Five Easy Tips for CIO Fitness
Feel better now with these simple stress-busters.
Thu, June 11, 2009
CIO — The stress of the recession has literally driven some executives to total exhaustion. And yet in times like these, it's more important than ever to exercise, says Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a cardiologist who is also director of Women and Heart Disease at the Heart and Vascular Institute of Lenox Hill Hospital in New York. "Exercise does release endorphins in the system and can really help" reduce stress, she says.
Too busy? "All of us are right now in this situation of not having enough time in the day," Dr. Steinbaum says. "But if we realize how much time we're putting into being nervous about that, we're not being as effective as we could be" if we took time out for exercise.
Chuck Sperazza, CIO and senior vice president of Herbalife, a nutrition and weight-management company based in Los Angeles, is serious about fitness. A triathlete, Sperazza won his age group in the 2002 Ironman competition in Hawaii, and is now trying to qualify for the 2009 event. But maintaining his exercise commitment means making sacrifices.
To read more on this topic, see A Few Tips for Staying Healthy in a Stressful Job and 10 Ways to Stay Motivated During your Job Search
"Staying fit makes me more effective. I have more endurance, more energy and I'm more alert," Sperazza says. "If I want to continue to enjoy those benefits, I have to get up early" to exercise before work, he adds, because "once I get to the office, I never know what's going to happen."
Herbalife operates in 70 countries, which means Sperazza spends a lot of time on planes. But he still finds time to exercise, either by swimming in the hotel pool or running in a nearby park. If he can, he also likes to take a 30-minute run after checking in, which he says delays jet lag. "It jump-starts my aerobic system. I'm able to go for six or seven hours after that," Sperazza says.
Of course, your own exercise regime doesn't need to mean training to be an Ironman. Even CIOs who haven't exercised for years can reduce their stress by following these simple tips.
1) Breathe. You don't even have to get up to do it. "One of the most effective breathing exercises is inhaling to the count of six and exhaling to the count of four, and doing that three times," Dr. Steinbaum says. "It really helps in decreasing your blood pressure and heart rate." How often? "If you're feeling anxious, just do it," she says.
