Phil's Journal: Corporate Wellness

Since last November, I have been working the more routine 9 to 5 work schedule. I was previously working the Mr. Mom shift; shuffling kids, office and home responsibilities in pretty erratic fashion. I was able to pull off eating properly and working out regularly during this period, but it took a lot more focus and determination. It was not uncommon for me to do a late night or early morning workout (2am is my PR!). Sometimes you just have to get it done!

This brings me back to the comforts of my cubicle. It may get crazy at times with phone calls, meetings and such, but I also have the advantage of being in the same general area for an extended period of time. This is luxury in my eyes! My lunch, snacks and water bottle are all within my reach. No eating on the fly, missing a meal or forgetting to drink enough water.

The same holds true for scheduling workouts. I am done my shift between 5 and 6, have my pre-workout snack on the way home and hit the home gym within 30 minutes of walking through the door.

So why aren't more desk jockeys taking advantage of this golden opportunity to plan out their nutrition and fitness schedules?

It is not laziness as much as it is the need for regular guidance. I work with a great group of hard-working, young professionals (at 38, I am the senior citizen of the group!). They are all active and possess a pretty good grasp of healthy eating habits. However, even they get sucked into "work, work, work" mode and don't always make correct food choices, or neglect opportunities to exercise. Like so many other desk jockeys, just as they manage their job responsibilities, my fellow co-workers simply needed some insight for better management of their meal choices and exercise schedules.

Being the unofficial wellness coach at EpikOne, I am proud to announce that the team is doing great! As you can see from the pics above, not only are we working on weight training, but also very important wellness factors like good posture and desk jockey ergonomics.

Several of my recent posts on Tough Love Nutrition are corporate wellness-related. While I wish I could pay a visit to everybody's office for a month or three to jump start employee awareness of good health and nutrition, TLN is the next best thing. Use it so you don't lose it (or gain it)!

Enjoy and be enlightened