Personal Advancement
Working out equals working betterWorking-out isn't just good for your body; it's good for your career too. Just ask Mel, a 59-year-old leather skins consultant in Toronto. ELLEN GOLDHAR |
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 [ 2002-09-04 ] |
Mel exercises daily, on his own, or with his personal trainer. He believes it makes him feel good, increases his vitality and ultimately plays a part in running a lucrative business.
"Regular exercise helps me to think clearly. It makes me fit mentally, as well as physically," Mel says. Not that long ago, Mel's life looked a lot different. After the end of his third marriage, he was 310 lbs., bankrupt and depressed.
Seven exercise years later, the new and improved Mel claims going to the gym not only helped him drop his weight to 190 lbs., it helped him turn his life around.
"My confidence increased, I was happy every day and it eliminated all of my stress," he says. "Working out made me feel good about myself and it gave me an attitude that I could conquer anything which is what I needed to get my business going."
Adds Mel, "The best part is that when I work out I feel 35, not 59."
Personal fitness trainer Kevin Lloyd has spent the last 14 years coaching others from a broad range of professions. What his clients do professionally may vary, but the results they see are similar -- more energy, greater self-confidence, better attitude and a healthier body.
"People work eight to 12 hours per day -- if they'd only take 45 minutes a day to exercise they'd set themselves up to accomplish so much more," Lloyd says.
Lloyd says people can expect to see the following improvements as a result of general exercise (he recommends a minimum of three days per week and consulting an expert on exercising correctly.):
Tasso Vourlas says he's been working out since playing football in school. Now at 44, the radiologist says maintaining a regular fitness routine for all those years wasn't just about weight control.
"It got me to relax," Vourlas says. "Going through medical school and then specializing was stressful -- exercise completely changes your focus and helps clear your mind from the day's stresses."
There are lots of practical benefits to working out in a gym, as 32-year-old business coach/ consultant Tracey Trottenberg can attest to. "It's helped me to develop more discipline and it's a great resource for networking -- I've made some great contacts," Trottenberg says.
Trottenberg prefers working out in the morning.
"Many days I'd rather sleep, but I know if I workout I'll feel better. It absolutely increases my energy levels, boosts my confidence and makes me feel empowered," Trottenberg says.
Jason Kaiman, owner of Eclipse Fitness in Yonge-Eglinton Centre, says that 90% of his members are working professionals ranging from their early 20s to 80s, and the gym's busiest times of day are before and after work.
To him, those statistics make sense.
"Exercising is a huge stress reducer," Kaiman says. "It gives you an outlet to release office pressures; it helps keep you calm and level-headed during tense times and it's balance in your life. Ultimately, that has to help you in your workplace."
As difficult as it might be to get to the gym, once they are there and have completed their workout you can see a transformation -- it's like they are reborn."
So, it all boils down to this: the better you feel emotionally, mentally and physically, the better you will do at whatever tasks you set your sights on. Establishing a regular exercise regime isn't always easy -- that's why there's a tremendous sense of accomplishment that comes with sticking to it.
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