Entrepreneurs are used to
working long hours and occasionally ignoring their health, all for the sake of
making their small business a success. With the holiday season quickly
approaching and leftover Halloween candy, Thanksgiving pies and Christmas
goodies all racing through our heads, now is the time to establish healthy
holiday habits that will make your New Year's resolutions last well beyond the
first slice of pumpkin pie.
Chances are excellent that
as a business owner you spend a lot of time on your feet, checking on supplies,
employees and everything else. It might be a good idea to purchase a pedometer,
an inexpensive device that attaches to your belt or pocket to record the total
number of steps you take daily. Walking is great exercise. Strive for 10,000
steps each day and increase your number by taking a longer route to the
photocopier or the bathroom. Walk during the rare occasions when you take a coffee
break. Go talk to a colleague or employee instead of sending an e-mail. Take
the stairs instead of the elevator. Remember: You burn four calories for every
10 stairs you climb.
As a business owner, it's up
to you to create a fitness-friendly atmosphere at the office. The benefits such
as offering fitness-club discounts or other health-focused initiatives will
outweigh the cons, especially in the long run, with lower health-insurance
claims for employees.
You might even encourage
your employees to establish a weight loss goal. Offer incentives, such as a day
off or an extended lunch period. A long-term fitness goal will motivate
everyone to continue to exercise; it will also promote a unity and teamwork.
Healthy potlucks
The holiday season is notorious
for endless food binges and potlucks. Instead of dumping high-calorie and
fattening holiday leftovers, such as cakes, pies, candy and cookies, on
unsuspecting coworkers and employees, consider healthy alternatives. Fresh
fruits, vegetables, dip or high-fiber
snacks are palpable replacements. A serving of fruit averages only 60 calories
and contains little or no fat. A single serving of sweets may contain up to 350
calories and 25 grams of fat.
Water, water everywhere
Above-average water intake
keeps your metabolism stable and wards off intense hunger cravings. In many
cases, people mistake thirst for hunger and often end up binging to quench
their thirst. As a business owner, encourage your employees to drink healthy by
keeping the employee fridge stocked with an endless supply of bottled water and
juice.
Finally, the key to staying
healthy is, of course, eating healthy and exercise; we hear it all the time.
However, as a small-business owner, you should continue to promote a healthy
lifestyle to your employees. During this time of the year, it might be a good
idea to have a nutritionist visit the office and give a pep talk to workers
about how to eat healthy and still enjoy the holidays. Establish a goal and
work as a team to achieve it—whether it is to lose 10 pounds or to exercise
more—and support your employees in developing and maintaining a healthy
lifestyle.
Just because it's winter
doesn't mean that we have accept lethargy and food excesses without question.
Perhaps, instead of entering New Year's Day with the standard resolutions about
losing weight, quitting smoking and starting to exercise, you might already
have achieved them.
– Courtesy of the National
Federation of Independent Businesses. For more information on this topic, visit
www.nfib.com.