In this situation that blueberry muffin you are thinking about for morning tea would cost you about 435 calories. Hmmm, 1 hour of work for say 5 minutes of satisfaction kind of sounds like a poor business choice to me. Occasionally, of course the muffin is going to win and yes it will be tasty. However if you were to make these poor choices daily, say a burger one day, muffin the next and then pizza and so on we all know what happens. This is when you will start to accrue a big fat debt. The longer period of time you continue to make these choices the longer it takes to work it off. As with business, if you continually spend more than you can afford you end up with a debt that can take years to work off. This is not just about weight, it’s about wellness. Healthy lifestyle choices lead to a healthier body which in turn means you will have more energy and better focus for when you are working.
Now, let me guess, you are interested in improving your health (you’ve read this far anyway) but surely as a busy business person you don’t have the time right? Well, in business you make time for appointments, interviews, checking the finances, and so on. Right now I want you to look at your diary, go on I’ll wait…okay now find an hour tomorrow with no appointments and write ‘EXERCISE!’. Wait a second; surely you can’t possibly take an hour out of your day to go for a walk or to the gym? You can and you will. Why? Well, for starters, I told you to. Secondly you will feel much better for it when you return with improved focus. Exercise provides a stress relief and gives you the time outside of the office to think things through. Quite often my ideas come to me during exercise, just let your mind go and you’ll be amazed. I know, easy for me to say as I work in a gym. Nonetheless, I too have to schedule my exercise times throughout the week otherwise I wouldn’t get the chance between clients.
Your body is your business. Without it you have nothing so why risk the one thing you cannot live without? I’m not saying you need to be superman, just look after yourself. Make healthier eating choices, schedule 3-4 times for exercise during the working week and get outdoors on the weekends, have at least 2 alcohol free days each week and start really living life. Live for yourself and your family as the more positive choices you make, the happier and healthier you will become and this will translate into your business. You don’t need to get obsessive and count calories in versus calories out, just use common sense. Regular exercise and more fresh foods will lead to improved health. Next time you go out for lunch opt for the wholemeal sandwich with loads of salad and lose the dressings, pick grilled rather than battered fish, if you love steak then get the sauce on the side and add less, eat more vegetables and salad. It is possible, even with take-away foods or grabbing a quick bite from the café, you just need to think. Some of the common traps include pre-made sandwiches with butter, cheese or mayonnaise, salad with excess dressing, and fatty meats, try to avoid these. You wouldn’t accept substandard options in business so why would you put them into your body?
Just because we don’t instantly see the negative effects of poor nutrition and lack of exercise doesn’t mean they aren’t occurring. The leading cause of death is ischaemic heart disease. This is caused by decreased blood flow to the heart, commonly caused by coronary artery disease or in layman’s terms excess fatty build up in the arteries leading to the heart. The cause? Yup, you guessed it, poor nutrition and lack of exercise means fat goes to the wrong places in the body.
It simply makes good business sense to make time to look after yourself.
Chad Islip is the 2012 Jetts Fitness Australian personal trainer of the year, and has been whipping people into shape for over 15 years. Chad is a dedicated family man and lives his passion by helping others achieve their best through health, wellbeing and fitness.