Nobody will ever claim public relations is a profession that helps to build healthy bodies. For the office-bound, working in high-stress conditions and at long hours in a
sedentary position at an ergonomically inefficient workstation, punctuated with fast food lunches, can make a mess on the body, mind and spirit - especially the body.
The results are not pleasant: Aching bodies, a running-on-empty energy supply and too-low productivity. From a human resources standpoint, an out-of-shape workforce can lead
to increased premiums with healthcare coverage.
Bill Yeager knows too well about the perils of being in terrible condition. In fact, he uses his once-shapeless physique for PR purposes - he is the flabby "Before" in the
"Before and After" photographs that promote his company, Horizon Personal Training & Nutrition in Southington, CT. However, Yeager is also the buff "After" in that
same promotional photographs.
Don't think of Yeager as being the type who exercises for a living. As the company president, much of his time is spent at his desk and computer, not on the weight machines.
But if Yeager spends more time at his desk, he is not reverting to his "Before" condition. Yeager tells PR News that working long and often difficult hours in an office
should not automatically turn people into Fatty Arbuckle look-alikes.
For those who want to maintain a healthier lifestyle to benefit their personal and professional endeavors, Yeager offers this advice:
- Find time to exercise. Don't tell Yeager you're too busy to exercise - he's heard it before and it never becomes more believable over time. "Get up early and get
it out of the way first thing in the morning," he says. "We have people who come into our center as bright and early as 5:00AM."
- Eat correctly. Yeager points out that exercise is only half of the equation needed to maintain good health. "Eat smaller meals through the day," he says. "Go for a
fistful of carbohydrates and proteins, but stay away from sugars. When I am working at my desk, I get my best ideas when I have a bowlful of carrots and snap peas. They keep me
going and keep my mind moving."
- Get up and move. Yes, we all have to work in front of our computers. But we don't have to live there. Yeager urges desk jockeys to dismount from their workstations
to stretch and ambulate. "Every hour, try to get up and move around," he says, adding that proper posture when sitting is also crucial to good health. He also recommends deep
breathing exercises, which can easily be done from the desk without creating distractions to less-inspired (and less-shapely) co-workers.
- Be aware that you need to be in shape. Or, in cruel English, stop lying to yourself. "Most people rationalize or lie to themselves that things are okay and stay
settled," he observes.
For Yeager, his publicity material is proof that one can go from flab to fab. "I show people my own transformation," he says. "It is not only my story, but I also use that as
a company story."
Contact: Bill Yeager, [email protected].