Food costs money. Good, healthy food costs more money than bad food. It just does. But good food really only costs more up front. Bad food will cost you much more in the long run.

Bad food will cost you in many ways — in minor or major medical costs related not just to cardiovascular disease and diabetes, but also to over-the-counter medical costs for relief of all kinds of ailments ranging from acid reflux, heartburn, headaches and allergies to cold and flu relief. Oh, and don’t forget managing bone and joint pain due to obesity. Beyond medical, bad food is also bound to cost you in the opportunity and producitivity lost to low energy, lack of good sleep and reduced ability simply to be sharp on a daily basis.

You see, Wimpy was right. Look at that mid-belly fat. That pre-diabetic, insulin-resistant mid-belly fat. He may not pay today, he may not even pay on Tuesday, but he will pay.

So now you have the challenge, and you actually get to play with the impact, the “pay me later” right now. In the challenge, the consequence is present anytime you break the rules. 1 point. There is actually a cost right now for indulging. The trick is, will you remember when the challenge is over that there remains a cost, that you may be accruing a tab, just like Wimpy, that you will have to pay later. One that may ending up costing far more than 1 point.