Taxing Yourself

April 15th isn’t a day most of us look forward to. Those who do are most likely bleary-eyed accountants. Did you know there are tax incentives to getting healthy? Count this among all the other convincing reasons for getting healthier.

And then there are the tax day freebies: Free coffee, donuts, cookies, and discounts galore on all your favorite junk food. So if tax day has you stressed out, you can head to just about any fast food joint to fill up on unhealthy food and calm your nerves about sending more money to Uncle Sam. Unfortunately for those who try very hard to be focused on making healthy choices, marketers are experts in picking up on one of Americans’ weak spots: Food as a remedy for when we’re stressed or unhappy.

How many times have you uttered the following, “I’ve worked hard; I deserve this.”

Let’s break it down. Do you really believe you deserve to fill yourself with unhealthy, high-calorie food that has minimal nutritional value? And if it makes you feel good when you eat it, how long does that feeling last before you start to feel not so good?

Where do you place value: In a buy one, get one free deal or that feeling you get from truly being healthy?