It’s been occurring to me for a while now: I take better care of my business than I do my own body.
The moment something isn’t functioning right in my business, I address it immediately.
And it’s not just my business that I take excellent care of — it’s my mind, too. I’m constantly learning new things. I read five to six books per month. I meditate. I surround myself with those who share the same mindset of success and achievement that I do.
But when it comes to my body . . . I’m not quite so proactive. So when I see those images of people that have perfectly chiseled physiques, I can’t help but think, “If only I worked out my body the way I work out my mind . . .”
The truth is I’ve been noticing that, often times I feel like my body can’t keep up with my mind or the growth of my business.
That’s a problem-my business relies on my ability to take what’s in my head and turn it into something profitable. Productizing an organization’s or my own intellectual thought property for that matter is no small task.
It wasn’t just my bottom-line that was feeling the effects of my mental stamina out performing my physical body. It also meant less energy for the things I enjoy; spending time with friends, guilt-free relaxation, going places with my daughters, etc…All the things that bring balance to any entrepreneur.
Countless times I’ve told myself I would not only make time for working out, but more importantly stay committed to it and countless times I found myself back at square one. Like any new habit, I found it all too easy to find excuses to put off doing it.
I decided to take a different approach. Instead of looking at working out as interference in my day, I looked at it as an investment in my business by approaching it with the same due diligence and care.
I’m clearly not a fitness expert, nor could I tell anyone how to get results so I certainly wasn’t going to be the one to advise myself. Like I do with my business, I find the people who are the best in their field and let their expertise guide the way-freeing up my attention to focus integrating this habit into my life.
It’s been my experience these people, the hidden gems aren’t always the easiest to find. This wasn’t any different. Your average personal trainer is a dime a dozen, most employed by health clubs as a way for the club to bring in additional revenue. When your time is as valuable as I consider mine to be, run-of-the-mill anything just won’t do.
After scouring the internet, visiting different gyms and asking around for several weeks I decided to interview elite trainer and functional strength coach Mike Swansburg.
This was a critical step for me- I’m very particular who I surround myself with. Considering the amount of time I was looking to invest with person, it was imperative that we were on the same wave length.
I told him my goals and what I was willing to commit on my end. First, I wanted to work out with a trainer for 30 min sessions 3–4 times a week. Second, I wanted to pack as much punch as possible into those sessions. Lastly, this person needed to be able to be firm and feel confident pushing me outside of my comfort zone-something Swansburg has become known for.
Using radiation technology we were able to get a comprehensive look that went far beyond the typical weight and body fat % measurements. The most concerning result was my visceral fat level (unhealthy fat that surrounds your organs), it was approaching a dangerously high level.
That’s all I needed to know. I immediately committed to my customized workout plan, scheduled my sessions and set the ball in motion.
Fast forward and It’s been a couple weeks since I’ve started this journey, and I have to say my results are incredible. I’ve lost 2″ around my hips, down 3 lbs and have increased my skeletal muscle mass significantly-allowing my body to burn more calories.
“We have achieved these great results through a mixture of HIIT training (high intensity interval training), metabolic resistance training, strength training and strength plus conditioning,” says trainer Swansburg.
The takeaway? It’s common that we entrepreneurs get so distracted by perfecting our business and our brains that we forget about our bodies. And our bodies are pretty damn important: after all, without them, we couldn’t run our business!
More:
Business Fitness And Exercise Mindset
Originally published at www.huffingtonpost.com on October 13, 2016.
Originally published at medium.com