As it turns out, professional athletes and personal trainers aren’t the only ones who lead an active lifestyle while earning money! We scoured CDC statistics on obesity by profession and found careers that allow you to be active while at work, giving ample opportunity to get away from the desk.

1. Firefighter

This career is first in line for keeping employees the most fit. In order for them to carry out extreme tasks, such as climbing 100 foot ladders or rescuing people within the flames, firefighters have to be very physically fit. Before becoming real life superheroes, they must complete an intense training process that prepares them for the high-temperature challenges that lie ahead. Firefighters literally must qualify as physically fit to perform their job correctly. So if you’re looking for an adventurous career that strengthens you physically and mentally, become a firefighter!

2. Healthcare Professions

Nurses, doctors, Emergency Medical Technicians, and dentists are some of the top fittest professions to have. It’s probably because they perform health-related tasks day in and day out. Having knowledge on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and portraying that in their everyday life is key within these occupations. The CDC found that they not only consumed more than the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables, but also ranked very low in terms of obesity. 

3. Flight Attendant

In order to become a flight attendant, you first have to be able to fit in the seat! While in the air, an attendant has to be on their feet for hours at a time. They have to attend to the needs of passengers throughout the flight, by serving food, drinks, as well as other accommodations.

4. Instructor

A career in teaching, whether it be a university professor or an elementary school teacher, is on the CDC’s list for having the lowest obesity rates among other careers. Lecturing on your feet all day or taking care of children can have some great benefits for your health. Standing in place burns around 50 more calories than sitting does! 

5. Waiter/Bartender

If you’ve ever experienced being a server in during your struggling college years, or served in the food and beverage industry in general, then you know the demands it places on your feet. From making drinks and cleaning tables, to constantly running back and forth to needy customers, waiting is not for the sluggish. Harvard Health Publications state that 150 calories are burned per hour by a 125 pound person waiting tables! Usually at the end of a long shift, you still have to clean up the parts of the restaurant that are messy. Forget about squeezing in a gym session in; you’ll already get plenty of cardio at work!

6. Construction/Technician Professions

Construction or technician professions tend to require a lot of manual labor. During a typical work day construction workers lift, drill, and operate on different materials. This type of labor requires lots of time and energy throughout the day to day activities. Jobs done by rig technicians or underwater welders also require a lot of physical operations that are sure to keep you fit!

7. Physical Laborer

This encompasses careers in gardening, landscaping, or any others that require lots of moving. Obviously if you want to stay fit and active throughout your day, careers like these will get the job done. Not only does gardening tone you up, but it torches fat and reduces stress (Ah, the benefits of nature!). Also, if you find yourself hauling furniture or equipment up and down the stairs daily for hours at a time, you’ll most definitely reap the benefits of your labor!

8. Dog Walker

We all know taking care of a dog is hard work. Now just multiply that by 3 or 4. Dog walkers are among the fittest professions because of how much they have to be on their feet when taking care of dogs! Research has found that dog owners get more exercise with their furry friends than gym-goers do with a membership! Having a dog to attend to is a great motivator for exercising. Whenever you don’t feel like exercising, just knowing that you have a responsibility to your fur friends will get ya moving!

9. Tour Guide

Tour guides work in a variety of settings such as museums, parks, neighborhoods, and plenty more, which regularly contributes to their physical activity level. Especially in tourist seasons, they have to walk plenty of steps in order to show people around the different areas of interest. Guides have to be able to work through different conditions and environments in order for the tour to be successful!

10. Outdoor Activity Instructor

When occupying a career that focuses on social outdoor adventure, it’s no wonder people in these positions are more fit than others. Whether that be leading a group of hikers, kayakers, or skiers, this nature-focused profession will benefit your physical and mental health. Being active outside is shown to lower stress levels and increase your mood from all of the Vitamin D!

Here are the Top 10 from Health Fitness Revolution and author of the book ReSYNC Your Life Samir Becic:

Fun

Sometimes work gets boring, repetitive and draining. This drains morale and lowers productivity. Try mixing things up by partaking in the activities and initiatives going on in your work’s wellness program that interests you. That 5k challenge? Try it out. How about that piloxing class? Why not! It’s fun to try new things, don’t limit yourself. Rather, be open to improving your life through health and fitness.

Improved Productivity

Engaging in workplace wellness activities, like exercise and eating well, increases employee productivity and performance. Your brain will be better focused on tasks, and you’ll feel more energized and motivated to accomplish work. No more falling asleep and feeling burned out. That’s what exercise and nutrition do to us, my friends!

Happier

According to the AFLAC 2012 Workforce Report, employees who took part in a workplace wellness program are more satisfied with their jobs than those who don’t partake. The people who engaged in their companies program were generally more content overall with work-related factors. This is because healthy living doing just make you look good, but nourishes the way you feel as well. Healthy living can make you happy, people.

Builds Community

Group activities that involve health and fitness will get you connected not only more to your company, but to your fellow employees as well. You’ll start to form relationships that haven’t been available to you before because having a wellness program in place engages all members of the company. That being said, everyone will benefit from the shared experiences and your social health can thrive.

Lower Healthcare Costs

If you’re at a workplace that promotes exercise and taking care of your health for hours a day, your whole well being will benefit. This, in turn, makes you less likely to get sick and injured, saving you money in the long run. Study after study confirms that workplace wellness programs reduce healthcare costs. Fewer doctor visits, fewer pills to take, less medicine. So keep the heart disease at bay by participating in your workplace wellness program!

Sense Of Accomplishment

Many work wellness programs feature competitions between employees. Who can walk the most steps in a month, get 7 hours of sleep, or cut out alcohol for a week? Set some goals and try to engage in your work’s healthy atmosphere while you reap the benefits of accomplishing a healthy task.    

Improved Physical Fitness

Taking part in the different physical activities that your work has to offer can greatly improve your physical fitness and overall wellbeing. Hitting the gym during your lunch break or participating in yoga classes twice a week can have many evident benefits. Whatever it may be, open yourself up to the variety of physical activities your work has to offer and say hello to strength and muscle toning!

Weight Loss

You would be surprised at how much impact changing your daily work routine can be on your health. When you start to focus on eating the right foods, exercising, and taking care of your mental health, the extra weight you’ve been carrying can shed off faster than before. Sometimes a workplace program will offer financial benefits for their weight loss initiatives so take advantage of the many opportunities to improve your weight loss goals.

Less Stress

One of the key factors in health and wellness is learning stress management. Especially if you work in a high demand job, things can get difficult and it’s best to tackle them at the source. When we are stressed, we are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors and destroy our mental health. Activities that encourage walking meetings, mindfulness, social engagement, and more can all help an employee feel relieved of daily built up stress. Just 30 minutes of low-intensity exercise will get you feeling more relaxed in no time.

Healthier Habits

When at work for hours a day, it will be beneficial to indulge yourself in your work’s wellness program and learn new healthy habits. By doing this, you’ll learn to shift into a health-conscious mindset that benefits you. Food choices and workout schedules will be positively influenced because of your atmosphere. If you surround yourself with fellow like-minded employees then it will be even easier to strain away from the old unhealthy habits that hurt your health.

Based on our research done in 2015 and 2016 on how American Billions stay fit (Part 1 and Part 2), we have compiled a list of the Top 10 Billionaires 2017. We aim, as a publication, to be progressive in how people view health and fitness by showcasing relevant public figures who make healthy lifestyle a priority. Our lists have gotten worldwide media buzz due to their unique and creative nature.

To create the list, we used a combination of interviews, internet, library, industry literature, and H.F.R. institute founder Samir Becic’s knowledge of over 20 years as a fitness expert coupled with his recognition as “4x Number 1 Fitness Trainer in the World.”

“The billionaire’s contribution to American economy is imperative for the further growth of the United States,” said HFR founder Samir Becic. “There is another great avenue the billionaires can take in order to improve American economy, creativity, discipline, positivity and a winning spirit, and that is by being fit and spreading the message of the importance of a healthy lifestyle.”

Samir continues “I truly believe that in the 21st century, in order to excel in the world, you have to be fit and healthy.”

Here are the 15 in no particular order from Health Fitness Revolution and author of the book ReSYNC Your Life, Samir Becic::

Kevin Plank, 44- Founder of Under Armour

Exclusive: Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank Gets Candid on the 2016 Presidential Election… https://t.co/TsSWoOPuFu pic.twitter.com/KVhiDPlGWG

— Footwear News (@FootwearNews) November 10, 2016

• Owns a private gym in his home
• Works out and talk business every Saturday at 6 a.m.
• Hired two trainers, Nate and Damien Costa, to supervise their workout and to train all Under Armour employees
• Everyday his lunch consists of a mix of skinless chicken, salmon, brown rice and broccoli.
• Samir Becic: “If every billionaire in this world were like Kevin, we would have more fit people and less obesity in this world.”

David Murdock, 93- CEO of Dole Food Company

Wait. @DoleTweets CEO David Murdock drinks HOW much coffee a day?! http://t.co/EGVAQmkXmD #subscriber #OpenShut pic.twitter.com/dyfsSReWrs

— Lisa McKinnon (@805foodie) May 23, 2015

• Personal advocate for healthy eating and natural foods
• Crams as many as 20 fruits and vegetables, including pulverized banana peels and the ground-up rinds of oranges into the smoothies he drinks two to three times a day
• Avoids dairy, red meat, poultry, which are consigned to his list of forbidden foods that also includes alcohol, sugar and salt.
• He tries to fit in weight lifting several times a week, and that combined with brisk walks on a treadmill and his diet, helps keep his weight at about 140 lbs
• Built a $500 million to build the North Carolina Research campus near Charlotte, “dedicated to his conviction that plants, eaten in copious quantities and the right variety, hold the promise of optimal health and maximal life span.”   The Research Campus is a cooperative effort of eight universities all working together for the benefit of health and longevity. These include Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, NC State University, UNC Charlotte, North Carolina Central University, NC A&T State University, UNC Greensboro and Appalachian State University.
• Samir Becic: “What can I say? When somebody is 92, he is already a champion in his own category. But being fit at that age is a superb acheivement.”

Michael Bloomberg, 74 – CEO of Bloomberg LP;

Former NYC Mayor

One of my favorite things: a visit from @Oprah today at @Bloomberg HQ. pic.twitter.com/q5OqcYgeOT

— Mike Bloomberg (@MikeBloomberg) December 12, 2016

• As mayor, encouraged citizens of New York City to get healthy and fit with a “Make NYC Your Gym” movement. “New York City is a great place to get healthy and keep fit — anyone can make the parks, streets and sidewalks into their own personal gym.”
• Plays golf.
• Runs for nearly an hour every day on a treadmill.
• Limits unhealthy takeout lunches, eats a lot of salads and snacks on popcorn.
• HFR named Bloomberg as one of the top fittest mayors in America.
• Samir Becic: “If every mayor in America would follow the great example of Mr. Bloomberg- not only to be physically fit personally, but also create programs for their constituents, America would be the fittest nation.”

Vince McMahon, 71, WWE

They are survivors. They are courageous. Most definitely, they are CHAMPIONS! #MoreThanPink @SusanGKomen pic.twitter.com/OBmjTE60G7

— Vince McMahon (@VinceMcMahon) October 7, 2016

• Typically trains four days a week (depending on his work schedule)
• Trains each body part once a week.
• He alternates between “Heavy” and “Not-So-Heavy” days for each body part.
• Trains calves every third day and abs twice a week.
• His son-in-law has said he likes to train at 2 a.m.
• Samir Becic: “What can you say about Vince McMahon? He is crazy fit!”

Tilman Fertitta, 59 – Landry’s Inc.

#MakeItHappen #wednesdaywisdom for this holiday week. Y’all have a great one. #BillionDollarBuyer pic.twitter.com/VFRBgncpqW

— Tilman Fertitta (@TilmanJFertitta) December 21, 2016

• Works out at least 3 times a week.
• Plays tennis.
• Runs outdoors.
• Makes a conscious effort to eat healthy to maintain his health.
• His employees in his corporate office have access to a 3,000 square foot fitness facility on campus.
• He has an understanding of what the body needs in terms of healthy food and portion control.
• Has a very accommodating restaurant culture that will cook healthy meals upon request. “No” is not a work in his restaurants’ vocabulary.
• Samir Becic: “Tilman Fertitta is putting Houston on the national and international map. Not only is he doing so with his hit TV show but also as one of the largest sole restaurant owners in the world whose restaurants are catering to healthy lifestyle. This means you can order anything you want and they will accommodate you. Great respect to this extraordinary man.”

Andrew Cherng, 68- Founder of Panda Restaurant Group Inc.

#GrowingUpWithIanChen ep.3-Learning about business from @PandaExpress CEO Andrew Cherng. I also got a new job! https://t.co/iTYi8AXDmT pic.twitter.com/4DYWEAnnBX

— Ian Chen (@TheIanChen) December 6, 2016

• Every few weeks on Saturday he hosts forums at the Panda Express headquarters outside Pasadena, CA, where his employees dance through Zumba routines, and then participate in a motivational self-help session.
• Encourages yoga and exercise at work.
• Meditates to relieve stress and promotes it in his business culture and encourages employees to participate.
• Developed a mandatory four-point action plan for his employees which includes exercise for a healthy lifestyle, continuous learning, developing others and acknowledging others.
• “When you have the right habits, okay, certain good things will come to you that’s what life is about”.
• Samir Becic: “I really appreciate how much effort Andrew puts into making his employees be more health conscious and fitness orientated. More CEOs should put greater importance on healthy lifestyle with their employees- a positive change which will increase productivity, workplace happiness, and overall health.”

Sergey Brin, 43 – Google Co-Creator

Can the Breakthrough Prize turn scientists into celebrities? Tech titans like @Google cofounder Sergey Brin think so https://t.co/NmJXXjKbv3 pic.twitter.com/YoO6xtyQHI

— CNNTech (@cnntech) December 6, 2016

• Enjoys skydiving.
• In his spare time, he likes to push his body to the limits in any way he can, from roller hockey and ultimate frisbee to gymnastics, springboard diving, and even high-flying trapeze. “I like to do a variety of acrobatic things,” he has said.
• Takes trapeze classes at a local circus gym.
• Roller blades.
• Brin’s mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and he estimates that with increased exercise and a healthy diet, he could potentially cut his risk in half, to about 25%.
• Samir Becic: “He’s clearly an adrenaline junkie. It takes one to know one! He is, however, extremely fit as well- Go Google!”

Charles Ergen, 63 – Founder of DISH Network

CNBC Exclusive: Dish CEO Charlie Ergen talks live with @DavidFaber from Phoenix on @SquawkStreet. pic.twitter.com/FCzq2ZtMFI

— CNBC Now (@CNBCnow) May 14, 2015

• Avid mountain climber who scaled Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Aconcagua in Argentina and Mount Everest base camp in Nepal.
• Member of the Colorado Mountain Club and has climbed all of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks.
• Other than mountain climbing, his interest includes pickup basketball.
• Samir Becic: “As an avid mountain climber, he is definitely fit. But besides being fit, he also enjoys the outdoors- and being in nature is a very important aspect of healthy by being in touch with your surroundings.”

Edward Roski, Jr., 78- President and Chairman of Majestic Realty, Co.

Edward P. Roski, Jr., Majestic Realty Co. #CaliforniaIsBack pic.twitter.com/8tm3QXoS1o

— Hello, LA Times (@HelloLATimes) November 10, 2014

• Spent 4 years serving the Marines and he is also a Vietnam veteran.
• Roski has cycled across Russia and Burma.
• He made Deep-water dives in New Guinea.
• Climbed to Base Camp at Mt. Everest and Mt. Kilimanjaro.
• Samir Becic: “Being in the realty business is a very stressful job, especially in entry positions- I can only imagine at the top. Being healthy and fit is not only crucial to success but also fundamental to managing the demanding career with high-stress levels.”

William Ackman, 50 – Founder of Pershing Square Capital Management

A major figure in the “female Viagra” saga is the hedge fund manager William Ackman. https://t.co/R77ya7jog9 pic.twitter.com/78U05EpP0x

— NYT Business (@nytimesbusiness) April 10, 2016

• “I have to be healthy”.
• Believes being healthy will let him live a long time.
• Eats an egg white omelet with spinach and onions and insisting for no cheese, and a bowl of granola with yogurt and strawberries.
• Plays tennis.
• Has been known to cross-train to reclaim record times on the treadmill or the rowing machine and holds the most records in the office gym.
• Samir Becic: “People who work out and eat healthy can clearly live longer by 10-20 years according to studies. Not only do they live longer, but they also enjoy their later years with fuller health and strength.”

Stanley Kroenke, 69 – Owner of Kroenke Sports Enterprises

the man with the vision, , owner of the @RamsNFL pic.twitter.com/5p1K4WdmR8

— Timages (@TimagesLX) November 23, 2016

• Owner of Denver Nuggets of the NBA, Colorado Avalanche of the NHL, Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer, Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League, and Los Angeles Rams of the NFL.
• Rises by 6 a.m. to workout before breakfast.
• Fiercely dedicated to keeping healthy, forgoing breads and pasta for lean buffalo meat, fish and egg-white omelettes.
• Kroenke is so fit that his body-fat percentage is lower than most collegiate players who were taken in this year’s National Basketball Association draft.
• Samir Becic: “Stanley is a great example of how someone in their late 60s can still look and feel like someone in their 40s.”

Aerin (right) And Jane (left) Lauder, 46 and 43 Cosmetics

Aerin Lauder #beautybyAlexaRodulfo
Jane & Aerin Lauder
Vanity Fair’s Sisters Issue @vanityfair #hair #maquillaje … pic.twitter.com/QQTzk7Mn38

— Paula Solís Pons (@Paula_SolisPons) April 28, 2016

Aerin

• Does not like pasta.
• Eats salad or sushi for lunch.
• Likes chicken and burgers.
• Loves walking and running in Central Park.
• “ I’ve never done a cleanse; they just don’t appeal to me. I think it’s better to eat healthy and exercise.”
• Does pilates with a trainer 3 times a week.

Jane

• Practices yoga daily.
• Follows healthy, organic and natural diet.
• Samir Becic: “Go sisters!”

Kenneth Feld, 68, Ringling Brothers

Only 15% of Feld Entertainment revenue is derived from the circus—but billionaire Kenneth Feld is keeping it alive https://t.co/nCFZLenzDx pic.twitter.com/QFP88cLkWG

— Forbes (@Forbes) December 11, 2016

• Is an exercise and running enthusiast.
• Runs marathons.
• “When I was 39, somebody said however you are when you’re 40 is how you’re going to be the rest of your life. So I frantically changed. I had about six months to change all of my habits. I never exercised, so I started exercising. I changed my diet. So that sort of changed things for me. Then, I started running in my early 50s. Bill Powell, our regional vice president for this area, talked me into running and it was right when the circus was starting, the beginning of January. I did the Gasparilla run, the 15K. I didn’t know if I could make it then, and it was exhilarating. I started becoming a running addict and I figured for my 55th birthday, I was going to run the New York City Marathon. In the first year, we did it in 3:58 and we beat our goal. I’ve run five marathons: New York twice, Chicago twice and the Marine Corps marathon, all under four hours.” “Whenever there is a marathon and I’m not running in it, I have a marathon envy. It is the most positive experience. You’re running a race you know you’re not going to win, but all the runners are rooting for each other and all the spectators are rooting for every person. I think outside of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, it’s maybe one of the most positive experiences that anybody can ever have. There’s not a negative thought that exists out there. So there’s a lot of pleasure that’s derived from that, and you’re doing it. No one can run that 26.2 for you. So, it’s one of the greater feelings of satisfaction you can get.”
• Samir Becic: “Kenneth Feld is a perfect example that you can start a healthy lifestyle at 40 and 50 and still reap the maximum results of a healthy lifestyle.”

Steven Spielberg, 70- Director

We’re honoring Steven Spielberg’s birthday with photos from the director’s career: https://t.co/Si7vlvgiiJ pic.twitter.com/HrSN75XHqV

— IMDb (@IMDb) December 19, 2016

• Works out under personal trainer Jake Steinfeld.
• Does not smoke, drink or use drugs.
• Samir Becic: “Steven Spielberg, please continue working with Jake Steinfeld for a very long time. I know if you do, you will be healthy and fit for a very long time.”

 George Soros, 86 – Founder of Soros Fund Management LLC

George Soros with Michael Ignatieff, recently elected fifth president and rector of the Central European University. https://t.co/MDaZS1uL3y pic.twitter.com/anoqtczX5n

— George Soros (@georgesoros) November 1, 2016

• Has a personal trainer and goes to exclusive gym, Sitaras Fitness in NYC twice weekly after he was impressed with his son’s results.
• “It makes me feel better, more alert”.
• Samir Becic: “The fact that George Soros is in his mid-eighties and still working out shows me that this man is not ready to retire. He is also a great example of how children can motivate their parents to be healthy and fit.”

Inspire Friendly Rivalry With A Ping Pong Table

If you are a small business owner than installing and outfitting a gym probably isn’t in the budget. But there are still ways to get people up and moving! A ping pong table is an inexpensive way to get people away from their desk. Not only does it get the heart rate up, it also stimulates the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. Plus, who doesn’t want the outlet of acing a serve against their manager?

Keep Healthy Snacks in the Break room

Get rid of that ancient vending machine with its stale chips and sticky candy bars. Spend a little extra to make sure you have plenty of healthy snacks in the break room. Fresh vegetables, hummus, fruits, string cheese, and plain Greek yogurt will help people power through the 2pm doldrums.

Offer Discounted Gym Memberships

Many major insurance providers offer discounted rates for joining gyms. Make sure that your employees know about this benefit if your insurance company provides it.

Company Sports Teams

Nothing builds teamwork like being part of a team. Create a sense of togetherness and rekindle the inner child in your employees by letting them go out and kick a ball around together. See if your city has any intramural teams and incentivize your employees to join one.

Cooking Classes

Empower your employees to eat healthy by offering cooking classes! Most employees are tired of being drained by greasy takeout lunches (and tired of spending so much of their paycheck on them). But lunch is the bright spot in many people’s day, and a healthy take-home lunch can be a drag unless you know how to cook well. Corporate cooking programs are available in many large urban areas, and can get employees excited about eating healthy.

In-Office Health Screenings

Out of sight out of mind… That’s the unfortunate approach many take to their health. But in between 40+ hour work weeks, kids, home repairs, and more, it’s understandable that routine health screenings can slip lower on the priority list. Preventative care and early detection are important, it’s about finding a way to make it work for everyone. Bring the health screening to work so that employees can get a check-up while they’re on the clock.

Let Employees Be Themselves

All the items on this list will help make employees healthier, which could lead to an increase in productivity. But the best way to improve morale and keep employees stress free is to let them home to their families. Let them unplug from email on evenings and weekends. Don’t have them stay late and overburdened. Implementing a wellness program only nets benefits if it leads to a balanced work/home balance. Don’t force employees into a 6am zumba class they don’t want to go to.

OPTIONAL Step Competitions

To step, or not to step? That is the question. There’s no doubt that fitness trackers have turned office place step competitions into one of the most popular wellness initiatives out there. But forcing your employees to step in line can actually backfire. Cynics might suspect that their coworkers are cheating (and let’s face it: that totally happens). Meanwhile, employees might be resentful that their work life is imposing on their personal time. That little fitness tracker might keep people’s stress high if they are reminded of work every time they look down at their wrists.

That said, a step competition has obvious health benefits for those who are open to the idea. So give interested people the outlet if they want it. Just don’t make it mandatory.

Start A Wellness Library

If only every company could afford to have a professional nutritionist and yoga guru on permanent retainer. Then employees could have constant access to a qualified expert on matters relating to their health. Since that isn’t feasible, invest in a small library of cookbooks, yoga manuals, and other reads. The books don’t all need to be health related, since reading has health benefits of its own.

Instead of coping with stress by eating unhealthy foods and binge drinking, do something that will ACTUALLY improve your health and make you feel better. Taking care of your body and mind will form the positive mental outlook you need to keep yourself motivated and strong. The habits you build now will not only improve your current situation, but will last an entire lifetime.

Your career is a major part of your life but it is not the only one. Don’t focus on what is negative but seek to improve what you can: health, diet, spirituality, and meaningful social connections. Balance is crucial in all things. Work towards achieving these ten tips and you will see an improvement in your life. And don’t forget: the price of oil ALWAYS bounces back.

1. Get 8 hours of sleep at night
2. Eat non-processed, nutrient rich foods
3. Drink more water
4. Exercise daily
5. Replace white breads and grains with whole wheat
6. Curb your sweet tooth by eating fruit
7. Control your portion sizes
8. Reduce alcohol consumption
9. Spice up meals
10. Add muscle

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the current annual impact of poor health costs Americans about $1.8 trillion. This number is a sum of costs concerning obesity-related job absenteeism ($4.3 billion annually) and various forms of medical care among other things, which is almost no surprise given than 80 percent of Americans work in jobs that require little or no physical activity, which increases the possibility of obesity-related medical concerns.

Wellness Initiatives Could Decrease Obesity-Related Health Concerns

All is not lost when it comes to healthcare reform, however. Statistics show for every dollar spent on wellness initiatives, corporations can save as high as $10 in costs amounting to obesity-related medical concerns in the private sector. In fact, medical costs fall by about $3.27 for every dollar spent on wellness programs – great news for the employee.

Perks go to the employer as well, as companies with wellness programs in place have an average 28 percent reduced sick leave and spend 26 percent less on healthcare costs.

Additionally, the money corporations save as a result of implementing wellness programs could be used for improving the quality of the workplace, adding more employee benefits, or even increasing employee wages.

The Health Fitness Revolution team and Samir Becic did thorough research on all the available data on American Corporations online and narrowed it down to 100. Then, we did more extensive research to narrow it down 50, 25, and then finally 10. We used a combination of data, internet, library, industry literature, and Samir Becic’s knowledge of over 33 years in athletics coupled with his experience as 4 times Number 1 Fitness Trainer in the World.

This is why we found 10 U.S. Companies that would be a great example to follow in terms of the wellness benefits they offer their employees.  We hope that with this article, we will motivate the rest of the corporate world to be more proactive in terms of employee healthy lifestyle- because corporate benefits in net profit will mirror the benefits to the employees in “health profit.”

As health care premiums continue to rise, more and more companies are offering programs to target wellness in the workplace, with the accurate reasoning that healthier, happier employees are more productive, take fewer sick days and cost less to insure.  We even wrote about the Corporate Benefit of Fitness here.

Many of the programs offered by corporations include on-site fitness centers, weight-loss and smoking cessation initiatives, personal health coaching, and online resources.  For every dollar a business spends on wellness programs, it saves $3.27 in medical costs and $2.73 in absenteeism costs, according to a recent study by three Harvard University researchers.

Here are HFR picked, in no particular order, for 10 U.S. corporate fitness programs programs for its employees:

Our lists very often go viral worldwide.

Twitter 

San Francisco, CA

The offices have ample outdoor space for employees to enjoy and unwind, and even offer laundry and dry cleaning.  In addition, Twitter offers on-site catered lunches and dinners every day to boost employee happiness.  To support their employees staying active, the company offers gym reimbursements,  generous leave time, and regular Pilates and yoga classes.

Google 

Mountain View, CA

This company’s headquarters is more like a playground than what you would expect from a multibillion-dollar industry leader. Exercise balls are a staple throughout the hallways, bikes are available for employee use on the grounds, and scooters are used to speed between meetings. Google also offers complimentary state-of-the-art fitness facilities with free weights, a rowing machine, and a lap pool, plus the campus has a climbing wall and a beach volleyball court. Employees enjoy roller hockey games on company grounds twice a week. To keep their fuel tanks full, the food in all 11 of the company’s gourmet cafeterias is completely free.

General Mills 

Minneapolis, MN 

The company offers a heavily subsidized salad bar and vending machines that are junk-less vending machines. To help employees fit in an end-of-the-week workout, the food giant holds Fitness Friday events including lunchtime kickball, basketball, dodge ball, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. The company also offers fitness centers, healthy cooking classes, same day appointments at their in-house clinic and Weight Watchers meetings among other wellness related perks. Another vital aspect of health is work-life balance, which General Mills realizes and offers it’s employees flexible schedules and work-from-home days encouraged.

Microsoft 

Redmond, WA 

This software giant’s campus boasts a bike shop, mini day spa, dry cleaning, and sports fields for pickup soccer, basketball, or cricket! Microsoft offers free health screenings and flu shots and also have a team of doctors who make house calls, to ensure employee health. The also realize the importance of giving back: Microsoft donates $17 to an nonprofit or charitable organization for every hour volunteered by its employees

Nike

Beaverton, OR

This fitness giant doesn’t just give it’s employees a discount on its products, Nike also allots time for fitness during the workday at its many courts and studios — basketball, racquetball, squash, track, tennis courts, a swimming pool, weight rooms, a 34-foot climbing wall, and even a Tour de France simulator. Nike encourages it’s employees to have life-balance in the form of R & R, with three weeks’ vacation time every year.

Lumosity

San Francisco, CA

Lumosity is a cutting edge company that makes brain-training software to keep minds sharp, and they do what they can to keep their creative employees happy, including free cabs and meals for late night work. Not only do they get a free gym membership, they can also enjoy unlimited paid time off.  All their employees get access to catered lunches and a healthy snack pantry. For the social aspect of health, the company organizes regular happy hours and even company parties in Hawai’i.

Mayo Clinic

Rochester, MN

Mayo Clinic gives recognition funds for employee milestones and group efforts. To keep it’s employees educated and sharp, the company offers instructor-led and online classes for professional growth and education. The LiveWell program helps employees find tools and resources to make healthy choices, and if you’ve got a question, the “Ask Mayo Clinic 24/7” medical resource line is always there. The company also has a Healthy Living Center, the goal of which is to provide an inclusive wellness program for all employees. Achieving work-life balance at Mayo Clinic is trouble-free with flexible hours, maternity and paternity leave, and funeral leave.

Wegmans

Rochester, NY

This is an example of a grocery store chain that cares about it’s employees.  The company’s Eat Well, Live Well website provides employees with healthy eating challenges, health tips, and links to videos offering advice on everything health and nutrition related. The website also provides fitness resources for employees, including yoga videos and even trails to hike and bike. Employees can take advantage of excellent health care and dental plans, paid time off, adoption assistance programs, and on-site professional development and computer-based training.

Hasbro

Pawtucket, RI 

This major toy manufacturing company truly aims at having it’s employees have a career that makes them smile.  Hasbro was recently named one of Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For in the U.S. — but it’s also one of the healthiest. Their headquarters supply access to a weekly healthy veggie subscription box, and twice a month they put on a “wellness workshop” that teaches employees about the value of a diverse range of topics including mindfulness, yoga, and massage. They also host many family-friendly fitness events, such as kickball tournaments, 5Ks, and Zumba classes.  For it’s employees work-life balance, they offer half-day fridays year-round.

MRY

New York, NY

This advertising company has an in-house barista, and healthy catered breakfast once a week.  It offers it’s employees gym discounts, in-office yoga sessions, and is a company that values life-work balance.  MRY’s “Get a Life” program pays for employees to pursue mental or physical health goals outside work hours. The company also offers uncapped paid time off, maternity/paternity leave, and a casual environment to work in.

These companies offer incentives to employees and make health and fitness programs readily available to them — one company even demands it! — so that they can be a productive and positive team that works together to create a successful business and a healthy work environment.

“Considering that corporations are the backbone of the U.S. economy, I personally believe that it is crucial that they have strong wellness programs in order to reassure the productivity, creativity, and powerful dynamic that is in their potential,” Becic said.

The following list ranks the top 10 fittest corporations in the Fortune 100:

Honeywell International Inc.

• #77 on the Fortune 500
• Is currently getting sued by the government because it said that employees were getting fined if they or they spouses didn’t take biometric testing.
• Health Fitness Revolution supports this company trying to be avant-garde in ensuring the wellbeing of their employees. The obesity epidemic in America is not only causing lost productivity and straining the economy, but it is also lessening the quality of life of so many people.
• Honeywell states its screening ­program is designed to encourage employees to live more healthier and thereby create lower health care costs for themselves and the company. The company said the program complies with health care-related laws, including the Affordable Care Act.

Google

• #46 on the Fortune 500
• Employees get free breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are also coffee and juice bars scattered throughout campuses.
• Free fitness classes, four tricked-out gyms, and organized intramural sports.
• Added more than a thousand community bikes scattered around the Googleplex.
• On-site physicians and nurses who are always available.
• Has a it’s own “Culture Czar” whose goal is to ensure happiness among the company’s employees.
• Ranked in the Top 5 of Fortune’s Best 100 Companies to work for.
• Employees can help themselves to bocce courts, a bowling alley, and an overflowing food pantry.
• The chefs on campus are trained in healthy food preparation.

Verizon Communications

• #16 on the Fortune 500
• In 2014, Health Fitness Revolution founder Samir Becic was the sole fitness expert at the grand opening of their flagship “Destination Verizon” store in Houston, TX.
• The company’s comprehensive approach to health and wellness effectively combines benefits, incentives, support, and health services to help employees.
• Verizon’s strategy involves engaging and empowering employees, retirees, and their families to proactively manage and improve their health, the company spent nearly $3.2 billion in 2013 to provide comprehensive health benefits.
• The strategy emphasizes preventive care and early detection, condition management, maternity care management, and promoting healthy lifestyles with a focus on healthy eating, exercise, tobacco cessation, emotional health, and work/life balance.
• Forty-five on site Verizon Health and Wellness Centers, staffed by trained professionals who are Verizon employees, promote the importance of healthy lifestyle habits through physical activity, nutrition counseling seminars, and more.
• Employees in Verizon locations without a wellness center have access to discounted memberships at more than 2,000 health clubs.
• Verizon significantly expanded online access to healthy living information with a new one-stop health and wellness portal called WellConnect, which provides access to all Verizon wellness programs, as well as personalized health information, online tools, mobile apps, a video library, and healthy living tips to help individuals eat well, stay active, and maintain a balanced lifestyle.
• Verizon offers no-cost biometric health screenings, such as cholesterol and blood sugar tests, along with height, weight, blood pressure, and body mass index (BMI) screenings.
• Breast health informational sessions and mammogram screenings were also offered at 21 work locations and more than 600 women took advantage of the on-site screenings in 2013.
• More than 20,000 employees received flu shots on-site, a positive increase of 8 percent.
• The company provides 100 percent coverage for preventive care.
• The National Business Group on Health (NBGH) has named Verizon to its 2009 list of Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles.

Chevron

• #3 on the Fortune 500
• Has a company-wide “Get Moving” program that states: “Make physical activity part of your regular day.  Being active can help you stay healthy, control your weight, lower your risk for many chronic conditions, including heart disease, some cancers and diabetes. A brisk half-hour walk every day can help you improve your health. You will enjoy the benefits of greater energy, better mood and improved sleep.”
• Chevron offers a variety of programs to help employees find the best way to lead a more active lifestyle. Participation in any of these programs is voluntary.
• Participating employees may be eligible for Health Rewards in 2015 including a $250 Wellness Credit added to their  Health Care Spending Account* on January 1, 2016 and they can also be entered in a drawing for a chance to win free medical premiums for all of 2016 for themselves and their eligible dependents.
• Chevron encourages employee health “When it comes to your health, you have the power to create change. It’s commitment to the small steps that makes the biggest difference, and Chevron resources can help you along the way. If you’ve been thinking about exercising more, losing weight or quitting tobacco this year, then here’s your chance to get help committing to those goals, one small change at a time. And while you’re making those small changes, why not get points toward health rewards?”
• On-site Chevron Fitness Centers: Chevron fitness centers also provide a broad range of illness and injury prevention training, health education and exercise opportunities. Some locations also offer massage therapy.
• National fitness partnerships: In addition to the Chevron locations that have on-site fitness centers, Chevron employees and their dependents have the opportunity to join 24 Hour Fitness or Anytime Fitness health clubs at our preferred corporate rate.
• Healthy Heart Program with WebMD- By participating in this program employees can create a plan for exercise, work with a health coach, and use a variety of online tools and resources that are personalized to them.
• Employees can listen to online Health Audio casts that cover a variety of health topics, including exercise.
• Health wise Health Encyclopedia access: The Healthwise website is available to employees for a variety of health information and decision-making tools. The site provides links to how-to information about physical activity. The site includes info on walking for wellness, reducing back pain, and healthy weight.

The Walt Disney Company

• #61 on the Fortune 500
• Disney partners with parents in their quest to raise healthy, happy kids and they recognize their unique ability to help parents and kids agree on positive lifestyle choices.
• Make healthy living fun and joyful for parents and kids by drawing on Disney’s boundless creativity.
• They have addressed this opportunity through a number of initiatives including associating Disney brands and characters with a more nutritionally-balanced range of foods, offering healthier options at our parks, and using role models to inspire healthy lifestyles among kids.
• In 2006, Disney announced their Nutritional Guidelines intended to give parents and kids healthier eating options.
• They make an effort to work with licensees who offer a nutritious portfolio of food that kids enjoy and parents feel good about serving. Further, they aim to prioritize and promote wholesome foods such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, whole grain, and lean proteins that contribute to a healthful diet.
• Focus on prioritizing and promoting fruits and vegetables, more than 1.7 billion servings of licensed fruits and vegetables have been sold in North America alone since 2006.
• Disney Parks & Resorts is affirming its commitment to kids’ health by offering healthier kids’ meals and expanding the healthy options available to all guests.

Apple

• #5 on the Fortune 500
• Apple released a new advert geared towards the health and fitness market promoting it’s workout features. The advert is called “Strength”.
• Steve Jobs wanted to pass on his love of meditation to others in the workplace, allowing employees of the tech giant to take 30 minutes each day to meditate at work, providing classes on meditation and yoga on-site, and offering the use of a meditation room.
• They released an Apple watch that includes a comprehensive selection of health apps for measuring heart rate, activity, nutrition, sleep, and more.
• Apple has released an app called HealthKit and says that “It just might be the beginning of a health revolution,”
• The new Health app gives an easy‑to‑read dashboard of health and fitness data such as heart rate, calories burned, blood sugar, and cholesterol.

Aetna, Inc.

• #57 on the Fortune 500
• Aetna Named Best Employer for Healthy Lifestyles by the National Business Group on Health.
• Since the recognition program began in 2005, Aetna has received the platinum award seven times and the gold award once for establishing “healthy weight, healthy lifestyles” programs with measurable documented outcomes.
• “At Aetna, we believe promoting healthy lifestyles in the workplace is an investment in our employees and our business,” said Deanna Fidler, Aetna’s senior vice president and head of Human Resources.
• Has an Aetna Foundation whose mission is to promote wellness, health, and access to high-quality health care for everyone, while supporting the communities they serve
• The Aetna Foundation wants to understand the contributors to obesity, particularly among minority populations, and what supports and sustains better choices that can stave off overeating and reduce inactivity.
• Get Active Aetna, a popular 16-week wellness program that offers prizes to motivate employees to eat healthy and exercise.
• Healthy Lifestyles Incentive program, which offers financial incentives for exercising and eating healthy.
• Metabolic Syndrome program, which measures employees’ risk for certain conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
• Virtual Wellness Center, a computer-based resource that offers a virtual kitchen and a virtual fitness center, where animated instructors lead workouts that vary by intensity.

Berkshire Hathaway

• #4 on the Fortune 500
• CSI Chairman Emeritus, William McBain Kizer, saw the benefits of promoting personal health and wellness, not only in his growing company, but also for the community and the nation.
• Kizer led the charge for workplace health by creating a healthy company and urging his fellow business leaders to do the same.
• His founding of the first Wellness Council in Omaha  in 1982 led to the formation of Wellness Council of America – WELCOA.  A national business and health promotion, nonprofit organization, WELCOA is one of the most respected resources for workplace wellness with membership in excess of 3,200 member companies.
• Kizer’s vision for a healthier America is summed up with his own words, “Keeping people healthy in the first place will go a long way toward addressing the skyrocketing health care costs facing this nation.”
• Under his leadership, the company has come to exemplify the power of promoting healthy lifestyle practices among its employees and provided the impetus for Omaha to become one of America’s healthiest cities.
• The CEO of Berkshire Hathaway believes in health within his company, “There is no question that workplace wellness is worth it. The only question is whether you’re going to do it today or tomorrow. If you keep saying you’re going to do it tomorrow, you’ll never do it.” – Warren Buffet, Chairman, Berkshire Hathaway.

American Express Company

• #90 on the Fortune 500
• Provides a Healthy Living Workplace Wellness Program that encompases worksites in 22 different countries.
• Employees receive on-site medical care, including dental, dermatological, and well woman exams.
• They’ve also teamed up with local farms to serve nutritious, sustainable meals (and providing lessons in making them at home).
• Hosted a health and safety fair involving the families so everyone benefited from information regarding preventing diseases and injuries.
• Received the 2011 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles award.
• American Express received a Gold Award for its Healthy Living corporate wellness program that encourages preventive care and healthy lifestyles among American Express employees and their families.
• Improve health of employees and their dependents by encouraging positive health choices (physical, social, and financial).

McKesson

• #15 on the Fortune 500
• Health Fitness Revolution founder Samir Becic gave a seminar at the inauguration of their state-of-the-art fitness center and program in their Woodlands, Texas office.
• Offer their employees access to a wellness program, including Vitality, weight watchers and quit-for-life.
• These programs include easy access to online tools that encourage education and understanding of health risks, incentive-based wellness programs, and overall health management.
• As employees and their families participate in healthy activities, such as walking 10,000 steps per day or getting preventive health screenings, they enjoy the benefits of healthier living and earn Vitality Points, which can be redeemed for rewards.
• Employees have the opportunity to participate in the following health and wellness activities:
  • A biometric screening
  • An online health risk assessment
  • A pedometer linked to the on-line Vitality website
  • Subsidized gym membership fees
  • Weight Watchers membership
  • “Quit for Life” membership
  • 100% coverage for preventative care
  • Easy access to online tools and resources
• McKesson had recently received Platinum certification in the ‘2013 Best Employers for Healthy Lifestyles’ award presented by the National Business Group on Health.

For more information about how Health Fitness Revolution can help your company get healthier and fitter, please contact info@healthfitnessrevolution.org

Many companies see corporate wellness as a waste of money, and the one sector that is the first to suffer when financial instability sets in is the health and wellness sector. But according to Samir Becic, wellness that incorporates physical fitness and healthy nutrition is one of the key components in strengthening the company as a whole, building team synergy, creativity and eagerness to succeed, and directly impacting net profit and production in a positive way.

According to Becic, “Overweight and unhealthy employees cost corporations an astronomical amount in sick days, reduced productivity, and health premiums. Corporations need to invest in healthy lifestyle 5 times more money than they are right now in order to get their maximum net profit.”

Becic’s philosophy behind this statement is based on the following statistics:

• Annual cost of a “healthy” diabetic: $3,150
• Average cost of a heart attack: $15,700
• Average cost of a stroke patient: ~$45,000
• Corporate wellness statistics depict a savings of $2.30 to $10.10 for every $1 spent on wellness initiatives.

Samir Becic is a health and fitness advisor for many corporations.

Due to the fact that Fortune 500 companies are the backbone of the American economy and American pride, it is important to continue that growth in every aspect. Wellness is a sector with enormous opportunities and financial benefits for corporations and their employees.

Benefits of Corporate Wellness

According to Becic, a strong health and corporate wellness program can prove beneficial and be a successful investment for the following reasons:

• Healthier, more productive working employees
• Lower stress levels
• Lower turnover / higher employee retention rates
• Fewer sick days
• Lower insurance premiums
• Protection of a company’s greatest asset – the employee
• Higher self-esteem and a greater team-building mentality
• Increased energy and vitality in the workplace
• A more optimistic, positive attitude
• A greater eagerness to succeed and lead, along with the energy to do so
• Improvement in family life brings improvement into the workplace
• Greater community synergy, greater company synergy

“Corporations and the healthy lifestyle of its employees goes hand-in-hand with the healthier and more productive society of the 21st century, especially among Fortune 500 companies,” Becic said. “Encouraging employees to live a healthier lifestyle outside of work is a behavior that will transfer into the workplace and make an excellent environment for all concerned! The corporate benefits in net profit will mirror the benefits to the employees in ‘health profit.’ With a healthy lifestyle – meaning physical fitness, a healthy diet and spiritual balance – we can manage, control or completely avoid 60-70% of known illnesses.”

The Fortune 500 companies need to be, will be and must be the leaders in promoting healthy lifestyle in the business world. Because of their leadership position, other companies will follow their great example.

Health Fitness Revolution has created a list of the top 10 fittest companies in the United States, and many are from the Fortune 500.

This is just the beginning, as we plan on going through every single company in the Fortune 500 and create a list with the top 50 fittest and evaluate their health programs. We will start evaluating the Fortune 500 CEO’s fitness and health habits and create a list of the top 10 and top 50 fittest because we believe that in order for America to flourish as the strongest financial power in the world, we need to create healthy (wealthy) corporate environments.

“The billionaire’s contribution to American economy is imperative for the further growth of the United States,” said HFR founder Samir Becic. “There is another great avenue the billionaires can take in order to improve American economy, creativity, discipline, positivity and a winning spirit, and that is by being fit and spreading the message of the importance of a healthy lifestyle.”

Here are how the Top 20 Billionaires stay fit, from Health Fitness Revolution and author of the book ReSYNC Your Life Samir Becic:

Michael Bloomberg, CEO of Bloomberg LP;

Former NYC Mayor

• As mayor, encouraged citizens of New York City to get healthy and fit with a “Make NYC Your Gym” movement. “New York City is a great place to get healthy and keep fit — anyone can make the parks, streets and sidewalks into their own personal gym.”
• Plays golf
• Runs for nearly an hour every day on a treadmill
• Limits unhealthy takeout lunches, eats a lot of salads and snacks on popcorn
• HFR named Bloomberg as one of the top fittest mayors in America

Donald Trump, Real Estate

• “You’ve got to take care of your body and stay healthy. You don’t want to be a liability. You don’t want to become somebody’s patient. Taking care of your body is a great thing for love.”
• Takes long walks
• Golfs regularly
• Plays tennis
• Does not keep desserts at home

Mark Cuban, Investor

• “I try to do cardio for at least an hour, six or seven days a week, knowing I’ll miss a day or two now and then because of travel,” he tells the Dallas Morning News. “I do elliptical and the stair gauntlet; play basketball; and take kickboxing and Latin fusion aerobic classes at Lifetime Fitness.”
• Does both cardio and weightlifting for circuit workout routines.
• Eats high-protein, high-fiber, low-carb breakfast cookies each day from Alyssa’s Bakery, a company he invested in because he liked the cookies so much.
• The Dallas Mavericks owner also plays basketball for cardio work.

Jan Koum, 34 – WhatsApp Co-Founder

• Has said he was inspired to start WhatsApp due to his gym’s restrictive no-call policy.

Evan Williams, 41- Twitter

• “My focus is usually great first thing in the morning, so going to the gym first is a trade off of very productive time. Instead, I’ve started going mid-morning or late afternoon (especially on days I work late).It feels weird (at first) to leave the office in the middle of the day, but total time spent is nearly the same with higher energy and focus across the board.”
• Used to work out first thing in the morning because it is a great energy booster- but switched to working out in the middle of the day
• Works out mid-day because it is the time he is least productive and he says it helps him focus
• Specifically picked an office space near a gym so it was convenient for both him and his employees
• Meditates
• Yoga
• Does not eat snacks after 9 p.m.

Kenneth Feld, 65, Ringling Brothers

• Is an exercise and running enthusiast
• Runs marathons
• “When I was 39, somebody said however you are when you’re 40 is how you’re going to be the rest of your life. So I frantically changed. I had about six months to change all of my habits. I never exercised, so I started exercising. I changed my diet. So that sort of changed things for me. Then, I started running in my early 50s. Bill Powell, our regional vice president for this area, talked me into running and it was right when the circus was starting, the beginning of January. I did the Gasparilla run, the 15K. I didn’t know if I could make it then, and it was exhilarating. I started becoming a running addict and I figured for my 55th birthday, I was going to run the New York City Marathon. In the first year, we did it in 3:58 and we beat our goal. I’ve run five marathons: New York twice, Chicago twice and the Marine Corps marathon, all under four hours.” “Whenever there is a marathon and I’m not running in it, I have a marathon envy. It is the most positive experience. You’re running a race you know you’re not going to win, but all the runners are rooting for each other and all the spectators are rooting for every person. I think outside of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, it’s maybe one of the most positive experiences that anybody can ever have. There’s not a negative thought that exists out there. So there’s a lot of pleasure that’s derived from that, and you’re doing it. No one can run that 26.2 for you. So, it’s one of the greater feelings of satisfaction you can get.”

Larry Ellison, CEO of Oracle

• He races sailboats, which require plenty of strength and stamina to maneuver.
• He is also known to hit the gym regularly to keep up that fit appearance.
• Plays tennis (and owns the Indian Wells professional tennis tournament in California)

Brian Chesky, Co-Founder of Airbnb

• Former competitive bodybuilder.
• Believes in eating right.

Sergey Brin, Google Co-Creator

• Enjoys skydiving
• In his spare time, he likes to push his body to the limits in any way he can, from roller hockey and ultimate frisbee to gymnastics, springboard diving, and even high-flying trapeze. “I like to do a variety of acrobatic things,” he has said.
• Takes trapeze classes at a local circus gym
• Roller blades
• Brin’s mother was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and he estimates that with increased exercise and a healthy diet, he could potentially cut his risk in half, to about 25%

Jeff Bezos, Amazon.com Founder

• Insists on 8 hours of sleep a night
• Works out with strength training regularly

Elon Musk, Founder of Tesla and SpaceX

• Swims
• Plays tennis
• Works out at the gym regularly. To save time on his commute, he’s packed his 20,000 plus square feet home with most health club amenities.

Jack Dorsey, Twitter Founder

• Follows the Paleo diet (advocates avoiding gluten, alcohol, dairy and sugar).
• Hits the gym regularly
• Runs three miles daily
• Does six sets of 20 squats and pushups every day.
• Drinks only lemon water and red wine, and avoids beer and hard liquor on weekdays.

John Paul DeJoria, Founder of Paul Mitchell, Patron Spirits

• Has a home gym in which he installed a rope to hang from the ceiling, which he uses as part of his fitness regimen
• Does military pushups twice a week, alternating with pull ups twice a week
• Eats organic
• Limits meat intake
• Eats small meals

Vince McMahon, 68, WWE

• Typically trains four days a week (depending on his work schedule)
• Trains each body part once a week.
• He alternates between “Heavy” and “Not-So-Heavy” days for each body part.
• Trains calves every third day and abs twice a week.
• His son-in-law has said he likes to train at 2 a.m.

Erin Lauder, 44, Cosmetics

• Does not like pasta
• Eats salad or sushi for lunch
• Likes chicken and burgers
• Loves walking and running in Central Park
• “ I’ve never done a cleanse; they just don’t appeal to me. I think it’s better to eat healthy and exercise.”
• Does pilates with a trainer 3 times a week

Jane Lauder, 41, Cosmetics

• Practices yoga daily
• Follows healthy, organic and natural diet

Patrick Soon-Shiong, 63, CEO of the Chan Soon-Shiong Institute for Advance Health

• Minority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers
• Plans to build a 1.2 billion dollar football stadium to return pro football to the nation’s second largest city
• Believes that owning a National Football League would give him a platform to promote wellness by having players mentor younger fans on exercise and healthy eating, and sharing training and medical techniques with local doctors

Michael Dell, 49, Chief Executive of Dell

• Works out in a home gym in private because he wants to take the time to concentrate on the “exercise” he feels are most important in order to come out looking like he wants
• Wears a digital fitness tracker

Sheryl Sandberg, 44, Facebook

• Wakes up daily before 6 a.m., works out at her home gym

Charles Ergen, 61, Founder of DISH Network

• Avid mountain climber who scaled Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Aconcagua in Argentina and Mount Everest base camp in Nepal
• Member of the Colorado Mountain Club and has climbed all of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks
• Other than mountain climbing, his interest includes pickup basketball

Start in the airplane

• Always pick water over soda and alcohol in the plane, both of the latter cause dehydration, which worsens jet lag.
• Pack a healthy snack (apple, nuts, protein bar) so that you’re not tempted to purchase and snack on chips in the airport terminal.
•  Move around every couple hours while on the plane to maintain healthy blood circulation and avoid dangerous blood clots.

Workout in your hotel room

• This way you’re completely independent of hotel gym hours.
• Do a combination of squats, sit-ups, crunches, and push-ups which don’t require any equipment.
• Jog in place for some cardio.
• Go to a local grocery store and buy some healthy snacks to keep handy in your room.

Don’t drink so much coffee!

• People tend to drink more coffee when they are on the go, but too much coffee is not good for you- try to limit yourself to 2 cups a day.
• Next time a business associate asks you to talk over coffee, suggest a walk outside with them.  Walking is a wonderful way of getting exercise and removes you from distractions. Conversations can flow more freely and business gets accomplished.
• Swap a few coffees for green tea, it’s packed with antioxidants and a great alternative to coffee!

Stay relaxed

• Remember to take deep breathes before important meetings and presentations, it helps your voice steady and sound more confident.
• Take some time out of each stressful day to relax and meditate- being stressed out is so unhealthy!
• Take a cue from yoga- take slow, deep breathes in through your nose and exhale completely several times to quiet your mind and lower your heart rate.

Be mindful of timezones

• Try and mimic the time pattern you have at home as closely as possible.
• Stay very hydrated by drinking water and coconut water in order to minimize jet-lag
• Try to get the same amount of sleep as you’re used to.

Don’t worry so much about work e-mails

• Set up an out-of-office automatic reply so that people know it will take you a few days to get back to them.
• Trust your team back home to handle business- there’s no sense in worrying about things you can’t control.
• Focus all your energy on your business travel, that way you can truly do a thorough job where you physically are.

Well, science has yet to suggest that. But it has delivered proof of the positive effect a societal change in diet can have on citizens’ health.

The subjects of the study were the people of Cuba, who unknowingly took part in a large-scale study on the effect of lifestyle change during their country’s extended economic downturn in the 1990s.

The economy began to collapse after the government of its state sponsor, the Soviet Union, fell in 1989. The Russian republic that emerged from the former regime soon ended its subsidies of cheap oil for Cuba. As Richard Schiffman reports in a fascinating new article in The Atlantic, the shift sent Cuba “into an economic tailspin from which it would not recover for over half a decade.”

The effects were widespread. Most motorized agriculture and food distribution systems were halted. The ongoing U.S. trade embargo, strengthened by Congress in 1996, further prevented the import of many drugs, manufactured goods and food products. “Cubans survived drinking sugared water and eating anything they could get their hands on,” Schiffman writes, “including domestic pets and the animals in the Havana Zoo.”

And yet the population’s health actually improved, in some ways dramatically, according to a study recently released by researchers working in Cuba, Spain, and the United States and published by the medical journal BMJ.

Researchers tracking the health of about 6,000 residents and analyzing national data compiled by the Cuban Ministry of Public Health found that mortality in the island country dropped during the depression. Death from cardiovascular disease fell by a third, and from adult-onset Type 2 diabetes by half. The rate of strokes was reduced, too.

Despite its economic struggles, Cuba maintained an effective health-care system. But the study found that it was not the doctors that kept citizens healthy but the lifestyle changes poverty forced on them.

With public transportation largely idled by the gas crisis, more people walked and bicycled. Adults also ate less, losing an average 12 pounds as their daily calorie intake dropped from about 3,000 to between 1,400 and 2,400, according to the new research. Diets were transformed as well. Protein intake dropped an average of 40% as meat and dairy products became luxuries and families turned to de facto veganism, Schiffman reports, living off “what they could grow, catch and pick for themselves — including lots of high-fiber fresh produce and fruits, added to the increasingly hard-to-come-by staples of beans, corn and rice.”

Cuba had gone green, even if unintentionally. With limited access to agro-chemicals, “farmers returned to the machetes and oxen-drawn plows of their ancestors,” Schiffman notes. Community gardens flourished in major cities.

Cuba’s state-controlled economy regained some of its footing in the late 1990s, due in large part to the support of oil-rich Venezuela. And as soon as cheap access to oil was restored, Cubans began exercising less and eating more. By 2011, the researchers found, the nation’s obesity rate had almost tripled from its 1995 low. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease rates rose in lockstep with obesity and the national mortality rate returned to pre-downturn levels.

In an editorial accompanying the study in BMJ, Professor Walter Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health wrote: “Although the hardships experienced by Cubans in the 1990s were unfortunate, the present findings add powerful evidence that major population-wide benefits will be obtained rapidly by reducing overweight and obesity. To achieve this is perhaps the major public health and societal challenge of this century.”

Schiffman joins Willett in wondering what the United States can learn from the Cuban experience as our own health care system struggles to manage soaring rates of Type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association’s chief medical officer, Dr. Robert Rattner, says 1 in 3 American adults could have the condition by 2050. Meanwhile, heart disease, which like diabetes is closely linked to a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diet, remains the leading cause of death in the United States.

The authors of the Cuban study suggest that other countries seek to recreate the Caribbean nation’s experience — without the economic downturn — through public health campaigns, redesigned public spaces, limits on unhealthy food and drink, especially for children, and taxes on sugary and fatty foods. They acknowledge, though, a troubling reality: “No country or regional population has successfully reduced the distribution of body mass index or reduced the prevalence of obesity through public health campaigns or targeted treatment programs.”

In the absence of national initiative, it’s up to each of us to do what we can to improve our own health. What can you do? Here are some fundamental steps that could boost your health and prolong your life. If enough of us adopt them, we may see a reduction in our national rates of diabetes and heart disease, and we’ll ward off more cases of dementia, too:

• Eat healthier. The Mediterranean diet has been shown to help prevent 30 percent of heart attacks and strokes for people at high risk of those conditions. It features olive oil, fish, fruits, vegetables, and unrefined grains. Wine, eggs, and low-fat dairy products are allowed in moderation. One key to the diet’s success is that it eschews highly processed snacks and prepared foods that are low on nutrients and high on additives. 
• Try vegetarianism. We saw the impact a meat shortage had on Cubans’ health. Forgoing meat in this country is easier than ever as alternatives continue to improve and become more affordable. Becoming a vegan or vegetarian is no protection against obesity or metabolic syndrome if you continue to feast on processed foods low on fiber and loaded with fat and sugar. Focus on whole foods.
• Get moving. A sedentary lifestyle is one of the greatest health risks. Sitting for more than three hours a day can cut one’s life expectancy by two years and the effects are not entirely offset by regular exercise. C. Everett Koop, a former surgeon general, recommended a minimum of 10,000 steps a day — about five miles. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises all adults to get 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise a week. Barely half of us do either.

The Cubans, in a way, had good health forced on them. The discouraging news is that when it was no longer economically necessary to live a healthier, more active lifestyle, the population basically dropped it. Clearly the challenge for our country — to make such changes voluntarily and stick with them — is even more daunting.

As published originally in Forbes