and wanting to sell me these different beauty solutions that I'm now thinking it's. It's almost instilling some of those. Oh, I didn't realize that that was something to be insecure about. Now I'm starting to feel insecure about it or, oh, I didn't know that this was a way that some people aged or this is how you're supposed to quote, unquote, kind of a thing. So, yeah, I am also inundated with it as. As a female, I think just as a human, you know, we. We want to be liked. We want to be accepted. And. And we're not static E to us, and our bodies are changing and shifting, and so there might even be new insecurities that pop up. And then, of course, new solutions that you can pay for to solve that thing. It probably won't solve it. It'll probably just keep feeding the beast of insecurity. But I think it's so important for us to talk about because it intersects with our money so critically about the decisions that we make here. And I think it's really important to assess, we talk about values based spending and I think that there can be decision that we make for ourselves, health and wellness wise that are worth it. But I think really to tease apart what is actually going to feed me and be life giving to me and what's just feeding the insecurity and not actually solving the problem when I'm spending in these areas.
- [08:39]
Jen
Yeah. And I will disclose like at the top of the episode, like our answer to this isn't going to be love yourself more. It's not gonna be just be happy with your body. That's not the answer because that's not feasible. I think we have so many decades of like deep seated hate for our bodies. Maybe not hate, but just like not being content even. I was watching Hannah Alonso, who's one of my favorite youtubers, did this episode and she included this body positivity influencer who got famous for like being. She was super skinny, she had literally no butt and no boobs. She was just a stick. And she got famous for like being happy with her body regardless of not having like the curves that were, you know, are popular. And then she got a boob job and her followers were livid, like raged against her. And so like for a body positivity content creator to go and do that, like it just doesn't make sense to have this toxic fake positivity about ourselves. So it's how do we operate in the reality of what we're feeling, not waste our money and move in a healthier direction to feel better about our health, to feel better about our self image. And so that is what we are diving into.
- [10:08]
Jill
I am here for people being able to make the decisions for themselves. Like I am not gonna say one way or another for somebody who chooses to do those types of surger for themselves, but I think to really be aware of how does it influence me? Is it something that I feel like I then have to do or do I have autonomy and agency here to be able to choose how I age, to be able to choose how I want to present myself and not just be marketed to, which is our whole shtick. If you have ever listened to a Frugal Friends episode in the past.
- [10:45]
Jen
And ultimately, which is why we have this problem. So as of 2024, the global wellness market is valued at over 5.6 trillion and projected to keep growing at about 9 to 10% annually, which is above average for industry growth. So. And it's one of the few industries where people consistently spend money even during economic downturns. So even if you feel like we're heading into whatever we're heading into economically, people are still going to be insecure. It's going to make them more insecure, actually, because all of the spending that we do on this stuff typically comes from insecurity. And, and what makes us more insecure about life in general than an economic downturn?
- [11:31]
Jill
And there's a lot of money to be made here, obviously. And so you've got then a ton of influencers popping up with very few qualifications, calling themselves just coaches or wellness guides, being able to sell cookbooks or their workout plans or some sort of dropship supplement, whatever it is that we then spend money on. And we don't even actually know these qualifications of this person. They've just built trust with us. Or we see pretty images.
- [12:00]
Jen
And in health and wellness, there's a high recurrence of, like, recurring revenue models. So getting supplements delivered every month, getting a new workout plan every month, getting, you know, X, Y, Z, you use it and then you need something new. And that is really attractive as somebody starting a business or somebody in a totally, like a peripheral business. Like, I've seen a chiropractor giving advice to new moms about formula. So even people that have, like, credentials elsewhere see all the money being made in specifically, like the weight loss industry and just take themselves over there. They use credentials that aren't even relevant. Or even this happens a lot with, like, nutritionists, right? Talking about food, they're very vague, like certificates, even like registered dietitians or doctors. Doctors don't get a lot of nutrition information in their medical curriculum. So it's just there's. There's so much opportunity to make a lot of money in this industry. And that is why there are so many wellness influencers on TikTok, on Instagram. And when we're feeling insecure, we are more prone to impulse spending. When we're feeling emotional, then our amygdala in our brains takes over. That's our fight or flight. And it is good that that takes over. You know, if we are actually in physical danger, that takes over our prefrontal cortex, which is our rational decision making. And our decision making lowers our qualities that make us good decision makers lower and our emotional heightened immediate responses take over. And that's where impulse spending comes. And that's why people are impulse spending on these things so frequently. So we're gonna, we're gonna go over. Impulse spending is not the only problem. We're gonna go over a couple different areas in health and wellness that we just Want to kind of like open your eyes to give you a different perspective so that when you're seeing this stuff in your feed, you have another tool in your toolbox of rational thought before your emotional brain starts taking over.
- [14:21]
Jill
Because we're not going to see any less of it. This is going to keep happening. As long as people can keep making money off of our insecurities, that's what they're going to do. And so we just want to arm ourselves a little more to be aware of what it is that we're seeing. So the first category as far as viral topics go are GLP1. So let's watch this quick little video on an explainer from a doctor about what GLP1 is.
- [14:48]
Doctor
The only benefit of GLP1 medications is they lower your appetite. Is this true? Is that all that they do? We've had medications that work by suppressing appetite around for a long time. This is our first generation obesity medications, things like phentermine and Qsimia. These have a sympathomimetic effect on the brain and they kind of just speed everything up. They work very similarly to ADHD medications. And it's pretty common that people will go the whole day not feeling hungry, not eating much, and then as the medication wears off, that hunger returns. The newer class of obesity medications, which we refer to as second generation, includes GLP1 medications. And while they do suppress appetite, they don't just suppress appetite, they do a lot more than that. GLP1 is a hormone that we make naturally. Our gut produces it and then it goes to its receptors which are all throughout the body. So GLP1 has body wide effects. It goes to the vasculature, the brain, the heart, the kidneys, the liver, the pancreas. So if our body makes GLP1, why can't we just produce more of it and have the same effect? Because unfortunately, our body's natural GLP1 is broken down in about 90 seconds by an enzyme called DPP4. And once it's broken down, it's inactive. GLP1 medications have an engineered longer half life. Instead of 90 seconds for the weekly injectables, it's between five and seven days. And so no, there is not a supplement that will mimic things like Ozempic. There's just not, because it's not possible. So when you take the medication, it goes throughout the body and it hits the those receptors in the stomach, it will slow down gastric emptying so that the food is moving through your stomach slower, which will make you feel fuller, longer it hits the receptors in the pancreas and helps regulate blood sugar, keeping it not too low, but not too high. And it does this in a glucose dependent manner. And that's why people without diabetes generally can take these medications. Beyond weight loss and diabetes, there are many other health benefits and more are emerging. And this is where this gets really exciting. We know that there are benefits to certain types of chronic kidney disease, especially diabetes related chronic kidney disease. So this could mean less dialysis for some of those people. They've been proven to be helpful for obstructive sleep apnea and fatty liver disease. We know that there's a cardiac benefit, improved cholesterol, lower blood pressure. And we go be specifically has an FDA approval for cardiac protection in people who've had a heart attack or stroke or have known coronary artery disease. We goby trials have shown a 20% reduction in heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death.
- [16:50]
Jen
Yeah. So I will be honest, I didn't know a lot about GLP1s going into the research for this episode. And I truly wanted to know, is this a fading or is this something good? Because they're, they're diabetes medications. And so I learned a lot from this creator. And then I went in the comments and found people saying even more benefits than what this doctor talked about. And this is specifically like a weight loss doctor. So like not just like a chiropractor or somebody. No bash on chiropractors. I love chiropractors. But like this is somebody in their lane, but somebody like several people saying actual addictions that they had, that they didn't take it for the addictions, but once they started taking it that the addictions like went away. And I read that there's actually going to be trials starting of this medication to help in addictions. So like we're not here to bash this and it's not our lane, so we're not also going to like dissect it in particular.
- [18:05]
Jill
But it is helpful to know that people are using it for medical necessity and that it is helping people who, you know, the primary people who are taking them have type 2 diabetes or are working through obesity. And of course it sounds like a lot of other people are able to get their hands on it and are primarily approaching it as that weight loss drug. And that's kind of unfortunately the way that we are primarily hearing about it is some of these, you know, fitness influencers who are also taking this on the side and not disclosing that and.
- [18:42]
Jen
Having, I don't know if you've heard that drama gains, it's crazy.
- [18:46]
Jill
And making it look like this is possible for everybody and no it's not unless you were to take this drug.
- [18:52]
Jen
And even normal people. So here's where I think the real insidiousness of this comes in. It's not in the, it's not so much in the drama of fitness influencers like hacking, hacking with WeGovy. But honestly like you can see just normal people like you and me having these amazing transformations with GLP1s and they're sharing their weight loss journeys, they're sharing it all and it and it and it looks attainable. But here's where it becomes toxic. These weekly injections and you heard the doctor say the compounded like pills, they just don't do the same thing. It's not what works. It doesn't have the same effect. The injections cost upwards of $1,000 per month. So now being skinny isn't just about being healthy, it's also a class status. Because now when you can afford GLP1s and you're thin, you go like from overweight to thin. You're seen as also being financially well off while it leaves the rest of the people who can't afford $1,000 a month injections are seen as broke. And so that closes it reinforces pretty privilege which thin people and the way women look are seen as more successful, they're taken more serious, they're given more chances, they're given more grace. But overweight people, not as much. So that is I think where it's really insidious because you can now you're a woman going for a job interview promotion, starting a business weight has always made it harder to get a seat at the table. And now it's essential now that you can essentially purchase your, your weight. Again, I know it takes work on a GLP1 to lose weight. I am not negating the hard work that it takes. But there is now this bigger divide between the haves and haves nots and who gets a seat at the table.
- [21:07]
Jill
Depending on if it's not covered by insurance. Because again this is a prescribed medication that depending on the necessity for it.
- [21:16]
Jen
And yeah, I understand there are some ways that you can, you know, get in there to make it covered by insurance. But again even that like getting to a place where maybe you can't, I mean maybe you're not technically eligible for it and I don't know how to like fudge insurance to do this or to get insurance to cover it, but that access is not available. To all people either.
- [21:41]
Jill
To each their own in the journey that is going to be right for you. We do not know everybody's story, nor are we going to try to claim to, but I think what we really want to keep expressing is a normalization and a permission giving to not have to do these things, even if it seems like this is what everybody else is doing. I'm going to have to do this in order to, you know, get the job, have the status, do the thing. Like being skinny does not actually make you at its core more qualified than somebody else and not being skinny does not make you any less disciplined than somebody else. Like you absolutely can show up as yourself as you are and find the community that's going to work for you, be able to spend the money on the things that actually bring value to you. If this is not the route that you want to be taking, even though it seems like everybody is.
- [22:38]
Jen
Yeah, just to note that not everybody is, that it may look like it on social media, but there's still a lot of us who are not going to take this route and not negating anybody's journey who is using this route. But if you're choosing not to, I hope that you feel encouraged and I hope that we can all show each other community and love and empowerment so that we don't see this increase in pretty privilege and weight as class, that we can recognize it and not let it and, you know, fight it off when it comes up in our own lives.
- [23:28]
Jill
When it comes to clothing, you know, we love quality over quantity. And since getting our colors done, Jen and I have both been on a mission to find closet staples, the kind that are polished, timeless and affordable without compromising quality.
- [23:41]
Jen
And that's exactly why we're loving Quince. They've got all the elevated essentials for fall. Think 100% Mongolian cashmere starting at just $50. Washable silk tops and perfectly tailored denim. I just ordered their cotton scoop neck, tank, earrings and a belt and I'm already living in these pieces daily.
- [24:00]
Jill
I've been on the hunt for a classic linen dress that I can style in a variety of ways that fits with my minimalist wardrobe and quints. Had just the one I wanted in the European linen scoop neck midi dress. It feels like such a luxury piece, but the prices don't absolutely destroy my spending plan.
- [24:17]
Jen
Keep it classic and cozy this fall with long lasting staples from Quint's, go to quince.comfrugal for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N C E.comfrugal to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.comfrugal ever feel like you're careful with money but then wonder where it's actually going? For me it's those impulse buys at the grocery store, the I deserve it coffee runs, or that extra home project. I didn't plan for same.
- [24:49]
Jill
That's why I love Monarch Money. It's like having a personal cfo. Every account, investment and goal in one place so you see the full picture and can actually grow your money instead of just tracking it.
- [25:03]
Jen
When I started using Monarch, I realized I was overspending in categories I thought I was doing fine in. Now I check it weekly with Travis so we can track our spending, set savings goals and keep those money talks stress free.
- [25:16]
Jill
Get control of your overall finances with Monarch Money. Use code frugalonarchmoney.com in your browser for half off your first year. That's 50% off your first year at monarchmoney.com with code FRUGAL. The second trending category is healthy foods and supplements. And this is a wild one even just going through because you all know that we vet the people who put the brands that put ads on our show that we do not want, ads that we wouldn't ourselves, you know, potentially purchase from that kind of a thing. There were an enormous amount of ads from supplements and vitamin companies. And even as I was going through saying no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no to all of these ads, it had me thinking there's so many. Like it started to become almost like this, this anchoring bias or this confirmation bias. All the biases were just going off for me because I'm thinking, what am I missing out on? Like, I haven't even heard of these brands. It must be so necessary if there's so many companies doing all of these different green things. All the nutrients, all the biohacking. Because it's not a diet anymore, it's biohacking now that men have gotten their hands on it.
- [26:38]
Jen
And women, I mean, it's not just the men, it is also the women.
- [26:42]
Jill
It's just such an intense word. Like I don't even know what it means.
- [26:45]
Jen
But no.
- [26:47]
Jill
Then I came to my senses and realized this is obviously just a trillion dollar industry and everybody wants to get their hands in the pot because if we just sell them on their insecurity, then they'll bite.
- [27:01]
Jen
Yeah, honestly, supplements are some of the easiest things to sell because they're Low cost. Yeah. When we were getting all these ad offers from supplements, we also got an offer from Land Rover and I was like, it was harder to say no to Land Rover than it was all the supplements. I was like, I'm not gonna promote a greens powder when they are so expensive. And you can get all the greens and fibers you need if you would just eat more vegetables. And you don't need to like down a disgusting like greens powder. Especially from Bloom, who has spent thousands and thousands, probably hundreds of thousands of dollars to get influencers to show their powders in their videos. And I can't tell you one influencer I've seen like actually drink it and maybe not cut like their reaction. Like there's always a cut somewhere in the video.
- [27:59]
Jill
It's funny, I have to pay attention.
- [28:00]
Jen
Oh my gosh. But they spent so much money to normalize greens powder and AG1 athletic greens. These companies have spent so much to normalize taking supplements when really all you need to do is eat a well balanced diet. But creators make a lot of money by you not understanding what a well balanced diet is. There are influencers that literally all their videos are, are them walking around the grocery store telling you how toxic all the food is. Like, they even go into Whole Foods with their shirt off, showing their abs being like, Whole Foods cookies are toxic. They're in the trash. I was like, I am not going to Whole Foods to buy a cookie because it's good for me. I'm not going into Whole Foods. And then furthermore. And then I'm buying a cookie from Aldi.
- [28:57]
Jill
Furthermore, you'll find me at Walmart with a bag of Doritos.
- [29:02]
Jen
Yes.
- [29:03]
Jill
Before I hit the Taco Bell, drive.
- [29:05]
Jen
Through like, don't tell me it's toxic. This, this is their, this is what they want. They want you to be confused because confusion creates. If they are the one to confuse you, then you start to trust them. And once they get your trust that they can then sell you something. So even in the video, they might not be trying to sell you something. They want you to believe that what somebody else said is wrong and what I say is right because I'm relatable and I'm a disruptor and I'm going against the status quo so that ultimately later on in another video they can retarget you and sell you something.
- [29:52]
Jill
And really, it's just exhausting. But I mean, any of us who have been around for a couple of decades have seen the trends, trend right now. It's, it's, it's the superfoods and then it's the proteins and then it's. I, I can't even keep track. But every kind of little thing has had its heyday. I mean, just even water. Water has had a comeback recently. I do love water. That's the one thing that I will get on board with.
- [30:18]
Jen
But even water is toxic in high quantities.
- [30:21]
Jill
Yeah, water can kill you.
- [30:23]
Jen
Everything is toxic in high quantities. And there's a ton of data now to prove like, like, even, even the studies that have told us like, aspartame isn't good for you, or like microwaves aren't good for you, or like all of these things, they stay in like higher doses. And influencers will take partial data from these studies and just blanket like, okay, it causes cancer in this high of a quantity. So it causes cancer. But really you would have to drink like 58 Diet Cokes every day for so many days for it to actually have that effect.
- [31:06]
Jill
Which. I am here for a wellness journey. I am here for identifying what does my body respond well to. How can I fuel myself in a good way? It can just be so confusing when there's so many ideas out there. I mean, standard recommendations is.08 grams of protein per 1 kg of body weight. But then you watch somebody else who just like, trying to help you make your booty look better, and they're telling you that it needs to be triple that. And it's, it's, that's just one example. It can feel all over the map. And so I think one of the things that has felt really grounding for me in this is to find somebody that you feel you can trust who is really repetitive, reputable, not just because they, they got you scared and then they're baiting and switching you, but somebody that you're able to vet. Maybe it's a published author, maybe it's somebody who's been in the space for a really long time on social media or YouTube or somebody recommended by a friend who they have utilized for years and years. And you've kind of been able to see their journey, vet them, and do what we love to talk about in our book, the Shuhari Method of Follow the rules, break the rules, transcend the rules. So pick somebody and follow that. Because all of the noise can feel so, so overwhelming on. Well, now, now I gotta focus on this. Oh, now that's not right. This is right. Just clear the clutter, pick your person, and then learn yourself.
- [32:41]
Jen
Yeah, and I will disclose, like, I pay for a fitness coach. I don't Have a personal trainer. She's not a personal trainer but I do pay her for honestly getting out of this mindset that I have had like this perfection. I need to be perfect with how I eat and how I exercise and if I'm not going to go all in then I can't do it at all. And she's been working with me, I don't know, as my like fitness therapist almost. And I just like I pay $50 a month for that and to me that is worth. Is it something I will pay for long term? No. But right now it's really healing me hearing things from somebody else in a way that I like need. I need to hear these things a lot so that I can repeat them back to myself because if I don't hear them enough then the old voices and phrases and actions start to come back in. So like the really like drastic dieting or thinking I'm not doing enough, it's not working. So I probably should buy this other fitness course or buy this other food that's more expensive. And so yeah, so I also, I recommend a couple people that I really like on TikTok is Liam. He's antslant, he will go through and he's a little abrasive, he's definitely snarky. So you gotta like that type of humor. And he'll go through and go through all these people in the grocery store telling you everything is toxic. And then he talks about how he references and brings up the studies that says like they're wrong. And it's really just been a. Honestly just having a contrarian voice to all the rage bait on social media. That's what it is for me is being like, okay, so much of this is rage bait. So much of it is fear mongering. And to have this person be like, like no, don't be scared. Anybody that's making you scared or like feel insecure like they're trying to sell you something. And this, you know, showing data. And then also Dr. Jessica Nurik with a K K N U R I C. She's a registered dietitian and has a PhD in nutrition science. And she is. I found her. The first video I saw was explaining that correlation does not equal causation. And so many influencers in the wellness space will show these graphs and they'll say like, you know, with this is an extreme version. And don't me in the comments for using this one. It's the only one I can come up with right now. Like as vaccines have increased, autism has Increased and how you can show kind of something like that for anything because there's more people now than there was back then. So literally all graphs have a trend.
- [35:55]
Jill
She went there.
- [35:56]
Jen
So yeah, I am so sorry. But all graphs have a trend. So it has a correlation, but that doesn't mean a correlation is causation. So she has a lot of really good education, nutrition, public health, food policy, about GMOs, why things are added to other foods, explaining all of this. Those are my 2 favorite right now. But I would love for you, if you have a favorite, please add them to the comments because I think we all need more influences in our life that are not telling us to. A certain workout is gonna save your life or a certain food is going to ruin your life. I think we just need more level headed people in our feeds and so if we could just create a, a list of those in the comments, I think that would be so good.
- [36:54]
Jill
Yeah, we need ways to find our radical middle and part of that is by allowing in some contrarian voices. We don't have to agree with any of them 100%. It all helps to inform and find our own understanding. The third and final area where there's a lot of trending around it is just fitness. There is always a new viral workout that's better than the last one you tried. Here's why this isn't working to actually flatten your stomach. Here's why what you're doing isn't getting rid of the muffin top. Here's why what you're doing isn't giving you a perfect peach. Yeah, because you're not a fruit.
- [37:35]
Jen
A peach is a, is a code for butt. If you didn't know that, Jen's gonna.
- [37:40]
Jill
Decode me for sure.
- [37:42]
Jen
So if you're watching YouTube, you'll see like kind of this collection of all these like new trending fitness things. Like all the treadmill workouts where you have a certain incline at a certain speed for a certain time. I got, I think there were like five different ones. The Pilates Reformer. There's even this one that is like a Japanese walking method that she said will like change your life.
- [38:08]
Jill
And you gotta hang on this pole for at least 10 minutes a day. You gotta stretch like this.
- [38:14]
Jen
Much different than a pole. Jill, that's not what we're talking people. That's not what he's telling the people to do. Maybe hanging on the pole for five minutes will be healthier, I don't know. But so we always have this bias towards if like something has been done and it's not working for me, then I need to try something new instead of sticking with the older traditional stuff. And so our bias always makes us. And I say ours, I really do mean mine. I always think that something, the new shiny thing is what is going to work for me finally. And in reality, the thing that has been working for me has been these really simple things that I just couldn't stick with long enough to stay consistent because I was trying to do them too much. I needed to do them in a way that was more sustainable for me because this isn't like a destination that you get to quickly. It is health and wellness is a journey that you will go on until you die. And hopefully because you're on it, you will die a little later than you would otherwise. But ultimately you will die and you can't prevent that. So there's only so much you can do to increase your health and your quote, unquote wellness.
- [39:44]
Jill
And you might as well enjoy the journey, enjoy the life, and not need to just buy things because they're making you feel insecure. And so I think that's part of our wrap up in this is saying that if somebody is making you feel insecure, the red flag should go off. They're probably trying to sell you something. And are you sure you want to buy from somebody who is utilizing that kind of tactic with you?
- [40:10]
Jen
Yeah. When you are on your deathbed, you will not look your loved one in the eye and say, I wish I'd lost five more pounds.
- [40:19]
Iris
Oh, gosh.
- [40:20]
Jen
Or 20. Or lost those last 20 pounds. So like the. And I still, and I sit here and I still get insecure about the amount of body weight that I have. And I'm sure some people are looking at me and being like, well, I can't see the amount of body weight you have because you're hiding it behind a laptop.
- [40:39]
Jill
Well, I can see it. And you looking good.
- [40:40]
Jen
Right. Or it'd be like, oh, my gosh, what do you think? You have weight to lose. Right. And so we all think about that, about ourselves, and know that there's other people being like, they would never think that about you. And so I think just having these tools to rationally look at all of the fitness and weight loss and health stuff that's being thrown at us on social media and just having another perspective, a balanced perspective, I think will save us a lot of time, hassle, and for sure, a lot of money. Money.
- [41:17]
Jill
Speaking of money.
- [41:18]
Jen
And that's something that's consistent and sustainable.
- [41:21]
Jill
Always Brings me joy.
- [41:24]
Jen
I'll never stop doing this part of my wellness journey. The bill of the week.
- [41:39]
Podcast Host Intro
That's right. It's time for the best minute of your entire week. Maybe a baby was born and his name is William. Maybe you paid off your mortgage, maybe your car died and you're happy to not have to pay that bill anymore. Duck bills, Buffalo bills, Bill Clinton. This is the bill of the week.
- [41:59]
Iris
Hi, my name is Iris and I'm sending you my bill of the week from Malma, Sweden. I do all of my or most of my grocery shopping online and the other day when I was making a shop, I needed some packs of trash bags for my kitchen. So they had some kind of discount on them, which was great. So you could buy two and get a little bit of a discount. And so I did that and when the groceries got delivered, I looked into my bag and there were eight packs of trash bags. So that's odd. I looked at my receipt and I did not pay for 8. I paid for 2 with a small discount. Now I have 25 times 8 trash bags and I don't think I need to buy any for a while. So that's a nice little bill that I don't have to pay. So that's my bill of the week. Thanks guys.
- [43:11]
Jen
Oh my gosh.
- [43:12]
Jill
Yes. Iris, I love this so much from Sweden and that you got something in bulk quantity that is shelf stable.
- [43:22]
Jen
We love a shelf stable bulk that you know you're gonna use.
- [43:26]
Jill
You will use those trash bags.
- [43:28]
Jen
That is the kind of bulking I like to do.
- [43:30]
Jill
Hopefully you have room for these trash bags. Hopefully they're compact as most trash bags are. How thrilling.
- [43:39]
Jen
Yay.
- [43:40]
Jill
This is a very, a very run of the mill, very everyday kind of fun.
- [43:48]
Jen
That's happened to me before in my grocery delivery and it is.
- [43:53]
Jill
I love to be thought of in these types of moments. Iris, thanks for thinking to share this with us. If you're listening and you have a random bill, something that just happened to you today, it's nothing over the top, but it's maybe a little absurd, maybe a little quirky, maybe a little kitschy. We'd love to hear it. Frugalfriendspodcast.com bill leave it for us. We can't wait. This is an ad by BetterHelp. Ever search for wellness tips online and feel totally overwhelmed. Cold plunges, gratitude journals, screen detoxes. So much advice. But what actually works for you?
- [44:30]
Jen
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- [44:44]
Jill
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- [44:58]
Jen
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- [45:16]
Blue Apron Advertiser
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- [45:46]
Jill
And now it's time for the lightning round.
- [45:52]
Jen
Okay, what's a TikTok wellness trend you've tried and actually liked? And so mine did not come from social media. It came from my fitness, my wellness coach. It sounds, when I say it out loud, it sounds scammy. But she has truly been helping me and it's walking. So why is that scammy? Why is that scamming? I think having a fitness coach, I think honestly fitness like the term coach. When I hear the term coach, whether it's finance, coach, fitness coach, any coach, unless it's like a basketball coach. It feels like a scam to me.
- [46:33]
Jill
Yeah.
- [46:33]
Jen
But well, because it is not a.
- [46:34]
Jill
Personal trainer for licensing. Like usually you can call yourself a coach of anything and there's no governing boards keeping you in check. And that's why it's scary.
- [46:43]
Jen
She's somebody that has like lost weight in a sustainable journey and she's literally just like helping people close to her do that too. Walking though 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day has been really good. I learned that you're kind of not as your workout only burns about 5% of the calories for your day and you're just like daily moving around actually burns more the organs operating burns the most.
- [47:19]
Jill
I've heard too like walking post dinner. This is just a trend but I do like it. It does help me when I get.
- [47:27]
Jen
Bored and I want to eat something I go for a walk, I take my dog for a walk. It's just been something that's been really healthy for me. I'll listen to some music or a YouTube video, like, while I'm on the walk. I'll have a sparkling water and the view's beautiful. I live by a really beautiful school and I walk at sunset. So that has been mentally and physically really good for me. And I used to be someone who was like, I have to work out. If it's not hard, it's not working. And this has shown me, like, a gentler approach to movement because I don't like yoga because I got weak wrists. So walking really has been great. I don't have a weighted vest. You don't need a weighted vest. I have enough weight on me to be fine with that.
- [48:18]
Jill
So, yeah, I'm all about the drinking water, this trend. Hey.
- [48:24]
Jen
Oh, staying hydrated.
- [48:25]
Jill
Cheers, my friends.
- [48:27]
Jen
So important. It so undervalued. Yeah, I wish there were more water influencers.
- [48:33]
Jill
Am I right?
- [48:34]
Jen
Maybe we should become water influencers.
- [48:37]
Jill
If you want to visit more of the extreme ways that people might be living their lives so you can find your own radical middle, check out our video Unhinged Ways People Save Money on Bills.
- [48:50]
Jen
But we will not be doing an unhinged fitness episode because that's not what we talk about. We talk about money. And thank you so much for listening to us talk about this kind of touchy subject. And I hope we covered it in a way that was accessible and empathetic and authentic. Let us know if we didn't, but we hope, and that was our intention in the way we covered it, in hopes that we can help you save money and help you to spend money in alignment with your health and wellness values. And if we did, if you want more guidance in spending in alignment with your values across the board. We wrote a book called Buy what yout Love Without Going Broke. And readers have been giving it such kind reviews like this one from Charlene. It happens to be five stars says, I love this book. The book is easy to read, has wonderful tools to use, and is so encouraging and inspiring. Thanks so much for all you do. I love your podcast also.
- [49:54]
Jill
Oh, thanks, Charlene. I love this. Short and sweet. Helps people know that it's a book worth reading. So yeah, again, buy what you love book dot com. And if you're just liking the content that we put out, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. Leave us a review of the podcast wherever you might be listening to the podcast and we'll just see you next time.
- [50:13]
Jen
Bye. Frugal Friends is produced by Eric. Seriously, Danny?